HAND PADDLE

Abstract

A hand paddle (1) for a float (13) is described, having a grip part (6) and a paddle blade (2) which comprises a blade shoulder (3) and a blade edge (4) that is located opposite the blade shoulder (3) in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade (2). In order to enable easy manufacture, flexible use possibilities, and use in a way that saves effort by the user, it is proposed that the paddle blade (2) forms the grip part (6) which is bounded by a grip cutout (5) that extends from the blade shoulder (3) in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a hand paddle for a float, having a grip part and a paddle blade which comprises a blade shoulder and a blade edge that is located opposite the blade shoulder in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade.

PRIOR ART

For propelling floats, hand paddles are known (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,188,343 A, 3,039,120 A, 3,109,184 A, 3,117,325 A, 3,153,797 A) which have a grip part, to which a paddle blade is attached, said paddle blade extending in the longitudinal direction from a blade shoulder adjoining the grip part to a blade edge that is located opposite the blade shoulder in the longitudinal direction of the blade. However, these hand paddles have the disadvantage that they are very complex to manufacture and, due to the size and design thereof, they cannot readily be used for floats that are used in the recreation sector. In addition, such hand paddles have to be guided by the user thereof, so that the introduction of force into the float is effected by the user himself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem addressed by the invention is therefore that of configuring a hand paddle of the type described in the introduction in such a way as to enable easy manufacture, flexible use possibilities, and use in a way that saves effort by the user.

The invention solves the stated problem in that the paddle blade forms the grip part which is bounded by a grip cutout that extends from the blade shoulder in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade. As a result of this measure, there is no need for a separate grip part because the paddle blade of the hand paddle itself forms a grip part. In this connection, the orientation of the grip cutout in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade enables use of the hand paddle when the longitudinal axis thereof, which extends in the longitudinal direction, extends substantially parallel to the water surface, as is usually the situation in the case of recreational floats, such as inflatable pool mattresses and the like, due to the small freeboard.

In order to make it possible for the propulsion force generated by the hand paddle to be introduced into the float not only via the body of the user but instead at least also directly via the hand paddle, it is proposed that the edge of the grip cutout that is located opposite the grip part forms a clip which can be pivoted outward with respect to the blade shoulder and which is connected to the latter via a releasable closure. The grip cutout thus forms, together with the grip part and the clip, a carabiner hook which makes it possible to connect the hand paddle to the float via the grip part, wherein the orientation of the resulting carabiner hook favours a rotation of the hand paddle about the point of articulation to the float. Due to the releasable closure and the dimensioning of the grip cutout, the hand paddle according to the invention can be used in a versatile manner and can be used on a variety of floats.

In this connection, particularly advantageous design conditions are obtained when the closure is formed by a latching hook which cooperates with a latching cutout. It is thus easily possible to ensure that the carabiner hook formed by the grip part and the clip cannot be released unintentionally.

In order to enable particularly simple design conditions while at the same time enabling safe handling, it is proposed that the grip part comprises a grip base, which is formed in one piece with the paddle blade and bounds the grip cutout, and a closure part which is integrally formed on the clip, engages around the grip base and forms an edge of the paddle blade. In this case, the grip base forms a stop for the closure part, so that the clip with the closure part can be pivoted outward with respect to the blade shoulder only when the closure part is simultaneously pivoted out of the plane of the grip base or paddle blade. By virtue of the measure according to the invention, such an outward pivoting is prevented for as long as the grip part of the hand paddle, which is formed of the grip base and the closure part, is being grasped by a user.

In order to enable particularly ergonomic handling of the hand paddle and reliable actuation regardless of the size of the user's hand, the edge of the paddle blade that is located opposite the grip cutout may be curved inward in a concave manner in the region of the grip part. The curvature may be configured such that a grip recess is formed, which counteracts a lateral slipping of the user's hand within the grip cutout.

The possibilities for use of the hand paddle according to the invention can be extended if the grip part is connected to the grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line. Apart from the fact that the connecting line can be passed for example through handles of a float, the maintaining of a tension between the two hand paddles connected via the connecting line favours a largely symmetrical body posture of the user, which counteracts one-sided loading and also a slipping-off from the float. If a float has no available attachment option, the hand paddles according to the invention can still advantageously be used by virtue of this measure.

In this connection, it is advantageous if the connecting line has a defined stiffness, which makes it easier for the user to maintain a tension between the two hand paddies. To this end, the connecting line may form annular bodies which are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction, wherein the annular bodies are configured in the manner of vertebrae such that they permit a bending of the connecting line only to a certain extent. In this connection, by configuring the annular bodies as air-filled hollow bodies, the connecting line can easily be protected against sinking in the water. In one particularly simple embodiment, both the connecting line and the annular bodies are manufactured in one piece from a rubber, plastic or foamed plastic.

According to what has been stated above, the subject matter of the invention is also a float having a hand paddle according to the invention, wherein a respective hand paddle is rotatably articulated to the float on each of two opposite sides thereof, via attachment means provided for this purpose. Such attachment means on the float may be, for example, straps, eyelets or handles. If the float has handles, these usually extend parallel to the main surface of the float, which permits a larger radius of movement of an articulated hand paddle.

In this connection, however, particularly advantageous handling conditions are obtained when a respective hand paddle is articulated to each handle of the float, the handle forming a pivot axle which extends transversely to the main surface of the float. To this end, the handles of the float do not have to be arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the float, as is customary, but instead normal to the main surface of the float. The advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that on the one hand it is easier to hold onto the float and on the other hand the hand paddles are freely movable only in a plane parallel to the main surface of the float. When the hand paddles are pivoted out of this plane, in order in particular to enter the water and generate a propulsion, a clamping connection is established with the handles and a flexible elastic deformation of the hand paddles occurs, which enables a more stable connection between the hand paddles and the float.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of the invention is shown by way of example in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a hand paddle according to the invention in a schematic plan view,

FIG. 2 shows a hand paddle according to the invention in an alternative embodiment, likewise in a schematic plan view,

FIG. 3 shows a float with two hand paddles according to the invention attached to lateral handles, in a schematic plan view on a smaller scale,

FIG. 4 shows a float corresponding to FIG. 3 in an alternative embodiment with handles extending transversely to the main surface of the float, and

FIG. 5 shows an illustration of the float corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3 with two hand paddles connected via a connecting line.

WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

A hand paddle 1 according to the invention comprises a paddle blade 2 which a blade shoulder 3 and a blade edge 4 that is located opposite the blade shoulder 3 in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade 2. It is provided according to the invention that the paddle blade 2 is pierced by a grip cutout 5 which extends from the blade shoulder 3 toward the blade edge 4 in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade 2. This results in a grip part 6 which is bounded by the grip cutout 5.

The grip cutout 5 adjoins not only the grip part 6 but also a clip 7 which is formed by the edge of the grip cutout 5 that is located opposite the grip part 6. Said clip 7 can be pivoted outward with respect to the blade shoulder 3 and is connected to the blade shoulder 3 via a releasable closure 8. If the paddle blade 2 is made of a suitably flexible material, no additional measures are required in order to enable the outward pivoting of the clip 7. However, it is also possible to provide an articulation for this purpose in the region where the clip 7 transitions into the paddle blade 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the closure 8 is formed in that both the clip 7 and the grip part 6 each have a bore 9 in the region of the blade shoulder 3, which bores comes to lie one above the other in the closed state of the clip 7 and thus can be penetrated by a locking pin (not shown in detail) or a carabiner hook, in order to lock the clip 7 to the grip part 6 or to the blade shoulder 3 of the paddle blade 2. In another embodiment (not shown), the closure may also be formed by a latching hook which cooperates with a latching cutout. In principle, it is of no significance whether the latching cutout or the latching hook is assigned to the clip 7 or to the grip part 6 or the blade shoulder 3. However, particularly advantageous design conditions are obtained when the clip 7 has a latching hook which cooperates with a latching cutout of the grip part 6. This embodiment can also be combined with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the grip part 6 comprises a grip base 14, which is formed in one piece with the paddle blade 2 and bounds the grip cutout 5, and a closure part 15 which is integrally formed on the clip 7, engages around the grip base 14 and forms an edge 10 of the paddle blade. The grip base 14 thus forms a stop for the closure part 15, so that the clip 7 with the closure part 15 can be pivoted outward with respect to the blade shoulder 3 only when the closure part 15 is simultaneously pivoted out of the plane of the grip base 14 or paddle blade 2. By virtue of the measure according to the invention, such an outward pivoting is prevented for as long as the grip part 6 of the handle paddle 1, which is formed of the grip base 14 and the closure part 15, is being grasped by a user.

In order to achieve particularly ergonomic handling, the hand paddle 1 according to the invention, in the illustrated embodiment the edge 10 of the paddle blade 2 that is located opposite the grip cutout 5 is curved inward in a concave manner in the region of the grip part 6, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The hand paddles 1 can be connected in an articulated manner to a float 13, either per se or via the connecting line 11, as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The hand paddles 1 are rotatably articulated to the float 13 on two opposite sides thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional float 13 with handles 17 extending parallel to the main surface of the float, a respective hand paddle 1 according to the invention being rotatably articulated to each of said handles as a result of the clip 7 or the grip cutout 5 enclosing the respective handle 17.

In one particularly advantageous embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 4, the handles 16 of the float 13 are arranged transversely to the main surface of the float 13, so that each handle forms a pivot axle extending transversely to the main surface of the float 13. The advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that on the one hand it is easier to hold onto the float 13 and on the other hand the hand paddles 1 are freely movable only in a plane parallel to the main surface of the float, so as to enable a better introduction of force into the float 13.

According to the invention, a hand paddle 1 may also be connected to the grip part 6 of a second hand paddle 1 via a connecting line 11. The connecting line 11 may have annular bodies 12 which are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction, only a few of said annular bodies being shown by way of example in FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A hand paddle for a float, said hand paddle comprising: a paddle blade that comprises a blade shoulder and a blade edge that is located opposite the blade shoulder in a longitudinal direction of the paddle blade,wherein the paddle blade has a grip part that is bounded by a grip cutout that extends from the blade shoulder in the longitudinal direction of the paddle blade.

2. The hand paddle according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the grip cutout that is located opposite the grip part forms a clip that is pivotable outward with respect to the blade shoulder and that is connected to the blade shoulder via a releasable closure.

3. The hand paddle according to claim 2, wherein the closure is formed by a latching hook that cooperates with a latching cutout.

4. The hand paddle according to claim 1, wherein the grip part comprises a grip base that is formed in one piece with the paddle blade and bounds the grip cutout, and a closure part which is integrally formed on the clip, engages around the grip base and forms an edge of the paddle blade.

5. The hand paddle according to claims 2, wherein the edge of the paddle blade that is located opposite the grip cutout is curved inward in a concave manner in a region of the grip part.

6. The hand paddle according to claim 1, wherein the grip part is connected with a grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line.

7. The hand paddle according to claim 6, wherein the connecting line forms annular bodies that are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction.

8. An article comprising a float and two hand paddles each to claim 2, wherein each of said hand paddles is rotatably articulated to the float on a respective one of two opposite sides thereof.

9. The float according to claim 8, wherein each hand paddle is articulated to a respective handle of the float, the handles each forming a respective pivot axle extending transversely to a main surface of the float.

10. The hand paddle according to claim 3, wherein the edge of the paddle blade-that is located opposite the grip cutout is curved inward in a concave manner in a region of the grip part.

11. The hand paddle according to claim 4, wherein the edge of the paddle blade-that is located opposite the grip cutout is curved inward in a concave manner in a region of the grip part.

12. The hand paddle according to claim 2, wherein the grip part is connected with a grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line.

13. The hand paddle according to claim 12, wherein the connecting line forms annular bodies that are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction.

14. The hand paddle according to claim 3, wherein the grip part is connected with a grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line.

15. The hand paddle according to claim 14, wherein the connecting line forms annular bodies that are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction.

16. The hand paddle according to claim 4, wherein the grip part is connected with a grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line.

17. The hand paddle according to claim 16, wherein the connecting line forms annular bodies that are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction.

18. The hand paddle according to claim 5, wherein the grip part is connected with a grip part of a second hand paddle via a connecting line.

19. The hand paddle according to claim 18, wherein the connecting line forms annular bodies that are spaced apart from one another and are distributed in the longitudinal direction.