FR2876886A1 - Hiking stick for hiker, has braking system allowing to slow down descent of handle to dissipate energy, and permitting hiker to block expansion of stick to raise and redirect stick when handle is in lower position and then to unbend stick - Google Patents

Abstract

The stick has a braking system allowing to slow down the descent of a handle (2) along a body (1) to dissipate energy of a hiker. The system permits the hiker to momentarily block an expansion of the stick, by a manual control, for raising and redirecting the stick when the handle is in a lower position, and then allowing the hiker to unbend the stick. The system permits the hiker to vary a frictional force between the handle and body.

Description

The invention relates to a hiking stick provided with a braking system,

  allowing the walker to relieve his muscles and joints in descents.

  When a walker climbs a hill, he must naturally make an effort to acquire potential energy. At the descent, he must still provide an effort, but this time to dissipate his potential energy, that is to say, to turn it into heat. It is essentially the muscles that dissipate the energy, and therefore heat up. The joints are also under severe strain.

  Rigid hiking poles allow the walker to spread the load between the arms and legs. The arms can thus dissipate some of the energy, but the sticks themselves do not dissipate it.

  Sticks with a shock absorber or a conventional braking system can dissipate energy, but the amount of energy dissipated is limited by the small range of movement of the handle.

  In the following, we will call the braking distance the distance traveled by the handle along the axis of the stick during braking (or compression). The energy absorbed (and possibly dissipated) by the system is then equal to the force exerted by the walker on the handle in the axis of the stick that multiplies the braking distance.

  To better understand the interest of the invention, we detail the use of a stick with a damper or a conventional braking system.

  With such a stick, the walker leans on the handle, and the handle goes down along the axis of the stick. When the handle is at the bottom of its course, the walker can not clear the tip: he must first let the stick relax, and his hand back. Only when the stick is completely relaxed can it clear the tip and replant the stick further. For the use remains convenient, the amplitude of the movement, that is to say the braking distance, must be relatively small, which limits the amount of energy dissipated.

  The present invention differs from existing systems in that the walker can block the relaxation of the stick. This allows him to lift and redirect the stick without having to let the handle back up beforehand. The interest will appear more clearly in view of the use.

  The description which follows refers to the figures given in the appendix.

  Figure 1 illustrates the use of the stick.

  Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention.

  Figures 4 and 5 give a schematic overview of a second embodiment. Figures 6, 7 and 8 describe in more detail the braking system and the corresponding return system.

  Figure 9 illustrates a variant of the second embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 illustrates the use of the stick: 2876886 -2Phase 1: The walker leans on the handle, it goes down along the axis of the stick and the brake system dissipates energy.

  Phase 2: When the handle is at the bottom of its stroke, the walker blocks the trigger of the stick, so that he can clear the point and redirect the stick.

  Phase 3: The walker lets the stick relax and replant it further.

  It can then resume support on the handle (phase 1).

  Compared with existing systems, the invention makes it possible to have a greater braking distance, and thus to dissipate more energy.

  For clarity, we have illustrated the use of a single stick, but we can naturally use two sticks simultaneously.

  The device according to the invention consists of the following organs: - The body (1) of the stick, which ends with the tip of the stick.

  - A handle portion (2) which is movable relative to the body (1). During braking (phase 1), the handle part (2) moves along the body (1), and during the relaxation of the stick (phase 3), it is the body (1) that moves while the handle part (2) remains motionless. According to the embodiment, the handle portion (2) can be long (up to a little more than half the total length of the stick), or reduced to the handle itself.

  - A braking system: it allows braking the movement of the handle part (2) along the body (1) when the walker is supported on the handle, so that the system dissipates energy (phase 1).

  - A locking system allowing the walker to momentarily block the trigger of the stick to be able to lift and redirect the stick while the handle is at the bottom of its stroke (phase 2). In the various embodiments that we describe, it is the same member that provides braking and locking the trigger, but this is not mandatory.

  - Possibly a return system, which accelerates the relaxation of the stick (phase 3). The return system is not essential, since the body (1) can descend along the handle portion (2) by the mere force of its weight.

  We detail in the following two embodiments of the invention, without these being limiting of the invention.

  Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment. Figure 2 is an overall view and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of the device.

  The handle part (2) consists solely of a rigid part (14) on which the elastic (4) is fixed, and of the handle (3a) which acts as a brake: the handle (3a) can, for example , be made of a deformable material ensuring a good coefficient of friction with the body (1), so that to slow or stop the movement, it is sufficient for the walker to tighten the handle (3a) 2876886 -3- more or less strong. The material may for example be a foam such as that used for hiking mattresses.

  The return system consists of an elastic (4). This elastic band is fixed at the bottom of the stick (7), goes up inside the body (1), passes through the cap (5) via the conduit (6) and then goes down to the outside of the body (1), until to the handle to which it is fixed in (8). The elastic (4) is long so that the restoring force does not vary too much depending on whether the handle (3a) is at the top or bottom of its stroke. The elastic (4) may be of the bungee type.

  To improve the support on the handle (3a), it may be provided with a strap (15). During the relaxation of the stick (phase 3), the movement of the body (1) down is stopped when the cap (5) abuts on the rigid portion (14) of the handle portion (2).

  The ring (12) fixed at the bottom of the body (1) limits the travel of the handle part (2) downwards.

  In the illustration of Figure 1, the handle moves only half the total length of the stick. But in practice, depending on the slope and terrain, the walker can use the entire length of the stick as stopping distance.

  This embodiment is particularly simple and economical, but it has the following disadvantage: when the handle and the hand of the walker down along the stick (phase 1), the top of the body (1) can be an inconvenience for the walker .

  Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment.

  Figures 4 and 5 show a schematic overview of the system when the handle is in the up position and when in the down position.

  The handle part (2) consists of a tube (13) which can slide along the body (1). The handle (3b) and the brake (10) are fixed on the tube (13).

  Figures 6, 7 and 8 show in detail, in section, the braking system and the return system for this embodiment.

  The brake (10) is surrounded by the clamping ring (9). The tightening of the ring is controlled by a cable (not drawn) as on a bicycle, the cable passing through a sheath (not drawn) to the handle (11). When the walker actuates the handle (11), the brake (10) is tightened by the ring (9) and the movement between the handle portion (2) and the body (1) is braked. The brake (10) may for example be P.V.C.

  The return system consists of an elastic (4). The elastic (4) is fixed at the bottom of the body (1), in (7), goes up inside the body (1), passes through the conduit (6), and back down between the body (1) and the tube (13) inside the groove (16). The elastic (4) is attached to the tube (13) at (8).

  During the relaxation of the stick (phase 3), the movement of the body of the stick (1) downward is stopped by the elastic (4) when the plug (5) arrives at the fixing hole (8).

  For the same total length of the stick, one can choose different lengths for the handle part (2) and the body (1): with a handle part (2) longer, the walker will be less likely to be bothered by the top of the body (1), but it will have a shorter braking distance.

  Figure 9 illustrates the extreme case where the handle portion (2) and the body (1) are of the same length. The handle (3b) can then be attached to the top of the tube (13). The advantage is that the bearing force on the handle (3b) can be exerted perfectly in the axis of the stick.

  The following two variants apply to the two previous embodiments.

  A first variant consists in replacing the duct (6) with a pulley in order to reduce the wear of the elastic (4).

  A second variant is to replace the elastic (4) by a retractor fixed in place of the plug (5) and pulling up a wire whose other end is fixed to the handle portion (2) in (8). For the second embodiment, the fact of replacing the elastic (4) with a wire makes it possible in particular to reduce the size of the groove (16).

  On uphill or on the flat, so that the movement between the handle portion (2) and the body (1) is blocked, can be added a permanent locking system of the brake.

  The device according to the invention is intended for hikers.

2876886 -5-

Claims (9)

claims   1) Hiking stick consisting of a body (1) and a handle portion (2) movable along the body (1), a braking system for braking the descent of the handle portion (2) along the body (1) in order to dissipate a portion of the energy of the walker (phase 1), characterized in that a blocking system allows the walker to momentarily block, by a manual control, the detent of the stick so as to be able to lift and redirect the stick when the handle (3a or 3b) is in the low position (phase 2), the walker can then let the stick relax (phase 3).   2) Stick according to claim 1 characterized in that the braking and blocking are performed by the braking system, the latter allowing the walker to vary, by a manual control, the friction force between the handle portion (2 ) and the body (1) 3) Stick according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that a return system accelerates the relaxation of the stick (phase 3).   4) Stick according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the handle portion (2) consists solely of a rigid portion (14) and a handle (3a) which slides along the body (1), the handle (3a) being made of a deformable material and having a good coefficient of friction with the body (1) so that the walker can brake (phase 1), block (phase 2) or release (phase 3) the movement of the handle (3a) along the body (1), squeezing said handle (3a) more or less strong.   5) Stick according to claim 4 characterized in that the return system consists of an elastic (4) fixed by one of its ends at the bottom of the body (1), rising inside the body (1), through a plug (5) fixed at the top of the body (1) and then down along the body (1) to be fixed at the bottom of the handle portion (2) in (8), so that the elastic (4) pulls the handle part (2) towards the top of the body (1).   6) Stick according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the handle portion (2) consists of a tube (13) sliding along the body (1), a handle (3b) being fixed at the top of the tube ( 13) and a brake (10) being fixed at the bottom of the tube (13), the clamping of the brake (10) being controlled, as on a bicycle, by a handle (11) located near the handle (3b).   7) Stick according to claim 6 characterized in that the return system is an elastic (4), one end of which is fixed at the bottom of the body (1), the elastic (4) going up inside the body (1), passing through the stopper (5) located at the top of the body (1) and then descending between the body (1) and the tube (13) following a groove (16) arranged in the tube (13), the another end of the elastic (4) being fixed down the tube (13), so that the handle portion is pulled up the body (1) by the elastic (4).   2876886 -6- 8) Stick according to claim 5 or 7 characterized in that the plug (5) is provided with a pulley to reduce the wear of the elastic (4).   9) Stick according to claim 4 or 6 characterized in that the return system consists of a winder fixed at the top of the body (1) in place of the plug (5), one end of the wire being attached to the reel and the other end being fixed down the tube (13) at (8), so that the handle portion (2) is pulled up the body (1).