Gymnastics apparatus renovation kit and process

Abstract

Disclosed is a gymnastics apparatus renovation kit including a cover adapted to fit tightly on a gymnastics apparatus to be renovated. The cover has an elongated shape extending in a longitudinal direction, the elongated shape corresponding to the shape of a gymnastics apparatus. The cover includes an upper face, two longitudinal lateral faces, two end faces, and an open lower face. The renovation kit also includes two rods, each rod being passed in a hem formed at the bottom of each lateral face of the cover and extending throughout the length of the cover. The renovation kit further includes links for joining the rods together in a transversal direction, tending to bring the rods closer together. Also disclosed is a corresponding renovation process and to a renovated gymnastics apparatus.

Claims

1. A gymnastics apparatus renovation kit comprising a cover adapted to fit tightly on a gymnastics apparatus to be renovated, the cover having an elongated shape extending in a longitudinal direction, the elongated shape corresponding to the shape of the gymnastics apparatus, wherein the cover comprises: an upper face, two longitudinal lateral faces, two end faces, and an open lower face, wherein the renovation kit comprises two rods, each rod being passed in a hem formed at the bottom of each lateral face of the cover and extending throughout the length of the cover, and wherein the renovation kit further comprises links for joining the rods together in a transversal direction, tending to bring the rods closer together.

2. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein each hem comprises openings that leave the rods exposed, so that a link between the rods may be provided at each opening of the hem.

3. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein each hem ends with a closed pocket adapted to receive one end of a rod.

4. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the gymnastics apparatus renovation kit comprises 5 to 100 links.

5. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein each link is made of a flexible strip adapted to be successively passed around each rod.

6. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 5, wherein each link is formed by a hook-and-loop fastener.

7. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 6, wherein the hook-and-loop fastener is of a type having two faces such that each of the two faces can cling to itself and to the other face.

8. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein each rod is made of PVC or fiber-reinforced plastics.

9. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 8, wherein each rod comprises glass fibers and/or carbon fibers.

10. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 8, wherein each rod has a substantially round section having a diameter comprised between 3 and 8 millimeters.

11. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the end faces are made of a resilient material.

12. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 11, wherein the resilient material is spandex.

13. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the upper face and the two longitudinal lateral faces of the cover have an external surface made of PVC, leather, suede, or imitation leather.

14. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the gymnastics apparatus renovation kit comprises rigid tips adapted to replace damaged ends of a gymnastics apparatus to be renovated to substantially recover an undamaged end shape.

15. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the gymnastics apparatus renovation kit is configured to fit on a balance beam.

16. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1, wherein the gymnastics apparatus renovation kit is configured to fit on a pommel horse.

17. A renovation process for a gymnastics apparatus, comprising: providing a gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1; fitting the cover on a gymnastics apparatus to be renovated; inserting one rod in each hem of the cover; tightening the cover around the gymnastics apparatus by joining the rods with the links and tensioning the links.

18. The renovation process according to claim 17 in which the links are hook-and-loop fasteners having the form of a strip with two faces such that each of the two faces can cling to itself and to the other face, wherein each link is passed around a first of the two rods, clung to itself to form a loop around the first of the two rods, passed around the second rod, tensioned, and clung to itself to form a loop around a second of the two rods.

19. The renovation gymnastics apparatus comprising an apparatus having a deteriorated surface covered using a gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 1.

20. The gymnastics apparatus renovation kit according to claim 2, wherein the gymnastics apparatus renovation kit comprises rigid tips adapted to replace damaged ends of a gymnastics apparatus to be renovated to substantially recover an undamaged end shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other particularities and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the following description.

(2) In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples:

(3) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beam covered with a cover of a balance beam renovation kit according to an embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 is view from below of the covered beam of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 is a drawing view of the cover of a balance beam renovation kit according to an embodiment of the present invention with its central part not shown;

(6) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the balance beam renovation kit on section line A-A shown in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 is a detail view of FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 6 is a view of a rod used to maintain the cover under tension;

(9) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 on section line D-D;

(10) FIG. 8 contains two views of the optional rigid tips which may be fastened to the end faces of the beam.

(11) FIG. 9 is perspective view of a pommel horse covered with a cover of a pommel horse renovation kit according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) It should be appreciated that even though the invention is described hereafter essentially in relation to balance beam renovation, it is also applicable to pommel horses.

(13) As used in this specification, the words comprises, comprising, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean including, but not limited to.

(14) Referring now to FIG. 1, the basic components of a conventional balance beam covered with a cover according to the present invention will now be discussed. As represented in this figure, the cover 3 is put in place on an elongated beam 2.

(15) In the represented embodiment, the beam 2 is supported by a pair of beam supports 1. These supports 1 maintain the beam 2 in a stable position even when used by a gymnast. They can provide height adjustment or even be elastically adjustable providing gymnasts several stiffness positions. The beam 2 can be made of any appropriate material such as wood or aluminium. The beam 2 is covered by a cover 3 that fits tightly on it. The cover 3 comprises an upper face 301, two longitudinal lateral faces 302, an open down face 303 and two end faces 304.

(16) As mentioned previously, the renovation kit is also adapted for pommel horses. Thus, FIG. 9 shows a pommel horse 7 covered with a cover 3 according to the present invention.

(17) Cover 3 is manufactured from a non-slippery material, for instance PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coated fabric. PVC coated fabric presents the advantages of being easy to clean, weather-resistant, and has excellent strength and durability.

(18) The cover 3 is preferably manufactured from an appropriate material making it possible to be fully and easily stretched and tensioned about beam 2. For aesthetic and durability purposes and as alternatives to PVC coated fabric, cover 3 can be manufactured from leather, suede or imitation leather which may be attached to a support layer.

(19) Since longitudinal resilience is desired for cover 3, end faces 304 are preferably made of a resilient material such as spandex. Spandex is also called elastane or Lycra. Spandex presents advantageous elasticity properties which provide it with desirable stretching and strength characteristics. The end faces 304 provides most of the longitudinal resilience of the cover 3.

(20) A high elasticity rate of the end faces 304 is advantageous to accommodate the length of the beam 2 and to tension the upper face 301 and lateral faces 302 of the cover 3 in the longitudinal direction. Tear strength is important to prevent tearing at the seams of the end faces 304.

(21) For more strength and durability, to protect beam 2 or to replace damaged ends, rigid tips 6 can be fastened to each of the end faces 304. An illustration of an embodiment of rigid tips 6 is provided in FIG. 8.

(22) Rigid tips 6 have a form such that they can fit into the beam ends 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the tips 6 have a hollow part 601 projecting from a planar part 602. Tips 6 may be made of plastics.

(23) As shown in FIG. 2, cover 3 is attached to the beam 2 thanks to several links 4. The number of links 4 depends on the dimension of the beam 2. It may vary from 5 to 100 links, and preferably from 10 to 40 links. For a standard balance beam which generally presents a length of 16 feet (500 centimeters), for example 28 links are required for good tightening of the cover 3. As to pommel horses which generally have a length of 5.2 feet (160 centimeters), 10 links are preferably required.

(24) Links 4 join two rods 5 passed through the two respective sides of cover 3. Rods 5 are joined together in a transversal direction and brought closer together thanks to the links 4.

(25) In the represented embodiment, links 4 are hook-and-loop fasteners. The hook-and-loop fasteners are of a type having two faces such that each of the two faces can cling to itself and to the other face. This type of link 4 presents the advantage of being quickly and easily mounted.

(26) According to an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to use mixed hook-and-loop fasteners (male-female) on the same face. This increases the areas available for attachment depending on the cases encountered. Moreover, this solution for tightening cover 3 is very simple and does not necessitate from the user to cut off the excess length of the fasteners.

(27) However, links 4 can also be of any other adequate type. Adequate should be understood as capable of tightening cover 3. For example, traditional hook-and-loop fasteners, having on a same face hooks on a first longitudinal portion and loops on a second longitudinal portion may be used (provided that the hook and loop portions are appropriately dimensioned and positioned). Possible excess length of the fasteners may be cut after the cover is sufficiently tensioned over the gymnastics apparatus to be renovated.

(28) As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the down face 303 of cover 3 is folded upwards and sewn, thus forming a hem 305 on each side of the cover 3. Each of the two rods 5, illustrated in FIG. 6, is passed through a respective hem 305. For good tightening, rods 5 preferably have a round section with a diameter d comprised between 3 and 8 millimeters. The length L of rods 5 depends on the length of the beam 2.

(29) Rod 5 can be made of plastics such as PVC, or fiber-reinforced plastics. Hence, rods 5 can comprise glass fiber and carbon fiber. The use of such a material improves the mechanical properties of rods 5, such as their tensile strength, shear stiffness and bending modulus. Moreover, unlike metals, plastic materials have no yield point. Thus, rods 5 will not dent and the impact mechanical properties are also improved. This property is very important given the number of impacts balance beams are generally subjected to.

(30) Rods 5 provide a distribution of the clamping tension over the entire length of the cover 3 even if certain links 4 are not used.

(31) Therefore, rods 5 make it possible to bypass legs which are not the same depending on the different beams and their leg positions.

(32) Cover 3 places a slight vertical tension or load on beam 2. Thus beam 2 is slightly compressed by cover 3. Links 4 and rods 5 enable the cover 3 to remain tight and distribute the tension all along the beam 2. Hence, they prevent accidents due to slipping caused for example by bumps.

(33) As illustrated in FIG. 3, each hem 305 comprises openings 306 in which links 4 are to be accommodated. The dimensions of the openings 306 depends on the links 4 which are used. FIG. 7 shows one of the openings 306 in which one of the links 4 is clung to one of the two rods 5. Cover 3 is adjustable according to user needs. Indeed, it can be accommodated depending on the dimensions of the beam 2 and the curvature of its lateral faces. Depending on these parameters, an optimal number of links 4 and dimension of the rods 5 are computed. This makes this cover 3 a versatile solution that can be used for different kinds of balance beams. Accordingly, the present invention provides a renovation kit comprising: a beam cover, two rods, links, and optionally, two end tips.

(34) This renovation kit presents the advantages of being compact and light. More specifically, cover 3, links 4 and end tips 6 are not cumbersome. As for rods 5, thanks to their flexible manufacturing material, they are delivered coiled. All this makes this solution a very convenient one.

(35) Furthermore, the renovation kit enables easy and quick renovation of the beam 2. Cover 3 can be placed directly on the worn existing cover. This makes the renovation process, detailed hereafter, feasible by one person alone with no need to send the beam to a factory.

(36) At the start of the process, a first of the end faces 304 of cover 3 is advantageously received within one of the beam ends 204 and the cover 3 is stretched over the perimeter of beam 2. Then the second of the end faces 304 is received within the second of the beam ends 204. If necessary, rigid tips 6 are fixed on each of the beam ends 204 before placing the cover 3 over beam 2. Afterwards, each of the two rods 5 is introduced into a respective hem 305 formed along the entire length of the beam 2 at each side of the down face 303 of the cover 3. Finally, the links 4 are installed around the rods 5 and through each opening 306. The cover 3 is thus properly tightened around the beam 2.

(37) According to the presented embodiment, the links 4 are hook-and-loop fasteners having two faces such that each of the two faces can cling to itself and to the other face. Each link is passed around a first of the two rods 5, clung to itself to form a loop around the first of the two rods 5, passed around the second rod, tensioned, and clung to itself to form a loop around a second of the two rods 5.

(38) This renovation process saves money and time. It does not require any particular tools for its implementation and is adaptable for almost all kinds of balance beams, and pommel horses.