Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B68—SADDLERY; UPHOLSTERY
  • B68C—SADDLES; STIRRUPS
  • B68C3/00—Stirrups
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B68—SADDLERY; UPHOLSTERY
  • B68C—SADDLES; STIRRUPS
  • B68C3/00—Stirrups
  • B68C3/02—Stirrups with side part or sole plate attached to other parts of the stirrup movably, e.g. pivotally
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B68—SADDLERY; UPHOLSTERY
  • B68C—SADDLES; STIRRUPS
  • B68C3/00—Stirrups
  • B68C2003/0008—Stirrups with a swivelling attachment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B68—SADDLERY; UPHOLSTERY
  • B68C—SADDLES; STIRRUPS
  • B68C3/00—Stirrups
  • B68C2003/0041—Stirrups with a shock absorbing device
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B68—SADDLERY; UPHOLSTERY
  • B68C—SADDLES; STIRRUPS
  • B68C3/00—Stirrups
  • B68C2003/005—Foot release mechanisms
  • B68C2003/0066—Foot release mechanisms with fully detachable parts

Definitions

• the present invention belongs to the field of equestrian sports performance and wellbeing.
• the invention is an upgrade of existing stirrups that aims to increase safety in case of a horse rider fall, while maximizing performance through an increased foot grip and adjustable positioning and ergonomics.
• Equestrian sports performance is based on the interaction of two beings: the horse and the rider.
• the horse rider communicates with the horse with the so-called “riding aids”, which to the layperson could translate as horse riding “cues” for the horse.
• Such aids can be applied sonically (e.g. a gentle whistle to calm the horse down) or physically through the hands (e.g. pulling on the reins), legs (e.g. pressing the horse’s belly with the rider’s heel) or the weight (e.g. shifting the rider’s weight to the inner side of a turn to encourage the horse to adopt a correct canter technique).
• a flexible outer branch is considered to be the safest and most comfortable solution for the design of safety stirrups and has been adopted by a few brands, the main representative being FreejumpTM but also used by EquilineTM, and Fouganza (DecathlonTM).
• the device described in patent application W02010139909A1 registered by FreejumpTM has incorporated a flexible elastomer outer branch, that by shape is flexible in an omnidirectional fashion, allowing the foot to slide out in any type of fall, regardless of where the forces are applied from.
• Samshield TM has designed a stirrup, described in patent application US2019241424A1 , that incorporates a rigid outer branch that opens in omnidirectional ways by means of a swivel linkage at the top part of the stirrup, allowing for foot release wherever the forces come from, and FlexOn TM has implemented a semi-flexible and detachable outer branch, aiming to achieve the benefits of the two systems.
• a similar system has been described in the patent application US2005076620A1 .
• Freejump TM and FlexOn TM have used footplates of wider and deeper-than- normal dimensions, with innovative use of cleats and spikes similar to the designs found on downhill mountain-biking flat pedals. Increased grip and comfort can be attained by the possibility of performing ergonomic adjustments in the stirrup, and shock attenuation capabilities can also enable a more constant contact between foot sole and footplate.
• Winderen TM stirrups which allow anterio-posterior tilt of the footplate but is limited to a 0° positioning of the eye, where the stirrup leathers attach and requires external tools for it to be adjusted.
• Winderen TM has also implemented shock absorption capabilities on the footplate, by the insertion of elastomer material between the plate and the skeleton of the stirrup. Such solution has been implemented by Freejump TM and FlexOn TM. Winderen TM however, has developed a novel shock absorption solution by introducing dampening springs on the eye of the stirrup.
• a device described in patent application W00030972A1 includes a shock absorbing mechanism at the top of the stirrup that dampens the shocks and eliminates the vibrations by means of a spring.
• the eye of the stirrup is rotatable but has no possibilities to be set on a locked position, making it difficult for a rider that has slipped the stirrup to relocate the foot in place.
• the present invention is a horse-riding stirrup that comprises several adjustable components for the rider’s comfort and safety and addresses the disadvantages of known solutions.
• the technical problem is solved as defined in the independent claim, while preferred embodiments are defined in dependent claims.
• stirrup comprises:
• a rotatable eye with an opening for connection with belts for installation of stirrups
• said rotatability of the eye is adjustable via mounting pins or similar elements engaging with holes in a first side branch
• said eye is further provided with an inner cavity inside which a bolt and a spring are installed for connection to the first side branch, said bolt and spring ensuring adjustable distance between the eye and the first side branch in order to provide damping/attenuation of movement
• the first side branch is in its upper part connected to the rotatable eye and in its bottom part connected via a shaft, axis or any similar element to the foot plate
• a second, outer side branch has a bottom part connected to the foot plate and the upper part of the second branch ends freely without connection to the eye or the first branch, wherein the second branch is made from a flexible material and wherein the connection with the foot plate is rotatable due to said axis and a locking mechanism configured to unlock in case of the sagital-plane, i.e. , axis rotation torque applied to the second side branch.
• the locking mechanism comprises: o a channel perpendicular to the axis at the end of the axis near to the second side branch, wherein the channel is arranged to receive a second spring and a ball, o the ball and the second spring arranged to be compressed with the ball, o an insert attached to the second, outer side branch, said insert having a protrusion for holding the second spring and the ball in place, o a circular hole provided in the axis, said hole being arranged to receive the ball, o wherein in case of applied pressure, force, torque on the outer side branch the insert is configured to push the ball into the channel, thus compressing the second spring and unlocking of the locking mechanism to allow rotation of the outer side branch.
• the return to the original position is done manually by simply rotating the outer branch back to the upward vertical position, resulting in the ball pushed back into its socket.
• the foot plate is connected to the first side branch with the axis via a spline coupling.
• a spline coupling instead of spline other solutions, components or assemblies may be used.
• Spline coupling between the footplate and the bearing axis allows different tilted positions of the plate when placed on the axis.
• the eye has an opening to receive straps for installation of stirrups, wherein said opening may be achieved and designed in any manner known to the person skilled in the art.
• the eye is connected to the upper part of the first side branch, which is provided with a central cavity arranged to receive a bolt, a screw or a similar element provided with a spring surrounding said bolt, screw, or similar element.
• Said bolt or screw is fixed in the eye and is further vertically movable in said cavity depending on the state of the eye relative to the first side branch. When the eye is in contact with the first side branch, the bolt or the screw is at its lowermost position and the spring is relaxed.
• the spring installed in the cavity of the eye may be any suitable spring, preferably a coil (helical) spring. By using springs with different characteristics, the damping effect may be adjusted.
• a plurality of circularly arranged holes is provided in the upper part of the first side branch, said holes being configures to receive two mounting pins, bolts, screws or similar elements that define the position of the eye with regards to the first side branch.
• the eye is provided with two openings for affixing two mounting pins, bolts, screws, or similar elements.
• the mounting pins, bolts, screws or other elements are movable in the openings made in the upper part of the first side branch depending on the relative positions of the eye and the first side branch.
• the rotation of the eye with regards to the first side branch may be controlled with the mounting pins and plurality of holes in the upper part of the first side branch. Namely, unwinding the central bolt enables the eye to lift, then the mounting pins may be removed from holes and installed in a different pair of holes. Consequently, the construction with circumferentially arranged holes in the upper part of the first side branch allows 360-degree rotation of the eye (in the vertical direction).
• the eye can be fixated in 10-degree increments, by positioning the mounting pins inside the dedicated holes of the upper part of the first side branch.
• Said mounting pins or similar elements may be made from any suitable material, preferably steel.
• the foot plate may be interchangeable and may be shaped in any suitable manner.
• the preferred foot plate is selected in the group comprising:
• - foot plate with larger inwards inclination in the frontal plane (i.e., medial-lateral direction), i.e., towards the horse, wherein said larger inclination is typically in the range from 15 to 30 degrees,
• - foot plate with larger inclination in the frontal plane (i.e., medial-lateral direction), i.e., away from the horse, wherein said larger inclination is typically in the range from 15 to 30 degrees,
• foot plates allow personalized settings of foot, leg, and wholebody position. Different geometry of footplates thus allows individualized comfort and ergonomic parameters to fit riders with varying anatomical characteristics (namely: knee valgus, knee varus, and a diverse range of internal/external rotation of the leg).
• the first, inner side branch, and the bearing axis, shaft or any suitable element are made from aluminium alloy or a material with similar mechanical properties, such as plastic, polymer composite, carbon fibre, etc.
• the second, outer side branch may be made from any suitable flexible material.
• the side branches may have any suitable shape, and can be either full or with cut-outs, said cut-out preferably following the shape of side branches.
• the horse rider places a foot on the foot plate and further moves it forward.
• up-down movement during riding the damping eye allows damping of impacts due to horse gaits, jumps and other movements.
• the stirrup according to the invention enables the rider to adjust the settings according to his/her needs and contributes to safety of riders, particularly younger riders that are more prone to falls, as the foot can be safely, quickly and without injuries removed from the stirrup.
• Figure 1 a rider sitting in a saddle mounted on a horse (partially shown)
• Figure 1 b a situation before a rider places the foot on the foot plate of the stirrup
• Figure 1 c a situation in case of a fall, in which the rider’s foot affects the state of the stirrup
• Figure 2 a possible embodiment of the eye
• Figure 3a a flexible second, outer side branch
• FIG. 5 various options for the foot plate
• Figure 1 a shows a rider sitting in a saddle mounted on a horse (partially shown).
• the leg of the rider is placed in the stirrup according to a possible embodiment, wherein said stirrup comprises:
• a second flexible side branch has a bottom part connected to the foot plate and the upper part of the second branch ends freely without connection to the eye or the first branch.
• Figures 1 b and 1 c depict the rider in two possible positions, wherein Figure 1 b relates to a situation before placing the foot on the foot plate of the stirrup and Figure 1 c is a situation in case of a fall.
• the foot is displaced from the stirrup and the flexible outer side branch allows safe and fast removal of the leg from the stirrup.
• the forces exerted by the foot on the outer side branch cause the latter to bend due to flexibility of the material and lack of connection to the eye as well as rotation of the outer side branch due to the movable mounting and/or connection to the foot plate and consequently to the inner side branch.
• Figure 2 shows a possible embodiment of the eye, wherein:
• the upper part of the first side branch which is arranged to be in contact with the eye, is provided with: o a plurality of circularly arranged holes 7, said holes being configures to receive two mounting pins, bolts, screws or similar elements 4 that define the position of the eye 3 with regards to the first side branch 1 , and o a central cavity arranged to receive a bolt or a screw 6 provided with a spring 5, said bolt or screw 6 being vertically movable in said cavity depending on the state of the eye relative to the first side branch 1 ,
• the eye 3 has an opening to receive straps for installation of stirrups as well as two openings for affixing two mounting pins, bolts, screws or similar elements 4 and one central opening for installation of the bolt or a screw 6.
• the bolt or the screw 6 When the eye is in contact with the first side branch (upper left part of the figure) the bolt or the screw 6 is at its lowermost position and the spring 5 is relaxed. If due to a jump or other movement the foot plate is pressed and the eye 3 is no longer in contact with the first side branch 1 , the fixed mounting of the bolt or the screw 6 in the eye pulls the bolt or the screw 6 upwards and thus compresses the spring. A gap is created as shown in the upper right part of the figure. Change between these two positions in regular during riding and damping is thus achieved. The damping effect may be affected by the size of the bolt or the screw 6 (the longer the bolt/screw, the larger the possible gap between the side branch and the eye 3), by the spring (size, force).
• unwinding the bolt 6 from the central lower part of the subassembly enables the eye to lift, remove the pins from contact with matching pin holes 7 and consequently allows 360-degree rotation of the eye (in the vertical direction).
• the assembly can be fixated in 10-degree increments, by positioning the steel pins inside the dedicated holes of the lower part of the subassembly. Mentioned mounting pins, bolts, screws or similar elements 4 may be moved to different openings 7 of the upper part of the side branch in order to adjust the rotatability of the eye 3. This adjustment is achieved with an alien key that disengages contacts and allows re-placement of the mounting pins 4.
• Figure 3a shows the flexible second, outer side branch 9, which can be deformed in any direction (indicated by dashed lines in the left part of the figure) and can be moved due to flexible mounting on the foot plate 8.
• Figure 3b depicts the connections between both side branches 1 , 9 and the foot plate 8.
• the foot plate 8 is connected to the first side branch 1 with the axis 2 via spline coupling.
• spline other solutions, components or assemblies may be used.
• the axis 2 is preferably centrally installed in the foot plate and in the bottom part of the inner side branch 1 .
• On the other end of the axis a locking mechanism is provided for locking the axis in place.
• the locking mechanism comprises:
• the external force needed for dismantling of the locking mechanism can be adjusted.
• the locking mechanism When the locking mechanism is rotated 180 degrees the insert matches the groove on the axis 14 and the locking mechanism can be completely removed.
• Removing the locking mechanism enables the footplate to be removed and replaced by a footplate with different geometry as shown in Figure 5.
• Spline coupling between the footplate and the bearing axis allows different tilted positions of the plate when placed on the axis.
• Figure 4 shows tilting of the foot plate 8, wherein due to the mounting in axis 2 the foot plate 8 may be tilted towards the rider or away from him/her, depending on the position of the foot, leg, body of the rider and/or the horse.
• FIG. 5 depicts various options for the foot plate 8 installed between the two side branches 1 and 9 with the axis 2.
• Said foot plates 8 may be interchangeable and selected in the group comprising:
• - foot plate with larger inwards inclination in the frontal plane (i.e., medial-lateral direction), i.e., towards the horse, wherein said larger inclination is typically in the range from 15 to 30 degrees (first from the right),
• - foot plate with larger inclination in the frontal plane (i.e., medial-lateral direction), i.e., away from the horse, wherein said larger inclination is typically in the range from 15 to 30 degrees (first from the left).
• the interchangeable foot plates 8 may be provided in a set, so that each rider can select the one that is the most suitable for his/her body dimensions, riding style, horse, etc.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=84535849

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2022
  • 2022-11-25 WO PCT/EP2022/083276 patent/WO2023147909A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2022-11-25 EP EP22823338.3A patent/EP4313844A1/de active Pending

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