# US 5,700,173 A · Swimming instructional device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,700,173 A - Document ID: US5700173A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/595,177 - Filed: 1996-02-01 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1996-02-01 - Inventors: Sam M. Lerro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5700173A ## CPC - A63B 31/08: Swim fins, flippers or other swimming aids held by, or attachable to, the hands, arms, feet or legs (A63B31/18 takes precedence; worn as gloves A63B31/02) - A63B 69/12: Arrangements in swimming pools for teaching swimming {or for training} - A63B 2208/12: specially adapted for children - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A swimming instructional and training aid comprising a combination floatation and positioning member adapted to encircle or attach to a body joint of the extremities, i.e., the knee, ankle/foot, elbow and wrist/hand joints, the member being relatively rigid yet retaining some flexibility and configured to restrictively maintain the body joint in a preferred angular position as determined by proper swimming technique, the member being comprised of a buoyant material whereby the body joint is lifted to the surface of the water when the member is in place. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A swimming instructional and training device worn on an individual body joint chosen from the group of body joints consisting of the knee joint, the ankle/foot joint, the elbow joint and the wrist/hand joint, said device comprising in combination floatation means and positioning means, said positioning means restrictively positioning the body joint in the angular alignment equal to the technically correct angular alignment for proper execution of a standard swimming stroke in the absence of said device, said floatation means simultaneously lifting said body joint to the water surface to properly position the body joint in the water, and where said positioning means is flexible to the extent that the body joint can be flexed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, where said positioning means comprises a relatively rigid sleeve member adapted to encircle said body joint. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, where said positioning means comprises a longitudinal slit and closure means, whereby said positioning means is adapted to be wrapped around said body joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, where said positioning means comprises a spring brace member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, where said floatation means comprises a sealed pocket containing air. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, where said sealed pocket comprises means to adjust the amount of air contained within said pocket. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, where said spring brace member is removable. ### Claim 8 A swimming instructional and training device comprising in combination a pair of body joint positioning members worn on the knee joints, each of said pair of body joint positioning members restrictively maintaining each of said knee joints in the proper angular alignment, said positioning member further comprising floatation means to simultaneously lift said knee joints to the water surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, where each of said pair of positioning members comprises a relatively rigid sleeve member adapted to encircle said knee joints. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, where each of said pair of positioning members comprises a longitudinal slit and closure means, whereby each said positioning member is adapted to be wrapped around said knee joints. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, where each of said pair of positioning members comprises a spring brace member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, where said floatation means comprises a sealed pocket containing air. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, where said sealed pocket comprises means to adjust the amount of air contained within said pocket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, where said spring brace member is removable. ### Claim 15 A swimming instructional and training aid comprising in combination a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the knee joints and a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the ankle/foot joints, said body joint positioning members adapted to restrictively maintain said body joints in the proper angular alignment, said positioning members further comprising floatation means to lift said body joints to the water surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The swimming instructional and training aid of claim 15, further comprising a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the elbow joints and a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the wrist/hand joints. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The swimming instructional and training aid of claim 16, where at least one said pair of body joint positioning members further comprises spring brace members to provide additional rigidity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The swimming instructional and training aid of claim 16, where at least one said pair of body joint positioning members further comprises adjustable air pockets. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The swimming instructional and training aid of claim 15, further comprising a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the elbow joints. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The swimming instructional and training aid of claim 15, further comprising a pair of body joint positioning members adapted to be worn on the wrist/hand joints.