WO2007068793A1

WO2007068793A1 - Paw for pole

Info

Publication number: WO2007068793A1
Application number: PCT/FI2006/050542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Taisto Manninen
Original assignee: Exel Sports Oy
Priority date: 2005-12-14
Filing date: 2006-12-07
Publication date: 2007-06-21
Also published as: FI20055672A; FI118412B; FI20055672A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a paw for pole, specifically a paw for a pole designed for Nordic walking, roller skiing or roller skating, which is made of a resilient, elastic material and to which is attached a stud (2), said paw (1) being provided with a cavity (3) for receiving a bottom end of the pole's shaft member. Rigidly secured to the stud (2) is an engagement member (7, 8) of a hard material, including a lateral gripping extension, such as a flange (7), transverse to the pole axis and enclosed in the elastic paw material. Upward of the flange (7) is a rod-like element (8), particularly a metal pipe or sleeve. Between the cavity (3) and the rod-like element (8) is a cylindrical annular space (10) which receives the bottom end of a pole shaft.

Description

Paw for pole

The invention relates to a paw for pole, specifically a paw for a pole designed for Nordic walking, roller skiing or roller skating, which is made of a resilient, elastic material and to which is attached a stud, said paw being provided with a cavity for receiving a bottom end of the pole's shaft member.

This type of paws for a pole are prior known from the Applicant's patent publications FI-104153 and FI-110068. In the former, the stud is fixed to a bottom end of the pole and emerges from a hole in the paw. The problem here is that the stud hole becomes gradually larger in use and the paw may develop cracking with the result that the lip no longer provides enough support against a base surface. In patent FI-110068, the paw has a body which is made of a rigid material to enable fitting it with a quick coupling mechanism. This paw is primarily intended for roller skiing and roller skating, wherein the paw is subjected to high wear and the paw must be frequently replaced. A hard-bodied paw is not very good for Nordic walking, in which a more elastic paw is preferred.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel type of paw for a pole, which is useful as a standard pole accessory without a necessity to replace it while exercising on various base surfaces, such as sand, tarmac or hiking terrain.

This object is accomplished by the invention on the basis of the characterizing features presented in the appended claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of a working example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

Fig. 1 shows a paw for pole according to the invention in a side view and

Fig. 2 shows the same paw partially cut away.

A paw 1 is manufactured in a suitably elastic material, e.g. rubber or plastics. The paw has its upper part provided with a cavity 3 which receives a bottom end of the pole's shaft member. The cavity 3 extends from a top end of the paw towards a middle section of the paw. The paw 1 is manufactured by casting, which casting process involves inserting a stud 2 in the paw underneath the cavity 3. The stud 2 has its point exposed in a region between a forward side and a bottom side 6 of the paw, comprising an inclined surface 9 which merges with the paw's arcuate bottom side 6.

The stud 2 has rigidly secured thereto an engagement member 7, 8 of a hard material. The engagement member includes a lateral gripping extension, such as a flange 7 transverse to the pole axis, which is enclosed in the elastic paw material. The paw material comprises preferably a rubber compound which is vulcanized securely to the engagement member 7, 8 as the paw is manufactured. Upward of the lateral extension 7 is a rod-like fastening element 8, which extends to some extent inside the cavity 3 and which is capable of being pushed into the shaft's bottom end. The rod-like element 8 is sized to establish between the cavity 3 and the rod-like element a cylindrical annular space 10 for receiving the pole shaft's bottom end.

The rod-like element 8 is preferably a metal pipe, which is surrounded by the metal flange 7 or by one or more gripping brackets of a desired shape. In connection with the stud's 2 point element is an upward extending shank which is secured inside the metal pipe 8. The attachments of metal parts can be effected by soldering or welding. The pole shaft's bottom end can be secured in the annular space 10 e.g. by glueing or merely by tight fitting, wherein the paw material surrounding the cavity 3 compresses around the pole's bottom end. In the event of its breakage, the paw can be replaced by undoing the glue bond by heating. However, when secured as described above, the paw can be made a durable standard accessory and useful on various base surfaces.

In a conventional manner, the paw comprises a lip-shaped elastic protrusion 4 extending rearward of the stud 2. One or each side of the protrusion is provided with one or more recesses 5 for giving the paw more elasticity. The arcuate bottom 6 may also be provided with crosswise grooves. When using the paw, the deformations caused by its elasticity in the vicinity of a through-hole for the stud 2 are relatively slight, so the paw is capable of enduring a long-term use without cracking. By virtue of the flange 7 or other gripping brackets, the relative movements of the stud and the paw with respect to each other remain slight. On the other hand, the rod-like element 8 connecting directly to the end of pole ensures a direct transmission of the load from the pole to the stud 2. Being applied to the lip portion 4, the load becomes more evenly distributed along the entire paw length.

Claims

1. A paw for pole, specifically a paw for a pole designed for Nordic walking, roller skiing or roller skating, which is made of a resilient, elastic material and to which is attached a stud (2), said paw (1) being provided with a cavity (3) for receiving a bottom end of the pole's shaft member, characterized in that the stud (2) has rigidly secured thereto an engagement member (7, 8) of a hard material, including a lateral gripping extension (7) transverse to the pole axis, that the elastic paw material encloses the engagement member (7, 8) and is vulcanized securely thereto, and that upward of the lateral gripping extension (7) is the engagement member's rod-like element (8), which extends to some extent inside the cavity (3) and is sized to establish between the cavity (3) and the rod-like element (8) a cylindrical annular space (10) for receiving the pole shaft's bottom end.

2. A paw for pole as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the rod-like element (8) is a metal pipe, which is surrounded by a metallic gripping bracket, such as the flange (7).

3. A paw for pole as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stud (2) has its point exposed in a region between the paw's (1) forward side and bottom (6), which comprises an inclined surface (9) merging into the paw's arcuate bottom side (6).

4. A paw for pole as set forth in any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the paw comprises a lip-shaped elastic protrusion (4), extending rearward of the stud (2) and having one or each of its sides provided with one or more recesses (5) for giving the paw more elasticity.