WO2010076541A2

WO2010076541A2 - Hitting equipment for training and practicing combat sports

Info

Publication number: WO2010076541A2
Application number: PCT/FR2009/052718
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-René SAVARY
Original assignee: Sportcomsms
Priority date: 2008-12-30
Filing date: 2009-12-30
Publication date: 2010-07-08
Also published as: FR2940622A1; WO2010076541A3; FR2940622B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to hitting equipment for training and practicing combat sports, which is shaped like a punching bag including a body (2) made of a flexible casing (4) and an inner space (5) containing a filling means (6). In the punching bag according to the invention: the inner space (5) is hermetically sealed and defined by an airtight, flexible inner surface (4d); the filling means (6) consists of a ballast product (6a) and a pressurised gas (6b) filling said inner space (5); and the flexible casing (4) is provided with a means (7) for accessing said inner space (5), which can be hermetically sealed and which enables the insertion and/or the removal of said filling means (6) into/from to said inner space (5). Further, the casing (4) is made up of a plurality of parts (4a, 4b, 4c) made of a heat-weldable plastic material connected together in a sealed fashion, namely a top disk (4a) and a bottom disk (4b) connected by a tubular portion (4c). The hanging means includes straps (3) each of which is rigidly connected to a heat-weldable plastic part attached to said casing (4).

Description

STRIKE EQUIPMENT FOR TRAINING AND SPORTS PRACTICE

FIGHT

The present invention relates to striking equipment for training and practicing combat sports. Practitioners of certain combat sports (boxes, martial arts, etc.) train by repeatedly striking with fists and / or feet, on equipment adapted for this purpose.

Typically used striking equipment is in the form of an elongated, relatively hard and firm cylindrical device, commonly referred to as a "punching bag". Most punching bags comprise a body consisting of a flexible envelope, forming the striking surface, and the internal volume contains means for filling or padding.

The bag body is fixed on a suitable support (beam, stem ...), at its upper end, so as to be able to swing slightly when it receives blows. These punch bags, and in particular their means of filling, must have a weight and a hardness ensuring sufficient resistance to the impacts applied by the athlete.

These weight and hardness parameters are preferably adapted to the characteristics of the user (age, weight, level of practice, etc.) to limit the risk of injury.

The commonly used filling means consist of sand or pieces of fabric, directly attached in the flexible envelope to determine the weight and hardness of the punching bags equipped.

In some cases again, these filling means are in the form of a central container having a rigid and sealed wall, more or less filled with water so as to adjust the weight of the equipment; a layer of foam is interposed between the central container and the flexible envelope opposite, to define the hardness of the striking surface. However, the current punch bags are not without some problems.

Indeed, they are relatively heavy and bulky; and they occupy the same volume whether they are used or not, because of their filling means. This feature poses problems especially for transport and storage, both for the bag seller and the user.

In addition, the punching bags generally have specific characteristics in terms of weight and hardness, which are not adjustable or not easily adjustable, to take into account the type of user.

Document DE-454 669 discloses a striking device comprising a flexible envelope of generally elongate cylindrical shape which forms an internal volume containing filling means constituted by water under pressure. This flexible envelope is further equipped with a valve and suspension means. On the other hand, the document US-4,527,796 still describes a striking bag consisting of an outer cover associated with an internal pocket, between which is positioned a padding. This pocket is filled with water to a suitable level and an upper space is put under overpressure by blowing air. But these existing structures are not compatible with economical industrial manufacture.

The Applicant has developed a new striking structure, very resistant and at the same time simple to manufacture. This punch bag has the advantage of occupying or being able to easily occupy a negligible volume and weight in the periods when it is not used. It has the further advantage that it can be adjusted very simply in terms of its hardness and its weight, advantageously independently of one another, in particular to take account of the characteristics of the user.

The punching bag according to the invention is of the type comprising a compound body - a flexible envelope, forming the striking surface and made of a material impervious to air and liquids, and - a hermetically sealed internal volume closed, which flexible envelope is equipped with means for its suspension on a support, and has a generally elongated cylindrical shape, which internal volume contains filling means consisting of (i) a ballast product constituted by a volume of water reported, coming from the lower part of said internal volume, and (ii) a gas under pressure, supplementing said internal volume and coming in the upper part of said internal volume, which flexible envelope is further provided with means of access to said internal volume, which are hermetically closable and which allow the introduction and / or extraction of said filling means with respect to said internal volume, which access means to the internal volume are arranged at the level of the upper half of said envelope, on the side of said suspension means.

According to the invention, the flexible envelope consists of several pieces of heat-sealable plastic, associated with each other in a sealed manner, namely: two end discs, one upper side of said suspension means and the other lower, opposite said suspension means, connected by a tubular cylindrical portion, said internal volume being delimited by the inner surface of said flexible envelope; on the other hand, said suspension means comprise straps which are each secured to a piece of heat-sealing plastic material fixed (advantageously by heat sealing) on the outer face of said flexible envelope.

According to a preferred embodiment, the flexible envelope is constituted by three parts associated sealingly: the tubular cylindrical portion is constituted by a rectangular membrane whose longitudinal edges are hermetically joined one with the other, and the two end discs are secured each hermetically with one of the transverse edges of said tubular cylindrical portion.

According to another feature, the upper and / or lower end disc is doubled, that is to say made of two layers of heat-sealable plastic material which are secured together (advantageously only on their periphery) and with the circular border corresponding of the tubular cylindrical part.

The various components of the flexible envelope are advantageously constituted by a woven material membrane coated with a heat-sealable plastic material, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU). On the other hand, these various components of the flexible envelope, and preferably the suspension means, are preferably joined together by a heat sealing technique.

According to a preferred embodiment, the suspension means comprise a plurality of straps which each consist of a band of folded material to form a loop consisting of two strands, the free ends of said strap strands being secured by stitching with the piece. heat-sealable plastic material whose periphery is fixed by heat sealing with the outer face of the flexible envelope, preferably against its tubular portion.

In this context, the free ends of the two strands of straps are advantageously fixed by sewing under said piece of plastic, after passing through a slot in the latter.

On the other hand, each piece of plastic material used for fixing the straps on the flexible envelope is preferably further covered by a plastic pellet whose periphery is fixed on the outer face of said flexible envelope and which has a slot central for the passage of the two strands of straps.

According to another feature, the access means of the equipment consist of a hermetically sealable valve, allowing the passage of the filling means, said valve being provided with non-return means, associated with means for their deactivation, so as to allow the output of said filling means. Preferably, this valve is disposed at the level of the upper disk and in the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body.

The present invention will be further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of a possible embodiment, given solely by way of example, and this in relation to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a view schematic and in perspective of a punching bag according to the invention, with a local cut of its flexible envelope to show the constituent padding means; - Figure 2 shows in perspective and schematically a possible form of the various parts to be assembled, to obtain the striking bag of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a schematic view in cross section, showing the attachment of the suspension straps on the tubular body of the punch bag. Sports equipment 1, as shown in Figure 1, consists of a punching bag useful for training and practice of combat sports.

The corresponding punching bag 1 comprises a body 2, here of generally elongated cylindrical shape, having a longitudinal axis 2a.

It is further equipped, in the upper part, means 3, detailed below, for its suspension on a support in height (not shown - for example a bracket, a building frame, etc.).

The cylindrical body 2 of the striking bag 1, and in particular its cylindrical peripheral surface, is intended to receive the impacts applied by the athlete.

This cylindrical body 2 consists of a flexible envelope 4, and an internal volume 5 containing filling means 6.

The flexible envelope 4 forms the general structure of the cylindrical body 2. It comprises here two end discs, one upper 4a on the side of the suspension means 3 and the other lower 4b opposite the suspension means 3 connected by a tubular cylindrical portion 4c whose outer surface forms the actual striking surface.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the flexible envelope 4 is here adapted so that its flexible inner surface 4d is impermeable to air and also to water. This flexible inner surface 4d here directly defines the internal volume 5 which is hermetically sealed (in this case also of generally cylindrical shape). For this, the flexible envelope 4 is advantageously made of a membrane made of a heat-sealable plastic material (polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane, for example), reinforced or not.

It may be in particular a woven material (for example polyester fabric) coated with polyvinyl chloride (generally known under the acronym "PVC") or polyurethane (generally known under the acronym ("PU").

This flexible envelope 4 here consists of several pieces associated sealingly, as described in more detail later in connection with Figure 2.

This particular structure of the flexible envelope 4 allows the use of particular filling means 6, able to authorize the adjustment of the weight of the bag 1 and also the hardness of its striking surface 4c_.

In this case, the filling means 6 consist of: (i) a ballast product 6a, coming from the lower part of the internal volume 5 (opposite the suspension means 3), and

(ii) a gas under pressure 6b, completing the internal volume 5 and coming in its upper part

(on the side of the suspension means 3). The quantity or the volume of the ballast product 6a is adapted according to the weight sought for the punch bag; this setting will also allow to adjust the mobility and sway of the bag.

On the other hand, the gas pressure 6b is dosed so as to obtain the desired hardness for the striking surface. The ballast product 6a consists, for example, of a volume of sand, or of a volume of liquid (advantageously water).

The gas under pressure 6b is advantageously in air.

Furthermore, the flexible envelope 4 is equipped with means 7 for access to the internal volume 5, which allow the introduction and / or extraction of the aforementioned filling means 6. These access means 7 here consist of a single valve of the type used in the field of inflatable or pneumatic structures.

This valve 7 is hermetically closeable, in the closed position, to prevent the passage of the ballast product 6a and the gas 6b; it is advantageously provided with non-return means, for example in the form of a non-return membrane, associated with means for their deactivation (to allow the exit of the filling means 6 through this valve 7).

These access means 7 are formed at the level of the upper half of the flexible envelope 4, on the side of the suspension means 3. More specifically, they are arranged at the level of the upper end disc 4a and in the longitudinal axis. 2a of the cylindrical body 2.

As developed below, this positioning is intended in particular to facilitate the filling of the internal volume 5 by the ballast product 6a.

A particular envelope structure 4 for the manufacture of a bag body 2, as described above in connection with FIG. 1, is shown in detail in FIG.

This flexible envelope 4 consists of three parts 4a, 4b and 4c, intended to form respectively the upper end disc 4a, the lower end disc 4b and the cylindrical tubular portion 4c.

The cylindrical tubular portion 4c consists of a rectangular membrane, the longitudinal edges are secured hermetically with each other.

The two end discs 4a and 4b can be made single or doubled, that is to say each consist of one or two layers of heat-sealable plastic material hermetically joined to one of the end edges of the part cylindrical 4c_. In the case of a doubled disc, the end disc 4a and / or 4b advantageously consists of two superimposed discs, one inside and the other outside, also hermetically secured to each other on their periphery.

The various bonds are advantageously obtained by a high frequency (HF) heat-sealing technique.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the suspension means 3 are in the form of a strap (here four in number), each of which consists of a strip of material 9 folded on itself to form a loop, with two strands 10 and 1 1.

The free ends 10 'and 11' of the two strands of straps 10 and 11 are secured to a piece of plastic material 12 which is fixed against the outer face of the flexible envelope 4 (here against the tubular part 4c, on the side from its upper end), advantageously by a high frequency welding technique. This piece of material 12 is therefore advantageously made of heat-sealable material.

More specifically, the piece of plastic material 12 comprises a central slot 13 through which are inserted the two free ends 10 'and 1 1' of the strands of straps 10 and

1 1; these two ends 10 'and 1 1', oriented in opposite directions with respect to each other

(one upwards and the other downwards) are additionally pressed against the internal face of the piece of material 12 and secured thereto by seams 14.

The peripheral edge 15 of this piece of material 12 is secured directly with the outer face of the casing 4 (outside the bulk of the ends of the straps 10 'and

1 1 ').

These two ends 10 'and 1 1' are thus sandwiched between the piece of material 12 and the outer face of the envelope 4.

A pad of heat-sealable plastic material 16 covers the assembly to optimize the aesthetics and strength of the fastener.

This pellet 16 has a central slot 17 for the passage of the two strands of straps 10 and 1 1; it completely covers the piece of material 12, and its peripheral edge 18 is secured directly to the outer face of the casing 4, preferably by a high frequency heat sealing technique. The piece of material 12 is thus sandwiched between this pellet 16 and the outer face of the envelope 4.

This particular structure of the strap attachment means on the bag body 2 has the particular advantage of having an optimal strength and finish, to facilitate its manufacture, and also not to create sealing problems. Starting from their fixing on the casing 4, the straps 3 match correctly the upper angle of the bag body 2 and they are connected together, on the axis 2a of this bag body 2, by any appropriate means, for example a hanging ring. This feature is interesting in particular to limit the wear of the punch bag.

It is noted that the upper end disk 4a is provided with a central through hole 8 intended to receive, hermetically, the valve 7 described above in connection with Figure 1.

In practice, the various parts 4a, 4b and 4c constituting the flexible envelope 4, the valve 7, and the suspension means 3 are assembled on a manufacturing site. This assembly is greatly facilitated because of its structure composed of several pieces of heat-sealable material, which allows the implementation of only a heat-sealing technique (the straps being advantageously previously associated with their respective pieces of heat-sealing material 12).

The striking bag 1 thus obtained can then be transported empty to its site of marketing or use. It has the advantage of occupying an extremely small footprint, and have an insignificant weight compared to a striking bag filled by traditional means.

At the site of use, it is sufficient for the operator to fill the internal volume 5 of the bag, before or after its fixing by means of its suspension means 3. This filling is performed through the valve 7, in open position.

First, the ballast product 6a is introduced through the valve 7, according to a volume depending on the desired final weight.

The upward orientation of the upper end disk 4a and the central position of its valve 7 simplify and facilitate this operation.

The operator completes the filling of the internal volume 5 with the gas 6b, again through the valve 7 (by means of an air compressor or a simple manual air pump, in combination with a suitable nozzle).

The gas 6b is pressurized until the desired hardness is obtained at the level of the flexible envelope 4, in particular at its tubular cylindrical portion 4c.

Depending on the user, it is understood that one can very simply adjust the weight and / or the hardness of the bag body 2, this by adjusting respectively the volume of water 6a and / or the air pressure 6b.

In case of need, the striking bag 1 can be emptied just as easily, to find a reduced volume and weight, significantly facilitating its storage and transport.

Claims

- CLAIMS -

1.- Striking equipment for training and practicing combat sports, which equipment (1) is in the form of a punching bag comprising a body (2) composed of - a flexible envelope (4) , forming the striking surface and made of a material impervious to air and liquids, and - a sealed internal volume (5), which flexible envelope (4) is equipped with means (3) for its suspension on a support, and has a generally elongate cylindrical shape, which internal volume (5) contains filling means (6) consisting of (i) a product of ballast (6a) constituted by a volume of reported water, coming partly lower part of said internal volume (5), and (ii) a gas under pressure (6b), supplementing said internal volume (5) and coming in the upper part of said internal volume (5), which flexible envelope (4) is further provided with means (7) access to said internal volume (5), which are hermetically closable and which allow the introduction and / or extraction of said filling means (6) with respect to said internal volume (5), which means (7) for access to the internal volume (5) are provided at the upper half of said envelope (4). ), on the side of said suspension means (3), characterized in that said flexible envelope (4) consists of several pieces (4a, 4b, 4c) of heat-sealable plastic, associated together in a sealed manner, namely two discs ends, one upper (4a) on the side of said suspension means (3) and the other lower (4b) opposite said suspension means (3), connected by a tubular cylindrical portion (4c), said internal volume (5) being delimited by the inner surface (4d) of said flexible envelope (4), and in that said suspension means (3) comprise straps (9) which are each secured to a piece of plastics material heat-sealable (12) itself attached to the outer surface of the lad this flexible envelope (4).

2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible envelope (4) consists of three parts (4a, 4b, 4c) associated sealingly, and in that the tubular cylindrical portion (4c) is constituted of a rectangular membrane whose longitudinal edges are secured hermetically with each other, and in that the two end discs (4a, 4b) are secured each hermetically with one of the transverse edges of the cylindrical portion tubular (4c).

3.- Equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper end disc (4a) and / or lower (4b) is lined, consisting of two layers of heat-sealable plastic material joined together and with the corresponding circular edge of the tubular cylindrical portion (4c).

4. Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the various parts (4a, 4b, 4c) constituting the flexible envelope (4) consist of a membrane of woven material coated with polychloride vinyl or polyurethane.

5. Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the parts (4a, 4b, 4c) constituting the flexible envelope (4) are hermetically sealed by a heat sealing technique.

6. Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the suspension means (3) comprise a plurality of straps (9) which each consist of a strip of material (9) folded to form a loop consisting of two strands (10, 1 1), the two free ends (10 ', 1 1') of said strand strands (10, 1 1) being secured by seam (14) with the piece of heat-sealable plastic ( 12) whose periphery (15) is fixed by heat sealing with the outer face of the flexible envelope (4).

7. Equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that the two free ends

(10 ', 11') of the two strands of straps (10, 1 1) are fixed by seam (14) under the plastic piece (12), after passing through a slot (13) in said piece (12).

8. Equipment according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that each piece of plastic material (12) for fixing the straps (9) on the envelope (4) is covered by a pellet of material plastic (16) whose periphery (18) is fixed on the outer face of the flexible envelope (4) and which has a central slot (17) for the passage of the two strands of straps (10, 1 1).

9. Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the access means (7) consist of a hermetically closable valve, allowing the passage of the filling means (6), said valve (7). being provided with non-return means, associated with means for their deactivation so as to allow the output of said filling means (6).

10. Equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that the valve (7) is disposed at the level of the upper disc (4a) and in the longitudinal axis (2a) of the body (2).