EP0726084A1 - Protection device for tubular elements, and element thus produced - Google Patents

Abstract

The tube (10) made with an outer covering (12) of a shock-absorbing material, and has one or more lengthwise grooves (16) in its outer surface to receive inward facing lips along a lengthwise slot in the covering. Once the covering has been fitted to the tube it is held in place by a wedging strip (14) which pushes the lips apart to engage with the double dovetail surface of the groove. The outer covering (12) is made from an elastomer shock-absorbing material of an appropriate thickness, and in a variant of the design the wedging strip has hooks at intervals along its length to support a net.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for protecting a tubular element, in particular for sports equipment, as well as the damping tubular element obtained.

Among the sports equipment, numerous tubular elements are known which are placed in the immediate vicinity of the individuals playing on the playing space. These are notably volleyball, basketball, football handball, rugby or water polo. Such posts made from metal tubes can have sharp edges that can cause serious injury when an individual hits them, and even in some cases, impact can be fatal. If we can eliminate the problem of edges, in some cases, the fact remains that direct contact with metal remains a source of serious trauma.

Protections in the form of thick mattresses can be placed on such posts but it has been observed, on the one hand, that these precautions are essentially taken during high level competitions and that, on the other hand, such precautions are impossible to implement in certain cases, in particular for football or handball goal frames, the frame participating in certain game actions.

Such frames are standardized in dimensions and in section profile so that any personal protection cannot be suitable.

The rebounds must also be studied because it has been found that the ball tends to "fuse" on the metal posts because of the very smooth surface condition, this effect being all the more marked as the post and / or the ball are wet.

The solution which would consist in putting a protection by a simple sheathing of the tube remains delicate. Indeed, it is necessary to be able to thread the sheath which is not simple when the posts are fixed or when it is a welded frame. If the cladding must be added, it should be fixed which is not without problems. If glued, this prohibits any easy change in the event of damage and / or wear. If it is fixed with necklaces or other ring, this generates irregularities in the surface state and even on the external surface by causing beads. If the external sheathing is immobilized by an adhesive tape, apart from the risks of rapid degradation of the fixing, the risks of corrosion caused by the accumulation of water between the sheath and the post must be foreseen.

In addition, it can also be noted that if the sheath is pressed against the outside surface of the post, the damping effect is somewhat reduced since there is no layer of air playing a role of additional damper.

It is also known that goal frames or certain posts are used to support nets. These are generally suspended by their meshes from hooks welded over the entire periphery of the frame.

It is therefore necessary to provide for the possibility of supporting a net even in the case of sheathing, which is not obvious when the thickness of the sheathing corresponds substantially to the height of the hooks, in the case of posts of the prior art.

Also, the object of the present invention is to propose a device for protecting a tubular element which adapts to a fixed structure and which can be dismantled, which partially absorbs shock, which is compatible with most types of tubular sections. especially used in sport, which avoids misleading rebounds, which solves corrosion problems, which allows the attachment of nets and which makes it possible to comply with the dimensional standards imposed.

To this end, the subject of the present invention is a device for protecting a tubular element by means of a tubular casing made of damping material, in particular for the application to the production of sports accessories such as goals, characterized in that it comprises a tubular element provided with at least one groove disposed along a generatrix, of a tubular envelope split over its entire length and defining two lateral edges having a profile conjugate with that of the tubular element to be disposed at its periphery and means for securing said tubular casing to the tubular element, designed to immobilize the lateral edges of the tubular casing in the groove of the tubular element.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the securing means comprise a shim intended to be housed in force between the two lateral edges as soon as these are arranged in the groove.

According to a preferred embodiment, the tubular element comprises a groove having a double dovetail section and the tubular envelope comprises two tongues formed on the lateral edges, said tongues being designed to cooperate with the double tail section d 'dovetail of the tubular element.

As for the shim, it includes a head, intended to penetrate into the groove beyond the tongues, a body which remains at the right of the tongues to keep them pressed in the groove and a base provided to come fill the external volume between the two tabs, said base having a profile adapted to the section of the tubular element.

In the particular case of mounting threads, the shim has hooks regularly spaced along its entire length, intended to retain a thread.

These hooks are independent and include a body and a head identical to that of the wedge, said hooks being designed to be arranged between two successive wedges.

The tubular casing comprises threading ribs projecting from its internal face, said ribs coming, after mounting, to bear on the external surface of the tubular element, so as to generate channels forming a damper and ensuring the circulation of air.

In order to provide for the increase in mechanical strength, there is provided a reinforcement tube, coaxial and internal to the tubular element, said tubular element being disposed in tangent support on the bottom of the grooves.

In the case where the tubular element is of circular section, it comprises on the internal face of reinforcement stops, arranged between the grooves and designed to receive a reinforcement tube of square section.

The present invention also relates to the damping tubular element obtained.

• Figure 1, une vue en perspective éclatée d'un élément tubulaire d'une enveloppe tubulaire et des moyens d'assujettissement composant le dispositif de protection selon l'invention ;
• Figure 2, une vue en coupe transversale de l'élément tubulaire de la figure 1 ;
• Figure 3, une vue en coupe transversale de l'élément tubulaire de la figure 1 après montage de l'enveloppe tubulaire et des moyens d'assujettissement ;
• Figure 4, une vue en coupe transversale de l'élément tubulaire de la figure 1 au droit d'un crochet ;
• Figure 5, une vue en coupe transversale de l'élément tubulaire de la figure 2 avec un premier type de renfort à section circulaire ;
• Figure 6, une vue en coupe transversale de l'élément tubulaire de la figure 2 avec un second type de renfort à section carrée ,
• Figure 7, une vue en coupe transversale d'une variante du dispositif de protection selon l'invention ;
• Figure 8, une vue de détail en coupe d'une cale filante, et
• Figure 9, une vue de détail en coupe d'une cale filante au droit d'un crochet.

The invention is described below according to a particular embodiment and its variants, with reference to the appended drawings in which the figures represent:

• Figure 1, an exploded perspective view of a tubular member of a tubular casing and securing means composing the protection device according to the invention;
• Figure 2, a cross-sectional view of the tubular member of Figure 1;
• Figure 3, a cross-sectional view of the tubular member of Figure 1 after assembly of the tubular casing and securing means;
• Figure 4, a cross-sectional view of the tubular member of Figure 1 to the right of a hook;
• Figure 5, a cross-sectional view of the tubular member of Figure 2 with a first type of reinforcement with circular section;
• FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of the tubular element of FIG. 2 with a second type of reinforcement with square section,
• Figure 7, a cross-sectional view of a variant of the protection device according to the invention;
• FIG. 8, a detailed view in section of a shooting wedge, and
• Figure 9, a detail view in section of a shooting wedge to the right of a hook.

In Figure 1, there is shown a tubular element 10, a tubular casing 12 and securing means 14 of said casing on the tubular element. The tubular section is circular in this first embodiment.

The tubular element is metallic and preferably made of extruded aluminum for obvious reasons of cost and lightness in particular. The section in Figure 2 shows the characteristics of this profile.

In the embodiment, four blind grooves 16 are provided, oriented along the longitudinal axis of the tubular element, that is to say formed along generatrices of the tubular element, more particularly with a regular distribution at 90 °.

Each groove comprises a slot 18 on the periphery of the tubular element. Thus the sections of each groove are substantially dovetailed, connected by the base thus defining a bottom 20, two lateral connecting walls 22 connecting the bottom to the periphery of the tubular element. The two lateral connecting walls 24 of the second dovetail each consist of a portion of the tube situated between the point of connection of the lateral connecting wall 22 with the tube and one of the edges of the lumen 18.

The bottom of each groove is parallel to a cord of the circle generated by the circular tubular section. The bottoms of two opposite grooves are parallel.

At the ends of the virtual cord passing through each of the bottoms, reinforcement stops 26 are provided, projecting from the internal face of the tubular element. Each of these stops is shooting along a generator and each includes a 90 ° V-shaped groove, the branches of the V being merged with the respective virtual cords passing through the bottoms of the grooves.

The tubular casing 12 is made of an elastomeric material making it possible to absorb shocks. Its damping qualities will lead those skilled in the art to choose the thickness and therefore the diameter of the tubular element depending on the applications.

This tubular envelope has a shape conjugated with that of the tubular element.

On the internal face, projecting ribs 25 projecting, integrally formed with the envelope, are formed in a regular distribution.

The tubular casing 12 includes a longitudinal slot over its entire length to allow its mounting. The lateral edges of the tubular casing are folded inwards in the form of tongues 29, designed to cooperate with the grooves 16.

Preferably, the tongues 29 are preformed during the production of the tubular envelope, in particular when the latter is produced by extrusion. In the two folding angles, a housing 27 is provided.

The securing means 14 comprise a shim 28 which comprises, seen in section as in FIG. 8, a head 30, a body 32 and a base 34.

The head 30 has a substantially triangular section, a body 32 whose width is greater than the width of the lumen 18 minus twice the thickness of the tubular casing, taken in its thinnest part, between two ribs.

As for the base 34, it has a curved external surface, adapted to the external radius of curvature of the tubular envelope. The thickness is provided to fill the volume between the housings 27 of the folding angles of the tongues 29.

The mounting of such a protection device is carried out as follows: once the tubular elements are assembled to form a frame, a post or other structures, the necessary tubular casings are put in place. Each tubular envelope is spaced apart so as to be arranged around said tubular element by orienting the envelope so that the tongues 26 penetrate into the same groove. By their shapes, the tongues bear against the inner faces of the lateral connecting walls 24 of the second dovetail.

The ribs coming to bear on the external face of the tubular element, generate channels which ensure air circulation. These channels have a double role, the first being to create cells which increase the damping effect, the second being to ensure the evacuation of the water of condensation or flow, possibly present in the space between the casing and the tubular element.

In order to solve the problem of hooking the nets 35, hooks 36 are provided, which can be either individual and arranged between portions of shim, either from manufacturing with the shim itself, as in the example shown in Figure 4.

Depending on the needs, the user will use a smooth shooting block for a monolithic basketball post and for a handball goal frame, the user will use a shooting block with hooks.

In order to solve the problems of mechanical resistance, the problems of connection between two abutting tubular elements or the problems of adjustment by sliding, it is planned to be able to have a reinforcement tube 40 inside each of the tubular elements, one 42 with circular section, the other 44 with square section, for example.

The reinforcing tube 42 with circular section is of a diameter such that it is tangent to the four bottoms 20 of the grooves 16. The reinforcing tube 44 with square section makes it possible to increase the reinforcing power because the section is larger.

This reinforcement tube 44 is arranged so that the middle of each of its faces is located in line with the bottoms 20 of the grooves 16 and the angles come to bear at the bottom of the V-grooves at 90 ° to the shooting reinforcement stops 26.

In FIG. 7, a variant is shown with a tubular element 10A and a tubular casing 12A with a square section.

The grooves 16 are substantially identical to those of the circular section tube. The square section tube can receive reinforcement tubes in the same way as above. We can notice the protection of the sharp angles generating injuries, while keeping a square section, necessary according to certain sporting regulations or for certain applications.

Such an embodiment allows an application in the sports field, as has just been described, but one can envisage uses in town in particular for urban furniture.

Claims (10)

Device for protecting a tubular element by means of a tubular casing made of damping material, in particular for the application to the production of sports accessories such as goals, characterized in that it comprises a tubular element (10) provided with at least one groove (16) arranged along a generatrix, of a tubular envelope (12) split over its entire length and defining two lateral edges having a profile conjugate with that of the tubular element (10) to be arranged at its periphery and means of securing (14) said tubular casing to the tubular element, designed to immobilize the lateral edges of the tubular casing (12) in the groove (16) of the tubular element (10) . Protective device according to claim 1, characterized in that the securing means (14) comprise a shim (28) intended to be housed in force between the two lateral edges as soon as these are disposed in the groove (16 ). Protective device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tubular element (10) comprises a groove (16) having a double dovetail section and the tubular casing (12) comprises two tongues (29) formed on the lateral edges, said tabs (29) being designed to cooperate with the double dovetail section of the tubular element (10). Protective device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the shim (28) comprises a head (30), intended to penetrate into the groove (16) beyond the tongues (29), a body (32) which remains in line with the tongues (29) to keep them pressed in the groove (16) and a base (34) provided to come fill the external volume (27) between the two tongues, said base having a profile adapted to the section of the 'tubular element (10). Protective device according to claim 4, characterized in that the shim (28) comprises hooks (36) regularly spaced over its entire length, provided for retaining a net (35). Protective device according to claim 5, characterized in that the hooks (36) are independent and include a body and a head identical to that of the shim (28), said hooks being designed to be arranged between two successive shims. Protective device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular casing (12) comprises projecting ribs (25) on its internal face, said ribs coming, after mounting, to bear on the external surface of the tubular element (10), so as to generate channels forming a shock absorber and ensuring the circulation of air. Protective device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reinforcement tube (40), coaxial and internal to the tubular element (10), said tubular element being disposed in tangent support on the bottom. (20) grooves (16). Protective device according to claim 8, characterized in that when the tubular element (10) is of circular section, it comprises on the internal face of reinforcement stops, arranged between the grooves and intended to receive a reinforcement tube of section square (44). Tubular damping element, characterized in that it comprises a tubular element (10), an outer casing (12) and securing means (14) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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