GB2239813A

GB2239813A - A device for slalom training

Info

Publication number: GB2239813A
Application number: GB9100268A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tero Piispanen
Original assignee: TUNTURIPYOERAE Oy; TUNTURIPYORA Oy
Current assignee: TUNTURIPYOERAE Oy; TUNTURIPYORA Oy
Priority date: 1990-01-12
Filing date: 1991-01-07
Publication date: 1991-07-17
Also published as: FI86511B; FI900182A0; FI900182A; GB9100268D0; FI86511C; DE4040437A1; JPH0739613A

Abstract

A device for slalom training comprises a frame structure 1, an arm portion 2 journalled on a shaft 3 provided in the frame structure a spring member 4 arranged to resist the turning of the arm portion 2 around the shaft 3; and a foot-board structure 6 for supporting the user on the device. To provide a simple and safe device, the device comprises, in addition to the spring member 4, a braking means 5 arranged to brake the movement of the arm portion 2 with respect to the frame structure 1. <IMAGE>

Description

a 1 A device for slalom training The invention relates to a device for

slalom training, comprising a frame structure; an arm por- tion journalled at one end on a shaft provided in the frame structure; a spring member arranged to resist the turning of the arm portion around the shaft; and a footboard structure for supporting the user on the device.

This kind of devices are today well-known both in domestic use and in various gyms as fitness and training devices. Prior art devices include those disclosed in DE Patent Specifications 2366011 and 2333097 and EP Patent Application 0296129.

A drawback of the above-mentioned prior art devices is that they cannot be adjusted or are difficult to adjust. When spring resistance only is used, the spring has to be rigid, whereby the resistance is difficult to adjust. By means of the spring resistance only it is difficult to simulate slalom skiing in different snow conditions. The prior art devices are also often complicated in construction, heavy, large and expensive. Therefore they are not particularly suitable for domestic use.

The object of the invention is to provide a device by means of which the drawbacks of the prior art can be eliminated. This is achieved by means of a device of the invention which is characterized in that it comprises, in addition tg the spring member, a braking means which is arranged to brake the movement of the arm portion with respect to the f rame structure.

In prior art devices, the spring member causes the arm portion to move relatively abruptly, where- fore it is difficult for a beginner in particular to a 2 keep his balance. In other words, the movement in prior art devices is too rapid and dissimilar to slalom skiing. if the user happens to fall off the device, the spring member tends to return the arm portion very rapidly to the starting position in the middle, whereby the arm portion may hit the user with great force. The braking means of the device of the invention considerably deaden the movements of the arm portion, making them more pleasant and smoother than in prior art devices. The use of the device of the invention is more pleasant than the use of the prior art devices because it is easy to the user to keep his balance, and the arm portion does not hit the user with such a great f orce as in the prior art devices if the user should fall off the device. The braking means can also be made such that it locks if the user falls off. A further advantage of the braking means is that the spring member can be made lighter and less expensive than previously as the force required from the spring member is smaller than in prior art devices. Still another major advantage is that various snow and slide conditions in the slope can be simulated completely steplessly and in an advantageous manner by means of the combined resistance obtained by the braking means and the spring. The device of the invention is also simple in construction and light, so it is suitable for domestic use as well.

In the following the invention will be described by means of embodiments shown in,the attached drawings, wherein - Figures 1 to 3 are general views of one embodiment of the device of the invention seen in different directions; Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of a spring 1 1 3 member and a braking means used in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 illustrates the structure shown in Figure 4 substantially as seen in the direction of the arm portion; Figures 6 to 8 are enlarg ed general views of a footboard structure used in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 as seen in different directions; and Figure 9 is a general side view of a spring member and a braking means used in another embodiment of the invention.

Figures 1 to 3 are general views of the device of the invention in different directions. The refer ence numeral 1 indicates the frame structure of the device. The reference numeral 2 indicates an arm por tion one end of which is journalled on a shaft 3 positioned in the frame structure. The reference numeral 4, in turn, indicates a spring member posi tioned below the arm portion 2 in parallel with it.

The spring member 4 is arranged to resist the turning of the arm portion 2 around the shaft 3. The refer ence numeral 5 indicates a mechanical braking means which is arranged to brake the movement of the arm portion 2 around the frame structure 1. In the figures, the reference numeral 6 indicates a foot board structure. The footboard structure 6 is arranged to support the user on the device. The reference numeral 7 in the figures indicates a handle portion. 1 In principle, the device shown in,Figures 1 to 3 operates in the following way. The user mounts the device, that is, places his feet on the footboard structure 6 and grasps the handle portion 7 with both hands, whereafter he can make the arm portion 2 move back and forth around the shaft 3 in a desired 4 manner, as shown by the arrow N. This operation corresponds substantially to the movements performed in slalom skiing, so the device is especially suitable for slalom training. The operation of the device, that is, the movement of the arm portion 2 caused by the user and the utifization of this movement in slalom training are known per se f rom the above-mentioned publications, for instance, so these matters will not be described in greater detail in this connection.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the spring member 4 and the mechanical braking means 5 used in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. The spring member 4 is attached at the end close to the shaft 3 to the frame structure 1 and at the end remote from the shaft 3 to the arm portion 1. The end of the spring member 4 close to the shaft 3 is attached close to the shaft 3 and the end remote from the shaft 3 close to the footboard structure 6. Due to this arrangement, the spring member 4 is always positioned below the arm portion 2, that is, the spring member 4 moves in the same way as the arm portion 2. In addition, the frame structure of the device is formed, for instance, as shown in Figure 3, in such a way that none of the parts of the frame structure is ever below the range of movement of the arm portion 2. Therefore, when the device is in use, no closing and opening gaps can be formed between the different parts of the device, which prevents damage to the user.

As appears from Figure 4 in particular, the mechanical braking means 5 is arranged to brake the movement of the arm portion 2 with respect to the frame structure 1. The braking means 5 comprises a first brake surface formed in the frame structure and a second brake surface formed in the arm portion. The 0 t brake surfaces are arranged to be pressed against each other. At least one of the brake surfaces can be formed by a brake piece 8 which is made of a material of good friction properties. In the embodiment shown in the figures, one of the brake surfaces is formed in a lever structure 9 attached to the arm portion 2 while the other brake surface is formed in a platelike element 10 attached to the frame structure 1. The force exerted by the brake surfaces on each other can be adjusted by means of a screw operating as an adjusting mechanism 11. By means of the screw the lever structure 9 can be turned in a desired manner in such a way that the press force of the brake surfaces against each other changes, as a result of which the force braking the movement of the arm portion changes similarly. This adjustability is not, of course, necessary but different snow and slide conditions in the slope can be advantageously simulated completely steplessly by adjusting the braking force. The braking means as such is a factor which increases safety considerably, as it greatly slows down the movement of the arm portion, when the user falls off the device, for instance. If the arm portion should hit the user, the force exerted on the user is clearly smaller than in the case of a f reely moving arm portion.

Figure 9 shows an arrangement f or the braking means of the other embodiment of the invention. The embodiment shown in Figure 9 differs from that shown in Figure 4, for instance, with respect to the braking means. In Figure 9, the frame structure is indicated with the reference numeral 101. The arm portion is indicated with the reference numeral 102 and the shaft on which the arm portion is journalled is indicated with the reference numeral 103. The 6 reference numeral 104 indicates the spring member and the reference numeral 105 the mechanical braking means. The mechanical braking means 105 comprises a lever structure 109 attached to the arm portion and a plate-like element 110 attached to the frame structure 101. The footboard structure is not shown in Figure 9. This structure may be similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, for instance.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, a brake surface is provided on both sides of the plate-like element 110. A brake surface provided in the lever structure 109 is arranged to be pressed simultaneously against the brake surfaces provided on both sides of the plate-like element 110. In this embodiment, too, the brake surf aces or at least one of them can be f ormed by brake pieces 108.

The operation of the embodiment of Figure 9 is simi lar to that shown in connection with Figures 1 to 5.

Figures 6 to 8 show the footboard structure 6 used in the device of the invention. The footboard structure 6 comprises two footboards 12 attached to the arm portion 2 by means of a support structure 13. The footboards are journalled on the support structure 13 in such a way that they are able to turn around a shaft 14 substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the arm portion 2. The footboard 12 is provided with a foot rest 15 for the soles of the user. The foot rest 15 is a plane on which the user places his feet when he uses the device. The footboards are journalled on the arm portion 2 in such a way that a journal point 16 between the footboard 12 and the arm portion 2 is positioned above the rest plane 15 of the sole, that is, the centre of gravity of the footboard is always below 1 i 1! 1 7 the journal point 16. An advantage of this arrangement is that the footboard is always in a stable position and will always turn into the right position during training, thus ensuring the right position of the foot. In this way, the foot is not strained by extra movements for finding the right position. The turning movement of the footboards is shown in Figure 6 by means of an arrow. The magnitude of the turning movement is limited by a suitable limiter. In the embodiment of Figures 6 to 8, the limiter is formed by a pin member 17 provided in the footboard 12 and a counter pin 18 provided in the arm portion 2 or in a support structure attached fixedly to it.

The above embodiments are by no means intended to restrict the invention, but the invention can be modified within the scope of the claims completely freely. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the device of the invention or its parts need not necessarily be exactly similar to those shown in the figures but other solutions are possible as well. The spring member can be a draw spring as shown in the figures, but it can also be a spring compressing on drawing, a gas spring, a leaf spring, a liquid spring, a rubber spring or some other flexible member. The spring member can be adjustable at the end close to the arm portion or the member itself can be adjustable. The adjustability, however, is not necessary, as already mentioned above. The arm portion can be journalled on the shaft in any suitable way, e.g., by a rolling bearing, a slide bearing, etc. The shaft, on which the arm portion is journalled, can slant onwards or backwards or it can be in a vertical position. The braking means may comprise, for instance, a separate friction surface and a brake plate against which a fixed or adjustable 8 brake piece rubs. The braking means can also be posi tioned in such a way that the shaft operates as a brake surface against which a curved or a tubular brake piece is pressed. The braking means can also be formed by two tubes positioned within each other in the spring member or beside it, the tubes rubbing against each other. The operating mechanism of the braking means may also be hydraulic or pneumatic and it may also be positioned within the spring member.

The handle portion and the footboards can be of any shape and the entire device can be made of any suitable material. The brake surfaces can also be made of any material. The footboards may be two as shown in the figures, but it is also possible to use a single footboard for both feet. The footboards can be journalled on the arm portion in any suitable way, e.g., by means of ball, rolling or slide bearings. The limiter for the turning movement of the footboards can be fixed or adjustable and it may be posi- tioned in the board itself, in the arm portion or on the turning shaft of the board. Alternatively, such a limiter can be omitted.

1 i l:

9

Claims

1. A device f or slalom training, comprising a frame structure, an arm portion journalled at one end on a shaft provided in the frame structure; a spring member arranged to resist the turning of the arm portion around the shaft; a footboard stucture for supporting the user on the device; and a braking means arranged to brake the movement of the arm portion with respect to the frame structure.

2. A device according claim 1, wherein the braking means comprises a f irst brake surface provided in the frame structure and a second brake surface provided in the arm portion, the brake surfaces being arranged to be pressed against each other.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the brake surfaces is formed by a brake piece.

4. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein one of the brake surfaces is formed in a lever structure attached to the frame structure.

5. A device according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein 20 one of the brake surfaces is provided in a plate-like element formed in the frame structure.

6. A device according to claim 5, when dependant on claim 4, wherein the brake surface formed on the plate-like element is formed on both sides of the element and the brake surf ace f ormed in connection with the lever structure is arranged to be pressed simultaneously against the brake surf aces provided on both sides of the plate-like element.

7. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the brake surfaces are formed on the surfaces of tubular parts positioned within each other.

8. A device according to any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the force exerted by the brake surfaces on each other is arranged to be adjusted by means of an adjusting mechanism.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting mechanism is a screw.

10. A device for slalom training substantially as hereinbef ore described with ref erence to either of the examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 i Published 1991 at 7be Patent Office, State House. 66/71 High Holbom. LondunWC I R47P. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6, Nine Mile Point. Cwmfelinfach. Cross Keys. NewporL NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques lid. St Mary Cray, Kent.