# US 8,540,539 B2 · Buoyancy aid with residual buoyancy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,539 B2 - Document ID: US8540539B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/252,520 - Filed: 2005-10-18 - Published: 2007-01-25 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-19 - Assignees: Derin Holzapfel & Co. Grundbesitz Und Beteilgungs KG - Applicants: Désirée Derin-Holzapfel - Inventors: Désirée Derin-Holzapfel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540539B2 ## CPC - A63B 31/00: Swimming aids (teaching swimming A63B69/10 - A63B69/14; life-saving in water {, e.g. life-buoys, life-belts,} B63C9/00) - B63C 9/155: {inflatable} - A63B 2208/12: specially adapted for children - A63B 2225/09: Adjustable dimensions - A63B 2225/605: Floating - A63B 2225/62: Inflatable - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - 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 buoyancy aid for assisting in swimming lessons and for placing onto an arm, comprising: a) an element which is ring-shaped or which can be connected into a ring, and which can be arranged on an arm; b) an inflatable chamber which is attached to the ring-shaped element; wherein c) the chamber and/or the element which is ring-shaped or which can be connected into a ring comprise(s) a material having a density lower than the density of water. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A buoyancy aid for assisting in swimming lessons and for placing onto an arm, comprising: a) a first element which is ring-shaped or which can be connected into a ring, and which can be arranged on an arm; and b) an inflatable chamber having an inner surface and an outer surface wherein each of the inner and outer surfaces are individually enveloped by a second element which is made from a material having a density lower than the density of water and the inflatable chamber is attached to the first element which is ring-shaped or which can be connected into a ring. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the material having a density lower than the density of water exhibits a porosity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The buoyancy aid according to claim 2, wherein the material having a density lower than the density of water exhibits an open porosity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The buoyancy aid according to claim 2, wherein the material having a density lower than the density of water exhibits a closed porosity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the material is a foamed plastic. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is surrounded by a layer made of a material which is impermeable to gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the ring comprises at least one elastic section, such that the ring can be placed securely onto the arm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein a fastening is provided, with which the length of the ring-shaped element which surrounds the arm can be set. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The buoyancy aid according to claim 8, wherein the fastening comprises at least two overlapping sections which can be connected together by means of a hook-and-loop fastener, buttons, a zip, a plug connection, a catch connection or clamp connection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The buoyancy aid according to claim 9, wherein the two overlapping sections consist of one strip, the short end of which is folded over its long end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1 further comprising a valve for inflating and deflating the chamber with a gas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The buoyancy aid according to claim 11, wherein said valve is a safety valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped element for attaching to an arm is at least partially surrounded by and connected to at least two additional elements which substantially form a ring or can be connected into a ring, wherein the at least one chamber is formed between the at least two additional elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The buoyancy aid according to claim 13, wherein the at least one chamber is enveloped or substantially completely surrounded by the at least two additional ring-shaped elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped element for attaching to an arm is connected to the at least one or the at least two additional ring-shaped elements, by at least one seam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The buoyancy aid according to claim 15, wherein the ring-shaped element for attaching to an arm is sewn or fused to the at least one or the at least two additional ring-shaped elements, by at least one seam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped element comprises two strip sections which are placed on top of one another and fused, stuck together, sewn or joined by another joining means known from the prior art, on at least a longitudinal edge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the layer made of the material having a density lower than the density of water is covered, stuck together or film-clad, at least on one side, to the layer made of a material which is impermeable to gas. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the layer made of the material having a density lower than the density of water is covered, stuck together or film-clad, at least on one side, to a layer made of a sealing, abrasion-proof, color-tagged and/or textile material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein in water, the whole material exhibiting a density lower than that of water, applied to the buoyancy aid, generates half a buoyancy which is large enough for at least one respiratory opening of the user of the buoyancy aid to be located above the surface of the water. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the material having a density lower than that of water is layered, wherein the layer exhibits a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The buoyancy aid according to claim 21, wherein the layer exhibits a thickness of 2 to 5 mm. ### Claim 23 (depends on 5) The buoyancy aid according to claim 5, wherein the foamed plastic comprises neoprene. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The buoyancy aid according to claim 13, wherein the ring-shaped element for attaching to an arm is connected to the at least one or the at least two additional ring-shaped elements, by at least one seam. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped element for attaching to an arm is surrounded at least partially by at least one additional ring-shaped element which is attached to the ring-shaped element for attaching to the arm, and the at least one chamber is formed on the at least one additional ring-shaped element which comprises a hose section in which the at least one chamber is formed or can be inserted. ### Claim 26 A buoyancy aid for assisting in swimming lessons and for placing onto an arm, comprising: an inflatable chamber having at least one surface which includes a material having a density lower than the density of water; an attachment element connected to the inflatable chamber and configured to define a ring having an interior attachment diameter that is independent of a level of inflation in the inflatable chamber; and a fastening is provided with which the length of the ring can be set. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The buoyancy aid according to claim 26, wherein the ring comprises at least one elastic section.