This invention relates to a swimming aid device.

Floatable armbands are often worn by young and inexperienced swimmers when learning to swim. These typically comprise a pair of inflatable plastic sleeves (commonly known as a pair of 'inflatable armbands'), which are placed on each arm of the user and inflated. The inflatable armband is extremely buoyant and therefore helps the user stay afloat when learning to swim. The amount of air in the plastic sleeve may be adjusted to alter the buoyancy of the device. Other forms of floatable armbands include foam armbands.

There are problems with the inflatable armbands of the prior art. For example, the inflatable armband tends to slide off the user's arms (particularly when not inflated to the correct pressure), which can be dangerous when the user is particularly inexperienced.

It is therefore desirable to alleviate some or all of the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a swimming aid device comprising an armband; and a float, wherein the armband and the float are connectable.

The present invention therefore provides a modular swimming aid device. The armband may be placed on the upper arm of the user, and the float may then be connected to it. The armband can therefore be manufactured such that it is the correct shape to frictionally engage a user's arm (which may not be the case once the inflatable armbands of the prior art are inflated). The float may then be interchanged with other similar floats (connectable to the armband), but having a different shape, size or branding (e.g. a different colour).

The swimming aid device may further comprise a plurality of floats, wherein the armband and plurality of floats are connectable. The user may therefore vary the buoyancy of the device by increasing the number of floats connected to the armband. The buoyancy of the device is also clearly quantifiable to the user (which would be very difficult to measure for the inflatable armband of the prior art).

The armband and the float (or each float of the plurality of floats) may include a complimentary interlocking connection. This provides an easy to use interface to connect the armband with the float (or each float of the plurality of floats).

The armband may include a first and second protrusion disposed on opposing sides of the armband, and the float (or each float of the plurality of floats) includes a first and second receptacle for receiving the first and second protrusion respectively. The first and second protrusion/receptacle may therefore provide the complimentary interlocking connection. The first and second protrusion/receptacle may have different shapes, such that the armband and float (or each float of the plurality of floats) may only be connected in a particular orientation.

The armband and/or float (or each float of the plurality of floats) may be constructed from polyolefin foam. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an armband of an embodiment of a swimming aid device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the armband of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a float of the swimming aid device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a side view of the float of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a first alternative float of the swimming aid device of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a plan view of a second alternative float of the swimming aid device of Figure 1 ; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the swimming aid device of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 8 is a side view of the swimming aid device of Figure 1 ;

An embodiment of a swimming aid device 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an armband 10 of the swimming aid device 1. The armband 10 includes an outer sleeve wall 12 which includes a first and second protrusion 18a, 18b. The first and second protrusions are disposed on opposing sides of the outer sleeve wall 12 and have different shapes.

The armband 10 also includes an inner sleeve wall 14, defining a central hole in the armband 10 through which the user may place their arm. The inner sleeve wall 14 is shaped to frictionally engage the user's arm. The armband 10 also includes a plurality of holes 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d disposed within the outer sleeve wall 12 and inner sleeve wall 14. In this embodiment, the armband 10 is constructed from a plurality of polyolefin sheets, such as LD24 polyethylene or EV50 EVA/PE co-polymer (for example, as supplied by Zotefoams of Croydon). The plurality of polyolefin sheets are laminated to the desired thickness (as shown in Figure 2). In this embodiment, the armband 10 has a thickness of around 75mm. Once the sheets are laminated to the correct thickness, the foam is cut by a waterjet to produce the shape shown in Figure 1. Thus the thickness is variable in manufacture.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a float 20 of the swimming aid device 1. The float 20 includes an outer wall 22 which, in this embodiment, is shaped in the form of a fin. The float 20 also includes an inner wall 24 which is shaped to receive and connect to the armband 10. Accordingly, the inner wall 24 defines a hole and includes a first and second receptacle 28a, 28b about the hole.

In this embodiment, the float 20 is constructed from a sheet of polyolefin foam, such as LD33 polyethylene or LD45 polyethylene (for example, as supplied by Zotefoams, Croydon). The polyolefin sheet may be split to the desired thickness, which may be around 25mm (as shown in Figure 4).

The polyolefin sheet is then waterjet cut or die cut to give the required shape. The float 20 may be cut to a number of different shapes and sizes, and may be split or laminated to a desired thickness.. Figures 5 and 6 show a first and second alternative float 20a, 20b.

The swimming aid device 1 may then be assembled by connecting the float 20 and armband 10. In the embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, the swimming aid device 1 includes an armband 10 connected to a plurality of floats 20, 30, 40. The armband 10 thus extends through each float 20, 30, 40 and is connected thereto by the interlocking connection of the first and second protrusions with the first and second receptacles.

The first and second protrusions/receptacles provide an easy to use interlocking connection between the float and armband. However, the skilled person will understand that these are not essential and that any suitable connection between the float and armband may be used. Furthermore, the armband alone may provide limited buoyancy for use by a more experienced swimmer.

The skilled person will also understand that it is not essential for a plurality of floats to be used with the armband. Rather a single float may be used. The dimensions given above are merely examples, such that the armband and float may be, for example, of the same thickness. Different floats may also be provided for use with an armband so that the user may select a different float for different occasions, buoyancy needs, or uses.

The skilled person will also understand that the floats and armband may be constructed from other suitable materials. However, the polyolefin foam may be branded to include colourful imagery and logos.

The skilled person will understand that any combination of features is possible without departing from the scope of the invention, as claimed.