Patent Publication Number: US-2005118904-A1

Title: Swim and dive fin

Description:
The present invention relates to a swim and dive fin.  
      Conventional swim fins are packaged at the time of purchase, in enclosures of various shapes and sizes.  
      Those packages can be constituted by a containment body that encloses the two fins, as occurs for example in the case of bags, or more simply by a wrapping or band made of heat-shrink plastics, which keeps them together. The packaging is meant exclusively to put the fins on display for purchase.  
      Once it has finished its function, such packaging is no longer used by the user, who normally stores the fins in a bag for transport.  
      The packages used to market swim fins in fact generally have a short life and cannot be reused except in the case of plastic bags or similar containers, which in any case are not very strong and wear rapidly in addition to being awkward to use.  
      In use, unpaired fins are always awkward to carry and most of all, when in the presence of many pairs of fins, it is troublesome and wasteful, in terms of time, to match up the loosely piled fins.  
      The above inconvenience is particularly severe in the case of professional operators, who accompany dozens of people on boat excursions, providing their customers with the equipment for diving or snorkeling.  
      In some cases, the operators also provide a great number of fins, generally piled in a container or other area of the boat, making it time-consuming and troublesome to identify two fins of the same size.  
      The aim of the present invention is to provide a swim and dive fin that overcomes the cited drawbacks of the prior art.  
      An object of the invention is to provide a fin that allows to store and carry a pair of fins easily and comfortably.  
      Another object of the invention is to provide a fin that is constructively simple and reliable in use and can be manufactured at competitive costs.  
      Another object is to provide a fin that is substantially similar to a conventional fin in terms of space occupation and in use.  
      Another object is to provide a fin that can be manufactured with materials and machines also suitable for producing conventional fins.  
      This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a swim and dive fin as claimed in the appended claims. 
    
    
      Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of a fin according to the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of two fins according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the two fins of  FIG. 2 , shown in the engaged position;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional enlarged-scale view of a tab of a fin during engagement with a receptacle of the other fin;  
       FIG. 5  is a view, similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the engagement position;  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the fin according to a further embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the fin of  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of two coupled fins according to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a partially sectional side view of the two fins shown in  FIG. 8 ;  
       FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the fin according to a further aspect of the invention;  
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the fin of  FIG. 10 ;  
       FIG. 12  is a top plan view of two fins according to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , in the coupled position;  
       FIG. 13  is a partially sectional side view of the two fins of  FIG. 12  in the coupled condition;  
       FIG. 14  is a bottom perspective view of a fin according to still a further aspect of the invention;  
       FIG. 15  is a top perspective view of the front portion of the fin of  FIG. 14 ;  
       FIG. 16  is a sectional side view of two fins according to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , shown in the coupled position;  
       FIG. 17  is an enlarged-scale sectional view of a tab of a fin according to  FIGS. 14-16  shown during the step of engaging a receptacle of the other fin;  
       FIG. 18  is a view, similar to  FIG. 17 , of the coupling position. 
    
    
      With reference to the cited figures, a swim and dive fin according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral  1 ,  101 ,  201 ,  301 , is constituted, in a per se known manner, by an elongated shoe that has a foot pocket  2 ,  102 ,  202 ,  302  that is suitable to contain the foot of the user and a blade portion  3 ,  103 ,  203 ,  303  that constitutes the propelling portion of the fin.  
      According to the invention, the fin  1 ,  101 ,  201 ,  301  includes one or more tabs  4 ,  104 ,  204 ,  304  and one or more receptacles or slots  5 ,  105 ,  205 ,  305 . The tabs  4 ,  104 ,  204 ,  304  are suitable to engage matching receptacles  5 ,  105 ,  205 ,  305  of a matching fin that is coupled to the fin  1 ,  101 ,  201 ,  301 , while the receptacles  5 ,  105 ,  205 ,  305  are suitable to accommodate the tabs  4 ,  104 ,  204 ,  304  of the matching fin.  
      In the example shown in FIGS.  1  to  5 , the fin  1  includes a single tab  4 , which is formed on the front edge  6  of the blade portion  3  and constitutes a sort of extension thereof.  
      The fin  1  has a single slot  5  that is obtained by means of a case member  7  provided in the structure below the foot pocket  2 .  
      The receptacle  5  is protected against the penetration of sand or other foreign matter when the fins are used by a protective membrane  8 , which can be obtained monolithically with the case member and can be deformed elastically in order to allow the insertion of the tab  4 , as clearly shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
      In order to couple two fins  1  it is sufficient to arrange them mutually adjacent, so that their respective lower surfaces face each other and so that the fins are arranged in opposite directions, so that the foot pocket  2  of one fin lies at the blade portion  3  of the other, so that the tab  4  of one fin lies at the slot  5  of the other fin, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
      The elastic deformability of the fins allows to slide the tab  4  within the slot  5 , so as to reach a stable locking position in which the two fins  1  are mutually engaged, forming an assembly that is slightly longer than the individual fin  1 , as shown more clearly in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
      The same elastic deformability of the fins  1  allows the sliding of the tab  4  for the mutual disengagement of the fins.  
      FIGS.  6  to  18  illustrate further embodiments of the fin according to the invention among the many that are possible.  
      In the example shown in FIGS.  6  to  9 , the fin  101  includes a single tab  104 , which is formed on the lower surface  106  of the fin  101  at the end of the blade portion  103 .  
      The fin  101  further has a single slot  105 , which is formed on a protruding flap  106  that is obtained from the foot pocket and substantially constitutes an extension of the lower surface  106  beyond the foot pocket  102 .  
      The tab  104  is substantially fin-shaped and is elongated toward the outside of the blade  103  so that it can be inserted in the corresponding seat  105  of the matching fin, engaging therewith.  
      In order to couple two fins  101 , the respective lower surfaces  106  are arranged mutually adjacent so that the foot pocket  102  of one fin is located at the blade portion  103  of the other, so that the tab  104  of one fin lies at the slot  105  of the other fin  101 .  
      The elastic deformability of the fins allows to slide the tab  104  inside the slot  105 , so as to reach a stable locking position in which the two fins  101  are mutually engaged, forming an assembly whose length is equal to the length of the individual fin  101 , as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . In this case also, the elastic deformability of the fins  101  allows the sliding of the tab  104  for the mutual disengagement of the fins.  
      In the further example shown in FIGS.  10  to  13 , the fin  201  includes two tabs  204 , which are formed on the lower surface  206  of the fin  201  and are arranged symmetrically, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fin, in a central position at the blade portion.  
      The fin has two corresponding receptacles or slots  205 , which are also symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fin and are arranged at the blade portion  203  but are adjacent to the foot pocket  202 .  
      Each tab  204  is substantially fin-shaped and is elongated toward the end of the blade  203  so that it can be inserted in the corresponding receptacle  205  of the matching fin, engaging with it.  
      When the fins  201  are not used, they can be coupled by arranging the respective lower surfaces  206  mutually adjacent, so that the blade portion  203  of one fin lies at the foot pocket  202  of the other fin and so that each tab  204  is arranged proximate to the corresponding slot  205 . By utilizing the elastic deformability of the fins  201 , the tabs  204  are made to slide within the respective slots  205 , for both fins  201 , until a stable locking position is reached in which the fins  201  mutually engage. The two fins  201  are coupled with their respective lower surfaces in contact, so that as a whole they do not exceed the length of the individual fin  201 . It is possible to disengage the tabs  204  from the respective slots  205  by forcing the mutual spacing of the fins  201  until they uncouple completely.  
      In the example shown in FIGS.  14  to  18 , the fin  301  includes a single tab  304  that is formed on the front edge  306  of the blade portion  203 , constituting a sort of extension thereof.  
      The fin  301  has an open slot  305 , which is obtained by means of a bridge  307  that is provided in the fin below the foot pocket  302 .  
      The tab  304  includes a raised portion  308  which blocks the tab inside the slot  305  by interference with the bridge  307 , as shown in  FIG. 18 .  
      In order to couple two fins  301  it is sufficient to arrange them mutually adjacent so that their respective lower surfaces face each other and so that the fins are arranged in opposite directions, so that the foot pocket  302  of one fin lies at the blade portion  303  of the other fin, so that the tab  304  of one fin is located at the slot  305  of the other fin, as shown in  FIG. 16 .  
      The elastic deformability of the fins allows to make the tab  304  slide within the slot  305 , so as to reach a stable locking position in which the two fins  301  are mutually engaged, forming an assembly that is slightly longer than the individual fin  301 , as shown in  FIG. 16 .  
      By pressing on the tab  304  at the raised portion  308 , the elastic deformability of the fins  301  and particularly of the bridge  307  and of the tab  304  allows the sliding of the tab  304  for the mutual disengagement of the fins.  
      In practice, it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since it has provided a swim and dive fin that allows to couple the fins rapidly and easily and without using external components.  
      The fin according to the invention allows particularly handy carrying and allows to stow the fins after use with minimal space occupation.  
      The fin has the great advantage of eliminating the need for packaging for transport and for display and sale, thus avoiding the use of material that will ultimately be discarded into the environment.  
      The fin according to the invention has the additional advantage that the tabs and slots, sized and shaped appropriately, not only do not hinder the normal operation of the fin but also can increase the propulsion efficiency of the fins.  
      The fin according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.  
      The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.