Analagous to scuba flippers, an eggbeater flipper is designed to amplify the propulsion generated by the act of treading water. While treading, the feet push the water down and back, which results in a greater bouyant force or something. Anyways, the point is you get out of the water when you push your feet down rapidly.

The flippers resemble umbrellas mounted around the shins that open and stiffen when they are pushed down, but collapse when pulled up. Thus, if you modify your eggbeater by pushing more vertically and rotating your knees less, (i.e., try to climb stairs), you should be able to push yourself up and out of the water. The fins are multilayered, with one umbrella just below the knee and another one just above the ankle. The feet fit into stirrups so that the device doesn't slide up the leg.

Because these flippers collapse, it's still possible to swim horizontally, although kicking might be awkward, and could possibly deform the flippers.

NB. An "eggbeater" style kick is used when treading water. I didn't actually mean the flippers would look like eggbeaters, but instead they were meant to enhance one's eggbeater kick. I should clarify these things beforehand.
-- Cuit_au_Four, Mar 30 2006

Flat Whiskers http://tinyurl.com/nwgub
For Zimmy [egbert, Mar 30 2006]

Reminds me of this Jellyfish_20Propulsion_20Wetsuit
Courtesy of [RayfordSteele]. [Shz, Mar 30 2006, last modified Mar 31 2006]

Eggbeater http://shop.bakersc...tems/Eggbeater.html
[Cuit_au_Four], which part of this device resembles or reminds you of "umbrellas mounted around the shins"? (Note the source of the illustration. Heh!) [jurist, Mar 31 2006]

Eggbeater Kick http://www.srsport....ages/egg_detail.gif
How to beat eggs while treading water and playing polo. Sorta. [jurist, Mar 31 2006]

Might be the solution for getting away from those pesky sharks.
-- cromagnon, Mar 30 2006


I can picture *eggbeater flippers* in my mind, and I can picture *collapsible umbrella flippers". I'm having difficulty, however, picturing both of those concepts simultaneously in the same product.
-- jurist, Mar 30 2006


handy for making a swimming pool sized omelette
-- xenzag, Mar 30 2006


As a kid, I always imagined using a kitchen mixer/blender for powered diving
-- theircompetitor, Mar 30 2006


I Have seen something like these before, but after a half hour of looking I can't find anything so (+)
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 30 2006


I like this (+), but I was hoping it was actually a flat whisker idea that someone could link to as baked as mine is broken & I haven't yet found another one.
-- Zimmy, Mar 30 2006



random, halfbakery