WO2010131957A1

WO2010131957A1 - Footstretcher device

Info

Publication number: WO2010131957A1
Application number: PCT/NL2010/050272
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pieter Meint Van Der Klok; Jaap Kingma
Original assignee: Gimo Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2009-05-14
Filing date: 2010-05-12
Publication date: 2010-11-18
Also published as: NL2002889C2

Abstract

Footstretcher device for a sports rowing boat, including footrest means for supporting a rower's feet and for attaching a rower's shoes to the boat, wherein the footrest means includes a flat elongated board in use extending transversely in the boat between two generally vertical elements, and wherein the flat elongated board at each end is mounted to an upstanding ear, said ears being pivotably mounted to said generally vertical elements whereby a swing-type footrest means is obtained.

Description

Title: Footstretcher device.

The present invention relates to a footstretcher device for a sports rowing boat, including footrest means for supporting a rower's shoes and for attaching a rower's feet to the boat.

Prior art footstretcher devices comprise a board made of wood or a suitable synthetic material, like for instance polycarbonate. In use the prior footstretcher boards are rigidly but to some extend adjustably mounted in the boat by means of suitable fastening means. Generally the distance between a footstretcher board and the seat of a rower may be adjustable in order to adapt the position of the footstretcher board to the length of the rower's legs. The angle of the board to the horizontal is often set at 45° but the angle may be adjustable. Sometimes the height of the board is adjustable.

The prior art footstretcher board is further provided with a pair of rowing shoes attached to the board by suitable attachment means like bolts or screws or the like. A problem of the known footstretcher devices is that the shoes are attached by bolts or screws or the like to the board. The rower therefore has to walk barefoot to the boat and only when seated in the boat will be able to put his feet in the shoes. Moreover, for reasons of safety the shoes attached to the footstretcher board must be rather loose fitting shoes, because in case the boat would capsize the rower should be able to free his/her feet without having to use his/her hands.

As a result the feet of a rower may be moving in the shoes, thereby expending energy which otherwise would contribute to propelling the rowing boat. Another problem of the prior art footstretcher board is that after adjustment in accordance with a rower's requirements its angle to the heel of the boat is a fixed angle. Such a fixed angle will not provide an optimum position of the footstretcher board with respect to a rower's legs over the full course of the rowing seat.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a footstretcher device eliminating or at least reducing the above problems and in general to provide an improved footstretcher device facilitating an enhanced performance of a rower using such a footstretcher device.

For this purpose, according to the present invention a footstretcher device of the above described type is characterized in that the footrest means includes a flat elongated board in use extending transversely in the boat between two generally vertical elements, wherein the flat elongated board at each end is mounted to an upstanding ear, said ears being pivotably mounted to said generally vertical elements whereby a swing-type footrest means is obtained.

The invention will be further explained with reference to the appended drawing of an exemplary embodiment of a footstretcher device in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows in perspective view an example of an embodiment of a footstretcher device according to the invention; fig. 2 diagrammatically shows a similar view to fig. 1 further showing a shoe connected to the footstretcher; fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a front elevational plan view of the footstretcher device and shoe of fig. 2; fig. 4 diagrammatically shows a side elevational view of the footstretcher device and shoe of fig. 2, and fig. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the position of a rower's feet when using a prior art footstretcher and a footstretcher of the invention respectively.

Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of an example of an embodiment of a footstretcher device 1 in accordance with the invention. The shown footstretcher device has an approximately C-shaped bracket 2, including two generally J-shaped legs 3 and 4, the short parts 5, 6 of which are oppositely positioned to each other and between their ends a gap 7 is present. The short parts 5, 6 are connected to each other by an upside-down positioned U-shaped bracket 8 which bridges the gap 7. The bracket 8 has horizontal flanges 9, 10 at each lower end of its legs. In each said horizontal flange an oblong hole 11, 12 is provided through which a bolt 13, 14 extends into a threaded hole in the corresponding short part of the J-shaped legs.

The gap 7 and the upside-down U-shaped bracket 8 in use accommodate a bottom rail (not shown) of the rowing boat. The oblong holes 11, 12 allow for some adjustment of the gap 7 in order to adapt the J-shaped legs to the shape of the hull of the rowing boat. The U-shaped bracket may be attached to said bottom rail by suitable means, like for instance a clamping bolt (not shown) extending through a threaded hole 15.

The upper ends of the J-shaped legs are attached to left and right generally vertical element 20, 21. A footrest 22 for a rower's feet is mounted between said vertical elements in a manner to be further described below. The vertical elements 20, 21 each carry at their outer surfaces a block 23, 24 which is toothed at its lower surface 25, 26 (fig. 3).

The blocks 23, 24 in mounted position of the footstretcher device rest on a complementary toothed upper surface of a toothed bar 27, 28. The toothed bars in use will be fixedly mounted to the hull of a rowing boat and the blocks 23, 24 may be attached by suitable means to the toothed bars in a suitable position along the length of the toothed bars in order to adjust the distance between the footrest and the rowing seat. In the example shown a construction is used which already can be found in many rowing boats and wherein the toothed bars have a central upside-down T-shaped slot 29 in which is positioned a correspondingly shaped head 30 of a bolt 31 (fig. 3). The bolt 31 may be tightened by suitable means, for instance a threaded sleeve 32 reaching through the corresponding toothed block 23, 24 and having a head 33. The footrest 22 has a generally flat elongated board 40 in use supporting the shoes of a rower. In figs 2, 3 and 4 such a rower's shoe has been indicated by reference numeral 41. Further, the board 40 is mounted between two upstanding ears 41, 42. The ears 41, 42 are pivotable around an axle 43, 44 which is adjustably mounted in a vertically extending T-shaped slot 45 in the corresponding vertical slot 45 in the corresponding vertical element 20, 21. To this end the axles may have a suitably shaped head positioned in said

T-shaped slot 45 as well as clamping means to fix the ears in a desired vertical position. As a result height of the footrest in the boat is continuously adjustable. The clamping means may include a nut locked on a threaded inner end of the axle 43 or 44 or other suitable means. As shown in the drawings the vertically extending T-shaped slots 45 in the vertical elements 20, 21 may be open at their upper ends in order to insert a head of an axle 43, 33 into said slots 45.

Because of the pivotable upstanding ears the footrest 22 will be able to swing between the vertical elements 20, 21 and as a result will automatically assume the best position with respect to the rower's legs during a legstroke. Thus the force exerted by the rower's legs on the footrest and thereby on the boat will have an optimal direction. Also the rower will be able to extend his legstroke without unduly straining his ankles. As a result the rower's movements will be more natural and the conversion of the rower's muscle power into propelling power for the boat will be more effective compared to the case a conventional footstretcher is used.

This is schematically illustrated in fig. 5. Fig. 5A at Ll shows a rower 50 in a first position, wherein the rowing seat 51 is close to a footrest 52 of a corresponding conventional footstretcher and wherein the legs of the rower are fully bent at the knee 53 and the ankle 54. The footrest 52 meets the horizontal h at an acute angle α and the ankle of the rower is sharply bent. As a result it is relatively difficult for the rower to start the next phase of a rowing stroke, wherein the legs are stretched and the rowing seat moves backwards. Fig. 5A at Rl shows the situation wherein the legs are almost fully stretched. However, as the footrest 52 has a fixed angle α with respect to the horizontal h, or the keel of the boat, the transfer of muscle power from the legs to the footrest 52 and thus to the boat is not optimal.

Part B of fig. 5 shows at L2 and R2 a rower using a swing type footstretcher in accordance with the present invention. At L2 the rowing seat 51 again is close to the footrest 22 of the inventive footstretcher 1. The footrest 22 now is in a generally horizontal position. As a result the ankle 54 of the rower does not need to bend at an awkward acute angle as in fig. 5 A at Ll. Fig. 5B at R2 shows the situation wherein the rower has stretched his legs. In this situation the footrest 22 is in an almost vertical position. During a rowing stroke, the footrest 22 will constantly adapt to the most natural orientation of the feet of the rower.

Fig. 1 shows the footrest 22 of the inventive footstretcher device 1 in a much larger angle to the horizontal position than the position of the footrest 22 shown in fig. 2. Thus fig. 1 shows the footrest position as it is near the end of a legstroke, while fig. 2 shows the position shortly after he start of a legstroke.

In a further elaboration of the invention the footrest may be adjustable in various ways. A first adjustment may be made by varying the distance between the swingaxis defined by axles 43, 44 and the board 40. As may best be seen in fig. 4 the board 40 can be bolted to the ears in a number of different positions. In the exemplary embodiment shown three different positions, one shown three different positions, one above the other are available. In fig. 4 the board 40 is connected in the lowermost position to the ears 41, 42 by means of three bolts 46 extending through a first set of holes. Two further sets 47, 48 of holes are provided in the ears in order to connect the board 40 to the ears in a higher position, thereby reducing the swing radius of the footrest 22.

A further adjustment is possible in the example shown in that the elongated board of the footrest has separate left and right parts 60, 61. The parts 60, 61 may be moved away from each other or towards each other as indicated in figs. 1, 2 and 3 by a double arrow 62 in order to adapt the footrest to the width of the boat. To this end the parts 60, 61 are slidably mounted on one or more rails connecting and supporting the parts 60, 61, at least one rail guiding the parts. In the example shown three tubular or solid rods 63 are used, but other cross- sectional shapes and another number of rails may be suitable too. For instance a single flat or T-shaped rail could be used.

The parts 60, 61 are further each provided with a base plate 64, 65 for a quick connect/release click system like for instance the well known SPD- (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) system as used for connecting pedals and shoes for various types of bicycles like mountain bikes and recumbents. Of course other but similar quick connect/release systems may be used. In such a click system a pedal is provided with a holder plate and the shoe with a cleat which may be connected to a holder plate by means of a click action. The shoe may for instance be released by rotating the heel of the foot outwards. Such a movement of the feet will not occur during normal rowing and therefore such a quick release system is very suitable for use in a footstretcher device.

A footstretcher device in accordance with the present invention may be made from any suitable material. The material to be used should preferably be a strong lightweight and waterproof material like aluminium and synthetic material.

It is observed that after the above disclosure various alternative constructions and modifications will be obvious to a person skilled in the art. Such alternatives and modifications will be deemed to fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Footstretcher device for a sports rowing boat, including footrest means for supporting a rower's feet and for attaching a rower's shoes to the boat, characterized in that the footrest means includes a flat elongated board in use extending transversely in the boat between two generally vertical elements, wherein the flat elongated board at each end is mounted to an upstanding ear, said ears being pivotably mounted to said generally vertical elements whereby a swing-type footrest means is obtained.

2. Footstretcher device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ears are mounted to said generally vertical elements so as to be continuously vertically adjustable.

3. Footstretcher device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said flat elongated board is provided with two side by side mounted baseplates of a quick connect/release click system for connecting the shoes of a rower to the board.

4. Footstretcher device as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, wherein said elongated board has at least one rail connecting and supporting two side by side mounted parts of the elongated board, said parts being slidably mounted on said at least one rail and which parts can be moved away from each other or towards each other along said at least one rail, and which each are provided with a baseplate of said quick connect/release click system.

5. Footstretcher device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said elongated board has a number of parallel tubes or rods supporting the slidably mounted parts, at least one of said tubes or rods guiding said slidable parts.

6. Footstretcher device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the ears have a number of different mounting positions, one above the other, for mounting the elongated board.

7. Footstretcher device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the ears at their ends remote from the elongated board each are provided with an axle having at one of its end a broadened head positioned in a vertically extending slot in a corresponding one of said generally vertical elements.

8. Footstretcher device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the lower ends of said generally vertical elements each are connected to one end of a C- shaped bracket extending obliquely along the hull of the rowing boat to the bottom thereof and in the direction of the rower and wherein the center of the bracket has connection means for connecting said bracket to a bottom rail of the rowing boat.