Snorkeling apparatus

Abstract

A snorkeling apparatus that includes an eye cover device and a snorkel, has one or more of the following features: (1) a centrally located snorkel rigidly connected to the eye cover device; (2) a head strap engaging an upper portion of the snorkel to hold it in place; and (3) a purge to be between the snorkel mouthpiece and the eye cover device for purging water from the eye cover device.

1 . A snorkeling apparatus comprising: 
 a) an eye cover device comprising (i) at least one lense, (ii) a frame for holding the lense, and (iii) a retainer for retaining the device in watertight relationship on the face surface surrounding the eyes of a user, wherein the frame has a central portion that is located to be centrally positioned on the face of a user; and    b) a snorkel rigidly connected to the central portion of the frame.    
   
   
       2 . A snorkeling apparatus comprising: 
 a) an eye cover device comprising (i) at least one lense, (ii) a frame for holding the lense, and (iii) a retainer for retaining the device in watertight relationship on the face surface surrounding the eyes of a user, the retainer comprising a strap adapted to loop over the top of a user's head and engage the distal portion of the snorkel to hold it in place; and    b) a snorkel connected to the frame, a distal portion of the snorkel being configured to extend over the top of a user's head, and wherein the strap is adapted to engage the distal portion of the snorkel to hold it in place.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the eye cover device is a mask with one lense.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the eye cover device is goggles with two lenses.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the snorkel comprises a breathing tube, and wherein the breathing tube comprises a forwardly projecting section that is located below the waterline when the apparatus is used for reducing hydrodynamic drag.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the snorkel comprises (i) a breathing tube, (ii) a mouthpiece support, (iii) a mouthpiece supported by the mouthpiece support, and (iv) a connector movably connecting the breathing tube and the mouthpiece support, wherein the connector allows relative vertical movement between the mouthpiece and the breathing tube.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the connector allows relative rotational movement between the mouthpiece and the breathing tube  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the snorkel comprises (i) a breathing tube, (ii) a mouthpiece, (iii) a connector, and (iv) an extension distal from the mouthpiece movably connected to the breathing tube so that the extension can move farther from or closer to the mouthpiece.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the snorkel comprises a distal portion that extends over the top of a user's head, and the retainer comprises a strap adapted to loop over the top of a user's head and engages the distal portion of the snorkel to hold it in place.  
   
   
       10 . A snorkeling apparatus comprising: 
 a) an eye cover device having at least one lense for being held in watertight relationship over the eyes of a user;    b) a snorkel supported by the eye cover device, the snorkel comprising (i) a mouthpiece and (ii) a breathing tube having a lower end and an upper end for extension above a water surface, the lower end being connected to the mouthpiece, and    c) a purge tube between the mouthpiece and the eye cover device for purging water from under the lense of the eye cover device.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the purge tube is of smaller diameter than the breathing tube.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein a portion of the purge tube is within the breathing tube.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the purge tube has a lower end at the mouthpiece and an upper end at the eye cover device, and wherein the purge tube lower end is closer to a user's mouth than is the lower end of the breathing tube.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the purge tube and breathing tube are situated with respect to the mouthpiece so that the breathing tube can be blocked by a user's tongue without blocking the purge tube.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the purge tube directly connects the mouthpiece to under the lense of the eye cover device.  
   
   
       16 . A snorkeling apparatus comprising: 
 a) an eye cover device comprising (i) at least one lense, (ii) a frame for holding the lense, and (iii) a retainer for retaining the device in watertight relationship on the face surface surrounding the eyes of a user, the retainer comprising a strap adapted to loop over the top of a user's head, wherein the frame has a central portion that is located to be centrally positioned on the face of a user; and    b) a snorkel rigidly connected to the central portion of the frame, the snorkel comprising (i) a mouthpiece and (ii) a breathing tube having a lower portion and an upper portion for extension above a water surface, the lower portion being connected to the mouthpiece, the upper portion of the snorkel being configured to extend over the top of a user's head, and    wherein the strap is adapted to engage the upper portion of the snorkel to hold it in place    
   
   
       17 . A method of swimming comprising the steps of: 
 a) wearing the snorkeling apparatus of  claim 1  with the lense in substantially water tight relation over the eyes and the snorkel centrally positioned between the eyes; and    b) thereafter swimming face down.    
   
   
       18 . A method of swimming comprising the steps of: 
 a) wearing the snorkeling apparatus of  claim 10  with the lense in substantially water tight relation over the eyes and the snorkel centrally positioned between the eyes;    b) thereafter swimming face down; and    c) blowing water out of the space between the lense and the eyes by blowing through the purge tube.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a) an eye cover device comprising (i) a lense structure, (ii) a frame for holding the lense structure, and (iii) a retainer for retaining the device in watertight relationship on the face surface surrounding the eyes of a user, wherein the frame has a central portion that is located to be centrally positioned on the face of a user; and    b) a snorkel comprising (i) a lower mouthpiece portion, (ii) an upper portion rigidly connected to the central portion of the frame, and (iii) a connector movably connecting the mouthpiece portion to the upper portion so that the mouthpiece portion can be moved away from a user's mouth to allow use of a regulator.    
   
   
       20 . A method of scuba diving comprising the steps of: 
 a) wearing the snorkeling apparatus of  claim 19  with the lense structure in substantially water tight relation over the eyes and the snorkel centrally positioned between the eyes;    b) breathing through the snorkel;    c) after step (b), moving the mouthpiece portion of the snorkel away from the mouth; and    d) after step (c), breathing through a regulator.    
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the snorkel comprises a breathing tube, and wherein the breathing tube comprises a forwardly projecting section that is located below the waterline when the apparatus is used for reducing hydrodynamic drag.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the purge tube and breathing tube are situated with respect to the mouthpiece so that the breathing tube can be blocked by a user's tongue without blocking the purge tube.  
   
   
       23 . A method of swimming comprising the steps of: 
 a) wearing the snorkeling apparatus of  claim 2  with the lense in substantially water tight relation over the eyes and the snorkel centrally positioned between the eyes; and    b) thereafter swimming face down.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a light source.