LIGHTWEIGHT HANDLE HEAD

Abstract

A pole handle for a ski pole or trekking pole, having a head region and a handle region , and an axial orifice which is open downwardly on one side to receive a pole tube, wherein the pole handle has a core with a left-hand side wall and a right-hand side wall, at least in certain regions, wherein the two side walls are connected at the top by a top surface so that the walls and the surface enclose a cavity, and the left-hand side wall and the right-hand side wall laterally delimit the cavity, and wherein the two side walls each have at least one aperture in a direction transverse to the pole handle longitudinal axis (S) and transverse to the direction of travel with a determined area.

Claims

1. A pole handle, having a head region and a handle region, and also an axial orifice which is open downwardly on one side and which is intended to receive a pole tube, wherein the pole handle has a core, wherein the core has a first, left-hand side wall and a second, right-hand side wall, at least in certain regions, wherein the two side walls are connected at the top by a top surface so that the side walls and the top surface enclose a cavity, and the first, left-hand side wall and the second, right-hand side wall in the head region laterally delimit the cavity, and wherein the two side walls each have at least one aperture in a direction transverse to the pole handle longitudinal axis and transverse to the direction of travel, and at least one of the two following conditions is met: the individual aperture area of at least one of the apertures in one or both side walls is more than 10 mm.sup.2, the total area of the apertures in one or both side walls is more than 10 mm.sup.2.

2. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein webs are formed between the apertures, or the apertures are formed by a grid structure having apertures, or wherein the individual aperture area of at least one of the apertures, is more than 15 mm.sup.2 or lies in the range from 10-50 mm.sup.2, or wherein the total area of the apertures on at least one or both sides of the handle is more than 15 mm.sup.2.

3. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the top surface is of closed or grid-like configuration.

4. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the pole handle has at least one attachment which is releasably fastened to the core, which encloses the core in certain regions in the head region in a peripheral direction and which at least partially covers at least one of the apertures and orifices in the top surface on the outer side.

5. The pole handle according to claim 4, wherein the attachment is configured in the form of a clip having two lateral arms, wherein the arms extend from a front wall of the attachment rearward to the rear region of the head region of the pole handle and in this case cover the side walls partially and the apertures arranged therein completely on the outer side.

6. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein both the first, left-hand side wall and the second, right-hand side wall in the head region each have at least two or at least three apertures in a direction transverse to the pole handle longitudinal axis and transverse to the direction of travel, or wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each have at least two or three apertures which are separated from one another by a respective web, wherein the webs extend from the top surface of the pole handle downward in the direction of the handle region.

7. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the webs are oriented in an inclined manner with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis), wherein preferably webs which are arranged further towards the front in the direction of travel are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the front, particularly preferably at an angle with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis of 20-80°, or in the range from 30-60°, and webs (13b,13d) which are arranged further towards the rear in the direction of travel are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the rear, particularly preferably at an angle with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis of 10-70°, or in the range from 20-60°.

8. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the apertures in the two side walls are configured so as to be mirror-symmetrical with respect to a plane defined by the pole handle longitudinal axis and the direction of travel.

9. The pole handle according to claim 4, wherein, in relation to a lower region of the head region, the side walls are offset inward towards the cavity in an upper region of the head region, as a result of which a shoulder which partially encircles the head region in the peripheral direction and on which the attachment at least partially rests is formed between the upper region of the head region and the lower region of the head region.

10. The pole handle according claim 9, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each have at least two or three apertures which are separated from one another by a respective web, wherein the webs extend from the top surface of the pole handle downward in the direction of the handle region, and wherein the webs extend from the top surface of the pole handle downward in the direction of the handle region up to the partially encircling shoulder.

11. The pole handle according to claim 4, wherein the attachment is configured to be at least partially transparent or translucent, such that the apertures of the core are visible from the outside.

12. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein, in the head region which is delimited towards the top by a top surface, the pole handle has a central orifice on the rear side, a strap fastening element with a hand strap fastened to the strap fastening element being received in said central orifice in a rear region of the head region.

13. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein arranged between the top surface and a lower region of the handle head, on the rear side of the handle head, are two lateral arcuate or angled webs, and wherein the pole handle has an attachment which is releasably fastened to the core, which encloses the core in certain regions in the head region in the peripheral direction and which at least partially, covers the apertures and/or orifices in the top surface, including the aperture formed by the webs, on the outer side.

14. A method for assembling a pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the hand strap is fastened to the strap fastening element by way of a free end, and is subsequently introduced in the form of a module into the central orifice and fastened in the handle head in a tiltable manner by means of a transverse pin.

15. A pole having a pole handle according to claim 1.

16. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein it is for a ski pole, cross-country ski pole, trekking pole or Nordic walking pole.

17. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the individual aperture area of the majority or of all of the apertures is more than 15 mm.sup.2 or lies in the range from 10-50 mm.sup.2, and/or in that the total area of the apertures on at least one or both sides of the handle is more than 15 mm.sup.2, or more than 20 mm.sup.2, or lies in the range from 10-50 mm.sup.2.

18. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the pole handle has at least one attachment which is releasably fastened to the core, which encloses the core in certain regions in the head region in a peripheral direction and which completely covers the apertures and/or orifices in the top surface on the outer side, wherein the attachment is fastened to the core in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner and/or is fastened in a form-fitting manner to a strap fastening element which is also inset in the handle head.

19. The pole handle according to claim 4, wherein the attachment is configured in the form of a clip having two lateral arms, wherein the arms extend from a front wall of the attachment rearward to the rear region of the head region of the pole handle and in this case cover the side walls partially and the apertures arranged therein completely on the outer side, wherein each of the lateral arms has at least a first means for force-fitting and/or form-fitting connection to the core and at least a second means for force-fitting and/or form-fitting connection to a coupling element.

20. The pole handle according to claim 19, wherein at least the second means is a latching means which is arrested with latching action in a latching orifice or on a latching extension of a latching structure in the core .

21. Pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each have at least two or three apertures which are separated from one another by a respective web, wherein the webs extend from the top surface of the pole handle downward in the direction of the handle region and are arranged substantially parallel to the pole handle longitudinal axis or in an angularly inclined manner with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis.

22. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the webs are oriented in an inclined manner with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis, wherein webs which are arranged further towards the front in the direction of travel are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the front, at an angle with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis of 20-80°, or in the range from 30-60°, and webs which are arranged further towards the rear in the direction of travel are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the rear, at an angle with respect to the pole handle longitudinal axis of 10-70°, or in the range from 20-60°.

23. The pole handle according to claim 4, wherein, in relation to a lower region of the head region, the side walls are offset inward towards the cavity in an upper region of the head region, as a result of which a shoulder which partially encircles the head region in the peripheral direction and on which the attachment at least partially rests is formed between the upper region of the head region and the lower region of the head region, wherein a substantially continuous surface of the handle region, said surface being closed apart from gaps between components, is formed by the shaping of the attachment and the position thereof in this offset region.

24. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the attachment is configured to be completely transparent or translucent, such that the apertures of the core are visible from the outside.

25. The pole handle according to claim 1, wherein the pole handle has an attachment which is releasably fastened to the core, which encloses the core in certain regions in the head region in the peripheral direction and which completely covers the apertures and/or orifices in the top surface, including the aperture formed by the webs, on the outer side, wherein the attachment is fastened to the core in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner and/or is fastened in a form-fitting manner to a strap fastening element which is also inset in the handle head in that regions of the attachment engage behind the webs on the inner side, and engage in a guiding manner in curved orifices of a strap fastening element.

26. The method for assembling a pole handle according to claim 14, wherein the hand strap is fastened to the strap fastening element by way of a free end, and is subsequently introduced in the form of a module into the central orifice and fastened in the handle head in a tiltable manner by means of a transverse pin, wherein prior to that or subsequently thereto, an attachment is pushed on and fastened to the handle head preferably in a self-latching manner, and by means of this attachment or regions thereof, the strap fastening element is additionally secured to the handle head and is additionally guided for the tilting movement.

27. The pole according to claim 15, wherein it is a trekking pole, ski pole, cross-country ski pole or Nordic walking pole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0135] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which serve merely for elucidation and are not to be interpreted as restrictive. In the drawings:

[0136] FIG. 1 shows perspective views of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment in a) a view from the top left rear and in b) a view from the top left front;

[0137] FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded illustration of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment from the top left front;

[0138] FIG. 3 shows a view of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment from the rear along the direction of travel;

[0139] FIG. 4 shows an axial section X of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment along the section plane A-A of FIG. 3;

[0140] FIG. 5 shows details X of FIG. 4, in a) X1 with a fixed strap fastening element and a defined strap length and in b) X2 with a forwardly tilted strap fastening element and a length-adjustable strap length;

[0141] FIG. 6 shows a detail of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment in a perspective illustration from the top left front with an inserted strap fastening element, the head region of the pole handle being cut-away along the section plane A-A of FIG. 3 up to the section plane B-B of FIG. 8 in a quadrant;

[0142] FIG. 7 shows sections of the pole handle along the section plane A-A of FIG. 3 according to a first exemplary embodiment in a perspective view without a strap fastening element, strap and pin, in a) a view from the top left front and in b) a view from the top left rear;

[0143] FIG. 8 shows a lateral schematic view of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment from the left transverse to the direction of travel;

[0144] FIG. 9 shows a section Y along the section plane B-B of FIG. 8 with a hand strap;

[0145] FIG. 10 shows an enlarged illustration of the section Y of FIG. 9 without a hand strap, this exemplary embodiment being illustrated in a) and a variant with latching tongues on the cover element being illustrated in b), the section being set at a somewhat higher location than in FIG. 10a;

[0146] FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment from above along the pole handle longitudinal axis with a hand strap;

[0147] FIG. 12 shows views of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment, only the core of the pole handle being illustrated, that is to say without an attachment element, without a pin, without a strap fastening element and without a hand strap, in a) a perspective view from the top right rear, in b) a perspective view from the top left front, in c) a view from the front counter to the direction of travel, in d) a lateral view from the left transverse to the direction of travel;

[0148] FIG. 13 shows views of the attachment of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment, in a) a perspective view from the top right rear, in b) a perspective view from the top left front, in c) a view from above, in d) a sectional illustration along the section plane D-D in c), in e) a sectional illustration along the section plane E-E in c) as seen in the direction of travel, in f) a sectional illustration along the section plane F-F in d), in g) a view from below;

[0149] FIG. 14 shows views of the strap fastening element of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment, in a) a perspective view from the top left front, in b) a perspective view from the top right rear, in c) a view from below, in d) a view from the right, as seen transverse to the direction of travel, in e) a view from the rear, in f) a view from the left, in g) a view from the front, as seen counter to the direction of travel, and in h) a view from above;

[0150] FIG. 15 shows an axial section X of the pole handle according to a first exemplary embodiment along the section plane A-A of FIG. 3, a sheathing composed of a cork or foam material being arranged in the handle region.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0151] A first preferred exemplary embodiment of the pole handle 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-14. Identical reference designations in this case denote identical elements in accordance with the list of reference designations.

[0152] The pole handle 1 (see FIG. 1) has a head region 2 or a handle head and a handle region 3. The pole handle 1 is constructed substantially from the following basic elements, namely a pole handle core 1a (typically produced from a plastics material in an injection-moulding process in a one-component or multi-component form), an attachment element 7 which is pushed or placed onto the core 1a in the head region 2, or the handle nose 2a, from the front and partially clasps the front upper handle region of the head region 2, and a coupling module composed of a strap fastening element 5 with a hand strap 4 which is fastened thereto and which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is adjustable in terms of its size. As can be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 12, the core 1a of the pole handle is a component which is configured in one piece or multiple parts in multi-component form and which, in the handle region 3, typically has a surface coating composed of a material that is comfortable to grip, or a corresponding sheathing, typically composed of a handle foam or natural material, e.g. cork. The core 1a of the pole handle may also be split transverse to the pole axis, in order to assemble for example alternative handle materials in the form of sleeves, which may make up a sub-region of the gripping surface. At the lower end of the handle region 3, the pole handle 1 or the core 1a of the pole handle 1 has a shoulder 17 which is directed downward, counter to the direction of travel L, or a shoulder 17 which in use is directed towards the user of the pole handle, on which shoulder the user can brace the ball of their hand when gripping the pole handle 1 in the lower handle region in the peripheral direction U.

[0153] The core 1a of the pole handle 1 has, from the bottom, a central axial pole handle orifice 16 which is typically delimited towards the top towards the handle head, which is in the form of a blind hole and which is arranged substantially along the pole handle longitudinal axis S. The axial orifice 16 is used to receive and fasten a pole tube (not illustrated) or a tube portion of a pole, in particular of a ski pole, cross-country pole, trekking pole or of a Nordic walking pole.

[0154] The head region 2 of the pole handle 1 has a front region 2a pointing in the direction of travel L or a handle nose, wherein the direction of travel L is arranged substantially perpendicular to the pole handle longitudinal axis S and points away from the user of the pole handle 1. The head region 2 of the pole handle 1 is covered by the palm of the user when the user braces themselves from above on the pole handle. In the front region 2a of the head region 2, the pole handle 1 has an elevation 40 below the handle head 2 in the transition region to the handle region 3. Said elevation serves for gripping comfort particularly if the handle head is gripped at the top from behind and the fingers enclose this lower front region. It is then for example possible for the index finger to be placed into the recess in front of this elevation 40 and the middle finger to be placed into the recess behind this elevation 40, or shifted one finger position further, for the middle finger to be placed into the recess in front of the elevation 40 and the ring finger to be placed into the recess behind the elevation 40.

[0155] The head region 2 of the pole handle 1 has, on the top side, from the rear, a central orifice 11 for the purpose of receiving a strap fastening element 5 for a hand strap 4 (see for example FIG. 2 or FIG. 7). This central orifice 11 extends from the rear region 2b of the head region 2 into the front region 2a. The core 1a is thus of partly hollow configuration in the head region 2.

[0156] The core 1a has, as seen in the direction of travel L, a first, left-hand side wall 14a and a second, right-hand side wall 14b. Said side walls are open towards the rear side and converge in a front wall 14c in the front region 2a of the pole handle 1. In the upper and front handle region 2a, the side walls 14a, 14b are offset towards the inside in certain regions, as a result of which a shoulder 21 which is of partially encircling form in the peripheral direction U is formed. In the head region 2, in the aforementioned side walls 14, the core 1a has a plurality of apertures 12a-12f, 15. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, said apertures are realized by a first aperture 12a, a second aperture 12b and a third aperture 12c in the first, left-hand side wall 14a, and by a fourth aperture 12d, a fifth aperture 12e and a sixth aperture 12f in the second, right-hand side wall 14b of the core 1a. Here, in each case two apertures 12a, 12d (at the front), and 12b, 12e (in the middle), and 12c, 12f (at the rear), respectively, lie opposite one another in the head region 2 of the core 1a. The apertures each form an aperture area 12, that is to say a cross-sectional area of the respective passage opening.

[0157] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the front wall 14c has a seventh aperture 15.

[0158] The apertures 12a-12f in the side walls 14a, 14b are each separated from one another by webs 13a-13d and the foremost webs 13e and 13f in the respective side walls 14a, 14b. The webs 13a-13f run substantially from the top side or top surface 6 of the core 1a downward in the direction of the handle region 3 up to the partially encircling shoulder 21. The top surface 6, which is closed in this exemplary embodiment, is correspondingly supported by a multiplicity of webs 13, and the side walls and the top surface enclose a cavity 42 which runs in the direction of travel, said cavity transitioning into the orifice 11 towards the rear and being closed by the front wall 14c towards the front.

[0159] These webs may be oriented substantially parallel to the pole longitudinal axis, but may, as illustrated in this exemplary embodiment, preferably be oriented in the form of bionic structures so as to be adapted to the typical loading directions. Here, for example, the respectively rear webs 13b, 13d are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the rear, and the front webs 13a, 13c are inclined from the bottom to the top towards the front, respectively typically towards the rear at an angle of 30-60° with respect to the pole longitudinal axis, and towards the front at an angle of 20-45° with respect to the pole longitudinal axis. This produces to some extent a grid or mesh structure of the core 1a in the upper head region 2 for support of the top surface 6.

[0160] Furthermore, the top surface 6 is borne towards the rear on each side by an arcuate web 41, which connects the top surface 6 to the lower part of the core and laterally encloses and guides the strap fastening element 5.

[0161] The surface of the head region 2 of the pole handle 1, and thus the gripping surface, from above (see FIG. 11) is formed partially by the top side or top surface 6 of the core 1a, partially by the attachment element 7 and partially by the strap fastening element 5. In this case, in the rest position or the non-tilted fixed position, the curved top side and the top portion 25 of the strap fastening element 5 are integrated virtually completely in the outer contour of the head region 2. In this case, with the strap fastening element removed, the surface of the head region has, in a side view (see FIG. 12), a first offset 19 in the transition of the top side to the strap fastening element, and a second offset 20 in the transition to the lower handle region, so that there the strap fastening element is embedded into the surface of the handle head in a contour-flush manner.

[0162] The attachment element 7 engages around or covers the front region or the front wall 14c of the core 1a by means of the front wall 7c of the attachment element 7 configured, as it were, in the form of a clip in the head region 2 of the pole handle 1, and covers the flanks or side walls 14a, 14b of the core 1a by means of its two arms 7a, 7b which extend in each case laterally from the front wall 7c, as can be seen in the exploded view of FIG. 2. Three sides of the front region of the handle head and the two lateral regions of the side walls 14 are thus enclosed by the two side walls 7a, 7b and the front wall 7c of the attachment 7. Furthermore, said attachment encloses a region which serves to receive a latching structure 35 in the interior of the head region 2 of the core 1a, as illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10a.

[0163] In the front region of the attachment 7, the latter has a base 7d (see FIG. 13) which connects the two side walls 7a, 7b to one another, which has an aperture 7g and which delimits the interior space in the front region towards the bottom. The base 7d extends substantially parallel to the section plane B-B which is depicted in FIG. 8 and which extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the head region K1. When the attachment 7 is being pushed from the front onto the core 1a in the head region 2 of the pole handle 1, the base 7d slides at least partially from the front into a slot 18 in the latching structure 35 and the attachment 7 is arrested with latching action on the core 1a of the pole handle 1. This is made possible by a form-fitting connection between a substantially semicircular latching tongue 34 with an undercut on the latching structure 35 in the interior of the head region 2 and a corresponding aperture 7g in the base 7d of the attachment (see FIG. 10a). The aperture 7g has a slot-like elongation 7k directed in the direction of travel L, in order to enable the widening of the attachment 7 for the arresting with latching action. The aperture 7g is delimited towards the rear by two lugs 7h, 7i which are directed inwards substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the side arms 7a, 7b of the attachment towards the interior space 7m. During the placing on of the clip-like attachment, the two lugs 7h, 7i engage under the two opposite foremost apertures 12a, 12d into the slot 18 in the head region 2 of the core 1a and are arrested with latching action, in the undercut behind the latching tongue 34 of the core 1a, to some extent in each case in a latching orifice or in the respective undercut.

[0164] Instead of this base 7d with a corresponding aperture 7g, it is also possible (see FIG. 10b) for latching tongues which are directed downward to some extent in the direction of travel to be provided on the front wall 7c, for example two such tongues having two laterally outwardly directed protrusions at the free end, and said latching tongues may engage in the aperture 15 in the handle head and may engage behind said aperture behind the webs 13e and 13f in the cavity 42 behind the front wall.

[0165] The apertures are all respectively overlapped or covered by a lateral arm 7a, 7b of the attachment. In the placed-on state, the front wall 7c and the side walls 7a, 7b of the attachment rest on the shoulder 21 of the core 1a, said shoulder encircling the head region 2 in the front region 2a and on the two sides and transitioning seamlessly with the curvature of the head region 2 into the rear region 2b. The arms 7a, 7b have a concave curvature which is directed towards the interior space 7m of the attachment 7.

[0166] The cover element 7 thus serves, inter alia, to seal, as it were, the open lightweight design comprising the webs, and thus to prevent dirt or similar from being able to penetrate into the handle head, and on the other hand to provide as smooth and transition-free a surface as possible for the handle. The cover element is typically and preferably manufactured from a transparent or translucent thermoplastic material, for example polyamide, polycarbonate, polyacrylate (e.g. PMMA), POM or a mixture of such materials, so that it is possible to view the internal structure.

[0167] At the free end of the respective first, left-hand arm 7a and of the second, right-hand arm 7b of the attachment, each arm 7a, 7b has a respective latching hook, latching web or latching peg 7e, 7f. This latching peg 7e, 7f extends from the respective arm 7a, 7b first inwards, that is to say towards the interior space 7m of the attachment 7, and then towards the upper rear side. These latching pegs 7e, 7f serve to fasten the attachment 7 to the strap fastening element 5, and thus indirectly to fasten the attachment to the core 1a, and also have a guide function for the strap fastening element 5, as described further below. In this case, the latching pegs 7e, 7f engage from the outside through the apertures 12c and 12f, respectively, and then engage in each case behind the arcuate web 41. In other words, the attachment 7 is pushed on from the front in an encompassing manner, engages by means of the latching pegs on the inner side around the webs 41 and locks in place further towards the front with the aperture 7g on the latching tongue 34.

[0168] The head region 2 of the pole handle 1 also has a rear region 2b, which faces the user of the pole handle and in which a hand strap 4 is fastened. In the illustrated first exemplary embodiment, the hand strap 4 is connected or coupled to the pole handle 1 by means of the strap fastening element 5 which is arranged in the central orifice 11 in the head region 2a of the pole handle 1 and which, in the embodiment illustrated, can be tilted by a movement shown in FIG. 5a. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the strap fastening element 5 is of virtually block-like configuration. The central orifice 11 of the pole handle 1 is delimited towards the bottom in the core 1a by a base 27 and is separated from the upper end of the pole handle orifice 16. The hand strap 4 has a strap portion 4a which is configured to at least partially enclose a hand or a wrist of the user of the pole handle. The strap portion 4a is arranged between a first, free strap end 4c, which exits from the pole handle interior and can be pulled manually for the purpose of reducing the strap width, and a second strap end 4d which is fastened in or to the strap fastening element 5.

[0169] In the illustrated first exemplary embodiment, a deflection portion 4b, which is guided around a deflection region 22 of the strap fastening element 5, is arranged between the strap portion 4a and the first, free strap end 4c (see in particular FIG. 2 and FIG. 6). The second strap end 4d is fastened to a front side 29, facing towards the direction of travel L, of the strap fastening element 5 by way of a fastening means 10 configured in the form of a screw in the present exemplary embodiment. As a result of the formation of a protrusion 24 running in the direction of travel L on the upper front edge of the strap fastening element 5, the second, fastened strap end 4d is covered towards the top towards the top side of the head region 2a of the pole handle 1 and is protected against environmental influences, and the thickness of the strap material fastened in this region is compensated such that the front surface of the strap fastening element is substantially flush. In order to guide the strap band through for formation of the strap portion 4a, the strap fastening element 5 has a through-opening 26 in the form of a slot-like channel which is arranged substantially parallel to the bottom surface 35 of the strap fastening element 5, said through-opening being arranged with its longitudinal axis K2 substantially along the longitudinal axis K1 of the head region of the pole handle in the non-tilted state or rest state of the strap fastening element 5. Both strap regions that form the strap portion 4a for the hand are guided through this through-opening 26, that is to say both the region for the fastened second strap end 4d and that region for the free strap end 4c.

[0170] The strap fastening element 5 according to the illustrated first exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1-14 is arranged in the central handle head orifice 11 so as to be tiltable or pivotable about an axis of rotation or tilt axis D about a pin 9 arranged in a passage opening 8, specifically between a rest position X1, as illustrated in FIG. 5a, and a tilted position X2, as illustrated in FIG. 5b. The pivoting range is in this case about 30-40°. In the rest position, the strap width is fixedly set, and in the tilted position of the strap fastening element 5, the strap width is adjustable, wherein the strap width in the latter position of the strap fastening element can be reduced by pulling on the first, free end 4a of the hand strap, and can be enlarged by pulling on that part of the strap portion 4a which faces towards the first, free end.

[0171] In the rest position of the strap fastening element 5, the deflection portion 4b of the hand strap 4 is clamped in between the base 27 of the handle head orifice 11 and the bottom side or the base 5c of the strap fastening element 5. Here, the clamping is achieved substantially analogously to a labyrinth seal, in the form of a clamping portion 23 of the strap fastening element 5, said clamping portion being configured in the form of a protrusion 23 which is directed downward towards the base 27 of the handle head orifice 11. In this case, the friction fit is also accompanied to some extent by a form fit by way of the clamping edge or possibly also (several) clamping edges. The clamping force required for the fixing of the strap is, as a result of the labyrinth edge, significantly lower than in the case of a linear line of force, which enables an improved clamping action with identical clamping force or an identical clamping action with lower clamping force. For this purpose, the base 27 of the handle head orifice 11 has a clamping portion 27a which is configured in the form of a step 37 by means of an edge 11b. In the rest state of the strap fastening element, the strap band is clamped here between its deflection portion 4b and the first, free strap portion 4a, which protrudes outwardly from the passage opening 26, configured in the form of a channel, of the strap fastening element 5, by way of a friction fit between the protrusion 23 and the stepped portion 27b of the base 27 of the handle head orifice 11. The friction fit owing to the deflection of the free end of the strap band, after passage through the passage opening 26, downward and rearward around the strap fastening element, which may be reinforced in a deflection region 22 (see FIG. 14) by corresponding transverse ribs or similar, is correspondingly reinforced by the clamping between the clamping protrusion 23 and the step 27b. Said clamping has the advantage that it is reinforced, in the case of the typical loading of the hand strap in a downward direction during use, by the corresponding torque that is applied as a result (in a clockwise direction in the illustration as per FIG. 4).

[0172] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the strap fastening element 5 is a separately configured component which may be fastened to a “core body” or core 1a of the pole handle 1. The fastening is effected by a pin 9, said pin being introduced into a first passage opening 8a in the left-hand side wall of the pole handle 1, then being guided through a passage opening 38 that extends through the strap fastening element 5 from a first, left-hand side wall 5a of the strap fastening element 5 up to a second, right-hand side wall 5b, and subsequently being guided through a second passage opening 8b in the right-hand side wall of the head region 2a of the pole handle 1. When the strap fastening element 5 has been inserted, the longitudinal axis of the passage opening 38 or the longitudinal axis of the pin 9 is arranged substantially transverse to the pole handle longitudinal axis S and transverse to the direction of travel L.

[0173] The strap fastening element 5 or folding element is illustrated in detail in FIG. 14. The strap fastening element 5 has a curved top portion 25 which has a front edge 39 that protrudes to some extent in the direction of travel. The top portion 25 or the top side of the strap fastening element is incorporated in the top side 6 of the pole handle 1 in the rest position and at the same time forms the rear region 2b of the head region 2 of the pole handle 1. The strap fastening element 5 is additionally captively retained by the engagement of the latching pegs 7e and 7f (see FIG. 7a) in corresponding guide channels 28a and 28b.

[0174] In order to save weight, the strap fastening element may have cutouts or windows 32 in those locations where, taking account of the loading, a configuration of solid material is not required. In general, the strap fastening element is preferably manufactured from a thermoplastic material, for example from polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, in each case possibly with (glass) fibre reinforcement, or mixtures of such materials.

[0175] The strap fastening element 5 also has a bottom side 37 which, in the rest state inserted in the pole handle orifice 11, is directed towards the base 27 of the central orifice 11 of the pole handle 1. The strap fastening element 5 also has a first, left-hand side surface 5a and a second, right-hand side surface 5b, which are arranged parallel to a plane E defined by the handle head longitudinal axis K1 and the pole handle longitudinal axis S and which extend parallel to the section plane A-A illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0176] Arranged both in the first, left-hand side surface 5a and in the second, right-hand side surface 5b is a respective guide channel 28a and 28b, respectively, which is curved correspondingly to the rotary movement of the strap fastening element and which extends parallel to the curvature of the top portion 25, specifically from the bottom side 37 of the strap fastening element 5 (an open groove there) over a sub-region of the respective side wall 5a, 5b, and not completely up to the front wall 29 of the strap fastening element 5. This respective guide channel 28a, 28b serves not only for the aforementioned captive retainment of the element but also for the guidance of the strap fastening element 5 during the tilting operation about the axis of rotation or tilt axis 9 or about the pin 9. This guiding action is achieved in that the two above-described lateral latching pegs 7e, 7f of the attachment 7, which are likewise curved in a corresponding manner, engage or are arrested with latching action in these two guide channels 28a, 28b. This latching connection between the strap fastening element 5 and the attachment 7 connects the attachment 7 to the strap fastening element 5, and in this case also indirectly connects the attachment to the core 1a of the pole handle 1 via the strap fastening element 5. The latching connection thus at the same time provides a guide function for the rotation of the strap fastening element 5 between the latching position and the adjustment position, and also a captive-securement action for the attachment 7 on the core 1a of the pole handle 1.

[0177] Arranged in both side surfaces 5a, 5b of the strap fastening element 5 is a respective latching channel 33a, 33b in which a respective latching ridge 31a, 31b, directed inwards from the side wall 14a, 14b of the core 1a, engages in the rest position, that is to say in the non-tilted position of the strap fastening element 5. In this case, the latching channels 30a, 30b each run substantially parallel to the bottom surface 37 of the strap fastening element 5. The latching ridges 31a, 31b run substantially parallel to the base 27 of the central orifice 11 of the core 1a.

[0178] Each side wall 5a, 5b of the strap fastening element 5 also has a respective further latching channel 33a, 33b, which intersects the first and second latching channel 30a, 30b, respectively, at an acute angle. The point of intersection of the first latching channel 30a with the third latching channel 33c in the first side wall 5a of the strap fastening element 5, and the point of intersection of the second latching channel 30b with the fourth latching channel 33d in the second side wall 5b of the strap fastening element 5, is defined by the passage opening 38 in the strap fastening element 5 or by the receiving channel for the transverse pin 9 for the tiltable connection of the strap fastening element 5 to the pole handle core 1a. In the non-tilted rest state as per FIG. 5a, the strap fastening element 5 is arrested with latching action, by means of its first and second latching channels 30a, 30b, in the two mutually opposite latching ridges 31a, 31b in the core 1a, which can be seen for example in FIG. 6 on the second side wall 14b of the core 1a. In order to tilt the strap fastening element 5 forwards for the purpose of adjusting the diameter of the hand strap, the strap portion 4a of the hand strap 4 is pulled upward. During the tilting of the strap fastening element 5 forwards about the axis of rotation/tilt axis or about the transverse pin 9, the latching ridges 31a, 31b are forced out of the respective corresponding first and second latching channels 30a, 30b, and thus this latching connection is cancelled, wherein, in the tilted state as per FIG. 5b, the latching ridges 31a, 31b are arrested with latching action in the third and fourth latching channel 33a, 33b, respectively, and thus a further latching connection is formed. The arresting with latching action and the removal of latching action leads, on the one hand, to a simple form-fitting fixing of the respective position, but, on the other hand, also leads to haptic and possibly even acoustic feedback for the user. Furthermore, during the tilting or pivoting of the strap fastening element 5, the clamping region 23 of the strap fastening element 5 is lifted off from the step portion 27a. During the tilting operation, the protrusion 24 on the top portion 25 of the strap fastening element 5 is also pivoted into the central orifice 11 of the head region 2.

[0179] The strap fastening element 5 also has a front surface 29 which is directed towards the direction of travel L and the surface of which extends at an angle of less than 90° with respect to the bottom surface 27 of the strap fastening element 5. An orifice 10a is arranged substantially centrally in this front surface 29, said orifice serving to receive a fastening means 10 for the second strap end 4d. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, or FIGS. 5a and 5b, this fastening means is configured in the form of a screw. Here, however, it is also possible to use a rivet, a pin, an adhesive bond, an eye in the hand strap with a hook, or a combination of such fastening means.

[0180] If the strap fastening element 5 is replaced or is removed for example for the exchange of the hand strap, the attachment 7 can first be removed from the core 1a and from the strap fastening element 5, that is to say the latching connection between the latching pegs 7e, 7f on the arms 7a, 7b of the attachment 7 and the strap fastening element 5 can be released by spreading the arms 7a, 7b apart from one another. As a result of this spreading-out operation, the latching connection between the latching tongue 34 of the core 1a and the latching lugs 7g, 7h on the base 7d of the attachment 7 is also released. Subsequently (or even already prior to that), the transverse pin 9 can be pushed out of the passage opening 8a in the strap fastening element 5 and out of the through-opening 8 below the head region 2 of the core 1a, for example by means of a pin of smaller diameter. By pulling the strap fastening element 5 towards the rear along the latching ridge 31a, 31b, it is possible to remove the strap fastening element 5 from the central orifice 11 of the core 1a.

[0181] Alternatively, it is possible to first push the transverse pin 9 out of the passage opening 8a in the strap fastening element 5 and out of the through-opening 8 below the head region 2 of the core 1a, for example by means of a pin of smaller diameter. Then, by spreading the arms 7a, 7b apart from one another and by pulling the strap fastening element 5 towards the top or towards the rear, it is possible to remove the strap fastening element 5 from the central orifice 11 of the core 1a. Subsequently, the attachment 7 is removed from the core 1a, that is to say the latching connection between the latching pegs 7e, 7f on the arms 7a, 7b of the attachment 7 is released.

[0182] In order to assemble the pole handle 1 during production or after the replacement or repair of the strap fastening element 5 or of the hand strap 4, either the strap fastening element 5 is first inserted into the central orifice 11 of the handle head 2 of the pole handle 1 substantially from the rear along the longitudinal axis K1 of the head region 2 and along the latching ridges 31a, 31b and fastened to the core 1a of the pole handle 1 by means of the transverse pin 9, as described above, and subsequently the attachment 7 is pushed from the front onto the core 1a of the pole handle 1 for the further, indirect connection of the strap fastening element 5 to the core 1a of the pole handle 1. Or, in the reverse order, first the attachment is placed on and then the strap fastening element 5 is inserted and fastened in the central orifice 11 of the handle head 2 of the pole handle 1.

[0183] A variant of the handle as per FIG. 4 is illustrated in FIG. 15. Here, the handle has an encircling sheathing 43 composed of a cork material or a foam material (for example EVA) in the handle region. In this case, the sheathing 43 is inserted into an encircling recess 44 in the actual region 45 of the hard core material which forms the handle. In this case, the sheathing 43 adjoins the contour of the handle all the way along the edge in a flush manner. As a result, a construction that is particularly comfortable to grip and that is additionally lightweight is ensured. In order that such a construction may be assembled in a simple manner, the cylindrical region 45 of the hard core material of 3 has an encircling slot 46, that is to say the handle is of virtually two-part configuration in relation to the hard core material, and there is an upper region 48 comprising the head region 2 and the upper part of the region that forms the axial orifice 16, and a lower part 49 comprising for example the shoulder 17 and the lower part of the region that forms the axial orifice 16.

[0184] Advantageously, as illustrated in dashed form in the figure, the slot 46 is designed with a meandering profile 47, in particular such that, as a result, a captive-securement action is ensured to some extent, and a form fit or even a force fit between the upper and the lower part may also be provided to some extent. In a preferred variant, the meandering slot 46 has longitudinal portions 50 of the edges, which run along the axis of the pole, and transverse portions 51 of the edges, which run in the peripheral direction and perpendicular to the axis of the pole. Preferably, the longitudinal edges of the meandering slot from the upper part and lower part join one another in a virtually play-free manner or even in sliding abutment or specifically even in a frictionally rubbing manner in order to achieve as precise an orientation of the two handle parts as possible with respect to rotation about the pole axis. In a further advantageous manner, in the case of an assembled sheathing, the meandering slot forms, in terms of its transverse profile with respect to the pole axis, at the transverse edges 51, a spacing 52 between the end-side contact surfaces of the two sleeve portions of the handle parts. Overdeterminacy of the handle parts is thereby avoided. Independently of the other further features of the exemplary embodiment, which is used here for the purpose of illustration, this design of the slot is advantageous and considered to be in accordance with the invention.

[0185] Such a handle head is assembled by initially providing the upper region 48, subsequently pushing the sheathing 43 from below onto the cylindrical region 45, and then pushing the lower region 49 from below into the then exposed lower opening in the sheathing 43. The parts are connected together by providing adhesives between the sheathing and the upper region 48 and the lower region 49; connecting means may additionally be provided between the upper region 48 and the lower region 49. Since, in the end, this region is fixed by the pushed-in pole tube, it may be sufficient for an adhesive bond from the respective region 48/49 to the sheathing 43 to be provided.

[0186] In an analogous manner, it is moreover also possible for the elastomer region already mentioned above to be arranged on the bottom side of the handle head in the region of the elevation 40 in a corresponding recess in the hard core material. However, such an elastomer region is typically not produced as a separate component, but is more easily injection-moulded directly onto the hard core material in a two-component process.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS  1 Pole handle  1a Core of 1, body, handle body  2 Head region  2a Front region, handle nose of 2  2b Rear region of 2  3 Handle region  4 Hand strap  4a Strap portion  4b Deflection portion  4c Free first strap end  4d Fastened second strap end  5 Strap fastening element/block  5a Left-hand, first side surface of 5  5b Right-hand, second side surface of 5  5c Bottom side/base of 5  6 Top side/top surface of 1a or of 2  7 Cover element/attachment element  7a Left-hand first arm of 7  7b Right-hand second arm of 7  7c Front wall of 7  7d Base of 7  7e First latching peg on 7a  7f Second latching peg on 7b  7g Orifice of 7  7h Left-hand first lug on 7g in 7d  7i Right-hand second lug on 7g in 7d  7k Slot-like elongation of 7g  7m Interior space of 7  8 Through-opening in 3 for 9  9 Pin of 5 10 Fastening means for 4d 10a Orifice in 5 for 10 11 Central orifice in 2 12 Aperture area 12a First aperture in 14a 12b Second aperture in 14a 12c Third aperture in 14a 12d Fourth aperture in 14b 12e Fifth aperture in 14b 12f Sixth aperture in 14b 13a First web of 1a in 2/14a 13b Second web of 1a in 2/14a 13c Third web of 1a in 2/14b 13d Fourth web of 1a in 2/14b 13e Left-hand foremost web in 14a 13f Right-hand foremost web in 14b 14a Left-hand first side wall of 1a on 2 14b Right-hand second side wall of 1a on 2 14c Front wall of 1a in 2a 15 Fifth aperture in 14c 16 Axial orifice in 3 17 Shoulder on 3 18 Slot in 2a 19 First offset in 6 20 Second offset 21 Shoulder on 2 22 Deflection region of 5 23 Clamping region of 5 24 Protrusion of 5 25 Top portion of 5 26 Passage opening of 5 27 Base of 11 27a Step, clamping portion of 27 27b Edge of 27 28a Guide channel for 7e 28b Guide channel for 7f 29 Front wall of 5 30a First latching channel on 5a 30b Second latching channel on 5b 31a First latching ridge of 14a in 11 31b Second latching ridge of 14b in 11 32 Window in 5 33a Third latching channel on 5a 33b Fourth latching channel on 5b 34 Latching tongue on 35 for 7g 35 Latching structure 37 Bottom side of 5 38 Passage opening of 5, receiving channel for 9 in 5 39 Front edge of 25 40 Elevation under 2 41 Arcuate web 42 Cavity 43 Cork or foam shell 44 Encircling recess in hard core material 45 Cylindrical region of the hard core material of 3 46 Encircling slot in 45, dividing line 47 Meandering profile of 46 48 Upper region of the hard core material 49 Lower region of the hard core material 50 Longitudinal edges of the slot 46 51 Transverse edges of the slot 46 52 Spacing between 51 from upper part and lower part 53 Latching tongue α Angle between K1 and S D Axis of rotation for 5 E Plane defined by handle head longitudinal axis K1 and pole handle longitudinal axis S K1 Longitudinal axis of 2a, longitudinal axis of 26 in rest position of 5 K2 Longitudinal axis of 26 in adjustment position of 5 L Direction of travel S Pole handle longitudinal axis U Peripheral direction of 1 X1 Rest position, position in which the length of the hand strap cannot be adjusted X2 Adjustment position, position in which the length of the hand strap can be adjusted