Improved stirrup for equestrian disciplines

Abstract

A stirrup (1) for equestrian disciplines, in particular for equitation, comprises an arc portion or a stirrup arc integrally joined with a base element or deck (4) adapted to support the foot of the horse rider, said stirrup arc comprising a through hole (20) for mounting a stirrup strap. Such hole (20) is open on one side (24) for the introduction of the stirrup strap therein.

Description

[0001] IMPROVED STIRRUP FOR EQUESTRIAN DISCIPLINES

[0002] The present invention relates to a stirrup for equestrian disciplines according to the preamble of the main claim.

[0003] As known, a stirrup for equestrian disciplines and in particular for equitation comprises an arc portion integrally joined with a base element or deck which define and delimit an open part of the stirrup into which a horse rider inserts the foot thereof . Furthermore, the arc portion has an end provided with an elongated hole adapted to contain, passing through, a stirrup strap which removably constrains the stirrup to a saddle .

[0004] Furthermore, there are known safety stirrups for equitation in which the arc portion comprises a first semiarc, connected as a single piece to the base element and having the end provided with the elongated hole for the stirrup strap, and a second semi-arc constrained to the base element, but movable with respect thereto . In particular, in some prior art solutions, such second semi-arc may rotate up to 360° around a longitudinal axis of such base element and / or it may bend outwards rotating on an axis orthogonal to such longitudinal axis .

[0005] The function of such safety stirrup, for example described in AU8251575 and in EP3248934 and EP3305718, is to allow the foot of the horse rider to be detached and safely released from the stirrup in the event of a fall from the horse .

[0006] An object of the present invention is to further improve the prior art stirrups whether of the usual type or of the safety type .

[0007] In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a stirrup that can be quickly and easily fastened and released from a stirrup strap so as to allow an easy washingthereof, the replacement for maintenance purposes or so as to allow replacement with a stirrup with different aesthetic characteristics, customised for the horse rider . All this without detaching the stirrup strap from the usual saddle to which the stirrup strap is connected.

[0008] Another object is to provide a stirrup which however has all the safety characteristics required for the use thereof .

[0009] These and other objects which shall be apparent to the person skilled in the art are attained by a stirrup according to the attached claims .

[0010] For a better understanding of the present invention, the following drawings are attached hereto, purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein :

[0011] figure 1 shows a front view of a stirrup obtained according to the present invention; and

[0012] figure 2 shows a perspective view of the stirrup of figure 1 .

[0013] With reference to the figures mentioned above, shown therein is a stirrup 1 for equestrian disciplines, in particular equitation . The stirrup shown in the figures and described below is a safety stirrup; however, the innovation can also be applied to stirrups that do not have the characteristics of a safety stirrup .

[0014] The stirrup 1 shown in the figures is of the type adapted to facilitate the separation of the foot of a horse rider from the stirrup in the event of a fall of a horse rider from the horse . Such stirrup is per se known and it is for example disclosed in EP3248934 and EP3305718 on behalf of the Applicant in question .

[0015] Such stirrup 1 comprises a body 2 having a first semiarc portion 3 fixed to a base element on which it is adapted to rest the foot of the horse rider; in particular, the first semi-arc portion 3 has a first semi-arc portion 5 and asecond vacant end 6 which is stably connected or made as a single piece (and however "fixed") with said base element 4.

[0016] The base element 4 has a vacant end 8 to which there is movably constrained a second semi-arc portion 9 which can rotate, in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction 360° , around a longitudinal axis W of the base element (arrow K of figure 2) and / or which can rotate (arrow Z of figure 1) , for example up to 90° , around an axis N orthogonal to said longitudinal axis W and defined by a constraint pin 10 to said base element . To such pin there is integrally joined a first end 11 of the second semi-arc portion .

[0017] The first and the second semi-arc portion 3 and 9 they define an arc portion of the stirrup or stirrup arc . Such arc portion is open on one side given that the second semiarc 9 has a vacant end (the second end 12) proximal, but separate from the first vacant end 5 of the second semi-arc portion .

[0018] The base element 4 advantageously has a surface 15 connected to a support 16 (fixed to the first semi-arc portion) and movable elastically and damped with respect to such support 16, the entirety for example as described in EP3305718 on behalf of the Applicant in question .

[0019] Near the first vacant end 5, the first semi-arc portion 3 comprises an elongated hole 20 adapted to receive, passing through, a stirrup strap (not shown) . Such hole 20 is provided for in a terminal part 22 of the first semi-arc portion lying substantially parallel to the base element 4 or at least to the support 16 of the latter and superimposed on such base element 4 .

[0020] In an embodiment, the elongated hole 20 is open on one side 24 thereof facing towards the base element 4. As a matter of fact, in the terminal part 22 of the first semiarc portion 3 there is obtained a passage 23 which connectsthe internal of the hole 20 with an open part 28 of the stirrup adapted to house the foot of the horse rider . Obviously, the hole 20 may be, alternatively, open on an opposite side thereof that is facing toward the external of the stirrup .

[0021] The passage 23 has opposite walls 29 and 30 lying on respective planes (defined in figure 1 by lines A and B) which may form with the longitudinal axis W of the base element that is with a longitudinal axis M of the elongated hole 20, an angle, respectively a and p, comprised between 10° and 90° , so as to facilitate the insertion and the removal of the stirrup strap in the elongated hole 20, but prevent the accidental exit thereof .

[0022] The walls 29 and 30 may be parallel or form different angles a and p with the axis M mentioned above .

[0023] Therefore, thanks to the invention, the stirrup strap may be easily arranged in the elongated hole 20 removed therefrom, without such stirrup strap being separated from the saddle . This allows the easy separation of the stirrup 1 from the stirrup strap so as to subject it to cleaning, maintenance or another operation required to maintain the stirrup in optimal aesthetic and mechanical conditions . Furthermore, the conformation of the stirrup 1 allows the quick and easy replacement thereof with another stirrup that is aesthetically different should the horse rider simply seek to change the appearance of the stirrup to be used.

[0024] A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described. However, the stirrup may also be obtained with an arc portion or with a continuous stirrup arc, connected from one end to the other of the base element without interruptions . In this case, the elongated hole 20, open on one side, is provided for on a part of the stirrup arc arranged above the base element 4. Even in this case, thereare attained the advantages of an easy coupling and decoupling of the stirrup from the stirrup strap, kept anchored (in a known manner) to the saddle; this as obtained with the stirrup 1 described above given that both the stirrups, whether safety stirrups or not, have the characteristics of the invention as shown in the claims below.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Stirrup for equestrian disciplines comprising a body (2) having an arc portion or stirrup arc and a base element (4) delimiting an open part (28) of the stirrup for introducing the foot of a horse rider adapted to rest on the base element (4 ) , said stirrup arc having a part (22) arranged above the base element and having an elongated hole (20) for the passage of a stirrup strap integrally joined with the saddle, characterised in that said elongated hole (20) is open on one side (24) thereof, thus being provided with a passage (23) in the part (22) arranged above the base element (4) , said through-pass (20) placing in communication the external of the stirrup with said elongated hole (20) and allowing the insertion of the stirrup strap through the passage without separating the stirrup strap from the saddle .

2. Stirrup according to claim 1, characterised in that opposite walls (29, 30) of said passage (20) form angles (a e p) with a longitudinal axis (M) of the elongated hole (20) comprised between 10° and 90° .

3. Stirrup according to claim 2, characterised in that said opposite walls (29, 30) of the passage (20) are parallel to each other .

4. Stirrup according to claim 2, characterised in that said opposite walls (29, 30) of the passage (20) form angles (a e p) different with longitudinal axis (M) of the elongated hole .

5. Stirrup according to claim 1, characterised in that, alternatively, the passage (23) places in communication the hole (20) with the open part of the stirrup (28) or with the external of the stirrup .

6. Stirrup according to claim 1, characterised in that it is a safety stirrup, said stirrup having a first semi-arc portion (3) and a second semi-arc portion (9) separated fromeach other and defining the stirrup arc, the second semi-arc portion (9) being movable with respect to the first .

7. Stirrup according to claim 6, characterised in that the first semi-arc portion (3) comprises a first vacant end (5) and a second end (6) that is fixed and that is stably connected or obtained made as a single piece with the base element (4) , near the first vacant end (5) there being provided for a terminal part (22) of the first arc portion (3) having the elongated hole (20) open on one side (24) thereof, such terminal part (22) overlying the base element (4) .

8. Stirrup according to claim 7, characterised in that the second semi-arc portion (9) is connected through a first end (11) thereof to the base element (4) , a second end (12) of such second semi-arc portion (9) being near, but also separate from the first vacant end (5) of the first semi-arc portion, such second end (12) of the second semi-arc portion (9) being suitable to be moved away from said first vacant end (5) of the first semi-arc portion (3) .

9. Stirrup according to claim 6, characterised in that said second semi-arc portion (9) rotates around a longitudinal axis (W) of the base element (4) .10 . Stirrup according to claim 6, characterised in that said second semi-arc portion (9) rotates around an axis (N) orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the base element (4) .

11. Stirrup according to claim 1, characterised in that the arc portion or stirrup arc is continuous from one end to the opposite end of the base element (4) .

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