GB2044494A - Ski pole incorporating a digital stopwatch - Google Patents

Abstract

A ski pole incorporates a digital stopwatch removably mounted in a bore (8) of its transparent plastics handle (2) by means of which the digits (5) of the stopwatch are enlarged when viewed. The stopwatch is a cylindrical unit threadedly fixed in the bore (8) of the handle (2). A single upper push button (4) coupled to an electronic circuit controls the various functions of the stopwatch, which can be easily removed from the handle (2). The stopwatch can be turned off by rotation relative to the handle through a quarter turn. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ski pole incorporating a digital stopwatch The present invention relates to a ski pole incorporating a timing device, preferably an electronically operated digital stopwatch, particularly useful for determining the time periods of a race by the skier himself. It is evident the importance, especially in competitive skiing, to accurately measure the time period required by the skier to cover a given distance, in order to check his ability, the achieved degree of training, the effects of outer factors on the speed, etc.

Even a non competitive skier may need a proper device to determine the time required for a descent in order to check his conditions, to organize races among friends, to test performances against speed a piece of his equipment or an accessory (ski, boots, sky wax etc.).

Using a conventional stopwatch for such timing is generally unpractical, requiring the presence of at least a second person who takes the time and being the instrument not easily operated with a ski glove.

There are known ski poles incoporating a digital stopwatch, for example from U.S. Patent No. 4111444 to Clements, which discloses a box-shaped digital stopwatch disposed within a side recess of the handle and three buttons applied to the handle accomplishing functions such as start, reset, on, off, etc.

German Patent specification No. 2638671 provides for a digital stopwatch permanently mounted in the handle and two actuating buttons.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved ski pole incorporating a fully removable digital stopwatch, actuated by the skier himself, and easy to be read through the transparent body of the handle of the ski pole and not hampering the skier being completely incorporated in the handle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a ski pole incorporating a digital stopwatch that is quite simple in construction, without any complicated operation for insertion or removal of the timing unit, and having all the necessary controls concentrated in a single button slightely protruding from the top surface of the handle and completely sealed.

The ski pole according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a handle of a transparent plastic material, having a bore therethrough in which it is housed and threadedly fixed a digital stopwatch unit completely with batteries and display, having a single control push button, the digits of the display being seen enlarged through the transparent plastic material of the handle.

The invention will now be described in a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates the upper part of a ski pole according to the present invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a digital stopwatch circuitry according to the invention.

Referring not to Fig. 1 the ski pole includes a metal tubular portion 1 having an upper handle 2 of a transparent plastic material.

The handle 2 is formed by molding around the pole 1 in a known manner and subsequently a bore 8 is drilled into the upper part of the handle for housing the digital stopwatch unit. Said unit includes an integrated electronic circuit 7, part of which will be described later, a couple of batteries 6, a digital display 5 and a control push button 4.

Preferably a four digit display is provided (of the LED or LCD type), respectively one for showing minutes, two for seconds and one for tenths of second. Anyhow other choices are possible such as an additional digit for hundredths of second, suppressing the mintues digit, etc. The bore 8 for housing the stopwatch is preferably carried out as a circular bore having the upper part threaded, so as to allow a better sticking of the display to the transparent material of the handle. The transparent plastic handle allows for two advantages. Firstly the stopwatch unit can be realized as a single piece to the completely introduced in the handle while still allowing for reading. Secondly the mass of transparent material between viewer and display considerably enlarges the digit acting as a lens.

The bore is closed by screwing the upper threaded part of the timing circuit until the push button protrudes only of a few millimeters from the handle top so that the stopwatch can be easily actuated by the thumb. A rubber round washer 11 under the enlarged portion 3 ensures the sealing and a hand strap 10 is affixed to the handle through a screw 9 behind the push button.

Referring now to Fig. 2 a possible control circuit of the stopwatch is shown. The temporary closure of key T (corresponding to the push button 4) causes an electric pulse to be applied to multivibrator or pulse shaper M which generates a standard pulse having characteristics compatible with the following logic circuit. Said pulse determines flip-flop or bistable circuit FF to switch to logic level 1 enabling AND gate Al thereby allowing clock pulses to pass from clock generator CK having a suitable frequency such as 10 Hz or multiple thereof. Counter CONT counts said pulses until when another closure of Key T will reset flip-flop FG blocking gate Al. The number stored in CONT and corresponding to the elapsed time is displayed on display D by means of decoding unit DEC. Said visualizing can be continuous or follow the stop pulse thereby saving battery power.

The counter and the decoding unit are chosen so that the first digit (from left) shows the elapsed minutes, the second and third one the seconds and the fourth the tenth of second. Tenths of second can be appreciated only when the timing is stopped.

Key T (push button 4) is used to control the different operations e.g. switching on, start, stop, display, counter reset, and possibly switching off the stopwatch. Alternatively the switching off may be automatically accomplished after a prefixed time since the stopwatch has been stopped (for example 1 minute). A suitable programmed control circuit includes an additional counter for counting up to 4 pulses, and having its output connected in such a way as to carry out the different operation. The first closure of the key would set the additional counter in state (01) allowing for the start in a way similar to what performed by flip-flop FF.The next closures of the key will cause different configuration to be entered in the counter, i.e. the second closure of the key (configuration 10) being suitable to stop the counting, and the third closure of the key (configuration 11) being suitable to have the count displayed on D. The fourth closure of key T might be used to reset the counter and dispose it for the next timing operation.

The stopwatch might be switched on and off by providing a six configuration additional counter. Alternatively said last mentioned operation might be achieved by turning the stopwatch of a quarter of turn thereby disconnecting the battery terminals and viceversa. In the rotated position the display would be hardly readable through the thicker gripshaped side of the handle thereby allowing a visual check of the condition of the stopwatch, particularly when using a LCD display.

The ski pole is used by the skier pushing the button when starting and arriving. Opening the hand and slightly turning the handle he can read the time elapsed through the transparent handle.

Alternatively the skier, being still, can check a follow skier keeping note of partial times too.

Claims (5)

1. A ski pole incorporating a digitial stopwatch characterized in that it comprises a handle of transparent plastic material having a bore therethrough in which it is movably housed a digital stopwatch unit, complete with batteries and display, having a single control push button, the digit of the display being viewed enlarged through the plastic material of the handle.

2. A ski pole according to claim 1, characterized in that the stopwatch unit is threadedly fixed to the handle and that a programmed circuit is provided to sequentially operate the stopwatch functions in response to each pressing of the single push button.

3. A ski pole according to claim 2 characterized in that a sealing rubber ring is disposed under the enlarged upper end of the push button.

4. A ski pole according to claim 3 characterized in that the switching off is accomplished by turning loose the stopwatch unit by at least a quarter of turn.

5. A ski pole incorporating a digital stopwatch substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.