EP0081439B1 - Ski pole - Google Patents

Abstract

The handle of a ski pole has its grip axis offset from the axis of the shaft of the pole and set at least rearwardly thereof to allow the point of the pole to engage the snow substantially more forwardly than an ordinary pole and thus with a more acute angle. The inclination of the grip axis can be adjusted.

Description

The subject of the invention is a ski pole, the handle of which is located eccentrically and behind with respect to the upper part of the body of the pole.

• - à leur extrémité inférieure, une pointe destinée à accrocher sur la neige dure ou sur la glace et une rondelle ou disque limitant la pénétration du bâton dans la neige,
• - et, à leur extrémité supérieure, une poignée permettant de prendre le bâton en main et une dragonne au traverse de laquelle passe le poignet du skieur.

Whether it's alpine skiing (slalom downhill, hiking, competition ...) or cross-country skiing (walking, hiking, competition ...), the skier always uses two poles which are usually made in metallic or synthetic tube and carry:

• - at their lower end, a point intended to hang on hard snow or on ice and a washer or disc limiting the penetration of the stick in the snow,
• - And, at their upper end, a handle for taking the stick in hand and a wrist strap through which passes the wrist of the skier.

The handle, which was once made of leather and is now generally made of molded plastic, usually wraps around the top of the stick tube or body, actually extending and focusing on it.

However, sticks have been proposed, the handle of which is located off-center and behind the upper part of the body. This is the case for poles conforming to DE-A-2 223 273. Due to their arrangement, such poles are however ill-suited to the practice of high level skiing and of competitive skiing which leads the skier to plant his poles. as far forward as possible, at an angle inside the turn, and therefore successively bring its two sticks to form very closed angles with the snow slope.

The Applicant therefore thought that, in order to allow a safe "planting" and display of sticks in the snow, it was necessary to make a substantial modification to the arrangement of sticks of the aforementioned type.

The subject of the invention is precisely a ski pole which is of this type, but in which the handle and the upper part of the body form an assembly having a double S curvature.

• Figures 1 et 2 représentent une forme d'exécution de cette poignée vue en élévation dans deux directions orthogonales;
• Figures 3 et 4 sont des vues en perspective d'une autre forme d'exécution de cette poignée, respectivement à l'état éclaté et à l'état monté.

The appended schematic drawing represents, by way of nonlimiting examples, two embodiments of this handle of ski pole:

• Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment of this handle seen in elevation in two orthogonal directions;
• Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of another embodiment of this handle, respectively in the exploded state and in the assembled state.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment in which (1) designates the tube or body of the ski pole. This corpos is capped, at its upper part, by a sleeve (17) whose head (18) is offset laterally and receives a ball joint (19) allowing the articulation of the handle proper (20). Means such as nuts and screws are provided for immobilizing this handle (20) in the angular position desired by the skier above, behind and laterally with respect to the pole itself (1).

Figures 3 and 4 show another embodiment, in which (21) denotes the body of the stick and (22) denotes its handle, the nature and arrangement of which may be any. The stick (21) and the handle (22) are joined by a mechanism which is generally designated by (23) and is composed of three elements designated respectively by (24), (25) and (26).

The lower element (24) can be likened to a cylindrical tip, dimensioned to be able to penetrate with greasy friction into the tube (21) of the stick; and it ends with a head (27) whose end face (28) is oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis A-A of the stick (21). In this face (28) is arranged a tapped hole (29) directed along the aforementioned axis A-A.

The element (25), which constitutes the intermediate part of the mechanism, consists of a cylindrical bar which has the same diameter as the head (27) of the element (24) and whose end face (30) has, relative to the longitudinal axis BB of this element, the same obliquity as the face (28) of the element (24). In its other end zone, the intermediate element (25) has a flat part (31). Two smooth holes (32) and (33) are drilled in this intermediate element (25). The hole (32) is drilled obliquely and extends perpendicular to the face (30) on which it opens. The other hole (33) is drilled perpendicular to the flat area (31).

The third element (26) constitutes the core of the handle proper (22) and any means are provided to make a good connection between these two members. By one of its ends, this element (26) projects below the handle (22); and the part thus projecting has a flat area (34) intended to cooperate with that (31) of the intermediate element (25); in this flat area is drilled a tapped hole (35) which extends perpendicular to the flat area (34).

The three elements (24), (25) and (26) of the mechanism allowing the connection of the handle (22) with the body (21) of the stick are assembled by means of two screws (36) and (37). That (36) passes through the hole (32) of the intermediate element (25) and is screwed into the tapped hole (29) of the end piece (24); and that (37) passes through the hole (33) of the intermediate element (25) and is screwed into the tapped hole (35) of the terminal element (26). These two screws (36) and (37) allow the connection between the three elements of the mechanism; but it is important to note that this screw connection makes it possible not only to block the three elements relative to one another, but also to adjust their relative positions.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the screw (36) in fact constitutes an axis around which the intermediate element (25), the end element (26) and the handle (22) can pivot in the direction of the double arrow (38) of Figure 4; during this pivoting, the planar faces (28) and (30), respectively of the base element (24) and the element in intermediate (25) slide against each other and this pivoting makes it possible to adjust the lateral offset of the handle (22) relative to the body (21) of the stick.

As for the screw (37), it serves as the pivot axis of the terminal element (26), and therefore of the handle (22) in the direction of the arrow (39) of FIG. 4; by this pivoting, it is possible to adjust the inclination of the handle (22) relative to the body (21). stick.

Thanks to its arrangement, the mechanism providing the connection between the body (21) and the handle (22) of the stick makes it possible to give this handle, relative to the stick itself, the most appropriate inclination position desired by the skier. .

In either of the two embodiments (Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4), this relative inclination of the handle and the body of the concrete and the positioning of the handle behind the body of the stick allow the skier to stick his stick very far forward in the snow slope, when this slope is not very pronounced and the adjustment gives the grip a very open angle. If, on the other hand, the slope is very steep, the skier changes the setting by closing this angle more or less. The skier therefore has the possibility of adapting the angle of the handle to the degree of the slope and thus tilting the stick as far forward as possible, without excessively twisting the wrist.

Claims (6)

1. A ski stick of which the handle (20, 22) is located off-centre and rearwardly with respect to the upper part of the body (1, 21) of the stick, characterised in that its handle (20, 22) and the upper part of its body (1, 21) form an assembly having a double curve in the form of an S.

2. A ski stick according to Claim 1, characterised in that its handle (20) is articulated about a shaft (19) located above and transversely with respect to the body (1) of the stick andin that means are provided for fixing the handle in the angular position selected by the skier.

3. A ski stick according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the means for articulating the handle (2) on the stick (1) include a swivel-joint and means for fixing the handle in any direction with respect to the body of the stick.

4. A ski stick according to Claim 1, characterised in that the connection mechanism between the body (21) of the stick and the handle (22) is constituted in combination by:

- an end piece (24) fixed to the top of the body (21 ) of the stick and extending it,

- an intermediate member (25) articulated by one of its ends on the top of said end-piece so as to be displaceable about the latter,

- and a member (26) acting as a core of the handle (22) and articulated on the free end of the intermediate member (25) about a shaft (37) permitting adjustment of the angle formed by this member and by the intermediate member.

5. A ski stick according to Claims 1 and 4, characterised in that the member (24) acting as an end-piece and the intermediate member (25) are in contact by faces (28-30) which are not perpendicular, but oblique with respect to their respective longitudinal axes, and the articulation of these two members is effected by means of a shaft (36) which is perpendicular to these two faces.

6. A ski stick according to Claims 1, 4 and 5, characterised in that the two shafts (36, 37) permitting respectively the lateral displacement of the intermediate member (25) and the adjustment of the inclination of the end member (26) and of the handle (22) are constituted by screws, by means of which the said members (25) and (26) may be fixed in the desired angular positions.

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