EP0499552B1 - Ski pole handle - Google Patents

Abstract

The handle according to the invention comprises a crosspiece (4) extending transversely with respect to the shaft (2) of the pole and surmounted by a longitudinal handle (7) which is offset transversely on the crosspiece (4) and arranged in a direction which is substantially parallel to the pole shaft (2). The longitudinal handle (7) constitutes the gripping zone for holding the pole during a descent. The crosspiece (4) constitutes the preferred gripping zone for holding the pole during climbing or during axial pushing. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to handles for gripping a ski pole.

The ski pole handles generally used comprise a generally cylindrical body, possibly provided with prominences or lateral protections as described in documents US-A-3,479,045 or US-A-4,750,760, arranged in the axis of the rod ski pole or optionally laterally offset as described in documents EP-A-0 081 439 or FR-A-2 602 432, the palm of the hand gripping the cylindrical body in an approximately vertical direction.

On the other hand, walking sticks are known comprising a handle in the form of a cross member substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod rod. In use, the palm of the hand surrounds the crosspiece in a substantially horizontal position.

Also known is a cross-country ski pole, described in European patent application EP-A-0 266 329, which substantially takes up the idea of the transverse rod handle, while providing for a slight inclination of part of the handle. and placing above the transverse handle a protruding part capable of being surrounded by the thumb and capable of constituting an attachment zone for a wrist strap.

The traditional ski pole with axial handle is well suited for use in downhill skiing. Indeed, during a descent, while the axial mechanical forces are relatively limited, it is necessary to provide rapid and relatively large oscillation forces to modify the orientation of the stick as required. On the other hand, this stick is not very well suited for using cross-country skiing, in axial thrust.

The ski pole with transverse handle is better suited for axial thrust forces, but is not well suited for downhill ski use.

The problem proposed by the present invention is to design a universal handle of ski pole, allowing indifferently a use in axial thrust for the rise and a traditional use for the descent.

For this, the handle according to the invention is provided with specialized means which can be used sometimes for climbing and sometimes for descending. One of the difficulties consists in designing a structure in which the means which can be used for axial thrusts do not disturb the use of the handle during use when going downhill, and vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to design such a universal handle which comprises a wrist strap adaptable to two positions, a first position suitable for use in axial thrust, a second position suitable for use in descent.

• une embase conformée pour se fixer à l'extrémité supérieure d'une tige de bâton de ski selon une zone de fixation,
• une traverse, surmontant l'embase, et dépassant latéralement de part et d'autre de la zone de fixation, la traverse formant une poignée transversale dont la face extérieure est adaptée pour recevoir la paume d'une main ;
  selon l'invention :
• une poignée longitudinale surmonte ladite traverse à l'opposé de la zone de fixation, et constitue une zone de préhension, de longueur suffisante pour recevoir toute la largeur d'une paume de main d'un utilisateur,
• la poignée longitudinale est sensiblement parallèle à la tige de bâton de ski,
• la poignée longitudinale se raccorde à ladite traverse selon une zone de raccordement décalée latéralement par rapport à la zone de fixation, pour définir une grande branche de traverse recevant la paume de la main et une petite branche de traverse recevant le pouce de la main.

To achieve these and other objects, the ski pole handle according to the invention comprises:

• a shaped base for fixing to the upper end of a ski pole rod according to a fixing zone,
• a cross member, surmounting the base, and projecting laterally on either side of the fixing zone, the cross member forming a transverse handle whose external face is adapted to receive the palm of a hand;
  according to the invention:
• a longitudinal handle surmounts said crosspiece opposite the fixing zone, and constitutes a gripping zone, of sufficient length to receive the entire width of a user's palm,
• the longitudinal handle is substantially parallel to the ski pole rod,
• the longitudinal handle is connected to said crosspiece according to a connection zone offset laterally with respect to the fixing zone, to define a large crosspiece branch receiving the palm of the hand and a small crosspiece branch receiving the thumb of the hand.

• la figure 1 est une vue de face d'une poignée de bâton de ski selon la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus de la poignée de la figure 1 ; et
• la figure 3 est une vue de côté gauche de la poignée de la figure 1.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of a particular embodiment, given in relation to the attached figures, among which:

• Figure 1 is a front view of a ski pole handle according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the handle of Figure 1; and
• Figure 3 is a left side view of the handle of Figure 1.

As shown in the figures, the ski pole handle according to the invention comprises a base 1 shaped to be fixed to the upper end of a ski pole rod 2 according to a fixing zone 3. The fixing zone 3 is for example an axial housing in which the end of the rod 2 engages in force.

The base 1 is surmounted by a cross member 4 which projects laterally on either side of the fixing zone 3, defining a first part 5 of the cross member and a second part 6 of the cross member. The cross 4 forms a transverse handle whose outer peripheral face is adapted to receive the palm of a hand.

A longitudinal handle 7 surmounts the cross member 4 opposite the fixing zone 3, and develops along an axis II-II substantially parallel to the axis II of the rod 2. The longitudinal handle 7 has a structure similar to that traditional ski pole handles, and is advantageously provided with preferential lateral gripping surfaces, namely a posterior surface 8 that is substantially regular to receive the palm of the hand and an undulating front surface 9 to follow the transverse positioning of the fingers of the hand. The length of the longitudinal handle 7 is sufficient to receive the entire hand width of a user, the fingers of the hand being positioned circumferentially around the longitudinal handle 7.

The longitudinal handle 7 is connected to the cross-member 4 according to a zone 10 offset laterally with respect to the fixing zone 3. In this way, the upper surface of the first part 5 of the cross-member is relatively long and defines a large cross-member branch for receive the palm of the hand, while the upper surface of the second part 6 of the cross member is shorter and defines a small branch of the cross member receiving the thumb of the hand. The upper surface of the first cross member 5 has a length substantially equal to the width of a palm, while the length of the second cross member 6 may have a smaller dimension, of the order of that of '' inch diameter.

The longitudinal handle 7, comprising the rear surface 8 and the front surface 9 which are specialized surfaces, is intended to be held vertically by orienting its front 9 and rear 8 surfaces in an anteroposterior direction illustrated by the axis IV-IV of Figure 2. According to the invention, the longitudinal handle 7 is oriented so that its anteroposterior plane IV-IV defined by the preferential gripping surfaces 8 and 9 is pivoted by an angle A relative to the axis III-III of the cross member 4. The angle A can advantageously be equal to approximately 45 degrees. It will be noted that the pivoting can be carried out in one direction or the other.

In use, the user generally has two sticks, namely a stick held in the right hand and a stick held in the left. It is then advantageous to provide differentiated sticks for holding in the right hand and held in the left hand: the structure shown in the figures is a stick intended to be held in the right hand. In fact, when such a stick is held in the right hand, close to the body of the user, the projecting part formed by the first cross-member 5 is then oriented towards the outside, opposite the body of the user. Likewise, a stick for the left hand will have a symmetrical structure, in which the angle A is inverted with respect to that shown in FIG. 2, so that the first cross-member 5 is also opposite the body of the 'user.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first part 5 of the cross member, or large cross member branch, is oriented downward in a direction deviating from the longitudinal handle 7. Alternatively, a cross member 4 can also be provided substantially perpendicular to axis II.

The longitudinal handle 7 advantageously comprises a longitudinal internal passage 11, which opens onto the rear surface 8 of the handle according to an upper orifice 12 close to the top of the handle and according to a lower orifice 13 close to the base of the handle. A strap 14 closed in a ring is passed in duplicate in the passage 11, leaving two respective projecting parts 15 and 16 beyond the respective orifices 12 and 13.

Stop means, for example rigid loops 17 and 18, are adapted on either of the protruding parts 15 and 16. The strap 14 slides freely in the passage 11. The stop means 17 and 18 prohibit their introduction into the corresponding orifices 12 and 13 of the passage 11.

The strap 14 has a length sufficient for one or the other of the protruding parts to form an outer loop in which the user can introduce his wrist.

This structure constitutes a wrist strap with two uses: in the position shown in FIG. 3, the lower projecting part 16 forms a sufficient loop for the user to pass his wrist through the loop and apply the palm of his hand to the cross-member 4. Alternatively, by pulling on the loop 17, the user enters the protruding part 16, and the loop 18 comes to bear against the orifice 13. The upper protruding part 15 then forms a loop in which the user can pass the wrist, his hand coming to grip the longitudinal handle 7. Thus , the strap can be positioned either at the base or at the top of the longitudinal handle 7.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof contained in the field of claims below.

Claims (5)

1. Ski pole handle comprising:

   - a socket (1) adapted to be fixed to the upper end of a ski pole shank (2) in a fixing area (3),

   - a crossmember (4) above the socket (1) and projecting laterally to either side of the fixing area (3), the crossmember (4) forming a transverse handle whose outside surface is adapted to receive the palm of the hand,
   characterised in that:

   - a longitudinal handle (7) above said crossmember (4) at the end opposite the fixing area (3) constitutes a holding area of sufficient length to accommodate the entire width of the palm of a user,

   - the longitudinal handle (7) is substantially parallel to the ski pole shank (2),

   - the longitudinal handle (7) is joined to said crossmember (4) in a joining area (10) offset laterally to the fixing area (3) to define a larger crossbranch (5) receiving the palm of the hand and a smaller crossbranch (6) receiving the thumb of the hand.
2. Handle according to claim 1 characterised in that:

   - the longitudinal handle (7) has special lateral holding surfaces, namely a substantially regular rear surface (8) to receive the palm of the hand and a ribbed front surface (9) adapted to locate the fingers of the hand in the transverse direction,

   - the longitudinal handle (7) is oriented so that its front-to-back plane (IV-IV) defined by the special holding surfaces (8, 9) is tilted approximately 45° relative to the axis (III-III) of the crossmember (4).
3. Handle according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the larger crossbranch (5) is downwardly oriented in a direction diverging from the longitudinal handle (7).
4. Handle according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that:

   - the longitudinal handle (7) includes a longitudinal internal passage (11) discharging at an upper orifice (12) near its top and at a lower orifice (13) near its base,

   - a doubled over closed loop strap (14) passes through and slides freely in said passage (11) from which it projects at both ends (15, 16),

   - abutment means (17, 18) are fitted to both projecting ends (15, 16) to prevent them entering inside the longitudinal internal passage (11),

   - the strap (14) is long enough for either projecting end (15, 16) to form an external loop into which the user can insert his wrist and so constitutes a tassel indifferently at the base or at the top of the longitudinal handle (7).
5. Ski pole characterised in that it incorporates a handle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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