Buoyant Swim Garment

Abstract

A swimsuit includes a vest provided with buoyant floatation members, a bottom portion in the form of swim trunks, and a coupling mechanism for selectively coupling the vest to the trunks. The vest may be uncoupled from the swim trunks to permit a user to remove the swim trunks while still wearing the vest, or to remove the vest while still wearing the swim trunks.

1 . A swim garment comprising:
 a vest adapted to be worn on a user's torso, the vest including, a first front floatation element, a second front floatation element, a first rear floatation element and a second rear floatation element, the first and second front floatation elements having greater buoyancy than the first and second rear floatation elements, which floatation elements are arranged laterally and comprise an ergonomic shape to correspond with a portion of the user's torso on which each floatation element is aligned when in use;   a bottom portion adapted to be worn by a user as trunks; and   a coupling mechanism for selectively attaching and detaching the vest portion to the bottom portion.   
   
   
       2 . The swim garment of  claim 1  wherein the at least one floatation element comprises a front floatation element and a rear floatation element and wherein the vest comprises:
 a front portion including stretchable material covering the front floatation element;   a rear portion including stretchable material covering the rear floatation element; and   a pair of side panels including relatively inelastic material, and wherein the coupling mechanism is attached to one or more of the side panels.   
   
   
       3 . The swim garment of  claim 1  wherein the at least one floatation element comprises ergonomically shaped foam. 
   
   
       4 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one floatation element comprises an inflatable bladder. 
   
   
       5 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a male buckle portion and a female buckle portion. 
   
   
       6 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a first strap provided with a hook-and-loop fastener and a second strap provided with an eyelet that can be engaged by and securely retained by the first strap. 
   
   
       7 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a first flap provided with a male snap portion and a second flap provided with a corresponding female snap portion for mating interference fit engagement with the corresponding male snap portion. 
   
   
       8 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a first flap provided with a button and a second flap provided with a button hole for engaging and retaining the button. 
   
   
       9 . The swim garment of  claim 1  wherein:
 a plurality of loops are provided below a lower extremity of the vest;   the bottom portion includes a belt retained on the bottom portion, the belt and the plurality of loops forming the coupling mechanism; and   said belt may engage said plurality of loops to selectively couple the vest to the bottom portion.   
   
   
       10 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the vest includes a zipper to expand an opening in the vest to facilitate the putting on and taking off the vest. 
   
   
       11 . The swim garment of  claim 10 , wherein the zipper is located on a back surface of the vest, such that the zipper is not accessible to a person wearing the vest. 
   
   
       12 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion may be worn without the vest, and further wherein the coupling mechanism is adjustable to an uncoupled configuration to permit the bottom portion to be removed from a person wearing the vest without removing the vest. 
   
   
       13 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion comprises a one-piece girl's swimsuit. 
   
   
       14 . The swim garment of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion comprises a bikini bottom, and wherein the swim garment further comprises a bikini top. 
   
   
       15 . A swimsuit comprising a buoyant vest having at least one front floatation element and at least one rear floatation element, the front floatation element having greater buoyancy than the rear floatation element, which floatation elements are arranged laterally and comprise an ergonomic shape to correspond with a portion of the user's torso on which each floatation element is aligned when in use, a swim trunks, and a coupling mechanism to selectively couple the buoyant vest to the swim trunks such that the swim trunks retain the buoyant vest on a user when the buoyant vest is coupled to the swim trunks and further such that the vest may be uncoupled from the swim trunks to permit a user to remove the swim trunks while still wearing the vest, and to remove the vest while still wearing the swim trunks. 
   
   
       16 . A swim garment comprising:
 a vest adapted to be worn on a user's torso, the vest including at least one floatation element;   a bottom portion adapted to be worn by a user as trunks; and   a coupling mechanism for selectively attaching and detaching the vest portion to the bottom portion, the coupling mechanism comprising a first flap having a first portion secured to a portion of the vest and a second portion carrying a plurality of first coupling devices, a second flap having a first portion secured to the bottom portion of the swim garment and a second portion carrying a plurality of second coupling devices for mating with the plurality of first coupling devices.   
   
   
       17 . The swim garment of  claim 16 , wherein the first coupling devices comprise male snaps that extend through the first flap and the second coupling devices comprise snap bases that extend through the bottom flap and are engagable with the male snaps. 
   
   
       18 . The swim garment of  claim 16 , wherein the first flap comprises a plurality of apertures and the second flap comprises a plurality of buttons engageable with the apertures. 
   
   
       19 . A swim garment comprising:
 a vest adapted to be worn on a user's torso, the vest including at least one floatation element, wherein the at least one floatation element comprises a front floatation element and a rear floatation element and wherein the vest comprises a front portion including stretchable material covering the front floatation element, a rear portion including stretchable material covering the rear floatation element, and a pair of side panels including relatively inelastic material;   a bottom portion adapted to be worn by a user as trunks; and   a coupling mechanism for selectively attaching and detaching the vest portion to the bottom portion, wherein the coupling mechanism is attached to one or more of the side panels.   
   
   
       20 . A swim garment comprising:
 a vest adapted to be worn on a user's torso, the vest including at least one floatation element;   a bottom portion adapted to be worn by a user as trunks; and   a coupling mechanism comprising a male buckle portion and a female buckle portion for selectively attaching and detaching the vest portion to the bottom portion.   
   
   
       21 . A swim garment comprising:
 a vest adapted to be worn on a user's torso, the vest including at least one floatation element, wherein the vest includes a zipper to expand an opening in the vest to facilitate the putting on and taking off the vest, and wherein the zipper is located on a back surface of the vest, such that the zipper is not accessible to a person wearing the vest;   a bottom portion adapted to be worn by a user as trunks; and   a coupling mechanism for selectively attaching and detaching the vest portion to the bottom portion.