Swimming shoe

Abstract

A swimming shoe includes a shoe unit comprising two spaced hook members pivotably formed on either side, each of the hook members including a projection on one surface facing either a heel portion of the shoe unit or a toe portion thereof; and two side boards hingedly secured to both sides of the shoe unit respectively, each of the side boards comprising two spaced rectangular through holes each shaped in conformity to the adjacent hook member. Ends of the hook members are directly above the through holes. Thereafter, upward pivoting the side boards to pass the hook members through the through holes will cause inner surfaces of the through holes to be lockingly urged by the projections. The ends of the hook members are adapted to dispose in a position besides the through holes by pivoting.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The invention relates to swimming shoes and more particularly to such a swimming shoe with improved characteristics including improved efficiency and allowing swimming shoes wearers to use reasonably the force-exerting portion of the feet while swimming.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] A conventional swimming shoe or flipper is a device worn on the foot to increase the thrust of a leg movement in swimming so that a swimming shoe or flipper wearer can swim relatively easy so as to last for a longer time.

[0005] However, the desired purposes have not been obtained by the well known swimming shoes or flippers as the inventor is aware.

[0006] There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for swimming shoe or flipper. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,060 discloses a swimming flipper. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of swimming shoe or flipper are constantly being sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a swimming shoe comprising a shoe unit comprising two spaced hook members pivotably formed on either side, each of the hook members including a projection on one surface facing either a heel portion of the shoe unit or a toe portion thereof; and two side boards hingedly secured to both sides of the shoe unit respectively, each of the side boards comprising two spaced rectangular through holes each shaped in conformity to the adjacent hook member, wherein ends of the hook members are directly above the through holes in a first position; whereby from the first position upward pivoting the side boards to cause the hook members to pass the through holes will cause inner surfaces of the through holes to be lockingly urged by the projections at a second position; and wherein the ends of the hook members are adapted to dispose in a third position besides the through holes by pivoting.

[0008] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of swimming shoe according to the invention where the side boards are disposed horizontally in one swimming state;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a front view of the swimming shoe;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 where the side boards are disposed about vertically in the other swimming state; and

[0012] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but the side boards are disposed about vertically to be worm by the foot for walking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a swimming shoe in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

[0014] A shoe unit 10 comprises two spaced mating hinge members 11 fixedly formed on either side, and two spaced hook members 12 pivotably formed between the mating hinge members 11 also on either side.

[0015] Two rectangular side boards 20 are provided on both sides of the shoe unit 10 respectively. The side board 20 comprises, on one side facing either side of the shoe unit 10, two spaced corresponding mating hinge members 21 each together with the mating hinge member 11 to form a hinge mechanism. The side board 20 further comprises two spaced rectangular through holes 22 between the corresponding mating hinge members 21 of the same side. Each through hole 22 is shaped in conformity to the adjacent hook member 12 and disposed corresponding thereto. The hook member 12 comprises a projection 120 on one surface facing the proximate hinge.

[0016] Prior to walking, a wearer may align the open ends of the hook members 12 with the through holes 22 so that the wearer may then pivot the side boards 20 upward to cause the hook members 12 to pass the through holes 22 until the inner surfaces of the through holes 22 are lockingly urged by the projections 120 (see FIG. 2). At this position, the side boards 20 are disposed about vertically.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, for swimming the wearer may pivotably push the hook members 12 to cause the open ends thereof to dispose at a position not aligned with the through holes 22. Next, the wear may swim. The side boards 20 may pivot between the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and FIG. 3 back and forth while swimming. It is envisaged by the invention that the swimming shoes wearer not only feel comfortable but also can fully exert his or her force with the entire legs while swimming. As a result, efficiency is greatly increased.

[0018] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A swimming shoe comprising: a shoe unit comprising two spaced hook members pivotably formed on either side, each of the hook members including a projection on one surface facing either a heel portion of the shoe unit or a toe portion thereof; and two side boards hingedly secured to both sides of the shoe unit respectively, each of the side boards comprising two spaced rectangular through holes each shaped in conformity to the adjacent hook member, wherein ends of the hook members are directly above the through holes in a first position; whereby from the first position upward pivoting the side boards to pass the hook members through the through holes will cause inner surfaces of the through holes to be lockingly urged by the projections at a second position; and wherein the ends of the hook members are adapted to dispose in a third position besides the through holes by pivoting.

2. A swimming shoe comprising: a shoe unit comprising a hook member pivotably formed on either side, the hook member including a projection on one surface facing either a heel portion of the shoe unit or a toe portion thereof; and two side boards hingedly secured to both sides of the shoe unit respectively, each of the side boards comprising a rectangular through hole shaped in conformity to the adjacent hook member, wherein an end of the hook member is directly above the through hole in a first position; whereby from the first position upward pivoting the side boards to pass the hook members through the through holes will cause inner surfaces of the through holes to be lockingly urged by the projections at a second position; and wherein the ends of the hook members are adapted to dispose in a third position besides the through holes by pivoting.