FR3057538A1 - ASSEMBLY SYSTEM FOR AQUATIC MATS AND AQUATIC COURSE CORRESPONDING - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly system (100) for aquatic carpets (T1, T2) configured to assemble at least one first aquatic carpet (T1) with a second aquatic carpet (T2), said system (100) comprising: a) first male members (10) formed on at least one of the edges of the first mat (T1) and / or the second mat (T2), and b) second female members (20) provided on at least one of the edges of the second (T2) and / or the first belt (T1), wherein the first (10) and second (20) respectively male and female elements are able to engage in each other for the assembly of the first (T1) and second (T2) edge-to-edge carpets; the present invention also relates to an aquatic installation (200) in the form of an aquatic game course comprising a plurality of aquatic carpets (T1, T2, T3, T4) assembled together by at least one assembly system ( 100).

Description

Holder (s): SARL ABYSSE Limited liability company.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): CABINET RIFFLART VANDENBOSSCHE.

ASSEMBLY SYSTEM FOR AQUATIC MATS AND CORRESPONDING AQUATIC COURSE.

FR 3,057,538 - A1 (57) The present invention relates to an assembly system (100) for aquatic mats (T1, T2) configured to assemble at least a first aquatic mat (T1) with a second aquatic mat (T2), said system (100) comprising: a) first male elements (10) formed on at least one of the edges of the first mat (T1) and / or the second mat (T2), and b) second female elements (20 ) formed on at least one of the edges of the second (T2) and / or of the first mat (T 1), in which the first (10) and second (20) elements respectively male and female are able to engage the one inside the other for assembling the first (T1) and second (T2) mats edge against edge; the present invention also relates to an aquatic installation (200) in the form of an aquatic play course comprising a plurality of aquatic mats (T1, T2, T3, T4) assembled together by at least one assembly system ( 100).

ASSEMBLY SYSTEM FOR AQUATIC MATS AND CORRESPONDING AQUATIC ROUTE

Technical field and prior art

The object of the present invention relates to the field of water games, and more particularly water games of the water course type comprising a plurality of water mats assembled together.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to design an assembly system which is simple to implement and which makes it possible to have a good joining of the carpets when they are assembled together.

By aquatic mat within the meaning of the present invention is meant throughout the following description a generally flexible plate, also called a raft, intended for use in an aquatic environment. Such a floating plate is very often composed at least partially in a foam-type material; it is also possible to provide a treatment on at least one of the faces of the plate to avoid slipping.

The aquatic courses are made up of a plurality of mats assembled together in a desired configuration depending on the end use.

These courses can be used for a fun, sporting or educational purpose.

You can also use these courses as part of a rehabilitation.

There are several systems for connecting the belts together.

Conventionally, the carpets are connected to each other using fabric or PVC straps fitted with loops, which are passed through holes made in the thickness of the carpets.

This first technique is laborious, it is not practical and can be potentially dangerous for users.

They can also be connected using cylindrical foam rods that pass through these same holes.

Once you have connected two adjacent mats to each other, the rods are blocked with retention plates.

This technique is not simple since it requires bending the rods and then pushing them into the holes in the carpets to then slide the retention plates.

Some have already tried to remedy the above drawbacks by proposing alternative fastening systems.

The fastening system is thus known, marketed under the brand name “Magilink®”, by the company LA MAISON DE LA PISCINE.

The "Magilink®" fixing system protected by French patent LR 2 944 773 B1 proposes for this purpose the mounting of a floating aquatic installation made from flexible floating mats provided with holes.

The system provided for in this document requires the use of:

assembly studs made of rigid pastic material provided with hemispherical caps adapted to rest on the surface of the carpets and cylindrical bodies of external diameter adapted to be frictionally inserted into the holes of the carpets, and of parts forming means of retention.

With the "Magilink®" system, it is necessary to carry out the installation to grasp an assembly stud and insert the cylindrical body of it in one of the holes in a carpet. The same operation must be carried out for another carpet and so on to form the skeleton of the installation.

To join the carpets together, we must then position on the reverse side of the carpet additional fixing means.

Despite the advantages it offers, we can still understand that the "Magilink®" solution offered by the company LA MAISON DE LA PISCINE remains long, complex and tedious to implement.

It also requires the intervention of several operators.

In addition, the fact of joining the carpets between two using complementary fastening means means that the aquatic carpets are necessarily planar with each other.

The “Magilink®” solution is only suitable for unsinkable floating mats. It does not make it possible to make routes with complex geometry, with for example uneven or stairs.

The Applicant submits that the various solutions proposed so far in the prior art for the assembly of aquatic mats in order to form an aquatic course are complex to implement; moreover, they are most often unsightly and not very flexible, or even dangerous.

Summary and object of the present invention

The present invention aims to improve the current situation described above.

The present invention aims more particularly to remedy the various drawbacks mentioned above by proposing a simple, modular and intuitive assembly of at least one first aquatic mat with a second aquatic mat.

To this end, the object of the present invention relates, according to a first aspect, to an assembly system for aquatic mats configured to assemble at least a first aquatic mat with a second aquatic mat.

According to the present invention, the system comprises first male elements formed on at least one of the edges of the first carpet and / or the second carpet, and second female elements formed on at least one of the edges of the second and / or of the first carpet.

Advantageously, the first and second elements, respectively male and female, are capable of engaging with one another for the assembly of the first and second mat edge to edge.

According to optional features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

the first male elements comprise at least one tooth and the second female elements comprise at least one recess of shape complementary to said at least one tooth; it is thus possible to engage the teeth in the recesses to assemble the first and second belts together;

at least one of the edges of the first mat and at least one of the edges of the second mat each include alternating teeth and depressions;

each tooth comprises at least one hole extending substantially parallel to said at least one edge of the first and / or of the second mat; preferably, said at least one hole is through;

the holes are positioned on their respective teeth so as to be aligned with each other when the first and second male and female elements respectively are engaged with one another;

the system according to the present invention comprises an elongate element, for example of tubular shape, dimensioned to be introduced into the through holes aligned so as to join the first and second belts together;

the system according to the present invention comprises fixing means comprising a jaw configured to be positioned around a long anchor piece and to grip said piece;

the fixing means comprise a sleeve assembled to the jaw, the sleeve being configured to receive the elongate element;

the fixing means comprise a locking element configured to lock the elongate element in position vis-à-vis the sleeve; the locking element comprises a pressure screw;

the system according to the present invention comprises protective reinforcements, preferably made of foam, configured to envelop the fixing means.

Correlatively, the object of the present invention relates, according to a second aspect, to an aquatic installation comprising an aquatic play course which comprises a plurality of aquatic mats assembled together by at least one assembly system such as that described above.

Thus, thanks to the various functional and structural technical characteristics described above, the present invention makes it possible to carry out aquatic courses of complex shapes without difficulty, with a minimum of intervention and a minimum of operators.

Brief description of the attached figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description below, with reference to the appended FIGS. 1 to 7, which illustrate various embodiments thereof which are devoid of any limiting nature and in which:

Figure 1 schematically shows a top view of a first example of assembling two belts together with an assembly system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically represents a top view of a second example of assembly of three belts together with an assembly system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 each show a perspective view of other examples of assembly of several belts together with an assembly system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 represents a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the means for fixing the assembly system according to the present invention; FIG. 7 represents a perspective view of an assembly system with the fixing means of said system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description according to an advantageous exemplary embodiment

The present invention will now be described in what follows with reference to Figures 1 to 7 appended to the description.

For the record, one of the objectives of the present invention is to design an assembly system 100 for aquatic mats, simple to use and robust, which makes it possible to design aquatic installations 200 of the aquatic path type of complex and varied shapes.

Such an objective is achieved by the various examples which will follow and which are illustrated in the appended figures; it will be understood here that these are purely illustrative examples which in no way have any limiting nature.

In the example described here and illustrated in FIG. 1, it is sought to assemble between them a first Tl and a second T2 carpet.

In this example, the mats Tl and T2 are in the form of a foam plate having a length substantially equal to two meters and a width substantially equal to one meter.

In this example, the rugs have a thickness of between seven and ten centimeters.

The dimensions of these two mats Tl and T2 are particularly suited to the design of aquatic courses for baby swimmers.

Obviously, it will be understood that the above dimensions are given by way of example only. Other dimensions may be envisaged in the context of the present invention.

According to the invention, the assembly of these Tl and T2 mats is possible by the presence of a specific assembly system 100 comprising first male elements 10 and second female elements 20.

In this example, these male 10 and female 20 elements are formed on two of the opposite edges of each of the two belts T1 and T2.

It will be understood here that these male 10 and female 20 elements are able to cooperate together to allow assembly of the two belts T1 and T2.

More particularly, in the example of FIG. 1, each carpet T1 and T2 has two opposite edges which include alternating teeth 11 and recesses 21.

These teeth 11 and these recesses 21 are of complementary shapes so that it is possible to engage the teeth 11 on one of the edges of the first carpet T1 with the recesses 21 on one of the edges of the second carpet T2, and vice versa.

Once the teeth 11 in the recesses 21, the belts T1 and T2 are assembled together edge to edge.

In the example described here, each tooth 11 comprises a through hole 12.

In this example, each through hole 12 extends substantially parallel to the edge of the mat Tl or T2 which is associated with it.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the holes 12 of each of the two belts T1 and T2 are positioned on their respective teeth 11 so as to be aligned with one another when the teeth 11 of the carpet T1 and of the carpet T2 are engaged in the hollows 21 respectively of the T2 carpet and Tl carpet.

This alignment of the holes 12 is characteristic of the present invention.

This alignment in fact allows the introduction of a slender element 30 which secures the assembly between the belts T1 and T2.

Preferably, the through holes 12 are circular so as to allow the introduction of an elongated tube 30. The introduction of such a tube 30 allows the assembly of the belts T1 and T2 to be joined together.

In the example described here, the operator who must constitute the aquatic course must simply bring the two carpets Tl and T2; it suffices to bring together one of the edges of each of the two belts T1 and T2.

These edges are provided with male 10 and female 20 elements; the operator can thus engage the teeth 11 of the carpet Tl in the recesses 21 of the carpet T2, and vice versa.

Once the teeth 11 are engaged in the recesses 21, the holes 12 are typically aligned with each other.

The operator just has to slide the elongated tube 30 into the aligned holes 12 to ensure an integral connection between the two belts T1 and T2.

It will be observed here that, as indicated above, the elongate element 30 is of tubular shape to be introduced into the through holes 12 which are circular.

This example of implementation is advantageous because it makes it possible to carry out complex aquatic routes with unevennesses, for example a slope, which is not the case with the solutions of the state of the art, in particular the “Magilink®” solution. which only allows for flat routes (for unsinkable floating mats).

The fact of having a slender element 30 introduced into the aligned holes 12 in fact makes it possible to tilt a carpet with respect to another according to a desired degree of inclination, for example to create a slope.

Alternatively, one can also provide in other examples not illustrated here holes 12 having another shape, for example square or rectangular, with a slender element 30 of complementary shape.

The use of a hole 12 of square or rectangular shape, for example, makes it possible to stiffen the connection between the belts T1 and T2 by avoiding rotation of the belt with respect to the other; such an implementation, however, makes it possible to make only planar or right-angle connections (for example a staircase) between the belts T1 and T2.

In another embodiment not shown here, it can also be provided that the holes 12 are not through.

In this case, the elongate element 30 is replaced by the presence of pair (s) of lugs which are positioned on the teeth 11 of the other mat so as to be opposite the holes 12.

The assembly of the Tl and T2 mats is then secured by the cooperation of the pins which penetrate the holes.

This alternative offers less flexibility since it requires two types of carpet edge, an edge with teeth having holes without lugs and an edge with teeth having lugs without holes. Such a mode can however be advantageous to avoid the introduction of a tube 30.

FIG. 2 illustrates another exemplary embodiment with three belts T1, T2 and T3.

This example uses the same characteristics as those described above for FIG. 1.

Note, however, that in this example, the four edges of each of the belts are provided with alternating teeth 10 and recesses 20.

In this example, it is thus possible to produce more complex shapes.

Likewise, FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate other exemplary embodiments of aquatic paths 200 possible with the assembly system 100 and a plurality of belts T1, T2, T3 and T4.

In the example described here and illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the assembly system 100 includes fixing means 40 configured to solidly fix the aquatic path 200 to an element at the edge of the pool such as for example the amount of a swimming pool ladder or an anchoring element intended to be rigidly fixed to one of the edges of the swimming pool.

In this example, the fastening means 40 comprise a jaw 41.

In this example, the jaw 41 is able to grip an EA anchoring element intended to be fixed to one of the edges of the swimming pool. Alternatively, this jaw is configured to enclose one of the uprights of a swimming pool ladder (not shown here).

In this example, the fixing means 40 also include a sleeve 42 assembled to the jaw 41 to receive the tube 30.

There is also provision for the presence of a pressure screw 43 to lock the tube in position relative to the sleeve 42.

The presence of this sleeve 42 and this jaw, combined together, makes it possible to secure the aquatic path 200 to one of the edges of the pool.

The fixing means 40 thus ensure the safety of the route.

The present invention, thanks to a simple assembly system, makes it possible to secure the joining of the mats to one another in order to design aquatic courses of complex shape with in particular the possibility of creating differences in level.

The solution proposed in the context of the present invention is also aesthetic compared to existing solutions.

It should be observed that this detailed description relates to a particular embodiment of the present invention, but that in no case this description does not have any limiting character with the object of the invention; on the contrary, it aims to remove any possible inaccuracy or misinterpretation of the claims which follow.

It should also be observed that the reference signs put in brackets in the claims which follow are in no way limiting; the sole purpose of these signs is to improve the intelligibility and understanding of the claims which follow, as well as the scope of the protection sought.

NOMENCLATURE

Designation Reference Assembly system 100 First male elements 10 Second female elements 20 Carpet Tl, T2, T3, T4 Tooth 11 Hole 12 Hollow 21 Elongated element 30 Fastening means 40 Jaw 41 Muff 42 Locking element 43 Aquatic facility 200 Slender anchor EA

Claims (12)

1. Assembly system (100) for aquatic mats (Tl, T2, T3, T4) configured to assemble at least a first aquatic mat (Tl) with a second aquatic mat (T2), characterized in that it comprises: - first male elements (10) formed on at least one of the edges of the first mat (Tl) and / or the second mat (T2), and - second female elements (20) formed on at least one of the edges of the second (T2) and / or of the first mat (Tl), in which the first (10) and second (20) respectively male and female elements are able to engage with each other for the assembly of the first (Tl) and second (T2) carpet edge to edge. 2. System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the first male elements (10) comprise at least one tooth (11) and the second female elements (20) comprise at least one hollow (21) of shape complementary to said au minus one tooth (11). 3. System (100) according to claim 2, in which at least one of the edges of the first mat (Tl) and at least one of the edges of the second mat (T2) each comprise alternating teeth (11) and hollow (21). 4. System (100) according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein each tooth (11) comprises at least one through hole (12) extending substantially parallel to said at least one edge of the first (Tl) and / or the second (T2) carpet. 5. System (100) according to claim 4, wherein the holes (12) are positioned on their respective teeth (11) so as to be aligned with each other when said first (10) and second (20) elements respectively male and female are committed to each other. 6. System (100) according to claim 5, which comprises an elongate element (30) dimensioned to be introduced into the holes (12) aligned so as to join together the first (T1) and second (T2) carpet. 7. System (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises fixing means (40) comprising a jaw (41) configured to be positioned around a long anchor piece (EA) and to grip said piece (EA). 8. System (100) according to claim 7 attached to claim 6, wherein the fixing means (40) comprise a sleeve (42) assembled to said jaw (41), said sleeve (42) being configured to receive said elongate element (30). 9. System (100) according to claim 8, in which the fixing means (40) comprise a blocking element (43) configured to block in position said elongate element (30) with respect to said sleeve (42). 10. System (100) according to claim 9, wherein said locking element (43) comprises a pressure screw. 11. System (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, which comprises protective reinforcements (50), preferably made of foam, configured to envelop said fixing means (40). 12. Aquatic installation (200) comprising an aquatic play course comprising a plurality of aquatic mats (Tl, T2, T3, T4) assembled together by at least one assembly system (100) according to any one of claims 1 at 11. 1/5