Abstract:
Personal flotation devices for water activities, which devices include a pair of front panels divided by a zipper for easy ingress and egress by the wearer and fitted with multiple clips for adjustment to the size of the user and attachment to other flotation devices. A pair of adjustable side connecting panels connect each front panel to a back or rear panel, typically having a clip-hinged, floating head support and an adjustable bottom connecting panel connects the bottom of the front panels to the bottom of the respective back or rear panels, extending between the legs of the user. Removable and adjustable shoulder straps may be employed between the front panels and the back or rear panel and one or more connecting elements, including a “buddy strap”, may be connected to two or more of the flotation devices to join multiple swimmers or floaters. A child or adult flotation device may be strapped to an adult flotation device to accommodate children and to provide safety in rough water.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference prior filed copending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/399,367, filed Jul. 30, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention includes new and improved, typically covered, expanded-foam personal flotation devices which are characterized by zippered front panels connected to a rear panel by adjustable side panels and having an adjustable, easily releasable, typically covered fiber (nylon or polypropylene, in non-exclusive particular) bottom panel extending from the front panels between the user&#39;s legs, to the rear panel. Further included is a connector-hinged head flotation panel for supporting the user&#39;s head, optional adjustable shoulder straps and optional connecting elements such as “buddy straps” for connecting multiple users of the flotation devices together and/or additional connecting straps for joining a child&#39;s flotation device or one or more adult flotation devices to an adult flotation device, while floating on a water body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an adult flotation device (with optional shoulder straps) tethered to a child flotation device without shoulder straps; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the adult flotation device tethered to the child flotation device illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the child flotation device illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the right-hand front panel partially open; 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of an adult flotation device with the right-hand front panel partially open and optional shoulder straps in place; 
       FIG. 5  is a side perspective view, partially in section, of the right frontal portion of a personal flotation device of this invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of a pair of adult flotation devices tethered together and a child flotation device tethered to one of the adult flotation devices. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1–3  of the drawings typical adult and child personal flotation devices of this invention are tethered to each other and are generally illustrated by reference numeral  1 . The devices are further typically characterized by a covered, expanded foam adult flotation device  2 , for an adult  20  and a child flotation device  30 , on a child  29  ( FIG. 1 , in phantom). The adult flotation device  2  and child flotation device  30  each typically include a cover  11 , which may typically be rip-stop nylon or the like, covering a right-hand front panel  3  and a left-hand front panel  4 , joined by a front panel zipper  5 , fitted with a zipper pull  6 , as illustrated. A right-hand front panel pocket  3   a , typically fitted with a pocket clip  4   b , is provided on the right-hand front panel  3  of the adult flotation device  2  and a left-hand front panel pocket  4   a  may likewise be fitted with a pocket clip  4   b  and is provided on the left-hand front panel  4  of the adult flotation device  2 . A front panel clip  7  spans the top adjacent edges of the right-hand front panel  3  and the left-hand front panel  4  above the front panel zipper  5  to close the mating edges of the right-hand front panel  3  and the left-hand front panel  4  on both the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 . A removable right shoulder strap  12  may optionally be provided on the right-hand front panel  3 , along with right shoulder clips  13 , each of which are also fitted with a female clip element  8  and a male clip element  9  (see  FIG. 3 ), clipped together as illustrated. The female clip element  8  and the male clip element  9  of the right shoulder clip  13  are typically connected to the fabric cover  111  on the right-hand front panel  3  and to the right shoulder strap  12 , respectively, by means of respective clip element straps  10 . Similarly, a left shoulder strap  14  is provided on the left-hand front panel  4  and is characterized by a left shoulder clip  15 , having a female clip element  8  and a male clip element  9  ( FIG. 3 ), which are joined to the fabric cover  11  on the left-hand front panel  4  and to the left shoulder strap  14 , respectively, by means of additional clip element straps  10 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the opposite ends of the right shoulder strap  12  and left shoulder strap  14  are connected to a back panel  27  by means of an additional right shoulder clip  13  and left shoulder clip  15 , respectively. Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the right shoulder strap  12  and left shoulder strap  14  terminate at the rear of the adult flotation  2  and join at one end of a single center strap  28 , secured to the back panel  27  by a center strap clip  28   a , which is identical to the right shoulder clip  13  and left shoulder clip  15  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A right torso clip  17  is provided low on the right-hand front panel  3  and includes a female clip element  8 , connected to the right-hand front panel  3  by means of a clip element strap  10 . Similarly, a left torso clip  19  is provided low on the left-hand front panel  4  and includes a female clip element  8 , attached to the left-hand front panel  4  by means of a clip element strap  10  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1–6  of the drawings the right-hand front panel  3  and left-hand front panel  4  of the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 , respectively, are connected to a corresponding back panel  27 , also constructed of an expanded foam material and also typically having a suitable cover  11 , by means of flexible, adjustable side connecting panels  21 , typically, but not necessarily, characterized by the same material as the fabric cover  11 . Each of the side connecting panels  21  is further characterized by side connecting panel clips  21   a , each having a female clip element  8  and a male clip element (not illustrated), attached to the respective side connecting panels  21  by side connecting panel clip straps  21   b , for adjusting the length of the respective side connecting panels  21 . 
   As further illustrated in  FIGS. 1–6  a bottom connecting panel  22 , typically constructed of an expanded foam material and typically having a cover  11 , extends in both the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 , from the right-hand front panel  3  and left-hand front panel  4 , between a wearer or user&#39;s adult legs  20   a  and the child legs  29   a , respectively, ( FIG. 1 ), to the corresponding back panel  27 . The bottom connecting panel  22  is typically fitted with a pair of bottom connecting panel male clip elements  23  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ), connected to the bottom connecting panel  22  by means of clip element straps  10 , respectively. The two corresponding female clip elements  8  are included in the right torso clip  17  and the left torso clip  19 , respectively, and are removably secured to the pair of bottom connecting panel male clip elements  23 , respectively, to position the bottom connecting panel  21  between the adult legs  20   a  of an adult wearer  20  and the child legs  29   a  of a child  29 , respectively, in functional position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the opposite end of the bottom connecting panel  22  is either removably connected, sewn or otherwise fixed to the back panel  27 , as illustrated. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 6  of the drawings, a head support panel  25 , constructed of an expanded foam material and typically having a cover  11 , is provided for supporting the head of a user when the adult flotation device or devices  2  and child flotation device  30  are in place and during flotation, to facilitate resting an adult  20  and child  29  in a comfortable position while floating, with the head resting rearwardly on the buoyant head support panel  25 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention the head support panel  25  is secured to the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 , respectively, by means of a pair of detachable hinge clips  26  and respective clip element straps  10 , such that the head support is conveniently positioned by gravity alongside the back panel  27  when the user is not in the water. However, the head support panel  25  quickly and easily floats upwardly from a position at the non-floating back panel  27  ( FIG. 2 ) to a floating configuration behind the user&#39;s head ( FIG. 6 ), by means of the hinge clips  26  and clip element straps  10 , to a head-supporting position, without the need for adjustment by the user when the user enters the water in a floating configuration. 
   Referring again to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  6  of the drawings, as described above, the child flotation device  30  is typically designed in essentially the same configuration and has the same components, but typically without the right-hand front panel pocket  3   a  and the left-hand front panel pocket  4   a , as the adult flotation device  2 . Furthermore, the child flotation device  30  may be connected to the adult flotation device  2  by means of connecting straps  31  of selected length and construction, each fitted with connecting clips  32 , typically designed in the same manner as the connecting clips described heretofore with respect to the adult flotation device  2 . Accordingly, the connecting clips  32  each typically include a female clip element  8  and a male clip element  9  connected to the child flotation device  30  and the connecting straps  31 , respectively, by means of respective clip element straps  10 . Consequently, it will be appreciated that the child flotation device  30  can either be clipped directly and closely to the adult flotation device  2  using the connecting straps  31  by selectively taking up the slack in the connecting straps  31  at the connecting clips  32 , or it may be connected to the adult flotation device  2  using the “buddy strap”  16  ( FIGS. 4–6 ), by clipping the free end of the “buddy strap”  16  to a connecting ring  24  on the adjacent adult flotation device  2  or child flotation device  30  using the buddy strap clip  16   a  and buddy strap snap  16   b . As in the case of the adult flotation device  2 , the child flotation device  30  is characterized by adjustable, flexible side connecting panels  21  and an adjustable bottom connecting panel  22  that join a back panel  27  to a right-hand front panel  3  and left-hand front panel  4 . Furthermore, a front panel clip  7 , having a female clip element  8  and a male clip element  9  (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) attached to the right-hand front panel  3  and left-hand front panel  4 , respectively, by clip element straps  10 , join the abutting top edges of the right-hand panel  3  and the left-hand panel  4 . A front panel zipper  5  and a zipper pull  6  may also be provided on the right-hand front panel and the left-hand front panel of the child flotation device  30 , for easy ingress and egress of a user, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Auxiliary clips  34  may also be attached to the child flotation device  30  by means of auxiliary clip straps  33 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , for additional strap-securing configurations between the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 . 
   It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the respective panels, elements and components of the personal flotation devices  1  of this invention, including the right-hand front panel  3 , left-hand front panel  4 , back panel  27 , head support panel  25  and the bottom connecting panel  22  of the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 , are each constructed of a closed-cell, buoyant material such as expanded polyurethane foam in non-exclusive particular, and are characterized by convenience, flexibility, safety and utility, in that the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30  are designed to comfortably and safely accommodate adults and children, respectively, of various size and weight, during extended periods of floating. This accommodation is made simple by the provision of the adjustable, wide side connecting panels  21  and the adjustable, soft bottom connecting panel  22 , for easy adjustment, comfort and security purposes. The bottom connecting panel  22  adds support for the user or wearer in the water and prevents the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30  from “riding up” on the torso of the user or wearer while floating, as well as furnishing additional buoyancy to the personal flotation devices  1 . The wide, adjustable side connecting panels  21  serve to tighten the adult flotation device  2  securely, yet comfortably, around the chest and under the arms of the user for optimum security and comfort while floating. Moreover, the floating head support panel  25 , attached to the back panel  27 , is designed to automatically float beneath the head of the user or wearer to facilitate a comfortable supporting of the head of the user or wearer during flotation, without significant effort. The optional right shoulder strap  12  and left shoulder strap  14  may also be provided with a right shoulder strap pad  12   a  and a left shoulder strap pad  14   a , to pad the shoulders  20   b  of a user or wearer, as illustrated in the drawings. 
   In a most preferred embodiment of the invention the respective flotation panels of the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30  of the personal flotation devices  1  are each constructed of the buoyant expanded foam material polyurethane or the equivalent, covered by a suitable cover  11 , which may include such materials as rip-stop nylon fabric or the like, which material is sufficiently strong to attach the respective clip element straps  10  and secure the corresponding clips in place. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the respective clip element straps  10  may also be attached directly to the expanded polyurethane foam by gluing or other bonding techniques known to those skilled in the art, without using the fabric cover  11 . The polyurethane or equivalent expanded foam material used to construct the personal flotation devices  1  may be of any selected thickness and type sufficient to support and float an adult and a child, respectively, in the adult flotation device  2  and the child flotation device  30 , with the user&#39;s head well above water and comfortably located on the head support panel  25 . Furthermore, the respective female clip elements  8  and male clip elements  9  may be interchanged and reversed in the respective connecting positions illustrated in the drawings when connected by the corresponding clip element straps  10 , as desired during construction of the personal flotation devices  1 . 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.