Hand paddle for swimming to which the distal portion of a user's arm is intended to be attached

Abstract

The invention concerns a hand paddle for swimming that has an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user's arm is attached and a lower propulsion blade. The hand paddle is equipped with a device for holding the hand paddle on the user's arm having an aperture formed through the paddle and a member mounted movable in the aperture and having an interface that is arranged on top of the wall. The interface being arranged to receive at least one finger of the user and arranged to hold the finger against the interface, the member being equipped with an element elastically constraining the movement. The element is arranged between the blade and the member and is reversibly compressible between an extended state, in which the member is arranged in a low position holding the user's finger, and a compressed state in which the member is arranged in a high position placing the user's finger on the interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Hand A hand paddle for swimming having an upper wall to which the distal portion of a user's arm is intended to be attached and a lower propulsion blade, the hand paddle being equipped with a device adapted for holding the hand paddle on the distal portion, the device comprising an aperture formed through the hand paddle and a member mounted movable in the aperture along first axis, the member having an interface that is arranged above the upper wall, the interface being adapted to receive at least one finger of the user and comprising a surface adapted to hold the at least one finger against the interface, the surface being equipped with an element elastically constraining the movement thereof in a position for holding the at least one finger between the surface and the upper wall, wherein the elastically constraining element is arranged between the lower blade and the member, the element being reversibly compressible between an extended state for placing the member in a low position for holding said the at least one finger and a compressed state for placing the member in a high position for positioning the at least one finger on the interface. 
     
     
         2 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the first axis of movement of the member extends, as a front view, along a direction perpendicular to a transversal plane of the hand paddle and, as a side view, by forming an angle with the transversal plane. 
     
     
         3 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises two opposite lateral surfaces which are radially spaced by an interdigital distance allowing for the positioning of the interface between two fingers, the surfaces being adapted to receive as support respectively an internal lateral portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         4 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 3 , wherein two radial surfaces extend on either side of the interface, each one of the surfaces being adapted to press against respectively an upper portion of a finger in order to provide the axial holding thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 4 , wherein the radial surfaces extend from the upper end of the interface. 
     
     
         6 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 4 , wherein the radial surfaces have a geometry arranged to also provide the radial holding of the fingers. 
     
     
         7 . The hand paddle according to  claim 4 , wherein each one of the radial surfaces respectively extends a lateral surface 
     
     
         8 . The hand paddle according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one lateral and/or radial surface is provided with a comfort coating. 
     
     
         9 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastically constraining element is attached to at least one base portion of the member, the element having an outside dimension that is greater than that of the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 9 , wherein the elastically constraining element is in upper support against the blade. 
     
     
         11 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 9 , wherein the elastically constraining element is overmoulded or assembled to the base and/or to the lower blade. 
     
     
         12 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 9 , wherein the base has at least one imprint wherein the elastically constraining element is axially anchored. 
     
     
         13 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastically constraining element is formed from a single piece with the member. 
     
     
         14 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the member comprises at least one abutment that is pressing against the upper wall in order to define a nominal position of the member in the absence of a finger, wherein the elastically constraining element is arranged to be substantially non-stressed or slightly compressed. 
     
     
         15 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein grooves are formed inside the element in order to design the deformation thereof in compression. 
     
     
         16 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastically constraining element has at least one hole in order to facilitate the deformation thereof in the compressed state and its elastic return in the extended state. 
     
     
         17 . The hand paddle for swimming according to claim  1 , wherein the device for holding further comprises at least one strap adapted to hold on the upper wall a portion of the distal portion of the arm that extends behind the fingers of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The hand paddle for swimming according to  claim 1 , wherein the member is mounted on the hand paddle by being offset towards the left or towards the right with respect to the a sagittal plane of the hand paddle.