FR3149802A1 - Starting point for BMX track - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a starting hill (1) for a BMX track (P), which starting hill (1) comprises: - a waiting platform (2), located at the top of said starting hill (1), - a slope (3), intended to extend between said waiting platform (2) and a ground (S), said slope (3) being equipped with a starting grid (4). According to the invention, said starting hill (1) comprises operating means (7), adapted to the adjustment of said waiting platform (2) and said slope (3), which comprise: - first operating means (71), arranged for the height adjustment of said waiting platform (2), and - second operating means (72), arranged for the adjustment of the length and the inclination of said slope (3), taking into account said height maneuver of the waiting platform (2). Figure for abstract: 4

Description

Starting point for BMX track Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to the technical field of equipment for BMX tracks. It relates in particular to starting mounds for BMX tracks.

State of the art

In a classic way, a BMX track includes:

- a starting mound,

follow up

- a closed circuit comprising a series of straight lines and bends.

The starting hill is an essential element in that it allows the drivers to gain speed before competing on the closed circuit.

The height of a starting mound is generally 2 m to 9 m, with currently three regulatory heights:

- 3 m (departmental to regional level),

- 5 m (national and international level),

- 8 m (international level such as World Cup, Olympic Games).

To allow the use of the same track by different categories of users, it is then necessary to juxtapose several starting mounds.

Similarly, the progression of a practitioner can be difficult taking into account the significant gap between two regulatory heights.

Presentation of the invention

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the present invention provides a starting hill for a BMX track, which starting hill comprises:

- a waiting platform, located at the top of said starting hill,

- a slope, intended to extend between said waiting platform and a ground, said slope being equipped with a starting grid, and

- an access ramp, allowing users to climb onto the said waiting platform, from the ground.

This starting mound includes maneuvering means, adapted to the adjustment of said waiting platform and said slope, which include:

- first operating means, arranged for adjusting the height of said waiting platform, and

- second operating means, arranged for adjusting the length and inclination of said slope, taking into account said height maneuver of the waiting platform.

Such a solution according to the invention thus presents various advantages:

- it is possible to equip the track with a single starting mound according to the invention, adaptable to different categories of practitioners, and

- it allows for more flexible height adjustment, facilitating the progression of practitioners.

Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the product/process according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

- the operating means are configured for an adjustable height of said waiting platform between two heights among 3 m to 6 m, 4 m to 8 m, or 3 m to 8 m;

- the first operating means comprise at least one linear actuator installed under the waiting platform; said at least one linear actuator preferably consists of a jack, installed vertically, advantageously a hydraulic jack connected to an electrohydraulic unit; said at least one linear actuator is advantageously telescopic, so as to adjust the height of the waiting platform;

- the waiting platform advantageously has a generally rectangular shape comprising four corners; the first operating means comprise four linear actuators (preferably synchronous) which are implanted in said four corners of said waiting platform, or at least one linear actuator in combination with four telescopic uprights which are implanted in said four corners of said waiting platform;

- the first means of maneuver are based on a screed, blocks distributed on the ground, or a room installed under the waiting platform, for example in concrete, wood or steel frame;

- the slope comprises an upper strip which is movable between a deployed configuration, forming an upper section of the slope and extending in the extension of the waiting platform, preferably when the waiting platform is in the high position, and a retracted configuration (also called “retracted” or “storn”), for example under the waiting platform, preferably when the waiting platform is in the low position;

- the slope comprises a lower strip which is movable between a deployed configuration, forming a lower section of the slope, preferably when the waiting platform is in the high position, and a flat configuration, in which said lower strip rests on the ground, preferably when the waiting platform is in the low position;

- the access ramp is connected to the waiting platform by means of a movable secondary ramp which adapts to the height movements of the waiting platform, which movable secondary ramp is preferably located at the rear of the waiting platform;

- the waiting platform is protected by a cover or roof.

Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

Detailed description of the invention

In addition, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

is a general and perspective view of a BMX track which is equipped with a starting hill according to the invention;

is an enlarged view of the starting mound according to the invention;

is a side view of the starting mound according to the invention;

is also a side view of the starting mound according to the invention, schematically illustrating the maneuvering means which are adapted to the adjustment of the waiting platform and the slope.

It should be noted that, in these figures, the structural and/or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

The present invention thus relates to a starting hill 1 for BMX track P.

BMX refers in particular to "BMX Race" or "Bicross" or "BMX Racing", i.e. a bicycle race between competitors who have to ride a P track strewn with bumps and turns. This discipline, in its Supercross version, became an Olympic discipline for the first time on the occasion of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

Such a BMX P track includes:

- starting hill 1,

follow up

- a closed circuit C comprising a series of straight lines and bends.

As shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3, the starting mound 1 comprises:

- a waiting platform 2, located at the top of the starting hill 1,

- a slope 3, intended to extend between the waiting platform 2 and a ground S, said slope 3 being equipped with a starting grid 4, and

- an access ramp 5, allowing users to go up to waiting platform 2, from ground S.

Waiting platform 2 can be protected by a cover or roof (not shown).

Generally, as shown in the , the starting mound 1 comprises maneuvering means 7, adapted to the adjustment of the waiting platform 2 and the slope 3.

According to the invention, the operating means 7 comprise:

- first operating means 71, arranged for adjusting the height of the waiting platform 2, and

- second operating means 72, arranged for adjusting the length and the inclination of the slope 3, taking into account the height maneuver of the waiting platform 2.

Generally and advantageously, the maneuvering means 7 are notably configured for maneuvering the waiting platform 2 at height between two heights among:

- 3 m to 6 m,

- 4 m to 8 m, or

- 3 m to 8 m.

The waiting platform 2 is thus intended to be maneuvered according to a degree of freedom in vertical translation, between two end-of-travel positions, namely a low position and a high position.

First means of maneuver

The first maneuvering means 71 ensure the maneuvering and guiding of the waiting platform 2 in a vertical translation direction.

Preferably, as shown schematically in the , the first operating means 71 comprise at least one linear actuator 711 installed under the waiting platform 2.

Said at least one linear actuator 711 preferably consists of a cylinder, installed vertically.

Preferably, this cylinder 711 is a hydraulic cylinder connected to an electrohydraulic unit 712.

Again generally, said at least one linear actuator 711 is advantageously telescopic, so as to adjust the height of the waiting platform 2.

According to a preferred embodiment, the waiting platform 2 has a generally rectangular shape comprising four corners 21.

And the first operating means 71 advantageously comprise four linear actuators 711 (preferably synchronous – for example at least two master linear actuators accompanied by slave linear actuators) which are installed in the four corners 21 of the waiting platform 2.

Alternatively, the first operating means 71 comprise at least one linear actuator 711 in combination with telescopic uprights 711 (designated by the same reference 711 for the sake of simplicity) which are located in the four corners 21 of the waiting platform 2.

The first operating means 71 advantageously rest on a receiving surface (not shown), namely:

- a screed, or

- plots distributed on the ground S, or

- a room located under waiting platform 2, for example in concrete, wood or steel frame.

Second means of maneuver

The second maneuvering means 72 are configured to ensure a structural adaptation of the slope 3 (in particular in inclination(s), in length, etc.), depending on the height of the waiting platform 2.

The second operating means 72 are advantageously formed by a particular structure of the slope 3 which comprises for example:

- several hinged panels associated with slides, and/or

- a combination of fixed panels and deformable panels,

advantageously to respect the official curves and slopes.

These second maneuvering means 72 are configured to automatically adapt the slope 3 in relation to the new height of the waiting platform 2 and to the regulatory parameters.

For this, as shown in the , the slope 3 advantageously comprises an upper band 31 which is movable between:

- a deployed configuration (in solid line on the ), forming an upper section of the slope 3 and extending in the extension of the waiting platform 2, preferably when the waiting platform 2 is in the high position, and

- an erased configuration, also called “retracted” or “shrunken” (in a broken line on the ), for example under waiting platform 2, preferably when waiting platform 2 is in the low position.

In a complementary or alternative manner, the slope 3 advantageously comprises a lower band 32 which is movable between:

- a deployed configuration (in solid line on the ), forming a lower section of slope 3 (transition with ground S), preferably when waiting platform 2 is in the high position, and

- a flat configuration (in broken line on the ), in which said lower strip 32 rests on the ground S, preferably when the waiting platform 2 is in the low position.

Preferably, the movements of the waiting platform 2 lead to the actuation of the second operating means 72 and, as a corollary, to the operation of the upper band 31 and/or the lower band 32.

Access ramp

According to the invention, the access ramp 5 is connected to the waiting platform 2 by means of a mobile secondary ramp 51 which adapts to the height movements of the waiting platform 2.

The mobile secondary ramp 51 is preferably located at the rear of the waiting platform 2 (opposite the slope 3).

Preferably, this mobile secondary ramp 51 is maneuvered according to the height position of the waiting platform 2, to fill the height difference between the access ramp 5 and the waiting platform 2.

In practice, this mobile secondary ramp 51 advantageously comprises panels which are mobile in rotation relative to the ground (horizontal axis of rotation) and/or in length (telescopic movement).

Implementation

In practice, the starting mound 1 comprises control means 8 which are adapted for controlling the maneuvering means 7 ( ).

The control means 8 advantageously consist of a human-machine interface, classic in itself.

An operator can thus intervene on the control means 8 in order to adjust the height of the waiting platform 2 according to the needs of the users.

During this maneuver of waiting platform 2, slope 3 automatically adapts to the new height of waiting platform 2 and to the regulatory parameters.

A starting mound 1 according to the invention can then be adapted, simply and quickly, to several levels of practitioners.

Of course, various other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

Starting hill (1) for BMX track (P), which starting hill (1) comprises:
- a waiting platform (2), located at the top of said starting hill (1),
- a slope (3), intended to extend between said waiting platform (2) and a ground (S), said slope (3) being equipped with a starting grid (4), and
- an access ramp (5), allowing practitioners to climb onto said waiting platform (2), from the ground (S),
characterized in that said starting mound (1) comprises maneuvering means (7), adapted to the adjustment of said waiting platform (2) and said slope (3), which comprise:
- first operating means (71), arranged for the height adjustment of said waiting platform (2), and
- second operating means (72), arranged for adjusting the length and inclination of said slope (3), taking into account said height maneuver of the waiting platform (2). Starting mound (1) for a BMX track (P), according to claim 1, characterized in that the maneuvering means (7) are configured for an adjustable height of said waiting platform (2) between two heights among:
- 3 m to 6 m,
- 4 m to 8 m, or
- 3 m to 8 m. Starting mound (1) for BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the first operating means (71) comprise at least one linear actuator (711) installed under the waiting platform (2). Starting mound (1) for BMX track (P), according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one linear actuator (711) consists of a jack, installed vertically, advantageously a hydraulic jack (711) connected to an electrohydraulic unit (712). Starting mound (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said at least one linear actuator (711) is telescopic, so as to adjust the height of the waiting platform (2). Starting mound (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the waiting platform (2) has a generally rectangular shape comprising four corners (21),
and in that the first operating means (71) comprise:
- four linear actuators (711) which are implanted in said four corners (21) of said waiting platform (2), or
- at least one linear actuator (711) in combination with four telescopic uprights (711) which are implanted in said four corners (21) of said waiting platform (2). Starting mound (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first operating means (71) rest on:
- a screed, or
- plots distributed on the ground (S), or
- a room located under the waiting platform (2). Starting hill (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the slope (3) comprises an upper strip (31) which is movable between:
- a deployed configuration, forming an upper section of the slope (3) and extending in the extension of the waiting platform (2), preferably when the waiting platform (2) is in the high position, and
- a cleared configuration, for example under the waiting platform (2), preferably when the waiting platform (2) is in the low position. Starting hill (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the slope (3) comprises a lower strip (32) which is movable between:
- a deployed configuration, forming a lower section of the slope (3), preferably when the waiting platform (2) is in the high position, and
- a flat configuration, in which said lower strip (32) rests on the ground (S), preferably when the waiting platform (2) is in the low position. Starting mound (1) for a BMX track (P), according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the access ramp (5) is connected to the waiting platform (2) by means of a mobile secondary ramp (51) which adapts to the height movements of the waiting platform (2),
which mobile secondary ramp (51) is preferably located at the rear of the waiting platform (2).