KITE CONTROL SYSTEM

Abstract

 Kite control system (1) for a kite, comprising a kite control bar (2) and a tube (3) transversal to the kite control bar (2) which at least houses trim lines of the kite inside said tube (3), wherein the kite control bar (2) is equipped with an aperture (4), and said tube (3) is guided through the aperture (4) of the kite control bar (2), wherein the trim lines connect to a swivel (5) provided on the tube (3) at a location distant from the kite control bar (2), and the kite control bar (2) is provided with a bearing piece (8) that is rotatably located in the aperture (4) of the kite control bar (2), wherein said bearing piece (8) is provided with a through hole (9) that is equipped to receive and frictionally engage the tube (3) that is transversal to the kite control bar (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a kite control system for a kite.

[0002] US 8,459,595 discloses a safety system for use in conjunction with a kite control bar wherein two front lines are secured by a front line swivel positioned between the kite control bar and the kite. One front line terminates at the swivel and one extension of the other front line, the center line, travels through a central aperture in the swivel. The center line is then routed through an aperture on the control bar and terminated with an end that can be secured to the user either manually or by a leash arrangement. The swivel allows any twists that may form in the front lines to unwind.

[0003] The invention in particular relates to a kite control system for a kite, comprising a kite control bar and a tube transversal to the kite control bar which at least comprises trim lines of the kite inside said tube, wherein the kite control bar is equipped with an aperture, and said tube is guided through the aperture of the kite control bar, wherein the trim lines connect to a swivel provided on the tube at a location distant from the kite control bar. Also in this arrangement the swivel allows any twists that may form in the trim lines to unwind, this being referred to as the auto-swiveling function.

[0004] A problem with this known arrangement is the added friction between the kite control bar and the tube supporting the swivel, which added friction can interfere with the operation of the kite control bar. This is a problem because the kite control bar is used to modulate the pull of the kite by sliding the bar in and out, or "sheeting in / out" on the kite.

[0005] The kite control bar is also used to steer the kite by pulling asymmetrically on the kite control bar, thereby rotating the bar by a certain angle relative to the power lines connected to the extremities of the kite control bar. The higher the angle of rotation of the kite control bar, the more aggressive the steering of the kite. Accordingly a significant friction can develop between the tube and the kite control bar, when the steering angle is high. This friction hampers the ability of the user to slide the bar on the tube to sheet in or out.

[0006] This friction could be reduced by making the aperture in the kite control bar bigger. But, if the aperture is too big, the auto-swiveling function cannot work. Auto-swiveling requires a relatively tight fit between the tube and the aperture in the kite control bar.

[0007] The invention is aimed to provide a solution for at least part of this problem.

[0008] The kite control system of the invention has the features of one or more of the appended claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention the kite control bar is provided with a bearing piece that is rotatably located in the aperture of the kite control bar, wherein said bearing piece is provided with a through hole that is equipped to receive and frictionally engage the tube that is transversal to the kite control bar.

[0010] Since the bearing piece is rotatably provided in the kite control bar, the bearing piece easily accommodates a high steering angle. Further the bearing through hole fits the tube tightly enough to be able to transmit the torque required for the auto-swiveling function.

[0011] Preferably the through hole in the bearing piece accommodates back-and-forth sliding of the tube. For this purpose it is preferred that the bearing piece has a through hole matching the cross-sectional shape of the tube, so the tube may slide through it easily. Thus, the bearing allows for a high steering angle without compromising the low-friction sliding action required to sheet in and out.

[0012] Preferably the tube has a noncircular outer circumference, and the through hole is shaped matching the noncircular outer circumference of the tube so as to enable the transfer of torque forces between the tube and the bearing piece.

[0013] Advantageously the noncircular outer circumference of the tube is elliptical.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, when seen in its longitudinal direction the tube is provided with at least two chambers, each chamber running in said longitudinal direction. This is beneficial for arranging that the trim lines are provided to run through two separate chambers of the tube.

[0015] It is also possible that in its longitudinal direction the tube is provided with three chambers, each chamber running in said longitudinal direction.

[0016] The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part of the specification, illustrates one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention.

[0017] In the drawings:

• figure 1 shows a kite control system of the invention;
• figure 2 shows a detail of the kite control system of figure 1;
• figure 3 shows the bearing piece together with the kite control bar and the transversal tube; and
• figure 4 provides a view at the transversal tube.

[0018] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

[0019] Figure 1 and figure 2 show a kite control system 1 for a kite. The kite is not depicted in the figures but is generally known, so there is no need to show the kite, in particular not since the invention does not reside in the kite but in the kite control system 1.

[0020] The kite control system 1 comprises a kite control bar 2 and a tube 3 transversal to the kite control bar 2, wherein the tube 3 at least houses trim lines (not visible) of the kite inside said tube 3. Usually the tube 3 is of polyurethane, but this is not essential.

[0021] The kite control bar 2 is equipped with an aperture 4, and the tube 3 is guided through the aperture 4 of the kite control bar 2. Further the (not visible) trim lines connect to a swivel 5 provided on the tube 3 at a location distant from the kite control bar 2.

[0022] Other features that are shown in figure 1 and figure 2 that do not directly relate to the invention are a quick release feature 6 that allows the user to disconnect the ends of the (not visible) trim lines from the harness worn by the user to release the power from the kite and avoid accidents. The connection to the harness worn by the user is through a flexible U-shaped loop 7, also called chicken loop.

[0023] According to the invention the kite control bar 2 is provided with a bearing piece 8, which is most clearly shown in exploded view in figure 3. The bearing piece 8 is rotatably located in the aperture 4 of the kite control bar 2, wherein said bearing piece 8 is provided with a through hole 9 that is equipped to receive and frictionally engage the tube 3 that is transversal to the kite control bar 2.

[0024] Figure 3 shows that the tube 3 has a noncircular outer circumference 3'. It is shown that the noncircular outer circumference 3' of the tube 3 is elliptical. Correspondingly the through hole 4 is shaped matching the noncircular outer circumference 3' of the tube 3 so as to enable the transfer of torque forces between the tube 3 and the bearing piece 8. Advantageously the through hole 4 in the bearing piece 8 accommodates back-and-forth sliding of the tube 3.

[0025] With further reference to figure 4 it shows that in its longitudinal direction the tube 3 is provided with at least two and preferably three chambers 10, each chamber 10 running in said longitudinal direction of the tube 3. The (not visible) trim lines are provided to run through two separate chambers of the tube 3.

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention can include every combination of features that are disclosed herein independently from each other. Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the append-ed claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless specifically stated as being "essential" above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and/or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another.

Claims

1. Kite control system (1) for a kite, comprising a kite control bar (2) and a tube (3) transversal to the kite control bar (2) which at least comprises trim lines of the kite inside said tube (3), wherein the kite control bar (2) is equipped with an aperture (4), and said tube (3) is guided through the aperture (4) of the kite control bar (2), wherein the trim lines connect to a swivel (5) provided on the tube (3) at a location distant from the kite control bar (2), characterized in that the kite control bar (2) is provided with a bearing piece (8) that is rotatably located in the aperture (4) of the kite control bar (2), wherein said bearing piece (8) is provided with a through hole (9) that is equipped to receive and frictionally engage the tube (3) that is transversal to the kite control bar (2).

2. Kite control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the tube (3) has a noncircular outer circumference (3'), and the through hole (9) is shaped matching the noncircular outer circumference (3') of the tube (3) so as to enable the transfer of torque forces between the tube (3) and the bearing piece (8).

3. Kite control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the through hole (9) in the bearing piece (8) accommodates back-and-forth sliding of the tube (3).

4. Kite control system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the noncircular outer circumference (3') of the tube (3) is elliptical.

5. Kite control system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that in its longitudinal direction the tube (3) is provided with at least two chambers (10), each chamber running in said longitudinal direction.

6. Kite control system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that in its longitudinal direction the tube is provided with three chambers (10), each chamber running in said longitudinal direction.

7. Kite control system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the trim lines of the kite control system are provided to run through two separate chambers (10) of the tube (3).

Drawing