Swimming and diving flippers for distrubution of force

Abstract

The swimming and diving flippers for distribution of force includes a boot for housing the foot of a user and extending forwards with a fin to give a mobile propulsion unit, being embodied such as to allow a movement of the upper part of the foot or the instep with relation to the leg, when positioned on the foot of the user, such that the instep can form an angle of variable magnitude with relation to the latter on carrying out the action of firming. The invention further includes a leg fixing device, to be fitted around the lower part of the leg and below the calf of the user and connected to the mobile propulsion unit, by lateral force transmission arms and joints.

1 . Effort-distributing swimming and diving flipper comprising: 
 a bootee accommodating a foot of a user and extending forward as a blade to form a mobile propulsion assembly, said bootee being shaped so as to permit, when positioned on the foot of a user, a movement of the upper part of the foot or instep with respect to a leg, in such a manner that the instep can form, during the finning action, an angle of variable size with the leg, and    a leg-fastening device shaped to be attached around a lower part of the leg and below a calf of a user and connected to the mobile propulsion assembly through effort-transmitting side arms and with hinges, with lower extremities of arms and said mobile propulsion assembly being arranged in a complementary fashion in order to form limit stop systems ensuring during active phase of finning movement, a limitation of size of the angle, wherein lower extremities of the effort-transmitting arms are attached to the mobile propulsion assembly in places corresponding to the locations of the malleoli when the flipper is positioned on a foot of the user.    
   
   
       2 . Swimming and diving flipper as per  claim 1 , wherein the limit stops systems which allow limiting amplitude of active finning movements are adjustable so as to allow a limitation of the size of the finning angle to a value lower than a maximum anatomical value the instep is normally able to form with the leg of the user for whom the flipper is intended.  
   
   
       3 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 2 , the limit stops systems are comprised of removable and interchangeable shims of different sizes, selecting optimal angle of maximum extension of each foot of each user during active finning movement.  
   
   
       4 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile propulsion assembly is equipped with side posts placed on each side of the bootee and wherein the lower extremities of the effort-transmitting arms are attached to said side posts.  
   
   
       5 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 4 , wherein the limit stops system, limiting the amplitude of the swivel motion of the mobile propulsion assembly is comprised of a sleeve formed by a back part of the side posts; and wherein a lower part of the corresponding effort-transmitting arm is hinged, a sleeve featuring a transversal stop wall against which the extremity of said lower part coming to bear at an end of the swivel travel of said propulsion assembly.  
   
   
       6 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 5 , wherein the limit stops system, limiting the amplitude of the swivel motion of the mobile propulsion assembly is comprised of a removable shim shaped to be placed and fastened interchangeably between the transversal stop wall and the extremity of the lower part of the effort-transmitting arm.  
   
   
       7 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 6 , wherein the interchangeable shims are comprised of elastomer.  
   
   
       8 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 1 , wherein said leg-fastening device is comprised of elements surrounding the lower part of a user's leg, below the calf, and further comprising: 
 a back support piece shaped to conform to the lower back part of the leg, and    a front support piece shaped to conform to the front part of the leg, these two parts being joined on one hand by a supple tie and by a detachable connecting system for opening and closing said collar.    
   
   
       9 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 8 , wherein the effort-transmitting arms are in the form of a single piece and are attached one to the other at their upper part and in the back, by a part constituting the rear support piece of the leg-fastening device.  
   
   
       10 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile propulsion assembly formed by the bootee and the blade is comprised of a traditional swimming flipper, and wherein the assembly having the leg-fastening device, the effort-transmitting arms and the side posts is attached to the bootee-blade assembly by a sole plate connecting said side posts and which is fastened under said bootee-blade assembly.  
   
   
       11 . Swimming and diving flipper according to  claim 1 , being comprised of a single piece, a rear support piece being arranged so as to form a limit stop against which the lower back part of the user's leg comes to rest, so that the leg, at the end of the active phase of finning can form with the instep only an angle of limited size, that is smaller than the size of the maximum anatomical angle.