Tube kit or winglet with front tube and transversal tube

Abstract

The invention discloses a valve and an arrangement consisting of a tube kite or wing with a corresponding valve which is designed to be mounted on a connecting port of an inflatable front tube or an inflatable cross tube, or is formed integrally with one of the connecting ports, which are pneumatically connected to one another by a connecting line which is connected to the front tube and to the cross tube via connecting ports, and a valve by means of which the front tube and cross tube can be pneumatically separated from one another in such a way that when the valve is closed, if one of the two parts, the front tube and cross tube or the connecting line, has a leak, the air cannot escape from the other of the two parts, characterized in that the valve is designed to be mounted on one of the connecting ports, or is formed integrally with one of the connecting ports.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tube kite or a wing with an inflatable front tube and at least one inflatable cross tube according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A tube kite or wing kite is a sailing device with an inflatable tube that allows the user to be pulled on a board over water or land (ice, snow, sand, etc.), commonly referred to as "surfing" or "skating." With a tube kite, the rider controls the device using a bar, which has lines attached to it that connect the bar to the kite. In contrast, with a wing kite, the rider holds the device directly with their hands, without such lines, either by handles or a guide rod, a boom, attached to the wing.

[0003] Typically, a tube kite or wing kite has an inflatable front tube along the leading edge of the sail and an additional inflatable cross tube extending essentially transversely to it, by means of which the sailcloth can be stretched by inflating the tubes. The inflatable front tube and the at least one inflatable cross tube are usually pneumatically connected to each other by a connecting line. This allows both parts to be inflated in a single operation.

[0004] When using a tube kite or wing, various reasons can lead to leaks in the front tube and / or the cross tube, causing the kite to lose its shape. This can be caused by material defects, for example, or by rider errors when the kite hits the water or land. It's easy to understand that this can pose significant safety risks, for example, when the kite is out at sea.

[0005] To remedy this situation, it has been proposed in the prior art to pneumatically separate the front tube and the cross tube from each other by means of a valve after both parts have been inflated together.

[0006] For example, US 7,140,576 B2 proposes a clamp valve attached to a connecting hose between the front tube and the cross tube. If this valve is closed after the front tube and cross tube have been inflated, it can prevent the cross tube from also losing air if, for example, the front tube develops a leak. Since a tube kite or wing sometimes has multiple cross struts, several such valves separating the respective cross struts from the front tube can prevent the kite from completely losing its shape if the front tube develops a leak. This can be helpful for the rider in the event of an accident, allowing the kite / wing to still be maneuverable within certain limits and enabling a return to land.

[0007] In the solution known from US 7,140,576 B2, the connecting line between the front tube and the cross tube is designed as a hose. The front tube and the cross tube each have connecting connections, often in the form of simple joints, which allow the hose to be connected. For this purpose, these connecting connections have connection sections onto which the hose is plugged, for example. The connected hose is fixed in position to the connecting connection by a hose connection cap. The valve itself is designed as a clamp valve and is arranged on the hose. It has several locking steps by means of which the hose diameter can be successively reduced until the hose is completely closed.

[0008] The object of the invention is to improve the construction described in the prior art.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a tube kite or a wing with a front tube and at least one cross tube, which have the features of patent claim 1 or by a corresponding valve according to patent claim 10.

[0010] According to the invention, the front tube and the cross tube are inflatable and pneumatically connected to each other by a connecting line. The connecting line is connected to the front tube and the cross tube via connecting ports. A valve, by means of which the front tube and the cross tube can be pneumatically separated from each other, is designed such that, when the valve is closed, the air cannot escape from the other of the two parts if one of the two parts, the front tube or the cross tube, or the connecting line, develops a leak.

[0011] According to the invention, the valve is structurally designed such that it can be mounted in a fixed position on one of the connecting ports. Alternatively, the valve can also be formed integrally with one of the connecting ports.

[0012] "One-piece" in the sense of the invention means that the connecting port and the valve are formed as an integral component that can be mounted on the front tube or the cross tube in a single work step. This does not necessarily mean that the valve and connecting port must be made of the same material, but only that both parts can be connected to each other, preferably detachably, in a first assembly step. However, both parts can also be formed as one piece, i.e., not separably connected, and can also be made of the same material. This can bring significant manufacturing advantages, for example, if both components are manufactured together using an injection molding process.

[0013] Preferably, the connecting port and a valve housing are structurally adapted to each other to form a positive and / or non-positive, preferably detachable, mechanical connection. This structural adaptation to each other can, for example, consist of a snap-in or clamp connection, with the valve housing and the connecting port being structurally designed accordingly to fit with the respective other part and form the detachable connection.

[0014] The inventive integration of the connecting connection of the front tube or the cross tube and the valve offers significant advantages in several respects. First and foremost, the safety aspect is important. The connecting hose, often used as a connecting line, can age faster than other components under the highly corrosive conditions of sun and salt water, which can lead to a leak in these connecting hoses. The inventive design ensures that the respective tube, whose connecting connection, to which the valve is directly and permanently mounted, does not lose air.

[0015] At the same time, significant manufacturing advantages arise, as the connecting connection and valve can be mounted on the tube in a single step and, if necessary, can also be manufactured in a single step, as the above-mentioned example of an injection molding process illustrates. As a result, the inventive design simplifies the construction of the tube kite or wing, which of course also brings significant cost advantages.

[0016] Compared to the state-of-the-art solution described above, for example, a protective cap for securing the connecting hose to the connection port is no longer necessary, i.e., compared to the state-of-the-art solution, even an entire component can be omitted, which additionally enables a weight saving of the aircraft.

[0017] A further advantage of the invention is the possibility of a compact design without protruding components. Previous solutions, for example, require a soft neoprene cover as protection so that the valve does not damage the kite / wing outer skin, especially when rolled up. However, the neoprene cover as protection makes the valve difficult to grip and is therefore often not used. Furthermore, the neoprene cover is necessary for protection in conventional solutions, in particular to prevent the kite lines from becoming tangled. According to the invention, no additional protection, for example in the form of such a cover, is necessary because the relevant components are integrally formed and positioned differently. There is no risk of lines becoming tangled and the valve can be gripped directly, which increases acceptance of using the valve and thus makes the sport significantly safer.

[0018] According to the invention, the connection section for connecting the connecting line can be designed to the connection connection or to the unit consisting of the connection connection and the valve.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the tube kite or wing according to the invention, the connection section provided for connecting the connecting line to the connection port is covered by a valve housing of the valve, so that the connecting line fixed to the connection section is additionally protected. This has the advantage that the connecting line can no longer detach from the connection section as easily as in the prior art, since the connection section is no longer directly exposed to the external environmental conditions because it is covered by the valve housing of the valve.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the valve is additionally designed to fix the connecting line to the connecting port. This allows for additional securing of the connection of the connecting line to the connecting port.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting port and valve are formed as a single piece. "Single piece" within the meaning of the invention means that both parts are irremovably connected to each other, although this does not require the material to be the same. As already mentioned, this can result in manufacturing advantages.

[0022] Particularly preferred is an embodiment in which the connecting committee, the valve itself and the connecting section of the connecting connection are formed in one piece.

[0023] The solution according to the invention also provides additional advantages with regard to the locking function.

[0024] Preferably, the valve has only a single closed position and a single open position, in which the valve is fully closed or fully open. This avoids a situation where, as is possible with prior art, a pneumatic connection remains between the front tube and the cross tube after the valve has been actuated, which could pose a safety risk. The user of the sports equipment no longer needs to ensure that the valve is fully closed, as this is ensured with a single actuation of the valve. This simplifies the setup of the tube kite before launch, as the user can focus their attention on other safety-relevant aspects.

[0025] The valve of the tube kite or wing according to the invention can be designed with two push buttons. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the valve can preferably be completely closed using the first push button, while the valve can preferably be completely opened using the second push button. This considerably simplifies the operation of the valve compared to the prior art solution, since the process of pressing the button to open the valve is considerably easier to accomplish than the laborious pulling apart of the clamp valve, which is known from the aforementioned prior art. Furthermore, the two closing and opening mechanisms are separate from each other, which is also advantageous from a safety perspective.

[0026] However, the invention is not limited to the entirety consisting of a tube kite or wing with a mounted valve arrangement, but also includes a valve with the structure described above, which is accordingly adapted to be mounted on a tube kite or a wing.

[0027] For this purpose, the invention discloses a valve for pneumatically separating a front tube and cross tube of a tube kite or wing with a front tube and at least one cross tube, which are pneumatically connected to one another by a connecting line which is connected to the front tube and to the cross tube via connecting connections, in such a way that when the valve is closed, if one of the two parts, front tube and cross tube or the connecting line, has a leak, the air cannot escape from the other of the two parts, wherein the valve is designed to be mounted on one of the connecting connections or is designed as a single piece with one of the connecting connections.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the connecting connection and the valve housing are structurally adapted to one another to form a positive and / or non-positive, preferably detachable mechanical connection.

[0029] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the connecting connection or the unit comprising the connecting connection and the valve has a connecting section for connecting the connecting line.

[0030] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, a valve housing of the valve covers the connection section with the connecting line fixed thereto at least in sections.

[0031] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the valve is designed as a component that can be mounted on the connecting connection and is additionally designed to fix the connecting line to the connecting section.

[0032] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the connecting connection and the valve are formed in one piece.

[0033] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the connecting connection and the valve and the connecting section are formed in one piece.

[0034] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the valve is designed such that it has only a single closed position and a single open position in which the valve is completely closed or open.

[0035] In a further preferred embodiment of the valve according to the invention, the valve has a first push button by means of which the valve can be closed and a second push button by means of which the valve can be opened. Beispielsbeschreibung

[0036] Further advantages and preferred embodiments of the invention can be seen from the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1a an embodiment of a tube kite or wing according to the invention with front tube and cross tube with connecting line and valve arrangement according to the invention in overview; Fig. 1b an enlarged section of the valve arrangement of the Fig. 1a ; Fig. 2a an embodiment of the valve according to the invention in the open position; Fig. 2b a cross-section of the Fig. 2a arrangement shown; Fig. 3a an embodiment of the valve according to the invention in the closed position, and Fig. 3b a cross-section through the arrangement of Fig. 3a show the valve arrangement shown.

[0037] Referring to the Fig. 1a and 1b shows Fig. 1a A section of a tube kite / wing according to the invention with an inflatable front tube 1, to which an inflatable cross tube 2 is arranged at a right angle. The front tube 1 and the cross tube 2 are pneumatically connected to each other via a connecting hose 3. Connecting ports 4, 5 are arranged at the two connecting hose ends on the front tube 1 and the cross tube 2, respectively, to which the connecting hose is connected.

[0038] As from the Fig. 1b As can be seen, the valve arrangement 6 according to the invention is formed integrally with the connecting port 4, so that the connecting hose is free and not, as is known from the prior art, subjected to an additional clamping device. The joint of the connecting port 5 represents only part of the pneumatic connection between the front tube 1 and the transverse tube 2 in the open state of the valve 6, which is formed jointly with the connecting port 4.

[0039] In Fig. 2a the valve arrangement according to the invention is shown in the mounted state on the connecting connection 4 in the open position.

[0040] The valve mechanism according to the invention has a locking lever 7 with a button 7a, by means of which the valve can be closed by squeezing the connecting tube 3. For this purpose, the locking lever 7 is pressed down via the button 7a and into a Fig. 3a and 3bshown closed position. Furthermore, a further button 8 is provided, by means of which the closed valve 6 can be opened again.

[0041] In the cross-sectional view of the Fig. 2b It also illustrates how the connecting hose 3 is mounted on the connection section 9a, 9b of the connecting connection 4 by being pushed onto the connection section 9a, 9b. Tooth-like projections 11 are provided along the inner circumference of the valve housing 10, by means of which the connecting hose 3 can be fixed on the connection section 9a, 9b. The teeth engage in sawtooth grooves of the connection section 9a, 9b, thus securing the connecting hose 3 in a pneumatically tight and stationary manner. In the assembled state, the valve housing 10 covers the connection section 9 of the connecting hose 3.

[0042] As can be seen from the figure, in the present embodiment, the connecting connection 4 and the valve body 10 are designed as separate components. During assembly, the connecting hose 3 is first pushed onto the connecting section 9, and then the valve body 10 is pushed over the connecting hose 3, creating a positive and non-positive connection between the valve body 10 and the connecting connection 4 by slightly pressing the sections 9a, 9b of the connecting section 9 together by the valve body 10.

[0043] As explained above, in alternative embodiments, the connection section 9 can also be formed directly on the valve body 10, wherein the connecting port 4 and the valve body 10 can then also be formed as a single piece and optionally consist of a single material. In such embodiments, the valve body 10 performs both functions: firstly, the fixation to the tube and, secondly, the fixation of the connecting hose 3 to the connecting port 4.

[0044] A central web 12 is formed on the valve housing 10, along which the locking lever 7 is guided when it is pressed downwards via the button 7a. Fig. 2a In the illustration shown, the locking lever 7 can be seen in the top position and does not engage.

[0045] In contrast, Fig. 3a The same embodiment in a closed position of the valve arrangement 6 according to the invention. Here, the locking lever 7 is pressed downward along the central web 12 and engages in a closed position. In this way, the connecting hose 3 is compressed. The engagement of the valve 6 provides the user with haptic feedback, as they can feel exactly when the engagement is complete, i.e., when the valve and thus the connecting hose 3 are completely pneumatically closed.

[0046] The restoring force generated by the elastic property of the compressed connecting hose material is released again by the push button 8 when the valve 6 is opened, so that the valve can be reopened easily and safely by lightly pressing the button 8. This ensures safe and easy handling of the valve arrangement 6 according to the invention. The locking is ensured by a locking edge 13. Thus, pressing the button 8 cancels the self-locking function of the valve, and the valve reopens completely due to the restoring force of the connecting hose 3.

[0047] Alternatively, the valve can of course also be designed with a button that can be opened and closed in different directions, for example. Further alternative embodiments are described in the general part of the application. Bezugszeichenliste

[0048] 1 Front tube 2 Cross tube 3 Connecting line 4,5 Connecting connection 6 Valve 7 Locking lever 7a First push button 8 Second push button 9a, 9b Connecting section 10 Valve housing 11 Projection 12 Center bar 13 Locking edge

Claims

1. A tube kite or wing comprising an inflatable front tube (1) and at least one inflatable cross tube (2), which are pneumatically connected to one another by a connecting line (3) which is connected to the front tube (1) and the cross tube (2) via connecting connections (4, 5), and a valve (6) by means of which the front tube (1) and the cross tube (2) can be pneumatically separated from one another in such a way that, when the valve (6) is closed, if one of the two parts, the front tube (1) and the cross tube (2) or the connecting line (3), has a leak, the air cannot escape from the other of the two parts, characterized in that the valve (6) is designed to be mounted on one of the connecting ports (4, 5) or is formed integrally with one of the connecting ports (4, 5).

2. Tube kite or wing according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe connecting connection (4, 5) and the valve housing are structurally adapted to one another to form a positive and / or non-positive, preferably detachable mechanical connection.

3. Tubekite or wing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting connection (4, 5) or the unit comprising the connecting connection (4, 5) and the valve (6) has a connecting section for connecting the connecting line.

4. Tube kite or wing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a valve housing of the valve (6) covers the connection section (9a, 9b) with the connecting line (3) fixed thereto at least in sections.

5. Tube kite or wing according to claim 3, characterized in that the valve (6) is designed as a component that can be mounted on the connecting connection (4, 5) and is additionally designed to fix the connecting line (3) to the connecting section.

6. Tubekite or wing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting connection (4, 5) and the valve (6) are formed in one piece.

7. Tubekite or wing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting port (4, 5) and the valve (6) and the connecting section (9a, 9b) are formed in one piece.

8. Tubekite or wing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve (6) is designed such that it has only a single closed position and a single open position in which the valve is completely closed or open.

9. Tubekite or wing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve (6) has a first push button (7a) by means of which the valve (6) can be closed, and a second push button (8) by means of which the valve (6) can be opened.

10. Valve configured for pneumatically separating a front tube (1) and cross tube (2) of a tube kite or wing having a front tube (1) and at least one cross tube (2), which are pneumatically connected to one another by a connecting line (3) which is connected to the front tube (1) and to the cross tube (2) via connecting connections (4, 5), in such a way that when the valve (6) is closed, if one of the two parts, the front tube (1) and the cross tube (2) or the connecting line (3), has a leak, the air cannot escape from the other of the two parts, characterized in that the valve (6) is designed to be mounted on one of the connecting ports (4, 5) or is formed integrally with one of the connecting ports (4, 5).

11. Valve for pneumatically separating a front tube (1) and cross tube (2) of a tube kite or a wing with a front tube (1) and at least one cross tube (8) according to claim 10, characterized bythe features of the characterising part of one or more patent claims 1 to 9.

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