Abstract:
A diving fin system possessing two independent subunits, a fin subunit and a shoe subunit. The two subunits are reversibly fastened through a mechanism whereby the fin subunit possesses a front fin clip and a back locking clip, and the shoe subunit possesses a front receiver for the front fin clip and a back locking pin to cooperatively engage the back locking clip of the fin.

Description:
This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application 61/211,803, filed Apr. 4, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditionally, a diving swim fin system comprises a diving fin and diving bootie. The bootie is most often composed of Neoprene (polychloroprene) and possesses a rubberized sole. It is generally designed for use only during diving activities. The bootie is not designed for extensive use outside of the diving activity. 
     Currently, diving fins are designed to have a water scoop section for propulsion through water, a generally concave section for cooperatively engaging a foot (or foot with bootie), and a fastening strap unit that engages the heel of the foot and maintains the foot in contact with the generally concave section of the fin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention is generally related to a step-in swim fin binding system. The system comprises a specially designed shoe, containing fastening elements built into the sole of the shoe, and a specially designed swim fin, containing clamping elements built into the upper surface of the fin. The configuration allows the user to quickly attach the fin to the shoe with a step-in motion by utilizing a binding system comprising the following elements. The system has a shoe subunit comprising, a shoe upper, a shoe sole, a shoe toe clip receiver and a shoe heel fastener element. It further contains a swim fin subunit comprising, a base plate, a fin toe clip, and a fin heel clip. Wherein, the fin toe clip reversibly contacts the shoe toe clip receiver, and the fin heel clip reversibly contacts the shoe heel fastener to fasten the shoe subunit to the swim fin subunit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swim fin with fastening system and shoe according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swim fin base plate and fastening system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swim fin base plate and fastening system with an adjustable toe component according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of a swim fin base plate with an adjustable toe component according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swim fin fastening system with an adjustable component and shoe fastening system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of an embodiment of a swim fin fastener component according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of an embodiment of a swim fin according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of an embodiment of a swim fine fastening component according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9   a  is a cutaway, side view of the individual components of an embodiment of a swim fin fastening system base plate according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9   b  is a cutaway, side view of the engaged position of individual components of an embodiment of a swim fin fastening system base plate according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a swim fin with fastening system and shoe according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11   a  is a cutaway, side view of the individual components of an embodiment of a swim fin fastening system base plate according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11   b  is a cutaway, side view of the engaged position of individual components of an embodiment of a swim fin fastening system base plate according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment of the inventive system is a swim fin  100  with fin binding system that allows for removably fastening a shoe  101 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the fin  100  possesses two regions, a water scoop region  104  utilized for propulsion through water, and a shoe mounting region  108 , adapted for reversibly fastening to the shoe  101 . Together, the scoop region  104  and the shoe mounting region  108  are integrally formed and produce the entirety of the fin  100 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the shoe mounting region  108  comprises a plurality subcomponents. A first subcomponent is a base plate  110  comprising an upper surface  110   a , and a water drainage void  111  cut through the base plate  110  of the fin. A second subcomponent is a fin toe clip  115  that is integrally formed with the base plate upper surface  110   a . A third component in  FIG. 1  is a fin heel clip  120  that is integrally formed with the base plate upper surface  110   a.    
     The base plate  110  is integrally formed and contiguous with the scoop region  104 . The base plate  110  comprises a hardened support material that possess properties adequate to accommodate structurally supporting a shoe binding system while allowing for integral formation with the scoop region  104 . 
     The fin toe clip  115  can be made from a variety of materials, including high impact plastics or non-corrosive metals. The fin toe clip  115 , has a generally inverted “L” shaped designed. It provides a hook fastening function through the toe clip engagement arm  113 . The fin toe clip  115  is fastened to the base plate  110  in a variety of fashions. For example, the fin toe clip  115  may be integrally formed with the base plate  110  to form a fixed fastener attachment, as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     The  FIG. 1  embodiment also includes a second fastener, the fin heel clip  120 , which is integrally formed with the upper surface  110   a  of the base plate  110 . The fin heel clip  120  is generally designed as the female half of a male/female fastener system. The fin heel clip  120  is generally mounted within a raised, downward facing, concave cavity section of the base plate upper surface  110   a  at or near the heel of the fin. (shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 6 and 8 ) 
     The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  also shows shoe elements of the embodiment. A shoe heel fastener element  142  is the corresponding male half of the male/female fastening system. The shoe heel fastener element  142  is located at or near the heel section of the shoe&#39;s sole. The shoe  101 , comprising a shoe sole  102  and a shoe upper  103  also contains a shoe toe clip receiver element (discussed in full detail below, element  141 ). 
     A second fin base plate  110  embodiment, as seen in  FIG. 2 , possesses a fin toe clip  115  with an adjustable mounting mechanism  118  formed within the fin base plate  110 . 
     The fin toe clip  115 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  5 , may be fastened to the base Plate  110  with a screw  116 , thus allowing adjustable placement of the fin toe clip  115  to accommodate a variety of shoe sizes. Where an adjustable fin toe clip  115  is utilized, the fin toe clip  115  possesses a tongue  114  that is sized to cooperatively fit within a groove  119  that is cut into the upper surface of the base plate  110 . The groove  119 , provides lateral support for the fin toe clip  115 . Also, a series of holes  117  are bored into the base plate  110  and internal to the groove  119 , to accommodate the screw  116  used to adjustably attach the fin toe clip  115  to the fin base plate  110 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the fastening system utilizes a shoe insert body  140  that can be made from a variety of rigid materials such as plastic, nylon, fiberglass, etc. The shoe insert body  140  is integrated with the sole of the shoe  102 . The shoe insert  140  possesses a shoe toe clip receiver  141  and the shoe heel fastener element  142 . 
     The shoe toe clip receiver  141  is integrally molded with the shoe insert body  140 . The shoe toe clip receiver  141  is designed to reside within a first concave depression  143  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ) in the bottom surface of the shoe&#39;s sole  102 . The shoe toe clip receiver  141  is a concave molding on the bottom surface of the shoe insert body  140 . The shoe toe clip receiver  141  is designed to cooperatively and reversibly engage the toe clip engagement arm  113 . 
     The toe clip engagement arm  113  cooperatively fits within the concave configuration of the shoe toe clip receiver  141  in such a manor that allows the user to release the fin from the shoe and remove the fin by pulling the fin toward the user. This improves the ease of fin release relative to the current art. Standard fin configurations require the user to pull the fin forward and away from the user&#39;s body to remove the fin from the foot. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 5 , the shoe heel fastener element  142  is fixedly fastened to the shoe insert body by rivet (not shown), or fixedly fastened by a threaded bolt and nut system (described in detail below), or other similar fastening means. The shoe heel fastener element  142  resides within a downward facing, second concave depression  144  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ) in the bottom surface of the shoe&#39;s sole  102 . 
     The shoe heel fastener element  142  and the shoe toe clip receiver  141 , reside in the second concave depression  144  and first concave depression  143 , respectively, within the shoe&#39;s sole  102 . Neither fastening element projects externally beyond their respective depressions. Thus, the shoe may be worn during activities outside of the diving activity without damaging the binding elements. This allows the diver to transition from the dive to other activities (or vise versa) without the need to immediately change into different footwear. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the base plate  110  includes a hinged tab  145  integrally formed with the base plate lower surface  110   b  (as specifically seen in  FIG. 6 ). As seen in  FIG. 6 , the hinged tab  145  operates to engage a plunger  121  subcomponent of the fin heel clip  120 . A downward movement of the hinged tab  145  displaces the plunger  121  and disengages the fin heel clip  120  from the shoe heel fastener element  142  when the two elements are in the engaged/fastened configuration. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a detailed view of the reversible locking mechanism is provided. The male shoe heel fastener element  142  is of such configuration to cooperatively and reversibly engage a female clamp  122  subunit of the fin heel clip  120  to securely fasten the shoe  101  to the fin  100 . 
     The fin heel clip  120  is designed with a plurality of subunits. As seen  FIGS. 8 ,  9   a , and  9   b , one embodiment comprises the plunger  121  and female clamp  122  subunit. The plunger  121  is configured to possess a hollow, central void  121   a  defined by plunger sidewalls  121   b . This configuration is unique in that the hollow configuration allows water to flow through the plunger subunit and prevents jamming of the clamp. The plunger sidewalls  121   b  also provide a means by which to integrally mount the subunit to the hinge tab  145 , as seen in  FIG. 9   a.    
     The plunger  121  cooperatively engages the female clamp  122  subunit. The female clamp subunit  122  possesses a clamp base  122   a . The clamp base  122   a  cooperatively engages the plunger sidewalls  121   b  within the plunger central void  121   a , and the two elements are fixedly attached by crimping, welding, or other fastening means known in the art. The resulting cooperation between the plunger  121  and the female clamp  122  allows for releasing the female clamp  122  from the engaged positions by pressing down on the hinged tab  145 . 
     The female clamp  122  also possesses clamping arms  122   b . The clamping arms  122   b  reside within a heel clip housing  123 . The heel clip housing  123  comprises a lower heel clip housing  124   a  and an upper heel clip housing  124   b . The heel clip housing  123  possesses housing sidewalls  123   a  which defines a heel clip housing hollow central void  123   b . The heel clip housing central void  123   b  maintains the clamping arms  122   b  in proper position and alignment to function as a fastening system between the swim fin and target shoe. The heel clip housing  123  also provides a means by which to integrally mount the heel clip  120  with the upper surface  110   a  of the base plate  110 . The housing  123  may be molded into the base plate top surface  110   a  (not shown). 
     Another embodiment of the heel clip housing  123  includes a threaded fastening system, as seen in  FIG. 8 , and a threaded nut fastener  125  to secure the heel clip housing  123  to the base plate  110  at the upper surface  110   a.    
     Another embodiment, seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , includes a modified fin base plate upper surface  110   a . The fin base plate upper surface  110   a  further includes a male shoe guide  170 . The male shoe guide  170  is generally fin shaped and integrally formed with the base plate upper surface  110   a  at or near the heel clip  120 . The male shoe guide  170  functions to properly guide the male shoe heel fastener element  142  into the engaged position with the female clamp  122 . The male shoe guide  170  accomplishes this function by cooperatively engaging a female shoe guide  175  integrally formed within the sole of the shoe  102  at or near the second concave depression  144 . The guiding function facilitates the step-in function of the binding system.