EP1896148B1 - Improved wrist-strap designed to be fixed to a ski or walking stick - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an improved wrist strap for ski poles or walking sticks, in particular for Nordic type walking also known as "Nordic walking", or "active walking".

Most ski poles are equipped at the level of their handle with a strap forming a closed loop on itself, called a strap. This strap serves not only to allow the skier not to lose his stick when he releases his closed hand unexpectedly around the handle of the stick, but also to allow a better transmission of the efforts of the skier, especially in the phase of support on the stick on the floor.

For these two functions to be effectively performed, a strap must be passed so as to partially encircle the wrist of the user, the strands of the strap, generally unique, connected to the handle of the stick to pass through the palm of the hand .

A recent and widely known sport called "Nordic Walking" has led to the development of improved walking sticks. On these sticks, a kind of strap that includes a strand with one end attached to the handle and another in the form of a band forming an adjustable loop and made of a comfortable material in contact with the skin, the band being sufficiently wide so as not to strangulate the skin, when the strap is in tension. This comfort sought for the walker is all the more important in Nordic walking, the user relies longer on the stick and the band of the wrist strap thus provided relieves the hand and can even allow the user to 'remove the fingers gripped around the handle and then let the stick swing to the back of the walker.

A problem can then occur: when the stick is behind, it tends to deviate too much from the hand of the walker and thus create a pendulum too long. This is the reason why some Nordic walking poles are provided with a very short loop to limit the pendulum that occurs in case of non stick the stick by the fingers of the walker. To envisage thus a strap with a very short loop can cause another disadvantage: it can be difficult to position well the hand with respect to the stick and, if necessary, the bad positioning can go up to "break" the wrist of the walker.

Also known by the disclosure made by patents WO 03/022377 and WO 02/062434 wrist straps designed to surround the wrist of the user, fixed to the handle of a stick by a main strap and having a secondary return strap for reminding the stick in the user's hand . However, these devices have the disadvantage of being neither comfortable nor effective because the main strap connecting the handle and the wrist loop is attached to the upper end of the handle and the upper part of the loop. wrist. The hand of the user is therefore under the main strap and does not allow the user, as is the case in the invention, to take support on said main strap which is not negligible in terms of efficiency and comfort.

The object of the invention is then to provide an improved strap, intended to secure the hand of a walker with a Nordic walking stick, which while allowing a pleasant comfort of the hand of the walker limits the movement of the balance wheel. stick when walking, in case of non-grip of the handle of the stick by the walker.

For this purpose, the invention according to claim 1 relates to a strap, intended to be fixed to a support stick against the ground, comprising a handle, said strap consisting of a main strap fixed at a point of attachment disposed at the upper part of the handle characterized in that the strap comprises an additional return strap one end of which is fixed to the main strap and the other is fixed at a connection point disposed below the point of attachment of the strap main so as to constitute a support rod of the support stick towards the hand of the user when the stick, free from support against the ground, is not gripped by the hand of the user.

The main strap is constituted by a wrist loop intended to surround and hold the user's wrist, fixed to the upper part of the stick at an upper attachment point by a main link strap.

According to another feature the main link strap connects the upper part of the handle to the lower part of the wrist loop.

It will be noted that, according to the preferred embodiment, the main connecting strap comprises an intermediate portion intended to support the palm of the user's hand consisting of a support wall, for example a flexible wall such as a net allowing to evacuate perspiration from the user.

It should be added that in this preferred embodiment, the support wall has a triangular shape so that the top of this triangle is attached to the main link strap portion, and that its base is attached to the wrist loop.

According to another feature, the additional return strap is connected to a connecting point to the stick by one end while the other end is connected to the wrist loop.

Add that the additional return strap is advantageously adjustable in length by means of length adjustment means constituted for example by a control loop

According to an alternative embodiment, the additional return strap is removably attached to the stick, by removable fastening means such as a fastening piece connected to the rod of the stick in an area under the handle or directly to the lower part of the handle.

Note also that the additional return strap is advantageously constituted by an elastically deformable strap.

With such an additional return strap, thus simply and effectively limits the rocker created by the stick not gripped by the walker, and creates a restoring force bringing the entire handle into the hand of the user, who can so focus on its progression.

The invention also relates to the stick equipped with the strap of the invention.

By "free stick support against the ground" means in the context of the invention that the stick is not in contact with the ground and therefore creates a pendulum.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of non-limiting examples.

The figure 1 is a side view showing the top of a stick to which is attached a strap according to the invention.

The figure 1a is a detail view showing the attachment end of the wrist strap.

The Figures 2a, 2b and 2c show different phases of stick use according to the figure 1 .

The figures 3 and 4 are views similar to the figure 1 , illustrating two variants.

The strap according to the invention bearing the general reference (1), as shown, is connected to a support stick against the ground, which is a Nordic walking stick (2) comprising at its upper end a handle (3) According to the illustrated embodiment, the strap (1) is constituted by a main strap (4) constituted by a wrist loop (40) which is connected in known manner to the handle (3), and intended to surround and retain the wrist of the user connected to the stick by a main link strap (41).

The wrist loop (40) is connected to the upper portion (30) of the handle of the stick by the main link strap (41).

Note that the main link strap (41) connects the upper portion (30) of the handle (3) the lower portion (400) of the wrist loop (4à). For this purpose the main connecting strap (41) is fixed to the handle by one of these ends, at an upper attachment point (31) disposed at the upper part (30) of said handle (3) and is fixed by its other end to the lower part (400) of the wrist loop (40).

According to the invention and as shown, the strap (1) comprises an additional strap (5) connecting the wrist loop (40) to the stick (2).

The connection of the additional strap to the stick may be such that it is connected to the rod (20) in an area under the handle (3) or directly to the bottom of the handle (3).

Note that the additional strap (5) is connected at a connecting point (50) to the stick by one end while the other end is connected to the wrist loop (40).

It should be noted that the connection point (50) is arranged below the fastening point (31) of the main strap (41) so as to constitute a strap for restoring the support stick (2) towards the user's hand. when the stick (2), free from support against the ground, is not gripped by the hand of the user.

According to the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the strap (1) is such that the main link strap (41) has an intermediate portion intended to support the palm of the user's hand consisting of a bearing wall ( 410) for example a flexible wall such as a net to remove perspiration from the user. Note that the support wall (410) has a triangular shape so that the top of this triangle is attached to the main link strap portion (411), and that its base is attached to the wrist loop (4).

According to another preferred embodiment, the wrist loop (40) is adjustable in length to fit the wrist of the user. The adjustment means shown here are a fastener made with gripping strips, for example sold under the trademark VELCRO (401), the overlap area is variable.

According to another preferred embodiment, the additional return strap (5) is adjustable in length to adapt the length of the rocker created by the stick, when the handle is not gripped by the hand of the user. The means for adjusting the length of the additional strap (5) as illustrated are constituted for example by an adjustment loop (51).

In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the end of the main strap (4) is attached to the top of the handle (3) of the stick (2), while the end of the additional return strap (5) is attached to the stick (2) at a point immediately below the handle (3) of said stick (2).

In the illustrated embodiment, especially in figure 1a , the additional return strap (5) is removably attached to the stick (2) by removable fastening means such as a fastening piece (6).

Note that the attachment piece (6) is fixed to the rod of the stick, just below the handle, it is constituted by a base (60) which has a tubular overall shape and two retaining studs (61a, 61b) as illustrated in figure 1a .

• l'utilisateur ou marcheur vient tout d'abord passer sa main dans la boucle de poignet (40) et agripper la poignée (3) du bâton (2) - l'utilisateur voulant reposer sa main, n'agrippe plus complètement la poignée (3), lorsque le bâton (2) qui n'est plus en appui contre le sol revient vers l'arrière du marcheur (figure 2b), la sangle supplémentaire de rappel (5) limitant alors le mouvement de balancier vers l'arrière ainsi créé par le bâton (2) à partir du poignet du marcheur, ce qui permet à :

• l'utilisateur de reprendre rapidement et aisément la poignée (3) du bâton (2) lorsque celui-ci revient vers l'avant (figure 2c).

The operation of the strap (1) according to the invention is illustrated in FIGS. Figures 2a to 2c :

• the user or walker firstly puts his hand in the wrist loop (40) and grip the handle (3) of the stick (2) - the user wanting to rest his hand, does not grip the handle completely ( 3), when the stick (2) which is no longer supported against the ground returns towards the rear of the walker ( figure 2b ), the additional return strap (5) then limiting the backward movement thus created by the stick (2) from the wrist of the walker, which allows:

• the user to quickly and easily resume the handle (3) of the stick (2) when it returns to the front ( Figure 2c ).

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example, but it also includes all the technical equivalents and their combinations which are included in the claims.

Thus, it goes without saying that if the return strap (11) shown in Figures 1 to 2c consists of an elastically deformable strap whose elasticity contributes to the dynamic recall of the stick creating a balance, it is can very well provide in the context of the invention a non-elastic strap

The figure 3 is a view similar to the figure 1 , illustrating an alternative embodiment, wherein the connecting strap (41) has no support wall, but is a simple strap on which the palm of the hand of the user is supported.

The figure 4 is another variant, according to which the strap is a traditional single loop strand (4) forming a loop, but which includes an additional return strap (5)

It will also be noted that the additional return strap (5) advantageously has the shape of a "Y" to flare out and be connected laterally to the wrist loop (40) by two diverging strap portions (51a, 51b). Of course, it could be otherwise and adite additional booster strap could be a simple strap.

Add that the attachment of the main strap (4) to the handle is of the type that allows a length adjustment such as by wedging.

If the strap of the invention is particularly well suited for the practice of active walking, also called "Nordic Walking", it can of course be used for Nordic skiing.

Claims (12)

1. Wrist strap (1), which is designed to be secured to a stick (2) for support against the ground, comprising a handle (3), the said wrist strap consisting of a main strap (4) which is secured at a securing point (31) which is disposed on the top part (30) of the handle (3), the wrist strap comprising an additional return strap (5), one end of which is secured to the main strap (4), and the other end of which is secured at a connection point (50) which is disposed below the securing point (31) of the main strap (4), such as to constitute a strap for return of the support stick towards the hand of the user when the stick, free from support against the ground, is not being gripped by the hand of the user, and the main strap (4) being constituted by a wrist loop (40), which is designed to surround and retain the wrist of the user, and is secured to the top part (30) of the stick at an upper securing point (31) by means of a main connection strap (41), characterised in that the main connection strap (41) connects the upper part (30) of the handle (3) to the lower part (400) of the wrist loop (40).
2. Wrist strap (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the main connection strap (41) comprises an intermediate part which is designed to support the palm of the hand of the user, consisting of a support wall (410), which for example is a flexible wall.
3. Wrist strap (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the support wall (410) has a triangular form so that the top of this triangle is secured to the portion of main connection strap (411), and its base is secured to the wrist loop (4).
4. Wrist strap (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the additional strap (6) is connected at a connection point (50) by one of its ends to the stick, whereas the other end is connected to the wrist loop (40).
5. Wrist strap (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the length of the additional return strap (5) is adjustable by means of length-adjustment means.
6. Wrist strap (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the length-adjustment means consist of an adjustment loop (51).
7. Wrist strap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the additional return strap (5) is secured to the stick (2) in a detachable manner by detachable securing means such as a coupling part (6).
8. Wrist strap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the additional return strap (5) consists of a resiliently deformable thong.
9. Wrist strap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the additional strap for return of the stick is connected to the shaft (20) in an area situated below the handle (3) or directly on the lower part of the handle (3).
10. Support stick (2), characterised in that it comprises the wrist strap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.
11. Support stick (2) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the main connection strap (41) connects the upper part (30) of the handle, whereas the additional return strap (5) is secured to the stick at a connection point (50) which is disposed below the point (31) of securing of the main strap (4).
12. Support stick (2) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the additional return strap (5) is secured to the stick by means of a coupling part (6).

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