# US 12,759,682 B2 · Swimming aid with a tiltable back float

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- Number: US 12,759,682 B2
- Document ID: US12759682B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/567,684
- Filed: 2022-06-08
- Published: 2024-08-22
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-08
- Assignees: Fibby B.V.
- Applicants: Fibby B.V.
- Inventors: Jort Nijhuis; Hugo Willem Van Der Spek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759682B2

## CPC

- B63C 9/11: covering the torso, e.g. harnesses {(B63C9/081 takes precedence)}
- B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52)

## Abstract

A swimming aid being configured to increase a user's buoyancy in the water. The swimming aid has a supporting structure with a back float. The supporting structure is designed to secure the swimming aid to a user's upper body. The back float is tiltable—seen in use—about a transverse axis connected to the supporting structure. The tilting movement of the back float to the supporting structure enables the user to obtain an inclined, more vertical posture in the water, which will improve the user's ability to keep their head above the surface of the water and also intuitively encourages the user to stretch out their hands to make a supportive movement with the hands in the water. Thus, the swimming aid increases water safety and at the same time promotes swimming skills.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A swimming aid which is arranged to increase a user's buoyancy in the water, wherein the swimming aid comprises a supporting structure with a back float, wherein the supporting structure is configured to secure the swimming aid to a user's upper body, wherein the back float is tiltable about a transverse axis connected to the supporting structure, wherein a tilting movement of the back float to the supporting structure is limited to a tilting angle α in between the supporting structure and the back float of at most 45°.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the transverse axis for a tilting movement of the back float is positioned substantially at a level of an armhole of the supporting structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the back float is connected to the supporting structure by an upper attachment of the back float, the upper attachment substantially allows the back float to be tilted relative to the supporting structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The swimming aid according to claim 3, wherein the upper attachment is positioned at the level of an armhole of the supporting structure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The swimming aid according to claim 3, wherein the upper attachment of the back float comprises a left and a right float attachment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The swimming aid according to claim 3, wherein the upper attachment of the back float is positioned centrally on the rear side of the supporting structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The swimming aid according to claim 3, wherein the upper attachment of the back float is made from a flexible line element, wherein the line element allows a tilting movement of the back float.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The swimming aid according to claim 7, wherein the line element has a length of at most 2 cm to allow that when the back float is floating, this results in a substantially tilting movement of the back float to the supporting structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The swimming aid according to claim 7, wherein the upper attachment is V-shaped, wherein the legs of the V-shaped attachment are connected to the supporting structure and the top of the V-shaped attachment is connected to the back float, wherein the connection to the back float is a line connection to allow that the V-shaped attachment provides a limitation of a tilting angle α of the back float to the supporting structure.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The swimming device according to claim 1, further comprising a lower attachment to the back float, the lower attachment limiting a movement of the back float away from the supporting structure over a pre-determined distance such that the back float becomes positioned in the water at a tilted angle α relative to the supporting structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The swimming aid according to claim 10, wherein the lower attachment is positioned at the level of a bottom edge of the supporting structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The swimming aid according to claim 10, wherein the diverging movement limiting the lower attachment is possible over a predetermined distance of at least 10 cm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The swimming aid according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance of the diverging movement of the back float is determined by an end stop.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The swimming aid according to claim 13, wherein the end stop is made from a flexible line element, such as a cord or strip of neoprene.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The swimming aid according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance of the lower attachment of the back float is adjustable to allow that a tilted angle α is adjustable to allow the back float to rotate relative to the supporting structure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the back float is an injection-moulded product.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the supporting structure constitutes a vest.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The swimming aid according to claim 17, wherein the vest has a left and a right armhole for accommodating a left and a right arm of the user, respectively, and wherein a vest clasp is provided on a chest section of the vest.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the supporting structure of the swimming aid constitutes a harness, wherein the harness is provided with a left and right shoulder strap and has a chest section for fastening the left and right shoulder strap.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The swimming aid according to claim 19, wherein the chest section is fixated to the left and right shoulder straps in such a way that a neck opening is formed through which a user's head can be inserted for putting on the swimming aid.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The swimming aid according to claim 19, wherein the harness is further provided with a chest strap for clasping the harness around a chest of a user, wherein the chest section particularly comprises a chest clasp for fastening and unfastening the chest strap.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The swimming aid according to claim 21, wherein the chest strap together with the left and right shoulder straps form a left and right armhole for enclosing an arm of the user, wherein the chest strap is designed to engage with a lower portion of the rib cage of the user.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The swimming aid according to claim 19, wherein the harness comprises a groin strap for enclosing an upper body of a user together with the left and right shoulder straps.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The swimming aid according to claim 1, wherein the back float is connected to the supporting structure by an upper attachment of the back float, the upper attachment substantially allows the back float to be tilted relative to the supporting structure, wherein the upper attachment of the back float is made from a flexible line element, wherein the line element allows a tilting movement of the back float, wherein the upper attachment is V-shaped, wherein the legs of the V-shaped attachment are connected to the supporting structure and the top of the V-shaped attachment is connected to the back float, wherein the connection to the back float is a line connection to allow that the V-shaped attachment provides a limitation of the tilting angle α of the back float to the supporting structure.