Kite control bar with integrated line adjustment means

Abstract

A hollow kite control bar is provided with means for sliding access to the bar for one or multiple lines or groups of lines. Each line has one end towards the kite and the other towards the bar. The length of each line between the kite and the bar can be adjusted by pulling into and releasing from the bar, which length or lengths can be locked at multiple positions in one or more locking means fixed to the bar. The excess line length pulled in is automatically held inside the bar.

Claims

1. A kite control bar comprising: a control bar having a line receiving channel extending axially through with a fixed pawl towards one end; a reel pivotally mounted towards one end of the control bar and extending into the line receiving channel, the reel having a shaft with a knob on the shaft to enable manual rotation of the reel, the reel having a ratchet gear, the reel being pivotally movable from an engaged positioned in which the ratchet gear of the reel is engaged with the pawl on the control bar thereby preventing rotation of the reel and a disengaged position in which the ratchet gear of the reel is disengaged from the pawl on the control bar thereby allowing rotation of the reel; and at least one control line passing along the line receiving channel of the control bar and engaged with the reel, tension on the at least one control line biasing the reel into the engaged position, the reel being moved to the disengaged position to wind in a winding direction to shorten a length of the at least one control line or unwind in an unwinding direction to increase the length of the at least one control line.

2. The kite control bar of claim 1, wherein the control bar is U shaped in cross-section, thereby allowing drainage of sand and debris.

3. The kite control bar of claim 1, wherein a length of line from the at least one control line is stored within the line receiving channel of the control bar through the use of a redirecting sheave centrally located within the line receiving channel, and the at least one control line is looped around the redirecting sheave prior to being wound onto the reel.

4. The kite control bar of claim 3, wherein there is a left side control line and a right side control line, both of the left side control line and the right side control line being wound onto the reel, with one of the left side control line or the right side control line being looped around the redirecting sheave prior to being wound onto the reel, such that rotation of the reel in a first rotational direction concurrently winds both the left side control line and the right side control line onto the reel and rotation of the reel in a second rotational direction concurrently unwinds both the left side control line and the right side control line from the reel.

5. The kite control bar according to claim 1, wherein the ratchet gear has teeth slanted to slide over the pawl when turned in the winding direction, and the teeth engaging the pawl and resisting rotation in the unwinding direction.

6. The kite control bar according to claim 1, wherein the reel is moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position by pushing the knob away from a center of the control bar.

7. A kite control bar comprising: a control bar having a line receiving channel extending axially through with a fixed pawl towards one end; only a single reel pivotally mounted towards one end of the control bar and extending into the line receiving channel, the single reel having a shaft with a knob on the shaft to enable manual rotation of the single reel, the single reel having a ratchet gear, the single reel being pivotally movable from an engaged position in which the ratchet gear of the single reel is engaged with the pawl on the control bar thereby preventing rotation of the single reel and a disengaged position in which the ratchet gear of the single reel is disengaged from the pawl on the control bar thereby allowing rotation of the single reel; and at least one control line passing along the line receiving channel of the control bar and engaged with the single reel, tension on the at least one control line biasing the single reel into the engaged position, the single reel being moved to the disengaged position to wind in a winding direction to shorten a length of the at least one control line or unwind in an unwinding direction to increase the length of the at least one control line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Description of Drawings

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a kite with its control system, featuring a bar providing simultaneous length adjustable control lines according to the present invention.

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b depict a kite control bar provided with a control line adjustment system comprising an array of receiving pockets.

(4) FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c depict a kite control bar provided with a control line adjustment system comprising a compact reel.

(5) FIG. 4 depicts a view at a control bar end with shift able sliding means.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Best Mode

(6) Referring to FIG. 1a, a kite 1, with anchoring means 2, is provided with a typical 3-point control system which has multiple lines 3 attached to the forward edge which converge in to a central load hearing line 4 which attaches to the anchoring means 2, where the length of the lines 3 and central load bearing 4 together define length A, and two control lines 5L and 5R, attached to both ends of the trailing edge, with length B, each having access to a control bar according to the present invention 6 through means for sliding access 7. The bar is further provided with a centrally placed hole 8 through which the central load bearing line can slide.

(7) In general use, the flying kite is controlled by movement of the bar 6 relative to the anchoring means 2. Sliding the bar 6 over the central load bearing line 4 in a direction away from the anchoring means 2 results in the kite assuming a position with less projected area towards the wind, while pulling the bar towards the anchoring means gradually increases the projected area towards the wind, giving the kite more lift and therewith more tension on the lines 4 and 5. Holding the bar skewed shortens one of the control lines 5 relative to the other, which results in the kite turning in the air. The total sliding movement of bar 6 relative to the anchoring means 2 over the central load bearing line 4 needed to fully control flying of the kite defines the bar stroke.

(8) The start and end position of the bar stroke relative to the central load bearing line 4 can vary with the wind conditions, as well as kite size and riding style. To adjust the start and end position of the bar stroke in order to provide safe and comfortable operation, and to allow for specific riding styles, the bar according to the present invention 6 allows for adjusting of the lengths of the control lines 5 simultaneously.

(9) FIGS. 2a and 2b show a kite control bar 6 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention providing an array of locking means 9 each of which can accept a stopper 10. The stopper is provided with a tab 11 for convenient adjusting of the control lines length. FIG. 2a is a longitudinal cross section view, FIG. 2b a view at the arrangement of the stopper 10 and the locking means 9.

(10) In FIG. 2a the means for sliding access 12 by which the control lines 5 enter the bar, and the redirecting sliding means 13, 14 and 15 are shown.

(11) Further, the arrangement of the control lines 5 and elastic cords 16 and 17 inside the bar is shown. For a better understanding of this embodiment of the present invention, the routing of the control lines 5 can be followed. Coming from the kite 1, each control line 5L and 5R access the bar 6 at the means for sliding access 12. The control lines 5 are then redirected towards the center of the bar by the redirecting sliding means 13 and 14, which in this embodiment are sheaves in order to reduce friction and therewith the force needed to operate the bar, as well as wear of the lines and components in the bar.

(12) This figure depicts an arrangement of the bar according to the invention in a typical right handed setup with the array of locking means located to the right, however the bar is constructed in such a way that upon user preference it can be used reversed, with the locking means on the left side.

(13) Control line 5R runs from the right redirecting sliding means towards the stopper 10. From the left redirecting sliding means 13, control line 5L runs all the way across bar 6 to the right redirecting sliding means 14, where it meets control line 5R. By running across bar 6, control line 5L needs to by-pass the central hole 8 in bar 6. This is done by routing the control line 5L through a smooth by-pass channel 19.

(14) From the right redirecting sliding means 14 control line 5L goes on to stopper 10, inside of which it is joined with control line 5R. This joined may be a knot that ties the control lines 5L and 5R together, but these line might just as well made from one single length of line, locked inside the stopper with a half hitch knot. This has two benefits: Even if the knot slips, the control lines still run from the bar towards the kite, thus eliminating the risk of a line slipping out of the bar. The other benefit is that the half hitch knot is very compact, allowing for a very compact design of stopper 10. The stopper can be inserted in any of the locking means 9, and will be pulled in to the locking means by the tension on the control lines. Thus, a secure and easy to operate control line length adjustment system is achieved with multiple discrete locking positions.

(15) A significant aspect of the present invention is that no lines can dangle from the bar when the kite is flying, as this is very annoying for the rider and even dangerous as loose line can wrap around limbs and pieces of equipment. The arrangement of locking means 9 and stopper 10 has no excess line so there is nothing dangling from the bar.

(16) From the stopper towards the center of the bar runs an elastic retaining cord 16. Close to the center the elastic retaining cord 16 is redirected by redirecting means 15 towards point C on control line 5L, where retaining cord 16 is joined to control 5L thus forming a trim loop. The retaining cord assists in keeping the stopper 10 against the bar and in to a locking means when the rider lets go of the stopper 10 when it is outside of a locking means. By pulling stopper 10 towards the center of bar 6, the trim loop turns clock-wise and the control lines 5L and 5R are pulled into the bar and therewith shortened. As such, locking stopper 10 in a locking means close to the center of the bar 6 powers the kite up while locking stopper 10 in a locking means towards the right hand end of bar 6 de-powers the kite.

(17) A second elastic cord 17 is attached to control 5L proximate to point C, and runs from there passed the center of bar 6 through a by-pass channel 20 to fixing point 18. This elastic ensures there is tension in the section between point C and stopper 10 in control line 5L, which keeps stopper 10 locked securely in the locking means it has been set in, even if there is no tension on the control lines 5.

(18) This embodiment of the bar according to the present invention thus provides a quick, reliable and comfortable method of adjusting the length of the control lines of a kite with a 3-point control system.

(19) A second embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c.

(20) This embodiment comprises a bar 21, adapted with a reel assembly, comprising a shaft 22, a reel 23, a ratchet gear 24, a sliding pulley 25 and a knob 26, all solidly fixed together in a way that does not allow spinning of the parts relative to each other. The reel assembly is in this embodiment placed towards the end of bar 21, with the knob 26 protruding from the bar in a way the user can easily access it when maneuvering the kite. The reel assembly is attached to the bar on the end of the shaft 22, for instance by a screw 27 in a slightly over-sized hole 28 in a rigid part of the bar, such that the shaft assembly can both rotate about its axis, as well as pivot about the over-sized hole 28. Arrow D indicates direction and amount of pivoting.

(21) Similar the first embodiment, the control lines 5L and 5R have access to the bar 21 by means for sliding access 12, and are redirected towards the center by redirecting sliding means 29 and 30. Control line 5L is guided passed the center of bar 21 towards the reel assembly, and Control line 5R is redirected by a redirecting sliding means 31 located close to the center of bar 21 towards the reel assembly. Both control lines 5L and 5R can be wound on the reel jointly, or they can be joined to a reel line in order to be able to wind more line on a compact reel. Thus, the length of the control lines 5 can be adjusted by turning the reel assembly, meeting the important aspect of the present invention that no line length is left to dangle from the bar.

(22) In order to lock the line length securely while keeping operation of the reel easy, the ratchet gear cooperates with a fixed pawl. Usage conditions of kite control bars do not allow for sensitive mechanisms, hence the sheer simplicity of this embodiment. The FIGS. 3a and 3b depict how the ratchet gear 24 is moved to and away of a pawl 32. As pawl 32 is located towards the pulling direction of the joint control lines 5 according to arrow D, the gear will automatically lock on to pawl 32 as long as there is tension on the control lines 5.

(23) Arrow F depicts the winding direction. As the ratchet gears teeth are slanted to one side, they can push the reel assembly to pivot in the direction of arrow D, so to unlock the ratchet gear from the pawl. The pivoting motion is limited to a direction longitudinal to the bar by bracket 33.

(24) Unwinding the control lines 5 from the reel 23 is only possible when the reel assembly is pivoted away from the pawl along arrow D, easily done by the rider by pushing the knob 26 away from the center of bar 21. The reel assembly is then free to turn in the direction of arrow E.

(25) FIG. 4 shows a close up of a bar end adapted with means for sliding access 12 which can be shifted to two positions G and H. Shifting of the means for sliding access of a control line 5 increases or decreases the effective length of the bar and therewith the amount of control when one side of the bar is pulled. To shift the means for sliding access of a control line 5, a U shaped bracket 34 with two parallel segments can be pulled from two sliding channels 35 by a short webbing tab 36, and against an elastic cord 37, such to open a slot 38 and allow the control line 5 to traverse from one extreme position in slot 38 to another, from G to H to decrease the effective length of bar 6, or from H to G to increase the effective length of bar 6. By releasing the webbing tab, the U shaped bracket 34 can slide back in to its starting positions assisted by elastic cord 37, thus embracing control line 5 in another position.