The invention relates to a training appliance comprising a punching bag for practising combat and/or contact or grappling sports, notably for increasing the muscular strength, speed and reflexes of the person practicing. Its subject matter is such a training appliance including a punching bag.
Known in the prior art are punching bags suspended from a supporting structure. This supporting structure may be an upper suspension ring fixed either directly to the ceiling or to a boom installed at the upper end of a column fixed to the ground.
There is known from the document FR 2 841 792 a punching bag for training in contact sports such as boxing, karate, etc. The punching bag comprises a vertical tube surrounded by an elastically deformable synthetic foam cylindrical sleeve. The punching bag is intended to receive blows struck by a user.
This bag is suspended above the ground and the upper and lower ends are respectively connected to upper and lower fixings by two connecting means at least one of which is elastically deformable.
The disadvantage of these various punching bags is that their weight is totally or mostly supported by the upper suspension ring which requires to be firmly fixed either to the ceiling or to the boom. In the case of a fixing to the ceiling, the structure of the latter must be sufficiently strong to support not only the weight of the bag but also, notably, the forces resulting from the acceleration imparted to the bag by the blows struck by the person practicing.
Another disadvantage of the known bags is that they are dedicated to a single type of activity and cannot be used for training in tackling as practiced for example in rugby or American football. Moreover, where training in tackling is concerned, existing bags cannot be raised autonomously.
There is therefore a requirement for a multipurpose punching bag suitable for practicing percussion sports on the one hand and percussion and/or grappling sports on the other hand. There more particularly exists a requirement for a punching bag suitable for training in contact and/or combat sports (boxing, Thai boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts (MMA), etc.), martial arts (karate, kung fu, sambo), self-defense (krav maga, penchak silat, etc.) and team combat games (rugby, American football, etc.).
Even more particularly, for practicing percussion sports, there exists a requirement for a punching bag with reactive mobility adjustable as a function of a percussion power. In other words, there exists a requirement for a punching bag offering mobility of the punching bag that is intrinsically controlled on the basis of characteristics inherent to the punching bag, such control being adapted as a function of the percussion power applied by the user. There exists a requirement for a punching bag designed for percussion training of all the limbs of a user (fists, arms, elbows, knees, tibias, feet, head) and all striking heights, such a punching bag offering at one and the same time the advantages of a speed punching bag (of the “speed bag” type), a heavy punching bag (of the “heavy” bag type), without the drawbacks of each of these. There also exists a requirement for such a punching bag also offering a realistic oscillatory movement, which is not the case in prior art suspended punching bags, for example, oscillation of which is inverted, the top of prior art suspended punching bags remaining fixed and the bottom of prior art suspended punching bags being mobile. Likewise, it is desirable to have a punching bag offering easy fixing of the punching bag, notably to a low ceiling and to the ground, in contrast to prior art heavy punching bags that generally require the use of a boom or anchor points that are robust and bulky. Finally, it is also desirable to have a punching bag offering a resistance and a reactive mobility of the punching bag that is induced by a thrust or an impact of adjustable power, which is lacking in prior art suspended punching bags.
Even more particularly, and for practicing percussion and/or grappling sports, there exists a requirement for a punching and tackling bag with reactive mobility and dropping resistance adjustable as a function of the power of an impact generated by the user. In other words, there exists a requirement for a punching and tackling bag that provides a response adapted to the power of the impact. To put this another way, upon tackling the punching and tackling bag, it is desirable for the latter to offer a proportionate and realistic response to the impact that the punching and tackling bag receives from the user, this response being intrinsically controlled on the basis of characteristics inherent to the punching and tackling bag. There also exists a requirement for a punching and tackling bag that is designed both for percussion training of all of the limbs of the user (fists, arms, elbows, knees, tibias, feet, head) on a vertical and horizontal plane, as well throwing the punching and tackling bag to the ground with a system for automatically returning the punching and tackling bag to the vertical position, such automatic return being nevertheless realistic and free of risk to the user. In the family of punching and tackling bags, it is desirable to have a punching and tackling bag offering at one and the same time the advantages of a speed punching bag (of the “speed bag” type), a heavy punching bag (of the “heavy” bag type), and a tackling bag without the disadvantages of each of these bags and notably allowing an oscillatory movement of an upper part of the punching and tackling bag that is realistic, which is not the case in prior art suspended punching and tackling bags the oscillation of which is inverted, the top of the prior art punching and tackling bag remaining fixed and the bottom of the prior art punching and tackling bag being mobile. It is also desirable to have a punching and tackling bag offering ease of fixing of the punching and tackling bag to a low ceiling and to the ground whereas a prior art punching and tackling bag does not offer such ease and generally makes it obligatory to use a boom or anchor points that are robust and bulky. Moreover, it is also desirable to have a punching and tackling bag offering a resistance and a reactive mobility of the punching and tackling bag that is induced by a thrust or impact of adjustable power, which is lacking in prior art suspended punching and tackling bags. Finally, it is desirable to have a punching and tackling bag offering automatic raising of the punching and tackling bag after it is thrown to the ground, whereas prior art punching and tackling bags must be raised manually.
To this end, the training appliance in accordance with the present invention for practicing combat, contact or grappling sports, comprising a punching bag formed of a shock absorbing filling material disposed in the internal volume of a substantially cylindrical envelope comprising at the lower end a closing wall constituting a bottom wall and at the upper end a second closing wall, characterized in that it comprises a horizontal base for supporting the bag on the ground, adapted to be immobilized on the ground, on which the bottom wall of the envelope of the punching bag rests, a mechanical connection allowing pivoting movement of the bag in at least one vertical plane and around the point of contact between the bottom wall and the base, being established between said supporting base and the punching bag and said punching bag further including at least one means for returning it to the vertical position, said means being adapted to occupy a stable initial state in which the bag is vertical and an unstable final state in which the bag is horizontal and laid on the ground.
The present invention improves on the situation by proposing a training appliance that addresses the above requirements by being suitable for practicing percussion sports on the one hand and percussion and/or grappling sports on the other hand, such an appliance being suitable, for example, for training in contact and/or combat sports (boxing, Thai boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts (MMA), etc.), martial arts (karate, kung fu, sambo, etc.), self-defense (krav maga, penchak silat, etc.) and team combat games (rugby, American football, etc.), the punching bag of such an appliance notably having reactive mobility and dropping resistance adjustable as a function of the power of an impact generated by the user, such an appliance offering a facility of automatic raising of the bag after it is thrown to the ground and such an appliance further offering a facility for fixing to a low ceiling or to any other suitable structure as well as to the ground.
Moreover, the weight of the punching bag is now supported entirely by the supporting base and consequently by the ground, the fixing to a ceiling or the like now having no need of a high resistance to pulling it out.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the mechanical connection between the bag and the base is advantageously of the ball-joint type. Such an arrangement confers on the bag of the appliance a latitude for inclination in an infinite number of vertical planes and also a latitude for movement in rotation about its longitudinal axis.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the or a means for reverting to the vertical position includes a member for fixing to a ceiling.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the bottom wall is convex and forms a spherical dome. Such an arrangement facilitates the pivoting movement of the bag and its return to the vertical by enabling rolling movement of the bottom wall on the base.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the appliance comprises, housed in the filling material of the bag, a rigid central tube extending from the top wall to the bottom wall of the envelope, the upper and lower openings of said tube respectively communicating with a hole through the top wall and a hole through the bottom wall, the or a return means being at least partly housed in the central tube.
By constituting a framework, the central tube confers on the punching bag a rigidity in the direction of its height. This notably prevents the bag from collapsing on itself by virtue of its weight and the blows that it absorbs.
Moreover, such an arrangement has the effect of enveloping and protecting, at least in part, the or at least one of the return means.
Finally, another benefit of such an arrangement is to reduce the degree of shock absorbing of the bag by stiffening it. The shock absorbing function is in the case of the present invention notably provided by the or one of the means for returning the bag to the vertical position.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the or the first return means is constituted by an elastic member mounted in tension between an attachment point in the tube, in the lower area of the latter, and an attachment point in the supporting base.
Such an arrangement, in addition to the return to the vertical position, prevents any scraping of the bag on the supporting base.
Alternatively, in accordance with another embodiment of the appliance according to the invention, the first return means is formed of a ballast weight installed in the lower part of the bag around the central tube and in conjunction with this feature the bottom wall defines a hemispherical volume, the center of mass of the ballast weight being below the center of the horizontal equatorial section of the hemispherical volume in order to form a punching bag.
Such an arrangement avoids the use of any element liable to wear for the implementation of the first return means.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the or the second return means is formed of a flexible elongate element in the form of a cable and fixed by one of its ends to an attachment point fastened to the central tube of the punching bag, its other end, external to the bag, being mechanically connected to the a member adapted to be fixed to a ceiling or like structure, said cable being subjected to forces tending to shorten the distance between the attachment member and said bag and to urge it toward its initial state.
Such an arrangement is of a kind to exert at the upper end of the bag a radial force able to generate a pivoting moment tending to return said bag to the vertical position.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the attachment point of the cable in the tube is the drum of a winder with a return spring mounted in said tube, either in the lower part or in the upper part of the latter.
With such an arrangement, the cable may be made of a non-extensible material.
Alternatively, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the cable is at least in part elastically deformable, is fixed by one of its ends in the upper part of the tube and is wound onto the sheave of a lower pulley the yoke of which is fixedly mounted in the lower part of the tube.
Such an arrangement enables the use of a cable having a relatively long elastically deformable part so that the bag can be laid on the ground. Such a bag can then be used for training in tackling.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the cable is wound onto the sheave of at least one upper pulley the yoke of which is fixedly mounted in the upper part of the tube and onto the sheaves of at least one lower pulley the yoke of which is fixedly mounted in the lower part of the tube. Such an arrangement enables use of a longer cable.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the yoke of the lower pulley of the second elastic return means is fixed to the central tube, but alternatively, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the first return means, in the form of an elastic member, is fixed to the lower pulley of the second elastic return means, this second pulley being mounted in the central tube without being fixed to it.
By virtue of this arrangement, the two elastic return means are directly connected to each other and combine their effects. Moreover, the second means is now arranged as a block and tackle.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided an upper retaining system elastically deformable in the lengthwise direction, mechanically disposed between the ceiling attachment member and the corresponding end of the cable.
This upper retaining system also contributes to returning the bag to the vertical position and additionally has the effect of introducing supplementary reactivity of the bag to the blows received. The function of absorbing the shock of the impacts is also provided by this system.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the upper retaining system comprises a central elastic element and a plurality of peripheral elastic elements, said elements being parallel to one another and arranged in bundles and being fixed by their ends to an upper plate and a lower plate spaced from each other, said peripheral elastic elements being individually and detachably fixed to at least one of said two plates.
Such an arrangement enables adjustment of the stiffness of the retaining system.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is disposed between the upper retaining system and the second return means a means able to set a mechanical triggering threshold value below which only the upper retaining system is loaded in extension and above which the second return means is also loaded in extension when the bag is loaded in pivoting.
Accordingly, from a certain degree of pivoting of the bag, the return action exerted by the upper retaining system is inhibited, the return action then being exerted by the second return means. By virtue of these arrangements it now becomes possible to reproduce the reactions of the body of an adversary.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the means adapted to fix a mechanical triggering threshold is formed on the one hand of a magnetizable metal wall fixed to the top wall of the bag or forming part of the latter and a magnet in magnetic contact with the magnetizable wall, said magnet being fixed by a coupling to the upper retaining system, the cable of the second elastic return means having its corresponding end fixed to said magnet. The triggering threshold is determined by the force of magnetic attraction between the magnet and the associated metal wall. To adjust this triggering threshold there is provided, in accordance with another feature of the invention, between the magnet and the associated wall, a nonmagnetic material shim of appropriate thickness.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the magnet includes a projecting rod to the free end of which is fixed the upper retaining system, the projection that said rod forms on the magnet being adjustable in height in order to form a lever arm, thereby also adjusting the value of the mechanical triggering threshold.
The projecting part of the rod forms a lever arm the length of which determines the value of the pivoting moment imparted to the magnet when the bag occupies a position inclined relative to the vertical, the value of this moment being also determined by the value of the intensity of the radial component of the force applied to the rod by the upper retaining system.
Other advantages, objects and features of the invention will become apparent on reading the description of a preferred embodiment given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
As shown, the training appliance in accordance with the invention for practicing combat, contact or grappling sports comprises a punching bag 1, a horizontal base 20 resting on the ground, adapted to be immobilized on the ground S, on which the bottom of the punching bag 1 rests, the whole of the weight of the punching bag 1 being supported this base 20 resting on the ground. A mechanical connection, preferably of the ball-joint type, is established between the base 20 and the bag 1, allowing pivoting movement of the bag 1 in at least one vertical plane and about the point of contact between the bottom of the bag and the base 20. The appliance in accordance with the invention further includes a lower return means 21 of the bag 1 to the vertical position, this return means or first return means 21 acting in the lower part of the bag being adapted to occupy a stable initial state in which the bag 1 is vertical and an unstable final state in which the bag 1 is horizontal and laid on the ground.
The punching bag 1, which is generally of cylindrical shape, comprises an external envelope 2 that consists of a skin, interchangeably natural, such as a leather or the like, or synthetic, such as a plastic material, notably nylon or the like. The external envelope 2 is conformed as a tube defined along a first geometrical axis of revolution A1.
The external envelope 2 houses an internal envelope 3 that is made of a material that imparts a defined geometrical shape to the punching bag 1, notably a cylindrical shape. One such material is a flexible resin or the like, for example. The internal envelope 3 is conformed as a tube defined along a second geometrical axis of revolution A2 that coincides with the first geometrical axis of revolution A1. The internal envelope 3 houses at least one cylindrical shock absorber block 4, forming a filling material, defined along a third geometrical axis of revolution A3 that coincides with the second geometrical axis of revolution A2. The cylindrical shock absorber block 4 is preferably constituted of a cellular material, such as a foam or an analogous elastically deformable material, notably having a high impact strength, in order to revert to an original conformation after a blow has been administered to the punching bag 1 by a user. The foam has a density chosen to impart to the punching bag 1 a better compromise between appropriate weight, mobility and reactivity.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical shock absorber block 4 is constituted of a plurality of individual cylindrical shock absorbers blocks 4′ that are stacked on one another along the third geometrical axis of revolution A3.
The filing material may alternatively be constituted by a fluid, for example air, under pressure, the bag 1 then being constituted by an inflatable enclosure that is sealed for this fluid.
The cylindrical shock absorber block 4 houses a central tube 5 that is preferably elastically deformable in order to be able to flex without risk of breaking. This tube is also of cylindrical conformation defined along a fourth geometrical axis of revolution A4 that coincides with the third axis of revolution A3. This rigid, for example metal, central tube includes at each of its upper and lower ends a mouth constituting an axial opening. The or each return means of the bag to the vertical position is housed at least in part in the tube 5 and is fixed to the latter either directly or via a mechanical connection. The forces returning the bag into position are therefore absorbed by the framework of the bag.
The punching bag 1 and more particularly the internal envelope comprises an upper closing wall 6 and a lower closing wall 19 opposite the former, constituting the bottom of the bag. The tube 5 extends from the upper wall 6 to the bottom wall 19 and is preferably fixed to the latter and constitutes with said walls the framework of the bag. The upper closing wall 6 lies in a disk plane P1 orthogonal to the fourth axis of revolution A4. The upper wall 6 includes at its periphery upper eyelets 7 for passing an upper ring through said upper eyelets 7 and middle eyelets 7′ on an upper periphery 8 of the external envelope 2. These arrangements aim to enable easy assembly of the punching bag 1 and fast maintenance operations on the punching bag 1.
In accordance with one embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
Finally, the upper saucer 11 and the closing plate 12 each have a central orifice 18, 18′ through them for the passage of a guide member 75 (
The wall 19 constituting the bottom of the bag has an axis of revolution A6 that coincides with the fourth geometrical axis of revolution A4.
This wall 19 fixedly receives the central tube 5.
In accordance with a first embodiment as shown in
The base 20 resting on the ground may be fastened to the ground S by means of at least one screw 23 or by means of any other similar fixing means. This supporting base 20 may be formed by a thin metal plate or by a foam shock absorbing mat. Alternatively, the supporting base 20 is not fixed to the ground, but is held in a fixed position relative to the ground by a ballast weight. In this case, the supporting base 20 advantageously constitutes the top wall of a box receiving the ballast weight. This ballast weight may be constituted by water, sand or other filling material of sufficient density. Any other means known to the person skilled in the art could be used to immobilize the supporting base relative to the ground. For example, the surface of this base resting on the ground could be configured in a non-slip manner.
Alternatively, the base 20, in the form of a metal plate or in the form of a mat could be sufficiently heavy to constitute a ballast weight in itself.
As stated above, the bag 1 is equipped with a lower return means 21 to the vertical position, or first return means, this return means acting in the lower part of the bag.
In accordance with a first embodiment, the or the first return means 21 is fixed on the one hand to the framework of the bag and on the other hand to the supporting ground base 20. This return means 21 is constituted by an elastic member mounted in tension between an attachment point in the tube 5, in the lower or upper area of the latter, and an attachment point in the supporting base 20. This return means 21 is therefore passed through the bottom wall 19 by passing it through a through-hole 36 of the latter. This through-hole 36 communicates with the lower mouth of the tube 5.
In accordance with a first embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
Alternatively, the elongate elastic element 21a takes the form of a coil spring fixed on the one hand to the tube 5 and on the other hand to the base 20, this spring being engaged in the hole 36 through the bottom wall 19. This elongate element could be constituted by an elastic cable.
In accordance with a further embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
Without this being limiting on the invention, the appliance in accordance with the invention advantageously comprises an upper return means or second return means mechanically connected to the framework of the bag 1. This upper return means is fixed to a first attachment member fastened to the bag 1 and more particularly to the framework of said bag and is adapted to be mechanically connected to a second attachment member fastened to a ceiling, a boom or any other structure extending above the bag. This second return means may be mechanically connected to the second attachment member directly or via elements notably providing a mechanical connection between said second return means and said second fixing member.
In accordance with one embodiment, this second return means is essentially formed of an elongate flexible element in the form of a cable 64 housed at least in part in the tube 5 and subjected to internal or external forces tending to shorten the distance between the first and second attachment members and to return said bag to its initial state, namely a vertical position.
In accordance with a first embodiment, not shown, the cable 64 is elastic and lies entirely outside the bag. In this situation, one end of this cable 64 is fixed to the fixing ring 9 that can be seen in
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, this guide member 75 has a bearing flange 78 in the upper part that comes to bear on the upper end of the tube 5. Moreover, this flange 78 could be screwed to the closing plate 12. Alternatively, the flange 78 will bear on the upper face of the upper saucer 11 and screwed to the latter. These arrangements immobilize the tube 5 and fix it to the upper closing wall 6. The upper and lower edges of the through-hole 76 will each have a chamfer or be rounded to prevent the formation of a sharp edge liable to wear the cable. The same arrangement could be reproduced for the through-holes 18 and 18′.
In accordance with one embodiment, as shown in
The spring 63 is mounted between the axle 65 and the drum 62 to exert a return torque on the latter to urge the drum toward an initial angular position. To be more precise, the return spring wound around and fixed to the axle 65 at one end is fixed at its other end to the drum 62.
The winder may be mounted in the upper part of the tube 5 or, in an alternative embodiment, in a lower part immediately above the first return means 21.
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with an alternative embodiment (
In the embodiments described above, the yoke of the lower pulley 80, 82 of the second elastic return means is fixed to the central tube 5, but in accordance with a variant embodiment the first return means, in the form of an elastic member, is fixed to the lower pulley 80, 82 of the second elastic return means, this second pulley being mounted to move in translation in the central tube 5.
The corresponding end of the cable 64 may be fixed directly to the second fixing means or alternatively there is mechanically disposed between the member for attachment to the ceiling or second attachment member and the corresponding end of the cable 64 of the second return means, or upper return means, an upper retaining system 10 that is elastically deformable in the lengthwise direction. This upper retaining system 10 constitutes the mechanical connecting element or one of the mechanical connecting elements referred to above between the cable 64 and the second fixing member. This upper retaining system 10 also serves as a return means and completes and/or modifies the action of the cable 64. It may also be used as upper return means, without the cable 64 and the return elements associated therewith. This upper retaining system 10 includes a ring for fixing it to the second attachment member. Clearly in this instance the cable is not connected directly to the second attachment member, but is instead connected to the latter via the upper retaining system 10.
In accordance with a first embodiment, as shown in
As can be seen in
The upper plate 42 has a ring 59 for fixing it to the second fixing member.
In accordance with a second embodiment, as shown in
There is advantageously disposed between the upper retaining system 10 and the framework of the bag a means adapted to fix a mechanical triggering threshold value below which the upper retaining system 10 is fixed to the framework of the stack and above which the lower end of said retaining system 10 is detached from the framework.
This means is constituted by a trigger 44 (
In accordance with a first embodiment the bag includes two upper retaining means of which one includes the cable 64 and the other is constituted by the upper retaining means 10. In accordance with this embodiment, the cable 64 is fixed to the second element 441 of the trigger. Accordingly, below the triggering threshold only the upper retaining means 10 is loaded in extension and on the other hand above this value the two elements 440, 441 of the trigger 44 are separated from each other and the cable 64 is also loaded in traction.
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with embodiments as shown in
The magnet 441 additionally includes a projecting lever in the form of a rigid rod 443 to the free end of which the upper retaining system 10 is fixed either directly or via a flexible coupling 442. The projection that said rod or lever forms on the magnet 441 is advantageously adjustable in height in order to form the adjustable lever arm. To this end, the rod 443 is threaded and screwed into a threaded hole in the magnet 441. Screwing in or unscrewing the rod 442 adjusts the length of the lever arm that the projecting part of said rod forms.
The force of magnetic attraction between the two elements 440, 441 of the trigger may be adjusted by inserting one or more shims 444, for example made of a nonmagnetic material of appropriate thickness. This shim or these shims are placed between the magnet 441 and the magnetizable wall 440.
If the bag is equipped with two upper return means one of which is formed by the upper retaining means and the other of which includes a cable 64, the latter will be fixed by the end of the cable to the first element 440, namely the magnet, via a pivot connection known in itself.
In accordance with another embodiment, as shown in
As stated above, if the bag is equipped with two upper return means one of which is formed by the upper retaining means and the other of which includes a cable 64, this latter retaining means will be fixed by the end of the cable 64 to the second element 441, namely the magnet, via a pivot connection 50′ known in itself. This pivot mechanism enables the punching bag 1 to rotate 360° on itself without creating any torsion load on the cable 64.
Finally, the lever 443 also comprises a cable guide 49 in a central part 50. This cable guide, passing through it, constitutes a passage for a coupling providing a mechanical connection between a central point 45 of the first element 440 and the upper retaining system 10.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment (
Each mount takes the form of a thick disk having two large plane faces of which one face, the bearing face, is adapted to come into contact with the large bearing face of the mount of the other element of the trigger. Cylindrical blind holes are produced in the mount from the large bearing face. The cylindrical magnets 440a, 441a have dimensions equal to those of the holes and are fixedly engaged therein so as to be flush with the bearing face of the mount. The poles of each magnet 440a, 441a respectively correspond to their two plane end faces. The magnets 440a, 441a of each element 440, 441 of the trigger 44 are disposed opposite the magnets of the other element in order to create mutual magnetic attraction between said two elements 440, 441. The advantage of such an arrangement lies in the self-centering of the two elements 440, 441 when mutually attracted.
As can be seen in
The shell 110 has a horizontal bottom wall 110a, an envelope wall or lateral wall 110b and a horizontal top wall 110c, these various walls defining the internal chamber 111 of the shell. The bottom wall 19 of the bag 1 bears on the top wall 110c of the shell 110.
The internal chamber 111 of the shell 110 advantageously has an opening at the top to receive the ballasting material. This top opening is fitted with a closing cover in order to provide a sealed closure. This closing cover then constitutes the top wall 110C of the shell 110.
The cover 110C is preferably screwed into a thread in the top opening of the shell 110 constituting the ballasting means 100.
In accordance with the embodiment that is the subject of
A filling foam 123 could advantageously be disposed between the skirt 120 and the lower part of the bag 1. This filling foam will be elastically deformable so as to be able to be deformed by mechanically loading it and resume its initial shape as soon as the mechanical loading ceases. Such an arrangement is able to absorb impacts that the skirt may suffer and thereby strengthen the protection of the lower part of the bag against impacts.
In accordance with the embodiment shown, the skirt 120 defines a frustoconical volume, the larger base of this volume corresponding to the lower border of said skirt.
In accordance with one embodiment, the ballasting means has a vertical perforation passing completely through it along its vertical axis of symmetry to provide a passage for the first elastic return means 21. In the embodiment, this perforation is constituted by a first hole through the bottom wall 110a of the shell 110, at the centre of this wall, by the internal hole of a first vertical tube 114 inside the shell 110 and fixed to the bottom wall 110a axially in line with the first through-hole and by a second hole 115 through the top wall 110c of the shell 110 at the centre of that wall. This second hole 115 is preferably extended in the shell 110 by the internal hole of a second vertical tube 116 fixed to the top wall 110c of the shell 110 in axial alignment with the second hole 115, this second vertical tube 116 cooperating sleeving fashion with the first tube 114. The lower part of the first tube advantageously receives a tubular guide sleeve 190 through which the first return means 21 passes.
In accordance with the embodiment that is the subject of
In both its embodiments, the ballasting means 100 is additionally mounted in a pivoting manner in a shock absorber 101 fixed to or placed on the base 20 or alternatively placed on the ground itself. This shock absorber 101 is disposed around and in contact with the ballasting means 100. This shock absorber 101 is made of low-density foam. This foam is elastically deformable so as to be able to be deformed by a mechanical loading and to resume its initial shape as soon as this mechanical loading ceases.
The shock absorber 101 is formed by an envelope wall 104 extending in a circle. This envelope wall 104 defines an open housing 102 to receive the ballasting means 100. The shape of this housing 102 is preferably substantially complementary to that of the covering or the shell of the ballasting means. This envelope wall 104 has a lower bearing face and an upper border. The thickness of this envelope wall 104, measured horizontally, preferably decreases from the bearing face toward the upper border. Such an arrangement facilitates the elastic deformation of the upper part of the envelope wall 104 caused by the pivoting movement of the bag 1 and is of a kind to damp this movement to prevent the bag falling to the ground because of the blows absorbed.
The envelope wall 104 of the shock absorber 101 preferably forms an open ring in the sense that it has two opposite ends facing each other. In this embodiment, the shock absorber 101 includes junction elements 1010 in the form of straps for joining said two ends together and closing the ring thus formed. Each strap will advantageously be constituted by a self-gripping strip of the kind identified by the trademark “Velcro”. One of the two ends of each strap is sewn to one of the two end zones of the shock absorber 101 and is adapted to cooperate with a self-gripping element sewn to the other end zone of the shock absorber to fix it. This arrangement of the shock absorber 101 in the form of an open ring allows easy and fast fitting of this shock absorber around the ballasting means 100 without having to manipulate either the bag 1 or said ballasting means 100.
The shock absorber 101 as described preferably has a skin 106 for protecting the low-density foam. This protecting skin 106 has exhaust orifices 107 of calibrated size through it (
As can be seen in
The first return means 21 as shown in
The coupling 214a is preferably fixed to the elastic member 210 by means of a swivel 213. The coupling 214a is preferably fixed to the elastic member 210 by means of a swivel 213. This coupling 214a, which may be used to tension the elastic member 210, is preferably fixed to the upper wall 6 and engaged in a hole through the upper wall 6 and above that wall receives a cable clip forming an abutment. Because of the tension imparted to the elastic member 210, the cable clip comes to bear against the upper face of the upper wall 6 of the bag 1. Alternatively, the hole through the upper wall 6 will be configured so as to have an area of reduced size centered relative to the longitudinal axis of the bag and an enlarged area adjoining the area of reduced size. With such an arrangement, the tensioning coupling 214a includes a series of equidistant knots 215 or other portions of increased thickness sliding freely in the enlarged area of the hole through the wall 6. The area of the hole of reduced size has a diameter slightly greater than that of the coupling 214a but much less than that of the increased thickness that each knot forms. Accordingly, for the purposes of tensioning, the coupling 214a is engaged in the area of reduced size and the knot 215 immediately above the top wall is caused by the tension in the elastic member 210 to come to bear against the border of the area of reduced size of the through-hole.
Such a bag may therefore be used with no second return means, but in accordance with a variant embodiment as shown in
In
In accordance with another embodiment the elastic member of the upper retaining system 10 is disposed in a synthetic material sheath 10a that is elastically deformable in bending. This sheath 10a is rigidly fixed to an upper plate 10b adapted to be rigidly fixed to a ceiling, a boom or like structure. Such an arrangement enables the element 441 of the trigger to lie on the axis of the bag.
The base 20 may advantageously be constituted by a self-weighting mat.
The bag may take diverse forms, it may be of cylindrical shape or it may assume the shape of a mannequin.
By way of nonlimiting example, the mass of the ballasting means is between 50 kg and 60 kg while the mass of the bag is between 8 kg and 15 kg.
The bag as described could also be fixed to a ceiling, a boom or like structure by a plurality of elastic straps with their lower end fixed to the upper part of the envelope 2.
It goes without saying that the present invention may receive all arrangements and variants from the field of technical equivalents without this departing from the scope of the present patent as defined by the following claims.
This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/762,480 filed Jul. 22, 2015, which is § 371 application of PCT/FR2014/050172 filed Jan. 31, 2014, which claims priority from French Patent Application No. 13 50818 filed Jan. 31, 2013 and French Patent Application No. 13 63191 filed Dec. 20, 2013, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14762480 | US | |
Child | 16114846 | US |