Abstract:
A flotation apparatus including a frame configured to support a snorkeler lying in a prone position. A plurality, preferably six, of elongated arms are each pivotally attached at a proximal end thereof to the frame with a buoyant float positioned on a distal end of each arm for enhanced stability. Preferably, a propulsion apparatus is mounted to the frame and a control apparatus for operating the propulsion apparatus in a prone position is provided.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A floatation apparatus is disclosed for supporting and propelling a user(s) on the water particularly while snorkeling. The apparatus may include a frame configured to support and propel a user, with the frame being buoyed in the water by an arrangement of floats that are each connected to the frame by an arm. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A variety of devices are commercially available to assist snorkeling and/or SCUBA diving enthusiasts in the enjoyment of their sport. The most common of these devices are diving planes and sleds. Planes and sleds are, however, ill suited for those that may wish to participate in or host dedicated snorkeling activities. Planes that function as portable submersible devices are, for example, designed to travel for significant periods of time at depth underwater. This makes them of little practical use to a snorkeler, who must routinely remain at or near the surface of breath. Many planes and sleds also come with the added expense of a boat, which is required to pull the device through the water. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a standalone dedicated apparatus for snorkelers that has independent source of propulsion. Such a device could, for example, be used by guests of hotels and resorts who would like to experience snorkeling but do not know how to SCUBA dive or how to use a towed dive plane or sled. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,251 to Replogle discloses a diving plane for towing one or more divers at various depths beneath the surface of the water. Wendt teaches an operator controlled towed underwater sled in U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,691. An apparatus to be towed behind a motor boat while permitting controlled motion beneath the water and on the surface of the water is taught by Nutting in U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,055. 
     Vlad teaches a water vehicle on which a rider may be towed by a boat either on or beneath the surface of the water in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,598. A highly controllable water sled device having an adjustable buoyancy feature is taught by Willat in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,103. U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,207 to King discloses an underwater diving plane towed by a boat and ridden by a diver. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,955 to Manfield discloses a submersible two passenger dive sled. An underwater diving plane is taught by Carter in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,090. Culpepper teaches a submersible aquatic sled capable of towing a diver both on and below the surface of the water in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,111. 
     A towable and steerable diver aid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,462 to Aquino. U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,116 to Linjawi discloses a sub-aqua device for towing a person through the water. Arthur teaches a towable underwater kite for towing riders on or through the water in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,254. 
     The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a flotation apparatus including a frame configured to support an individual sitting or lying in a prone position. A plurality (preferably six) of elongated arms are each pivotally attached at a proximal end thereof to the frame with a buoyant float positioned on a distal end of each arm for enhanced stability. Preferably, a propulsion apparatus is mounted to the frame and a control apparatus for operating the propulsion apparatus in a prone or a seated position is provided. 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative and not limiting in scope. In various embodiments one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the flotation apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of an embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a right side elevation view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevation view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of  FIG. 1  showing the arms and attached buoyant floats in a downward orientation. 
         FIG. 9  is a view of  FIG. 8  showing the arms and attached buoyant floats in an upward stored orientation. 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of an arm mount assembly. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a section view in the direction of arrows  12 - 12  in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged perspective view of the front portion of the apparatus  10 . 
         FIG. 14  is a section view in the direction of arrows  14 - 14  in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a side elevation view of  FIG. 1  showing a user in a prone position with the addition of a canopy overhead. 
         FIG. 16  is a simplified schematic view of the propulsion and control system. 
     
    
    
     Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in reference figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered to be illustrative rather than limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Nomenclature 
     
         
           10 . flotation apparatus 
           12 . frame 
           14 . flotation assembly 
           16 . propulsion motor 
           18 . propulsion motor 
           20 . control system 
           22 . aluminum tube 
           24 . user support netting 
           26 . upright support 
           28 . interior space 
           30 . arm 
           32 . arm 
           34 . arm 
           36 . arm mount assembly 
           38 . arm mount assembly 
           40 . arm mount assembly 
           42 . shrouded propeller 
           44 . rear wheel 
           46 . container 
           48 . front wheel 
           50 . buoyant float 
           52 . top plate 
           54 . arm mounting plate 
           56 . bolt 
           57 . nut 
           58 . bottom plate 
           60 . locking pin 
           62 . retainer 
           64 . fixed mounting plate 
           66 . cavity 
           68 . locking pin aperture 
           70 . left joystick 
           72 . right joystick 
           74 . alternate left joystick 
           76 . alternate right joystick 
           78 . facial opening 
           80 . mounting flange 
           82 . viewing box 
           84 . neck clearance 
           86 . transparent viewing bottom 
           90 . canopy 
           92 . upright support 
           94 . canopy bow 
           96 . canopy canvas 
           98 . upright support 
       
    
     A flotation apparatus is provided that may be used for carrying a snorkeler(s) on a body of water. The apparatus may include a frame configured to support and propel a user in a prone position, with the frame being buoyed in the water by an arrangement of floats that are each connected to the frame by an articulatable arm. A propulsion system may be included for driving the apparatus, with a control system also being provided to operate the propulsion system. In operation, the arms (with associated floats) may be pivoted down from a storage positioned and fixed in positioned relative to the frame and then the entire apparatus may be placed in a body of water. Once on the water, the frame will be located on or proximate the surface depending on the position in which the arms were fixed. A user may then lay in a prone and facedown position along the frame such that the user&#39;s body and face are supported at a constant position above or at a depth below the surface. Then, using the control system, the user may activate the propulsion system and drive the apparatus across the surface of the water. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , an apparatus  10  is provided that may be used for carrying a snorkeler(s) on a body of water as shown in  FIG. 15 . The apparatus  10  may include a frame shown generally at numeral  12  configured to support and propel a user in a prone or seated position, with the frame  12  being buoyed in the water by an arrangement of floats  50  that are each connected to the frame  12  on either side thereof by articulatable arms  30 ,  32  and  34 . 
     A propulsion system including battery-powered trolling motors  16  and  18  may be included for driving the apparatus  10 , with a control system  20  also being provided to operate the propulsion system  16 / 18 . In operation, the arms  30 ,  32  and  34  with associated floats  50  may be pivoted down from a storage position in the direction of arrows A, B and C in  FIG. 8  and fixed in position relative to the frame  12  and then the entire apparatus  10  may be placed in a body of water. Once on the water, the frame  12  will be located on or proximate to the surface of the water depending on the angular position in which the arms  30 ,  32  and  34  were fixed (described below). A user then may lie in a prone and facedown position along the frame  12 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , such that the user&#39;s body and face are supported at a constant position above or at a depth below the surface. Then, using the control system  20  for the apparatus  10 , the user may activate the propulsion system  16 / 18  and drive the apparatus  10  across the surface of the water. 
     Note that each of the arms  30 ,  32  and  34  may be independently positioned to accommodate a load in balance or to achieve a desired angular orientation of the frame  12  to the surface of the water. Note further that any propulsion apparatus may be viewed as optional, allowing for arm or finned leg propulsion by the user, particularly in a prone position. 
     The frame  12  of the apparatus  10  may be substantially planar in dimension and formed by configuring and welding together the forward ends of an approximately 2″ diameter aluminum tube  22 . The forward end of the frame  12  may be formed by joining the ends of tube  22  together at an acute angle best seen in  FIG. 4  to define an interior space  28  of the frame  12 . From this apex or forward end, the tube  22  may taper outward and extend about 3′ to an approximate midpoint of the frame  12 . At the midpoint, side of the tube  22  may be configured to form an obtuse angle relative to the interior space  28 . The tube  22  may then taper inward for about 3.5° to a rearward end of the frame  12  where the tube  22  is bent transversely and may be a length of about 2′ so that the frame  12  as a whole takes on a generally five-sided configuration. Thus, in one non-limited example, an embodiment of the frame  12  may have an overall length of about 6′7″ and a maximum width of about 2′6″. The interior space  28  of the frame  12  may be covered with a predetermined selection of fabric, mesh or netting  24  that extends across the frame  12  and is secured in space around the tube  22  by lacing  24   a  to support a user lying lengthwise of the frame  12  or seated. Wheels  44  and  48  may also be mounted to the frame  12  proximate the ends for use in rolling the apparatus  10  over land when not in use. 
     Arm mount assemblies  36 ,  38  and  40  may be welded or otherwise fixed to and along either side of the frame  12  at predetermined locations along the tube  22  proximate the forward end, the rearward end  32 , and at or proximate the widest or midpoint of the frame  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 10 to 12 , each of the mount assemblies  36 ,  38  and  40  may be substantially disc-like in configuration and, by using mount assembly  38  (left-hand) as an example, include a movable front mounting plate  54  and a fixed rear mounting plate  64 . The mounting plates  54  and  64  may also each include a center aperture—as will be discussed infra—for engagement with a bolt  56  to support one of the arms  32 . In addition, a series of cavities  66  may be defined proximate the perimeter of each mounting plate  64  and used for receiving a pin  60   a  extending from a proximal end of a threaded locking pin  60  threadably engaged into threaded aperture  68   a  to hold each arm  32  in desired position relative to the frame  12 . 
     Each arm  30 ,  32  and  34  of the apparatus  10  may articulate in the direction of arrows A, B and C with respect to the frame  12  as seen in  FIG. 2 . For example, as shown, each arm  30 ,  32  and  34  may be pivoted up and down on (and also removably connected to) its corresponding mount assembly  36 ,  38  and  40 . Also, like the frame  12 , each arm  16  may be constructed from a 2″ diameter aluminum tube or, preferably 2″ square aluminum tube. However, other materials that meet the requisite strength and rust resistance characteristics may be used. The arms  30 ,  32  and  34  may also each have a length of between 1′ and 6′, or longer. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the arm mounting plate  54  attached to the proximal end of each arm may be substantially disc-like in configuration and include a rear face that is engageable with the front face of the fixed mounting plate  64  connected to the frame  12 . Each arm  30 ,  32  and  34  may be folded up for storage by moving or pivoting the arms in the direction of arrows A′, B′ and C′ and tilting the motors  16  and  18  up in the direction of arrow E relative to the frame  12  as shown in  FIG. 9 . The front face of fixed mounting plate  64 , for example, may include a bolt  56  that is moveably received and supported through the center aperture of the mount assembly  36  of the frame  12 . The bolt  56  may thus be extended through the apertures of the mount assembly  36  and tightened into nut  57  to hold each arm  32  in a user predetermined position relative to the frame  12 . 
     An opposite end  54  of each arm  16  may be curved downwardly into a substantially vertical orientation so that, as described infra, it may be fitted with a float  14 . To further insure the quick and secure selected angular orientation of each of the arms  32  as seen by example in  FIGS. 10 to 12 , a hand-operated locking pin  60  threaded through aperture  68  in the mounting plate  54  aligns with one of three series of cavities  66   a ,  66   b  and  66   c  by the moveable angular orientation of the arm  32 . The rounded distal end  60   a  of locking pin  60  forms an alignment pin  60   a  which positively engages in one of the cavities  66 . Note that cavities  66   a  are provided in a sequence which would correspond to the normal in-use positioning of the arm  32 , cavities  66   b  are in an array and orientation around the periphery of fixed mounting plate  64  corresponding to the stored orientation of each of the arms  32 , while cavities  66   c  are provided for orienting each of the arms positioned on the opposite side of frame  12  in an angular orientation so as to make the fixed mounting plates  64  ambidextrous. Note that threaded locking pin  60  may be replaced by a spring-biased locking pin which is locked and unlocked by a push-pull motion for quicker arm position readjustment. 
     The float(s)  50  of the apparatus  10  may be constructed as inflatable rubber, hollow sealed plastic shells, or foam type floats. For example, each float  50  may include a rubber torus (i.e., “doughnut”) shaped inner tube float having a diameter of about 16″ and a height of 10″. As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each float  50  may thus be fitted about the distal end of an arm  30 ,  32  or  34  and secured in position by top and bottom plates  52  and  58  and that are secured to the distal end of each arm above and below the float  50  by retainer  62 . 
     The optional propulsion system  16 / 18  of the apparatus  10  may include one or more batteries ( FIG. 16 ) and a shrouded propeller  42  of each motor  16  and  18  with each battery being positioned in an aluminum container  46  mounted to the frame  12  and extending outboard of the frame  12 . (Alternately, water jets (not shown) may be mounted outboard of the containers  46  on a support (not shown) of frame  12 . Each support may include one or more water intake ports for the jet(s) and one or more exhaust ports.) The motors  16  and  18  (or the jets not shown) may then be controlled by the control system  20  ( FIGS. 13 and 16 ) positioned in another aluminum container positioned proximate the forward end of the frame  12 . As seen in  FIG. 16 , the control system  20  may feature a pair of joysticks  70  and  72  that extend downwardly through the bottom of the aluminum container and operate to control the motors  16  and  18  (or thrust of the jets not shown). A second pair of joysticks  74  and  76  may be located at the tops of containers  46  for a user in a seated position. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the vertical positioning of the frame  12  and the user support netting  24  may be raised by the lowering in the direction of arrows A, B and C of each of the arms  30 ,  32  and  34  and fixing the selected orientation as previously described with respect to  FIGS. 10 to 12 . In a furthermost downwardly orientation of each of the floats  50 , the user support netting  24  will position the body of the user well above the surface of the water. 
     Referring in more detail to  FIG. 15 , the preferred embodiment of the invention will also include a canopy  90  having upright pole supports  92  and  98  connected between supports attached to the frame  12  and a tubular canopy bow  94 . Moreover, with the user positioned in a prone position with the hands in a supported position gripping the upright support members  26  ( FIG. 13 ), the thumbs of the user may easily have access to the joysticks  70  and  72  to steer and propel the apparatus  10 . The face-down orientation of the head of the user comfortably fits into and is supported by a viewing box  74  supported on frame  12  by mounting flange  80  best seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The viewing box  82  includes a neck clearance  84  and a facial opening  78  which positions the eyes of the viewer above a transparent viewing bottom  86  which will typically be submerged for clear underwater viewing. 
     While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations and additions and subcombinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and subcombinations that are within their true spirit and scope.