EP3670319A1 - Marine assembly for practising sport - Google Patents

Abstract

Nautical unit for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats (2, 3) having on an upper surface (2c, 3c), engagement means (4) for the engagement of a foot (9) of a user and a lower surface (2d, 3d) opposite the upper face (2c, 3c). Each float (2, 3) comprises a flexible blade (5) projecting from the lower surface (2d, 3d) and a fin (10) situated in correspondence with the engagement means (4) in the longitudinal direction (II, II -II).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of sports recreation and more particularly relates to a nautical unit for the practice of sport.

The document WO 2009/155672 A2 describes a nautical unit for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats, each float extending substantially in a plane while lengthening predominantly in a longitudinal direction between a front end and a rear end, each float comprising an upper surface having engagement means for engaging a user's foot and a lower surface opposite the upper face. These floats are respectively provided on their lower surface with an articulated flap with free pivoting along a transverse axis substantially parallel to the upper surface, said flaps serving as means for limiting the recoil of a float on the water when the user takes press this float to advance the other float. The user can thus practice on the water a movement similar to that of walking or alternative cross-country skiing.

In this document, the shutter must return to the vertical so that it offers water resistance. Before this vertical position, the free pivoting of the flap offers practically no resistance to water, so that a non-negligible decline may occur.

The document US 4,915,659 A describes a similar assembly, in which the recoil-limiting means consist of a plurality of flexible pockets arranged under the floats. These flexible pockets oppose the recoil of the float by inflating with water, and empty when the float advances. These recoil limitation means allow the user to slide on firm ground without damaging the recoil limitation means.

In this document, the bags must be filled with enough water for them to offer resistance to water. Before this filling, the pockets offer almost no resistance to water, so that a non-negligible decline may occur.

Thus, a drawback of the means for limiting the recoil of these prior nautical assemblies is that it is necessary to have a recoil movement of the float according to a certain stroke before they become effective. This results in unpleasant sensations for the user, with a resistance to recoil of the floats which varies too much during the movement.

The documents US 3,134,114 A and GB 753 248 A describe a nautical unit according to the preamble of claim 1. With nautical units according to these documents, there is a risk for the user of a large untimely frontal deviation.

The document FR 2 493 163 A1 describes a nautical example with two floats fitted at their rear end with a rudder and connected together by two tie rods. If the risk of a large deviation is limited by the coupling bars, these greatly hinder the user from accomplishing a movement similar to that of walking or alternative cross-country skiing (with a straight path) and annoy the user when he seeks to orient his floats.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

A problem proposed by the present invention is to design an easy and inexpensive nautical unit to manufacture, allowing the practice of a movement on water similar to that of alternative cross-country skiing and even closer to the movement of alternative cross-country skiing. thanks to better limitation of float recoil.

Simultaneously, the present invention aims to limit the risks for the user of a large untimely frontal deviation, and to avoid annoying the user when he directs his floats in a horizontal plane on the water.

To achieve these and other objects, the invention provides a nautical unit according to claim 1.

The flexible blade can be similar to the front part of an underwater sport palm, that is to say in a material having a certain rigidity while still being able to be deformed and return to its initial shape.

Thanks to the flexible blade and its orientation, when the user advances a foot, the flexible blade placed under the float offers a certain resistance to water, and offers a higher resistance to water when the user applies to the effort float tending to roll back said float. In particular, a resistance to the recoil of a float is more quickly opposed and is perceptible more quickly by the user applying on the float forces tending to cause said float to move back.

The fin contributes to maintaining a constant lateral gap between the two floats, and limits the risks of an untimely large frontal gap. And by its positioning in the longitudinal direction, this fin does not interfere with the user when he directs his floats in a horizontal plane on the water.

Preferably, the plane of the flexible blade can form with the longitudinal direction an angle between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees. Such an angle provides a satisfactory compromise for easily advancing the float by sliding on the water and then limiting the recoil of the float.

Advantageously, the flexible blade may have a concave longitudinal profile with a concavity directed towards the lower surface of the float. The flexible blade thus opposes a resistance to the recoil of the float greater than the resistance which it opposes in advance of the float.

Advantageously, the engagement means of each float may include a hollow housing formed in the upper surface of the float. The hollow housing thus allows support of the user's foot closer to the lower surface of the float. This limits the risks of imbalance of the user in the event of slight rotation of the float around its longitudinal direction. Such a hollow housing also allows a setting of the foot relative to the float in the longitudinal direction.

Preferably, each float may include means for receiving and retaining a user's foot, able to overlap at least partially the kick of said foot. The receiving and retaining means thus allow a good advance of the float by the foot of the user. Such receiving and retaining means can be in the form of a simple strap covering the kick. However, it is possible to provide receiving and retaining means in the form of a slipper which surrounds the front (kick) and the rear of the foot.

Preferably, the fin can extend substantially in a median longitudinal plane of the float. By such positioning in a transverse direction, it further limits the discomfort that could cause the fin when the user directs his floats in a horizontal plane on the water.

• la surface supérieure de chaque flotteur comporte au moins un logement cylindrique s'étendant selon une direction sensiblement perpendiculaire au plan dans lequel s'étend le flotteur,
• l'ensemble comprend au moins un bâton muni de deux tiges radiales aptes à venir s'engager à faible jeu simultanément dans ledit au moins un logement cylindrique respectif des flotteurs.

Advantageously, it can be provided that:

• the upper surface of each float comprises at least one cylindrical housing extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the float extends,
• the assembly includes at least one stick provided with two radial rods capable of coming to engage with small clearance simultaneously in said at least one respective cylindrical housing of the floats.

Said at least one stick makes it possible to fasten the floats in a simple, reversible and reliable manner to form a raft on which the user can hoist himself at the start of use (or after falling into the water).

To provide satisfactory stability of the connection between the floats, the radial rods can preferably penetrate into the cylindrical housings with a stroke of at least 10 cm.

• chaque flotteur comporte une face latérale sensiblement plane s'étendant entre la surface supérieure et la surface inférieure,
• lorsque les deux tiges radiales dudit au moins un bâton sont engagées dans un logement cylindrique de chacun des flotteurs, les faces latérales planes respectives desdits flotteurs sont distantes l'une de l'autre selon une distance inférieure à la hauteur desdites faces latérales planes.

Advantageously, it can be provided that:

• each float has a substantially flat lateral face extending between the upper surface and the lower surface,
• when the two radial rods of said at least one stick are engaged in a cylindrical housing of each of the floats, the respective flat side faces of said floats are spaced from each other by a distance less than the height of said flat side faces.

In this way, after the floats have been connected via said at least one stick, the floats can no longer pivot about their respective longitudinal direction except by a limited amplitude. This facilitates the installation of the user on the nautical unit.

Preferably, the cylindrical housings can be located, between the engagement means and the anterior end of the floats, at a distance of at most 20 cm from the engagement means in the longitudinal direction.

Such positioning allows the user, after having installed his feet in the means for receiving and retaining a user's foot, to lean only slightly forward so as not to induce a pitching movement (around a transverse direction) too important of the floats, movement which could unbalance it and cause it to fall.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• [Fig.1] La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un mode de réalisation particulier d'ensemble nautique selon l'invention, avec deux flotteurs et une paire de bâtons ;
• [Fig.2] La figure 2 est une vue de dessus des flotteurs de l'ensemble de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig.3] La figure 3 est une vue de dessous des flotteurs de l'ensemble de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig.4] La figure 4 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de l'un des flotteurs de l'ensemble de la figure 1.

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

• [ Fig. 1 ] The figure 1 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of nautical assembly according to the invention, with two floats and a pair of sticks;
• [ Fig. 2 ] The figure 2 is a top view of the floats of the entire figure 1 ;
• [ Fig. 3 ] The figure 3 is a bottom view of the floats of the entire figure 1 ;
• [ Fig. 4 ] The figure 4 is a longitudinal section view of one of the floats of the whole of the figure 1 .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

On the figures 1 to 4 is illustrated a particular embodiment of nautical assembly 1 according to the invention for the practice of sport.

This nautical set 1 includes a pair of floats 2, 3. The figure 4 is a sectional view of a single float which can be either float 2 or float 3 being observed that floats 2 and 3 are symmetrical to each other and are therefore in all respects similar.

Each float 2, 3 extends substantially along a respective plane P2, P3 by elongating predominantly in a respective longitudinal direction I-I, II-II between a front end 2a, 3a and a rear end 2b, 3b. Each float 2, 3 comprises an upper surface 2c, 3c having engagement means 4 for engaging a foot 9 of a user and a lower surface 2d, 3d opposite the upper face 2c, 3c.

Each float 2, 3 comprises a respective flexible blade 5 generally extending along a respective plane P4, P5 and protruding on the lower surface 2d, 3d from a line of intersection 6 to a free edge 5a.

As we can see on the figure 3 , the line of intersection 6 between the flexible blade 5 and the lower surface 2d, 3d of the float 2, 3 is oriented in a transverse direction III-III, IV-IV substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction II, II-II.

As we can see on the figure 4 , the flexible blade 5 is oriented obliquely towards the rear end 2b, 3b, with its plane P4, P5 forming with the longitudinal direction II, II-II an angle A less than 90 degrees. The angle A is here between approximately 30 degrees and approximately 60 degrees.

In more detail, it can be seen that the flexible blade 5 is slightly curved, having a concave longitudinal profile with concavity directed towards the lower surface 2d, 3d.

As it is better visible on figures 1, 2 and 4 , engagement means 4 of each float 2, 3 comprise a hollow housing 7 formed in the upper surface 2c, 3c of the float 2, 3.

In these hollow housings 7 are arranged means for receiving and retaining 8 of a user's foot 9, capable of coming to at least partial overlap of the kick of said foot 9. In this case, the means of receiving and retainer 8 are here in the form of a boot 8a capable of receiving the front part of the foot 9 ( figure 4 ).

Each float 2, 3 comprises a fin 10 projecting from the underside 2d, 3d, said fin 10 generally extending along a respective plane P6, P7 perpendicular to the underside 2d, 3d and parallel to the longitudinal direction II, II-II. Said fins 10 are also located in correspondence with the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction II, II-II.

More precisely, the fins 10 extend substantially in a median longitudinal plane P8, P9 of the respective float 2, 3.

Each float may include several fins 10. A single fin 10 per float 2, 3 is however preferred.

Whatever their number, the fins 10 are situated exclusively in correspondence with the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction II or II-II. Indeed, a fin which is not located in correspondence with the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction II or II-II would induce resistance when the user seeks to orient the float in a horizontal plane on the water by rotating his ankle. And the further said fin is away from the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction II or II-II, the greater the resistance that it induces. Thus, the fins 10 as provided by the invention and illustrated on the figures 1 , 3 and 4 participate in maintaining a constant lateral gap between the two floats 2 and 3, limit the risks of a large untimely frontal gap for the user and, by their positioning in the longitudinal direction II or II-II, these fins 10 do do not interfere with the user when he directs his floats 2,3 in a horizontal plane on the water.

As it is more particularly visible on the Figures 1 and 2 , the upper surface 2c, 3c of each float 2,3 comprises two cylindrical housings 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b extending in directions VV, VI-VI substantially perpendicular to the planes P2, P3 in which the floats extend respectively 2.3. The cylindrical housings 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b are through to avoid the accumulation of water or impurities.

The assembly 1 comprises two sticks 13 and 14 each provided with two radial rods 13a, 13b and 14a, 14b capable of coming to engage with small clearance simultaneously in the pair of cylindrical housings 11a and 12a, or 11b and 12b.

The radial rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b are able to penetrate into the cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b according to a stroke of at least 10 cm.

Each float 2, 3 has two lateral faces 2e, 2f and 3e, 3f extending between the upper surface 2c or 3c and the lower surface 2d or 3d. The lateral faces 2e, 2f and 3e, 3f each comprise a longitudinal section of substantially planar face and preferably perpendicular to the respective plane P2, P3 in which the respective float 2, 3 extends.

When the radial rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b of the sticks 13 and 14 are engaged in the pairs of cylindrical housings 11a-12a and 11b-12b, the flat sections of the lateral faces 2e and 3e of the floats 2 and 3 are distant from the one from the other at a distance D1 less than the height H of said planar lateral faces 2e and 3e.

The cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b are located, between the engagement means 4 and the anterior end 2a, 3a of the floats 2, 3, at a distance D2 of at most 20 cm from the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction II, II-II.

The sticks 13 and 14 are also used by the user to stabilize his balance on the water and promote his progress. To do this, the sticks 13 and 14 have a cross section which increases towards their distal end 13c, 14c to provide a wider bearing surface on the water.

When using the nautical unit 1, the user can start by securing the floats 2 and 3 by means of the sticks 13 and 14 by engaging the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b thereof in pairs of cylindrical housings 11a-12a and 11b-12b. A relatively stable “catamaran” type raft is thus formed on which the user can hoist himself and stand upright.

The ability of the floats 2 and 3 to pivot about their longitudinal direction II or II-II (roll) is limited by the long engagement of the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b in the pairs of cylindrical housings 11a-12a and 11b- 12b. As an alternative or in addition, the lateral faces 2e and 3e cooperate by pressing one on the other so that roll occurs only at a limited amplitude.

The user then brings his feet into the engagement means 4 by introducing the front part of his feet 9 into the slippers 8a of the receiving and retaining means 8.

The user then leans slightly forward (possibly squatting simultaneously) to reach the sticks 13 and 14 with his hands and lift them away from the floats 2 and 3 to extract the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b outside the cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b. This has the effect of releasing the floats 2 and 3 relative to each other.

The user can then start a movement of advance on the water in the manner which is practiced in alternative cross-country skiing by inducing a movement of advance of the float 2 (for example).

On this occasion, the flexible blade 5 of the float 3 provides resistance by pressing on the water which opposes the recoil of the float 3, and will even have a little tendency to flex away from the lower surface 3d and towards the anterior end 3a, thereby increasing the force of support on the water.

Simultaneously, the flexible blade 5 of the float 2 bends at least partially in the direction of the lower surface 2d and in the direction of the rear end 2b, which has the effect of reducing the bearing force on the water and of promoting l float advance 2.

After the advance of the float 2, the user induces an advance movement of the float 3.

On this occasion, the flexible blade 5 of the float 2 provides resistance by pressing on the water which opposes the recoil of the float 2, and will even have a little tendency to bend away from the lower surface 2d and towards from the anterior end 2a, thereby increasing the force of support on the water.

Simultaneously, the flexible blade 5 of the float 3 flexes at least partially in the direction of the lower surface 3d and in the direction of the rear end 3b, which has the effect of reducing the bearing force on the water and of promoting l float advance 3.

The user then continues this sequence of alternative movements.

During its movements, the user can use the sticks 13 and 14 to balance themselves on the water by pressing on the surface of the water of the distal ends 13c and 14c of the sticks 13 and 14.

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 (10)

Nautical unit (1) for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats (2, 3), each float (2, 3) extending substantially along a plane (P2, P3) while elongating predominantly in a direction longitudinal (II, II-II) between a front end (2a, 3a) and a rear end (2b, 3b), each float (2, 3) comprising an upper surface (2c, 3c) having engagement means ( 4) for engaging a user's foot (9) and a lower surface (2d, 3d) opposite the upper face (2c, 3c), in which: - each float (2, 3) comprises a flexible blade (5) generally extending along a plane (P4, P5) and projecting on the lower surface (2d, 3d) from an intersection line (6) up to with a free edge (5a), - the line of intersection (6) between the flexible blade (5) and the lower surface (2d, 3d) of the float (2, 3) is oriented in a transverse direction (III-III, IV-IV) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (II, II-II), - the flexible blade (5) is oriented obliquely towards the posterior end (2b, 3b), with its plane (P4, P5) forming with the longitudinal direction (II, II-II) an angle (A) less than 90 degrees, characterized in that : - Each float (2, 3) has a fin (10) projecting from the underside (2d, 3d), said fin (10) generally extending along a plane (P6, P7) perpendicular to the underside (2d , 3d) and parallel to the longitudinal direction (II, II-II), - Said fin (10) is located in correspondence with the engagement means (4) in the longitudinal direction (II, II-II). Nautical unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plane (P4, P5) of the flexible blade (5) forms with the longitudinal direction (II, II-II) an angle (A) of between approximately 30 degrees and about 60 degrees. Nautical unit (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the engagement means (4) of each float (2, 3) comprise a hollow housing (7) formed in the upper surface (2c, 3c) of the float (2, 3). Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each float (2, 3) comprises means for receiving and retaining (8) a user's foot (9), capable of covering at least partially the kick of said foot (9). Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the fin (10) extends substantially in a median longitudinal plane (P8, P9) of the float (2, 3). Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that : - The upper surface (2c, 3c) of each float (2, 3) comprises at least one cylindrical housing (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane (P2, P3) in which s 'extends the float (2, 3), - The assembly (1) comprises at least one stick (13, 14) provided with two radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) capable of coming to engage in small clearance simultaneously in said at least one cylindrical housing (11a , 11b, 12a, 12b) respective of the floats (2, 3). Nautical unit (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) are able to penetrate into the cylindrical housings (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) with a stroke of at least 10 cm. Nautical unit (1) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that : each float (2, 3) has a lateral face (2nd, 3rd) having a substantially flat section extending between the upper surface (2c, 3c) and the lower surface (2d, 3d), - when the two radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) of said at least one stick (13, 14) are engaged in a cylindrical housing (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) of each of the floats (2, 3), the substantially flat sections of the respective lateral faces (2nd, 3rd) of said floats (2, 3) are spaced from each other by a distance (D1) less than the height (H) of said lateral faces (2nd, 3rd) . Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the cylindrical housings (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) are located, between the engagement means (4) and the front end ( 2a, 3a) of the floats (2, 3), at a distance (D2) of at most 20 cm from the engagement means (4) in the longitudinal direction (II, II-II). Nautical unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the flexible blade (5) has a concave longitudinal profile with concavity directed towards the lower surface (2d, 3d) of the float (2, 3).

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