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DE-102024132694-A1 - Inflatable water sports equipment, valve device and valve system

DE102024132694A1DE 102024132694 A1DE102024132694 A1DE 102024132694A1DE-102024132694-A1

Abstract

The invention provides an inflatable water sports device comprising at least one inflatable structure with a valve device 1000 through which air can be supplied to an interior of the structure. The valve device 1000 comprises a valve housing 10 with a passage opening 110 and a valve body 20 movably mounted on the valve housing 10 via a bearing for airtight sealing of the passage opening 110. The valve body 20 is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing 10 via the bearing, the bearing being designed such that, starting from a first angular position in which the valve body 20 can assume at least a closed position that closes the passage opening, the valve body 20 can be moved by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle α, where 0° < α < 360°, into a second angular position in which the valve body 20 can assume at least an open position that releases the passage opening and no closed position. The bearing is designed in such a way that it allows a continuous rotation of the valve body 20, so that the valve body 20 can be moved from the first angular position to the second angular position by rotating it about the axis of rotation with a rotation angle β n = α + n · 360° for each n ∈ ℤ.

Inventors

  • Ulrich Bitterolf
  • Aron Mathes

Assignees

  • BOARDS & MORE GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (20)

  1. Inflatable water sports equipment comprising at least one inflatable structure with a valve device (1000) through which air can be supplied to an interior of the structure, and comprising a valve housing (10) with a passage opening (110) and a valve body (20) movably attached to the valve housing (10) via a bearing for airtight sealing of the passage opening (110), wherein the valve body (20) is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing (10) via the bearing, wherein the bearing is configured such that, starting from a first angular position in which the valve body (20) can assume a closed position closing the passage opening (110), the valve body (20) can be moved by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle α, where 0° < α < 360°, into a second angular position in which the valve body (20) can assume an open position releasing the passage opening (110) and no closed position, and the bearing is configured such that is designed so that this allows a continuous rotation of the valve body (20), so that the valve body (20) can be moved from the first angular position to the second angular position by rotating about the axis of rotation with a rotation angle β n = α + n · 360° for each n ∈ ℤ.
  2. Water sports equipment Claim 1 , wherein the valve body (20) is locked in the first and/or second angular position via the bearing, such that the resistance to rotation of the valve body (20) from the first and/or second angular position is greater than the resistance to rotation from an intermediate angular position which lies between the first and the second angular position.
  3. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 1 or 2 , wherein the valve body (20) is displaceable relative to the valve housing (10) via the bearing along a stroke axis.
  4. Water sports equipment Claim 3 , wherein a valve stroke in the first angular position is not equal to a valve stroke in the second angular position, and wherein the valve stroke describes the possible range of motion for stroke movements of the valve body relative to the valve housing along the stroke axis.
  5. Water sports equipment Claim 4 , where the valve lift in the first angular position is greater than the valve lift in the second angular position.
  6. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 4 or 5 , wherein the bearing provides, at least for the first and second angular positions of the valve body (20), preferably for each angular position of the valve body (20), with respect to a fixed stroke reference point of the valve housing (10), a lower stroke end position and an upper stroke end position, which determine the valve stroke and between which the valve body (20) is displaceable in the respective angular position relative to the valve housing (10) along the stroke axis, wherein at least one lower stroke end position in the first angular position is not equal to a lower stroke end position in the second angular position and the valve body (20) assumes the closed position when it is in the lower stroke end position in the first angular position, and assumes the open position when it is in the lower stroke end position in the second angular position.
  7. Water sports equipment Claim 6 , wherein the bearing has a guide contour (120) and one or more guide sections (210) adapted to it, which are movable relative to each other by rotating the valve body (20), wherein the guide contour (120) defines a lower stroke end position for each angular position of the valve body (20) by interaction with the one or more guide sections (210).
  8. Water sports equipment Claim 7 , wherein the guide contour (120) is designed as part of the valve housing (10) and the one or more guide sections (210) are designed as part of the valve body (20).
  9. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 7 or 8 , wherein a contour curve of the guide contour (120) in a circumferential direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation is a continuous curve over an angular range from 0° to 360°.
  10. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 6 until 9 , wherein the valve device (1000) comprises a restoring element (40), in particular in the form of an elastic spring, which exerts a restoring force on the valve body (20) by which the valve body (20) is clamped in the lower stroke end position of the first angular position.
  11. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 3 until 10 , where one direction of the lifting axis corresponds to one direction of the rotational axis
  12. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 1 until 11 , wherein the bearing is designed such that the valve body (20) is positioned starting from a The third angular position, which corresponds neither to the first nor the second angular position and in which the valve body (20) can assume a further closing position that closes the passage opening (110), can be moved by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle γ, with 0° < γ < 360°, into a fourth angular position, which corresponds neither to the first nor the second angular position, in which the valve body (20) can assume a further opening position that releases the passage opening (110) and no closing position, whereby, due to the bearing that allows continuous rotation, the valve body (20) can be moved from the third angular position to the fourth angular position by rotating it about the axis of rotation with a rotation angle δ n = γ + n · 360° for each n ∈ ℤ.
  13. Water sports equipment Claim 12 , wherein the bearing is designed such that the valve body (20) can be moved from the second angular position to the third angular position by rotating about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle θ, with 0° < θ < 360°, and α + γ + θ < 360° applies, wherein preferably 80° ≤ α ≤ 100° and/or 80° ≤ δ ≤ 100° and/or 80° ≤ θ ≤ 100° applies.
  14. Water sports equipment Claim 13 , wherein the bearing is designed such that the valve body (20) can be moved from the third angular position to the first angular position by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle ϕ, where 0° < ϕ < 360°, and preferably α + γ + θ + ϕ = 360°
  15. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 1 until 14 , wherein the valve body (20) comprises a closure section (21) adapted to the passage opening (110), an operating section (23) about which the valve body (20) can be rotated, and a connecting section (22) arranged in between, wherein the bearing is applied particularly in the area of the connecting section (22).
  16. Water sports equipment according to one of the Claims 1 until 15 , wherein the water sports equipment is a surfing equipment, in particular a wing rig (3000) or a kite, and the inflatable structure is preferably an inflatable front tube (3001) of the kite or the wing rig (3000) or an inflatable middle or transverse tube of the kite or the wing rig (3000).
  17. Valve device (1000) for use on a water sports device, in particular a valve device (1000) of a water sports device according to one of the Claims 1 until 16 , comprising a valve housing (10) with a passage opening (110) and a valve body (20) movably mounted on the valve housing (10) via a bearing for airtight sealing of the passage opening (110), wherein the valve body (20) is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing (10) via the bearing, such that, starting from a first angular position in which the valve body (20) can assume a closed position closing the passage opening (110), the valve body (20) can be moved by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle β, where 0° < β ≤ 180°, into a second angular position in which the valve body (20) can assume an open position releasing the passage opening (110) and no closed position, and the bearing is designed such that it permits continuous rotation of the valve body (20), so that, starting from the first angular position, the valve body (20) can be moved by a Rotation around the axis of rotation with a rotation angle α n = β + n · 360° for each n ∈ ℤ can bring it into the second angular position.
  18. Valve device (1000) according to Claim 17 , wherein the valve body (20) comprises a closure section (21) adapted to the passage opening (110), an operating section (23) about which the valve body (20) can be rotated, and a connecting section (22) arranged in between, wherein the bearing is applied particularly in the area of the connecting section (22).
  19. Valve device (1000) according to one of the Claims 1 until 18 , wherein the valve housing (10) has a fastening section adapted to a connection adapter designed for use with a pump device, such that the connection adapter can be brought into interaction with the fastening section by insertion and rotation relative to the valve housing (10) in order to detachably fasten the connection adapter to the valve housing (10), and the fastened connection adapter can be separated from the fastening section by rotation and withdrawal from the valve housing (10) in order to detach the fastened connection adapter from the valve housing (10).
  20. Valve device according to Claim 18 and after Claim 19 , wherein the operating section (23) of the valve body (20) is adapted to an actuating section of the connection adapter such that, by inserting and rotating the connection adapter to establish the releasable attachment of the connection adapter to the valve housing (20), the actuating section, through interaction with the operating section (23), rotates the valve body (20) from an angular position other than the first angular position into the first angular position, and/or the operating section (23) of the valve body (20) is adapted to the actuating section of the connection adapter such that by rotating the attached connection adapter to release the attachment of the connection adapter to the valve body (20), the actuating section, through interaction with the operating section (23), rotates the valve body (20) from an angular position that is not the first angular position to the first angular position.

Description

Technical field The present invention relates to an inflatable water sports device, a valve device for use with an inflatable water sports device and a valve system. Background of the invention Inflatable water sports equipment, particularly in surfing, is known from the field of water sports, specifically surfing equipment, which can only be used as intended after inflating its structure. This has the advantage, among others, that the equipment can be transported in a space-saving manner when deflated and only reaches its final, intended shape at its destination through inflation. Examples that are not restrictive include an inflatable wing rig or an inflatable kite, which are surfing equipment that allows the user to be pulled on a board over water, but also over land (ice, snow, sand, etc.). With a kite, the user controls the equipment via a bar to which lines are attached, connecting the bar to a canopy that flies during use. In contrast, the user of a wing rig holds the equipment directly with their hands, either using handles or a control pole called a boom. Typically, an inflatable kite or wing rig features an inflatable leading edge that acts as a wingtip for the wind. Additionally, inflatable cross tubes extending essentially transversely to the leading edge may be included; when inflated, these cross tubes, together with the leading edge, form a sail. Other examples of inflatable water sports equipment include inflatable canoes, kayaks, dinghies, rafting boats, SUP boards (stand-up paddleboards), surfboards, or wingboards. To inflate or deflate inflatable structures, they typically have a valve device that penetrates an outer skin of the structure to supply or remove air from its interior. Due to the relatively large volume of air required, this supply is achieved via a pump device, the adapter of which is connected to the valve device. To save weight, such valve devices are usually made of plastic. During each inflation and deflation cycle, the valve is inevitably actuated, subjecting it to mechanical stress. This stress gradually wears down the valve and can easily lead to damage if the valve is handled carelessly, especially considering that water sports equipment, and therefore the valve device, is regularly exposed to extreme conditions, such as pressure when inflated, UV radiation, heat, cold, salt water, sand, etc. Summary One object of the present invention is therefore to create a more robust inflatable water sports device with regard to filling and emptying. To solve this problem, an inflatable water sports device according to claim 1, a valve device for use with a water sports device according to claim 17 and a valve system according to claim 22 are provided. The respective dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments, which can each be provided individually or in combination. According to a first aspect of the invention, an inflatable water sports device is provided, comprising at least one inflatable structure with a valve device through which air can be supplied to an interior of the structure. The valve device comprises a valve housing with a passage opening and a valve body movably mounted on the valve housing via a bearing for airtight sealing of the passage opening. The valve body is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing via the bearing, the bearing being designed such that, starting from a first angular position in which the valve body can assume at least a closed position closing the passage opening, the valve body can be moved by rotating it about the axis of rotation with an actuation angle α, where 0° < α < 360°, into a second angular position in which the valve body can assume at least an open position releasing the passage opening and no closed position. The bearing is designed to allow continuous rotation of the valve body, so that The valve body can be moved from the first angular position to the second angular position by rotating it around the axis of rotation with a rotation angle β n = α + n · 360° for each n ∈ ℤ. Accordingly, it is preferably the case that the valve body, starting from the second angular position, is rotated about the axis of rotation by an angle of rotation. βn*=(−βn)=−α−n⋅360°  for every n ∈ ℤ (ℤ as the set of integers) can be moved into the first angular position. When rotating around the axis of rotation, the sign of the angle of rotation indicates the direction of rotation. For example, a positive angle of rotation means that the valve body is rotated relative to the valve housing in a mathematically positive direction, whereas a negative angle of rotation means that the valve body is rotated relative to the valve housing in a mathematically negative direction. The rotational orientation of the valve body relative to the valve housing is specified by an angular position, which, with respect to the axis of rotation, describes an angle of rotation between a body-fixed coordinate system of the valve body and a body-