Patent Abstract:
A method for a swimmer swimming laps in a swimming pool to record the number of laps swum employs a swim lap counter having a pair of floatable end blocks and a series of parallel rods extending between the floatable end blocks. Each rod carries a series of apertured beads movable from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block. Each bead and each row of beads represents laps swum by the swimmer. The swim lap counter is placed at one end of the swimming pool. The swimmer moves the beads from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block to record the number of laps swum by the swimmer.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    None 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention generally relates to counting devices and more particularly to a device for a swimmer to facilely record the number of laps completed. 
         [0004]    Swimming not only is a competitive sport requiring participants to swim laps as part of a training regimen, but also is an excellent, non-weight bearing, cardiovascular exercise regimen practiced by people for losing weight, maintaining weight, exercising their heart (for example, after a heart attack or other heart episode), or the like. 
         [0005]    Regardless of the motivation for swimming laps, the swimmer often wants and/or needs to know how many laps they have swum. Since the swimmer is in a swimming pool, it is difficult for the swimmer to actuate a counting device. True, that electronic counters using a touch pad at one of the pool or other expensive electronic devices can be used, but the ordinary, local swimming pool ordinarily cannot justify the cost of such devices. 
         [0006]    The art has proposed bead arrangements like an abacus for use in sports, games, and education. Typical of the sports counters is Japanese publication number 09313661 which shows a golf glove bead counter mounted on the back of the hand portion of the golf glove; U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,039 which shows a miniature tennis game with bead counter; U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,621 which shows a bead counter for shuffleboard; U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,3113 which proposes a pool table canopy with bead counter; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,066 which shows a dart game bead counter. In the education area are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,646,631, 2,645,440, 5,205,747, and 5,395,245. In the game area are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,144,252, 4,327,910, 4,410,182, 6,315,675, and Des. 417,405. None of these devices is adapted for use as a swim lap counter activatable by the swimmer swimming the laps. 
         [0007]    There is a need, then, for a simple, inexpensive lap counter for a swimming to actuate in order to count the number of laps swum by the swimmer. It is to such a device that the present invention is addressed. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A method disclosed for a swimmer swimming laps in a swimming pool to record the number of laps swum employs a swim lap counter having a pair of floatable end blocks and a series of parallel rods extending between the floatable end blocks. Each rod carries a series of apertured beads movable from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block. Each bead and each row of beads represents laps swum by the swimmer. The swim lap counter is placed at one end of the swimming pool. The swimmer moves the beads from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block to record the number of laps swum by the swimmer. 
         [0009]    The swim lap counter disclosed has a pair of floatable end blocks and a series of parallel rods extending between the floatable end blocks. Each rod carries a series of apertured beads movable from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block. Each bead and each row of beads represents laps swum by the swimmer. The swim lap counter is placed at one end of the swimming pool. The swimmer moves the beads from being adjacent to one of the floatable end blocks to being adjacent to the other floatable end block to record the number of laps swum by the swimmer. 
         [0010]    Advantages of the present invention include a swim lap counter that is inexpensive and easy to use. Another advantage is a swim lap counter usable by the swimmer to record the number of laps swum. A further advantage is a swim lap counter that can be placed on the pool end or in the water for use by the swimmer. These and other advantages will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan based on the disclosure set forth herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the disclosed swim lap counter having two rows of movable beads; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the swim lap counter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the disclosed swim lap counter having four rows of movable beads; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the swim lap counter of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of the swim lap counter of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one disposed in the water adjacent to one end of the swimming pool and the other being disposed on the edge of the swimming pool. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    The drawings will be described in greater detail in the disclosure set forth below. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a swim lap counter,  10 , includes a pair of floatable end blocks,  12  and  14 ; a pair of elongate rods,  16  and  18 ; and a series of apertured beads, a representative bead,  20 , being described as illustrate of all of said beads herein. Each end block  12  and  14  are made from material that permits swim lap counter  10  to float on water in a swimming pool. As a practical matter, a polymeric material can be used for forming end blocks  12  and  14 , such as, for example, polyurethane, vinyl polymers, rubbers, and the like. Such material can be manufactured to incorporate air to decrease the density (e.g., create a foam); contain a pouch for filing with air or other gas; or the like; or combinations. Regardless of how accomplished, end blocks  12  and  14  have a density such that they float and support the entire weight of swim lap counter  10  atop the water in a swimming pool. 
         [0019]    Elongate rods  16  and  18  extend between end blocks  12  and  14 . The ends of elongate rods  16  and  18  can simply be pressure inserted into the material forming end blocks  12  and  14 ; holes can be drilled or otherwise formed in the material forming end blocks  12  and  14  to receive the ends of elongate rods  16  and  18 ; or the like. Adhesive optionally can be used to retain elongate rods  16  and  18 , especially in the aqueous environment in which they will be disposed and exposed to. In fact, elongate rods  16  and  18  can extend through the entire extent of the material forming end blocks  12  and  14  and secured via, for example, a nut if the ends of elongate rods  16  and  18  are threaded. Other means to fix the ends of elongate rods  16  and  18  for prevent them from dislodging from their engagement by end blocks  12  and  14  can be envisioned and are applicable to the disclosure set forth herein. 
         [0020]    Elongate rods  16  and  18  desirably are made from material resistant to damage from the aqueous environment in which swim lap counter  10  will be used. Appropriate materials include, for example, plastic, corrosion-resistant metal, metal having a corrosion-resistant coating or treatment, or the like. Elongate rods  16  and  18  desirably also are disposed diagonally opposite each other with respect to end blocks  12  and  14 , as illustrated. Such arrangement makes it easier for the swimmer to move the beads without an unintended movement of the beads on the other rod. 
         [0021]    As stated above, bead  20  will be described as illustrative of all of the apertured beads carried by elongate rods  16  and  18 . Bead  20  also will be made from plastic or other material resistant to damage (e.g., corrosion) caused by the aqueous swimming pool environment. Plastic beads, then, will be used for cost and their water resistance. Bead  20  is apertured so that rod  18  can fit therethrough and permit bead  20  to be moved along the lengthwise extend of rod  18  from end block  12  to end block  14 , and vice versa. Desirably, bead  20  will fit a bit snugly onto rod  18  so that bead  20  will not move along the lengthwise extent of rod  18  due to the rocking motion of the water or other adventitious sources. That is, bead  20  should not move unless moved by the swimmer or other person activating swim lap counter  10  in counting the number of laps swum by the swimmer. 
         [0022]    The beads carried by rod  16  can be different in color than the beads carried by rod  18 , as can the beads carried by each rod. Color coding can alert the swimmer as to which rod should be the current active rod to record the number of laps swum by movement of beads along such rod from one side to the other side, i.e., from being in (contacting) adjacency of one end block to (contacting) adjacency of the other end block. In fact, the beads on each rod can be color coded also, as is necessary, desirable, or convenient. Each row of beads also can represent a single lap, 5 laps, 10 laps, or any other number of laps. In that way, sequences of beads along each rod can count a very high number of laps swum. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a swim lap counter,  22 , is seen to include a pair of end blocks,  24  and  26 ; four elongate rods,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34 ; and  10  beads carried by each rod. The number of beads shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  are illustrative only as any number of beads can be used. For example, the row of beads carried by rod  28  can represent a single lap; the beads carried by rod  30  can represent  5  laps; the beads carried by rod  32  can represent  10  laps; and the beads carried by rod  34  can represent 20 laps. Again, the number of laps represented by each row of beads is illustrative, as the swimmer can let each bead and each row of beads stand for any number of laps. So too can the number of rods be different in number than the  2  rod and  4  rod embodiments illustrated in the drawings. 
         [0024]    Again, rods  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  are arranged diagonally from one corner of each end block  24  and  26  to assist the swimmer in moving the beads only on a desired rod. Such lateral stagger of the rods also is present in swim lap counter  10 , as described above. While the rods need not be so staggered, it is desirable so as to enable the swimmer to locate and identify the desired rod and move only the beads along that desired rod. Color-coding of the beads along each row also is a visual cuing system enabling the swimmer to locate and identify the desired row for movement of the beads. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a swim lap counter,  36 , is shown placed on the edge of a pool,  40 , and a swim lap counter,  38 , is shown in the water filling pool  40 . Pool  40  is a typical swimming pool having lane dividers,  42  and  44 , which separate the pool into lanes for swimmers to swim laps. An advantage of the use of the disclosed floatable swim lap counters is their ability to be used by the swimmer and the ability to be used along side one end of the pool and in the water, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Each time the swimmer reaches either swim lap counter  36  or swim lap counter  38 , the swimmer need only move a bead on one of the rods from one side to the other side to record the number of laps swum. Each swim lap counter also can be readily re-set by merely moving the beads to be up against one of the floatable end blocks. It matters not which end blocks is chosen, as the disclosed swim lap counter works in both directions, i.e., is reversibly operable. 
         [0026]    As further illustrative of the disclosed swim lap counter, each floatable end block can have nominal dimensions of about 8″×6″×4″. A pair of 14″ rods spans between these end blocks diagonally opposite each other. Each rod carries ten round apertured beads. One row of beads is black and the other row of beads is red. Again, such a lap counter is merely illustrate and not limitative. 
         [0027]    While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope and essence of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. In this application all units are in the American system and all amounts and percentages are by weight, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Also, all citations referred herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6