TRAINING HARNESS FOR TEACHING DOWNHILL SKIING

Abstract: Harness for training unskilled persons downhill skiing, comprising a waist belt (1) with two camisole straps (3, 4), the first end of the latter being secured to the rear of the waist belt (1) and the opposite end of the same secured to the front side of the waist belt (1), the waist belt (1) side is further provided with securing means (5), preferably rings, the securing means (5) preferably being adjustable relative to the circumference of the waist belt. Two control ropes, straps, rigid sticks, or similar (6, 7), which in their first ends are temporarily attached to the securing means (5), the opposite end of the control ropes provided with grips, straps or reel grips, to provide a grip for the instructor. When the instructor grasp the control ropes, the instructor will keep the pupil from running away, and simultaneously teaching the pupil hip swing by dragging one of the control ropes (6, 7), thus forcing the pupil's hip to one side. Moreover, the belt may be provided with shoulder straps (9, 10) in order to prevent the belt from being pulled downwards to the legs, for example if the pupil falls forward.

Description: Training harness for teaching downhill skiing. The present invention concerns a harness device, particularly suitable for teaching children downhill skiing, in accordance with the introductory part of claim 1. Usually, children learn downhill skiing by a person holding them between his legs and grabbing their shoulders, thus teaching how to turn and to control the skis. By teaching in this way, a problem arise because the pupil will not learn to turn the hip in a proper way, an essential element in slalom. Moreover, if one of the actors loose control or if the instructor loose his grip when out of balance for a moment, a risk exist that they fall upon each other. A risk may then arise that the pupil will run away in to dangerous areas. DE Patent Application no. 35 21 146 describes an attempt to remedy some of these problems. The pupil is provided with a waist belt comprising mounting or securing means in the back of the belt for connection with a rope. A grip is connected to the other end of the rope to provide control for the instructor. Thus, the instructor will avoid that the pupil runs away downhill on his own. The object of the present invention is to provide such a harness for teaching e.g. children, minimizing the risk of the pupil and the instructor both falling or the pupil run away alone, and at the same time provide control of the pupil's hip swing in order to teach the pupil the basic skills of slalom technique in a faster way. This object is fulfilled in accordance with the characterizing part of claim 1. Further features appears from the independent claims. In order to achieve a better understanding of the invention, figures are enclosed, in which Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention including a part of the accompanying control ropes, Figure 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the harness, in which further an alternative is indicated with dotted lines, Figure 3 illustrates the embodiment in accordance with Figure 1 , but provided with shoulder harnesses, and Figure 4 illustrates the harness in use. The invention is characterized in a harness or belt 1 provided with a tightener 2, to fasten the belt around the waist/hip of the pupil. In order to avoid any rotation of the harness around the hip, two straps, ropes or the equivalent 3, 4, are attached, which in the direction of motion downhill are arranged substantially parallel with the latter. The straps are preferably attached beyond and at a certain distance away from the side of the central part of the waist belt 1, respectively, so that the respective straps 3 and 4 extend downwards and forwards in the direction of downhill motion, and upwards to the front of the waist belt 1. These camisole straps may be fixedly attached to the front of the waist belt, or attached by means of e.g. snap couplings or hooks. In addition should at least one of the securing means for each camisole strap be provided with a tightener 8, such as a belt buckle, to secure the waist belt down to the hip sockets. When the waist belt is secured to the hip, the belt will stay fixed to the hip and will not rotate when one attempts to turn the belt relative to the body. Moreover, the waist belt 1 will not be pulled upwards to the chest when the instructor is elevated relative to the pupil (Fig. 2). In an alternative embodiment, the camisole straps may be crossed, so that the respective straps 3 and 4 are terminated at the opposite side in front of the belt, in view of the direction of motion downhill, resulting in an improved hold of the waist belt against sideways turning compared with non-crossed camisole straps. Moreover, the camisole straps 3,4 may at a location between the back and front side be joined to provide one single strap 3+4, which preferably is attached to the front by means of a belt buckle, snap couplings or similar 8 to the waist belt 1. Securing means 5, such as hooks, are fixedly attached to the waist belt 1. Two control ropes, wires, rigid sticks or similar 6, 7, are attached to these securing means. The control ropes may be fixedly attached to the belt 1 or the securing means 5, or attached with hooks or snap couplings to the securing means 5. The control rope securing means 5 should not be positioned -further back or forward of the waist belt than a controlled rotation of the pupil by dragging one of the ropes is obtained. If the attachment means 5 are positioned at a certain distance in front of the side of the waist belt relative to the direction of motion downhill, a pulling action backwards in the securing means in a direction opposite the direction of motion downhill, will result in a longer hip turning distance in relation to securing means positioned at the side or beyond the side of the waist belt. If the control device 6, 7 is provided as rigid sticks, the sticks should be attached to the waist belt in such a way to be rotatable around the stick axis without affecting the belt. The instructor's hands may then be oriented in any position independent from the position of the pupil. The length of the control ropes or control sticks may be from 1.5 to 6 m, preferably 3 m. The control sticks or ropes may in their respective ends opposite the waist belt be provided with some sort of a grip, ropes or similar, (indicated in Figure 2) to provide a proper grip to the instructor. In further an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the control ropes are at the instructor's end provided with a grip provided with a clamp device or tightener. This may be carried out by making two holes in a relatively thin plate, through which the respective control ropes may be guided. In such a case, the control ropes are preferably guided in at one side and out at the other side. A strap or a grip may be attached to this plate, to provide a grip for the instructor. When the rope is loaded with force, the rope will be drawn tight to the edge of the hole so as to avoid the rope to slip out from the plate. By means of simple hand adjustments, the rope length can be increased or decreased to adjust the rope length in accordance with the skill of the pupil or the hill slope. An alternative embodiment of the grip means of the control ropes is a reel grip known from dog collars. The instructor can also in this case increase or decrease the length of the control ropes with a simple hand adjustment to adjust the rope length to the hill and the pupil. The hip harness may in addition be provided with shoulder straps 9 and 10, of a generally common type, as illustrated in Figure 3. If the pupil falls forwards so that the belt will be pulled downwards to the legs, the shoulder straps will accordingly ensure that the hip harness will stay in place. Moreover, if used on handicapped persons, the shoulder straps will further stabilize the pupil. The shoulder straps can be further stabilized by joining the two shoulder straps 9 and 10 in front to an adjustable chest belt in a manner known per se (not illustrated). Further alternative embodiments of the shoulder straps may be provided, such as two separate belts 9 and 10, which in the back area are connected by a cross member. In another embodiment, the hip harness including camisole straps are sewed into a downhill clothing or similar. Moreover, the respective control ropes may be wrapped around the front of the belt and thereafter back to the instructor. In this way, the instructor will be able to obtain a longer hip turning distance of the pupil. The present invention is in particular concerned with training of children in downhill skiing, but may also beneficially be used with handicapped individuals, such as blind persons, both in connection with training and to make downhill skiing more convenient. In both cases, the present invention will enable training in a steeper hill than if the pupil for example is placed between the instructor's legs.

Claims: Claims 1. Harness device for teaching persons in slalom hills and similar, comprising a waist belt (1) including a tightener (2), to which a rope is attached in order to provide control between the instructor and pupil, characterized in that the waist belt (1) is provided with two camisole straps (3,4), which in the rear side of the waist belt (1) are fixed and distanced away from the central part of the belt in a distance of at least 5 degrees from the waist belt symmetry line in view of the direction of motion downhill and in the front at maximum 85 degrees away from said line of symmetry, the camisole straps extend downwards from the waist belt (1), forwards, and up to the waist belt front, where the camisole straps (3,4) are secured to the waist belt (1), and that two securing means (5) are attached to the respective sides of the waist belt (1), but not further back or to the front than the instructor by exerting a pulling action backwards opposite the direction of motion with connection to one of the securing means will obtain a turning motion to the side of the pupil, the securing means being connected with two control ropes, straps, rigid sticks, or similar (6,7), respectively, the control ropes at their opposite ends are provided with grips, hand straps, or equivalent, so that the instructor can grab the latter and control the position of the pupil sideways. 2. Harness in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the camisole straps (3,4) each are attached to the front of the waist belt (1) at a distance of at least 5 degrees from the symmetry line of the waist belt in view of the direction of motion downhill, and maximum 85 degrees away from said line of symmetry. 3. Harness in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the securing means (5) are mounted to the waist belt so that each securing means (5) may be moved along the waist belt (1) to be parked in engagement with the waist belt (1), so that the control ropes' (6,7) point of contact can be adjusted if desired, to adjust the size of the pupil. 4. Harness in accordance with claim 1-3, characterized in that the camisole straps (3,4) extend from a location at the rear of the belt and are joined to form one single strap (3+4) mounted to the front of the waist belt (1). 5. Harness in accordance with claim 1-4, characterized in that the camisole straps are provided with tighteners (8), such as belt buckles, to adjust the length of the camisole straps. 6. Harness in accordance with claim 1-5, characterized in that the camisole straps (3,4) are crossed relative to each other in view of their respective securing means at the front side of the waist belt (1) to their securing means at the rear side of the waist belt (1). 7. Harness in accordance with claim 1-6, characterized in that rigid control sticks (6,7) are mounted to the waist belt (1), in suc a manner that the sticks are rotatable about their respective axis. 8. Harness in accordance with claim 1-7, characterized in that the control ropes, straps, sticks, or similar, (6,7) have a respective length of from 1.5 to 6 m. 9. Harness in accordance with claim 1-8, characterized in that the control rope's (6,7) grip is formed as a plate provided with two holes, through which the control rope is guided in at one side and out at the other, so that the rope enters and terminates at the same side of the plate, de plate also being provided with a grip, hand strap or similar, for the instructor. 10. Harness in accordance with claim 1-8, characterized in that the control ropes (6,7) are provided with a reel grip, giving the instructor an opportunity to adjust the length of the respective ropes (6,7). 11. Harness in accordance with claim 1-10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the waist belt (1) including camisole straps (3,4) and accompanying tighteners, buckles (2,8) and similar, is sewed into a downhill clothing or similar. 12. Harness in accordance with claim 1-11, characterized in that straps (9,10) are mounted to the front side and to the rear side of the waist belt, the straps being wrapped over the shoulders, thus avoiding the waist belt (1) being pulled downwards along the legs. 13. Belt in accordance with claim 1-12, characterized in that the securing means (5) are rings mounted to the waist belt (1).

Inventors: JENSEN GEIR, JENSEN, GEIR
Applicants: JENSEN GEIR, JENSEN, GEIR
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A63B69
IPC codes: A63B69