An aquatic toy that is capable of maintaining a desired form and position in water, which includes a fabric portion, at least one hollow opening formed in the fabric portion, wherein buoyancy and or weight of or attached to the fabric portion provide at least partial form to a perimeter of the hollow opening.
1. An aquatic toy that is capable of maintaining a desired form and position in water, comprising:
a fabric portion reconfigurable between a closed position in which it is collapsible and an open position in which it is substantially planar;
at least one opening formed in the fabric portion;
at least one buoyancy member positioned at a selected location on the fabric portion; and
at least one weight positioned at a selected location on the fabric portion, the at least one buoyancy member and the at least one weight positioned such that the fabric portion extends into the open position when submerged in water.
2. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the fabric portion comprises at least one of a woven fabric, a sheet fabric, a film, nylon, spandex, vinyl, Polyvinyl Chloride and neoprene.
3. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the fabric portion comprises multiple materials.
4. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fabric portion has a relatively negative buoyancy, such that the fabric portion provides at least some negative buoyancy to at least a portion of the aquatic toy.
5. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fabric portion has a relatively neutral buoyancy, such that the fabric portion provides a substantially neutral buoyancy to at least a portion of the aquatic toy.
6. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fabric portion has a relatively positive buoyancy, such that the fabric portion provides at least some positive buoyancy to at least a portion of the aquatic toy.
7. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the opening is one of a substantially square shape, a rectangular shape, a pentangular shape, a circular shape, an oval shape, an elliptical shape, and a star shape.
8. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the at least one buoyancy member is placed such that a selected portion of the aquatic toy is buoyant.
9. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the at least one buoyancy member is at least one of foam, a multicellular expanded synthetic resin, cork, an inflated or inflatable pocket or bladder, plastic, rubber, and wood.
10. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight is placed such that a selected portion of the aquatic toy sinks when submerged in water.
11. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight is at least one of metal, a weighted or weightable pocket or bladder, plastic, rubber, and wood.
12. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the aquatic toy further comprises at least one additional fabric portion.
13. The aquatic toy of claim 12 , wherein the additional fabric portion extends substantially downward from an upper portion of the hollow opening.
14. The aquatic toy of claim 12 , wherein the additional fabric portion extends substantially upward from a lower portion of the hollow opening.
15. The aquatic toy of claim 12 , wherein the additional fabric portion is weighted and/or buoyed.
16. The aquatic toy of claim 1 , wherein the opening is sized such that an average adolescent can swim through the opening.
17. An apparatus, comprising:
a substantially planar fabric portion including an interior portion defining an opening and an exterior portion extending outwardly from the opening, the exterior portion including an unconstrained peripheral edge of the fabric portion;
at least one buoyancy member coupled to the exterior portion of the fabric such that a selected portion of the aquatic toy is buoyant; and
at least one weight coupled to the exterior portion of the fabric portion such that a selected portion of the aquatic toy will sink when submerged in water.
18. An apparatus, comprising:
a fabric portion including an interior portion defining an opening and an exterior portion extending outwardly from the opening, the exterior portion including an unconstrained peripheral edge of the fabric portion;
at least one buoyancy member coupled to the exterior portion of the fabric portion; and
at least one weight coupled to the exterior portion of the fabric portion, the fabric portion reconfigurable between a closed position in which the exterior portion is configured to be collapsed or folded and an open position in which the fabric portion is configured to extend into a substantially planar orientation when submerged in water.