FR3089945A1 - NAUTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE PRACTICE OF SPORT - Google Patents

Abstract

NAUTICAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE PRACTICE OF SPORT Nautical assembly for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats (2, 3) having on an upper surface (2c, 3c), engagement means (4) for the engagement of a foot (9) of a user and a lower surface (2d, 3d) opposite the upper face (2c, 3c). Each float (2, 3) comprises a flexible blade (5) projecting from the lower surface (2d, 3d). Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 4

Description

Description

Title of the invention: NAUTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE PRACTICE OF SPORT

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of sports recreation and more particularly relates to a nautical unit for the practice of sport.

Document WO 2009/155672 A2 describes a nautical unit for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats, each float extending substantially along a plane while elongating predominantly in a longitudinal direction between a front end and a rear end, each float comprising an upper surface having engagement means for engaging a user's foot and a lower surface opposite the upper face. These floats are respectively provided on their lower surface with a hinged flap with free pivoting along a transverse axis substantially parallel to the upper surface, said flaps serving as means for limiting the recoil of a float on the water when the user takes press this float to advance the other float. The user can thus practice on the water a movement similar to that of walking or alternative cross-country skiing.

In this document, the flap must return to the vertical so that it provides resistance to water. Before this vertical position, the free pivoting of the flap offers almost no resistance to water, so that a not inconsiderable recoil can occur.

Document US 4,915,659 A describes a similar assembly, in which the recoil-limiting means consist of a plurality of flexible pockets arranged under the floats. These flexible pockets oppose the recoil of the float by inflating with water, and empty when the float advances. These recoil-limiting means allow the user to slide on firm ground without damaging the recoil-limiting means.

In this document, the pockets must be filled with enough water so that they offer resistance to water. Before this filling, the pockets offer almost no resistance to water, so that a significant setback can occur.

[0006] Thus, a drawback of the means for limiting the recoil of these prior nautical assemblies is that it is necessary to have a recoil movement of the float according to a certain stroke before they become effective. This results in unpleasant sensations for the user, with a resistance to the retreat of the floats which varies too much during the movement.

Statement of the invention

A problem proposed by the present invention is to design an easy and inexpensive nautical unit to manufacture, allowing the practice of a movement on the water similar to that of alternative cross-country skiing and even closer to the movement of the ski. alternative bottom thanks to a better limitation of the recoil of the floats.

To achieve these and other objects, the invention provides a nautical unit for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats, each float extending substantially along a plane while extending predominantly in a direction. longitudinal between a front end and a rear end, each float comprising an upper surface having engagement means for engaging a foot of a user and a lower surface opposite the upper face; according to the invention:

- each float includes a flexible blade generally extending along a plane and projecting on the lower surface from an intersection line to a free edge,

- the line of intersection between the flexible blade and the lower surface of the float is oriented in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,

- the flexible blade is oriented obliquely towards the posterior end, with its plane forming with the longitudinal direction an angle less than 90 degrees.

The flexible blade can be similar to the front part of an underwater sport fin, that is to say a material having a certain rigidity while still being able to be deformed and return to its original shape.

Thanks to the flexible blade and its orientation, when the user advances a foot, the flexible blade placed under the float offers a certain resistance to water, and offers a higher resistance to water when the user applies forces on the float tending to cause said float to move back. In particular, a resistance to the recoil of a float is more quickly opposed and is perceptible more quickly by the user applying on the float forces tending to cause said float to move back.

Preferably, the plane of the flexible blade can form with the longitudinal direction an angle between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees. Such an angle provides a satisfactory compromise for easily advancing the float by sliding on the water and then limiting the recoil of the float.

Advantageously, the flexible blade may have a concave longitudinal profile with a concavity directed towards the lower surface of the float. The flexible blade thus provides a greater resistance to the recoil of the float than the resistance which it opposes to the advance of the float.

Advantageously, the engagement means of each float may include a hollow housing formed in the upper surface of the float. The hollow housing thus allows support of the user's foot closer to the bottom surface of the float. This limits the risks of imbalance of the user in the event of slight rotation of the float around its longitudinal direction. Such a hollow housing also allows a setting of the foot relative to the float in the longitudinal direction.

Preferably, each float may include means for receiving and retaining a user's foot, able to come to at least partial recovery of the kick of said foot. The receiving and retaining means thus allow a good advance of the float by the foot of the user. Such receiving and retaining means can be in the form of a simple strap overlapping the kick. However, it is possible to provide receiving and retaining means in the form of a slipper which surrounds the front (kick) and the rear of the foot.

Advantageously, it can be provided that:

- each float has a fin projecting from the underside, said fin generally extending along a plane perpendicular to the underside and parallel to the longitudinal direction,

- Said fin is located in correspondence with the engagement means in the longitudinal direction.

Such a fin contributes to maintaining a constant lateral gap between the two floats, and limits the risks of a large untimely frontal gap. And by its positioning in the longitudinal direction, this fin does not interfere with the user when he directs his floats in a horizontal plane on the water.

Preferably, the fin can extend substantially in a median longitudinal plane of the float. By such positioning in a transverse direction, it further limits the discomfort that could cause the fin when the user directs his floats in a horizontal plane on the water.

Advantageously, it can be provided that:

- the upper surface of each float comprises at least one cylindrical housing extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the float extends,

- The assembly includes at least one stick provided with two radial rods capable of coming to engage with low clearance simultaneously in said at least one respective cylindrical housing of the floats.

Said at least one stick makes it possible to secure the floats in a simple, reversible and reliable manner to form a raft on which Γ user can hoist themselves at the start of use (or after falling into the water).

To provide satisfactory stability of the connection between the floats, the radial rods can preferably enter the cylindrical housings with a stroke of at least 10 cm.

Advantageously, it can be provided that:

- each float has a substantially flat side face extending between the upper surface and the lower surface,

- When the two radial rods of said at least one stick are engaged in a cylindrical housing of each of the floats, the respective flat side faces of said floats are spaced from each other by a distance less than the height of said flat side faces.

In this way, after the floats have been connected via said at least one stick, the floats can no longer pivot about their respective longitudinal direction except by a limited amplitude. This facilitates the installation of the user on the nautical unit.

Preferably, the cylindrical housings can be located between the engagement means and the front end of the floats, at a distance of at most 20 cm from the engagement means in the longitudinal direction.

Such positioning allows the user, after installing his feet in the means for receiving and retaining a user's foot, to lean only slightly forward so as not to induce a pitching movement ( around a transverse direction) too large of the floats, movement which could unbalance it and cause it to fall.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, made in relation to the attached figures, among which:

[Fig.l] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of nautical assembly according to the invention, with two floats and a pair of sticks;

[Fig-2] Figure 2 is a top view of the floats of the assembly of Figure 1;

[Fig-3] Figure 3 is a bottom view of the floats of the assembly of Figure 1;

[Fig-4] Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the floats of the assembly of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Figures 1 to 4 is illustrated a particular embodiment of nautical assembly 1 according to the invention for the practice of sport.

This nautical unit 1 includes a pair of floats 2, 3. Figure 4 is a sectional view of a single float which can be either float 2 or float 3 being observed that floats 2 and 3 are symmetrical to each other and are therefore completely similar.

Each float 2, 3 extends substantially along a respective plane P2, P3 by extending predominantly in a respective longitudinal direction I-I, fill between a front end 2a, 3a and a rear end 2b, 3b. Each float 2, 3 comprises an upper surface 2c, 3c having engagement means 4 for engaging a foot 9 of a user and a lower surface 2d, 3d opposite the upper face 2c, 3c.

Each float 2, 3 comprises a respective flexible blade 5 generally extending along a respective plane P4, P5 and protruding on the lower surface 2d, 3d from an intersection line 6 to a free edge 5a.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the line of intersection 6 between the flexible blade 5 and the lower surface 2d, 3d of the float 2, 3 is oriented in a transverse direction III-ΠΙ, IV-IV substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction II, II-II.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the flexible blade 5 is oriented obliquely towards the rear end 2b, 3b, with its plane P4, P5 forming with the longitudinal direction II, II-II a angle A less than 90 degrees. The angle A is here between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees.

In more detail, we see that the flexible blade 5 is slightly curved, having a concave longitudinal profile with concavity directed towards the lower surface 2d, 3d.

As is best seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4, engagement means 4 of each float 2, 3 comprise a hollow housing 7 formed in the upper surface 2c, 3c of the float 2, 3.

In these hollow housings 7 are arranged means for receiving and retaining 8 of a user's foot 9, able to come to at least partial recovery of the kick of said foot 9. In this case, the means receiving and retaining 8 are here in the form of a boot 8a adapted to receive the front part of the foot 9 (Figure 4).

Each float 2, 3 comprises a fin 10 projecting from the underside 2d, 3d, said fin 10 generally extending along a respective plane P6, P7 perpendicular to the underside 2d, 3d and parallel to the longitudinal direction II, II-II. Said fins 10 are also located in correspondence with the engagement means 4 in the longitudinal direction I-I, II-II.

More specifically, the fins 10 extend substantially in a median longitudinal plane P8, P9 of the respective float 2, 3.

As is more particularly visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper surface 2c, 3c of each float 2,3 includes two cylindrical housings 11a, 11b and 12a,

12b extending in directions V-V, VI-VI substantially perpendicular to the planes P2, P3 in which the floats 2,3 extend respectively. The cylindrical housings 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b are through to avoid the accumulation of water or impurities.

The assembly 1 comprises two sticks 13 and 14 each provided with two radial rods 13a, 13b and 14a, 14b capable of coming to engage in low clearance simultaneously in the pair of cylindrical housings 11a and 12a, or 11b and 12b .

The radial rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b are able to penetrate into the cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b according to a stroke of at least 10 cm.

Each float 2, 3 has two lateral faces 2e, 2f and 3e, 3f extending between the upper surface 2c or 3c and the lower surface 2d or 3d. The lateral faces 2e, 2f and 3e, 3f each have a longitudinal section of substantially planar face and preferably perpendicular to the respective plane P2, P3 in which the respective float 2, 3 extends.

When the radial rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b of the sticks 13 and 14 are engaged in the pairs of cylindrical housings lla-12a and llb-12b, the flat sections of the lateral faces 2e and 3e of the floats 2 and 3 are distant from each other at a distance DI less than the height H of said planar lateral faces 2e and 3e.

The cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b are located between the engagement means 4 and the front end 2a, 3a of the floats 2, 3, at a distance D2 of at most 20 cm from the means d engagement 4 in the longitudinal direction II, II-II.

The sticks 13 and 14 are also used by the user to stabilize his balance on the water and promote its progression. To do this, the sticks 13 and 14 have a cross section which increases towards their distal end 13c, 14c to provide a larger bearing surface on the water.

When using the nautical assembly 1, the user can start by securing the floats 2 and 3 by means of the sticks 13 and 14 by engaging the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b thereof. in pairs of cylindrical housings lla-12a and 1 lb-12b. A relatively stable “catamaran” type raft is thus formed on which the user can hoist himself and stand upright.

The ability of the floats 2 and 3 to pivot about their longitudinal direction II or II-II (roll) is limited by the long engagement of the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b in the pairs of cylindrical housings lla-12a and llb-12b. As an alternative or in addition, the lateral faces 2e and 3e cooperate by pressing one on the other so that there is roll only at a limited amplitude.

The user then brings his feet into the engagement means 4 by introducing the front part of his feet 9 into the slippers 8a of the receiving and retaining means 8.

The user then leans slightly forward (possibly squatting simultaneously) to reach the sticks 13 and 14 with his hands and lift them away from the floats 2 and 3 to extract the rods 13a, 13b, 14a and 14b outside the cylindrical housings 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b. This releases floats 2 and 3 from each other.

The user can then start an advance movement on the water in the manner of what is practiced in alternative cross-country skiing by inducing an advance movement of the float 2 (for example).

On this occasion, the flexible blade 5 of the float 3 provides resistance by pressing on the water which opposes the recoil of the float 3, and will even have a little tendency to bend away from the lower surface 3d and in the direction of the anterior end 3a, thereby increasing the pressing force on the water.

Simultaneously, the flexible blade 5 of the float 2 flexes at least partially in the direction of the lower surface 2d and in the direction of the rear end 2b, which has the effect of reducing the bearing force on the water and to favor the advance of the float 2.

After the advance of the float 2, the user induces an advance movement of the float 3.

On this occasion, the flexible blade 5 of the float 2 provides resistance by pressing on the water which opposes the recoil of the float 2, and will even have a little tendency to bend away from the lower surface 2d and in the direction of the anterior end 2a, thereby increasing the bearing force on the water.

Simultaneously, the flexible blade 5 of the float 3 bends at least partially in the direction of the lower surface 3d and in the direction of the rear end 3b, which has the effect of reducing the bearing force on the water and to promote the advance of the float 3.

The user then continues this sequence of alternative movements.

During his movements, the user can use the sticks 13 and 14 to balance himself on the water by pressing on the surface of the water of the distal ends 13c and 14c of the sticks 13 and 14.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof contained in the field of claims below.

Claims (1)

Claims [Claim 1] 1 - Nautical assembly (1) for the practice of sport comprising a pair of floats (2, 3), each float (2, 3) extending substantially along a plane (P2, P3) while lengthening predominantly according to a longitudinal direction (II, II-II) between a front end (2a, 3a) and a rear end (2b, 3b), each float (2, 3) comprising an upper surface (2c, 3c) having means for engagement (4) for the engagement of a foot (9) of a user and a lower surface (2d, 3d) opposite the upper face (2c, 3c), characterized in that: - Each float (2, 3) comprises a flexible blade (5) generally extending along a plane (P4, P5) and projecting on the lower surface (2d, 3d) from an intersection line (6) up to at a free edge (5a), - the line of intersection (6) between the flexible blade (5) and the lower surface (2d, 3d) of the float (2, 3) is oriented in a transverse direction (III-III , IV-IV) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (II, II-II), - the flexible blade (5) is oriented obliquely towards the posterior end (2b, 3b), with its plane (P4, P5) forming with the longitudinal direction (II, II-II) an angle (A) less than 90 degrees. [Claim 2] 2 - Nautical unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plane (P4, P5) of the flexible blade (5) forms with the longitudinal direction (II, II-II) an angle (A) of between approximately 30 degrees and about 60 degrees. [Claim 3] 3 - Nautical unit (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the engagement means (4) of each float (2, 3) comprise a hollow housing (7) formed in the upper surface ( 2c, 3c) of the float (2, 3). [Claim 4] 4 - Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each float (2, 3) comprises means for receiving and retaining (8) a foot (9) of user , able to come to at least partial recovery of the kick of said foot (9). [Claim 5] 5 - Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: - Each float (2, 3) has a fin (10) projecting from the underside (2d, 3d), said fin (10) generally extending along a plane (P6, P7) perpendicular to the underside (2d , 3d) and parallel to the longitudinal direction (II, II-II), - Said fin (10) is located in correspondence with the engagement means (4) in the longitudinal direction (I-I, II-II). [Claim 6] 6 - Nautical unit (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the fin (10) extends substantially in a median longitudinal plane (P8, P9) of the float (2, 3). [Claim 7] 7 - Nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: - The upper surface (2c, 3c) of each float (2, 3) comprises at least one cylindrical housing (lia, llb, 12a, 12b) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane (P2, P3) in which s 'extends the float (2, 3), - The assembly (1) comprises at least one stick (13, 14) provided with two radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) capable of coming to engage in small clearance simultaneously in said at least one cylindrical housing (lia , llb, 12a, 12b) respective of the floats (2, 3). [Claim 8] 8 - nautical unit (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) are able to penetrate into the cylindrical housings (lia, llb, 12a, 12b) according to a stroke of at least 10 cm. [Claim 9] 9 - Nautical unit (1) according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that: - each float (2, 3) has a lateral face (2e, 3e) having a substantially planar section extending between the upper surface (2c, 3c) and the lower surface (2d, 3d), - when the two radial rods (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) of said at least one stick (13, 14) are engaged in a cylindrical housing (lia, llb, 12a, 12b) of each of the floats (2, 3), the substantially flat sections of the respective lateral faces (2nd, 3rd) of said floats (2, 3) are spaced from each other by a distance (Dl) less than the height (H) of said lateral faces (2nd, 3rd) . [Claim 10] 10 - nautical unit (1) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the cylindrical housings (1 la, 11b, 12a, 12b) are located, between the engagement means (4) and the anterior end (2a, 3a) of the floats (2, 3), at a distance (D2) of at most 20 cm from the engagement means (4) in the longitudinal direction (II, II-II). [Claim 11] 11 - Nautical unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the flexible blade (5) has a concave longitudinal profile with concavity directed towards the lower surface (2d, 3d) of the float (2, 3).