Abstract:
A method and apparatus for breathing in a Kayak with a mouth piece and a flexible tube including positioning the mouth piece adjacent the Kayaker&#39;s head, positioning the tube so that it extends downwardly into the Kayak interior and freely communicates with hull interior air, inserting the mouth piece when necessary into the mouth and breathing Kayak interior air.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Kayaking has become considerably more popular over the last decade and is in fact one of the world&#39;s fastest growing sports in terms of the increase in the number of Kayaks sold. It is estimated that there are 5 million Kayakers in the United States alone. This burgeoning popularity is due in part to the adventurous nature of Kayaking, particularly in rough and rapid moving water, but also is due in part to the technological development of the Kayak itself, including molded seating systems, improved foot rests, and improved interior floatation arrangements.  
           [0002]    The Kayak system usually includes a skirt that is sealed to the Kayak deck opening and wraps around the torso and vest of the Kayaker to prevent the ingress of water into the interior of the Kayak.  
           [0003]    This system is particularly useful when the Kayak capsizes and the Kayaker is “turtled” under the water. In this mode, the skirt prevents water from entering the hull and enables the Kayaker to execute a maneuver called an “eskimo roll” whereby the Kayaker rights the Kayak without wet exiting the Kayak.  
           [0004]    However, because of inexperience, fear, and an inability to breathe underwater, many Kayakers, even ones with substantial experience, must wet exit the boat when capsized and drag it to shore, empty it, and reboard. This is a laborious and time-consuming task. There are many Kayak classes where the students attempt to learn the “eskimo roll” but are hindered by the inability to breathe underwater.  
           [0005]    Thus, there is a need in Kayaking to provide a breathing system for the Kayaker, particularly when the Kayak capsizes.  
           [0006]    In the Dusenbery, U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,585, a Water Rafting Canoeing and Kayaking Safety Vest is disclosed having front rear panels that incorporate sections of a floatation material, wherein the floatation material receives and stores miniature scuba-compressed air tanks.  
           [0007]    This system has not proved commercially viable because the vest is too bulky and interferes with the Kayak skirt. Moreover, it is uncomfortable and heavy making oar manipulation by the Kayaker more difficult.  
           [0008]    A somewhat different system is shown in the Schoettle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,694 , wherein an Air System for a Kayak is provided that includes a pair of similar air bags having an input valve for filling the bags and an outlet orifice for providing air to the Kayaker.  
           [0009]    The principal disadvantage in this system is that the air bags are small and are not pressurized, and hence, do not provide the Kayaker with sufficient breathing time to execute the “eskimo roll”. Furthermore, in this system the Kayaker exhales into the air bags, filling them with carbon dioxide and thus decreasing breathing quality. Also, the Schoettle system provides no means for purging the mouth piece of air.  
           [0010]    It is a primary object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems noted above in Kayak air breathing systems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
         [0011]    In accordance with the present invention, a Kayak breathing system and method are provided particularly designed for breathing in difficult situations such as when the Kayak is turtled and the Kayaker&#39;s head submerged.  
           [0012]    Toward these ends a mouth piece is held near the Kayaker&#39;s mouth with a vest mounted holding device, a tube having a flexible portion is connected to the mouth piece and runs through the vest, and held by the vest downwardly (when upright) into the Kayak interior. The open end of the tube freely connects with the hull interior air and a floatation device on the end of the tube keeps the tube exposed to air and not water when the interior partly fills with water.  
           [0013]    A first check valve in the tube permits the expulsion of water from the tube by exhaling. A second check valve in the tube prevents water in the tube from traveling to the Kayak interior. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a Kayak showing the present Kayak breathing system;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a cross section approximately midway through the Kayak with the Kayak inverted or capsized and the Kayaker submerged;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the Kayak breathing system according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the Kayak breathing system illustrated in FIG. 3;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an end view of one of the check valves illustrated in FIG. 3;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a side view of one of the check valves illustrated in FIG. 3;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is an end view of the check valve sub-assembly;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a side view of the check valve sub-assembly, and;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section through the check valve illustrated in FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, it should be understood that the Kayak  10  illustrated in both of these views is schematically illustrated in longitudinal section in FIG. 1, and an approximate mid-ship cross section is shown in FIG. 2, where the Kayak is “turtled” or inverted when capsized.  
         [0024]    Kayak  10  is seen to include a hull portion  11 , a gunnel  12 , and a top deck  13 . The top deck has a plurality of hand loops  14  thereon for manually handling the Kayak. A Kayaker  16  is also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, although without arms in FIG. 1 simply for clarity. The Kayaker is positioned in the Kayak in the rowing position within a central generally oval opening  18  therein. Opening  18  is covered by a skirt, which has a flared portion  19  sealed to the opening  18  and an integral tube portion  20  that laces or is otherwise tied around the Kayaker&#39;s torso partly covering vest  22 . The Kayaker sits on a molded plastic seat  24  having a back rest of a seat portion, and rests his feet on an adjustable foot rack  13 . A bow floatation device  28  is positioned within the hull in the bow and rear floatation device  29  is positioned in the stern behind the Kayaker  16 .  
         [0025]    A breathing system  30 , according to the present invention, is shown generally in schematic form in FIGS. 1 and 2, and as seen in FIG. 4, includes a rigid mouth piece assembly  32  having an integral short straight tubular section  33  communicating with mouth piece opening  35 . A first check valve  37  permits exhaled air to purge water in tube  33  and mouth piece assembly  32  and opens only in the direction of arrow  38 . Also when breathing, check valve  37  discharges exhaled air into the surrounding water. A second check valve assembly  40  prevents water from entering flexible tube section  42  when the mouth piece is not in the Kayaker&#39;s mouth and opens only in the direction of arrow  43 . Both of the check valves  37  and  40  are similar in construction and the check valve  40  is illustrated in detail in FIGS.  5  to  9 . As seen in these views, check valve  40  includes a stepped annular outer section  44  having a male end  45  and a female end  46  adapted to mate respectively with tubular portion  50  on tube  42  and tubular portion  47  on tube  33 . The outer section  44  has a seat  52  defined by four struts separated by a screen section against which a movable check valve  55  seats as shown in the cross section of FIG. 9. When a vacuum is applied to valve side  56 , valve  55  moves away from seat  52  permitting air to flow into the mouth piece  35 . However, when water is applied to side  56 , seat  53  closes and prevents the entry of water into the canoe hull through flexible tube  42 .  
         [0026]    Instead of check valve  40 , a manually operated On/Off valve can be provided at the location of check valve  40 . In some situations this On/Off valve can provide easier breathing than the check valve  40 .  
         [0027]    While not shown clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible tube  42  threads inside the vest  22  and is held in position by the vest and it has an open end  60  that freely communicates with the interior of the Kayak so that the Kayaker, when breathing through the mouth piece  32 , breathes atmospheric air within the Kayak hull. The check valve  40  prevents exhaled air and carbon dioxide from entering the hull and it passes freely out the check valve  37  into the water when in the turtled position illustrated in FIG. 2. A styrofoam sphere  66 , or other types of floatation devices, is bonded to the end  60  of the tube  42  and prevents the open end of the tube  60  from becoming submerged in the event there is water in the Kayak when in the inverted position illustrated in FIG. 2. The vest  22  is shown more clearly in FIG. 10 and is seen to include a first “Velcro” type strap  68  for holding the mouth piece  32  around the shoulder strap portion of the vest  12  near the Kayaker&#39;s face so that it can be easily inserted into the mouth. A second Velcro strap  70  encompasses the mouth piece and an upper portion  42   a  of tube  42  to keep the flexible tube  42  in a bent position in the event that the check valve  40  is desired to be eliminated. That is, the bend in the tube  42  in FIG. 10 prevents water from entering the Kayak through the tube  42 , and thus, is an alternative to the check valve  40 . It should be understood, however, that the check valve  40  has a dual purpose of preventing the entry of water into the Kayak and also preventing the entry of exhaled carbon dioxide into the Kayak.