Aquatic system with pneumatic devices and releasable coupling therebetween

• US 5,507,674 A
• Filed: 09/07/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunco Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sunco Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Yeung, Man F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotelo, Jesus D.
• Application Number:
  US08/301,684
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 114/266, 441/128-132, 5/441, 5/455, 5/456, 5/457
• US Class Current: 441/131
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/52 Inflatable or partly inflatable

Abstract

An aquatic device comprising a buoyant member which has a first surface and a second surface and a central plane therebetween. The buoyant member also has a peripheral edge therearound. Two pair of clips are included with each pair including a male member and a female member. The male and female member of each pair are spaced with respect to each other. Attachment elements are included to couple the clips to the peripheral edge of the buoyant member with one pair at a first location and the other pair at an opposite location.

Claims

1. An aquatic system with a plurality of pneumatic devices and with releasable coupling components between the devices comprising, in combination:

a plurality of inflatable inner-tubes, each inner-tube being formed in a donut-shaped configuration with a central circular aperture therethrough and with a major axis extending through the center of the central aperture, the cross sectional configuration of each inner-tube being essentially circular with a circular central minor axis, each inner-tube having peripheral material in a central plane wherein the central plane contains the minor axis and is perpendicular to the major axis;

a pair of channels formed in the peripheral material at diametrically opposite regions of each inner tube, the channels at each region having tangential linear openings in the central plane and spaced about the periphery of the inner-tube; and

a plurality of clips in pairs on diametrically Opposed regions of each inner tube, each pair including a male clip and a female clip, each clip having an inboard post secured within the opening of an associated channel, each clip also having an outboard end, the outboard ends of the clips for each pair including a male component and a female component.

2. An aquatic pneumatic device with releasable coupling components comprising:

an inner-tube formed in a donut-shaped configuration with a central circular aperture therethrough and with a major axis extending through the center of the central aperture, the cross sectional configuration of the inner-tube being essentially circular with a circular central minor axis, the inner-tube having peripheral material in a central plane wherein the central plane contains the minor axis and is perpendicular to the major axis;

a plurality of clips in pairs on diametrically opposed regions of the inner tube, each clip having an inboard end attached to the peripheral material, each clip also having an outboard end, the clips each being of a common length and with an intermediate extent at a location with respect to the inner tube whereby a straight line connecting the intermediate extents of each pair passes through the inner tube, the clips of each pair being spaced by a close first circumferential distance with each pair of clips being spaced from the other pair of clips by a far second circumferential distance greater than the first circumferential distance.