Abstract:
A buoyancy control apparatus for body surfing includes a buoyancy vest to be worn alone or under a body surfing suit or wetsuit, the vest having a plurality of spaced pockets with access openings on the exterior surface of the vest, and a plurality of foam inserts sized for fitting into the pockets via the access openings. The body surfer can regulate their buoyancy by adding foam inserts to the pockets or removing foam inserts from the pockets to enable them to maintain desired control and buoyancy balance in the water.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/769,718 filed on Feb. 18, 2013 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/600,441, filed Feb. 17, 2012, entitled “Buoyancy Vest”, and the contents of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates, in general, to body surfing, and more particularly to a buoyancy control apparatus or body surfing buoyancy vest. More particularly, the present invention relates to a buoyancy vest to be worn under a body surfing suit or wetsuit which allows the buoyancy of the surfer to be adjusted in order to enable them to maintain desired control and buoyancy balance in the water. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Body surfing is a way to enjoy the thrill of riding a wave in order to get the best ride the surfer must be buoyancy balanced. Body surfers, generally, simply extend their bodies horizontally, projecting their arms forward and in line with their body while allowing a breaking wave to drive them shoreward with the surf. To the body surfer, it is important to be able to ride waves of varied sizes, to enjoy a stable ride and to be able to control their bodies&#39; direction and position and buoyancy on a wave face. Since a body surfer rarely uses any equipment other than swim fins, it is quite difficult for a body surfer to adequately control the stability of his ride and control his buoyancy. 
         [0004]    The present invention seeks to overcome these limitations by providing the body surfer a means to stabilize his ride by controlling his/her buoyancy on the waves allowing his/her body to be in the proper position when the wave comes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages, and principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a buoyancy vest worn by a person in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of a buoyancy vest in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a buoyancy vest showing some buoyancy foam extending from the vest pockets. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0009]    After reading this description it will become apparent to one skilled in the art how to implement the invention in various alternative embodiments and alternative applications. However, all the various embodiments of the present invention will be described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presented by way of an example only, and not limitation. As such, this detailed description of various alternative embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope or breadth of the present invention as set forth below. 
         [0010]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the buoyancy vest  100  is shown in a front view on a person. The buoyancy vest  100  is a vest worn on the user&#39;s upper torso to keep them more buoyant in the water. The buoyancy vest  100  includes a neck opening  102 , a pair of arm holes  104 , a front side  106  with an exterior surface and an interior surface, a back side  108  with an exterior surface and an interior surface ( FIG. 2 ), pockets  110  on the front ( FIG. 1 ) and rear side ( FIG. 2 ) of the vest, and foam inserts  112  ( FIG. 3 ) to be placed in the pockets  110 . The buoyancy vest  100  is worn by a person either alone or under a surf suit or wet suit. In one embodiment the buoyancy vest  100  is pulled over the wearers head and meant to fit snuggly around the person&#39;s upper torso. The snug fit of the buoyancy vest  100  allows the user to be stream line in the water and does not allow water to sit between the inside of the vest  100  and the user&#39;s upper torso. In another embodiment the buoyancy vest  100  opens down the middle of on the front side  106  by means of a zipper, Velcro or other type of attachment, see  FIG. 3 , so that the person wearing the vest can easily put it on and still allow for it to fit snuggly around the upper torso. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the buoyancy vest  100  can have one or more pockets  110  on the front side  106  and/or back side  108 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the pockets  110  on the buoyancy vest  100  are configured to hold foam inserts  112 . The buoyancy foam inserts  112  are placed into the pockets  110  allowing the person wearing the vest to control how buoyant they are in the water by choosing how many foam inserts  112  to place in the pockets. The foam can be inserted or removed to increase or decrease the buoyancy in the water. Thus one or more can be used and the size and density of the foam insets  112  can be changed. In some embodiments, the foam inserts  112  can be manufactured in various densities and thicknesses thereby allowing the wearer of the vest to further select how much buoyancy they desire. In one embodiment, the foam inserts  112  are made of closed cell foam such as ethylene vinyl acetate (“EVA”). 
         [0012]    This buoyancy vest  100  is configured to be worn by a person who is bodysurfing so that they can control their buoyancy in the water, however the buoyancy vest  100  could be worn by anyone engaging in a number of types of water sports. The amount of buoyancy is controlled by adding or taking out foam inserts from the vest&#39;s  100  pockets  110 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment the back side  108  has an extension on lower end referred to as a tab  114 . This tab  114  extends down and rests on the wearer&#39;s glutious maximus and can be grabbed by the wearer to pull the vest up and over the wearer&#39;s head for removal of the buoyancy vest  100 . In some embodiments there is a string or rope  118  attached to the tab  114 . This string  118  can be easily reached by the person wearing the vest  100  and therefore allows them to pull on the string  118  and pull the vest  100  up over their head to access the tab  114  and pull the vest over their head to remove. 
         [0013]    The buoyancy vest  100  may be constructed from neoprene or other lightweight, stretchable, water, chemical and UV resistant material. In another embodiment the buoyancy vest  100  is constructed from a buoyant material. For example, this material of the vest  100  maybe fabricated from neoprene in various thicknesses. In one embodiment, the thickness of the neoprene or buoyant material is from ½ to 20 millimeter. A thicker neoprene vest provides more buoyancy and allows the surfer to body surf in colder waters since neoprene keeps the body temperature elevated. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in one embodiment, the front side  106  and the back side  108  have a right and a left panel  122  and  124 . These panels have an additional layer of neoprene on the inside of the vest which is stretched or glued to the inside of the vest around the circumference of the panel. The pockets  110  of the vest are then cut through the outside of the vest panel  122  and  124 , and inserted between the two layers of neoprene formed by the panels  122  and  124 . The buoyancy foam  112  can then slide into the pockets made between the two layers of panels  122  and  124 , see  FIG. 3 . In one preferred embodiment, each pocket has an exterior flap  126 , which folds over the opening of the pocket and attaches by Velcro® or other means to the exterior surface of the vest. These exterior flaps  126  cover the pockets so that the buoyancy foam  112  does not fall out. 
         [0014]    The above description of disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art; the generic principals defined herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principals and novel features disclosed herein.