Patent Publication Number: US-2005142963-A1

Title: Armband

Description:
This invention relates to armbands of the type that are used as an aid in swimming.  
      Inflatable armbands are sometimes worn as an aid to swimming, particularly by those who are learning to swim. These armbands are useful in adding to the buoyancy of the wearer such that he or she can more easily stay afloat. Inflatable armbands are, however, disadvantageous in that time and effort must be expended in order to inflate them for use. They may also become unusable if punctured.  
      It is an object of this invention to address these problems.  
      According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided an armband for use in swimming, the armband including: a buoyant portion of buoyant material arranged to define an arm-receiving aperture; and gripping means for gripping a wearer&#39;s arm received in the aperture, wherein the gripping means are integrally formed with the buoyant portion.  
      This is advantageous in that the buoyant material need not be inflated. Additionally, providing gripping means that are integral with the buoyant portion results in an armband that is cheap and easy to manufacture.  
      Preferably the buoyant material is a foam material and preferably one that is resiliently deformable, such as PE/EVA foam. Preferably, the buoyant portion is formed from a single piece of the buoyant material.  
      The gripping means may include resiliently deformable structure adjacent the aperture and arranged to be resiliently deformed by insertion of a wearer&#39;s arm and thereby to grip the arm. The gripping means may include one or more projections that project into or at least so as to partially define the aperture. The gripping means may include one or more members that extend across the aperture. Where there are at least two such members that extend across the aperture, those members may be arranged to form arm-gripping jaws. Surfaces of jaws may be shaped and configured to promote grip between the jaws and a wearer&#39;s arm inserted therebetween. The jaws may be provided with, for example, undulating or serrated surfaces.  
      The gripping means may include one or more lobes that project into the arm-receiving aperture. The gripping means may include one or more further apertures adjacent the arm-receiving aperture arranged such that a respective resiliently-deformable length of material is provided and bounded by each further aperture and the arm-receiving aperture. For example, the or each lobe may have an aperture therethrough. In preferred embodiments of this invention, there may be three or four lobes.  
      The armband may include a plurality of, substantially identical, ones of the buoyant portion, each including the gripping means integrally formed therewith and wherein these buoyant portions are stacked to form a laminate. Each buoyant portion that goes to make up the laminate may be bonded to the buoyant portion with which it is juxtaposed. The bonding may include one or more of, for example: an adhesive and welding. 
    
    
      Specific armbands that embody this invention are now described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of one armband having a pair of arm-gripping jaws;  
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the  FIG. 1  armband, the section being taken along the line II-II of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the  FIG. 1  armband, the section being taken along the line III-III of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of another armband having three arm-gripping lobes; and  
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of a further armband having four arm-gripping lobes. 
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows an armband  10  for use as an aid by a child (not shown) in swimming. The armband  10  is a laminate that is made up of three layers. These layers  20 , 30 , 40  are shown in the sectional views of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Each layer  20 , 30 , 40  is, in general, the same as each other layer  20 , 30 , 40 . A representative one  20  of the layers only will therefore be described in detail, it being understood that the other two layers  30 , 40  are, in general, the same.  
      With reference to  FIG. 1 , the layer  20  is a single piece of resiliently deformable and buoyant material, which in this embodiment is PE/EVA foam. It is substantially planar and shaped so as to be generally rectangular, but with rounded corners. In addition, the two shorter sides of the generally rectangular layer  20  are also rounded, with one side being convex and the other concave. The major dimensions of the layer  20  are 260 mm long, 185 mm wide and about 16 mm thick. The concave side is formed with a diameter of 130 mm and the convex side is formed with a diameter of 170 mm.  
      The layer  20  has an arm-receiving aperture  50  formed in it. This aperture  50  is generally circular and positioned adjacent the concave side of the layer  20 . The diameter of the arm-receiving aperture is 105 mm. The layer  20  also includes gripping means in the form of jaws  60 . The jaws  60  are two strips of integral material of the layer  20  that each extend across the arm-receiving aperture  50 , parallel to the major axis of the generally rectangular layer  20  and spaced apart from each other so as to divide the arm-receiving aperture  50  into three smaller apertures: one  52  between the two jaws  60 , and one  54 , 56  to the side of each jaw and between the wall of the arm-receiving aperture  50 . Sides of the two jaws  60  that face one another are provided each with an undulating profile  62  that is intended to increase grip on an arm received therebetween.  
      A body portion of the layer  20  that surrounds and extends from the arm-receiving aperture  50  and the jaws  60  includes, in this embodiment, a majority of the buoyant foam material of layer  20  and so constitutes a buoyant portion  70 .  
      As stated, the layer  20  is stacked with two other layers  30 , 40  that are generally the same as the layer  20 . Each layer  20 , 30 , 40  is bonded to its neighbour using an appropriate adhesive to form a laminated structure, which constitutes the armband  10 . Thus, the cross section of the armband  10  perpendicular to the direction of stacking is substantially constant.  
      In use, the armband  10  is worn by a child inserting his or her arm through the aperture  52  that is between the two jaws  60 . This causes the jaws  60  to be forced apart, into the space of the apertures  54 , 56  to either side of the jaws. As the material of the armband  10  is resiliently deformable, the jaws  60  exert a force inwardly on the child&#39;s arm, thereby securing the armband  10  to that arm. The armband  10  is worn with the concave side thereof adjacent the child&#39;s body. The concave shape of this side, at least to some degree, follows the shape of the child&#39;s body and so renders the armband  10  comfortable to use. At least one armband  10  would be worn on each arm.  
       FIG. 4  shows another armband  100  that is in many ways the same as the armband  10  described above with reference to  FIGS. 1,2  and  3 . For example, the other armband  100  has the same external shape and is a laminate, made up of three layers, only a top one of which  120  is shown in  FIG. 4 . This other armband  100  differs however in the arrangement of its gripping means. Specifically, the other armband  100  lacks the jaws  60  that extend across the arm-receiving aperture  50  of the first-described armband  10 . Although this other armband  100  includes an arm-receiving aperture  150 , instead of jaws it has three lobes  160  that project into that aperture  150 . The lobes are semi-circular, are evenly distributed about the periphery of the aperture  150  and are integral with material of the layer  120 . Each lobe  160  also includes a lobe aperture  152  therethrough that is concentric with the respective lobe. Thus, the lobes  160  have the appearance of convex arcuate projections that project into the arm-receiving aperture  150 .  
      This other armband  100  is used in much the same way as that  10  described above with reference to  FIGS. 1,2  and  3 . In use, when an arm is inserted between the lobes  160  and into the arm-receiving aperture  150 , the lobes  160  are deformed to at least partially occupy space of the lobe apertures  152 . As the material of the armband  100  is resiliently deformable, the deformed lobes  160  exert a force on the arm so as to grip it.  
      The further armband  200  shown in  FIG. 5  is the same as that described above with reference to  FIG. 4 , but includes four lobes  260 . These lobes  260  are the same as those lobes  160  previously described, but are four in number.  
      It is envisaged that the armbands  10 , 100 , 200  described above are arranged such that, in use, each produces a buoyancy of not less than 15 newtons. This magnitude of buoyancy is considered suitable for an armband for use by a child of 6 to 12 years of age in accordance with European Regulation EN 13138-1 Type B. If an armband that embodies this invention were to be provided for use by a person of an age outside this range, the buoyancy and/or dimensions of that armband would be chosen accordingly. Specifically, it is envisaged that an armband that embodies this invention and that is for use by a younger child may be provided. In so doing, it will be understood that one or more of the armbands described above may need to be scaled down.  
      For example, if that child were between 2 and 6 years old, each armband may be sized in order to have a buoyancy of 12.5 newtons, again, in accordance with the Regulation referred to above.  
      Although a European regulation is referred to above, armbands that embody this invention may alternatively or additionally be arranged so as to be in accordance with regulations in force in other jurisdictions.  
      The armbands described above are laminate made up of three layers. Alternatively the armbands may be made up of two layers or a single layer. When the armband is made from than one layer different coloured foam may be used in each layer for visual benefits.