EP0240595A1 - Slalom gate pole having a bending joint - Google Patents

Abstract

The rigidity of the bending joint (3) of the slalom gate pole (1, 2) can be set by rotating the slalom gate pole at its site of installation. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a gate runner consisting of an upper gate runner part and a lower gate runner part, which are connected to one another via an elastic tilt joint, which is formed by an elongated, elastically resilient joint element which is inserted with its two ends into the mutually facing ends of the two gate runner parts and is anchored there, the hinge element being firmly connected to one of the two door rail parts.

Such a door runner is described in European Laid-Open Specification l73 969, there in particular FIGS. 7 and 8. The tilt joint there consists of an elastic sleeve which is pushed over the two door runner parts. However, this has the disadvantage that the elasticity or bending stiffness of the tilting joint cannot be adjusted in place and easily. Rather, you have to take apart the door rail in a workshop and replace it with another joint element with a different spring constant. However, this is disadvantageous, especially since there is often the case that the bending stiffness of the tilt joint has to be adjusted, for example if the wind conditions change accordingly, other people drive slalom, for example children instead of adults and so on.

The invention is therefore based on the object of proposing a gate rail with a tilt joint, the Elasticity or bending stiffness can be easily adjusted on the spot.

To achieve this object, the invention is characterized in that the joint element is connected to the other gate rod part via a thread such that when the two gate rod parts are rotated relative to one another, the length of the joint element changes and thus the stiffness of the tilt joint.

You only have to twist the gate rail relative to each other, which then adjusts the elastic constant or stiffness of the joint element accordingly and thus also sets the stiffness of the tilt joint in the desired sense, i.e. the tilt joint becomes stiffer or softer, as desired. This can even be done with the gate rod inserted into the snow or you can pull the gate rod out of the snow and twist it with both hands.

An indicator is preferably provided for the length of the joint element, so that the stiffness set in each case is clearly visible from the outside.

The rotation of the two gate rail parts relative to one another can also be blocked by a pin or the like if it is to remain at a stiffness which has been set once.

Known gate rails with tilting joints also have the disadvantage that they are too soft and then possibly even injure the skier. (For example, EP-0063 254-B1). Around To remedy this problem, it is further preferred if a stiffening tube is pushed over the tilt joint. This tube increases the bending radius of the deflected gate rail.

When twisting the two gate runner parts relative to one another with the gate runner inserted into the snow, it is advantageous if the lower end of the lower gate runner part has an at least non-circular profile. As a result, the tip of the gate runner inserted into the snow provides a particularly high resistance when twisted, and the desired setting of the stiffness of the tilt joint is particularly simple as a result, without the snow hole into which the gate runner is inserted being enlarged too much, so that the Gate runner would no longer have sufficient hold. This asymmetrical profile can be achieved, for example, by means of an elliptical or other elongated profile of the gate runner tip, by means of projections protruding beyond the profile, and so on.

In order to be able to anchor the gate runner particularly well in the snow, possibly even with low snow heights, it is further preferred if the lower end of the lower part of the gate runner is provided with an anchoring element for anchoring the gate runner in the snow in accordance with European Patent Application L73 969.

In order to prevent injuries to the head of the skier, it is also preferred if protection is placed on the upper end of the upper door pole part is postponed. This is padded accordingly and protects the head of the skier against rough contact. The gate rail is also clearly visible above the protection if it is wearing a corresponding warning color.

For the formation of the actual joint element, it makes sense to manufacture it as a compression spring, tension spring or as an elongated body made of rubber-elastic material. The training as a spring is particularly robust, while the training as a body made of rubber-elastic material is particularly light.

During the race it can happen that the upper part of the gate pole breaks off in a collision with a racer. In the case of door rails with tilting joints, the upper part of the door rail had to be loosened using a suitable tool (screwdriver) and a spare part could then be inserted and screwed down. In races, this is not only time-consuming, in which case the race had to be stopped for a corresponding time, but the various marshals also did not always have suitable tools with them.

An important embodiment of the invention is therefore characterized in that the upper gate rail part is easily exchangeably attached to the lower gate rod part or on the tilt joint by means of a removable pin. The track attendant thus only needs to pull out the pin and can then insert an upper spare door rail part and add a complete door rail after inserting the pin.

The pin is held, for example, on a resilient sleeve or the like on the door runner, so that the connection does not come loose even under the stress of a ski race.

Between the upper and the lower part of the gate runner a rotation lock must be provided in such a way that both parts are basically connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner, but a rotation of the two parts to one another by a certain angular degree is nevertheless possible, namely for the desired setting of the bending stiffness of the tilt joint. For the formation of this anti-twist device, it is preferred if it is designed in accordance with European laid-open publication l73 969. Further training options for this anti-rotation device are described in FIG. 4.

• Fig. l - schematisch in einer teilweise ge­schnittenen Ansicht das untere Ende einer Torlaufstange nach der Erfindung in einer ersten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 2 - eine Einzelheit von Fig. l bei einer demgegenüber abgeänderten Ausführungs­form;
• Fig. 3 - einen Längsschnitt entsprechend Fig. l bei einer dritten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 4 - eine Einzelheit des Kippgelenks bei Fig. l und Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 - eine weitere Ausführungsform des eigentlichen Kippgelenks;
• Fig. 6 - eine weitere Ausführungsform eines Teils der Torlaufstange;
• Fig. 7 - eine mit einer Versteifungshülse und einem Schutz versehene Torlaufstange nach der Erfindung im Vergleich mit einer herkömmlichen Torlaufstange.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments, from which further important features result. It shows:

• Fig. L - schematically in a partially sectioned view the lower end of a gate rail according to the invention in a first embodiment;
• FIG. 2 shows a detail from FIG. 1 in a modified embodiment;
• Fig. 3 - a longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 1 in a third embodiment.
• Fig. 4 - a detail of the tilt joint in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 - a further embodiment of the actual tilt joint;
• Fig. 6 - another embodiment of a part of the gate rail;
• Fig. 7 - a provided with a stiffening sleeve and a gate bar according to the invention in comparison with a conventional gate bar.

First of all, the basic structure of a door rail according to the invention will be described with reference to FIG. These consists of an upper gate runner part 1 and a lower gate runner part 2. A tilt joint 3 is provided between the two gate runner parts. This enables the gate track to tilt, as shown in FIG. 6.

The upper door rod part 1 is firmly connected to a sleeve 5 by means of a screw 4. A setting block 7 is firmly connected to the sleeve 5 by means of a further screw 6. The setting block is inserted into the sleeve 5. It has an internal thread 8. A threaded rod 9 is screwed through the internal thread. The lower end of the threaded rod is firmly connected with a rubber rod l0.

The threaded rod 9 continues upwards into an extension 11, which shows differently colored markings one above the other or also different numbers or other displays one above the other. These indications can be observed through a hole l2.

A sleeve l3 adjoins the lower edge of the adjusting block 7, the lower end of which has an outwardly facing flange l4.

A similar sleeve l5, which also has an outwardly facing flange l6 at its upper end, is firmly connected to the rubber rod l0 via pins l7.

Rings l8 are pushed between the flanges l4, l6 lying opposite one another and engage in one another in a rotationally fixed manner. The lower end of the sleeve l5 is fixedly connected to a cylinder piece l9, which ends in a disk 20 with an outwardly pointing projection 2l. A sleeve-like body 22 is pushed over the sleeve 15 and has a profile such that it covers the projection 2l in the position shown in FIG. 1.

If, when the gate rod is inserted into a snow hole or the lower gate rod part 2 is held by hand, the upper gate rod part 1 is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the gate rod relative to the lower gate rod part 2, then the threaded rod 9 is turned upwards in the direction of the double arrow 22 via the thread 8 or shifted downwards, depending on the direction of rotation of the gate runner part l clockwise or counterclockwise. If the direction of rotation is selected so that the threaded rod 9 is shifted upward, the rubber rod l0 is extended because it is firmly anchored with its lower end in the sleeve l5 and thus also firmly in the lower gate runner part 2. By this extension of the Rubber rod l0 it becomes more flexible and thus the tilt joint 3 becomes more flexible.

If you turn the upper gate rail part l in the other direction, the rubber rod l0 contracts accordingly due to its inherent elasticity and the tilt joint becomes stiffer.

This rotary movement is transmitted to the lower gate runner part 2 via the flanges l4, l6 facing each other and the rings l8 anchored to one another in a rotationally fixed manner.

As a result of this, the disc 20 is also rotated with its extension 2l relative to the sleeve-like body 22 and the gate rail is thus well anchored in the snow hole because the projection 2l is pivoted out of the profile of the sleeve 22. This is described in detail in the European patent application I73 969 mentioned.

The rubber rod l0 can also be replaced by a helical spring or by another spring element with the same effect.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the lower end of the threaded rod 9 is designed like a sleeve and the sleeve 24 is firmly connected to the rubber rod 10 via a pin 25.

Alternatively, a hole 26 for hanging a spring element (spiral spring or the like) can be provided in the upper end of the rubber rod 10.

The respectively set length of the rubber rod can then be viewed from the outside through the hole l2, because the markings ll are visible behind the hole.

If you insert a pin into a hole 27, a rotation lock is created. The pin can be held captive on a band 28 or the like on the door rail.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the sleeve 5 is provided with an inner shoulder 29, which ent speaking widening 30 of the rubber rod 10 is opposite, possibly with the interposition of an annular disc 3l made of wear-resistant, low-friction material. If in this embodiment the upper gate runner part 1 is rotated, then the sleeve 5 is raised, for example in the direction of arrow 23, via an internal thread 32 of the sleeve 5, which meshes with a corresponding external thread of the sleeve l3, the shoulder 29 then being attached to the ring 3l or against a counter shoulder 33 of the widening 30. This also lengthens the rubber rod l0 and reduces its stiffness because, as in the first embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower end of the rubber rod l0 via the pins l7 with the lower sleeve l5 or with the lower door runner part 2 is firmly connected. If you now turn the upper gate runner part l in the other direction of rotation, the sleeve 5 moves downwards and the rubber rod l0 contracts, which stiffens the tilt joint.

On the outside of the sleeve l5, projections 34 can also be provided, but these only extend over part of the circumference of the lower door runner part. The projections 34 are provided, for example, on two mutually opposite sides of the lower gate runner part. Fig. 3 also shows that the projections can form an angle deviating from 90 ° with the longitudinal axis of the gate running bar (below in Fig. 3). When the gate runner is turned, these projections ensure that it is well anchored in the snow.

The sleeve 15 ends in a tip 35.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the plates or rings 18 according to FIGS. 1 and 3. It can be seen that the rings have projecting edges 36 with which they can be inserted into correspondingly profiled openings 37 of the ring or flange 14 or the flange 14 or respectively of the ring lying thereon l6 are used, whereby an overall non-rotatable but flexible connection is formed between the two door runner parts l, 2.

5 shows an embodiment of the tilting joint, the rubber rod 10 being connected via cross pins 38 to pipe pieces 39 which end in half-shell-shaped widenings 40. These take up a joint ball 4l between them. Here, too, a twist-proof connection between these parts is achieved by means of corresponding projections and depressions or other means. The joint ball also prevents snow from entering the mechanism.

In Fig. L the pin is provided to prevent rotation, which is inserted into a hole 27. The pin itself is attached to a band 28 which has the profile of the pipe section and is snapped onto the pipe section in an elastically resilient manner, as a result of which the pin is inserted in the hole in a captive and yet easily replaceable manner.

A corresponding anti-rotation device can also be provided instead of the screw 4 with the additional advantage that in the event of damage or breakage of the upper door runner part 1, this can be done quickly and easily without the aid of tools can be replaced by a new upper door rail part.

Fig. 6 shows a particularly important embodiment of the invention, in which the joint element 10 is formed by a compression spring. The lower end of the compression spring rests against a shoulder 46 of the sleeve 13 and with its upper end against a washer 47, over which there is a nut 48 screwed onto the threaded rod 9. The lower end of the threaded rod 9 is widened and receives a pin 49. Subsequent to the widening, a hook 50 is formed, which is hooked with a counter hook 5l. The counter hook 5l is in turn part of a lower joint element, which can be designed like the upper joint element shown in the drawing.

The actual joint is formed in the area of the two hooks 50, 5l and in this area the ball 4l is pushed over the two hooks, which has a corresponding through hole there and which serves for the elastic connection and sealing of the parts.

The spring l0 is under pressure. Their pretension is adjusted by screwing the nut 48 onto the threaded rod 9, whereby the washer 47 is displaced accordingly in the longitudinal direction of the rod. The accordingly set stiffness of the spring l0 gives the actual tilt joint at item 50, 5l a corresponding bending stiffness, as desired.

Instead of a compression spring, a tension spring can also be installed there with a corresponding reversal of the force relationships. The tension spring is then anchored at both ends.

The threaded rod 9 is secured against rotation in FIG. 6 with the aid of the pin 49. Instead, you can also use a corresponding polygon (at item 52), which is inserted into a corresponding polygonal opening on the counterpart, which then also ensures the anti-rotation.

Instead of the nut 48 with the washer 47, a piece of pipe with an internal thread can also be screwed onto the upper end of the threaded rod 9, which piece of pipe is then screwed onto the upper part of the door runner.

The spring element l0 can be provided on the upper and / or on the lower gate runner part, depending on the conditions.

It can be seen that a total of two rotation preventions are provided in the door guide rod according to the invention, namely one that ensures that the bending stiffness of the tilting joint, once set, is maintained until it is changed again, and another, that the torque from the upper door connecting rod part via the tilting joint transmits the lower gate runner part, for example via the toothings 36, 37 according to FIG. 4 in the actual tilt joint. The determination of the bending stiffness of the tilt joint once set takes place, for example, by the pin inserted into the hole 27.

Finally, FIG. 7 shows a racer, whose head, knees and other body parts run the risk of being injured in a conventional door rail 42. Instead, a door runner 43 according to the invention is used, which carries a stiffening element 44 in its central region in such a way that when the runner hits the door runner, the bending radius imposed on the door runner is perceptibly increased, as a comparison of the two door running bars 42, 43 in FIG . 6 immediately shows.

In addition, a bulge-type protection (tube) 45 can be slipped onto the gate runner 43 according to the invention, which especially protects the head of the racer from injury. The protection consists, for example, of a suitable cushion, foam or the like.

It can be seen that by the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, the bending stiffness of the tilting joint 3 can be adjusted or adjusted in place in the desired manner without tools and by hand, so that the tilting joint of the gate runner can be adjusted to children, adults, different wind conditions and so on.

If the protection 45 is held in a signal color or some other eye-catching marking, this will become the location of the gate runner for the racer well visible, even in poor visibility. This eliminates the flags that have already been used for this purpose. The disadvantage of these flags was that they were not clearly visible from all sides. They also had to be attached separately.

1-6 can also be achieved in other ways, for example by an incision or slot in the form of a T or L, which is freely accessible from the edge. The slot is attached to the upper or lower part of the gate rail or to a sleeve that is firmly connected to this part. A pin or screw engages in the slot and is attached to the other part of the door runner. This slot then allows a limited rotation of the two gate rail parts to each other. If the pin then lies against the relevant end of the slot, both parts are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to this direction of rotation.

Claims (11)

1. Gate runner, consisting of an upper gate runner part (l) and a lower gate runner part (2), which are connected to each other via an elastic rocker joint (3), which is formed by an elongated, elastically resilient joint element (l0), with its two Ends are inserted into the mutually facing ends of the two door runner parts (l, 2) and anchored there, the articulated element (l0) being firmly connected to one of the two door runner parts (l, 2),
characterized,
that the joint element (l0) is connected to the other door runner part (l, 2) via a thread (8; 32) such that when the two door runner parts (l, 2) are rotated relative to one another, the length of the joint element (l0) changes and thus the stiffness of the tilt joint (3). 2. gate roller according to claim l,
characterized,
that an indicator (ll, l2) is provided for the length of the joint element (l0). 3. gate roller according to claim l or 2,
characterized,
that the rotation between the hinge element (l0) and one of the door runner parts (l, 2) can be blocked by a pin which can be inserted into a hole (27) which in the hinge element (l0) and in which the hinge element enclosing Part (l3) of the gate runner part (l, 2) is provided. 4. gate roller according to one of claims l to 3,
characterized by
that the joint element (l0) is designed as a compression spring, tension spring or as an elongated body made of rubber-elastic material. 5. gate roller according to one of claims l to 4,
characterized by
that in the area of the tilting joint (3) an anti-rotation device is provided between the upper and lower door runner part (1, 2), which preferably corresponds to patent claims 8 or 9 or Figs. 7, 8 of European patent application l73 969-A2 (application number : 85 ll0 903.3). 6. gate roller according to one of claims l to 5,
characterized by
that the lower end of the lower gate runner part (2) is provided with an anchoring element (2l) for anchoring the gate runner in the snow in accordance with European Patent Application L73 969. 7. gate roller according to one of claims l to 6,
characterized by
that the lower end of the lower gate runner part (2) has an at least partially non-circular profile (34). 8. gate roller preferably according to one of claims l to 7,
characterized by
that a stiffening tube (44) is pushed over the tilt joint (3). 9. gate roller, preferably according to one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized by
that a protection (45) is pushed onto the upper end of the upper door runner part (l). l0. Gate rail according to claim 9,
characterized by
that the protection (45) is provided with a conspicuous marking that is clearly visible from all sides. 11. gate roller, preferably according to one of claims l to l0,
characterized by
that the upper gate runner part (l) is attached to the lower gate runner part (2) or to the tilt joint (3) easily replaceable via a removable pin (27).

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