Patent Publication Number: US-9421407-B2

Title: Starting block for swimming pools

Description:
The present invention regards an improved starting block for swimming pools, which can be used, in particular but not exclusively during swimming competition training and racing sessions. 
     The current sports regulations which define the rules for swimming competitions (FINA regulations) provide for that the platform or starting blocks be made according to specifically outlined ergonomic and dimensional characteristics. The blocks should for example be built so as to allow each athlete, in the forward starts (freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke), to grip the front part and the sides of the start platform. On the other hand, the backstroke starting requires that there be provided proper handgrips on the front part of the blocks. 
     In particular, in the start of the backstroke swimming competitions the current sports regulations provide for that each swimmer be partly immersed in water, with the feet resting on the head vertical wall of the swimming pool and the hands gripping the handgrips that the starting blocks are provided with. Usually the swimmer, using the force of the hands, lifts himself in compression and then launches himself, with the back facing downwards, in the swimming direction due to the thrust exerted by the feet on the wall of the swimming pool. 
     One of the problems that occur during the start of the backstroke swimming competitions lies in the fact that the efficiency of the start action depends both on the positioning of the feet of the swimmer with respect to the wall of the swimming pool and especially on the friction between the soles of the feet and such wall. During the starting stage the swimmer launches himself upwards and the thrust action is thus not orthogonal to the wall of the swimming pool, but inclined, with a component of the motion parallel to the wall which induces the sliding. 
     Up to date, a possibility for avoiding the aforementioned drawback is that of making the head vertical wall of the swimming pool non-slippery. However, there are objective limits to the effect that can be obtained, for example for the sake of pleasantness of the wall to touch and for the sake of facilitating the operations of cleaning the wall itself. 
     In addition, a normal head vertical wall of a swimming pool does not allow the swimmer to maintain a position of the feet perfectly orthogonal with respect to the rest of the body during backstroke upward thrust starting stage. This prevents the swimmer from developing the maximum effort possible in the upwards thrust direction. 
     Another possibility for avoiding the aforementioned drawback could be that of inclining at least part of the head wall of the swimming pool. In such case, in the upwards thrust stage, the position of the feet of the swimmer with respect to the rest of the body could be that of 90°, ideal for obtaining the maximum effect from the exerted muscle effort. However, it should be observed that the head wall of a swimming pool for swimming competitions, excluding the starting stages of such competitions, should always remain vertical and free from obstacles so as to allow the subsequent turning of the swimmers. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,583 describes a device for supporting the feet of the swimmer capable of at least partly overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks. The support device U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,583, connected to the starting block by means of belts, is however poorly stable and scarcely adjustable so as to suit the various needs of the swimmers. 
     Thus, an object of the present invention is that of providing an improved starting block for swimming pools, particularly but not exclusively useable during swimming training and race sessions, that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, inexpensive and particularly functional manner. 
     In detail, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved starting block for swimming pools which is capable of providing an ideal support for the feet of each swimmer during the backstroke swimming competition starts, regardless of the type of head wall of the swimming pool on which such starting block is installed. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved starting block for swimming pools which allows adjusting the start position to suit the needs of each swimmer. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved starting block for swimming pools capable of allowing performing, in an easy and safe manner, the start of swimming races of any recognized style, as well as using the swimming pool for training and recreational purposes in an entirely safe manner. 
     These objects according to the present invention are attained by providing an improved starting block for swimming pools, that can be particularly but not exclusively used for swimming training and race sessions, as outlined in claim  1 . 
     Further characteristics of the invention are outlined by the dependent claims, which are an integral part of the present description. 
    
    
     
       The characteristics and advantages of an improved starting block for swimming pools according to the present invention shall be more apparent from the following exemplified and non-limiting description with reference to the attached schematic drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the improved starting block for swimming pools according to the present invention, shown in a first operating configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the starting block of  FIG. 1 , shown in an intermediate configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the starting block of  FIG. 1 , shown in a second operating configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed view of the means for adjusting the starting block of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the improved starting block for swimming pools according to the present invention, shown in a first operating configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the starting block of  FIG. 5 , shown in a second operating configuration; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the means for adjusting the starting block of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is another perspective view of the means for adjusting the starting block of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     With reference to the figures, there is shown an improved starting block for swimming pools according to the present invention, indicated in its entirety with reference number  10 . The starting block  10  comprises, in a per se known manner, a base portion  12 , constrainable to the perimetrical structure of the swimming pool at one of its head vertical wall, and an upper walkable portion  14 , supported by the base portion  12  and aligned with the head vertical wall of the swimming pool so as to be used as a platform by a swimmer. The starting block  10  also comprises one or more handgrips  16 , protruding from the base portion  12  towards the internal part of the swimming pool and useable by the swimmer during the start stages of a swimming competition. 
     According to the invention, to the starting block  10  there is operatively connected a means  18  for supporting the feet of the swimmer, provided with a moving system which allows such support means  18  to move between a first operating position, wherein such support means  18  leans against the head vertical wall so as to form a step which is inclined with respect to such head vertical wall and facing upwards, and a second rest position, wherein such support means  18  is outside the swimming pool and does not represent an obstacle for the swimmers who are inside such swimming pool or on the starting block  10 . 
     In other words the support means  18 , when it is immersed in the swimming pool and leans against the head vertical wall, forms an inclined step which confers an ideal support for the feet of the swimmer during the thrust or upwards thrust stage of the backstroke start. The inclination of the support means  18  with respect to the head vertical wall of the swimming pool may for example be regulated so as to always form an ideal angle for the maximum efficiency of the thrust action of the swimmer. Similarly, also the depth of the support means  18  with respect to the edge of the swimming pool may be adjustable according to the specific needs of each swimmer. 
     Immediately after the start of the swimmer the support means  18  may be moved to a rest position in which it does not represent an obstacle, or it may be even removed from the starting block  10 . Thus, it is possible to leave the head vertical wall of the swimming pool free during the subsequent turning stage of the swimming competition. 
     According to the current sports regulations the support means  18 , in its operating position, is configured so as to be at least partly immersed in the water of the swimming pool, given that the swimmers start with the feet under water in the official backstroke races. However, it cannot be excluded that the support means  18 , in its operating position, may be on the water surface or even above the water surface, for example following possible modifications of the sports regulations or allowing performing other activities different from the backstroke swimming competitions starts. 
     According to the first embodiment of the starting block  10 , shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the support means  18  is made up of a plate  20  hinged to the base portion  12  through a rigid frame which allows rotating such support means  18  to put it away, in its rest position, on the rear of the starting block  10  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The rigid frame may be conveniently made up of two curved bars  22 , one for each side of the starting block  10 , which in the operating position of the support means  18  are arranged substantially adjacent to the edge and to the head vertical wall of the swimming pool, so as to have the least possible bulk. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the plate  20  may be provided with means for adjusting its position with respect to the rigid frame, so as to be able to determine the position of the support means  18  with respect to the head vertical wall of the swimming pool. For example, the adjustment means may be made up of hooks  42 , integral with the plate  20 , which can be selectively engaged in a plurality of slots  44  arranged in predefined positions along each curved bar  22 . 
     The support means  18  may in any case be provided with any moving system which allows the passage thereof from the operating position to the rest position and vice versa, such as for example an articulated parallelogram. The movement of the support means  18  when passing from the operating position to the rest position may be performed manually and, in such case, it could be facilitated by springs and/or gas dampers part of the relative moving system. The moving of the support means  18  when passing from the operating position to the rest position may even be made automated, and in such case, the moving system may be mechanical, electromechanical, pneumatic or of any other type and it may be provided with a control and management electronic system (not shown). 
     In the case where the moving system is automated, the control of the action of moving the support means  18  from the operating position to the rest position could be imparted manually by a designated person, such as for example a lane judge, using the control and management electronic system. Alternatively, such control and management electronic system could be connected to the start signal of the swimming competition for activating, with suitable delay, the control of the movement action of the support means  18  from the operating position to the rest position. During training, the control of the movement action of the support means  18  from the operating position to the rest position could be activated by the swimmer with a predetermined delay, capable of allowing him to prepare and start before such support means  18  moves towards its rest position. 
     The automated version of the support means  18  shall obviously comply with the current regulations (directive 2006/42/EC or “machinery directive”) of the field in force, as well as comprise instruments for preventing the risks of impact with the people present in the area surrounding the starting block  10 . The support means  18  may for example be provided with a torque limiting device, rounded portions, soft buffers, etc., while the relative control and management electronic system shall always guarantee a suitable movement speed when passing from the operating position to the rest position and vice versa. 
     According to the second embodiment of the starting block  10 , shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the support means  18  is made up of a plate  20  constrained to the starting block  10  by means of belts  24 . The belts  24  may be adjustable length-wise and may be removably constrained in turn to the starting block  10 , for example through a bar  26 . The bar  26  may be rotatably connected to a support framework  30  removably constrained to the starting block  10 . The rotation of the bar  26  around the axis thereof with respect to the support framework  30  and, hence, with respect to the starting block  10 , allows obtaining the length-wise adjustment of the belts  24 , which in turn determines the position of the support means  18  with respect to the head vertical wall of the swimming pool. 
     The bar  26  and the relative support framework  30  may be held by a thrust step  28  with which the upper walkable portion  14  of the starting block  10  may be provided. The bar  26  and the relative support framework  30  may obviously also be held by any other suitable structural element of the starting block  10 , such as for example one or more guides  32  obtained on the upper walkable portion  14  and/or on the thrust step  28  of the starting block  10 . This allows applying the support means  18  also to pre-existent starting blocks without leading to any construction modifications. Once the swimmer starts the backstroke, a similar support means  18  may be manually and easily removed from the starting block  10  and placed on the edge swimming pool. 
     The length-wise adjustment of the belts  24  may be obtained through a step-by-step adjustment mechanism  34  with a plurality of positions ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ), installed on the bar  26  and on the relative support framework  30 . In detail, the step-by-step adjustment mechanism  32  comprises a reel  36 , integral with each end of the bar  26 , on which there is wound each single belt  24 . At each reel  36  there is provided a toothed ring nut  38 , operatively connected to the bar  26  through a spring so that such toothed ring nut  38  may exclusively perform an axial movement, limited to some tenths of millimetres, with respect to the bar  26 . 
     The toothed ring nut  38 , when pushed by the relative spring, is configured so as to be engaged with a shaped block portion  40  of the support framework  30  for blocking the rotation movement of the bar  26  with respect to the support framework  30 , thus avoiding the winding/unwinding of each single belt  24  with respect to the relative reel  36 . Vice versa, when the toothed ring nut  38  is moved manually along the axial direction of the bar  26 , overcoming the force of the relative spring, there occurs the disengagement of the toothed ring nut  38  from the corresponding shaped block portion  40  of the support framework  30 . Thus, this configuration allows performing the operation of winding/unwinding each single belt  24  with respect to the relative reel  36 , thus allowing an easy adjustability, even by the swimmer, of the height at which the support means  18  is arranged. 
     Thus, it cannot be excluded that the support means  18  can be obtained according to other embodiments different from those illustrated in the attached figures, thus there cannot be excluded the possibility of modifying the components constituting the support means  18 . Thus, for example, in the rest position the plate  20  could represent a surface on which a sponsorship sticker can be applied, not only due to the fact that it is exposed to the view of the public watching the swimming competition, but also due to the extra attention that the movement of the support means  18  generates always. The plate  20  could also support a device for detecting possible movements of the swimmer before the start signal, so as to identify a false start. 
     It has thus been observed that the improved starting block for swimming pools according to the present invention attains the previously described objects. Such improved starting block may be installed on any type of swimming pool, prefabricated or not, without altering the method of construction of such swimming pool, or it may be installed on previously built swimming pools. 
     The improved starting block for swimming pools of the present invention thus conceived can however be subjected to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept; furthermore, all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may vary according to the technical requirements. 
     The scope of protection of the invention is thus defined by the attached claims.