GB2560012A

GB2560012A - A horse riding device

Info

Publication number: GB2560012A
Application number: GB1703068.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patricia Plumb Charlotte; Emma Phillips Kathryn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-02-24
Filing date: 2017-02-24
Publication date: 2018-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-24
Also published as: GB2560012B; GB201703068D0

Abstract

A horse riding spur has a spur 4 connected to at least one strap 3 so that the spur is attached to an item of footwear 400 worn by a rider. The strap is positioned so as to locate the spur at the rider's heel. The horse riding spur includes at least one connection mechanism 5 that separates under force, so as to release the horse riding spur from the rider's footwear. The connection mechanism 5 may include magnetic joints (13 & 14, figure 2a) or a spring release clip (23, figure 4a). The connection mechanism 5 releases under sudden force on any of the straps or spur, disconnection the device or part thereof from the riders boot 400 allowing the spur to fall safely from the riders boot.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: A horse riding device Abstract Title: A horse riding spur (57) A horse riding spur has a spur 4 connected to at least one strap 3 so that the spur is attached to an item of footwear 400 worn by a rider. The strap is positioned so as to locate the spur at the rider's heel. The horse riding spur includes at least one connection mechanism 5 that separates under force, so as to release the horse riding spur from the rider's footwear. The connection mechanism 5 may include magnetic joints (13 & 14, figure 2a) or a spring release clip (23, figure 4a). The connection mechanism 5 releases under sudden force on any of the straps or spur, disconnection the device or part thereof from the rider’s boot 400 allowing the spur to fall safely from the rider’s boot.

FIG. 1

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At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

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A HORSE RIDING DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a horse riding device, in particular a device for providing spurs for horse-riding; more particularly but not exclusively a device for providing easy release spurs.

Background

Increasing interest in many societies accompanies horse riding as greater numbers of potential users acquire access to the equestrian world.

People in the equestrian world wear spurs every day, from amateurs to professional. At some levels spurs are compulsory.

Should the rider become unseated standard riding spurs can get caught in a stirrup drag the rider around the arena, under the horse.

This is because in the known art spurs extend behind the user’s heel and are attached to the rider’s foot by strapping, which means that the strapping and/or spur can get caught in the horse’s stirrup and the user’s foot will only be freed when the spur strap breaks, allowing the foot to be released, which can easily happen after sustaining injuries. This problem is compounded when a user is wearing a newer pair of spur straps or a Nylon (RTM) pair of spur straps.

Prior Art

US 2011 0 107 731 (MAULDIN) discloses a spur system including a body that may be attached to footwear, a spur strap assembly attached to the body that is adapted to secure the body to the footwear, and a quick release mechanism attached to the spur strap assembly.

DE 102 009 019 064 (BRAUN et al) discloses a spur that comprises two ends and Ushaped holding bracket which has an open side, a closed side and a mandrel which extends away from the closed side of the U-shaped holding bracket to the outside.

The mandrel has a predetermined break point in an area of one end. The U-shaped holding bracket is made of a metal or a plastic material.

US 2003 0 226 287 (BORNE) discloses a boot comprising a heel with a rear side having embedded therein one component of a two-component coupling member, and a detachable spur having a distal end with a barb element thereat and a proximal end with a second component of said two-component coupling member, said second component being adapted to be detachably connected to the one component with the distal end projecting outward from the heel to position the barb element for use while riding.

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a horse riding device comprising a spur and a user connection mechanism, wherein the user connection mechanism locates the spur at the rear of the user’s heel; characterised in that the spur is displaceable from the heel when disconnection force is exerted on the user connection mechanism or the spur.

In some embodiments the user connection mechanism may comprise a disconnection section.

In some embodiments the user connection mechanism comprises a strap or straps.

For example in such embodiments a spur strap or straps may connect the user to the spur, and/or may connect the spur strap to a user strap or straps.

For example in some embodiments the straps comprise a heel strap, supporting and/or including the spur, and an instep strap, supporting the heel strap.

In some embodiments the strap or straps comprise an adjustment means. Such adjustment means may be arranged to enable a user to adjust length of the strap or straps and/or the fitting of the device on the user. In some embodiments the connection mechanism and adjustment means may be analogous or synergistic.

In some embodiments the user connection mechanism from the user when disconnection force is exerted mechanism or a part thereof.

is arranged to spur.

In some embodiments the user connection mechanism from the user when disconnection force is exerted on the is arranged to disconnect on the user connection disconnect

The user connection mechanism may comprise magnetic portions.

The user connection mechanism may comprise resiliently deformable portions.

The user connection mechanism may comprise clip portions.

In some embodiments the user connection mechanism may be arranged to connect straps to the user, or their boot more particularly. In other embodiments the user connection mechanism may comprise a spur connection mechanism to the straps.

In this way the device of the present invention may provide a quick release mechanism allowing the user to break away from straps to break away from a spur, such that a rider or the user in consequence is prevented from being trapped if the spur or a strap is caught.

This in turn ensures that the where sufficient force is exerted against a part of the user connection mechanism the spur and user connection mechanism are not liable to displace the user.

In addition or the alternative the device renders it easy to connect the spur to the user.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a means of assembling an easy release spur assembly substantially as described herein.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use;

Figure 2a shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 2b shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use;

Figure 4a shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 3;

Figure 4b shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use;

Figure 6a shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 6b shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 5.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown an embodiment of the horse riding device comprising a spur 4 and a user connection mechanism 5, wherein the user connection mechanism 5 locates the spur 4 at the rear of the user’s heel 400; characterised in that the spur 4 is displaceable from the heel when disconnection force is exerted on the spur.

In the pictured embodiment the spur is supported on or part of a rigid member 3, which in turn is connected to a strapping 2, which strapping surround the user’s foot.

The rigid spur member 3 is substantially horizontal in use, where the strapping 2 is substantially vertically in use, or directed along the leg.

The connection mechanism 5 in this embodiment comprises magnetic joints 13,14 on the connection of the spur member 3 to the instep strapping 2.

The straps connect at a frame and prong buckle 1, so as to enable the instep strapping 2 to pass orthogonal the spur member 3 or heel strap. The spur member 3 may then be adjusted vertically in use or before use.

The instep strap 2 comprises an adjustment means, which adjustment means comprises a discontinuous strap 2 with a buckle (not shown) and strap holes 6 at either of uppermost ends of the strap 2.

The spur member comprises a rigid member 3, supporting the spur to rear, distal to and intermediate the member ends. The ends of the spur member terminate in and connect to the frame and prong buckle 1.

Such frame and prong buckle 1 is connected to the heel member and spur through ferromagnetic portions 13,14. These portions are comprised by a projection 14 from the member 3 and an indentation 13 in the frame 12, wherein the strapping 2 is fed around the prong 11.

In this way the heel spur member 3 will disconnect the magnets from the instep strap 2 if a rider gets caught in the stirrup.

In turn the instep strap is liable to easily displace also from the boot 400 or user, no longer needing to pass the user’s heel 401.

This improves safety without having to provide custom straps, wherein using the spur member’s buckle disconnection section wwith known or standard instep straps may be envisaged.

In the pictured embodiment the spur member 3 comprises strong neodymium magnets bonded into place inside both the buckle frame 12 and heel member 3, thereby allowing the spur 4 to be snapped into place in use once the strap 2 is threaded through the buckle 1.

In this way this embodiment of the device resembles existing spurs closely, maintaining a sleek look which was specifically designed for dressage and show jumping.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 the embodiment of the horse riding device comprising a spur 4 and a user connection mechanism 5 characterised in that the spur is displaceable from the heel 401 when disconnection force is exerted on the user connection mechanism 5 or spur 4, by disconnection of the inset strapping 20.

The connection mechanism 5 comprises a spring release clip portion 23 joining the spur member 3 and the instep strap 20, wherein the heel member comprises a substantially rigid member 3 with the portion 23 at its ends and the spur extending rearward centrally intermediate the ends.

The clip portion 23 accepts insertion of clips in orthogonal directions to the heel member 3 itself, so as to allow for insertion connection of resiliently deformable instep strap clip ends 22 into opposing vertical catches 24.

The portion 23 comprises a sprung release button 26, and the clip ends 22 comprise resiliently deformable legs which are squeezed together for connection and insertion into the portion 23 and arranged with a curvature to act against the connection bias under sufficient force to thereby create two disconnection points, above and below the portion 23 and spur member 3.

The connection releases under sudden force on any of the straps or spur 4 or member 3, disconnecting the device or part thereof from the user’s boot 400.

In use the device enables the two sprung steel clips 22 to quickly snap into the top and underside of the spur member 3 wherein both of the clips 22 release under force allowing the spur to fall safely from the user’s boot.

The straps 2 have permanently looped ends 27 passing through rigid loops 25 extending from the clip ends 22.

This embodiment comprises a custom spur and custom straps and allows for custom logo engraving on the clip end of the spurs.

The top halves 20 of the strap 2 comprise holes 6 on one side of the foot 400, and a buckle with frame 21 and pin 11 on the other, so as to tighten the strap 2 about the foot 400.

Both of the first two embodiments of the device according to the present invention may be supplied without a plastic shroud creating a sleeker, high end aesthetic.

With reference to Figures 5 and 6 the embodiment of the horse riding device comprises a spur 4 and a user attachment mechanism 5 locating the spur 4 at the rear of the user’s heel 401 and characterised in that the spur 4 is displaceable from the heel 401 when disconnection force is exerted on the user connection mechanism or spur, by the strap 32 separating.

This embodiment uses the straps 32 as the disconnection section, allowing for a cheap alternative to the first two embodiments, such that any standard set of spurs could be used with these straps 32.

The straps 32 are arranged to connect using a stud 35 and hole 36 arrangement, requiring the stud 35 to be pushed through the hole 36, deforming the strap 32 around it in the process.

Since the connection mechanism and disconnection section are located on the instep strap and not the heel strap, numerous different spur designs and heel straps may be available or utilisable. Furthermore, the straps themselves could be supplied in a variety of colours.

The instep strap thereby comprises a bipartite strap 32 or two connecting straps 32, with corresponding holes 36 adjacent one end and a male stud 35 adjacent the other, such that the strap(s) pop fits at both the top and the bottom of the boot 400, being thereby enabled to quickly pop open in the event of the user falling or being thrown from a horse, correspondingly releasing the spur member 3.

He straps 32 are passed through buckles 33 on the ends of a rigid spur member 3.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

Claims 30 11 17

1. A horse riding spur comprising; a spur connected to at least one strap for attaching the spur to an item of footwear worn by a rider, so as to locate the spur at a the rider’s heel, wherein the horse riding spur includes at least one connection mechanism that separates under force, so as to release the horse riding spur from the rider’s footwear.

2. A horse riding spur according to claim 1 wherein the at least one connection mechanism is provided between the spur and the strap.

3. A horse riding spur according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the at least one connection mechanism is provided at a location along the strap.

4. A horse riding spur according to any preceding claim 4 wherein the connection mechanism includes at least two magnetic connecting portions.

5. A horse riding spur according to any preceding claim wherein the connection mechanism includes a resiliently deformable portion received by a clip portion.

6. A horse riding support according to any preceding claim wherein the connection mechanism includes at least one stud received by a hole.

7. A horse riding spur according to any preceding claim wherein the connection mechanism includes clip portions adapted to receive a clip.

8. A horse riding spur according to claim 7 wherein the clip portion is sprung.

9. A horse riding spur according to claim 7 or claim 8 including a release button to release the clip from the clip portion.

10. A horse riding spur according to any of claims 7, 8 or 9 wherein the clip includes resiliently deformable legs.

11. A horse riding spur with connection means according to any preceding claim including a heel strap.

12. A horse riding spur with connection means according to any preceding claim including an instep strap.

13. A horse riding spur with connection means according to any preceding claim wherein the at least one strap is adjustable.

30 11 17

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1703068.5 Examiner: MrPaulMakin