Description:Background of the invention
The present invention relates to the field of sporting equipment used in a playing area, and in particular racket sports.
The invention more specifically relates to a demarcating installation intended to be deployed on the ground and to split two play areas.
It is more particularly applicable for outdoor racket sports, in particular in yards or in parks in urban settings, where users rarely have a yard making it possible to play a racket sport.
The demarcating installation according to the invention must be able to be transported easily and assembled or disassembled quickly, while remaining stable enough to ensure comfortable playing of the sport on uneven terrain.
Transportable and deployable demarcating installations are known making it possible to define two playing areas. These devices are generally made up of a leg assembly resting on the ground, made up of several connected segments, as well as a net stretched between the ends of the leg assembly.
One of the drawbacks of this type of installation is its bulk.
Demarcating installations are in particular known like those described in FR 2,993,467. This type of installation includes a leg assembly comprising two separated arcs, made up of segments connected using articulations, and a net keeping the arcs tensed. This device may be assembled and disassembled quickly owing to the articulations between the segments.
However, the drawback of such equipment is that it is relatively heavy and cumbersome once folded up, which makes it difficult to transport.
Demarcating installations are also known like those proposed in US 5,018,746. The latter document discloses a device including a net and a rigid leg assembly made up of tubes fitted together end-to-end and connected by lockable crossbars. The arcs thus produced are deployed, in the usage position, such that the segments are kept fitted together by the tension of the net.
However, this equipment has the drawback of being time-consuming and difficult to assemble and disassemble, in addition to a lack of compactness once folded up.
Subject matter and brief description of the invention
One aim of the present invention is to propose a demarcating installation for play areas resolving the aforementioned drawbacks. The invention in particular aims to improve the deployment and folding of the installation while reducing the bulk and allowing easy transport thereof. Inseparably, the demarcating installation must have great stability to allow the game to be played on uneven terrain.
To that end, the invention relates to a demarcating installation dividing two play areas including two arches spaced apart on the ground, inclined toward one another and attached to one another above the ground in two fastening parts and a link extending between the two fastening parts, the installation further including a flexible junction device cooperating with the two arches to maintain a separation between the two arches when the demarcating installation is assembled.
To place the demarcating installation in position, the user connects the flexible junction device to the arches, then positions the assembly on the ground. The first end of the link preferably initially being attached to the arches at the first fastening part, the user connects the second end of the link to the arches at the second fastening part.
Preferably, but not exclusively, the arches are flexible, such that the assembly of the link to the arches makes it possible to tense the arches and the link jointly so as to deploy the structure of the installation on the ground. The arches are thus kept tensed, in the bowed position toward the sky, by the link. Reciprocally, the arches keep the link tensed horizontally between the two fastening parts. The demarcating installation according to the invention may therefore be installed very quickly, without specific tools.
According to the invention, once the installation is assembled and resting on the ground, the separation between the arches is maintained owing to the flexible junction device. The arches in fact tend to move laterally away from one another under the weight of the installation or to come closer together in case of impact on one of said arches. The flexible junction device then makes it possible to maintain an appropriate separation between the arches, ensuring the stability of the installation.
The junction device being flexible, the separation between the arches is configurable and adapts to the position of the arches. It is therefore understood that the flexibility of the flexible junction device allows the user to play on uneven terrain where the arches are not perfectly positioned and aligned.
Advantageously, the flexible junction device includes maintaining means for the arches. These maintaining means, making it possible to provide the connection between the arches and the flexible junction device, may non-limitingly include straps, pieces of fabric, Velcro strips or rigid fasteners.
According to one preferred, but nonexclusive alternative, the maintaining means include at least one sheath crossed through by at least one of the two arches, owing to which it will be possible to connect the flexible junction device to at least one arch. The interest is that it is easy to slip the arch into the sheath or remove it therefrom, which facilitates the deployment and disassembly of the installation.
According to one advantageous embodiment, the flexible junction device includes two sheaths, each arch crossing through one of the two sheaths.
A first interest is to be able to quickly and easily connect the flexible junction device to the two arches by sliding the latter into the sheaths. A second interest is the ability to keep the two arches oriented along the axes of the sheaths. This in particular makes it possible to stabilize the structure of the installation.
The sheaths may, but do not exclusively, consist of one or more flexible sleeves positioned on the flexible junction device in order to receive the arches.
Non-limitingly, the sheaths may be made up of a single flexible sleeve or several separate and aligned small flexible sleeves.
Preferably, the two sheaths are parallel and extend along the two side edges of the maintaining device, owing to which the arches, supporting the whole structure, are kept parallel, improving the base and balance of the demarcating installation.
Advantageously, the sheaths have a length substantially equal to at least half of the distance separating the sheaths. Such an arrangement has the advantage of defining a connection portion between the arches and the flexible junction device having a large enough surface to allow effective guiding of the arches according to the orientation of the sheaths. Furthermore, such a ratio between the length of the sheaths and the distance separating them ensures the stability of the installation when the flexible junction device is used as leg assembly.
Preferably, the flexible junction device may be substantially quadrangular.
According to one particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, the flexible junction device forms a leg assembly connecting the median parts of the two arches to one another, the leg assembly being arranged to rest on the ground. This provides an even greater base for the device by increasing the contact surface with the ground.
One interest of connecting the median parts of the arches to one another is to keep them separated without creating asymmetry in the structure. The flexible junction device connecting the median parts of the arches prevents the installation from tilting along the curve of the formed arcs.
The advantage of using the flexible junction device as flexible leg assembly is to allow the use of the demarcating installation on all types of terrain, and in particular uneven terrain. It will be understood that the flexibility of the leg assembly allows it to adapt to the imperfections of the ground without unbalancing the device.
Preferably, the flexible junction device can be wound around itself, owing to which the compactness of the installation is increased while reducing the bulk when the system is folded.
Also preferably, the flexible junction device is a textile part. Such a material makes it possible to reduce the mass of the flexible junction device compared to a junction device made from plastic, for example. Another advantage is that such a textile part may be cleaned easily.
Alternatively, the flexible junction device includes a plurality of plates connected to one another by a flexible link such that the flexible junction device may be wound around itself while having better robustness.
Preferably, the arches are flexible and bendable, and comprise several arch segments connected end-to-end by connecting elements, the arch segments being able to be separated from one another. The flexibility of the arches makes it possible to tense the latter easily, in the position bowed toward the sky, which results in jointly tensing the link between the two fastening parts. The link is thus kept horizontal.
Furthermore, the fact that the arch segments are connected end-to-end and can be separated makes it possible to deploy and fold the installation very easily while increasing the compactness of the equipment once folded up. The arches may, non-limitingly, be connected to one another by a rubber band passing inside each segment, along the longitudinal direction of the segment, owing to which the arch segments fit together easily and it is not possible to lose one. The assembly and disassembly operations are therefore very simple.
According to one particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, the flexible junction device has a folded position in which it forms a storage case for receiving the folded arch segments once the demarcating installation is disassembled. One interest is to allow quick storage of the device. It is thus possible to transport the entire disassembled installation without needing an additional bag. The versatility of the flexible junction device thus significantly reduces the production costs and makes it possible to increase the compactness of the installation once disassembled.
Preferably, the flexible junction device includes a pouch arranged to house all or part of the arch segments. The advantage is that the arch segments are kept in the pouch in order to prevent them from sliding toward the bottom of the storage case. It will therefore be noted that the flexible junction device is completely convertible into a storage case. One can also see that the link can be wound around the folded arch segments during storage in the case to save more space.
Preferably, the pouch may be positioned on the same face of the flexible junction device as the sheaths or, without going beyond the scope of the claims, on an opposite face of the flexible junction device relative to the sheaths.
Also preferably, the pouch is oriented so as to position the folded arch segments in the storage case perpendicular to the sheaths. The arch segments are then positioned in the case along the length of the latter. The interest is to be able to wind the arch segments along the length of the case, such that they protrude as little as possible from the upper part of the case. This in particular contributes to facilitating the winding of the arches in the case and reducing the bulk of the installation once stored.
Advantageously, the flexible junction device includes at least one transverse stiffening element arranged to extend between the two arches owing to which a minimum separation is imposed on the arches, which is essential for the stability of the installation. This also makes it possible to prevent the arches from coming closer together if the user for example bumps into one of the arches, which would result in tipping over the demarcating installation. The stiffening element further partially offsets the lack of rigidity of the flexible junction device relative to a traditional rigid junction device. It will therefore be understood that the stability of the demarcating installation is reinforced by the stiffening element.
Alternatively, the flexible junction device includes at least two parallel transverse stiffening elements extending along two longitudinal edges of the flexible junction device. It will be understood that this makes it possible to consolidate the leg assembly and therefore to further improve the stability of the installation.
According to one advantageous aspect of the invention, each of the arches has a first end and a second end, and the fastening parts of the two arches are situated at the first ends and the second ends of the arches. One interest lies in being able to connect the assembly made up of the first ends of the two arches and the link at the same point and using a same connecting means. The same is true for the second ends of the arches and the link. This results in reducing the bulk by limiting the installation to only two connection zones between the arches and the link.
Preferably, the link is attached to the first ends of the arches by detachable connecting means and is kept secured to the second ends of the arches. The link may therefore be easily attached to or detached from the first ends of the arches during the assembly or disassembly of the installation. It will be understood that it suffices to connect the link to the first ends of the arches via the detachable connecting means in order to tense both the link and the arches and therefore very quickly deploy the structure.
Also preferably, the detachable connecting means preferably, but not exclusively, include a carabiner integral with the link and two orifices situated at the ends of the arches, such that the carabiner cooperates with the two orifices to keep the link tensed. The interest of using a carabiner is that this fastening system is quick and easy to put into place.
Advantageously, the link is a net. The interest lies in being able to play a racket sport appropriately, and in particular to know with certainty whether the ball or flying object has indeed passed over the link.

Brief description of the figures
The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of one embodiment of the invention, provided solely as a non-limiting example, in reference to the appended drawings, in which:
- figure 1 shows a demarcating installation according to the invention, divided to split two playing areas;
- figure 2 illustrates the arch segments folded and positioned in the flexible junction device forming a storage case;
- figure 3 shows the arch segments in the storage case, wound around itself;
- figure 4A is a side view of the flexible junction device including a single sheath;
- figure 4B is a side view of the flexible junction device including two sheaths;
- figure 5 shows the demarcating installation in top view;
- figure 6A shows the link kept secured to the second ends of the arches; and
- figure 6B shows the link attached to the first ends of the arches by detachable connecting means.

Detailed description of the invention
Figure 1 shows a demarcating installation 10 intended to divide two play areas. In this example, the demarcating installation 10 includes two arches 2, 4 spaced apart on the ground, inclined toward one another and attached to one another above the ground in two fastening parts 24, 26 and a link 22 extending between the two fastening parts, the installation further including a flexible junction device 30 cooperating with the two arches 2, 4 to maintain a separation between the two arches when the demarcating installation is assembled.
The two arches 2, 4 are attached at their first respective ends 2a and 4a and at their second respective ends 2b and 4b, thus forming the two fastening parts 24 and 26.
In this example, the link 22 is a net that extends between the two fastening parts. The net 22 keeps the two arches tensed, bowed in an upward convex manner. Reciprocally, the arches keep the net horizontally stretched between the two fastening parts. It is, however, possible to consider the net being a simple link. The net 22 and the two arches 2, 4 are connected owing to a single and same fastening means at the first fastening part 24 and the second fastening part 26, respectively.
A flexible junction device 30 extends between the median parts of the arches so as to maintain an appropriate separation between said two arches 2, 4. The flexible junction device 30 and the median parts of the arches rest on the ground in order to ensure the base of the demarcating installation. It will be understood that in this example, the flexible junction device forms a leg assembly.
Non-limitingly, the flexible junction device 30 includes two sheaths 32 and 34 that are parallel and secured to the side edges of the flexible junction device 30. Each of the two arches 2, 4 is slipped into one of the sheaths 32, 34 such that the arches cross through the sheaths, which makes it possible to maintain the separation between the two arches 2, 4 and to guide the arches along the axis of the sheaths 32, 34.
In this example, the flexible junction device also serves as a leg assembly to keep the installation upright on the ground.
In this example, the arches 2, 4 are each made up of nine arch segments 20 connected end-to-end by connecting elements 21.
The demarcating installation 10 according to the invention will now be described in more detail in reference to figures 2 to 6.
The flexible junction device 30, which may optionally and non-limitingly act as leg assembly, may serve as a storage case, as shown in figures 2 and 3.
As shown in figure 2, the flexible junction device 30 is preferably but not exclusively made from a textile material. Here and non-limitingly, it includes a backstop 36 intended to be placed on the ground, provided with two sheaths 32 and 34, two stiffening elements 42 and 44 and a pouch 40. The flexible junction device can be wound around itself by rotating around an axis parallel to the stiffening elements.
In this non-limiting example, the backdrop 36 is a flexible and rectangular textile piece, with a width of 20 cm and a length of 30 cm. Here, non-limitingly, the sheaths 32, 34 are end strips of fabric of the backdrop, folded down on the inside and sewn to the backdrop 36 so as to form a sheath. The sheaths 32, 34 are positioned on the side edges of the flexible junction device 30, along the width of the backdrop. As can be seen in figure 4B, the arches 2, 4 can then be inserted into the sheaths.
In this example, the flexible junction device 30 includes two stiffening elements 42, 44 that are rigid bars housed in the backdrop 36. Here, they are positioned on the side edges of the backdrop along the length of the latter. It will be noted that the stiffening elements extend perpendicular to the arches. The stiffening elements serve to maintain the separation between the arches 2, 4 and prevent the latter from coming closer together or moving further away from one another.
One can also see that the pouch 40 is a flexible and triangular strip, optionally made from a textile, sewn on the backdrop, non-limitingly toward the lower left part of the backdrop 36, to make it possible to insert the group of folded arch segments 20.
The flexible junction device 30 also serves as a storage case 30. Figure 2 shows a first step for storing arch segments 20 in the case. The arch segments here are slipped into the pouch and placed on the backdrop 36. It will be noted that the pouch 40 is oriented such that the arch segments 20 are positioned along the length of the flexible junction device 30 when they are stored in the pouch 40. The link 22, which here is a net, is wound around the arch segments 20, which results in reducing the bulk of the folded installation and keeping the group of arch segments 20 together.
The flexible junction device 30 may then be wound around the arch segments 20, along its width. The storage case then appears in the configuration of figure 3, where it assumes the form of a quiver. In this example, the arch segments 20 protrude from the upper end of the quiver. The arch segments 20 are maintained by the pouch 40 in order to prevent them from sliding outside the case. A fastening tongue 31 makes it possible to keep the case in the wound position. It will be understood that in this folded and stored configuration in the case, the installation is easily transportable and highly compact.
In a first non-limiting embodiment, the flexible junction device includes a single sheath 32 intended to receive at least one of the two arches 2, 4 of the installation. The sheath 32 then extends over the entire length of the flexible junction device, as shown in figure 4A.
In this example, the two arches 2, 4 are slipped into the sheath 32. It will be understood that the two arches tend to move laterally away from one another under the weight of the installation. The inner wall of the sheaths 32 then blocks the separation of the arches 2, 4 at the edges of the flexible junction device 30, which ensures the stability of the installation.
Figure 4B illustrates a second embodiment of the installation in which the flexible junction device 30 is equipped with two sheaths 32, 34 on its edges. In this case, each arch 2, 4 cooperates with one of the two sheaths. An appropriate separation between the arches 2, 4 is then maintained along the distance between the two sheaths 32, 34, which participates in better stability of the installation.
Figure 5 shows a top view of the installation. The two arches 2, 4 are kept tensed by the link 22 that extends between the two fastening parts 24, 26 of the arches with the net.
One can see that the arches 2, 4 cooperate with the flexible junction device 30 via two sheaths 32, 34 positioned on the edges of said flexible junction device.
The installation is kept balanced and rests on the junction device 30, which forms a leg assembly providing the base for the structure.
One example of fastening of the arches 2, 4 with the link 22 is shown in figures 6A and 6B. Non-limitingly, the connecting means comprise, at the first fastening part 24, a carabiner 23 secured to the link 22 and cooperating with two orifices positioned at the two first ends 2a, 4b of the two arches 2, 4. The fastening of the two arches and the net at the first fastening part 24 is therefore done using a single carabiner 23. The interest lies in being able to connect and disconnect the arches and the net 22 quickly at the second fastening part 24.
Still non-limitingly, the connecting means comprise, at the second fastening part 26, a fastener secured to the link 22 and cooperating with two orifices positioned at the two second ends 2a, 4b of the two arches 2, 4. The two arches and the net are therefore securely fastened at the second fastening part 26 using the fastener.
The placement of the installation thus includes a first step for deploying the two arches 2, 4 by end-to-end connection of the arch segments 20, then a second step for simultaneously tensing the link 22 and the two arches. This second step consists of passing the carabiner 23, secured to the link, in the orifices situated at the first fastening part 24. This results in connecting the link 22 and the two arches 2, 4, the link 22 then being kept horizontally tensed between the two fastening parts 24, 26 while the arches 2, 4 are kept bowed and tensed toward the sky.
Conversely, the storage of the installation includes a first step where the carabiner 23 is detached so as to separate the link 22 from the two ends of the arches 2, 4. In a second step, the arch segments 20 are separated so as to deposit them folded in the pouch 40 of the flexible junction device 30. The net 22 can then be wound around the arch segments 20 and the assembly stored in the flexible junction device 30, which, when around itself, acts as a case.
Non-limitingly, the fastening means of the net 22 and the arches 2, 4 may also comprise plastic fasteners, carabiners, Velcro strips, strips of fabric, or any other connecting means allowing easy tensing of the net and the two arches.

Claims:We Claim:
1. A demarcating installation for dividing two play areas, including two arches (2, 4) spaced apart on the ground, inclined toward one another and attached to one another above the ground in two fastening parts (24, 26) and a link (22) extending between said two fastening parts, characterized in that the demarcating installation further includes at least one flexible junction device (30) cooperating with the two arches (2, 4) to maintain a separation between the two arches when the demarcating installation is assembled.
2. The demarcating installation according to claim 1, wherein the flexible junction device includes maintaining means for the arches.

3. The demarcating installation according to claim 2, wherein the maintaining means include at least one sheath (32) crossed through by at least one of the two arches.

4. The demarcating installation according to claim 3, wherein the maintaining means include at least two sheaths (32, 34), each of the sheaths being crossed through by one of the arches.

5. The demarcating installation according to claim 4, wherein the two sheaths (32, 34) are parallel and extend along two side edges of the flexible junction device (30).

6. The demarcating installation according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the sheaths (32, 34) have a length substantially equal to at least half of the distance separating the two sheaths.

7. The demarcating installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flexible junction device (30) forms a leg assembly connecting the median parts of the two arches to one another, the leg assembly being arranged to rest on the ground.

8. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible junction device (30) can be wound around itself.

9. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible junction device (30) is a textile piece.

10. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arches are flexible and bendable, and comprise several segments (20) connected end-to-end by connecting elements (21), the segments being able to be separated from one another.

11. The demarcating installation according to claim 10, wherein the flexible junction device (30) can be wound so as also to form a storage case for receiving the folded arch segments (20) once the demarcating installation is disassembled.

12. The demarcating installation according to claim 11, wherein the flexible junction device includes a pouch (40) arranged to house all or part of the arch segments.

13. The demarcating installation according to claim 12, wherein the pouch (40) is oriented so as to position the folded arch segments (20) in the storage case perpendicular to the sheaths (32, 34).

14. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible junction device further includes at least one transverse stiffening element (42) arranged to extend between the two arches (2, 4).

15. The demarcating installation according to claim 14, wherein the flexible junction device includes at least two parallel transverse stiffening elements (42, 44) extending along two longitudinal edges of the flexible junction device.

16. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the arches has a first end (2a, 4a) and a second end (2b, 4b), and the fastening parts (24, 26) of the two arches are situated at the first ends (2a, 4a) and the second ends (2b, 4b) of the arches.

17. The demarcating installation according to claim 16, wherein the link is attached to the first ends (2a, 4a) of the arches by detachable connecting means and is kept secured to the second ends (2b, 4b) of the arches.

18. The demarcating installation according to claim 17, wherein the detachable connecting means include a carabiner (23) integral with the link and two orifices situated at the ends (2a, 4a) of the arches, such that the carabiner cooperates with the two orifices to keep the net stretched.

19. The demarcating installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the link is a net.