EP1270048A1 - Rack with skis in an inclined position - Google Patents

Abstract

The ski rack comprises a lower support structure (16) with an inclined plate (20) associated with an intermediate support beam (22) which delimits the outward transverse movement of the lower end (17) of the pair of skis. An upper support beam (23) offset toward the interior forms a support limiting inward movement of the skis. End uprights (24,25) support the support beams. The intermediate and upper support beams comprise saw toothed internal and external faces (29,36) respectively.

Description

The present invention relates generally to a locker on skis to store skis when not in use use.

We already know ski lockers to ensure the maintenance of a plurality of pairs of skis erected vertically and arranged side by side in at least one longitudinal row of pairs of skis, preferably in two longitudinal rows parallel.

Such a ski locker is for example described in the document CA 1 231 674, and includes a support structure lower, elongated in the longitudinal direction of the row skis to support, and shaped to support areas of the lower end of the skis of the row of skis. The structure of lower support includes a plate inclined transversely outwards, so that the lower ends of the skis resting on the inclined plate tend to slide transversely towards the outside of the locker. An intermediate support beam is arranged above the inclined plate and forms a support which limits the transverse movement of the lower end zone of the pair of skis outwards. In this way, the pair of skis remains in abutment against the intermediate support beam. A upper support beam is arranged above the beam intermediate support and is offset inward to form a support limiting the transverse movement of the part upper side of the pair of skis inwards. Amounts end connect the support beams and the support structure lower. The intermediate and upper support beams include niche bearing faces, each niche having a bottom parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ski locker and being sized to receive a pair of skis assembled back to back and whose main face comes to rest in the bottom of the niche. In this way, the pairs of skis in a row of pairs of skis are coplanar, placed side by side in the same plane, and their main faces are parallel to the direction longitudinal of the row of skis.

The capacity of a ski locker is generally insufficient, and users have several lockers to skis parallel to each other, offset transversely relative to each other to each time form an aisle of circulation between two successive lockers. So to manipulate skis, the user enters an alley between two lockers successive, and can then reach on either side of the aisle the skis arranged on each locker according to the row adjacent to the driveway. This arrangement is illustrated in Figure 6. The arrows illustrate the movement to remove the skis of the two rows adjacent to the intermediate aisle. We see that the movement is perpendicular to the length of the lockers: the user in the aisle must take the pair of skis and pull it towards him. This requires either to provide an aisle wide enough to leave room for the user and necessary movement of the ski, i.e. to carry out a deported movement in which the user stands offset from the pair of skis to be removed and must carry the pair of skis in overhang. This results in either a loss of storage space due to the space occupied by a sufficiently wide aisle, i.e. one more great difficulty of movement and greater fatigue which results for such repetitive movements. In fact, most time users don't take the time to place themselves facing skis, and for speed reasons prefer to run deported movements despite the additional fatigue that this armature.

Another disadvantage of these known ski lockers is that when combined in spans as explained above, the user and the client are initially at the end lockers, the skis then being presented on edge in relation to user and customer. This prevents seeing the markings present on the main face of the ski: make, size, model. The user must then enter the aisle sufficiently intermediary to correctly see the inscriptions carried on the external face of the apparent ski, inscriptions which allow it to choose the pair of skis suited to the client to serve. it induces a loss of time, which accumulates during operations repetitive in a ski hire shop.

A problem proposed by the present invention is to design a new ski locker structure allowing the times to reduce the width of the intermediate aisles between two successive lockers, and to facilitate introductory movements and extraction of pairs of skis in the lockers, ensuring simultaneously excellent grip of the pair of skis in the locker and good visibility of the inscriptions on the front main apparent external of the skis.

To achieve these and other objects, the invention aims to position the skis in an oblique orientation, and to hold by special means to achieve extraction or introduction of the pair of skis according to oblique movements with respect to the longitudinal direction of the ski locker, so the movements can have a more large amplitude for a given width of the intermediate aisle between two successive ski lockers, or even so that one can reduce the width of the middle aisle.

• une structure de support inférieure conformée pour supporter les zones d'extrémité inférieure des paires de skis de la rangée de paires de skis, ayant une plaque inclinée transversalement vers l'extérieur,
• un longeron d'appui intermédiaire disposé au dessus de la plaque inclinée et formant un appui limitant le déplacement transversal de la zone d'extrémité inférieure des paires de skis vers l'extérieur,
• un longeron d'appui supérieur, disposé au-dessus du longeron d'appui intermédiaire et déporté vers l'intérieur, pour former un appui limitant le déplacement transversal des paires de skis vers l'intérieur,
• des montants d'extrémité, reliant les longerons d'appui et la structure de support inférieure ;

   selon l'invention :

• le longeron d'appui intermédiaire comprend une face interne conformée en dents de scie obliques, définissant une pluralité de logements intermédiaires généralement triangulaires destinés à recevoir chacun une paire de skis et limités par une grande facette et une petite facette,
• le longeron d'appui supérieur comprend une face externe conformée en dents de scie obliques, définissant une pluralité de logements supérieurs généralement triangulaires destinés à recevoir chacun une paire de skis et limités par une grande facette et une petite facette,
• les grandes facettes du longeron d'appui supérieur étant généralement parallèles entre elles et parallèles aux grandes facettes du longeron d'appui intermédiaire.

Thus, the invention provides a ski locker for holding a plurality of pairs of skis erect vertically and arranged side by side in at least one longitudinal row, comprising:

• a lower support structure shaped to support the lower end zones of the pairs of skis of the row of pairs of skis, having a plate inclined transversely towards the outside,
• an intermediate support beam placed above the inclined plate and forming a support limiting the transverse movement of the lower end zone of the pairs of skis towards the outside,
• an upper support beam, placed above the intermediate support beam and offset inwards, to form a support limiting the transverse movement of the pairs of skis inwards,
• end uprights, connecting the support beams and the lower support structure;

according to the invention:

• the intermediate support spar comprises an internal face shaped as oblique sawtooth, defining a plurality of generally triangular intermediate housings intended to each receive a pair of skis and limited by a large facet and a small facet,
• the upper support beam comprises an external face shaped as oblique sawtooth, defining a plurality of generally triangular upper housings intended to each receive a pair of skis and limited by a large facet and a small facet,
• the large facets of the upper support beam being generally parallel to each other and parallel to the large facets of the intermediate support beam.

Preferably, the upper housings are slightly longitudinally offset from the lower housings correspondents receiving the same pair of skis, so that one pair of skis held in the corresponding accommodation either slightly inclined towards the small side of the support beam superior.

Also, preferably, the upper support beam is offset inwards with respect to the support beam intermediate, so that the pairs of skis are held slightly inclined towards the inside of the ski locker.

Good results are obtained by predicting that large facets of the support beams do with the steering longitudinal of the ski locker an angle between 20 ° and 45 °, preferably around 30 °.

The inclined plate can make an angle with the horizontal between 30 ° and 60 °, advantageously around 45 °.

The invention can be applied to ski lockers having only one side, for holding a single row of skis. However, it is advantageously possible to provide a structure double face, arranged to support two rows of skis, with two opposite inclined plates, two intermediate support beams respective, and two respective upper support beams.

In this case, the housings of the support rails are advantageously arranged so that the pairs of skis of the opposite rows are oriented in chevrons, with their faces facing the same longitudinal end of the locker skis.

Preferably, the housings of the supporting rails holding a first row of pairs of skis are offset longitudinally with respect to the housing of the support beams holding the second row of pairs of skis.

We can improve the grip of the skis, avoiding for example their fall when the entire ski locker is moved, providing that the small facets of the upper support rails have notches adapted to receive and hold the edge a pair of skis.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un casier à skis selon un mode de réalisation de la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de face montrant le casier à skis de la figure 1 selon sa grande longueur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en bout du casier à skis de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessus du casier à skis de la figure 1, montrant la disposition des paires de skis en chevrons ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe transversale du casier à skis, montrant la structure des éléments de maintien du ski ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus montrant la disposition générale de deux casiers à skis selon l'art antérieur ; et
• la figure 7 est une vue de dessus montrant la disposition générale de deux casiers à skis selon l'invention.

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

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ski locker according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a front view showing the ski locker of Figure 1 along its long length;
• Figure 3 is an end view of the ski locker of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a top view of the ski rack of Figure 1, showing the arrangement of pairs of skis in chevrons;
• Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ski locker, showing the structure of the ski holding elements;
• Figure 6 is a top view showing the general arrangement of two ski lockers according to the prior art; and
• Figure 7 is a top view showing the general arrangement of two ski lockers according to the invention.

As shown in the figures, a ski locker according to the invention makes it possible to maintain a plurality of pairs of skis upright and arranged side by side in at least one longitudinal row. Figure 7 illustrates, in top view, two ski lockers 1 and 2, arranged side by side and separated by a row 3. The first ski locker 1 allows the maintenance of a first longitudinal row formed by pairs of skis 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and a second longitudinal row formed by the pairs of skis 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The rows of pairs of skis are parallel to each other and define a direction longitudinal I-I of the ski locker.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a ski locker 1 comprises a lower support structure 16, shaped to support the lower end zones 17 of the pairs of skis such as pair of skis 4 from the row of pairs of skis. The lower support structure 16 includes two flanges end 18 and 19 transverse supporting an inclined plate 20 transversely outwards. So the end area lower 17 of the pair of skis 4 tends to slide on the plate inclined 20 and to move outward as illustrated by the arrow 21.

An intermediate support beam 22 is disposed above of the inclined plate 20 and forms a support which limits the transverse displacement of the lower end zone 17 of the pair of skis 4 outwards according to arrow 21.

An upper support beam 23 is disposed above the intermediate support beam 22 and is offset inwards with respect to said intermediate support beam 22. The offset to the interior of the upper support beam 23 relative to the intermediate support beam 22 is determined so as to give the pair of skis 4 the inclination which will be defined later.

End posts 24 and 25 connect the side members support 22 and 23 and the lower support structure 16.

The lower support structure 16 can advantageously include casters such as roulette 26, moving on guides or rails 27 and 28 transverse.

The intermediate support beam 22 comprises a face internal 29 shaped as oblique sawtooth, defining a plurality of triangular intermediate housings such as the housing 30, each intended to receive a pair of skis, and limited by a large facet 31 and a small facet 32. Thus, the large facet 31 made with the longitudinal direction I-I (Figure 4) of the ski locker an angle A less than 45 °, and the small facet 32 made with the longitudinal direction I-I an angle B greater than 45 °.

The facets 31 and 32 of the same intermediate housing 30 can advantageously be perpendicular to each other, and connect by a small radius.

The large facet 31 of the intermediate housing 30 is connects to the small facet 33 of the adjacent intermediate housing 34 by a top 35 preferably rounded, facilitating orientation automatic pair of skis along the large facet 31 of the intermediate housing 30.

The upper support beam 23 comprises an external face 36 shaped like oblique sawtooth, defining a plurality upper housing such as housing 37, intended for each receive a pair of skis. Each upper housing 37 is limited by a large facet 38 and a small facet 39. The large facet 38 has substantially the same orientation as the large facets (31) of the intermediate housings (30), while the small facet 39 has substantially the same orientation as the small facets (32) of the intermediate housings (30).

Thus, the large facets 38 of the support beam upper 23 are generally parallel to each other and parallel with the large facets 31 of the intermediate support beam 22.

In top view (Figure 4), the upper housing 37 triangular and the intermediate housing 40 triangular corresponding define a rectangular structure surrounding a pair of skis.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the housing upper such as housing 37 are slightly offset longitudinally with respect to the lower housings correspondents such as housing 40 intended to receive and retain the same pair of skis. The distance between the small facet 39 of the upper housing 37 and the small facet 41 of the housing less than 40 corresponding is greater than the width of the pair skis. In this way, a pair of skis held in the accommodation corresponding support rails 22 and 23 is slightly inclined towards the small facet 39 of the support beam upper 23. There is shown in Figure 1 the angle C corresponding to this slight inclination of the pair of skis 4a.

As already indicated, the upper support beam 23 is offset inwardly relative to the support beam intermediate 22, so that the pairs of skis are held slightly tilted inward. This tilt towards the interior is illustrated by the angle D in FIG. 3.

The angle A formed between the longitudinal direction I-I and the large facets 31 and 38 of the support beams is included between 20 ° and 45 °, preferably around 30 °, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The inclined plate 20 makes an angle E with the horizontal (Figure 3) between 30 ° and 60 °, preferably 45 ° about.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the rack skis includes a double-sided structure, arranged to support two rows of skis, with two opposite inclined plates 20 and 20a, two respective intermediate support beams 22 and 22a, and two respective upper support beams 23 and 23a.

The housings of the support beams are arranged so that the skis of the opposite rows are oriented in chevrons, with their external faces oriented towards the same longitudinal end locker, as seen in Figures 4 and 7.

Also, as seen in Figure 4, the housing 40 and 37 of the support beams 22 and 23 holding a first row pairs of skis are offset longitudinally with respect to housings 40a and 37a of the support beams 22a and 23a holding the second row of skis. The pairs of skis in the adjacent rows are thus nested, so as to reduce the total size of the ski locker.

In the advantageous embodiment illustrated in the Figure 4, the small facets 39 of the upper support rails 23 and 23a have notches 42 adapted to receive and remember the edge of a pair of skis. Thus, in Figure 4, we sees the pair of skis 4 engaged in the corresponding housings and in the corresponding notch.

As can be understood in FIG. 4, in the case of small facets 39 with notch 42, removal of the pair of skis 4 requires a double movement, namely a first movement of translation of the upper part of the pair of skis 4 parallel to the direction of large facets of housing, to make pivot the pair of skis 4 around its lower part and the erect vertically, as illustrated by arrow 43, then a tilting movement outward parallel to the small facets of housings as illustrated by arrow 44. In position in the ski locker, the oblique external main face 45 of the pair of skis 4 is apparent to a user entering aisle 46 adjacent to ski locker 1 from the side of the upright 25.

The upper support beam 23 (23a) is adjustable in vertical position along the end posts 24 and 25, and can be locked in any chosen position. We can thus optimize the holding of the skis according to their length and in particular the position of the fasteners, which must not interfere with the support on the support beams 22, 22a, 23 and 23a.

The installation of skis in a ski locker according to the invention is particularly simple, since the pair of skis automatically engages in the bottom of the housing 40 and 37 with its main faces plated on the large facets of housing 40 and 37, and with its songs resting on the small facets of housing 40 and 37. Extraction of a pair of skis is also very easy, using movements 43 and 44 previously described. These movements are also illustrated by arrows in FIG. 7, and it is understood that the user entering aisle 3 as illustrated by arrow 46 can easily distinguish the inscriptions on the external faces pairs of skis 4 to 9, and can easily extract one or the other pair of skis by a natural and not tiring movement since the user is facing the pair of skis to be extracted and the movement he must perform is a movement of bringing the pair of skis directly in front of him without deported movement.

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

Claims (10)

Ski locker for holding a plurality of pairs of skis erect vertically and arranged side by side in at least one longitudinal row, comprising: a lower support structure (16) shaped to support the lower end zones (17) of the pairs of skis (4) of the row of pairs of skis, having an inclined plate (20) transversely towards the outside, an intermediate support beam (22) disposed above the inclined plate (20) and forming a support limiting the transverse movement (21) of the lower end zone (17) of the pairs of skis (4) towards the outside, an upper support beam (23), disposed above the intermediate support beam (22) and offset inwards, to form a support limiting the transverse movement of the pairs of skis (4) inwards, end uprights (24, 25), connecting the support beams (22, 23) and the lower support structure (16), characterized in that : the intermediate support beam (22) comprises an internal face (29) shaped as oblique saw teeth, defining a plurality of intermediate triangular housings (30) intended to each receive a pair of skis and limited by a large facet (31 ) and a small facet (32), the upper support beam (23) comprises an external face (36) shaped as oblique saw teeth, defining a plurality of upper triangular housings (37) intended to each receive a pair of skis (4) and limited by a large facet (38) and a small facet (39), the large facets (38) of the upper support beam (23) being generally mutually parallel and parallel to the large facets (31) of the intermediate support beam (22). Ski locker according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper housings (37) are slightly offset longitudinally with respect to the corresponding lower housings (40) receiving the same pair of skis, so that a pair of skis (4) held in the corresponding housings (37, 40) is slightly inclined towards the small facet (39) of the upper support beam (23). Ski locker according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper support beam (23) is offset inwards with respect to the intermediate support beam (22), so that the pairs of skis are held slightly inclined towards the inside of the ski locker. Ski locker according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the large facets (38, 31) of the support beams (23, 22) form an angle with the longitudinal direction (II) of the ski locker (A) between 20 ° and 45 °, preferably about 30 °. Ski locker according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inclined plate (20) makes an angle (E) between 30 ° and 60 ° with the horizontal, advantageously approximately 45 °. Ski locker according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a double-sided structure, arranged to support two rows of skis, with two opposite inclined plates (20, 20a), two support beams respective intermediates (22, 22a), and two respective upper support beams (23, 23a). Ski locker according to claim 6, characterized in that the housings of the support beams (22, 22a; 23, 23a) are arranged so that the pairs of skis of the opposite rows are oriented in chevrons, with their external faces oriented towards the same longitudinal end of the ski locker. Ski locker according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the housings (40, 37) of the support beams (22, 23) holding a first row of pairs of skis are offset longitudinally with respect to the housings ( 40a, 37a) support beams (22a, 23a) holding the second row of pairs of skis. Ski locker according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the small facets (39) of the upper support beams (23, 23a) have notches (42) adapted to receive and retain the edge of a pair of skis (4). Ski locker according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the upper support beam (23, 23a) is adjustable in vertical position along the end uprights (24, 25), and is lockable in the chosen position.

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