Device for transmitting the traction of a wind power system to a user

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for transmitting traction from a traction kite / sail to a user, comprising a U-shaped support strip (10) having a back portion (1) covering a portion of the back and side portions (2, 3) at least partially covering the sides of a user as an extension of the back portion (1). A rigid hoop (20) is attached to the outside of the support strip (10), the support strip (10) and the hoop (20) being connected to one another at least at one attachment point (15, 16) on each side portion (2, 3). The support strip (10) is shorter than the hoop (20) between the attachment points (15, 16), and the back portion (1) thereof is not in direct contact with said hoop (20).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to equipment worn by a user to assist in the control of a wind-powered system for sporting purposes, such as a kite, kitesurf, wing, sail, or equivalent. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for transmitting the traction of said system to the user by means of such equipment.

[0002] Harnessing wind power to propel a user typically involves a flexible material surface, such as a sail or piece of canvas, which the user manipulates to interact with the wind and generate propulsion. This interaction is initially controlled by the user's arms, allowing them to adjust certain operating parameters, including altitude and positioning. However, in wind-powered sports, the forces generated can be significant, and the arms alone cannot be used to handle and control the equipment without causing excessive fatigue that can easily lead to safety issues for the user and others nearby. Therefore, it is common practice to distribute the forces across other parts of the body using a harness worn by the user.

[0003] The primary function of such equipment is to distribute a significant portion of these forces to other parts of the body, essentially engaging other muscle groups such as the legs and torso. A harness must also allow the user to adopt compensatory positions that enable them to better manage their effort by adjusting the relative positioning between the wing or sail and their body. Generally speaking, this equipment must first provide good back support to allow the user to resist force when pulled forward by significant forces, which means that a considerable portion of the back is typically covered in this type of equipment.

[0004] To optimally perform the functions for which such a harness is designed, the connection to the user's body must not only be stable over time, despite sometimes highly variable conditions, but also robust and comfortable regardless of the forces generated and / or their direction of application. For better distribution, ensuring efficiency and comfort, harnesses are therefore configured so that forces are transferred to the user's body. In practice, there are two main types of harnesses. Firstly, there are so-called "belt" harnesses, which transmit forces to the torso, over an area that includes, but is not limited to, the back, hence their shape that encircles the torso. Secondly, there are so-called "seat" harnesses, which include sub-crotch straps and provide support to the buttocks rather than the back.

[0005] Harnesses typically have an attachment point on the sail or wing, which serves as the entry point for transmitting forces from the windward sail to the user wearing the equipment. For comfort, they are often made of flexible materials to fit snugly around the athlete's torso. In this case, the application of the resultant wind force at this attachment point, generally located at the front of the torso, pulls the ventral part of the harness forward, thereby compressing the user's sides, as the sides of the flexible harness tend to pull together.

[0006] To mitigate this phenomenon, most harnesses feature a rigid spreader bar across the abdomen. This bar attaches detachably to the rest of the harness and is designed to fit the user's body shape, primarily their waist width. The high rigidity of this spreader bar is intended to make it undeformable, thus counteracting some of the compression while minimizing deformation of the harness's back and side sections. This spreader bar is usually made of metal and covered with a soft sleeve for comfort. While this is a first step in reducing lateral compression, it is not enough to fully resolve the problem.

[0007] The challenge in manufacturing these harnesses is actually to combine the comfort of soft materials, providing maximum adaptability to the body, with good distribution of forces and resistance to lateral compression forces, knowing that the notion of comfort also depends on the conditions of practice.

[0008] Harnesses made from overly flexible materials do not adequately reduce lateral compression, and the distribution of forces is only average. Harnesses made of more rigid materials, such as composite shells, possibly covered with a flexible layer, are better suited to reducing lateral compression forces. They allow for better management of significant forces, but they are less naturally efficient in terms of adapting to the shape of the torso, such as its curvature, and to the user's movements. This is, for example, what is disclosed in US patent 2018 / 029676, describing a harness with a rigid composite frame that conforms to a specific area of ​​the user's back.The composite frame is directly attached to a distribution bar, which facilitates force transmission and addresses the issue of lateral compression, but no specific provisions are made to improve the harness's adaptability to the user. A harness conforming to the prior art is disclosed in document GB 2 575 778 A.

[0009] By keeping the classic harness structures, we condemn ourselves to trying to find the best possible compromises between mechanical performance and user comfort, therefore attempting to position the cursor between the well-being of the person and the optimization of the management of constraints applicable to the harness.

[0010] The device of the invention departs from conventional design approaches through a systematic analysis process that led to the separation, as far as possible, of the various functions implemented within such a device. The term "device" is deliberately used for the invention, as it is not simply a conventional harness, but a more comprehensive mechanical system designed to connect a wing surface subjected to external forces to an individual responsible for its control.

[0011] Thus, the device of the invention, which transmits the traction of a traction wing / sail to a user, comprises a U-shaped support band having a dorsal portion covering a portion of the back and lateral portions covering at least partially the sides of a user in line with the dorsal portion. Furthermore, according to the invention, a rigid hoop is fixed to the outside of the support band, the support band and the hoop being joined at least at one attachment point on each of the lateral portions, the support band being shorter than the hoop between the attachment points, and its dorsal portion not being in direct contact with said hoop.

[0012] In other words, the design is distinguished by two functions: one primarily focused on comfort and the other on managing mechanical stress to prevent compression of the entire assembly on the user's sides. The two functions are obviously linked, but each primarily addresses one of the two aspects mentioned. The rigidity of the outer frame prevents the lateral parts of the support from compressing the user's sides under the combined effect of the forces from the sail, which are applied to the harness via the attachment point of the sail or wing.

[0013] Such a hoop can, for example, be made of composite material, reinforced plastic material, or even metal, etc. The hoop can be of any shape; ideally, its height is less than that of the support band, but it can also be the same height or even taller.

[0014] The hoop is attached to the support band at its sides, and according to the invention, there is no direct contact between the back of the support band and the hoop. Direct contact is understood to mean a connection that is integral to both the hoop and the band; that is, a physical connection that is fixed / attached on one side to the hoop and on the other to the support band. There may, however, be a compressible layer at the point of contact between the two. Since the support band is shorter than the hoop between their lateral points of attachment, there is space for such an intermediate layer, the presence of which is not incompatible with the absence of direct contact.

[0015] Preferably, the support band should be made of a material with little or no stretch between the attachment points. For the purposes of this application, "between the attachment points" means in the direction of the support band between said attachment points, or in a horizontal plane when the person is standing and therefore substantially upright, or in a cross-sectional plane of the user's torso. The expression "little or no stretch" should be understood, for example, by comparison with the behavior of synthetic rubbers commonly used in this field, such as those marketed under the name neoprene.These materials are stretchable to a degree that is not at all that of the support strip, which may in some cases present a limited possibility of local extension affecting only in a very minimal way the overall stretchability between the fixing points.

[0016] The device of the invention comprises fastening means between the support strip and the hoop located exclusively at the lateral portions of the support strip. Preferably, there is only one fastening point per lateral portion, thus two fastening points in total, between which the support strip is free. These fastening methods guarantee freedom of movement, particularly transverse freedom, for a large portion of the strip, since there is no direct contact with the hoop. This freedom of movement is, however, limited by the inherent deformation potential of the support strip.

[0017] Preferably, the support band is made of a flexible material, or an assembly of elements that give it flexibility, and is therefore able to adapt to changes in the user's torso position and back shape, deforming locally without touching the rigid headband. For example, the support band can be made of a synthetic material such as plastic. Alternatively, this support band can have a mesh or perforated structure.

[0018] According to one possible configuration of the invention, the rigid hoop can be attached to the support band by rigid, one-piece fastening means. This is the case, for example, when, in a version of the invention, the rigid hoop is a single piece with the structure constituting the support band.

[0019] Another rigid fixing could be achieved by stitching the two elements together, thus making them rigid.

[0020] Alternatively, the rigid hoop can be attached to the support band by means of hinge-type fastenings with one degree of rotational freedom. Any other degree of freedom can, however, also be considered.

[0021] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description, relating to embodiments which are given only as indicative and non-limiting examples.

[0022] Thus, in particular, understanding this description will be facilitated by referring to the drawings attached in the appendix, in which: [ Fig.1 ] represents a schematic view of the operation of a prior art flexible harness; [ Fig.2 ] shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of a prior art harness, featuring a rigid structure; [ Fig.3 ] schematically illustrates the design specific to the invention; Fig.4 ] represents, in perspective view, a possible embodiment of a device according to the invention; [ Fig.5 ] shows another view, from behind, of the configuration shown in figure 4 ; Fig.6 ] represents a longitudinal section view of the configuration shown in figure 4 ; And [ Fig.7 ] shows a side view of the configuration shown in figure 4 .

[0023] With reference to figures 1 à 3 The development process that led to the invention is outlined in three stages. Historically, the simplest harnesses were generally flexible, consisting of a kind of corset or wide belt designed to connect the wing, for example, of a kitesurfing board, to the user's torso, in order to provide additional support for the arms, whose energy capacity needed to be preserved for directional control. Apart from the rigid bar 4 positioned at the front of the torso, this support is primarily provided at the back and sides. Thus, the dorsal section 1 extends on each side into lateral sections 2 and 3, which are equipped with means for attaching the front bar 4, on which the forces from the wing in contact with the wind are directly exerted. The forces applied to the harness at the sides are shown in the... figures 1 à 3 , in the form of two forces F, F' oriented in the extension of the lateral parts 2, 3, and which are decomposed - at the points of application - into a radial component C, C' and a tangential component T, T'. This constitutes a correct modeling of the mechanical situation in terms of exerted forces on the flexible structure as partially shown.

[0024] In the figure 1 The harness 10 – represented by dashed lines – is flexible, and the forces F and F', which arise when tension is applied to the front bar 4, tend to reduce the width of the dorsal section 1. The components C and C' effectively bring the lateral sections 2 and 3 closer together. These forces C and C' compress the user's sides, partially reducing the harness's functional effectiveness. No anti-compression function is provided, leading to reduced comfort, despite the initial design being intended for maximum adaptability to the user's body and thus providing a degree of comfort.

[0025] In figure 2 The harness shown features a rigid shell 20 – represented by a solid line – working in conjunction with a flexible layer 10. This construction more permanently preserves the initial configuration with a dorsal section 1 and lateral sections 2 and 3. In this scenario, there is no lateral compression C, C', due to the rigidity which generates an anti-compression reaction AC, AC' on the shell 20. In this configuration, the reduced adaptability of the flexible layer in contact with the user (directions P) leads to discomfort in practice. This type of harness does take into account the rigidity aspect to avoid lateral compression, improving comfort in these areas, but it is likely to create discomfort due to its limited adaptability to the user's movements and morphology, such as the curvature of the back.

[0026] The harness of the figure 3 The one that incorporates the principles of the invention better distinguishes the aspects or functions of adaptation / comfort and lateral anti-compression, by proposing a design in which the rigid layer and the flexible layer are retained, but arranged differently than in the solution of the figure 2 The soft or flexible layer 10 is shorter than the rigid structure 20, and as it does not have the possibility of stretching in the plane of the figure, it can never come into contact with the latter, at least in the dorsal part 1 during use.

[0027] One possibility is that the distance between the band 10 and the hoop 20 can be progressive from the fixing points. However, constant-space variants are also conceivable. At the center, the distance can be at least 5 mm, but preferably at least 10 mm, and even more preferably at least 15 mm.

[0028] Contact may occur in the vicinity of the lateral parts 2 and 3, since the flexible band 10 is attached to the rigid structure 20 in these areas, which face the ends of the hoop 20. It should be noted that, in this application, when referring to the non-deformability of the support band 10 between attachment points or in the direction of the hoop 20, or to the non-extensibility of said support band 10 between attachment points or in the direction of the hoop 20, this means that there is no possible elongation of the support band 10 in the plane of the figure 3 The support band 10 is flexible but not stretchable: when the user's back is supported on it, there is flexion allowing the band 10 to conform to the back, but when the whole back is supported, there is no stretching and therefore no contact with the rigid headband 20.

[0029] With reference to figures 4 à 7A concrete example of such a configuration is given. An outer hoop 20 is attached to a body support band 10 by two attachment points 15, 16, these two elements 10, 20 being made of synthetic material having either different properties or different configurational parameters. Thus, the hoop 20 is rigid and essentially undeformable in bending or tension / compression. The support band 10 is flexible, but it does not exhibit stretchability in the direction of the hoop 20 (see above for interpretation). The dorsal portion 1 of the support band 10 is wide to increase user comfort, particularly by allowing for better distribution of the forces applied to it. It is the back that works, compensating for this, especially but not exclusively in strong winds.

[0030] The flexibility of the support band 10 results not only from the material chosen but also from dimensional choices, for example, regarding the thickness of the support band 10, or from geometric choices with the openwork patterns. The framed link structure of the hoop 20 also combines geometric choices and dimensional parameters, which are planned and selected to give the hoop 20 a high degree of rigidity.

[0031] The lateral portions 2, 3 of the support band 10 are narrower than the dorsal portion 1 and are connected, on their external faces, to the ends of the hoop 20 by means of single attachment points 15, 16 on each side by means of hinge-type rotating joints. On each side, the attachment point 15, 16 comprises a shaft 21 inserted into two lugs 11, 12 projecting from said external face of each lateral portion 2, 3, as well as into a coaxial tubular end of the hoop 20. A one-piece design is also possible, as mentioned, within the scope of the invention.

[0032] The examples illustrated in these figures are obviously not exhaustive of the invention, which encompasses differences in geometry, dimensions etc., in particular of the hoop 20 and the support band 10, the method of fixing at the fixing points 15, 16 etc.

Claims

1. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user, comprising a U-shaped support band 10 having a dorsal part 1 covering a portion of the back and side parts 2, 3 at least partially covering the flanks of a user in the extension of the dorsal part 1, characterized in that a rigid hoop 20 is fastened to the outside of the support band 10, the support band 10 and the hoop 20 being secured at least at one fastening point 15, 16 at each of the side parts 2, 3, the support band 10 being shorter than the hoop 20 between the fastening points 15, 16 and its dorsal part 1 having no direct contact with said hoop 20.

2. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the support band 10 is made of a material with little or no stretchability between the fastening points 15, 16.

3. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises fastening means 11, 12, 21 between the support band 10 and the hoop 20 located exclusively at the side parts 2, 3 of the support band 10.

4. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to the preceding claim, characterized in that there is a single fastening point 15, 16 per side part 2, 3.

5. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support band 10 is made of a flexible material or of an assembly of elements imparting flexibility to it.

6. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support band 10 is made of plastics-like synthetic material.

7. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the support band 10 is a reticulated or perforated structure 10.

8. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rigid hoop 20 is fastened to the support band 10 by one-piece rigid fastening means.

9. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the rigid hoop 20 is in one piece with a shell constituting the support band 10.

10. Device for transmitting traction from a traction wing / sail to a user according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rigid hoop 20 is fastened to the support band 10 by hinge-type fastening means 11, 12, 21 with one degree of freedom in rotation along an axis perpendicular to the direction of the hoop 20.

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