FR2847892A1 - Safety stirrup for riding, has rigid shell and premier portion rigid interdependent of foot rest to form envelope whose opening is flared to form plenum above foot, where plenum is croissant since extremity of envelope - Google Patents

Abstract

The stirrup has a rigid shell (4) and a premier portion rigid interdependent of a foot rest (2) to form an envelope to be a continuation of a whole constituted by the foot rest and a branch (11, 12). An opening of the envelope is flared to form a plenum above the foot, where the plenum is croissant since an extremity of the envelope corresponding to a point of the foot until the opening of the envelope.

Description

Safety stirrup

  The present invention relates to the field of horse riding. The invention relates more particularly to a safety stirrup to prevent the foot from sinking into the stirrup.

  The saddle stirrups used in horse riding generally include a footrest floor and a metal arch in which the rider's foot comes to rest. The rider's safety is not guaranteed with this type of stirrup because very often the foot sinks into the stirrup in the event of a fall. The foot remains wedged between the footrest floor and the arms of the arch. The rider 10 is then trained by his horse.

  It is known in the prior art safety accessories for stirrup intended to limit the sinking of the foot, as taught for example by patent EP 1 033 345. This document discloses an accessory composed of a fixed footrest and a movable cover, completed with assembly means 15 connecting the cover to the footrest. Such a system is not completely reliable and can only at best reduce the risk of falling. The rider's foot can be caught between the footrest and the arch.

  It is known in the prior art, from patent FR 2 607 488, a stirrup accessory for positioning the foot consisting of a semi-rigid plastic shell attached at the top between the stirrup-stirrup and the eye of the stirrup, and down to a protruding part of the floor. The disadvantage of this accessory is that it is not securely attached to the footrest. The fixing of the bottom, working by clipping or hanging, can jump during a jerk. The rider's foot can thus become jammed in the stirrup, the shell flying away during the fall.

  In the prior art, there is no reliable stirrup avoiding any possibility that the foot of a rider will get stuck in the stirrup.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to alleviate one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art by defining a safety stirrup designed to prevent in a certain way any attachment / jamming of the rider's foot during a fall and ensuring good positioning of the foot according to the 5 uses of horse riding. The invention must also make it possible to protect the rider's foot in the event of an impact.

  To this end, the invention relates to a safety stirrup for riding, comprising a footrest intended to receive the foot of a rider, at least one branch in the form of an arch integral with said footrest, characterized in that io that it comprises at least a first rigid element integral with said branch and a second rigid element integral with the footrest to form an envelope in the extension of the assembly formed by the footrest and said branch, said envelope constituting a sufficient volume to contain the end of a rider's foot, the opening of said envelope being flared so as to form a space above said foot, said space being increasing from the end of the envelope corresponding to the point from the foot to said opening of the envelope.

  According to another feature of the invention, said second rigid element comprises a first substantially horizontal portion called the floor, said first rigid element comprising a curved portion or shell of determined height superimposed on said floor so as to form said envelope, the opening of said envelope being substantially planar.

  According to another feature of the invention, the ratio between the height at mid-depth and said determined height of said envelope is between 0.5 and 0.85, the depth of the stirrup corresponding substantially to a third of the length of the rider's foot.

  According to another particular feature, the envelope formed by said first and second rigid elements comprises an interior surface or an interior coating devoid of any roughness, said spacing being at least 2 cm at the opening of said envelope.

  According to another particular feature, said first and second rigid elements are combined in a single enveloping shell made of molded rigid plastic or composite material, said shell being integral with the rest of the stirrup to form a one-piece stirrup.

  According to another particular feature, said first and second rigid elements are combined in a single enveloping shell of metal or metallic or plastic or composite alloy or mixture based on fiberglass.

  According to another particular feature, said removable envelope is fixed in the extension of the footrest and said branch by screwing elements. According to another particular feature, an eye for the passage of a stirrup stirrup is positioned above the opening of said envelope, substantially in the same plane as the opening of the envelope.

  According to another particular feature, said footrest has an orifice located directly above the eye, into which a non-slip sole is inserted in a fixed or removable manner.

  According to another particular feature, the upper portion of the footrest is raised by a height less than 1 cm relative to said floor.

  According to another particular feature, said first rigid element, located above said floor, constitutes a continuous and regular surface without a turning point.

  The invention, with its characteristics and advantages, will emerge more clearly on reading the description given with reference to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a variant embodiment of the safety stirrup according to the invention, - Figure 2 shows a side view of the stirrup according to the invention, - Figure 3 shows a sectional view along a vertical plane of a mode of realization of a safety stirrup with a raised footrest, - Figure 4 shows in perspective an example of footrest can be used in the tripod according to the invention.

  The invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

  io The safety stirrup according to the invention comprises a horizontal footrest (2) secured to a hoop (1) and a rigid casing in the extension of the hoop (1) and the footrest (2). In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the arch (1) is formed of two branches (11, 12) and comprises at the top an eye (3) for sliding the bottom of the stirrup (6). The envelope may be formed in particular of a shell (4) of plastic or rigid molded composite. The shell (4) can also be made of metal or metallic alloy such as for example a ferrous alloy. The shell can be made of a mixture based on fiberglass, or other material of good resistance and offering great rigidity. The shell (4) comprises an interior surface (40) or an interior coating without roughness. In an alternative embodiment, the interior (40) and exterior (41) surfaces of the shell (4) can be smooth, to constitute, for example, a continuous and regular surface without a cusp. In other variants, an interior coating, devoid of roughness, is added to form the interior surface (40) of the shell (4). The envelope may simply consist of this shell (4), which is then integral with the footrest (2) and the arch (1). In the embodiment presented in Figures 1 and 2, the stirrup according to the invention is in one piece.

  In the embodiment of Figure 1, the envelope can be broken down into two parts, with at least a first horizontal rigid element forming a floor (5) and a second rigid element forming a protective shell (4) for the foot of the rider. The floor (5) is for example flat, without roughness, and can be substantially aligned with the footrest. The shell (4) at least partially covers the outer edge of the branches (1 1, 12) of the arch (1). The shell (4) can also be integral with the footrest (2), for example partially covering the edges of said footrest (2). The radius of curvature of the shell (4) is sufficient for the latter 1o to follow the shape of the boot of a rider, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

  The envelope formed by the floor (5) and the shell (4) therefore has sufficient volume to contain the end of a rider's foot. The opening of this envelope is further flared so as to form a space (H) above the rider's foot. This spacing (H) increases from the end (E) of the envelope corresponding to the toe to said opening of the envelope. In one embodiment of the invention, this spacing (H) is at least 2 cm at the opening of said envelope.

  In the alternative embodiment of Figure 2, the shell (4) has a determined height less than the height of the hoop (1) so as not to cover the eye (3) of the stirrup. The opening of the envelope formed by the floor (5) and the shell (4) is flat and corresponds to the opening of the arch assembly (1) - footrest (2). The eye (3) of the stirrup, formed by a horizontal slot at the top of the arch (1), is substantially located in the plane of this opening. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, and without limitation, the depth (d) of the stirrup corresponds to approximately one third of the length of the rider's foot. The ratio between the height at mid-depth of said shell (4) and said determined height of the shell (4) is between 0.5 and 0.85 so that the spacing (H) with the foot of the rider is significantly more important on the side of the stirrup opening, which greatly facilitates the release of the foot in the event of a fall.

  In different embodiments of the invention, the arch (1) may be different from that shown in Figure 1, for example comprising one or more branches of various shapes to form the opening for the foot of the rider. It is also possible to envisage that said floor (5) is positioned inside a shell (4) of pseudo-oval shape, this shell (4) matching the rider's foot and being connected at the same time to the hoop (1) and the footrest (2).

  The invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the footrest (2) comprises a non-slip coating or asperities, non-slip studs. The 1o non-slip coating or the like can be at the same height or slightly raised relative to the floor (5), for example from a height less than 1 cm. In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the base (20) of the footrest (2) can be at the same level as the floor (5). The latter is pierced with at least one hole (not shown) to allow the sand, dust and other residues to evacuate. It is possible to envisage a footrest (2) of different shape and positioned at the rear of the floor (5) of the stirrup. In the embodiment of Figure 3 or 4, a non-slip sole or the like is inserted into an orifice (21) of said footrest (2). This hole in the footrest (2) is for example located directly above the eye (3). 20 The non-slip sole can be removably clipped, which makes cleaning easier and can be replaced if worn. It can also be fixed, glued to the footrest and / or to the floor (5).

  In one embodiment of the invention, the stirrup is not a single piece and includes a removable envelope. This envelope is formed by a simple shell 25 matching the foot or by the shell (4) and the floor (5) illustrated in FIG. 3. The removable envelope thus formed is rigidly fixed in the extension of the footrest ( 2) and branches (11, 12) of the arch (1). The fixing means envisaged can be screwing elements of a known type. The attachment must be rigid and require at least one disassembly, unscrewing or the like operation so that there is no possibility of separation of the casing following a blow or friction. The stirrup obtained by rigid attachment of the removable casing can in this case be considered as a single piece. The outer edge of the legs (11, 12) of the stirrup can for example comprise a plurality of screw housings to make said removable cover integral. At least one screw housing can also be provided under the eye of the stirrup. Other fixing means ensuring perfect solidarity between the parts of the stirrup can be envisaged. In the variants with compact monobloc bracket, the connections between hull (4) and hoop (1), floor (5) and hull (4), floor (5) and footrest 10 (1), etc. can be made during the manufacture of the stirrup, the latter being for example cast by molding.

  The stirrup according to the invention can be entirely or partly translucent.

  For example, the shell (4) and possibly the floor (5) are made of translucent plastic or composite material. In one embodiment of the invention, the stirrup includes at least one coloring layer. It can also be partially colored, with one or more shades. Several sizes of stirrup can be envisaged, the depth (d) of the stirrup according to the invention being of the order of 5 to 11 cm, the size changes evolving for example in an increasing manner by increasing this depth (d) about 1.5 cm. The stirrup according to the invention is suitable for any type of rider, and in particular for beginners who will not be able to sink their feet to the heel. The rider is indeed forced to put the stirrup on a third of the foot as required by the rules of riding. One of the advantages of the invention lies in the reliability of the safety stirrup according to the invention. The protective envelope which prevents the foot from being caught is inseparable from the rest of the stirrup. The stirrup therefore forms a whole, unlike stirrups fitted with conventional safety accessories which come off too easily.

  Another advantage of the invention is that the rigid shell (4) makes it possible to perfectly protect the rider's foot in the event of impact, friction.

  It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention allows embodiments in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered by way of illustration, but may be modified in the field defined by the scope of the appended claims, and the invention should not be limited to the details given above.

Claims (11)

  1. Safety stirrup for riding, comprising a footrest (2) intended to receive the foot of a rider, at least one branch (11, 12) in the form of an arch secured to said footrest (2) , characterized in that it comprises 5 at least a first rigid element integral with said branch (11, 12) and a second rigid element integral with the footrest (2) to form an envelope in the extension of the assembly constituted by the footrest (2) and said branch (11, 12), said envelope constituting a volume sufficient to contain the end of a rider's foot, the opening of said envelope being flared so as to form a space ( H) above said foot, said spacing (H) increasing from the end (E) of the envelope corresponding to the tip of the foot to said opening of the envelope.   2. Safety stirrup according to claim 1, in which said second rigid element comprises a first substantially horizontal portion called a floor (5), said first rigid element comprising a curved portion or shell (4) of determined height superimposed on said floor (5 ) so as to form said envelope, the opening of said envelope being substantially planar. 3. Safety stirrup according to claim 2, in which the ratio between the height at mid-depth of said envelope and said determined height is between 0.5 and 0.85, the depth (d) of the corresponding stirrup approximately one third of the length of the rider's foot.   4. A safety stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the envelope formed by said first and second rigid elements comprises an interior surface or an interior coating devoid of roughness, said spacing (H) being d 'at least 2 cm at the opening of said envelope. 5. Safety stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said first and second rigid elements are combined in a single shell (4) enveloping plastic or rigid molded composite material, said shell (4) being integral with the rest of the stirrup to form a one-piece stirrup.   6. Safety stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which said first and second rigid elements are combined in a single enveloping shell (4) of metal or metal or plastic or composite or alloy or fiber-based mixture of glass.   7. Safety stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said removable cover is fixed in the extension of the footrest (2) and said branch (11, 12) by screwing elements.   8. Safety stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which an eye (3) for the passage of a stirrup stirrup is positioned above the opening of said envelope, substantially in the same plane as the opening of the envelope.   9. Safety stirrup according to claim 8, in which said footrest (2) comprises an orifice (21) situated directly above the eye (3), into which a non-slip sole is fixedly or removably inserted. .   10. Safety stirrup according to claim 9, wherein the upper portion (22) of the footrest (22) is raised by a height less than 1 cm relative to said floor (5).   11. Safety stirrup according to any one of claims 2 to 10, in which said first rigid element, located above said floor (5), constitutes a continuous and regular surface without a cusp.