[0001] This invention relates to an articulated pole for ski slopes, of the kind including
a ferrule to be driven into the snow and an above-ground pole consisting of a tubular
element connected to the said ferrule by a joint which allows the tubular element
to bend after being hit, in which, in proximity to the top end portion of the pole,
a strengthening element made in such a way as to strengthen this area is provided,
in such a way as to avoid any possible break in the event the pole, after being hit,
bangs against the ground.
[0003] In the invention, this strengthening element consists of a part of tube which is
fitted inside the pole at the free end portion or at the top end portion of the pole,
secured according to known systems, for example by gluing, welding or similar method.
[0004] According to a preferred embodiment, this strengthening element may consists of an
extension, also having a tubular shape, of the cap which closes the top end portion
of the pole.
[0005] As is known, the slalom poles used to mark the track on the ski slopes substantially
consist of a tubular element which stick out of the ground for a length of approximately
180-200 cm. and which is connected by a joint with an elastic return element to a
ferrule which is driven into the snow or into the ground. If during a ski race a skier
hits a pole, such pole may inflect and bend in such a way as to reduce the impact
with the athlete, and then return in the erect position by means of the elastic return
element, which usually consists of a spring, of the joint.
[0006] When the said poles are used to mark the track on ski slopes where sporting events
take place, such poles are often subject to considerable hits.
[0007] Over the last years, in particular, the development of construction materials has
allowed to manufacture skis which enable the athletes to reach considerably higher
performances than in the past, with a noticeable progress in speed and, accordingly,
in the intensity of the impact against the poles.
[0008] Furthermore, the new techniques allow the athletes to pass much closer to the pole,
even brushing it, with the consequence that the impact does not occur any more between
the athlete's arm and the central part of the pole, but often at the base, with the
shin-bone or the ski boot which impacts the pole in proximity to the joint, and transmitting
such an energy as to hustle the pole against the ground.
[0009] In such event the portion of the tube which is subject to the higher strain is the
peripheral one, that is the free end portion, since it is the one which impacts at
higher speed and, as a consequence of it, it is the portion which. is subject to the
most frequent breakages.
[0010] The present invention seeks to overcome this drawback, by proposing an articulated
pole for ski slopes, provided with a strengthening element capable of strengthening
the end portion of the pole.
[0011] The solution shall take account of the requirements such poles must comply with,
according to which the type approval rules prescribe that the tube must be made of
a homogeneous material and without any projection, smooth, in such a way as to avoid
any friction, and must be light but with a fixed weight/suppleness ratio in order
to avoid the so called "whip" effect.
[0012] Any strengthening element of the pole shall be therefore as light as possible, in
such a way as not to alter the behaviour of the pole itself.
[0013] For this purpose, according to the invention, the pole is fitted with a reinforcing
element only at the free end portion, for a length which may vary from approx. 5-6
cm. up to approx. 40 cm.
[0014] The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
■ figure 1 is the view of a pole according to the invention;
■ figure 2 is the section of the end portion of the pole;
■ figure 3 is the section of the end portion of the pole, according to a different
embodiment of the same idea of solution;
■ figure 4 is a view of the pole different from the invention;
■ figure 5 is the section of the end portion of the pole of figure 4;
■ figure 6, also in section, shows the end portion of the pole of figure 4, according
to an embodiment different from the invention.
[0015] With reference to figures 1-3, the pole according to the invention consists of a
ferrule 1, to be driven into the snow or into the ground and a tubular element 2 which
forms the actual pole, connected to the ferrule by a flexible joint 3 which may consist,
for example, of a spring, of a flexible cable anchored by means of springs to the
ferrule and to the pole or of other known system and which brings the element 2 back
to a substantially vertical position.
[0016] The top end portion of the pole 2 is closed by the cap 7.
[0017] The pole may be made of different materials, even if preferably a plastic material
is used, offering the necessary characteristics of lightness, resistance and suppleness.
[0018] The pole has generally a diameter between 23 and 30 mm. and a length between 180
and 200 cm.
[0019] According to the invention, the pole is strengthened, at the top end portion, by
an inner reinforced tube indicated with 4, fitted into the tubular element 2 and fixed
according to known systems.
[0020] For example, the strengthening element 4 may be glued, welded, or made in a single
body with the cap 7 which, in turn, is fitted to the pole under pressure, or by screwing
or by other known systems.
[0021] As an alternative, this strengthening element may consist of the cap itself, which
in such case has a proper length, as shown in figure 3.
[0022] A series of tests carried out by the applicant has proven that a strengthening element
having a double length with respect to the tube diameter offers good results, with
a considerable decrease of breakage cases further to impact with the ground.
[0023] The length of the strengthening element shall not, however, generally exceed 40 cm.,
since longer elements would increase too much the weight and therefore the inertia
of the pole, with a consequent progressive decay of the lightness and suppleness characteristics
of the said pole.
[0024] This solution, which provides for a strengthening of the end portion of the pole
from the inside, turns out to be particularly suitable in case of poles used during
the races due to the fact that, the external aspect of the pole being unaltered, the
requirements are satisfied and a new type approval is not required.
[0025] It is however possible to provide for embodiments different from the invention, such
as those shown in the figures 4-6 which follow. In this case, an external protective
case 6 covering the top end portion of the tubular element 2 is fitted on the body
2 of the pole.
[0026] This solution, which provides for the strengthening of the pole by fitting an external
element, turns out to be more suitable to be used during the trainings, when the use
of articulated poles is rather intensive, resulting in a significant reduction both
of the breakages and the damages to the skis.
[0027] In addition to the foregoing, the solution which provides for the application of
an external strengthening element, offers additional advantages, among which:
- possibility to create fluorescent strengthening elements or elements having such a
suitable colour as to improve in any case their visibility from afar;
- possibility, in case of breakage, to replace only the end portion and not the entire
pole;
- possibility to create poles with a soft coating material and, therefore, having a
reduced impact. Also in this case it is possible to create the protective external
case in a single body with the cap, which in this case shall have a sufficient length,
as shown in figure 6.
[0028] The pole according to the invention is characterised, as compared to the poles according
to known systems, by an improved strength and resistance to the impacts without affecting
the characteristics of lightness or suppleness of the pole, thus resulting in a better
usability of the product. Of course, the dimensions, as well as the materials used,
may vary according to the needs of use.
1. Gelenkstange (2) für Ski-Pisten, einschließend einen Schuh zum Eintreiben in den Schnee
oder in den Boden, sowie einen oberirdischen Teil, bestehend aus einem mit Verstärkungsmitteln
(4) seines freien Endteils versehenen röhrenförmigen Element (2), welches am Fuß mit
dem Schuh mittels eines Gelenks (3) verbunden ist, das es gestattet, dass sich das
röhrenförmige Element neigt, nachdem es getroffen worden ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verstärkungselement (4) des röhrenförmigen Elements (2) aus einem am oberen Ende
oder dem freien Endteil der Stange ins Innere des röhrenförmigen Elements eingesetzten
Verstärkungsrohr besteht.
2. Gelenkstange für Ski-Pisten nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verstärkungselement (4) des röhrenförmigen Elements (2) aus einer Verlängerung
einer Kappe (7) besteht, welche den oberen Endteil der Stange verschließt.
3. Gelenkstange für Ski-Pisten nach Anspruch 2, bei der das Verstärkungselement (4) eine
Länge besitzt, die nicht kleiner ist als zwei Durchmesser der Stange (2) selbst.
1. Poteau (2) articulé pour des pentes de ski, comprenant une virole à enfoncer dans
la neige ou dans le sol et une partie au dessus du sol, consistant en un élément (2)
tubulaire muni de moyens (4) de renforcement de sa partie d'extrémité libre reliée
à la base de la virole au moyen d'un joint (3), qui permet à l'élément tubulaire de
se courber après avoir été heurté, caractérisé en ce que l'élément (4) de renforcement de l'élément (2) tubulaire consiste en un tube de renforcement
adapté à l'intérieur de l'élément tubulaire à l'extrémité supérieure ou à la partie
d'extrémité libre du poteau.
2. Poteau articulé pour des pentes de ski suivant la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'élément (4) de renforcement de l'élément (2) tubulaire consiste en l'extrémité
de sommet d'un prolongement d'un capuchon (7), qui ferme la partie d'extrémité de
sommet du poteau.
3. Poteau articulé pour des pentes de ski suivant la revendication 2, dans lequel l'élément
(4) de renforcement a une longueur qui n'est pas plus petite que deux diamètres du
poteau (2) soi-même.