EP4032595B1 - Call bar with improved joint for equestrian sport - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention belongs to the field of equestrian sport, in particular obstacle races and obstacle equipment relating thereto, and more particularly relates to an improved junction take-off bar to improve the safety of both the horse and the rider. A take-off bar is a bar on the ground placed in front of an obstacle as a reference to help the horse gain good support to overcome said obstacle.

The present invention finds direct application in hurdle races, but can perfectly be used in other obstacle races (steeplechase and cross-country), or even in equestrian sports such as show jumping. .

State of the art

In the equestrian field, show jumping appeared as a sporting practice in Great Britain with the aim of training hunters to make their horses jump to cross field fences and natural obstacles in their path and thus follow the course of the pack as required by current regulations.

Since then, obstacle courses have evolved a lot, both technically and legally, to become a supervised discipline preserving the safety of its enthusiasts. Indeed, as much as certain obstacles are easy to negotiate and can be overcome with regular training and the application of simple techniques, other obstacles appear formidable and require great technical mastery, or even aid devices, to be overcome. crossed.

Grab bars are part of the devices that help you overcome certain obstacles. Indeed, when a call bar is placed in front of an obstacle or immediately below, it forms a visual limit which helps the horse to identify its impulse zone before crossing the obstacle.

Initially, these bars were simple wooden beams, generally painted white and arranged transversely to the track, along the obstacle. The use of wood as a material gives these bars a hardness and rigidity making them dangerous in the event of impact for both the horse and the rider (fractures of the horse's lower limbs, risk of serious injury to the rider's skull in the event of falling, etc.). In addition, the hardness of these wooden bars does not allow them to follow the terrain and can cause the horse to become unbalanced in the event of contact.

Wooden take-off bars were gradually abandoned in regulated settings (official competitions and others) and replaced by take-off bars made of extruded aluminum or lightweight plastic material such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), ABS ( acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or high density polyethylene to gain mass and therefore maneuverability. However, when the polymer used has great rigidity or resists impacts like ABS, the aforementioned problems are not completely overcome.

The document FR2992567 describes an improved call bar consisting of at least one tubular element, each tubular element having a structure comprising a rigid central core, preferably made of PVC, a flexible sheath surrounding the central core, preferably made of closed cell elastomeric foam , and a protective envelope surrounding the sheath, preferably composite with a PVC matrix and polyester reinforcement. As a result, this structure in coaxial layers of different materials provides the take-off bar with both overall rigidity and flexibility allowing it to withstand shocks with the horse's legs, or even with the rider when the latter falls on it.

Furthermore, a similar solution is described in the document DE202005016477 .

However, this grab bar, in addition to being complex to manufacture, does not absorb shocks in the middle of the tubular elements as well as at their ends. In fact, the tubular elements are assembled via sleeves which provide local rigidity and reduce flexibility at the junctions. Thus, when such a bar comprises at least two assembled tubular elements, the junction between these elements remains problematic with regard to impacts.

The assembly of tubular bars by sleeves is also known from the document FR2191441 which describes bars and stanchions for obstacles used in equestrian sports, comprising tubular elements of plastic material connected in pairs by sleeves, these being able to be fitted into the contiguous ends of the elements which they connect, or by male coupling -female consisting of introducing an end of reduced diameter of a first element into a housing of suitable diameter provided at the end of a second element.

The document GB2222956 also describes an obstacle bar consisting of a plurality of elements assembled via longitudinally stiffened sleeves of varied shapes, the assembly being reinforced by threading or locking.

Due to their high rigidity, these solutions increase the risk of human and/or animal injury in the event of impact and present, more specifically, a relatively high HIC ( Head Injury Criterion in Anglo-Saxon terminology) head injury criterion.

The sleeves used on existing bars have a basic design and dimensions which are not sufficient to counteract the phenomenon of expansion observed at the junctions and due to changes in temperature (between day and night for example). This expansion, which can reach 50mm, does not preserve the continuity of the bar in addition to presenting an aesthetic inconvenience.

Other more modern solutions offer one-piece call bars made of flexible material such as low-density polyethylene.

The one-piece bars are only suitable for tracks of width approximately equal to their length. For tracks of different widths, it is therefore necessary to have different bars, of corresponding lengths, which can possibly be assembled using usual means (sleeves, collars, etc.).

Presentation of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art set out above, and proposes to improve the safety of bars used in equestrian sport such as take-off bars, impact bars and the like.

To this end, the subject of the present invention is a bar for obstacle used in horse racing or equestrian activity, comprising at least two modules, each of said modules comprising a cylindrical main body, a sleeve at one end of said main body, manufactured from a single holding with said main body and having a reduced diameter compared to the main body, and a housing at the other end, the sleeve of a first module being able to fit into the housing of a second module to form said bar . This bar is remarkable in that it is made of a polymeric material such as low density polyethylene, and in that each sleeve is tubular and has a proximal portion defining a shoulder at body level, a distal portion and a groove separating said portions, including when the modules are completely nested. This particularly advantageous design of the sleeves guarantees both sufficient mechanical strength and easy breakage in the event of an impact.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, all the modules are identical and can be assembled with each other to form a modular bar according to the desired length. This modularity also facilitates the storage and transport of the bar.

Advantageously, the HIC head injury criterion calculated at each junction between an assembled sleeve and housing is between 150 and 300, preferably preferably less than 250. This value range corresponds to increased safety for the Cavalier.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the main body of each module is tubular in order to reduce the mass of the bar as much as possible.

More particularly, each module defines an axially traversing interior volume.

According to one embodiment, the main body of each module comprises a flat surface over the entire length of said body, through which said module rests on the ground.

Preferably, each flat has a width of between half the diameter of the main body and said diameter.

According to one embodiment, the bar further comprises end caps.

According to one embodiment, the bar further comprises holes for sealing to the ground.

The bar as presented can for example be a take-off bar or an impact bar (half or three-quarter round).

The fundamental concepts of the invention having just been explained in their most basic form, other details and characteristics will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows and with reference to the appended drawings, giving by way of example not limiting an embodiment of a bar conforming to the principles of the invention.

Presentation of the drawings

The figures are given purely for illustrative purposes for a better understanding of the invention and do not limit its scope. The different elements are represented schematically and do not necessarily respect a precise scale. In all of the figures, identical or equivalent elements bear the same numerical reference.

• [Fig. 1] : une vue en perspective d'une barre selon l'invention disposée devant un obstacle ;
• [Fig. 2] : une vue de détail tronquée de la barre au niveau d'une jonction ;
• [Fig. 3] : une vue en éclaté de la barre de la figure 2 ;
• [Fig. 4] : une vue en perspective d'un module selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• [Fig. 5] : une vue de dessus du module de la figure 4 ;
• [Fig. 6] : une vue de dessous du module de la figure 4 ;
• [Fig. 7] : une coupe suivant le plan 7 - 7 de la figure 6 ;
• [Fig. 8] : une section droite du corps principal du module posé au sol ;
• [Fig. 9] : la barre selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, avant assemblage (a) et après assemblage (b) ;
• [Fig. 10] : la barre pourvue de bouchons, avant fermeture (a) et après fermeture (b) ;
• [Fig. 11] : une barre modulaire obtenu par assemblage d'une pluralité de modules ;
• [Fig. 12] : une barre d'impact selon l'invention, de type trois-quarts de rond en (a) et demi rond en (b).

It is thus illustrated in:

• [ Fig. 1 ]: a perspective view of a bar according to the invention placed in front of an obstacle;
• [ Fig. 2 ]: a truncated detail view of the bar at a junction;
• [ Fig. 3 ]: an exploded view of the bar of the figure 2 ;
• [ Fig. 4 ]: a perspective view of a module according to one embodiment of the invention;
• [ Fig. 5 ]: a top view of the module of the figure 4 ;
• [ Fig. 6 ]: a bottom view of the module of the figure 4 ;
• [ Fig. 7 ]: a section following plan 7 - 7 of the Figure 6 ;
• [ Fig. 8 ]: a straight section of the main body of the module placed on the ground;
• [ Fig. 9 ]: the bar according to one embodiment of the invention, before assembly (a) and after assembly (b);
• [ Fig. 10 ]: the bar fitted with caps, before closing (a) and after closing (b);
• [ Fig. 11 ]: a modular bar obtained by assembling a plurality of modules;
• [ Fig. 12 ]: an impact bar according to the invention, of the three-quarter round type in (a) and half round in (b).

Detailed description of embodiments

In the particular embodiment described below, reference is made to a bar intended mainly to be placed on the ground near an obstacle, such as a hedge, used in equestrian sport. This non-limiting example is given for a better understanding of the invention and does not exclude the use of the height bar with other types of obstacles in both horse racing and equestrian sport.

Such a bar is generally placed in front of the obstacle seen by the horse, in which case it is called a take-off bar, but can also be placed behind the obstacle mirroring a take-off bar, in which case it is called a take-off bar. reception.

There figure 1 represents a take-off bar 100 placed in front of a hurdle 200, parallel to it, following the normal direction of crossing the obstacle thus constituted, indicated by an arrow on a trajectory T of a horse crossing said obstacle . The take-off bar 100 is located at a distance D from the hurdle 200 determined by regulation according to several parameters, in particular the dimensions of the obstacle and the pace, so as to indicate to the horse the optimal impulse zone allowing him to execute his jump with an appropriate cadence and amplitude.

The call bar 100, according to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in figure 1 , is made up of two elements 10a and 10b, substantially of the same length, assembled at a junction 20 in order to cover the entire width of the track.

There figure 2 represents this junction 20 between the first element 10a and the second element 10b, making it possible to preserve the continuity and smooth appearance of the call bar 100 thanks to an adequate assembly method.

There Figure 3 represents the call bar 100 disassembled, with the elements 10a and 10b separated from each other, revealing on the contiguous ends of the first element 10a and the second element 10b, respectively, a sleeve 11 and a housing 13 suitable to receive said sleeve by interlocking. Thus, the first element 10a and the second element 10b act respectively as a male element and a female element intended to be assembled to form the call bar 100.

Preferably, the elements 10a and 10b are identical and each comprise a sleeve 11 and a housing 13, so as to constitute reversible modules which can be assembled in greater numbers depending on the desired length for the call bar.

THE figures 4 to 6 represent such a module 10 comprising a main body 12, a sleeve 11 at one end of said body and a housing 13 at the opposite end, the sleeve and the housing being of combined shapes so that the module 10 can be assembled with other 10 modules in a modular call bar assembly.

The module 10 is generally cylindrical in shape with axis the horse and, to a lesser extent, the rider are likely to collide.

The main body 12, according to the illustrated embodiment, has a closed arc section which defines a flat 14, visible on the figures 6 And 7 , extending longitudinally along the axis figure 8 . Indeed, the flat 14 provides a stable balance unlike a totally rounded and therefore tilting shape.

In addition, the flat 14 makes it possible to obtain a main body 12 having, when placed on the ground, a reduced height compared to the diameter so that the take-off bar does not disturb the horse's running by its height while remaining clearly visible due to its diameter.

Preferably, the flat 14 has a width less than the diameter of the main body 12 so as to preserve the circular shape over a major part of said body.

For greater lightness, the main body 12 is tubular, has a low thickness e, shown on the Figure 7 , in order to better absorb shocks by deformation, and defines an internal volume 15 which can optionally be filled with sand or the like to ballast the take-off bar.

Alternatively, the main body 12 can be solid, totally or partially, except at the location of the housing 13 which is necessarily hollow to be able to receive the sleeve 11 of another module 10.

The sleeve 11 is arranged axially as an extension of the main body 12, and has a diameter less than the diameter of the main body so as to define a shoulder 121 which will serve as a stop when introducing said sleeve into the housing 13 of another module .

The sleeve 11 is preferably manufactured in one piece with the main body 12, like the housing 13 provided in said body, but can be independent and attached to the end of said body by any suitable means (screwing, welding , locking, snapping, etc.).

The sleeve 11 is preferably of the same shape as the main body 12, in this case having a slightly raised part of the flat 14, but can be of any shape. This is of course valid for the housing 13. For example, the sleeve 11 and the housing 13 can be of completely circular cross section.

It should be noted that the interest of the present invention lies above all in the particular design of the sleeve described below, which provides the call bar with low rigidity at the junctions and makes them easily breakable, unlike the prior art.

In fact, the sleeve 11 is hollow and comprises a first portion 111, called proximal, a second portion 113, called distal, and a central groove 112 separating said portions.

Preferably, the proximal portion 111 and the distal portion 113 have substantially identical diameters, less than the diameter of the main body 12, and more precisely less than the external diameter of the main body when the latter is tubular.

The sleeve 11 extends beyond the main body 12 over a determined distance, corresponding to the length of said sleeve, which allows the modules 10 both to be assembled with good mechanical strength and to separate easily in the event of shock.

There Figure 9 represents the mode of assembly by nesting two modules 10a and 10b, separated in (a) and assembled in (b) to form the call bar 100. The assembly consists of introducing the sleeve 11 of the first module 10a into the housing 13 of the second module 10b until the shoulder 121 of the first module is attached to a peripheral edge 131 of said housing to constitute the junction 20 as shown in detail B of the figure.

For this purpose, the housing 13 has a shape and dimensions adapted to rigid interlocking with the sleeve 11. For example, the dimensions of the sleeve 11 and the housing 13 are such that the interlocking is done by elastic deformation of said sleeve and/or or said accommodation. The fitting can also be locked by clipping by means of an annular rib made on the internal surface of the housing 13, which would be inserted into the groove 112 of the sleeve 11 introduced and block the latter longitudinally.

The module 10 thus described is preferably manufactured in one piece in a low density polymeric material such as low density polyethylene or PVC, by a suitable manufacturing technique such as molding, simple or by rotation (roto-molding ), additive manufacturing, etc.

The choice of manufacturing material and dimensions, in particular of the sleeve 11, makes it possible to obtain a low HIC (head injury criterion) at the junction 20, of the order of 250 to limit the risks as much as possible. of injury compared to the call bars of the prior art.

In reference to the Figure 10 , plugs 31 and 33 can be used to close the ends of the call bar 100, which necessarily ends in a free sleeve 11 and housing 13. Therefore, a female plug 31 can be provided which is fixed on the sleeve 11 and a male plug 33 which is fixed in the housing 13 via an end piece 331 of suitable shape.

Thus, due to its hollow shape and its possibility of closing with plugs, the call bar 100 can, if necessary, be filled with sand for example to be weighted. However, the ballast of the call bar according to the invention is not desirable, it can be directly sealed to the ground by suitable means and has for this purpose fixing holes 122 on each of its modules 10.

Finally, due to its modularity, the call bar 100 can be made up of a plurality of modules 10 assembled successively as shown in the Figure 11 , in order to cover a given track width while being easily transportable and compact. In addition, each module can be repaired, or even replaced, independently of the others in the event of localized damage. Of course, certain elements of the call bar can be modified or deleted without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Also, the present invention relates to other similar bars used in horse racing or equestrian sport such as impact bars.

There Figure 12 represents an impact bar 100 which is fixed in height against the obstacle 200, of the three-quarter round type in (a) and half round in (b).

Claims (10)

1. A bar (100) for an obstacle used in hippic or equestrian activity, comprising at least two modules (10), each of said modules including a cylindrical main body (12), a sleeve (11) at one end of said main body, made integrally with said main body and having a reduced diameter compared to said main body, and a housing (13) at the other end, the sleeve of a first module (10a) being able to fit into the housing of a second module (10b) to form said bar, said bar being made of a polymeric material, and each sleeve (11) is tubular and includes a proximal portion (111) defining a shoulder (121) at the main body, a distal portion (113) and a groove (112) separating said portions, including when the modules (10a, 10b) are completely fitted.
2. The bar according to claim 1, wherein all the modules (10) are identical.
3. The bar according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the head injury criterion HIC calculated at each junction (20) between a sleeve (11) and a housing (13) assembled together is between 150 and 300, preferably lower than 250.
4. The bar according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (12) of each module (10) is tubular.
5. The bar according to claim 4, wherein each module (10) defines an axially through internal volume (15).
6. The bar according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (12) of each module (10) includes a flat face (14) over the entire length of said body, whereby said module rests on the ground.
7. The bar according to claim 6, wherein each flat face (14) has a width between half the diameter of the main body (12) and said diameter.
8. The bar according to any one of the preceding claims, further including end caps (31, 33).
9. The bar according to any one of the preceding claims, further including holes for sealing to the ground (122).
10. The bar according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polymeric material is a low-density polyethylene.

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