A set of at least two modules, particularly for practicing sports training.

Abstract

The invention relates to a set of at least two modules, particularly for the practice of sports training, each having at least one distal end (1) defining a frontal direction (F) along its width and a sagittal direction (S) along its thickness, each of said ends being equipped with a connector (2) allowing the coupling of said modules, said connector having an anterior finger (2a) and a posterior finger (2b) which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of a frontal longitudinal plane (π(LFM)), the connector (2) further comprising an anterior housing (5a) and a posterior housing (5b) which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of the frontal longitudinal plane (π(LFM)),the anterior housing (5a) – respectively posterior (5b) – being adjacent in the frontal direction (F) to the anterior finger (2a) – respectively posterior (2b) – and being arranged to receive the posterior finger (2b) – respectively anterior (2a) – of the connector (2) of another module for mating. Figure 1,

Description

Description Title of the invention: Set of at least two modules, in particular for the practice of sports training

[0001] = The invention relates to a set of at least two modules, particularly for practice of a sports training program, as well as a set of accessories for practicing a sport sports training including such a game.

[0002] = It applies in particular to a set of accessories adapted for sports ne- requiring a leg warm-up, especially for football, but also athletics, and more specifically running and / or jumping events.

[0003] Sets of accessories are known, notably from US-6,053,824 including markers and stakes, said accessories being used for example to delimit areas intended for the practice of specific exercises, or more specifically li- to create obstacles that the athlete must overcome. Thus, for an en- In football training, it is known to arrange cones in rows, especially with a marker connected vertically to each of the aforementioned cones, so that the athlete can perform a slalom between the cones to work on ball control during movement on the ground. Furthermore, it is also known to place a stake horizontally and at a greater or lesser height by connecting its two ends to respect-

[0004] Depending on the exercise to be performed, it may be necessary to connect two cones end to end. end. To do this, we know from document US-5 842 954 some form milestones tubular components that can be connected by inserting one end of a stake into a a sleeve carried by the end of another stake. Such a connection system does not give not entirely satisfactory because, in addition to exhibiting limited long-term reliability, it relies on a "male" and "female" type operation which limits its modularity.

[0005] To overcome these drawbacks, document WO-2015 / 155457 describes a set accessories including in particular a set of at least two stakes each presenting at least one distal end equipped with a connector to allow their ac- coupling along their length, said connector comprising two fingers which extend longitudinally, being arranged on either side of a longitudinal plane of the milestone, so as to define between them a dwelling in which an element is formed connection.

[0006] To couple two stakes, the user arranges their respective connectors in looking in the longitudinal direction, so that the markers extend sen- possibly perpendicular to each other. Then, the user fits the connectors, so as to arrange the connection element of each connector in contact tightening between the fingers of the other connector. However, this solution is not entirely satisfactory either, as it proves to be rather unintuitive in practice. Furthermore, it does not allow for a flat connection between two markers, which is problematic for creating demarcation lines on the ground, since an athlete risks tripping on the uneven surface created by the offset planes of the markers. The invention aims to improve the prior art by proposing in particular a set of at least two modules that can be assembled in pairs using a connection system that is particularly simple and intuitive to implement. To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a set of at least two modules, particularly for the practice of sports training, each having at least one distal end defining a frontal direction along its width and a sagittal direction along its thickness, each of said ends being equipped with a connector allowing the coupling of said modules, said connector having an anterior finger and a posterior finger which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of a frontal longitudinal plane, the connector further comprising an anterior housing and a posterior housing which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of the frontal longitudinal plane,said anterior — or posterior — housing being adjacent in the frontal direction to the anterior — or posterior — finger and being arranged to receive the posterior — or anterior — finger of the connector of another module for the purpose of its coupling. According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a set of accessories for the practice of sports training, said set comprising such a game and at least one marker having at least one housing arranged for receiving part of the module. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: [fig.1] represents in perspective front view a distal end of a stake provided with a connector according to an embodiment of the invention; [fig.2a] and [fig.2b] represent in front view the two distal ends of two stakes following figure 1, respectively during (figure 2a) and after (figure 2b) their coupling; [fig.3] represents in perspective side view the distal ends of two stakes coupled by means of connectors similar to those in figures 1, 2a and 2b; [fig.4] represents in front view different types of modules each equipped with a connector similar to that of the previous figures; [fig.5a], [fig.5b], [fig.5c] and [fig.5d] each represent a training structure obtained by assembling at least two accessories of an assembly according to an embodiment of the invention, each structure comprising at least one stake provided on each of its ends with a connector similar to that of the preceding figures, as well as at least one stud provided with a housing arranged for receiving part of a module; [fig.6] represents in top view a plot similar to those of the sets re- presented in figures 5a, Sb, 5c, 5d; [fig.7] represents a set of disassembled accessories, including a stake and a marker similar to those in figures Sa, 5b, 5c, Sd and 6, as well as a strap winder according to an embodiment of the invention; [fig.8] represents a training structure obtained by assembling accessories similar to those shown in figure 7. In relation to these figures, a set of at least two modules is described below, particularly for the practice of sports training, as well as a set of accessories for the practice of sports training including such a set. Such a set of accessories is particularly suitable for practicing sports requiring a warm-up of the legs, such sports including in particular football, but also athletics, and more specifically running and / or jumping events. Each module has at least one distal end 1 equipped with a connector 2 to allow coupling of said modules, as well as a functional organ usable in the context of a sporting activity, for example to delimit on a training ground areas dedicated to specific exercises, or to form obstacles that an athlete must overcome to perform a given exercise. In particular, at least one module of the game may have a free end 1 equipped with a connector 2, and carry opposite said connector a functional element such as a flag 3a, a slate 3b or a lamp 3c, as shown in Figure 4, or other types of elements, such as for example an arrow. Furthermore, at least one module of the game can take the form of a stake 4, each end 1 of which is equipped with a connector 2, as shown in particular in figures 3, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 7 and 8. Such a module makes it possible in particular to form demarcation lines on the ground, or to form a hurdle over which the athlete must jump. Advantageously, all the two connectors in the set have an identical structure. Thus, we have a set of modules that can be assembled in a way that... simple and particularly modular, especially compared to "male" and "female" type connector systems which require coupling a connector of one type to a complementary connector of the second type, and therefore limit the possibilities of assembling modules. In particular, in the case of a milestone 4, both ends 1 are provided with the same connector 2. In relation to Figure 1, the distal end 1 defines a longitudinal direction L along its length, a frontal direction F along its width, and a sagittal direction S along its thickness. Furthermore, the connector 2 has an anterior finger 2a and a posterior finger 2b that extend longitudinally, positioned on either side of a frontal longitudinal plane. In the embodiment shown, the front fingers 2a and rear fingers 2b of a connector 2 are arranged on either side of a median front longitudinal plane (LFM) of said connector, which facilitates the manufacture of said connector and improves the modularity of coupling modules. The connector 2 further includes an anterior housing 5a and a posterior housing 5b which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of the median frontal longitudinal plane (LFM), the anterior housing 5a — respectively posterior housing 5b — being adjacent in the frontal direction F to the anterior finger 2a — res-respectively posterior finger 2b — and being arranged to receive the posterior finger 2b — res-respectively anterior finger 2a — of the connector 2 of another module for the purpose of coupling it. This arrangement of fingers 2a, 2b and corresponding housings 5a, 5b allows two modules to be coupled by arranging their connectors 2 opposite each other in the longitudinal direction L, while arranging their respective front longitudinal planes (LFM) parallel to each other, which constitutes a particularly intuitive gesture for the user. In particular, the anterior fingers 2a — respectively posterior fingers 2b — have anterior free faces 6a — respectively posterior fingers 6b — which are in the longitudinal extension of the anterior free faces 7a — respectively posterior fingers 7b — of the end 1 of the module bearing the corresponding connector 2. In the embodiment shown, the 4 markers each have a rectangular section extending longitudinally with an anterior face 8a and a posterior face 8b, the posterior face 8b — respectively anterior face 8a — being extended on either side by a posterior finger 2b — respectively anterior finger 2a. Thus, the connectors 2 allow two modules to be coupled without creating a protrusion in the sagittal direction S at the coupling point. In particular, two coupled stakes 4 can be laid flat on the ground stably and without creating any protrusion. on which an athlete could stumble, which helps to maintain the integrity of the training structure formed by said milestones and to limit the risk of injury to said athlete. In addition, as shown in Figure 7, the posterior fingers 2b — respectively anterior fingers 2a — of a milestone 4 are offset from a sagittal longitudinal plane of said milestone, and preferably the median sagittal longitudinal plane (MSL) of said milestone. Each posterior housing 5b — respectively anterior 5a — has a geometry complementary to the geometry of the anterior fingers 2a — respectively posterior 2b, which makes it possible to limit the formation of spaces between the fingers 2a, 2b and the housings 5b, Sa after their coupling, and therefore to limit the relative displacements between two coupled modules. To do this, as shown in particular in figures 2a, 2b and 3, each posterior housing 5b — respectively anterior Sa — has a bottom 9b, 9a which is formed on a medial face 10a, 10b of an anterior finger 2a — respectively posterior 2b —, the medial face 10a of an anterior finger 2a being in tight contact on the bottom 9b of a posterior housing 5b and the medial face 10b of a posterior finger 2b being in tight contact on the bottom 9a of an anterior housing 5a when the corresponding connectors 2 are coupled. In particular, the base 9a, 9b of each housing Sa, 5b extends into the median front longitudinal plane (LFM) of the corresponding connector 2. Thus, when two modules are coupled, their connectors 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to their respective median front longitudinal planes 1(LFM), which are superimposed on each other. Each finger 2a, 2b has a medial border 1 La and a lateral border 1 lb which generally extend in the sagittal direction S, said medial border being common with the adjacent housing 5a, 5b. In relation to the figures, the lateral edges 11b extend in the longitudinal continuation of the lateral edges 12 of the end 1 of the module bearing the corresponding connector 2, which makes it possible to limit the formation of protrusions in the front direction F at the coupling of said connectors. In particular, in the case of stakes 4, the lateral edges 11b of the fingers 2a, 2b can extend in the longitudinal continuation of respectively a lateral edge 13 of their rectangular section, which makes it possible to form a continuous line when coupling two stakes, and thus to limit the risks of tripping for a sportsman when crossing said line. In the embodiment shown, the medial edges 1 of fingers 2a, 2b have a divergent inclination in the longitudinal direction L of extension of fingers 2a, 2b, which facilitates the relative positioning of connectors 2 before their mating. In particular, the medial edges 1 of fingers 2a, 2b of a connector 2 cross longitudinally so as to form: a basic zone 14a, in which fingers 2a, 2b are partially in re- covering in the sagittal direction S, which allows superimposition in the sagittal direction S an interference zone between two median edges lla to a full 9a, 9b base, and therefore to limit the risks of relative displacements connectors 2 at the level of said interference; and a tip zone 14b, in which fingers 2a, 2b are spread apart, forming a space between their medial edges 1 la, which makes it easier to position relative function of two connectors 2 with a view to their coupling. Advantageously, as shown in particular in Figures 2b and 3, the medial edge 11a of an anterior finger 2a — respectively posterior 2b — is in tight contact with the medial edge 11a of a posterior finger 2b — respectively anterior 2a — when the corresponding connectors 2 are coupled. Thus, the formation of spaces at the medial edges is avoided, which allows the coupled connectors 2 to form continuous anterior and posterior surfaces, and to limit the risks of relative displacements at the level of said medial edges. The medial edges 1 may have additional geometric means of retention, in order to limit the risks of unintentional disengagement of the connectors 2 during the use of the modules, for example under the effect of a shock due to the impact of a ball or the tripping of an athlete. In the embodiment shown, each finger 2a, 2b includes a lug 15 extending over the entire thickness of the median edge 1la while projecting in the front direction F, as well as a groove 16 of geometry complementary to that of said lug, said lug and said groove being disposed respectively near the base and the end 18 of said finger. Each housing 5a, 5b also has a base 17 in common with the end 1 of the corresponding module, said base having a geometry complementary to the geometry of the end 18 of the fingers 2a, 2b. Thus, the formation of gaps at the longitudinal interferences between the connectors 2 and the modules is avoided. In particular, each base 17 and the end 18 of each finger 2a, 2b may have complementary geometric retention means, with the same advantages as mentioned above. In the embodiment shown, the end 18 of each finger 2a, 2b is provided with a longitudinal tab 18a intended to engage in a complementary slot 17a formed in the base 17 during the coupling of the connectors 2. To be able to create varied training structures, such a set of modules can be integrated into a set including other types of accessories, including at least one 20 stud which has at least one housing arranged for receiving part of a module. In relation to the figures, the block 20 includes a vertical housing 21 allowing a module, in particular a stake 4, to be held in a vertical position (figures Sb, 5d, 8), as well as two horizontal housings 22a, 22b allowing a module to be held in a horizontal position, and more specifically: an upper horizontal housing 22a, formed on the top of the block 20, in order to to be able to place a horizontal marker 4 at a maximum height by having its two ends 1 in the upper housing 22a of respectively a plot 20 (figure 5a); and a lower horizontal housing 22b formed approximately halfway up plot 20, and opening out in particular on both sides of the said plot, in order to be able to place a horizontal marker 4 at a reduced height using the housings lower 22b respective of two plots 20 (figure 5d). In particular, as shown in Figure 5c, a user can form a longer hedge or boundary barrier by first coupling two stakes 4 in the longitudinal direction L, and then placing the free ends of the line thus formed in the respective upper horizontal housings 22a of two studs 20. Advantageously, the posts 4 may have at least one through opening 4a arranged between their distal ends 1, said opening being arranged to allow passage through at least the connector 2 of another module. Thus, more complex training structures can be obtained, such as the one shown in Figure 5d, which is obtained by mounting: two vertical markers 4 in the respective vertical housings 21 of two plots 20; a third horizontal marker 4 in the lower horizontal housings 22b respective of these same plots 20; and a fourth horizontal marker 4 in two through openings 4a of respectively one of the 4 vertically mounted stakes. The accessory kit may also include at least one strap 23 arranged to be guided between the fingers 2a, 2b of a connector 2 of a module, in particular a stake 4 mounted vertically on a base 20, in order to form, for example, a hedge or a boundary line. For this purpose, the strap 23 may have a length of approximately 25 meters. In particular, the space formed between the fingers Za, 2b of a connector 2 at its tip area 14b may have a frontal dimension that is sufficient for to allow the insertion and guidance of such a strap 23 between said fingers. Furthermore, at the level of the base area 14a, the partial overlap of fingers 2a, 2b in the sagittal direction S ensures retention of the strap 23 between said fingers, in particular to prevent its detachment from the connector 2 under the effect of an impact caused by a ball or by an athlete. Furthermore, the openings 4a of the stakes 4 and / or the strap 23 can be arranged to allow the passage of said strap through an opening 4a, for example to form a hedge by: placing two vertical stakes 4, notably by mounting each one in housing unit 21 of plot 20 respectively; and passing a section of webbing horizontally through two openings 4a respective of the said markers arranged at approximately the same height. In relation to figures 7 and 8, the strap 23 is mounted around the drum of a winder 24 so that it can be used according to the desired length, said winder comprising a housing 25 in which the drum is mounted for rotation and which has a slot 26 through which the strap 23 can be pulled to the desired length. The drum is equipped with an elastically constrained winding mechanism, said mechanism being released by a manual actuation means 27 to prevent the automatic winding of the length of webbing 23 extracted from the slot 26 when the tension on said webbing is released. In particular, the winding mechanism includes a button 27 disposed on the upper surface 25a of the housing 25, said button being manually actuable to release the automatic winding mechanism when it is desired to stow the webbing 23. Advantageously, the strap 23 has elasticity, which allows it, when stretched, to return to its stretched state after having suffered an impact, for example when an athlete trips over it. In relation to the figures, the plot 20 includes a base 20a arranged to be able to place said plot in support on the ground, said base being formed of a plinth 28 which is mounted in a lower opening of said plot. In particular, the base 28b is weighted, which prevents the pedestal 20 from tipping over when placed on the ground, especially under the effect of wind, and more particularly when a module is mounted on said pedestal. The lower opening of the stud 20 includes a peripheral edge which is equipped with a radial collar 29, which allows the user to easily dissociate the base 28 from the stud 20 by pulling on said collar. Furthermore, the base 28 has a radially flared foot 30, said foot having a radial dimension which is sufficient to guarantee the stability of the block 20 when it is placed on the ground. Advantageously, the winder 24 of the strap 23 is arranged so that it can be associated with a block 20, which allows it to be integrated into the construction of training structures using said strap, and thus to facilitate the use of said strap. To do this, the base 20a of the block 20 has an external structure 31, the casing 25 of the reel 24 having an internal housing 32 which is arranged to receive this external structure 31 in a state of association of said reel around said block. In the embodiment shown, the external structure 31 is formed at the interface between the base 28 and the lower radial flange 29 of the stud 29, and in particular between the foot 30 of said base and said flange. Thus, the housing 32 of the casing 25 is arranged between the flange 29 and the foot 30, the periphery 32a of said housing being abutted at its lower end against said foot and at its upper end against said flange. In particular, the reel 24 can be weighted, which allows, possibly in addition to a weighted base 28, to guarantee the stability of the block 20 when it is resting on the ground. In relation to figure 7, the drum has a bore 36 in which the housing 32 is formed. The housing 32 has an internal geometry which is complementary to the external geometry of the structure 31, in order to avoid the formation of spaces between said housing and said structure when the reel 24 is associated on the block 20, and thus to limit the risks of relative displacements between said reel and said block. In addition, the housing 32 — respectively the structure 31 — has an internal — respectively external — geometry which is non-circular, and in particular substantially square, in order to avoid relative rotational movements between the winder 24 and the block 20. In the embodiment shown, the housing 25 has a lower surface whose radial dimension is greater than the radial dimension of the base 20a of the block 20, which improves the stability of the block 20 when it is placed in support on the ground. As shown in particular in Figure 8, the outer structure 31 forms an outer track around which the strap 23 can be arranged when no winder 24 is mounted on the stud 20. In particular, the lower collar 29 of the stud 20 has a radial dimension large enough to ensure the retention of the strap 23 on the external structure 31, in particular by preventing the sliding of said strap along the upper part 20b of the stud 20. The free end of the strap 23 is equipped with an attachment means 33, in particular in the form of a rigid loop comprising a first closed compartment 33a, to which is attached a strap loop 23a formed by folding the free end of said strap back on itself, and a second open compartment 33b, which forms a hook to allow reversible attachment of the strap 23 to a suitable structure. The attachment means 33 is arranged in particular so that it can be attached to the strap 23, for example to form a loop 34 around the outer structure 31 of a block 20, as shown in figure 8. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the housing 25 includes at least one eyelet 35 to which the attachment means 33 can be attached. In particular, the housing includes three eyelets 35 distributed angularly around its periphery, namely: two eyelets 35a spaced on either side of the slot 26 at an angle of the order of 90°: and a third eyelet 35b which is spaced from each of the other two eyelets 35a at an angle of approximately 90°. Such a reel 24, in combination with posts 20 and stakes 4 as shown in Figure 7, allows for the creation of a hedge as shown in Figure 8, by: mounting two 4 vertical posts in the vertical housing 21 of respec- tivement un plot 20; combining a strap winder 24 with a strap 23 around a third stud 20; having a portion of strap 23 unrolled between the upper connectors 2 respective for each milestone 4; and wrapping the free end of the strap 23 around the outer structure 31 of a fourth plot 20.

Claims

Demands

1. A set of at least two modules for practicing sports training, each having at least one distal end (1) defining a frontal direction (F) along its width and a sagittal direction (S) along its thickness, each of said ends being equipped with a connector (2) allowing the coupling of said modules, said connector having an anterior finger (2a) and a posterior finger (2b) which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of a frontal longitudinal plane (ir(LFM)), said set being characterized in that the connector (2) further comprises an anterior housing (5a) and a posterior housing (5b) which extend longitudinally by being arranged on either side of the frontal longitudinal plane (ir(LFM)),the anterior housing (5a) - respectively posterior (5b) - being adjacent in the frontal direction (F) to the anterior finger (2a) - respectively posterior (2b) - and being arranged to receive the posterior finger (2b) - respectively anterior (2a) - of the connector (2) of another module for the purpose of its coupling.

2. Set of at least two modules according to claim 1, characterized in that a posterior housing (5b) - respectively anterior (5a) - has a geometry complementary to the geometry of an anterior finger (2a) - respectively posterior (2b).

3. Set of at least two modules according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a posterior housing (5b) - respectively anterior (5a) - has a bottom (9b, 9a) which is formed on a medial face (10a, 10b) of an anterior finger (2a) - respectively posterior (2b).

4. Set of at least two modules according to claim 3, characterized in that the medial face (10a, 10b) of an anterior finger (2a) -respectively posterior (2b) - is in tight contact on the bottom (9b, 9a) of a posterior housing (5b) -respectively anterior (5a) - when the corresponding connectors (2) are coupled.

5. A set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each finger (2a, 2b) has a medial edge (1a) and a lateral edge (11b) which generally extend in the sagittal direction (S), said medial edge being common with the adjacent housing (5a, 5b).

6. Set of at least two modules according to claim 5, characterized in that the lateral edges (11b) are in the longitudinal extension of the lateral edges (12) of the end (1) of the module bearing the corresponding connector (2).

7. A set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the medial edges (1a) have a divergent inclination in the longitudinal direction of extension of the fingers (2a, 2b), said medial edges crossing longitudinally so as to form a base zone (14a) in which the fingers (2a, 2b) are partially overlapping in the sagittal direction (S), and a tip zone (14b) in which said fingers are spread apart, forming a space between their medial edges (1a).

8. Set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the medial edge (1a) of an anterior finger (2a) - respectively posterior (2b) - is in tight contact on the medial edge (1a) of a posterior finger (2b) - respectively anterior (2a) - when the corresponding connectors (2) are coupled.

9. Set of at least two modules according to claim 8, characterized in that the medial edges (lia) have complementary geometric means (15, 16) of retention.

10. Set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housings (5a, 5b) have a base (17) in common with the end (1) of the module, said base having a geometry complementary to the geometry of the end (18) of the fingers (2a, 2b).

11. Set of at least two modules according to claim 10, characterized in that the base (17) and the end (18) have complementary geometric means (17a, 18a) of retention.

12. Set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the front fingers (2a) - respectively rear fingers (2b) - have front free faces (6a) - respectively rear free faces (6b) - which are in the longitudinal extension of the front free faces (7a) - respectively rear free faces (7b) - of the end (1) of the module bearing the corresponding connector (2).

13. A set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one module has a free end (1) equipped with a connector (2), said module having opposite said connector a functional element such as a flag (3a), a slate (3b), a lamp (3c).

14. Set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that at least one module is in the form of a stake (4) each end of which (1) is equipped with the same connector (2).

15. Set of accessories for the practice of sports training, said set comprising a set of at least two modules according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and at least one stud (20) having at least one housing (21, 22a, 22b) arranged for receiving a part of the module.

16. An accessory assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises a strap (23) which is arranged to be able to be guided between the fingers (2a, 2b) of a connector (2) of a module, said strap being disposed in a winder (24) which is arranged to be able to be associated with a stud (20).

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