Child Flotation Device

Abstract

A swim-aid device for supplying buoyant support throughout the torso, legs, and arms of a user so that the user can maintain a horizontal body position while in a body of water includes an outer shell. The outer shell can include a plurality of cavities fit to contain flotation devices that provide the user with buoyant support. The outer shell can further include a flexible torso band configured to adjust the size of the outer shell around the body of the user, and over-the-shoulder-straps configured to keep the user within the swim apparatus. Adjustable straps attach to the outer shell to allow the outer shell to couple around the body of the user. The swim-aid device provides the user with buoyant support and allows the user to have free range of motion of their arms and legs so that the user can practice swim movements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A swim apparatus for maintaining a balanced position, the swim apparatus comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a flexible torso band and a plurality of cavities;   a torso flotation device enclosed within a first cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell;   at least one adjustable strap fixedly coupled to the outer shell and configured to couple a first portion of the outer shell to a second portion of the outer shell; and   at least one limb flotation device enclosed within a second cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell.   
     
     
         2 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one piece of material is coupled to either an inner side of the outer shell or an outer side of the outer shell to create the first cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible torso band is approximately positioned at a waist of a user and wherein the flexible torso band is at least one of:
 (1) disposed within an inner side of the outer shell and an outer side of the outer shell, or   (2) coupled to at least one of the inner side of the outer shell or the outer side of the outer shell;   wherein the flexible torso band is stretchable to fit a waist circumference of the user.   
     
     
         4 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one adjustable over-the-shoulder strap configured to attach a first portion of the at least one adjustable over-the-shoulder strap at a first location on the outer side of the outer shell, and to attach a second portion of the at least one adjustable over-the-shoulder strap at a second location of the outer side of the outer shell, 
 wherein a first attachable mechanism coupled to the first location of the first side of the outer shell, a second attachable mechanism coupled to the second location of the first side of the outer shell, a third attachable mechanism coupled to the first end of the adjustable over-the-shoulder strap and is configured to attach to the first attachable mechanism, and a fourth attachable mechanism coupled to the second end of the adjustable over-the-shoulder strap and is configured to attach to the second attachable mechanism. 
 
     
     
         5 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is a continuous piece that is comprised of a torso portion and a plurality of limb portions, wherein each limb portion of the plurality of limb portions is configured to receive a limb of a user. 
     
     
         6 . The swim apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a neck-head flotation device coupled to the outer shell and configured to maintain a head of a user above a surface of a body of water, wherein the neck-head flotation device comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first end is removably coupled to the torso portion and wherein the second end is either: (1) fixedly coupled to the outer shell, or (2) removably coupled to the outer shell.   
     
     
         7 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the torso flotation device is comprised of at least one removable piece of flotation material and the first cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material is either one continuous piece of removable flotation material configured to conform to a user's torso or the at least one removable piece of flotation material is a plurality of removable flotation material configured to conform to the user's torso, wherein the first cavity is either a single continuous cavity configured to enclose the single continuous piece of removable flotation material or the first cavity is a plurality of cavities, and wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to enclose the at least one piece of removable flotation material of the plurality of removable flotation material. 
     
     
         8 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one limb flotation device is comprised of at least one removable piece of flotation material and the second cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material is either one continuous piece of removable flotation material configured to conform to a user's limb or the at least one removable piece of flotation material is a plurality of removable flotation material configured to conform to the user's limb, and wherein the second cavity is either a single continuous cavity configured to enclose the single continuous piece of removable flotation material or the second cavity is a plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to enclose the at least one piece of removable flotation material of the plurality of removable flotation material. 
     
     
         9 . The swim apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustable strap comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the at least one adjustable strap is fixedly coupled to a first portion of an outer side of the outer shell and the second portion of the at least one strap is fixedly coupled to a second portion of the outer side of the outer shell, wherein the first portion of the at least one strap comprises of a first attachable mechanism and the second portion of the at least one adjustable strap comprises of a second attachable mechanism, wherein the first attachable mechanism of the first portion of the at least one adjustable strap is configured to attach to the second attachable mechanism of the second portion of the at least one adjustable strap. 
     
     
         10 . A swim apparatus for maintaining a balanced position, the swim apparatus comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a plurality of cavities;   an upper torso flotation device enclosed within a first cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell;   a lower torso flotation device enclosed within a second cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell;   at least one strap fixedly coupled to the outer shell configured to couple a first portion of a outer side of the outer shell and at least one attachable mechanism; and   at least one limb flotation device enclosed within a third cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell.   
     
     
         11 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one piece of material is coupled to either an inner side of the outer shell or an outer side of the outer shell to create at least one first cavity of the plurality of cavities. 
     
     
         12 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer shell is further comprised of a coupling mechanism configured to connect a first back portion and a second back portion of the outer shell, wherein the first back portion of the outer shell is fixedly coupled to a first mechanical attachment and the second back portion of the outer shell is fixedly coupled to a second mechanical attachment, and wherein the first mechanical attachment is configured to attach to the second mechanical attachment to fasten a user inside of the outer shell. 
     
     
         13 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer shell is a continuous piece that is comprised of a torso portion and a plurality of limb portions, wherein each limb portion of the plurality of limb portions is configured to receive a limb of a user. 
     
     
         14 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the upper torso flotation device is comprised of at least one removable piece of flotation material and the first cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material and the first cavity is positioned at an upper torso of a user, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material is either one continuous removable piece of flotation material configured to conform to a user's upper torso or the at least one removable piece of flotation material is a plurality of removable flotation material configured to conform to the user's upper torso, and wherein the first cavity is either a single continuous cavity configured to enclose the single continuous removable piece of flotation material or the first cavity is a plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to enclose the at least one removable piece of flotation material of the plurality of flotation material. 
     
     
         15 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the lower torso flotation device is comprised of at least one removable piece of flotation material and the second cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material and the second cavity is positioned at a lower torso of a user, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material is either one continuous removable piece of flotation material configured to conform to a user's lower torso or the at least one removable piece of flotation material is a plurality of removable flotation material configured to desirably contour to the user's lower torso, and wherein the second cavity is either a single continuous cavity configured to enclose the single continuous removable piece of flotation material or the second cavity is a plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to enclose the at least one removable piece of flotation material of the plurality of removable flotation material. 
     
     
         16 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one strap is fixedly coupled to a first side of the outer shell and is configured with a first attachable mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The swim apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a detachable flotation device, wherein the detachable flotation device is comprised of at least one flotation material and at least one fixedly coupled strap, wherein the fixedly coupled strap of the detachable flotation device is configured with a first attachable mechanism, and wherein the first attachable mechanism of the detachable flotation device attaches to the first attachable mechanism of the at least one strap fixedly coupled to the first side of the outer shell to assist a user in maintaining a desired horizontal position. 
     
     
         18 . The swim apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one limb flotation device is comprised of at least one removable piece of flotation material and the third cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell, wherein the at least one removable piece of flotation material is either one continuous removable piece of flotation material configured to conform to a user's limb or the at least one removable piece of flotation material is a plurality of removable flotation material configured to conform to the user's limb, and wherein the third cavity is either a single continuous cavity configured to enclose the single continuous removable piece of flotation material or the third cavity is a plurality of cavities, wherein each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to enclose the at least one removable piece of flotation material of the plurality of removable flotation material. 
     
     
         19 . A swim apparatus for maintaining a balanced position, the swim apparatus comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a flexible torso band and a plurality of cavities;   a torso flotation device enclosed within a first cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell;   at least one strap fixedly coupled to the outer shell and configured to couple a first end of the outer shell to a second end of the outer shell;   at least one limb flotation device enclosed within a second cavity of the plurality of cavities of the outer shell;   at least one detachable over-the-shoulder strap; and   a neck-head flotation device coupled to the outer shell and configured to maintain an approximate desired position of a head and a neck of a user.