FR2828109A1 - Ring for use in outdoor sports and games is made from rectangular or square sheet of plastic or rubber with transverse slits and joined edges - Google Patents

Abstract

The ring (1), in the shape of a central crown (3) and a series of independent radial sectors (2), is made from a rectangular or square sheet of plastic or rubber, cut with a series of transverse slits that do not go as far as its edges (6, 7). The uncut edges are joined together to form a tube, and the ends of the tube are then joined to make a ring, e.g. with an adhesive strip.

Description

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The invention relates to a method for producing a toy or a sport item in the form of a torus, in particular intended to be projected in the air during games or outdoor activities.

yc, lycée. l Pour la pratique d'une telle activité, les joueurs projettent en l'air en se le renvoyant l'un à l'autre, un jouet en forme de tore, présentant une pluralité de secteurs ou fuseaux, régulièrement espacés les uns par rapport aux autres, et assemblés au niveau d'une couronne centrale.

t Traditionnellement, ces jouets étaient réalisés à base de chambre à air de bicyclette ou de mobylette, donc en caoutchouc, en fonction de la rigidité recherchée de l'accessoire. More specifically, the invention relates to the production of such a toy more commonly known as PITCH or PITCHAT, well known in the courts of

yc, high school. l For the practice of such an activity, the players project into the air by sending it back to each other, a toy in the shape of a torus, having a plurality of sectors or spindles, regularly spaced apart from each other to the others, and assembled at a central crown.

t Traditionally, these toys were made from the inner tube of a bicycle or moped, therefore made of rubber, depending on the desired rigidity of the accessory.

We have described, for example in document FR-A-2 616 336, a method for producing such an accessory, using the molding technique. If this technique certainly leads to the desired accessory, on the other hand, it generates significant tool costs, especially in relation to the molds to be produced.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a simplified method for producing such an accessory in the form of a torus.

According to the invention, this process consists: - first of all in cutting from the material constituting the accessory a sheet of rectangular or square shape; - Then, to produce within this sheet, a plurality of through cuts oriented substantially parallel to one of the sides of said sheet, but not emerging at their two ends; - Then to secure the two edges of said sheet at the areas free from cutting, so as to define a substantially cylindrical volume;

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 and finally to join the two ends of the cylinder thus formed to each other, still at the areas free from cutting.

In this way, an accessory of the type in question is obtained, having a toroidal shape, and having the multitude of spindles or sectors giving the accessory its properties of flexibility and elasticity and rebound at the periphery, and moreover its relative rigidity in the central zone or central crown.

Advantageously, and in order to increase the rigidity of the central crown, the two areas free from cutting of the sheet are joined together by overlapping one over the other.

In addition, according to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the joining of these two zones is optimized by the use of a tape or an adhesive tape positioned at the outer periphery of the crown.

The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which ensue therefrom will emerge more clearly from the example of embodiment which follows, given by way of indication and without limitation in support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the accessory according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation in section of the accessory.

Figure 3 is a representation of the base sheet having the characteristic cutouts of the invention.

The accessory (1) according to the invention has therefore been schematically represented in FIG. 1. As already specified, it is in the form of a torus, the torus being in fact constituted by the succession a number of spindles or sectors (2), substantially circular, secured at a central zone (3) forming a crown.

In fact, this torus does not have a closed envelope, taking into account the relative spacing existing between the consecutive time zones. This structure gives the accessory both elasticity, compressibility and rebound. On the other hand, the central zone or central crown (3) has greater rigidity, to allow, when the accessory is actuated by the player's foot, the player to turn it over and deposit it on the player's foot .

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According to the invention, the production of the accessory is carried out as follows: We start from a sheet (4) of substantially rectangular shape, made of a plastic or rubber material, or even of any other material having substantially the same physical properties, such as for example neoprene, and the dimensions of which are obviously a function of the desired dimensions of the accessory.

Typically, an exemplary embodiment may provide a sheet 15 cm in length over a width of about ten centimeters.

Within this sheet, a number of linear cuts (5) are made, parallel to each other on the one hand, and parallel to the great length of the rectangle constituting the sheet on the other hand.

These cuts are made at regular intervals of approximately three mm, and are traversing on either side of the thickness of the sheet, this thickness being, in the example described typically of two mm. The cutting techniques used can be diverse. In addition to, of course, manual cutting, mention may also be made of laser or water stream cutting, as well as punch-die cutting.

On the other hand, these linear cuts (5) do not open out at the two ends of the sheet. In this way, two zones (6,7) are generated which are free from these cuts, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

During the next step, said zones free from cutting are joined to one another, either edge to edge, or by covering one over the other (FIG. 3), thus giving more rigidity to the central crown (3) during its constitution with the subsequent step.

This joining can be carried out by any means, such as in particular stapling, gluing, fusing, etc.

This second stage of the process therefore leads to the formation of a cylinder, certainly not entirely regular taking into account the zone of possible overlap of the zones (6,7), and a part of which is continuous, at the place of joining of the zones (6,7), the remainder of which is discontinuous, taking into account the cutouts (5) made, intended to define the spindles (2).

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 The next step is to close the cylinder on itself. It is achieved by the joining of its two ends, which is also carried out at the areas free from cutting.

This joining, like the previous one, can be carried out by any means: stapling, gluing, heat sealing, etc.

Furthermore, this joining can be optimized by the use at the outer periphery of the crown (3) thus defined, of a tape of an adhesive type. This can also serve to increase the rigidity of the crown, if this is required.

The desired accessory is thus obtained, having a relatively rigid central crown, and a peripheral torus, constituted by a plurality of sectors or spindles, regularly distributed with respect to each other, and free from each other.

We can therefore see the great simplicity of the manufacturing process, using very much less heavy means than those known to date, resulting in fact in a cost price of the product itself very much lower than traditional costs.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS 1. Method for making a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus, consisting of a central crown (3) and a plurality of spindles or sectors (2) independent from each other, characterized in that it consists: - first of all of cutting from the material constituting the accessory a sheet (4) of rectangular or square shape, the dimensions of which correspond the size of the accessory to be made; - Then, to produce within this sheet (4), a plurality of through cuts (5), oriented substantially parallel to one of the sides of said sheet, but not emerging at their two ends, so as to define areas of solidarity (6,7); - Then to secure the two edges of said sheet at the areas free from cutting (6,7), so as to define a substantially cylindrical volume; - And finally to join one to the other the two ends of the cylinder thus formed, still at the level of the areas free from cutting (6,7). 2. Method for producing a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus according to claim 1, characterized in that the joining of the areas free from cutting one to the other, both for the formation of the cylinder and for the closing of the latter on itself is carried out by stapling, gluing, heat-bonding. 3. Method for producing a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the closing of the cylinder on itself is further secured by means of an adhesive tape, positioned at the outer periphery of the crown (3). 4. Method for producing a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two areas free from cutting (6,7) are joined edge to edge, for the constitution of the cylinder. <Desc / Clms Page number 6> 5. Method for producing a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two zones free from cutting (6,7) are joined by overlapping, for the constitution of the cylinder. 6. Method for producing a game or sports or outdoor activity accessory in the form of a torus according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the material constituting the accessory is chosen from the group comprising plastics, rubber and neoprene.