Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21 7~2q3
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to personal floatation devices.
DIAPER SWIM SUIT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The inventor of the Diaper Swim Vest is a world champion
long distance swimmer and owner of a private swim school
in Montreal, Canada, where he has been teaching swimming
to babies since 1958. The inventor has given over
1,000,000 swimming lessons to date. The inventor has
authored three books on swimming and he is an honoree
member in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The inventor has always used
floatation devices when teaching beginners to swim re-
gardless of the pupils' age. The floatation devices used
will vary to accommodate the age of the person who is
learning how to swim. As the inventor started teaching
swimming to younger children and to babies, the floata-
tion device had to be designed to meet the needs and to
adapt to the developement of the new born infant. The
only position wherein a baby can survive in the water,
is to teach the baby the back float position with the
face and breathing passages supported out of the water
at all times. The head of the new born baby is heavier
then the rest of his body. On average, babies are not
physically able to fully support their head before the
age of three months. An important feature of the diaper
swim vest is the floatation head support containing thicker
floatation foam which is needed to keep the head out of
the water. To meet the need of new born babies and the
demand by parents for teaching techniques for the new
born, the invention now gives parents the chance to
continue the baby's adaptation to water outside the womb,
in the comfort of the home and the warmth of the family
bath tub. In the nine months from conception to birth,
the unborn child grows inside the mother, surrounded and
protected by warm body fluids. Home use of the invention
gives the baby the necessary floatation to continue the
sensational feeling of weightlessness and floating which
the baby experienced inside the mother's womb.
21 72293
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (continued)
There are many type II floatation vests on the market
designed to help save the life of a young child. These
floatation vests are required used when boating and
parents will place them on their toddlers when near and
close to water. These type II floatation vests are de-
signed to save a life by keeping the child in an almost
upright position with the head held completely out of
the water. Because the purpose of the type II vests as
personal floatation devices is to save lives, they are
made with very thick floatation foam making them bulky
and uncomfortable to wear by young children. The type
II vests are designed with zippers, tabs, clips, ties,
and a crotch strap. The young child is wrapped tightly
by the type II floatation vest, as it must stay in place
in time of accident by not being able to ride-up and by
use of a crotch strap to keep the child from sliding out
of the type II vest. The type II vest sizing charts
indicate the smallest size to be for children weighing
twenty to thirty (20-30) pounds. This smallest size is
too big for use on babies under one year old. None of
the type II floatation vests already invented can be con-
veniently used for home tub bathing with newborn babies
and they cannot be used to teach survival back float
swlmmlng .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This new invention is one of a safe floatation swim vest
which comprises a back section and front section which
folds at the crotch to envelope the baby. The back section
has three floatation foam support panels and the front
section has three floatation foam support panels. The
diaper swim vest is a pliable unit with all floatation
foam pads strategically sewn into a non-slip, sturdy
cotton sheeting cover. Small hollow spaces separate the
floatation foam pads allowing for individual movement of
each floatation foam pads, so necessary as movement of the
floatation foam pads will help the baby learn how to 'feel
his way' through the water as he adapts to floating, learns
21 722~3
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ( continued)
the survival back float and on to learning how to swim.
Two thicknesses of floatation foam are used. Thicker
floatation foam is used for the head support panel,
necessary to properly support the baby's head out of
the water and to support any backward thrust of the
head. Thicker foam is also used in the two elongated
suspender panels on the front of the diaper swim vest,
necessary to keep the baby's body position high on top
of the water. These two elongated suspender panels are
particularly important for floatation as the baby grows
and gains weight. A round, cut-out hole is centered in
the lower part of the head support panel. The baby rests
his head in the opening on the head support panel. Two
velcro strips are sewn on each side of the head support
panel. The front pant panel hasvelcro strips sewn on to
the inside of the pant. The back pant panel has velcro
strips sewn on to the outside of the pant. The
front pant panel overlaps and the velcrostrips fasten to
form a diaper pant with two wide leg openings. The crotch
keeps the diaper swim vest from riding up. The crotch is
wide so as not to cut into the body. Sewn into the front
of the pant at the waist are two elongated, rectangular,
suspender type floatation panels which have a flat tab
sewn into the top seam. Velcro strips are sewn on to each
flat tab. These two elongated suspender panels are sewn
into the front pant panel at the waist at an angle so that
when they are placed on the baby's body, they separate
away from the face. The two velcrostrips sewn on to the
end of each tab on each elongated suspender panel are joined
to each velcro strip sewn on each side of the head support
panel. A floatation foam pad is sewn into the back support
and a floatation foam pad is sewn into the back pant panel.
A floatation foam pad is sewn into the center of the front
pant panel.
All floatation foam pads are buoyant floatation material,
either cut or molded to shape from closed cell foam which may
be cut from polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene foam.
All floatation foam pads of the back section and all floata-
tion foam pads of the front section are sewn into two layers
of cotton fabric disposed in overlying, registering relation-
ship and having a peripheral edge seam defined by stitching
about the periphery thereof.
2 1 722~3
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (continued)
A pull strap handle is sewn into the top of the head sup-
port, which parents use to pull the baby across the surface
of the water, while teaching the baby to learn the survival
back float and encourage exercising through kicking leg
movements and splashing arm movements.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
Prenatal and postnatal aquatic exercises are contributing to
healthy pregnancies. New born babies are introduced to daily
exercise periods early in life. The diaper swim vest gives
the baby the necessary buoyancy needed to learn the survival
back float whilefreely kicking his legs and moving his arms,
benefitting from the positive effects of warm water massage
therapy in the comfort of the family tub. The baby learns
breath control by keeping his head in position with the face
out of the water. The baby quickly learns the survival back
float. The baby can be washed while floating in the diaper
swim vest as the design is such that the parent has access
to all parts of the baby's body. Daily use of the diaper
swim vest encourages physical developement and is a relaxa-
tion, quality time activity shared between parent and baby.
Use of the invention before bed time helps a baby sleep better.
In accordance with this general object, this invention will
now be described on reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
fig. 1 - is a front perspective view of the personal floatation
device showing the position of the baby in the water
as he floats on his back, enveloped in the diaper
swim vest with his head supported out of the water
fig. 2 - is a perspective view of the personal floatation
device showing the position of the baby before the
baby is placed in the water
fig. 3 - is an elevated side view of the personal floatation
device showing the position of the baby as he floats
of top of the water, also showing the wide arm hole
opneing which extends from the waist to the neck
fig. 4 - is an elevated rear view of the personal floatation
device
fig. 5 - is a view of the personal floatation device showing
the invention as a one piece unit
fig. 6 - is a view of the varying thickness of floatation foam
used in the different areas of the invention
21 72293
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENT:
Referring to figures 1 to 6, this personal floatation
device is generally designated by reference to number 10,
figure 1. The personal floatation device 10 is a one
piece unit which folds at the crotch 14. The front section
48 of the personal floatation device 10 is made of three
pliable panels which contain floatation foam- the front
pant panel 15, the left elongated suspender panel 16 and
the right elongated suspender panel 17. Sewn into the
top of the left elongated suspender panel 16 is a flat
tab 18 onto which is sewn a velcro strip 26. Sewn into
the top of the right elongated suspender panel 17 is a
flat tab 19 onto which is sewn a velcrostrip 27. The left
elongated suspender panel 16 is a mirror image of the right
elongated suspender panel 17. The velcro strip 26 on the
left elongated suspender panel 16 is attached to the velcro
strip 20 located on the left side of the head support panel
11. The velcro strip 27 on the right elongated suspender
panel 17 is attached to the velcro strip 21 located on the
right side of the head support panel 11. The left elongated
suspender panel 16 and the right elongated suspender panel
17 are sewn into the front waist seam 47. The two elongated
suspender panels 16 and 17 are overlapped at the center seam
and sewn into the waist seam 47 at an angle so that the left
elongated suspender panel 16 and the right elongated sus-
pender panel 17 separate when attached to the velcro strip
20 and 21 on the head support panel 11, leaving a wide un-
restrained opening for the baby's head. A velcro strip 24
is sewn inside on the the left side of the front pant panel
15 and a velcro strip 25 is sewn inside on the right side
of the front pant panel 15.
The back section 49 of the personal floatation device 10
is made of three pliable panels which contain floatation
foam. The largest section of the back 49 is the head support
panel 11. The head support panel 11 is a horizontal, rectang-
ular shape with rounded corners. The head support 11 has a
round cut-out hole opening 29, which is centered in the
lower part of the head support panel 11. The back is sup-
ported by a rectangular back panel 12 and the seat is sup-
ported by a rectangular panel in the back pant panel 13. A
velcro strip 22 is sewn outside on the left side of the pant
back panel 13 and a velcro strip 23 is sewn outside on the
right side of the pant back panel 13.
21 72293
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENT: cont'd
The personal floatation device 10 folds at the crotch 14.
The two velcro strips sewn on the inside of the front pant
panel 15, left side 24 and right side 25, overlap the back
pant panel 13 to join and fasten with the left side velcro
strip 22 and the right side velcro strip 23. A wide left
leg opening 37 and a wide right leg opening 38 is formed
when the front pant panel 15 is attached to the back pant
panel 13. The left side 39 and the right side 40 of the
personal floatation device 10 is open (figure 3) from the
waist to the neck, allowing the baby free movement of the
arms and shoulders. The baby's head is placed in the cut-out
hole 29 located in the lower center part of the head support
panel 11. The baby's head is supported out of the water so
that the face and all breathing passages are clear and with-
out hindrance. A pull strap handle 28 is sewn into the
center at the top of the head support panel 11.
All of the floatation foam pads are cut to fill entirely
each of the designated support panels. The floatation foam
pad 30 used for the head support panel 11 is three quarter inch
(3/4") thick floatation foam and is sewn securely in place by
a sturdy stitch seam 41 sewn along the bottom of the head
support panel 11. The floatation foam pad 31 used for the
back support panel 12 is half inch (1/2") thick floatation
foam and is sewn securely in place by a sturdy stitch seam
42 along the bottom of the back support panel 12. Half inch
(1/2") thick floatation foam 32 is used for the back seat
panel 13 and is securely in place hy a sturdy stitch seam 43
sewn around the four sides of the floatation foam pad 32. Half
inch (1/2") thick floatation foam 33 is used for the pant front
panel 15 and is securely sewn in place by a sturdy stitch seam
44 sewn around the four sides of the floatation foam pad 33.
Three quarter (3/4") thick floatation foam pads 34 are sewn
into each of the two elongated suspender panels, left side 16
and right side 17, securely sewn into place by sturdy stitch-
ing, left seam 45 and right seam 46. The left seam 45 and the
right seam 46 are reinforced as they hold in place the flat
tabs, left 18 and right 19, on to which are sewn the two velcro
strips, left 26 and right 27.
The personal floatation device 10 is sewn together along
designatad seam lines using sturdy thread and using a minimum
seam width of about one half (1/2") inch. The personal float-
ation device has an inner web 48 and an outer web 49 of vowen
cotton sheeting fabric wich are assembles in overlying relation-
ship and sewn around the respective dimensions to define each
2~ 72293
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENT: cont'd
panel part. Hollow areas are found between the panels which
makes the personal floatation device pliable, giving movabil-
ity to the wearer.
Changes and substitutions may be made to the preferred
embodiement. For example, the woven cotton fabric can be
replaced by other materials such as nylon, polyester, spandex,
canvas. The velcro attachments can be replaced with buttons,
ties, snaps, zippers, clips. The floatation foam pads can be
closed cell foa~,coated or uncoated, polyvinyl chloride, poly-
ethylene and other floatation materials commercially available.
All alternate floatation materials must have sufficient buoy-
ancy qualities to supply the necessary floatation required by
each floatation panel. Floatation foam pads can be die cut
or molded. Instead of sewing and stitching the seams, the
seams can be held together through use of ultrasonic welding,
adhesive bonding, or heat seal, providing these alternate
methods have the required strength to provide the durability
and resistance needed to give the product continued and safe
use.
The front section 48 folds at the crotch 14 and the front
pant panel 15 wraps around the lower part of the baby's body
forming a pant which holds the baby in place and eliminates
ride-up. All velcro strip tabs 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
are three inches (3") in length which makes the personal float-
ation device 10 adjustable and usuab~e over a longer period of
time, as the width of the pant can be widened and the length
of the personal floatation device 10 can be lengthened to
accommodate a growing baby.
This personal floatation device 10 as illustrated in draw-
ings, figures 1 to 6, is intendedfor use with babies and only
under the supervision of parents or a responsible adult.
This personal floatation device can be made in sizes to
fit children and adults and would be used to teach all ages
the survival back float.
The adjustable fasteners used in the personal floatation
device 10 referred to as velcro are produced by the Velcro
Corporation of New York, N.y. and marketed under the trade-
mark 'VELCRO'.
