GB2282316A - Safety strap & belt means between adult & child - Google Patents

Abstract

The means comprises a first belt 12, a second belt 14, and a flexible strap 16 connected between the belts. In use, the belt 12 may be connected around the waist of an adult and the belt 14 may be connected around the waist of a child so that the adult is in control, especially when the child is bathing or learning to swim in the sea, a river or a swimming pool. The belt 14 is provided with pockets 46 in which buoyant material may be accommodated The strap 16 may have a contracted length of 1 metre and an extended length of 3 to 5 metres. <IMAGE>

Description

PERSONAL SAFETY APPARATUS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a personal safety apparatus, and in particular to a personal safety apparatus for a nonswimmer.

Whilst a swimmer is proficient in making coordinated strokes of arm and leg to remain in command when in water of a depth greater than his height, and so able to return at will to safety, those who are bathing - as whilst learning to swim or who are in the water simply for recreation - can encounter dangers they cannot personally handle, and a child or learner-swimmer can be at particular risk whilst thus bathing in water.

Whilst we refer for convenience herein to a male child, the invention is also useful for a female child. References herein to "bathing" include making leg and/or arm movements sufficient for limited independent travel in the water, including also paddling, jumping, floating and gliding e.g.

using foot propulsion from the ground around or under the water.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is usual for an adult to accompany a young child when that child enters water for recreation, especially when the child is in open and moving water, such as sea water or a river or stream.

As a child becomes more confident of their ability to move independently, that child when in the water will often depart an increasing distance away from the adult, and thereafter on future occasions may perhaps enter the water unaccompanied. This can put the child at risk, since a young child in particular is often unaware of the potential dangers involved, such as sea "rip" tides or sudden depressions in the ground and consequent water deepening.

It is known for a child to be carried away in the water to such a distance that the parent or other adult is unable to rescue a child in difficulty, and there have been several recorded cases of a child being drowned before the parent or other adult can reach him.

Many educators believe however that allowing a child some independence in the water, as by permitting him to move more than an arm's length away from an accompanying adult, will provide the child with increased confidence, enabling him to overcome more quickly any fear of the water, and so possibly shortening the time necessary to learn to swim.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Many devices are available designed to assist a child to remain afloat.

One such "buoyancy aid" comprises inflatable rings, of a size to go around the child's torso. The ring, when inflated and worn in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, will keep the child afloat, with its upper torso above the water. An inflatable ring is most suited for a very young child.

Another currently available "buoyancy aid" comprises a pair of inflatable arm bands, designed to fit one around each upper arm; this buoyancy aid is more suited to slightly older children than the torso ring, and to more advanced bathers, and is designed to provide additional buoyancy specifically to the upper body, allowing the child to more easily keep his head above water whilst moving the arms, and so able to learn co-ordinated swimming strokes.

However, whilst the above known "bouyancy aids" do assist a child to remain afloat in the water, they do not prevent the child straying from the adult, perhaps into a "rip-tide" which might take the child out to sea, or into a strong river current which might take the child downstream.

To prevent a child from straying, it is further known firstly for an adult and/or swimmer to hold onto the hand of the child, and secondly onto a buoyancy aid worn by the child, in both cases at all times whilst the child is in the water. This may however prove uncomfortable for the adult, who may themself not be a swimmer, limiting the time the child can stay in the water or the time the child is held securely and safely.

It is also known at swimming pools for the instructor to use a pole which has at one end a large canvas (flexible) loop; the instructor walks alongside the pool, carrying the pole, with the loop loosely around the pupil's torso; if the pupil meets a difficulty the pole can be swung upwardly until the loop first engages the pupil's midriff and then the pupil can perhaps be lifted out of the water.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION We now propose a personal safety apparatus which can connect the child to an adult, to overcome or reduce the possibility of the child whilst bathing from becoming separated from the adult, but which yet allows the child a degree of independence from the adult and which leaves the adult with both hands free.

Thus we propose a safety apparatus comprising a first belt, a second belt, and a flexible strap having opposed ends, one opposed end of the strap being connected to the first belt, the other opposed end of the strap being connected to the second belt.

Preferably one or both of the belts is releasable, to permit ease of fitment; alternatively, the belt(s) may be placed around the feet and slipped "up" the wearer's body, or placed over the head and arms slipped "down" the body.

Preferably the flexible strap is also resilient. In an alternative embodiment the strap however is substantially non-extensible, and of a material unaffected by prolonged saturation in water, and usefully is of nylon cord. Such cord may be retainable within a container carried upon the first belt, the length of the cord free of the container being variable and controllable.

Conveniently the first belt is of a size and circumferential length, preferably adjustable, to fit comfortably around the waist of an adult, even when that adult is wearing clothing as when standing on a river bank, whilst the second belt is adapted to fit around the torso of the child, usefully just below the arm-pits.

Whilst the second belt can also be adjustable in circumferential dimension we prefer that it is not, to prevent inadvertent or deliberate (in fun) loosening of the second belt by the child or those with whom he is bathing, with possible endangerment of the child. The belts can however both be of resilient or stretchable material for infinite length adjustments, or have a clasp for discrete length adjustments.

Preferably, the flexible strap has a maximum length of between 3 and 5 metres, whereby to limit the distance between the adult and child to a corresponding distance or at least to a maximum of 3 to 5 metres respectively. Thus, the child can have a range of independent movement of up to 3 or 5 metres around the adult.

By use of the strap the adult can "passively" control the movement of the child, rather than "actively" holding onto his hand, or onto a buoyancy aid if worn. The adult if not a swimmer can stand at a posiition of safety, in or out of the water, perhaps near a fixed item onto which he can hold and/or secure the strap such as a breakwater, or an upstanding post or tree on a river bank.

An advantage of the strap being resilient is that when not stretched (to its maximum length) it contracts to reduce the possibility that a loose section of the strap becomes entangled, perhaps with the adult or with the child, with debris (for example on the sea bottom), or with other people in the sea. Thus, the strap may be of elasticated material, or be resiliently coiled.

Usefully, the second belt is also made as a buoyancy aid for the child. In one embodiment the second belt has (openable) compartments into which buoyant material may be secured, in amounts to vary the buoyancy of the belt. Thus, as the child's ability to bathe independently improves, the buoyancy provided by the belt may be reduced. The first belt can also be of a construction to permit controlled buoyancy.

When the child can swim the personal safety apparatus of the invention can be used with another child.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig.l is a perspective view of personal safety apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The personal safety apparatus 10 comprises a first belt 12, a second belt 14 and a flexible strap 16.

Each of the belts 12,14 are releasable, with respective "snap-fit" catches 20,22. The snap-fit catches each comprise a first part 24 and a second part 26. The first part 24 carries two projecting arms 30, each with a lip 32 resiliently engageable with a ledge (not shown) in the second part 26. The catches 20,22 are manufactured from nylon, though in other embodiments they are manufactured alternatively from other suitable plastics materials or lightweight metal.

When the catch is engaged, the arms 30 are visible and contactable through the apertures 34 in the second part 26; the catch may be disengaged by pressure (usually from the fingers of the wearer or user) applied to the arms through apertures 34, to release each lip 32 from its respective ledge.

In other embodiments of the invention, other known releasable means, such as a conventional strap and buckle, may be used for one or both of the belts. It may be desirable, particularly for older children for which the safety apparatus may still be required, that the catch on the second belt be made difficult for the child to release, so that the child may not himself release the catch, nor may the catch be serruptitiously released by mischevious non-thinking playmates e.g. who may be out of reach of the accompanying adult who may be a non-swimmer sitting fully dressed on a river bank; alternatively, the belt 14 may be fitted upon the child so that the catch 22 is adjacent the childs back, so that he cannot reach and release the catch 22.

Both of belts 12 and 14 in this embodiment are of fixed size. However, in alternative embodiments they are of variable size. In one of the alternative embodiments each belt includes one or more elasticated portions so that it may expand lengthwise to the required size; in another of the alternative embodiments part of each belt is a strap passing through a buckle, to provide adjustment means in known fashion.

Belt 12 is slightly padded, to be comfortable for the adult to wear. The second belt 14 is of a bright and clearly visible colour. In other embodiments, both of the belts 12,14 are of such colour, and in yet further alternative embodiments, at least the belt 14 is fluorescent or of DaygloTM colour.

In this embodiment, the strap 16 is of coiled plastic strip, providing the resilience required. The strap 16 has an extended length of 4 metres, and a contracted length of 1 metre. The strap will usually have an extended length of 3 to 5 metres, though longer or shorter straps may be provided as required. Alternatively, an elasticated strap may be used. In other embodiments, the strap 16 is also fluorescent or of DaygloTM colour Strap 16 has at each end a releasable spring clip 40; one of clips 40a may be connected to ring 42 upon the first belt 12, and the other clip 40b may be connected to ring 44 upon the second belt 14. In another embodiment, releasable spring clips 40 are not used; one end of strap 16 is permanently connected to belt 12, and the other end of strap 16 is permanently connected to the second belt 14.Clips 40a,b are of corrosion-resistant material, in this embodiment plastic.

In yet a further alternative embodiment, the flexible strap may not be resilient, but may be retainable in a container upon the first belt 12 such that the adult is able to let out a fixed length of strap to provide the freedom required to the child. The length of strap let out by the adult may be variable, as required.

The second belt 14 includes compartments, accessible through openings 46, into which buoyant material, such as one of the readily-available closed cell (water impervious) foams, has been introduced. Openings 50 may be closed, and thus the buoyant material retained, by zip fasteners (not shown) or by a hook and loop fastening e.g. VelcroTM. Thus, the buoyancy of the second belt 14 can be varied, to suit the swimming ability of the child; as the child becomes better able to swim, the degree of buoyancy provided by the second belt 14 may be reduced.

The second belt even with minimum buoyancy with the foam pads removed may still need to be worn by the child, as a safety aid, in particular so that the child is prevented from straying. However, in the embodiment shown, since the strap 16 is releasable from the second belt 14, if desired the second belt 14 may be used as a buoyancy aid alone, without the connection to the first belt 12.

We expect that our safety apparatus will find its greatest utility for small children swimming or paddling in the sea, but we do not limit it to such use. Thus, the apparatus might also be used as a swimming teaching aid in a swimming pool; the connection to an adult, particularly to a parent, which leaves the hands free and which will yet limit the range to which their child can move away (but allo the child significant "uncontrolled" but limited independence to move within that range) will, we believe, provide the child with the security and confidence he requires to learn quickly to swim unassisted.

An extension to the end of the strap beyond the connection with the second belt may be provided, for instance as a convenient additional grasping section for use by an assistant should the wearer of the second belt have to be lifted out of deep water, perhaps demanding more strength than the wearer of the first belt can provide by himself or herself alone. Similarly, the strap may have an extension beyond the connection with the first belt, for instance permitting an assistant more easily to hold on to a parent seeking to free a child wearing the first belt and who has become trapped.

Claims (12)

1. Personal safety apparatus comprising a first belt, a second belt, and a flexible strap having opposed ends, one opposed end of the strap being connected to the first belt, the other opposed end of the strap being connected to the second belt.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least one of the said first and second belts is releasable.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which at least one of the said first and second belts is variable in circumferential length.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which at least one of the said first and second belts is adjustable in circumferential length.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-4 in which at least one of the said one opposed end and the other opposed end of the strap is releasably connected to the respective belt.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-5 in which the strap is resilient.

7. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-5 in which substantially all of the strap is retainable in a container secured to the first belt, the length of strap released from said container being adjustable.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which the strap has a maximum extended length in the range 3 to 5 metres.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-8 in which the second belt is bouyant.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the second belt has enclosed compartments in which bouyant material is retained.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 1-10 in which at least one of the first belt, the second belt, and the strap is wholly or partly fluoresecent.

12. Personal safety apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.