Improved buoyancy swimwear

Abstract

An item of swimwear 10 comprises a floatation lining 20, 24, where the lining is configured to provide additional buoyancy to a wearer when submerged. In one embodiment the lining is a closed-cell foam 24 which could be sewn into the swimwear, removable by way of being provided within pouches, adhered to the swimwear or releasably attached using hook and loop fastener or similar. Where the lining is sewn in, preferably this is with elastic thread, or by using zig-zag, cross or cover stitches. In another embodiment the floatation lining is one or more tubes 20 which are threaded through a series of apertures in the swimwear (figure 6) forming a loop around the wearer.

Description

Technical field: The present invention provides swimwear that is configured to provide improved buoyancy to the wearer. Background: For many swimming can be a good form of exercise or a fun leisure activity. However, for some swimming can be difficult, especially when they are learning to swim for the first time. As a result, there have been many different forms of floatation devices have been developed to provide additional buoyancy to the user. Such devices also the user to float more easily and in turn would allow them to swim more easily. In some cases, these floatation devices may be an item the user holds while they are swimming, such as a pool noodle. However, the problem with such floatation devices is that the user may lose their grip on them while swimming as the buoyancy force from the floatation device may pull the device away from the user. Once such devices are out of the users’ grip, the device is no longer supporting the user which may leave them struggling to swim. To address this problem some people, use wearable floatation devices, such as floatation rings and life jackets. As these items are worn there is less risk of the user losing the item when swimming. However, these devices can be cumbersome or restrictive, as they may restrict the user’s movements making it harder for them to move their arms or legs, which would make it more difficult for the user to swim or walk when wearing the device. Therefore, there is a need for an improved wearable floatation device that is lightweight and does not restrict the user’s movements. Summary: The present invention provides swimwear that is configured to provide the user with improved buoyancy when swimming or otherwise moving through water, the claimed invention achieves this effect by providing swimwear that includes an inner lining that provides additional buoyancy when the wearer is submerged in water. More specifically, the claimed invention includes a variety of different forms of swimwear, such as swimming trucks, swimming briefs, and one-piece or two-piece swimming costumes, wherein the swimwear includes a lining that would provide additional buoyancy to the wearer when they are submerged in water. This extra buoyancy would provide an uplift force to the wear when swimming or otherwise moving through water. By providing this buoyancy force to the user the claimed swimwear would allow the wearer to float more easily in water and may also reduce the force the wearer would need to exert to keep themselves afloat when swimming. This can be especially useful to those that are new to swimming, or to those that are prone to cramps or exhaustion when they are swimming as the additional buoyancy reduces the amount of force the wearer needs to exert to move and / or stay afloat in the water. This buoyancy layer may form part of the swimwear or be configured to be removably attached. More specifically, in some cases, the buoyancy layer would be sewn into the swimwear. In such cases, when the swimwear is being manufactured the buoyancy layer would be positioned between two pieces of the material used to make the swimwear, with the edges of one piece being sewn to the other thereby trapping the buoyancy layer between the pieces of swimwear material. This ensures that the buoyancy layer cannot be removed and may not fall out of the swimwear, thereby ensuring that the buoyancy layer remain in place while the wearer is moving. In some cases, the user may require the buoyancy layer to be removeable. In some cases, the swimwear may be configured as described above, with one edge of the swimwear material left open to allow the buoyancy layer to be inserted or removed from the swimwear via the open edge. In other cases, the buoyancy layer may comprise an attachment feature along one of its edges, such as a belt or strap which can be looped through the swimwear. Alternatively, the attachment feature may comprise attachment stripes or buckles that anchor to corresponding attachment feature on the swimwear, these paired attachment features may be preferable to the threaded feature described above as they would allow the buoyancy layer to be removed and attached more easily, however, this would also mean that there is a higher risk of the buoyancy layer detaching as the user moves. The buoyancy layer may instead comprise an attachment feature with a corresponding attachment feature coupled to the swimwear, such features may include loop-and-hook strips or press studs. It is noted that when including this buoyant lining it is preferable to position such a lining close to the user’s center of gravity, specifically near the center of the user’s torso. The reason this is preferable is that it ensures the buoyancy produced by the swimwear does not offset the user’s balance. As the buoyancy layer would produce an upwards force when submerged, the further the buoyancy layer is from the user’s center of mass the more of an effect this force will have on them when they try to move through the water. In some cases, this may make it more difficult for the user to swim properly as the buoyancy force offsets the users balance making it harder for them to orientate themselves when moving horizontally in the water when swimming. Therefore, the swimwear is configured such that the lining attaches to the swimwear at a point proximate the user’s center of gravity. For example, in the swimming trunks, this lining would be positioned proximate to the waistband of the trunks, in a one-piece swimsuit the layer may be positioned around the user’s waist, and in a two-part swimsuit there would be two layers one around the wear waist and the other around the wearer’s chest, positioned around or below the wearer’s breasts. It should also be noted that the buoyancy layer may be provided in a range of different shapes and sizes depending on the type of swimwear being used as this would limit the amount of buoyancy layer material that can be housed within the swimwear. In some cases, the buoyancy layer may form a lining that covers the entire inside surface of the swimwear. It is noted that such a layer may provide the most amount of buoyancy as it would cover more of the user. However, such a layer would also require a lot of material to make, this will likely result in the swimwear being significantly heavier than other similar items, which may make the swimwear uncomfortable to move around in. Further depending on the flexibility of the material used to form the buoyancy layer, this large simple layer may hinder the wearer’s movements, which in turn may make it more difficult for them to swim. In some cases, the buoyancy layer may comprise a pad or plurality of pads comprising a small plate made of the buoyancy layer material. These pads would be able to cover most of the surface of the swimwear to produce a large buoyancy force while providing better mobility compared to the single solid lining layer described above. Therefore, swimwear using one or more pads would allow the user to move more easily. Additionally, the user may be able to adjust the lining by adding or removing individual pads as required to make the swimwear more comfortable and to allow better mobility. Another shape that may be used for the buoyancy layer is the use of one or more tubes or strips that can be placed such that the buoyancy layer material extends along the length of the swimwear or may be looped around the swimwear. It is noted that such tubes and strips would use less material compared to the alternatives described above, Further, the space between the individual pieces of the buoyancy layer provides more flexibility to the wearer as the swimsuit material between the pieces will be able to bend as the user moves. It is noted that the layer formed from a plurality of tubes is preferable over the other types of layers, for, in addition to the benefits described above, a lining layer made from these tubes uses the least amount of material to form and can be more easily scaled to a wide range of different swimwear sizes, by simply changing the length of the tubes being used. The tubes can also be removably inserted into the swimwear through a series of loops similar to a belt allowing a removable version of the layer to be easily implemented, especially when compared to other shapes that need pockets or pouches added to the swimwear for receiving the buoyant material and would therefore have a greater risk of falling out when the user is moving. It is also noted that when the tubes are looped around the swimwear they can provide an even buoyancy force in all directions, for example, if the user was to change between a forward stoke and backstroke when swimming, the same amount of buoyancy layer would be submerged and therefore the user would experience the same upward force in either orientation. In contrast, swimwear that uses pads to provide buoyancy may have more material on the front or back of the swimwear which means the force acting on the user would change depending on their orientation which may make some forms of swimming more difficult than others as they user has less buoyancy. Therefore, by using one or more of looped tubes in the swimwear the user can move through the water as they please without being hindered by the buoyancy layer. Regardless of the shape of the buoyancy layer used, the same material would be used to form the layer. Specifically, the lining layer described above would be made from buoyant material that would float on water with sufficient force to provide lift to the wearer. Further, the buoyancy layer material that is used would preferably be lightweight and flexible as well, so that the wearer can move unimpeded especially as the wearer would need to be able to walk and swim in the swimwear. One type of material that meets this criterion is closed-cell foam, this refers to a foam material that is formed from elastic compounds under gas pressure thereby trapping gas bubbles within a structure of closed chemical cells or units, for example, a closed-cell polystyrene foam would be made of individual polystyrene beads with some air / gas bubbles within the beaded structure. These materials are preferable as the foam structure has a high buoyancy due to the material will have a low density, this ensures that the material is lightweight and buoyant in water. Further, the bubbles and closed units within the structure allow the foam to be malleable, which in this case refers to the ability to bend and mold the foam to produce a desired shape, and has some flexibility lowering the risk of the foam being damaged as the wearer moves. Additionally, the closed cells / unit within the foam ensures that the foam is chemically resistant, this prevents the foam from being damaged from being submerged in water and also prevents mold or other micro-organisms from growing within the wet foam. Examples of such closed cell foams that are both buoyant in water and water resistant includes: Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, Polyethylene foam: Polyethylene (PE) foam, Neoprene foam, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam, Crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) foam, Polyurethane foam, Expanded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam), or Ethafoam. Each of the Closed sell foams listed above would be suitable for use in the swimwear as each of these materials are buoyant in water and due to their closedcell structure they are also water and microbe resistant, meaning there is little risk of the material degrading when wet, and a low risk of developing mold after several cycles of being wet and dried. It is also noted that the listed material are all generally considered to be durable and therefor have a low risk of breaking when the user’s movements cause the material to stretch or bend. However, it is noted that these materials have their own benefits and flaws as described below. Of the listed materials Styrofoam would be the least preferable as the material has limited flexibility compared to the other options. This means that the Styrofoam lining is more likely to restrict the user’s movements, or the lining may possibly break when the swimwear stretches or bends. This limited flexibility would also mean that the Styrofoam layers would be more difficult to shape, as the lack of flexibility would mean that the strips of Styrofoam would not bend to form the loops described above. It is also noted that Styrofoam has a rough, abrasive texture that may cause irritations to the user’s skin as their movements may cause the Styrofoam to rub against their skin causing irritation. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) foam, Polyethylene and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam also suffers from a lack of flexibility, especially when compared to the other materials listed above. Therefore, it is also less desirable as a lining made from XLPE or PVC would have a greater risk of breaking or restricting the wearers movements. Polyurethane foam is more flexible that Polyethylene, XLPE and PVC, however, the foam does become heavier when wet which may cause discomfort for the wearer. More importantly the method for producing Polyurethane requires chemicals which can irritate and harm a user’s skin, and though such chemicals should be removed post production of the foam there is still a risk of contamination. Therefore, it is preferable to use other materials to remove this risk. Of the remaining materials it is noted that Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, is generally bulkier and heavier than the other materials listed. Therefore, this material may not be preferable as it would require the swimwear to be bulkier to accommodate the foam, which may make the swimwear uncomfortable for the user compared to the other listed materials. The bulkier designs may also cause additional drag on the wearer as they attempt to move through water, thereby making it more difficult for them to swim as they would need to exert more force when swimming. Neoprene foam is a good material to use as it is more elastic than the other types of foam, meaning the lining made from neoprene foam would be more flexible and is able to stretch more than the other materials. This means that the foam is less likely to rupture or break when the swimwear stretches and bends with the wearer movements. This stretching property of the foam also means that swimwear which uses neoprene foam can provide a snug fit compared to the other materials. This would mean that the wearer of the swimwear can be more streamline compare to swimwear that uses the other materials, thereby reducing the drag acting on the wearer as they move through the water. However, it is noted that neoprene foam does become heavier when wet which may cause some discomfort for the wearer. Though with the preferred lining comprising a thin loop of the foam material it is possible that this change in weight would have little effect on the user. Another preferable choice for the buoyancy lining material would be ethafoam. As this material is buoyant and water resistant, while also being durable and lightweight. This type of foam also has enough flexibility to be shaped easily and is relatively comfortable as it is used to make protective padding. Therefore, it would appear that ethafoam does not suffer from the same drawbacks as the materials described above. Though it is noted that ethafoam is not as stretchy as neoprene, however it does not suffer the draw back of becoming heavier when wet like neoprene. Therefore, of the listed materials both neoprene and ethafoam are preferable choices, though ethafoam may be more preferable for larger sized swimwear, or for larger lining sizes. Once the material and shape of the lining has been chosen the buoyancy layer would need to be attached to the swimwear. As mentioned previously, the layer may be inserted into a suitable pocking or hoops to hold the lining in place. In some cases, the lining may include attachment features that removably attach to a corresponding feature couple to the swimwear. Lastly the lining may be sewn directly onto the swimwear. In each case, a different feature needs to be attached to the material of the swimwear, and when attaching such features, the type of stitching used needs to be chosen carefully, as some stitches may be abrasive to the wearer or may reduce the flexibly of the swimwear material. In some cases, the stitching used for the seam may be chosen for aesthetic purposes for example the swimwear may use blind stitches to reduce the visibility of seams in the costume. However, these types of stitch require a lot of precision to produce and therefore can be time consuming to create. Further, this type of stitching has little flexibility so has a higher risk of breaking when the swimwear bends or stretches. An alternative to blind stiches is the use of overlock stitches which produces clean edges to the seams, and is more durable than the blind stitches. However, this stitching produces bulkier seams which may take away from the aesthetics of the swimwear and may be abrasive to the wearer. Further, this type of stitching requires specialized machines to make and therefore may be more costly to produce than the alternatives. A type of stitching that is easier to produce than the examples described above is a simple flatlock stitching to form a flat seam wherein the edges of the swimwear and material are sown together such that the stiches in the seam lie flat. This type of seam is more visible than the blind stitches, though they are more durable as the stitches in the lines formed at the seam can stretch slightly and the spaces between each stitch allow some flexibility, thereby making the seam more durable. Though it is noted that this method still requires some position when aligning the edges of the different materials to ensure that the finished product has flat surface. A more preferable form of stitching for the swimwear would be one that provides improved durability and flexibility compared to the options described above, as an item of swimwear would undergo many deformations when worn, as the user’s movements cause the swimwear to bend or stretch therefore the seams must be durable to reduce the wear caused by such movements and to lower the risk of the seam breaking. Also, as previously noted, it is preferable that the inclusion of the lining have minimal effect on the wearer mobility, therefore the seams need to be flexible so as to not hinder the wearer’s movements. To this end a more preferable forms of stitching for the seam include zigzag stitches, cross stitches or cover stitches. Wherein zigzag stitches comprise once or more lines of stitches which are stitched back and forth to produce a zigzag pattern, cross stitching is formed withing similar stitches but with the lines overlapping to form a series of crosses at the seam. Both of these stitches provide improved durability and flexibility when compared to the flat stitches, as the angled stitches reduce the force acting on the seam when the swimwear stretches. However, it is noted that the overlapping stitches of the cross stitches provide more durability compared to the zigzag stitches, however the zigzag stitches provide more flexibility, therefore the choice between these stitches would depend on which property the user finds more desirable. Another option for the stitches is to use a cover stitch, which comprises one or more parallel lines of stitches with a loop on the inside of the stitch. These loops help to provide more flexibility to the seam as they allow the stitches to stretch. Additionally, the use of multiple lines of stitches improves the durability of the seam as any force applied to a point on the seam would be dissipated over multiple stitches. The drawback with such a seam is that these stitches would require a specialized machine to produce which may make the production of the swimwear more expensive and / or time consuming compared to the zigzag and cross stitches. Therefore, the most preferable form of stitching for the seam is the cover stitches as they produce the best balance of durability and flexibility. However, as this stitching is harder to produce when producing the swimwear, it may be preferable to use zigzag or cross stitching instead as they are easier to produce and still provide good durability and flexibility to the seam. It is also noted that in some cases, the buoyancy layer may be attached to the piece of swimwear using a suitable waterproof adhesive. These adhesives may include contact adhesive, fabric adhesive, epoxy adhesive or specialized foam adhesives. It is noted that of these choices’ fabric adhesive is the least preferable as many would not be suitable for use with foam materials, and are generally more chemical and UV sensitive than the other types of adhesives. This means the fabric adhesive is the most likely to fail and would likely wear out the fastest when exposed to water, especially saltwater. Epoxy adhesive is more reliable than the fabric adhesive, as these adhesives are more chemically resistant and are suitable to be used with a wider range of materials. However, these adhesives require the mixing of two or more reagents before it can be applied. This means the epoxy adhesive may take longer to prepare and apply compared to the other adhesives. Further, the epoxy adhesives usually take more time to set when compared to the other types of adhesives. Both of these drawbacks mean that the time needed to produce an item of swimwear when using epoxy adhesives is significantly longer than the time required when using other adhesives. Therefore, a different adhesive would be preferable as the time needed to produce an item of swimwear should be kept to a minimum. Another suitable form of adhesive that may be used in swimwear is a contact adhesive. In contrast to the epoxy adhesive, a contact adhesive takes little time to set. However, once the adhesive is set the it forms a strong durable bond, which is suitable water resistant for use in swimwear. However, the problem with using such an adhesive is that the adhesive sets too quickly. More specifically, one the swimwear material and buoyancy layer material is pressed together the adhesive should start to take effect. This means it can be difficult to reposition or adjust part of the swimwear once the adhesive has been added. This means it is harder t correct any mistakes that occur during the manufacturing of the swimwear, when compared with the other adhesives. Another alternative may be to use foam adhesives, which are specifically designed for foam materials like those used in the buoyancy layer, for example there is a neoprene specific adhesive for use with neoprene and neoprene foam. Such adhesives are guaranteed to form a suitable bond with the foam material, additionally they are typically strong and water resistant. The time needed for these types of adhesives to set may vary depending on the specific type used but generally the time would be less than the epoxy adhesive and more than the contact adhesive. Meaning the process is not too time consuming and there is a suitable window of time for correcting any mistakes during the manufacturing of the swimwear before the adhesive sets. The problem with these adhesives are that they tend to be specific to a certain type of foam, and therefore depending on the material chosen the required adhesive may be more expensive than the other options, or may have limited availability. Therefore, of the different types of adhesives the foam specific adhesive is preferable. However, depending on price and availability it may be preferable to use contact adhesive instead. When comparing the use of an adhesive or a sown seam to attached the buoyancy layer it is noted that the adhesive would provide better flexibility when compared to the more ridged seam. Further, when using the adhesive there would be no seam stitches to try and hide, additionally, it is noted that some stitches may cause increased friction with the user’s body when the stitches are exposed, which may cause abrasions when the user moves. Though as noted above this is not a problem with the more preferable types of stitches as they tend to be flat against the surface of the seam. In contrast the sown seam provides more mechanical strength then the layer of dry adhesive, which is especially useful when the chosen swimwear material is more elastic or flexible, as the addition movement in the material may easily wear or break the set adhesive. Further, the sown seams are more easily replaces and can be remove when necessary, making it easier to repair or adjusting the swimwear. Also, the sown seam is less material dependent than the adhesives, allowing the seams to be used with a wider range of materials. Therefore, the only benefit for using an adhesive is that it takes less time and may be ore flexible. However, with the right machines sowing a seam can take little time, additionally the preferable stitches still provide suitable flexibility even if it is less than the adhesive. Therefore using a sown seam would be preferable compared to attaching a lining or buoyancy layer using an adhesive. Detailed description: The present invention is represented in the following drawings: Figure 1: depicts an example of the preferred embodiment of the flotation layer. Figure 2: depicts an example of swimming trucks with a flotation lining. Figure 3: depicts an example of swimming briefs with a flotation lining. Figure 4: depicts an example of a two-piece swimming costume with a flotation lining. Figure 5: depicts examples of one-piece swimming costumes with a flotation lining made from multiple tubes tube. Figure 6: depicts examples of one-piece swimming costumes with a flotation lining made of a single tube. The features contain the following feature, please note that like features are indicated with like reference numerals: 10-swimwear 20-floatation lining tube 22-a plurality of floatation lining tube 24-a large piece of floatation lining 30-seam stitching 40-swimming trunks 50-swimming briefs 60-two-piece swimming costume 61-upper part of the two-piece swimming costume 62-lower part of the two-piece swimming costume 70-one-piece swimming costume The present invention provides a variety of different swimwear items that include the addition of a floatation layer within the lining of the swimsuit material. More specifically each of the items of swimwear would include a lining or partial lining comprising a material that provides a buoyancy force when submerged in water, thereby providing a lift force to the user when they are submerged in water to assist them to float. This lining is preferably made from a material that is not only buoyant but also lightweight and water-resistant. The light weight ensures that the swimwear is not cumbersome to the wearer, and being water resistant helps prevent additional wear and degradation to the lining when the user is swimming. It is also noted that the lining material should be flexible so as to not hinder the wearer’s movement. To this end, the preferable material for the lining would be a closed-cell foam. Such materials are lightweight and buoyant in water due to the many gas pockets within the material. Further, the closed cells, or units, which make up the foam are chemically inert, this means the foam is chemically resistant and therefore would not degrade when wet, also the closed cells are microbe resistant helping to prevent mold from growing within the lining when wet. Lastly, these foams are flexible and can be easily cut into a desired shape and a required size. The latter is especially helpful as the lining would need to be altered to suit different-sized swimwear. Figure 1 depicts examples of how a buoyancy layer / lining 20 could be coupled to an item of swimwear, in the left image, the swimwear comprises a pouch, or pocket made by stitching additional material 12 to the material of the swimwear 10. It is noted that in some cases the lining 20 may be positioned before the extra material is sewn in place, thereby trapping the lining 20 between the two layers of the swimsuit material 10,12. In some cases, one side of the pouch may be left open such that the lining 20 can be inserted or removed from the swimwear as desired. This would allow the user to dry the lining 20 more easily and would allow the lining 20 to be replaced when damaged or worn. The left image shows an alternative lining 24 in which the foam described above is sewn directly to the swimwear material 10. This may be preferable when using larger pieces of foam for the lining. Such larger pieces of foam may be required for larger-sized costumes or for making swimwear that provides additional buoyancy for example when targeted at users that are learning to swim. In some cases, instead of the lining 24 being sewn directly onto the swimwear 10, both the lining 10 and the swimwear 10 may comprise complementary attachment features, such as loop-and-hook strips or press studs, such that the features may be used to releasably attach the lining 24 to the rest of the swimwear, this would also allow the user to more easily dry the lining 24 and when need replace the lining 24, with either a replacement piece when worn or a smaller piece of lining when the user no longer requires the additional buoyancy. of these options the pouch is the preferred choice as the desired dimensions for the lining do not require pieces as large as the lining 24. For the preferred form of the buoyancy lining 20 comprises one or more tubes or strips formed from the closed cell foam. These tubes would be inserted into the costume lining by threading each tube through a pouch or series of rings sewn into the swimwear, such tubes can be easily adapted to different sizes costumes by increasing the length or radius of each tube. The length required for the tubes would be determined by the size of the swimwear, as the tube needs to be sufficiently long to loop around the swimwear, preferable the tube would be positioned to loop around the wearer’s waist or torso, as this would bring the buoyancy force closer to the wearer’s center of mass, and ensures an even amount of buoyancy is produced in all directions relative to the wearer. This would ensure that the force provided by the lining 20 does not offset the wearer’s balance as this would make floating and moving through water more difficult. The width or diameter of the tube would then be provided in different sizes to provide different amounts of buoyancy, for example, the tubes may have diameters that increase in steps of 5mm, for example, having widths of 5, 10 or, 15mm. it is noted that the diameter may also be increased depending on the size of the swimwear to ensure a minimum amount of buoyancy is produced relative to the size of the costume, or wearer. It is noted that the type of stitching used to make the swimwear is important as the material used in most item for swimwear tend to be flexible, or even elastic so that the swimwear does not hinder the user’s movements, and in some cases, elastic materials are used to ensure the costume is tight to the user so as to not produce additional drag when the user is swimming. To this end, it is noted that the stitching 30 is made from an elastic thread, such as nylon, to allow the stitches to stretch with the swimwear material 10. It is also noted that the stitching 30 comprises zig-zag or cover stitching to again allow some stretching in the stitches and to allow some flexibility to prevent the stitches 30 and material 10 from breaking, for example when the swimwear is twisted to wring out excess water. Figures 2 to 6 depict different examples of swimwear items that include the buoyancy-providing lining described above: Figure 2 depicts an example of a pair of swimming trunks 40. The trunks 40 comprise a buoyancy lining 20 comprising a single tube of closed cell foam which is contained within the waistband of the trunks 40. As previously noted, the lining 20 can be either sewn directly into the trunk 40, or the tube may be threaded around the waistband instead. Figure 3 depicts an example of a pair of swimming briefs 50. Wherein the swimming briefs 50 also include a buoyancy lining 20 comprising a single tube of closed cell foam which is contained within the waistband of the briefs 50. With the tube being attached to the briefs in the same manner as the tube attached to the trunks 40. In both of these examples, it is important to ensure that the lining 20 is positioned as close as possible to the wearer’s center of gravity to provide better balance. Additionally, it is noted that by having the lining 20 positioned around the waistband the force produced by the lining should be equal on each side of the user when they are standing upright, thereby making it easier for the wearer to maintain their balance when floating. This loop also ensures that the lining 20 provides buoyance regardless of the wearer’s orientation. For example, depending on the types of strokes the wearer uses when swimming they may be laid on their front or their back. With the loop of the tube positioned to extend around the wearer’s waist, the swimwear ensures that roughly the same amount of the lining 20 is submerged regardless of the wearer’s orientation. Figure 4 depicts an example of a two-piece swimming costume 60 that includes a buoyancy lining that comprises two closed-cell tubes, with one tube being placed within each part of the costume 61,62. More specifically, the lower part of the swimming costume 62 includes a lining 20, comprising a single tube positioned to loop around the costume’s waistband, in the same manner as the trunks 40 and briefs 50 described above. However, this swimming costume also includes an upper portion 61 which also needs to include a buoyancy lining to support the wearer’s breast. To this end, the upper portion of the costume includes another lining tube 20 positioned to loop around the bottom of the costume’s upper portion, below the wearer’s breast to provide additional support. It is also noted that the upper and lower tubes are positioned on either side of the wearer’s center of mass, this means that the force produced by each tube should not offset the wearer’s balance. As noted above the loops ensure an even force is applied to the user regardless of their orientation as described above. Figures 5 and 6 depict different examples of one-piece swimming costumes 70 with a buoyancy lining 20,22 as described above. Figure 5 depicts a one-piece swimming costume 70 which contains a pair of floatation tubes 22, with one tube being looped around the wearer’s waist and the other tube looped below the wearer’s chest. This configuration provides support to both the upper and lower portions of the wearer’s body in the same manner as the two-piece swimming costume 60 from Figure 4. It is also noted that this type of costume may include additional tubes looped around the wearer’s torso, positioned somewhere between the two tubes depicted in the image. These additional tubes would provide additional buoyancy to the wearer and may allow the costume 70 to be produced using smaller width tubes compared to a costume with only one or two tubes, to help improve the costume’s flexibility. In Figure 6, the costume comprises a single tube 20 positioned to loop around the center of the costume. In this case, the tube 20 has been attached to the costume by being threaded through a series of loops or rings sewn into the costume in a similar manner to a belt. This means that unlike the other examples the tube 20 in Figure 6 is located on the outside of the swimwear, also the tube in Figure 5 may comprise a buckle or similar feature for connecting the ends of the tube 20 together, to help ensure that the tube does not fall out of the costume’s loops. It is noted that the tubes in the other depicted examples may also be connected to their respective piece of swimwear using the same method. This may be preferable for a one-piece swimming costume 70 as it would be more difficult to thread and access the tube if the lining 20 is positioned on the inside of the costume. It is also noted that the single loop around the center of the costume would be positioned directly over the user’s center of mass providing better balance and also providing the most flexibility as this belt-like tube would be positioned further from the wearer’s limbs and therefore are less likely to restrict the wearer’s movements. By using the swimwear depicted in Figures 2 to 6, the wearer would be able to float or swim more easily as the described lining 20,22 provides the user with additional 5 buoyancy. The shape and positions of the lining are configured to ensure that this buoyancy force does not offset the wearer’s balance, regardless of the wearer’s orientation in the water.

Claims

1. An item of swimwear comprising a floatation lining, wherein the lining is configured to provide additional buoyancy to the wearer when submerged; wherein the floatation lining configures one or more tubes or stripes configured to loop around the wearer when the item is worn.

2. The swimwear of claim 1, wherein the floatation lining comprises a closed cellfoam.

3. The swimwear of claim 2, wherein the closed cell foam comprises one of Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, Polyethylene foam: Polyethylene (PE) foam, Neoprene foam, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam, Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) foam, Polyurethane foam, Expanded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam), or Ethafoam4. The swimwear of claims 1 to 3, wherein the floatation lining is sewn into the swimming wear.

5. The swimwear of claims 1 to 3, wherein the swimwear includes a sewn-in lining or one or more pouches configured to receive the floatation lining, such that the floatation lining may be inserted or removed from the swimwear.

6. The swimwear of claims 4 or 5 wherein the lining or inlining is sewn using an elastic thread.

7. The swimwear of claims 4 or 5 wherein the lining or inlining is sewn using a zig-zag, cross or cover stitches.

8. The swimwear of claims 1 to 3 wherein the floatation lining is attached using an adhesive.

9. The swimwear of claims 1 to 3, wherein the floatation lining is removably attached to the swimming wear.

10. The swimwear of claim 9 wherein the item of swimwear and the floatation lining comprise complementary attachment features configured to removably attached to the swimming wear.27 02 2411. The swimwear of claim 9 wherein the attachment features comprise one of loop-and-hook strips or press studs.

12. The swimwear of claim 1 to 3 wherein the floatation lining is threaded through a series of apertures within the swimwear.

13. The swimwear of any preceding claim wherein the item of swimwear comprises a pair of swimming trunks or swimming briefs.

14. The swimwear of claim 13, wherein the floatation lining attaches to the waistband of the pair of swimming trunks or swimming briefs.

15. The swimwear of claims 1 to 12, wherein the item of swimwear comprises a two-piece swimming costume.

16. The swimwear of claim 15, wherein the floatation lining comprises a pair of layers with the first layer attaching to the bottom of the top half of the costume, and the second layer attaching to the waistband of the lower half of the costume.

17. The swimwear of claims 1 to 12, wherein the item of swimwear comprises a one-piece swimming costume.

18. The swimwear of claim 17 wherein the floatation lining comprises one or more tubes that are positioned to loop around the torso of the wearer.

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