Curling entity

Abstract

A curling unit with a curling lane that is longer than it is wide and has a dry playing surface with a first boundary side and a second boundary side is characterized in that the playing surface has at least one playing surface section in the direction of the width between the first boundary side and the second boundary side that is inclined to a horizontal.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a curling unit with a curling lane having a dry playing surface with a first boundary side and a second boundary side in the longitudinal direction.

[0002] Curling is an Olympic sport. Unlike Bavarian curling, the granite stones are thrown with momentum and spin onto a flat ice surface, allowing the stone to travel in a parabolic path around opposing stones on its way to the target. Curling is very difficult for amateurs on professional rinks with a length of 40 meters, making it almost impossible to get the stone to the target.

[0003] Sports facilities with suitable ice surfaces are rare. Therefore, there is a need to provide even amateurs with opportunities to practice, experience success, and of course, enjoy this increasingly popular sport as part of their leisure activities.

[0004] Curling lanes are a well-known, state-of-the-art design. They are significantly longer than they are wide, have lateral boundaries, and are clearly defined by a beginning and an end. A target area is located at the end of the lane or at the end of a playing surface. The objective is to place a curling stone with momentum at the beginning of the lane or playing surface and move it as accurately as possible into the target area. If one or more other curling stones block the direct path to the target area, they must be deliberately pushed aside or circumvented. To achieve this, a curling stone must change direction on its way to the target, both to strike the blocking stone in the correct position and thus change its position on the playing surface, and to completely circumvent the blocking stone without making contact.

[0005] On ice rinks, the lateral movement of the stone is created by the player spinning the stone. He throws the stone towards the goal.

[0006] As the speed decreases, the degree of lateral movement increases due to the rotation of the curling stone.

[0007] On dry ice surfaces, the curling stone rolls on ball rollers and cannot generate a parabolic motion without an aid. It simply rolls straight towards the target area.

[0008] A curling stone typically weighs a maximum of 20 kg and usually has a circumference of up to 90 cm. Therefore, not every player is able to impart sufficient spin to the stone upon placement so that it follows a parabolic trajectory towards the target area, and the parabola is compressed in such a way that the moving stone either hits the stationary blocking stone at a predetermined point or passes around it without making contact. At the very least, achieving precise spin is very difficult.

[0009] There are solutions to this problem on the curling stone itself. For example, it can be equipped with a motor, an eccentric rotating element, and a control device, allowing for easier control of the stone's trajectory on the playing surface with motor assistance. However, such motorized curling stones are not yet reliable, at least not currently. Their operation is not intuitive.

[0010] The object of the present invention is therefore to further develop a curling unit of the type mentioned above in such a way that the movement path of a curling stone on a playing surface is at least supported by an influence.

[0011] The problem is solved according to the invention by the fact that the playing surface has at least one playing surface section in the transverse direction between the first boundary side and the second boundary side which is inclined relative to a horizontal.

[0012] By sloping the playing surface in at least one section across its width, gravity assists the curling stone's movement towards the target area when the stone is on the sloped section. Utilizing gravity, or the force of gravity, allows for intuitive and reliable control of the stone's movement towards the target area.

[0013] A further advantage of the present invention is that the playing surface has a center point which has a lowest point between the first boundary and the second boundary in the transverse direction. This ensures that a curling stone can reach the target area directly in the center of the playing surface.

[0014] At this point, a few terms need clarification. In the context of this description, a curling rink is a facility that has a playing surface. This means that the playing surface does not necessarily have to be physically identical to the surface of the curling rink. For example, the curling rink could also have edges adjacent to the playing surface that are not part of the actual playing area.

[0015] In the context of this description, the term "boundary side" refers to the lateral boundary of the playing surface. In some embodiments, this lateral boundary of the playing surface may also be the lateral boundary of the curling lane. In other embodiments, the curling lane may be bounded in a different way.

[0016] A further advantage of the present invention is that at least one playing surface section is concave. The non-linear slope in this playing surface section optimizes the use of gravity to influence the direction of movement of the curling stone along the track. The effect of gravity on the direction of movement of the curling stone increases with increasing slope.

[0017] A further advantage of the present invention is that the at least one playing surface section forms a circular arc having a first and a second arc end, the first arc end coinciding with the first or the second boundary side. This ensures that the effect on the direction of movement of the curling stone increases continuously as it approaches the boundary edge.

[0018] A further advantage of the present invention is that the at least one playing surface section comprises a first playing surface section and a second playing surface section. In this way, the playing surface is symmetrically constructed and has the inventive slope on both sides.

[0019] It is also an advantage of the present invention that a third playing surface section is formed between the first playing surface section and the second playing surface section, which is essentially horizontally oriented and connects the first playing surface section with the second playing surface section. The third, horizontal playing surface section ensures that a curling stone travels straight towards the target area when it is placed on the playing surface without spin in a straight line.

[0020] A further advantage of the present invention is that the first boundary and the second boundary are positioned at a distance from each other that determines the width of the playing surface, and each has a height that is less than 1% of the width of the playing surface. This ensures that the playing surface has a predetermined, low height relative to its width at both of its boundary sides, which is already suitable for optimally influencing the trajectory of a curling stone towards the target area.

[0021] Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the additional features of the dependent claims.

[0022] One embodiment of the present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a schematic top view of a curling rink with a playing surface according to the present invention; and Fig. 2a schematic cross-sectional representation of the curling rink Fig. 1 .

[0023] In Fig. 1A curling unit 1 according to the present invention, comprising a curling lane 2.1, is shown in a schematic top view. The curling unit 1 can comprise a plurality of curling lanes 2.1. Optionally, the curling unit 1 can also comprise at least one, preferably a plurality, of curling stones. The curling lane 2.1 is rectangular and has a first longitudinal side 2.3 and a second longitudinal side 2.4, which are substantially parallel to each other and are connected to each other at their respective ends by a first transverse side 2.5 and a second transverse side 2.6. The curling lane 2.1 has a much greater longitudinal length than transverse width. A playing surface 3 is formed on a surface 2.7 of the curling lane 2.1. The playing surface 3 has a first boundary side 3.1, which runs parallel to the first longitudinal side 2.3 of the curling lane 2.1, and a second boundary side 3.2, which runs parallel to the second longitudinal side 2.3.4 of the curling lane 2.1 runs. A distance between the first boundary side 3.1 and the second boundary side 3.2 determines the width of the playing surface 3.

[0024] A target area 5 is formed on the playing surface 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the target area 5 comprises a first target area 5.1 and a second target area 5.2. This allows the curling lane 2.1 to be played on alternately from the first and second transverse sides 2.5, 2.6. Thus, the first target area 5.1 is located near the second transverse side 2.6, and the second target area 5.2 is located near the first transverse side 2.5. In other embodiments, only a single target area 5, i.e., either the first target area 5.1 or the second target area 5.2, is formed on the playing surface 3.

[0025] On playing surface 3, a moving first curling stone 7.1 and a stationary second curling stone 7.2 are shown for illustration. A movement arrow also indicates a parabolic trajectory 9 of the moving first curling stone 7.1 towards the first target area 5.1 on the second transverse side 2.6. The objective in the depicted game situation is to move the first curling stone 7.1 from the end of the playing surface near the first transverse side 2.5 around the stationary second curling stone 7.2 towards the first target area 5.1. A throw straight ahead across the center of the playing surface 3.3 would result in a collision with the stationary second curling stone 7.2 and could potentially push it closer to the first target area 5.1 or even into it.

[0026] In Fig. 2 is schematically a cross-section through the curling rink 2.1 in Fig. 1The playing field 3 extends between the first boundary side 3.1 and the second boundary side 3.2. In the present embodiment, the width is determined by the distance between the first boundary side 3.1 and the second boundary side 3.2. In the illustrated embodiment, a first playing surface section 3.4 and a second playing surface section 3.5 are formed near the first boundary side 3.1 and near the second boundary side 3.2, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the first playing surface section 3.4 and the second playing surface section 3.5 are mirror images of each other with respect to the center of the playing surface 3.3. In other embodiments, the two playing surface sections 3.4 and 3.5 can be replaced by...5. Only one playing surface section may be formed, or several playing surface sections may be formed, each of which, as in the illustrated embodiment, has an inclination relative to the horizontal. The illustrated embodiment is merely an advanced variant for curling on dry curling lanes.

[0027] For the traditional sport of curling, the in Fig. 2The illustrated embodiment is useful. The playing surface 3 is concave in the first playing surface section 3.4 and in the second playing surface section 3.5. In particular, the first playing surface section 3.4 and the second playing surface section 3.5 each form a circular arc 4. Due to the concave shape of the first and / or second playing surface section 3.4, 3.5, the first boundary side 3.1 and / or the second boundary side 3.2 lies at a higher height above a horizontal 3.6 than the center of the playing surface 3.3. The center of the playing surface 3.3 thus forms the lowest area in the direction of the width of the playing surface 3, i.e., essentially perpendicular to the first and second boundary sides 3.1, 3.2.

[0028] A third playing surface section 3.7 extends laterally between the first playing surface section 3.4 and the second playing surface section 3.5, connecting the first playing surface section 3.4 with the second playing surface section 3.5. The third playing surface section 3.7 is oriented essentially horizontally in the width direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the third playing surface section 3.7 is also essentially horizontal in length.

[0029] Circular arc 4 has a first endpoint 4.1, which coincides with the first boundary side 3.1, and a second endpoint 4.2, which transitions into the horizontal third playing area section 3.7. The third playing area section 3.7 thus forms a tangent to circular arc 4, touching the arc at its second endpoint 4.2. This results in a seamless transition between playing area sections 3.4 / 3.7 and 3.5 / 3.7.

[0030] The height is arbitrarily determined. However, for the sport of curling, in the illustrated embodiment, it is advantageous if the height of the first boundary side 3.1 and / or the second boundary side 3.2 is less than 1%, preferably even less than 0.5%, of the width between the first and second boundary sides 3.1, 3.2. This allows the change in direction, depending on the physically possible throwing force and the gravitational force, to occur in a shape similar to a compressed parabola, as shown by the movement arrow 9 in Fig. 1This trajectory and the effect of gravity only occur when the first curling stone 7.1 is placed on the playing surface 3 via the first or second playing surface section 3.4, 3.5. If the first curling stone 7.1 is placed on the playing surface 3 in a straight line in the center of the playing surface 3.3, it moves directly towards the respective target area 5.1, 5.2.

[0031] The playing surface 3 of curling lane 2.1 is a dry playing surface 3, preferably made of calendered plastic. Alternatively, the playing surface 3 can also be made of wood or any other dry material. The only important requirement is that the playing surface 3 is smooth.

[0032] The curling unit 1 according to the invention also comprises at least one of the two first and second curling stones 7.1, 7.2, which can move on the playing surface 3 of the curling lane 2.1. Such a first or second curling stone 7.1, 7.2 comprises a roller assembly 7.3 with four rollers, but preferably only three. The rollers are ball rollers (not shown) that can rotate in all directions. In this way, the at least one first and second curling stone 7.1, 7.2 rolls on the smooth playing surface 3 over the first or second playing surface section 3.4, 3.5 in the form of a more or less compressed parabola in the direction of the respective first or second target area 5.1, 5.2. Reference symbol list

[0033] 1 Curling Unit 2.1 Curling Lane 2.3 First Long Side 2.4 Second Long Side 2.5 First Cross Side 2.6 Second Cross Side 2.7 Surface 3 Playing Area 3.1 First Boundary Side 3.2 Second Boundary Side 3.3 Center of Playing Area 3.4 First Section of Playing Area 3.5 Second Section of Playing Area 3.6 Horizontal 3.7 Third Section of Playing Area 4 Arc 4.1 First End of Arc 4.2 Second End of Arc 5 Target Area 5.1 First Target Area 5.2 Second Target Area 7.1 First Curling Stone 7.2 Second Curling Stone 7.3 Roller Device 9 Movement Arrow

Claims

1. Curling unit (1) with a curling lane (2.1) which has a greater length than width and a dry playing surface (3) with a first boundary side (3.1) and a second boundary side (3.2), characterized by that the playing surface (3) in the direction of the width between the first boundary side (3.1) and the second boundary side (3.2) has at least one playing surface section (3.4; 3.5) which is inclined to a horizontal (3.6).

2. Curling unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the playing area (3) has a playing area center (3.3) which has a lowest point between the first boundary side (3.1) and the second boundary side (3.2) in the direction of the width.

3. Curling unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that which at least one playing surface section (3.4; 3.5) is concavely curved.

4. Curling unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that at least one playing area section (3.4; 3.5) forms a circular arc (4) which has a first and a second circular arc end (4.1; 4.2), wherein the first circular arc end (4.1) coincides with the first or the second boundary side (3.1; 3.2).

5. Curling unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that which includes at least one playing area section (3.4; 3.5), a first playing area section (3.4) and a second playing area section (3.5).

6. Curling unit (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the first playing area section (3.4) extends from the first boundary side (3.1) towards a playing area center (3.3).

7. Curling unit (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by that the second playing area section (3.5) extends from the second boundary side (3.2) towards the center of the playing area (3.3).

8. Curling unit (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by that the playing area (3) has a third playing area section (3.7) in the width direction between the first playing area section (3.4) and the second playing area section (3.5), which is essentially horizontally oriented and connects the first playing area section (3.4) with the second playing area section (3.5).

9. Curling unit (1) according to claim 8, characterized by that the arc of the circle (4) borders the third playing area section (3.3) with the second end of the arc of the circle (4.2).

10. Curling unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first boundary side (3.1) and the second boundary side (3.2) are at a distance from each other which determines the width of the playing area (3), and each has a height which is less than 1% of the width of the playing area (3).

11. Curling unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the playing surface (3) is made of wood or plastic.

12. Curling unit (1) according to claim 11, characterized by that The plastic is a calendered or extruded plastic.

13. Curling unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the curling rink (2.1) has a first transverse side (2.5) and a second transverse side (2.6).

14. Curling unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the playing surface (3) is designed to be so smooth that at least one first curling stone (7.1) with a roller device (7.3) can move in the direction of a first or second target area (5.1; 5.2).

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