Handgrip and handstrap for a pole

The invention relates to a pole grip and a wrist strap, which is affixed to the top end of a grip provided with a recess and a pivotal locking and adjusting lever in the recess for fixing strap lengths of a wrist strap for a desirable adjusted position.

The pole equipped with a grip and strap of the invention is applicable for use as a ski pole, a skating pole, a nordic walking and hiking pole. A pole grip and wrist strap of the discussed type is known from Patent publication US 4,288,100. There, the locking lever is provided with a cam, which is eccentric relative to its pivoted axle and which presses the strap to a locked position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a grip and a wrist strap, wherein the location and orientation of a strap slot or slots in the grip are arbitrarily optional and wherein the locking of strap lengths is easily releasable for a length adjustment of the strap while the locking mechanism is simple, durable, and easy to manufacture.

This object of the invention is achieved on the basis of the characterizing features presented in the appended claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Rg. 1 shows a pole grip and wrist strap of the invention in a view obliquely from above;

Fig. 2 shows a grip of the invention in a view obliquely from above with a locking and adjusting lever in an opened position for receiving a strap to be fixed; and

Rg. 3 is a view otherwise similar to fig. 1 except that the orientation of a wrist strap 2 on its way into the grip and a slot 7 therefor lies in a horizontal plane, whereas in figs. 1 and 2 a slot 7 and the lengths of a strap 2 approaching the slot are in a substantially vertical orientation.

The wrist strap 2 is affixed to the top end of a grip 1 which is provided with a recess 3, The recess 3 houses a pivotal locking and adjusting lever 4 for fixing strap lengths 2a, 2b of the wrist strap 2 for a desirable adjusted position.

The locking and adjusting lever 4 has side faces 5 which are pivotable out of the recess 3 and pressable back into the recess by turning the locking and adjusting lever 4. The strap lengths 2a, 2b are in a locked condition between the locking and adjusting lever's 4 side faces 5 and the recess's 3 interna) side walls. This locking can be released simply by turning the locking and adjusting lever 4 about is pivoted axle 6 out of the recess 3 (to the position visualized in fig. 2).

The strap lengths 2a, 2b can be passed into the recess 3 through one or more slots 7 in the grip, the location or locations of which is or are below a pivoted axle 6. In the case of figs. 1 and 2, the strap slot 7 is substantially vertical or e.g. X-shaped and lies on a rearward side of the grip 1. The strap slots 7 can also be located on lateral faces of the grip 1. In the case of fig. 3, the slot 7 lies on the rearward side of a grip in a substantially horizontal orientation and the lengths of a strap 2 are passed into a recess 3 in a horizontal plane. Inside the recess 3, the strap 2 has its lengths 2a, 2b rotated by about 90 degrees for bringing the same in planes co- directional with the side faces of a locking and adjusting lever 4 and for clamping the same between these side faces 5 and the internal side walls of the recess 3.

The locking and adjusting lever 4 has its clamping walls 5 provided with clamping studs 5a, which are capable of engaging the strap lengths 2a, 2b. The locking and adjusting lever 4 has its pivoted axle 6 located in a rearward part of the recess 3, whereby the lever's 4 free end is pivotable into and out of a forward part of the recess 3.

In lateral views, the locking and adjusting lever 4 is substantially sector-shaped. The pivoted axle 6 is concentrical with the outer sector arc and the side faces 5, functioning as clamping walls, are perpendicular to the pivoted axle 6.

In its downward direction, the recess 3 can be slightly tapering in a wedge-like fashion for providing a self-clamping action. When a strain is applied to the wrist

strap 2, the strap lengths 2a, 2b strive to turn the locking and adjusting lever 4 deeper into the recess 3, whereby the strap lengths 2a, 2b become tightly pressed between the lever's 4 clamping walls 5 and the recess's 3 internal side walls. However, the clamping can be easily released by pulling on the strap loop upward and/or by turning, for example with the spike of the other ski pole, the lever 4 up from the recess 3. For this, the lever can have its outer arc provided with a slotting or knurling.

The forward and rearward part, as well as the side faces of the grip 1 and the recess 3 shall be determined according to the traveling direction. The forward part is leading in the traveling direction and the rearward part is trailing in the traveling direction. The pole finds its position relative to the traveling direction according to whichever way the wrist strap 2 compels the hand to take hold of the grip 1.