Abstract:
The present invention is generally directed to a swim fin generally including a fin blade and a bootie, the bootie including a foot pocket configured to receive a user&#39;s foot and ankle, the foot pocket attached to the top surface of the fin blade; and a strap system including one or more straps pulling the user&#39;s foot and ankle into the foot pocket toward the distal edge of the fin blade and down against a top surface of the fin blade. Some aspects of the present invention may also include a foot pocket formed from a first portion having a first elastic characteristic connected to the top surface of the fin blade; and a second portion having a second elastic characteristic portion disposed at least on a portion of the top surface of the foot pocket, the second elastic characteristic being greater than the first elastic characteristic.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/543,372 filed on Oct. 5, 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to fins often used in activities such as lap swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing (“swim fins”). More particularly, the present invention is directed to the physical interface that connects a user to a swim fin blade. 
     Some fins attach to a user&#39;s foot utilizing pockets that are configured to receive a portion or all of a user&#39;s foot, much like a shoe. Such pockets may be constructed of either rigid or soft and flexible materials. Often, such pockets are configured to receive only a portion of a user&#39;s foot, and have an open heel or back area. In such situations, a user&#39;s foot is often held in place—inserted into the pocket—through the use of one or more straps. 
     However, each of these means has certain drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, in certain situations rigid foot pockets chafe the user&#39;s feet, resulting in discomfort and potential injury. This drawback is significant since swim fins are often used in scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing—environments where abrasive materials, such as sand, is prevalent. This drawback is also significant in repetitive activities, such as lap swimming. 
     Pockets in swim fins made from soft and flexible materials also suffer from drawbacks and disadvantages. Soft pockets are generally more comfortable for the user, but such swim fins typically allow for unwanted motion of the user&#39;s foot relative to the swim fin blade. Unwanted motion may limit the force the user may effectively apply to the swim fin blade and may limit the size, shape, and stiffness of the swim fin blade, thus resulting in limited performance. 
     Additionally, regardless of whether the foot pocket is formed from a soft or rigid material, existing swim fins generally lack a secure attachment sufficient to prevent the swim fin from being forcibly removed from the user&#39;s foot when external forces are applied. Yet, in use swim fins are often exposed to external forces caused from waves, surf, currents, kelp, etc. 
     The prevalence of swim fins being forcibly removed is evident from the original manufacture and after-market accessory of a tether. In general, swim fin tethers comprise a mechanical attachment (for example, a strap or other connection) between the swim fin and the user. For example, a strap may connect to a swim fin and then be secured to a user&#39;s ankle. The addition or purchase of a tether increases the cost of such swim equipment and may provide other drawbacks, such as discomfort and excessive drag when used. 
     Further, although swim fin attachments are generally available in varying sizes, they generally lack the ability to conform to variations in foot size and shape, resulting in a poor fit. 
     Moreover, swim fin attachments as generally available typically present gaps and spaces between the user and the swim fin. Such gaps may cause increased hydrodynamic drag to the swimmer due to fluid flowing along the interface between the user and the swim fin. This increased drag may result in reduced performance. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an interface between a user and a swim fin that is comfortable—even in environments where abrasive materials are present, provides an improved fit to various foot shapes and sizes, does not allow unwanted motion, cannot be forcibly removed by external forces, and does not increase hydrodynamic drag on the swimmer. Such an interface is additionally desirable because it may allow increased fin size, various fin shapes, and/or various degrees of fin stiffness or rigidity, which may therefore result in increased swim fin performance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some aspects of the present invention may include a swim fin bootie, comprising a foot pocket and a strap system. 
     Some aspects of the present invention may include a swim fin bootie comprising a fin blade having a distal edge and a top surface; a foot pocket configured to receive a user&#39;s foot and encircling at least a portion of the user&#39;s ankle, the foot pocket attached to the top surface of the fin blade; and a strap system comprising one or more straps, the one or more straps pulling the user&#39;s foot and ankle into the foot pocket toward the distal edge of the fin blade and down against the top surface of the fin blade. 
     Some aspects of the present invention may include a swim fin bootie, comprising: a fin blade having a distal edge and a top surface; a foot pocket configured for receiving a user&#39;s foot and ankle, comprising: a first portion having a first elastic characteristic, the first portion connected to the top surface of the fin blade; a second portion having a second elastic characteristic, the second elastic characteristic being greater than the first elastic characteristic, the second portion disposed at least on a portion of the top surface of the foot pocket; a strap system, comprising: one or more straps comprised of a substantially non-stretching material; and a tightening mechanism to tighten the one or more straps around the foot pocket. 
     These and other aspects will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the following drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference indicators are used to designate like elements. The accompanying figures depict certain illustrative embodiments and may aid in understanding the following detailed description. Before any embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments depicted are to be understood as exemplary and in no way limiting of the overall scope of the invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The detailed description will make reference to the following figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a top view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a top view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a swim fin bootie with a closed heel and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a swim fin bootie and fin blade in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is perspective view of a swim fin bootie in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The matters exemplified in this description are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various exemplary embodiments disclosed with reference to the accompanying figures. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness. Moreover, as used herein, the singular may be interpreted in the plural, and alternately, any term in the plural may be interpreted to be in the singular. 
     In general, the present invention is directed to fins often used in activities such as lap swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, bodyboarding, and surfing (“swim fins”). More particularly, the present invention is directed to the physical interface, or bootie, that connects a user&#39;s foot and/or ankle to a swim fin blade. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a swim fin  10  in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention will be discussed. Swim fin  10  may generally comprise a bootie  11  and a swim fin blade  12 . It is contemplated that the swim fin blade  12  may be of any particular shape or size suitable for use as a swim fin, and may have varying characteristics of flexibility, materials, etc. The bootie  11  may be formed generally as a pocket into which a user&#39;s foot may be inserted. The bootie  11  may comprise an ankle opening  13  for the user&#39;s ankle (which may also be used when putting on and removing the bootie). The bootie  11  may optionally comprise a heel opening for the user&#39;s heel  14 . Alternatively, the heel may be closed. 
     While the bootie  11  may be comprised of a single material type, it is contemplated that in some embodiments of the present invention the bootie  11  may comprise at least two ( 2 ) different materials. With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the bootie  11  may comprise a stretchable portion  16  of the bootie, and a non-stretchable portion  17 . The stretchable portion  16  may be formed from a material that may stretch to provide user comfort and fit, such as but not limited to neoprene. The stretchable portion  16  may be configured to surround the user&#39;s ankle in order to accept movement of the user&#39;s ankle within the bootie  11 . The non-stretchable portion  17  may generally form the pocket—either alone or in conjunction with a portion of the swim fin blade  12 —that may accept the front of the user&#39;s foot (i.e., toes, top of foot, etc.). 
     The non-stretchable portion  17  may be formed from a material with limited stretch characteristics, such as but not limited to Cordura™ fabric. The non-stretchable portion  17  may have some stretch characteristic, but may provide for substantially less stretch than the material comprising the stretchable portion  16 . The non-stretchable portion  17  may provide for increased support of the swim fin blade  12  by the bootie  11 . 
     The stretchable portion  16  and non-stretchable portion  17  may be configured in various embodiments to afford a user with a balance of comfort and blade stability. For example, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention and as depicted in  FIG. 2 , the top of the foot pocket may be comprised of the stretchable portion  16  while the non-stretchable portion  17  may provide support near the connection of the bootie  11  to the swim fin blade  12 . The top of the bootie  11  may include a stretchable portion  16  so as to allow expansion of the foot pocket to accommodate a variety of foot shapes and facilitate donning the swim fin  10 . 
     In addition, the stretchable portion  16  and the non-stretchable portion  17  need not be exclusive in any section of the bootie  11 . For example, the stretchable portion  16  may be layered with the non-stretchable portion  17  so that the user&#39;s foot or ankle is in contact with the more comfortable stretchable portion  16  while strength and stability may be provided through the use of the non-stretchable portion  17 . Layering the portions in various configurations may also effectively limit the maximum allowed stretch on the stretchable portion  16 . Accordingly, it is contemplated that the booty  11  may be comprised of one or more layers of various materials, each with different or similar characteristics and qualities. By layering such materials both comfort and stability may be achieved. 
     With renewed reference to  FIG. 1 , the bootie  11  may optionally further comprise a mechanism to tighten the bootie on the user&#39;s foot or ankle. For example, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention and as depicted in  FIG. 1 , the bootie may further comprise a strap and buckle  15  that may be tightened around a user&#39;s ankle. It is contemplated that the mechanism used to tighten the bootie onto the user&#39;s foot or ankle may come in any number of forms known in the art, including but not limited to straps and buckles, Velcro, laces, multiple straps, bungee type cords, and/or any other mechanism that can tighten the bootie  11  on or around the user&#39;s foot or ankle. 
     In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the strap  15  may be formed of a substantially non-stretching or non-elastic material, such as nylon. The substantially non-stretching nature of the strap  15  may allow the strap  15  to be tightened by the user to the most comfortable extent, and may not stretch or loosen during use. While the strap  15  may be connected or attached to the bootie or fin blade at various ends, the portion of the strap encircling the stretchable portion  16  may be substantially independent of the bootie. As a non-limiting example, the strap  15  may slide independently over the stretchable portion  16 , and may be guided relative to the stretchable portion  16  by elements such as loops or other alignment devices. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a swim fin  20  in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Swim fin  20  may comprise a bootie  21  and a swim fin blade  22 . Bootie  21  may comprise an ankle opening  23 , a heel opening  24 , and a mechanism  25  to secure the bootie  21  to a user. Bootie  21  may comprise a stretching portion  26  that may encircle the ankle and a non-stretching portion  27  may cover the top of the foot and toes and provide attachment of the bootie  21  to the swim fin blade  22 . In various other embodiments, the stretching portion  26  and the non-stretching portion  27  may be layered over each other in various manners to provide a desired balance of comfort and strength or support to the user. 
     In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, bootie  21  may further comprise a closeable opening  28  in the back or side of the bootie  21 . The closeable opening  28  may make the act of donning the swim fin bootie  21  easier and more convenient for the user. Once the user&#39;s foot is properly inserted into the bootie  21 , the closeable opening  28  may be closed, utilizing a closing mechanism as known in the art (including, but not limited to, Velcro, zippers, buckles, snaps, buttons, laces, and/or other mechanical closures). Utilizing such a closeable opening  28  may also enable a tighter fit in both the foot pocket and the ankle opening  23  of the bootie  21 . Furthermore, any straps encircling the ankle may also incorporate a means of attachment and/or detachment  29  such as a buckle, snap, and/or other mechanical means of attachment. Again, as discussed above, the strap may comprise one or more materials that present a tight, substantially non-stretching fit, while allowing for comfort to the user. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , additional embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed. Note that while the invention is discussed in numerous embodiments, such exemplary embodiments are not exclusive. Accordingly, it is contemplated that features and attributes from some exemplary embodiments may be utilized in conjunction with features and attributes from other exemplary embodiments.  FIGS. 3A and 3B  depicts a swim fin  30  generally comprised of a bootie  31  and a swim fin blade  32 . The bootie  31  may again comprise an ankle opening  33  and may optionally comprise a heel opening  34 . The bootie  31  may be comprised of both a stretchable portion  36  and a non-stretchable portion  37 , which may be configured in various manners. In accordance with the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the swim fin  30  may further comprise a strap system  35  that may be used to tighten the bootie  31  onto the user&#39;s foot or ankle and may provide support to the swim fin blade  32  and also prevent the swim fin  30  from being easily and unintentionally removed. 
     Strap system  35  may comprise one or more straps  351  that may be connected to various portions on the bootie  31 , loops  352  to guide the placement of the straps  351 , and a cinch  353  (which may also be a buckle or any sort of tightening or holding device (e.g., Velcro, a cam operated holder, etc.). Strap system  35  may also comprise a device  354  to hold the loose end of the straps  351  when tightened to prevent unwanted movement. Such device  354  is contemplated to comprise a Velcro connection, but may be any device which can suitably hold the loose end of the straps. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , straps  351  may encircle the user&#39;s ankle and surround the top of the user&#39;s foot and attach to the non-stretchable portion  37  or fin blade  32 . This particular configuration, while exemplary, may be advantageous in that it keeps the user&#39;s foot firmly pushed into the bootie  31  through the force exerted by the strap around the ankle, while also keeping the user&#39;s foot firmly connected to the swim fin blade  32  through the force exerted by the straps crossing over the top of the user&#39;s foot. The strap system  35  may allow the swim fin  30  to be sufficiently tightened to the user&#39;s foot and/or ankle to reduce motion of the foot relative to the swim fin blade  32  due to the stretching material while swimming. 
     Again, however, this strap arrangement is exemplary and it is contemplated that various other strap arrangements or designs may be utilized without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. 
     Note that  FIG. 3B  also depicts stitching  38  where the bootie  31  connects to the swim fin blade  32 . The stitching  38  illustrated provides attachment through the swim bootie  31 —such as through the non-stretching portion  37 , and through the swim fin blade  32  to provide a secure attachment. Note that the stitching  38  is exemplary, and the bootie  31  may be attached to the swim fin blade  32  through any other means generally known in the art, such as but not limited to, through the use of adhesives, other mechanical attachment (rivets, screws, slides, etc.), or through manufacturing processes wherein portions of the bootie may be embedded into the swim fin blade, or the swim fin blade may be formed around portions of the bootie. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a closed heel swim fin  40  in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed. Swim fin  40  may generally comprise a bootie  41  and a swim fin blade  42 . The bootie  41  may comprise an ankle opening  43 , and may be made from a single material, or from a stretchable and non-stretchable material, such as those discussed above with regard to  FIGS. 1-3B . Moreover, swim fin  40  may comprise a bootie  41  that includes a closed heel  44  rather than an open heel. Swim fin  40  may also comprise securing mechanisms (such as but not limited to straps, Velcro, buckles, etc.) in order to firmly attach the swim fin  40  to the user&#39;s foot and/or ankle. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the swim fin may be secured to the user using different types of securing devices. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, and as depicted in  FIG. 5 , a swim fin  50  may again generally comprise a bootie  51  and a swim fin blade  52 . The bootie  51  may generally comprise an ankle opening  53  and may be made from one or more materials of similar or different properties. The bootie  51  may also include a strap  54  positioned across the top of the user&#39;s foot, substantially perpendicular to the direction of the user&#39;s foot. Strap  54  may comprise a single strap or a plurality of straps and may be tightened to the user&#39;s foot using buckles, cams, straps, etc. For example, the bootie  51  may be secured to the user&#39;s foot through the use of a buckle similar to that employed in downhill ski boots or in-line skates. 
     With reference to the swim fin  60  in  FIG. 6 , laces  64  may be used to secure a bootie  61  and swim fin blade  62  to a user&#39;s foot or ankle. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a bootie  70  in accordance with such embodiments. Bootie  70  may comprise an open or closed heel, may be comprised of one or more types of materials, and may utilize any number of securing mechanisms as discussed throughout. The bootie  70  shown in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention includes an open heel  73 , and is comprised of a stretchable portion  76  and a non-stretchable portion  77 , a bottom surface  78 , and may also comprise a mechanism  75  for securely attaching the bootie  70  to the user&#39;s foot and/or ankle. The bottom surface  78  of the bootie  70  may be comprised of a soft, stretchable material in order to increase comfort for the user. 
     It will be understood that the specific embodiments of the present invention shown and described herein are exemplary only. Numerous variations, changes, substitutions and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the straps securing the swim fin bootie to the user may be arranged in any manner; the bootie may be comprised of more than two materials with varying properties; and the swim fin bootie may include additional openings as may be desired. Accordingly, it is intended that all subject matter described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings be regarded as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense.