U.S. patent number 3,603,306 [Application Number 05/031,809] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-07 for snorkel.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Under Sea Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Richard J. Bonin, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,603,306 |
Bonin, Jr. |
September 7, 1971 |
SNORKEL
Abstract
The improved snorkel (FIGS. 1-4) in contrast to the prior art
snorkel (FIG. 5) is shaped and designed to fit closely to the face
of the wearer whereby viscous drag is minimized. Unnecessary curves
in the snorkel tube are eliminated whereby minimum resistance is
encountered to water being purged from the snorkel by exhalation.
The feathered edge (FIG. 3) also assists in this function.
Inventors: |
Bonin, Jr.; Richard J. (Los
Alamitos, CA) |
Assignee: |
Under Sea Industries, Inc.
(N/A)
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Family
ID: |
21861507 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/031,809 |
Filed: |
April 9, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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679846 |
Nov 1, 1967 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
128/201.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63C
11/205 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63C
11/02 (20060101); B63C 11/20 (20060101); A63b
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/145,145A,145.5,147 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Argyle, Dec. 20, 1960, pages 2 and 8..
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Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 679,846 filed Nov.
1, 1967, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A snorkel for use by divers or the like having a mouthpiece and
a substantially straight tube part, the mouthpiece having a flange
adapted to fit under the lips of the user, said mouthpiece defining
an axis substantially parallel to but offset from said tube part;
said snorkel having a curved portion joining the mouthpiece to said
tube part that angles upwardly from a point immediately adjacent
said mouthpiece flange whereby said curved portion is adapted
closely to extend along the user's face to minimize friction drag
and to increase stability; said curved portion having a flat
surface on the side adapted to contact or oppose the user's face,
the flat surface having a width that is at least a major fraction
of the corresponding width of said curved portion.
2. The snorkel as set forth in claim 1 in which said curved portion
has a total curvature of approximately 90.degree..
3. The snorkel as set forth in claim 1 in which said curved portion
is made of flexible resilient material conformable to the user's
facial contours.
4. A snorkel for use by divers or the like having a mouthpiece and
a substantially straight tube part, the mouthpiece having a flange
adapted to fit under the lips of the user, said mouthpiece defining
an axis substantially parallel to but offset from said tube part;
said snorkel having a curved portion joining the mouthpiece to said
tube part that angles upwardly from a point immediately adjacent
said mouthpiece flange whereby said curved portion is adapted
closely to extend along the user's face to minimize friction drag
and to increase stability; said curved portion having a
substantially D-shaped cross section with the flat part of the "D"
positioned on the inside of the snorkel to contact or be opposed to
the user's face.
5. The snorkel as set forth in claim 4 in which said curved portion
is made of flexible resilient material conformable to the user's
facial contours.
6. The snorkel as set forth in claim 3 in which said curved portion
is formed as an integral part of said mouthpiece and as a part
separate from said tube part and connected thereto by telescopic
engagement with the end of said portion remote from said mouthpiece
flexed to receive said tube part, the end of said tube part
telescoped into the end of said flexible curved portion being
feathered to a sharp edge to minimize flow drag in said
snorkel.
7. A snorkel having a flanged inner cheek engaging mouthpiece; a
substantially straight tube portion adapted to extend in close
proximity to and above a user's head; said substantially straight
tube portion being substantially parallel to the axis of said
mouthpiece and interconnected therewith by a curved tubular portion
extending throughout a minor outer cheek engaging portion of its
length in closely spaced substantially parallel relation to a
portion of the mouthpiece flange and forming therewith a recess for
receiving the corner of a user's mouth; said recess being
dimensioned for substantial conformity with the thickness of the
cheek at the corner of the mouth of a user; and the remainder of
said curved tubular portion extending between said minor portion
thereof and said substantially straight tube portion having a total
curvature of not more than approximately 90.degree. whereby the
entire length of said curved tubular portion extends in close
proximity to the user's face.
8. The snorkel of claim 7 wherein said curved tubular portion is
made of flexible resilient material conformable to the user's
facial contours.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to snorkels particularly useful by skin
divers and spear fishermen, A spear fisherman floats on the surface
face down, using his snorkel for breathing while he observes the
ocean depths for possible kills. When the fisherman decides upon
pursuit, he holds his breath and dives. The snorkel goes along for
the ride and fills with water. Prior snorkels substantially impede
the progress of the diver. This may be due to a number of factors,
all stemming from the fact that such snorkels do not fit closely to
the diver's face. The projecting portions of the snorkel expose
excess areas to the water with consequent viscous drag. Vibration
and instability result from the fact that the snorkel is anchored
only at two spaced points-- one at the mask and the other at the
mouthpiece. The primary object of this invention is to provide a
snorkel that closely fits and essentially becomes a part of the
diver's face, whereby the snorkel is stabilized against movement
and whereby viscous drag is minimized.
When the diver surfaces say, following a short abortive dive, he
likely will continuously maintain his surveillance of the water as
the snorkel end emerges from the water. To resume breathing, the
water must be purged by a vigorous exhalation. Another object of
this invention is to provide a snorkel so designed as to minimize
the effort required for such purging.
Another object of this invention is to provide a structural form
that uniquely accomplishes both of the foregoing objects at the
same time. For this purpose, the snorkel is formed so that the tube
adjoining the mouthpiece extends smoothly and upwardly both to fit
the diver's face and to minimize curvatures that would obstruct
water flow.
This invention possesses many other advantages and has other
objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a
consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose,
there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming a
part of the present specification, and which drawings are true
scale. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the
general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood
that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting
sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the
appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a snorkel incorporating my new design
and in place on the diver's face.
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the improved snorkel, the
diver's face being shown in phantom lines.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal, fragmentary sectional view
taken at the juncture of the tubular portions comprising a part of
the improved snorkel.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a plane
corresponding to line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a typical prior art
snorkel.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a plane
corresponding to line 6--6 of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
My improved snorkel as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, is made in two parts.
One part 10 is molded of highly flexible and conformable neoprene
or other rubberlike material that is sufficiently resilient to
return to a designed shape. The lower part 10 has an integrally
formed mouthpiece 12 at one end and an opening at the other. The
mouthpiece 12 has a flange adapted to fit inside the user's lips.
The other part 14 of the snorkel is made of tubular stock material
that may be a more rigid plastic. The end of the lower part 10, as
shown in FIG. 3, is telescoped over the feathered or tapered end
edge of the upper part 14.
In contrast to the typical prior art snorkel shown in FIGS. 5 and
6, the lower snorkel part 10 has a configuration designed to fit
closely to the face of the diver. For this purpose, the part 10
curves very gently so that the aggregate curvature from a point
immediately adjacent the mouthpiece to the opposite end is
approximately 90.degree., whereas the aggregate curvature of the
prior art snorkel from the mouthpiece to the opposite end is about
180.degree.. The lower part 10 thus can closely conform to or fit
the face of the diver. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the side of
the lower part 10 engaged by the diver's face is flat. A
substantial area of contact is insured, especially since the part
10 is made of flexible and conformable material. A typical strap 16
looped about the upper snorkel part 14, engages the strap of the
mask 18 in a typical manner. However, instead of merely anchoring
the snorkel, the strap holds the part 10 in position against the
diver's face.
In the prior art device and in my improved device, the mouthpiece
has an opening that defines a mouthpiece axis that is substantially
parallel to but offset from the main body or straight portion of
the snorkel tube. The offset in both cases is approximately the
same. In my improved device, the portion adjoining the mouthpiece
angles or curves upwardly toward the main body of the snorkel from
a point immediately adjacent the mouthpiece flange. It projects
neither downwardly nor to the side.
Since the lower snorkel part 10 fits closely to the diver's face,
the snorkel is substantially stabilized. Furthermore, viscous drag
is materially reduced, since the total combined surface of the
diver and snorkel exposed to the water is reduced.
Due to the minimized curvature of the snorkel, water is readily
purged. The water need not move through sinuous paths before
emerging from the open upper end. By feathering the edge of the
part 14 (FIG. 3) the interior surfaces of the parts 10 and 14 merge
smoothly. No sharp shoulder is formed that would impede the outward
flow of the purged water.
In order to achieve the limited curvature configuration a
substantial section of the snorkel is molded in contrast to the
prior art device shown in FIG. 5. The snorkel angles upwardly
immediately from its juncture with the mouthpiece part 12. Just
enough clearance is provided at 20 to allow the corner of the mouth
to fit in place.
The parts 10 and 14 could be made as a single-molded unit, but are
made separately for purposes of economy of manufacture.
* * * * *