EP2489416B1 - Sports stick, in particular walking, Nordic walking or cross-country skiing stick - Google Patents

Description

The subject invention relates to a sports pole, in particular walking, Nordic walking or cross-country ski pole, with a handle member having a substantially rod-shaped core, wherein the rod-shaped core, leaving a connection area for the stock shaft, surrounded by a handle cover is, and wherein the upper end of the stock shaft is pushed onto the connecting portion of the rod-shaped core and secured thereto, preferably by an adhesive or clamping connection.

Walking and running sports supported by sports poles, such as walking or Nordic walking, enjoy increasing popularity and are generally regarded as effective and balanced training methods as they not only train the leg muscles, but also the upper body area and arms. In sports shops, a variety of different (Nordic) walking sticks are now available, the price ranges depending on the material used and the quality offered are considerable. In particular, providers are trying to minimize the weight of the sports equipment, and the highest quality and most expensive (Nordic) walking sticks are generally the lightest.

Lightweight metals, such as aluminum, or composite materials, such as carbon or glass fiber tubes, are commonly used to make the leads. The handle is made of either natural cork or lightweight plastic materials or both. Conventional plastic handles generally have a density of about 1 g / cm ³ , with great effort being taken in the art to reduce this weight as much as possible, such as by using foamed plastic materials or by using cork having a density of about 0.2 g / cm ³ .

To enhance the training effect on the arm, shoulder and upper body muscles, the DE 10 2005 028 914 A1 a sports pole, which is provided with a ballast weight, wherein the ballast weight can be formed by the fact that the shaft consists at least partially of solid material, preferably steel. The shaft is straight in all areas. The center of gravity, which results when using a shaft formed at least partially from solid material is in the DE 10 2005 028914 A1 not discussed.

The DE 20 2004 008 543 U1 discloses a fitness stick with at least one integrated into the handle of the stick weight, which also concentric within the handle or may be in a different geometric shape around the pole tube attached weight. Due to ergonomic relationships, the depth of the handle bore, in which the shaft or the core is used, limited by the particular shape of the handle, so that usually the shaft can penetrate only about a maximum of half of the handle length in the handle. However, this results in a relatively lower, far below the handle lying center of gravity, which has a negative effect on the training success and can lead to unwanted tension of the muscles due to the inertial forces to be compensated. However, an attempt to adjust the handle shape such that the ballast forming portion of the straight core extends for the full handle length and extends substantially to the upper handle end would result in the handle becoming very straight, unergonomic in shape , Also a thick handle shape, as in the Fig. 4 of the DE 20 2004 008 543 U1 is generally considered to be unergonomic.

US 2,347,789 discloses a grip element for a ski pole that can be provided with a weight insert to balance the weight distribution.

US 3,085,814 discloses a handle member for a ski pole, wherein the handle member is connected to the stock shaft via a rod-shaped connecting member having a kink between the handle member and the stock shaft.

It is an object of the subject invention to provide a sports pole of the type mentioned, which has an advantageous center of gravity, with the possibility of increased training of the arm, shoulder and upper body muscles while avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art is offered. The problem to be solved according to the invention can be seen in the fact that the weight is arranged in the handle in such a way that it acquires a slim and ergonomically advantageous shape, wherein the weight should influence the handle shape and the design freedom of the designer as little as possible.

This object is achieved by a sports stock of the type mentioned, in which the rod-shaped core is provided as a weight additive and has a arranged in the handle shell kink or a curvature, which / allows a secure hold of the heavy rod-shaped core in the handle. The kink of the rod-shaped core makes it possible to extend the core even with a very ergonomically designed handle substantially to the upper end of the handle, so that there is a very advantageous center of gravity. In addition, the kink allows a secure hold of the heavy rod-shaped core in the handle and prevents it from being pulled out of the handle.

Further advantages of this sports stick are that the rod-shaped handle weight assumes a dual function - on the one hand as additional weight, on the other hand as a connecting element between handle and shaft. This makes it possible in a simple manner, the additional weight, which always represented a disturbing the construction of the handle or the sports stick foreign body in the hitherto known sports sticks to integrate functionally in the floor structure. The sports floor can be designed so that it no longer visually differs from a conventional sports stock (without additional weight).

Preferably, the stock shaft can be connected to the handle member so that the upper edge of the stock shaft is flush with the lower end of the handle, or is covered by this. As a result, the core is completely hidden from the sports floor and protected from environmental influences. Visually, the sports stock is indistinguishable from a conventional model.

For mounting, the handle can be flexible, so that it can be pushed onto the bent or curved core. More advantageous, however, is a handle made of a less flexible material, wherein the handle cover may have two symmetrical, interconnected handle shells, between which the rod-shaped core is arranged. The handles are prefabricated and, comprising the core, assembled and glued together, screwed or otherwise connected together.

A particularly advantageous embodiment may provide that the rod-shaped core is encapsulated or encapsulated by the material of the grip element. This allows a particularly cost-effective production of the handle connected to the core in one operation, with additional assembly steps, such as connecting two handle halves, can be omitted.

The invention further relates to a method for producing a sports floor according to the invention, wherein the substantially rod-shaped core is arranged in a mold, the core, while leaving a connection area with the stock shaft, molded or molded with a plastic forming the handle shell, the cured form-solid Gripping element is removed with the core of the mold, and the upper end of the stock shaft is pushed onto the connecting portion of the rod-shaped core and secured thereto, preferably by an adhesive or clamping connection. This method enables efficient and automated production of the sports floor, whereby the handle element (without the stock shaft mounted thereon) can also be manufactured and distributed as a semi-finished product.

In order to produce the sports pole, the grip element can be connected to the pole shaft according to a further method according to the invention by the tubular pole shaft being pushed onto the part of the core projecting from the grip element and secured thereto, preferably by an adhesive or clamping connection. The production of the sports stick can either be done at the factory or be carried out by a specialist dealer, so that a specific handle according to the customer's request on a special stock shaft is mounted. This allows a flexible and individual, tailored to the customer needs production of Sportstocks.

The invention will be described in detail and by way of example with reference to the following drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a sports floor according to the invention in a cross section, Fig. 2 shows the sports floor in a telescopically collapsed position in a cross section, Fig. 3 shows the telescopically pushed sports stick in a perspective view, Fig. 4 a detailed drawing of the rod-shaped core, Fig. 5 a view of the handle element according to the invention seen from the side of the palm rest from and Fig. 6 a sectional view of the grip element of Fig. 5 along the line BB.

Fig. 1 shows an assembled sports stock with the gripping element 1 attached thereto according to the invention in cross section. The sports stock consists essentially of a handle element 1 and a stock shaft 2, which are connected to one another in a connection region 4. The grip element 1 consists essentially of a handle cover 5, in which a rod-shaped core 3 is inserted. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle member 1 is provided with a shield 7 which, when used in nature, protects the fingers and hand from branches and the like.

The rod-shaped core 3 is only partially surrounded by the handle cover 5, so that a connection region 4 protrudes from the handle cover 5, on which the stock shaft 2 is fastened. The stock shaft 2 may be a conventional shaft, which may have at its lower end as a metal tip with a plate 8, an asphalt cap 9 or other end configuration known to those skilled in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the stock shaft 2 is formed telescopically and can, in a conventional manner, be adjusted in length for easier Verstaubarkeit or to adapt to different body sizes. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show the sports stock in a completely inserted position.

The rod-shaped core 3 is made of a relatively heavy material, preferably of metal, and in particular, steel and lead or a combination of these materials (e.g., a lead-filled steel pipe) are preferable because of low cost and ease of workability. Alternatively, other heavy materials such as metalized plastics or the like may be used.

For the in Fig. 4 metal core exemplified result, in an exemplary total length of about 160 mm and a diameter of 14 mm, a volume of about 25 cm ^3, so that alone for the core has a weight between about 200 g (steel) and 280 g (lead) is obtained. Together with the handle cover 5 and the shield 7 could Total weight of the handle element 1 thus for example between about 250 and 350 g.

The handle can be combined with a very light stick shaft, whereby shafts of high performance materials, such as carbon composite materials, can weigh less than one hundred grams. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the center of gravity of the sports rack is in the region of the handle and is thus located directly at the grip hand of the user. Preferably, the overall center of gravity of the sports stick is still above the lower end of the rod-shaped core 3. This causes the centrifugal forces arising during the stick movement to be minimized and the user feels the stick to be light despite the high grip weight due to the advantageous center of gravity. Thus, despite the subjectively perceived as low weight objectively from the handle weight exercised a high training effect on the upper body muscles. In addition, the wrist is relieved in the return movement of the stick after repelling from the ground, since only small upward pivoting forces must be exerted on the stick.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 the handle element 1 is shown in detail, wherein the advantageous ergonomic design can be seen. The outer shape of the handle cover 5 has on the back of a widened palm rest 10, wherein the handle at the height of the palm rest 10 has the largest diameter. Opposite the palm rest 10, on the front of the handle cover 5, a gripping portion 11 is provided, the upper portion is formed as a forefinger recess 12. The gripping area 11 and parts of the remaining handle surface may have a non-slip coating 13, which ensures a secure fit.

Opposite the axis of the stock shaft 2, the handle is curved forward, the handle diameter increases substantially continuously from below to the maximum width in the palm rest 10. Together with the index finger recess 12, this results in a particularly ergonomic shape that optimally adapts to the natural hand posture.

The rod-shaped core 3, which is completely surrounded by the handle cover 5 with the exception of the connection region 4, has a bend 6 in the upper region, so that the rod-shaped core 3 follows the ergonomic course of the handle in the upper region. This kink 6 makes it possible on the one hand, that the core extends substantially over the entire length of the handle, on the other hand, the kink 6 ensures the secure hold of the rod-shaped core 3 in the handle cover 5, so no further securing elements, such as screw or adhesive connections , provided for connecting the core to the handle cover 5 Need to become. Instead of the bend 6, the core 3 may also have a curvature that extends over a larger area than the kink 6 occupies. Also, a more complex core shape can be developed by a person skilled in the art without inventive step, with the straight-shaped core 3 with the bend 6 representing a particularly simple and cost-effective variant.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rod-shaped core 3 is encapsulated in the manufacture of the handle by means of injection molding of the handle cover 5. As a result, a firm and permanent connection between handle cover 5 and core 3 can be generated. Such a prefabricated handle element is then provided with the further handle elements, in particular the shield 7, a cap 14 and the non-slip coating 13, wherein a loop can also be provided, as is known, such as is often used in such sports poles. At the lower end of the handle, a loop receptacle 16 is provided on the (front side) front side of the handle below the gripping area 11, in which the loop can be fastened. However, the loop may also be known to be secured to the upper handle end, for example by means of the cap 14 which is fastened to the handle with a screw or detent connection, thereby clamping the loop therebetween. If the loop is attached at a different location, or if the provision of a loop is completely omitted, can be dispensed with the loop holder 16 in favor of a longer gripping area.

In the illustrated embodiment, the shield 7 is attached to the handle top by the cap 14 and extends in an arc from the handle top to the lower handle end. The shield 7 protects the gripping area 11 and the fingers thereon. At the lower end of the handle encloses the end of the shield 7, the rod-shaped core 3, wherein of the handle cover 3 and the shield 7 around a rod-shaped core 3 circumferential circular groove 15 is formed. This circular groove 15 receives the upper edge of the stock shaft 2, so that the rod-shaped core 3 on the fully assembled sports stock by the stock shaft 2 and the handle cover 5 and the shield 7 is completely covered. <B> LIST OF REFERENCES: </ b> handle element 1 Pole shaft 2 rod-shaped core 3 connecting region 4 handle cover 5 kink 6 sign 7 Plate 8th asphalt cap 9 Wrist Rest 10 Griffin area 11 Forefinger recess 12 Non-slip coating 13 cap 14 circular groove 15 loop recording 16

Claims (5)

1. A sport stick, in particular walking-, Nordic walking- or cross-country skiing stick, with a grip element (1) which has a substantially rod-shaped core (3), wherein the rod-shaped core (3) is surrounded by a grip sleeve (5), leaving a connection region (4) free for the stick shaft (1), and wherein the upper end of the stick shaft (1) is pushed onto the connection region of the rod-shaped core (3) and is fastened thereto, preferably by an adhesive or clamped connection, characterized in that the rod-shaped core (3) is provided as additional weight and has a bend (6) or a curve which is arranged in the region of the grip sleeve (4) and enables the heavy rod-shaped core to be held securely in the grip.
2. The sport stick according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper edge of the stick shaft adjoins the lower end of the grip in a flush manner, or is covered thereby.
3. The sport stick according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the grip sleeve (5) has two symmetrical grip shells which are connected to one another and between which the rod-shaped core (3) is arranged.
4. The sport stick according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the material of the grip element (2) is overmolded or cast around the rod-shaped core (3).
5. A method for producing a sport stick according to claim 4, characterized in that the substantially rod-shaped core is arranged in a casting mold, in that the plastics material forming the grip sleeve is cast or overmolded around the core, leaving a connection region to the stick shaft, in that the rigidly hardened grip element with the core is removed from the mold, and that the upper end of the stick shaft (1) is pushed onto the connection region of the rod-shaped core (3) and is fastened thereto, preferably by an adhesive or clamped connection,
   wherein the rod-shaped core is provided as additional weight and has a bend (6) or a curve which is arranged in the region of the grip sleeve (4) and enables the heavy rod-shaped core to be held securely in the grip.

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