Loops for poles

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6502862
  • Patent Number
    6,502,862
  • Date Filed
    Friday, January 30, 1998
    28 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 7, 2003
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Olszewski; Robert P.
    • Fischer; Andrew J.
    Agents
    • Jones, Tullar & Cooper, P.C.
Abstract
A loop for poles, such as ski poles and walking sticks, which can be fastened to a pole grip, is provided with a loop element, which encloses the wrist and whose circumference can be adjusted, with a connecting element to the pole grip for the loop element, and with a drawing element, whose one end can be fixed in place on the pole grip and the other end can be releasably fastened on the loop element. The drawing element can be releasably fastened on the exterior of the loop element, so that the drawing element can be connected with or released from the loop element in a simple manner, wherein the circumferential setting of the loop element is maintained.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a loop for poles, such as ski poles and walking sticks, which can be fastened to a pole grip with a loop element which encloses the wrist and whose circumference can be adjusted with a loop element and a drawing element.




2. Background Art




In connection with such a loop for poles, known from DE 94 01 287 U1, the drawing element has been placed with its end facing away from the pole grip between a burr-type closure arrangement of the loop element, whose circumference can be adjusted and can be connected therewith. The fastening and releasing of such a drawing element on, or respectively from, the loop element is relatively elaborate, since to this end it is necessary in every case first to open, or respectively close, the burr-type closure arrangement. This also requires the loosening, and therefore readjustment of the circumferential length of the loop element.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved loop for poles of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the drawing element can be connected with, or respectively released from, the loop element in a simpler way, wherein the circumferential adjustment of the loop element is maintained.




To attain this object, poles, such as ski poles and walking sticks of the type mentioned are provided with a drawing element releasably fastened on the exterior of the loop element.




By means of the present invention the loop element no longer needs to be opened when the drawing element is connected with the loop element or is released from it. By means of this the circumferential setting of the loop element, once it has been made, is retained. This leads to easy handling of the loop




With the known loop the drawing element extends over the back of the hand, since it is connected with the loop element in its adjustment area. A more optimal guidance of the drawing element results when the drawing element can be releasably fastened outside of the adjustment area of the loop element. In this case the drawing element is essentially arranged in the outer area of the hand between the thumb and index finger and is guided in its extension, which makes a more direct placement of the hand in a position on the pole grip possible. Furthermore, a stabilization and interlocking fixation in place of the hand on the pole grip results, so that an optimal force transfer from the hand to the pole is possible. Furthermore, with this type of attachment any danger of an unintended adjustment of the circumference of the loop is avoided.




By releasably fastening the drawing element outside of the adjustment area of the loop element, it is possible to achieve an individual position as a function of the hand, or respectively glove size. An advantageous embodiment of this ensues from providing at least two discrete fastening points which are provided on the drawing element and at a distance from each other.




An additional length adjustability and optimal stabilized holding of the hand on the pole grip ensues from an elastically stretchable section arranged between the fastening areas of the drawing element on the loop element or on the pole grip. In this connection it is practical to provide this elastically expandable section between the respective fastening areas on the outside of the loop element by means of a snap fastener unit.




The fastening ends of the drawing element and the connection element can be fastened so they cannot be released from the pole grip or, can be provided releasably as a unit on the pole grip. A very advantageous embodiment of releasability is provided in that the fastening ends are fastened, one resting on top of the other, on a bolt element which can be releasably inserted and locked in the pole grip.




If a circumferential adjustment by means of a burr-type closure unit is provided for a loop, it is practical to provide the drawing element directly next to an eye or a buckle provided on one end of the loop element. In the process a structurally and production-technologically simple fastening results.




For connecting the drawing elements with the loop, various releasable connecting units can be provided, such as a snap fastener unit or a tuning-lock fastener unit, or a burr-type closure connection or the like can be provided.




A useful and easy embodiment of the loop results from the provision of a web belt as the loop element which is woven wider in the contact area with the palm of the hand and narrower in the connecting area with the pole grip and in the circumferential adjustment area, while the adjustment area and the contact area of the loop element are woven as one piece with the connecting element, and while the end area of the loop element, which is firmly connected with the eye or the buckle is sewn to an intermediate area near the transition to the connecting element.




Further details of the present invention can be taken from the following description, in which the invention will be described and explained in more detail by means of the exemplary embodiments represented in the drawings. Shown are in:











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

, is a perspective representation of a loop fastened on a pole grip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the instant invention,





FIGS. 2A and 2B

, are respectively, a bottom view of the loop element and the connecting element, and a top view of the drawing element of the loop in accordance with

FIG. 1

,





FIG. 3

, is a lateral view of an embodiment of the releasable connection of the loop element and drawing element differing from

FIGS. 1 and 2

,





FIG. 4

, is a top view in accordance with the arrow IV in

FIG. 3

,





FIG. 5

, is a section along the line V—V in

FIG. 3

in an enlarged representation, and





FIG. 6

, is a representation corresponding to

FIG. 1

wherein, however, the loop can be releasably locked on the pole grip.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




In accordance with

FIG. 1

, a loop


10


is fastened at the upper end


12


of a pole grip


11


of a pole


13


, which can be a ski pole or a walking stick. In accordance with

FIG. 1

, the loop


10


has been inserted into a slit


14


of the pole grip


11


and is fastened by means of a screw


15


, axially inserted into the pole grip


11


. However, in accordance with

FIG. 6

it is also possible to provide the fastening ends of the loop


10


″ on an element


110


of a releasable fastening unit of the loop and the pole grip, which is embodied in such a way that the loop


10


″ can be fastened, easily releasable on the pole grip


111


, for example insertably and lockingly.




The loop


10


has a loop element


20


, which tightly encloses the wrist of a user, a connecting element


21


and a drawing element


22


. The free ends


23


and


24


of the connecting element


21


and the drawing element


22


, respectively, are brought together on top of each other and are connected fixedly or easily releasable with the pole grip


11


or


111


in the manner described above.




In accordance with the partial

FIGS. 2A and 2B

, in which the individual elements, or respectively areas, of the loop


10


are represented in a state where they are laid out flat, the loop element


20


has a widened intermediate area


26


which, in the carrying position in accordance with

FIG. 1

, lies in the area of the palm of the hand. At the one end, the intermediate area


26


forms a transition in one piece into the narrower connecting element


21


, and at the other end forms a transition in one piece into an end area


27


of the loop element


20


embodied as an adjustable fastening area. Tape elements


28


and


29


of a burr-type closure unit


31


have been sewn one behind the other in the longitudinal direction to the underside


32


of the also narrower free fastening area


27


. When the free fastening area


27


in accordance with

FIG. 1

has been passed through an eye


33


or a buckle and reversed, the circumferential length of the loop element


20


can be adjusted and maintained in this way. A second end area


34


of the loop element


20


has been fastened, preferably sewn, vertically projecting from the intermediate area


26


of the loop element


20


near the transition to the connecting element


21


. The free end


36


of the second end area


34


is fixedly connected with the eye


33


, or the buckle, by reversing it. In the vicinity of this eye


33


, the free end


36


has been provided with one part


37


of a snap fastener connector


38


, wherein this snap fastener part


37


, which forms a male part, simultaneously holds the reversed free end


36


for fastening in the eye and is open toward the outside


30


of the loop element


20


.




In accordance with

FIG. 2B

, the drawing element


22


is designed to be relatively narrow and on its free end


39


, which faces away from the end


24


connected with the pole grip


11


, or respectively with the connecting element end


23


, it has several other, for example two, snap fastener parts


41


, which form female parts, arranged at a distance from each other, which can be selectively releasably connected with the male snap fastener part


37


on the connecting element


21


. An elastically stretchable section


42


in the manner of a rubber band is provided between the end


24


maintained on the pole grip


11


and the free end


39


of the drawing element


22


. In the carrying position in accordance with

FIG. 1

, the free end


39


of the drawing element


22


, which has been clipped to the outside


30


of the loop element


20


, is kept projecting approximately vertically from the second end area


34


of the loop element


20


, and the connecting element


21


extends along the pole grip


11


and thus along the palm of the hand, while the drawing element


22


extends on the outside of the hand in an area between the thumb and the index finger.





FIGS. 3

to


5


represent a variant of the loop


10


to the extent that the releasable fastening of the drawing element


22


′ on the second end area


34


′ of the loop element


20


is concerned. For this purpose the second end area


34


′ near the eye


33


′ is provided with a turning-lock fastener


46


formed by the reversed free end


36


′, which in this case constitutes, at the same time, the eye holder. The turning-lock fastener


46


has an axis


47


embodied as a screw, whose head


50


is held in a countersunk manner by a washer


48


maintained on the inside of the free end


36


, and on whose shaft


49


, which projects above the outside of the free end


36


, a turning knob


51


is rotatably maintained. The turning knob


51


is secured in the axial direction via a nut


52


and washer


53


. The turning knob


51


has a rectangular-shaped base surface and on its inside it is provided with an undercut


54


. The drawing element


22


′ is provided in its free end area


39


′ with at least one elongated hole


56


, whose cross-sectional dimensions approximately correspond to the cross-sectional dimensions of the turning knob


51


. In other words, in the position of the turning knob


51


represented in

FIG. 4

, in which the latter extends in the direction of the elongated hole


56


, the free end


39


′ of the drawing element


22


′ can be brought with its elongated hole


56


in accordance with the arrow A (

FIG. 3

) over the turning knob


51


in such a way, that the drawing element end


39


′ rests on the second end area


34


′ of the loop element


20


′, and therefore is arranged at the level of the undercut


54


. The turning knob


51


can then be pivoted by 90° in the direction of the arrow B, so that the turning knob


51


extends over the drawing element end


39


′ on both sides of the transverse extension of the elongated hole


56


. Otherwise the drawing element


22


′ is embodied in the same way as the drawing element


22


, i.e., it also has an elastic section, not represented here. In addition it is possible to provide the drawing element


22


′ with more than one elongated hole


56


for a longitudinal adjustment possibility.




As mentioned at the outset,

FIG. 6

represents in a further embodiment shown as loop


10


″, which basically corresponds to the loop


10


in

FIG. 1

, so that its identical elements have been provided with the same reference numerals, but with a double prime. The essential difference between the loop


10


″ and the loop


10


in accordance with

FIG. 1

lies in the connector, which can be inserted into the pole grip


111


and releasably locked. With the loop


10


″, the fastening ends


23


″ and


24


″, which are placed on top of each other, of the connecting element


21


″, or respectively the drawing element


22


″, have been inserted into a slot


108


of the bolt element


110


and are fastened in a manner not represented. The bolt element


110


provided with a projection


106


is inserted into an opening


112


, which is bordered laterally by an axially movable release knob


113


, on the bottom by the grip element


114


and on the top by a resiliently elastically movable cover element


115


. The bolt element


110


can be inserted and locked in a manner not represented in detail inside the opening


112


in the pole grip


111


. Release of the bolt element


110


from the pole grip


111


can take place either manually by means of the release knob


113


, or automatically by a safety release in a direction essentially extending toward the cover element


115


.



Claims
  • 1. A loop and pole combination, comprising:a first continuous loop element having an adjustable end, a pole end and a first intermediary area between the two ends, said first continuous loop element being inseparable; a second continuous loop element having a first end, a second end and a second intermediary area between said first end and said second end of said second continuous loop element, said first end being connected to said adjustable end of said first continuous loop element via a buckle, and said second end being connected to said first intermediary area of said first continuous loop element; wherein said first continuous loop element and said second continuous loop element are adapted to enclose the wrist of a user, said adjustable end of said first continuous loop element having an adjustment area for adjusting the circumference of said first and second continuous loop elements about the wrist of the user; and a drawing element having a free end and a fastening end with an elastically stretchable section between said free end and said fastening end, said free end of said drawing element being releasably fastened to said second intermediary area of said second continuous loop element, wherein said fastening end of said drawing element overlaps said pole end of said first continuous loop element with said fastening end and said pole end being connectable to the pole.
  • 2. The loop as defined in claim 1, wherein said drawing element is adjustable in length.
  • 3. The loop as defined in claim 2, wherein said drawing element has two discrete fastening points arranged at a distance from each other.
  • 4. The loop as defined in claim 1, wherein said pole end of said first continuous loop element and said fastening end of said drawing element are adapted to be releasably fastened together at the grip of the pole.
  • 5. The loop as defined in claim 1, wherein said pole end of said first continuous loop element and said fastening end of said drawing element are adapted to be releasably fastened together at the slot of the grip.
  • 6. The loop and pole combination as defined in claim 5, further comprising:a bolt element, wherein said includes a free end, said free end of said connecting element and said fastening end of said drawing element are adapted to rest one on top of the other and on said bolt element, and wherein said bolt element is adapted to be releasably inserted and locked in the grip of the ski pole or the walking stick.
  • 7. The loop and pole combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising:a burr-closure unit mounted to said loop element, wherein: said first continuous loop element includes one of: an eye and a buckle, said drawing element being releasably fastened at its end near said eye or buckle, and the circumference of said first continuous loop element is adjusted by pulling its one end through said eye or buckle.
  • 8. The loop and pole combination as defined in claim 7, further comprising:a fastening element for fastening said drawing element on said first continuous loop element.
  • 9. The loop and pole combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising:a snap fastener unit, wherein: said drawing element is releasably fastened on the outside of said first continuous loop element by means of said snap fastener unit.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
297 01 662 U Feb 1997 DE
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Number Name Date Kind
2095603 Langdon Oct 1937 A
3163436 Shride et al. Dec 1964 A
3188090 Job Jun 1965 A
3582100 Allsop Jun 1971 A
3879048 Penney Apr 1975 A
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4728123 Kassal et al. Mar 1988 A
4775168 Dalebout Oct 1988 A
4940255 Donine Jul 1990 A
5110154 Street May 1992 A
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5328205 Bacharach Jul 1994 A
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5507043 Howe Apr 1996 A
5887282 Lenhart Mar 1999 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number Date Country
2 306 238 Aug 1974 DE
94 01 287.3 May 1994 DE
691789 Oct 1930 FR
WO 9513848 May 1995 WO