US20070155262A1

US20070155262A1 - Shock absorbing device for surfboard and bags

Info

Publication number: US20070155262A1
Application number: US11/320,877
Authority: US
Inventors: Yi-ming Tung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-12-30
Filing date: 2005-12-30
Publication date: 2007-07-05

Abstract

A board for water sport gears includes an elongate body and a shock absorbing device is attached on a top surface of the board. The device includes a plurality of ribs and a plurality of walls are connected between the first ribs so as to define a plurality of chambers between the ribs and the walls. An upper layer and a bottom layer are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the device. The ribs and the walls are made by resilient material so that it can be deformed to absorb shocks. The device can also be connected between inner and outer layers of bags to protect the contents in the bags.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shock absorbing device that includes ribs and chambers defined between the ribs. The device is used on surfboards or bags to provide shock-absorbing feature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional water sport gears such as windsurfing board or surfboard is shown in FIG. 8 and generally includes an elongate board 70 and the player stands on the board 70 to surface. The player has one foot standing on the top at a position about ⅓ of the whole length of the board 70 from the rear end and the other foot stands on the top close to the front end of the board 70. In order to control the board 70, the player applies a layer of wax or puts a pad 80 on the board so that the foot can stand on the pad 80 and control the board 70. The pad 80 includes a plurality of bosses 80 on the surface thereof to prevent the foot from slipping on the board 70. However, the bosses 80 do not provide shock-absorbing feature so that the board 70 might hit the board 70 and hurt the player's foot or even the player's spine.
The present invention intends to provide a shock absorbing device which can be used in a pad to provide better shock absorbing feature. The shock absorbing device can also be used to bags so as to protect the goods in the bags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a board for water sport gears and the board includes an elongate body and a shock absorbing device is attached on a top surface of the board. The device includes a plurality of ribs and walls which are connected between the ribs so as to define a plurality of first chambers between the ribs and the walls.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show a surfboard with the shock absorbing device of the present invention on a top of the board;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the shock absorbing device of the present invention and the board;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view to show the shock absorbing device of the present invention and the board;
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the shock absorbing device of the present invention;
FIG. 4-1 shows the enlarged view of the shock absorbing device in FIG. 4 of the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a player stands on the shock absorbing device of the present invention on a surfboard;
FIG. 6 shows a bag with the shock absorbing device of the present invention sandwiched between the inner and outer layers of the bag;
FIG. 7 shows a suitcase with the shock absorbing device of the present invention sandwiched between the inner and outer layers of the suitcase, and
FIG. 8 shows a conventional pad on a surfboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a surfboard 10 is an elongate body having a front end and a rear end, and a shock absorbing device 30 of the present invention cooperated with a friction pad 2 are attached on a top surface of the board. The shock absorbing device 30 includes a plurality of first ribs 32 and a plurality of first walls 33 which are connected between the first ribs 32 so as to define a plurality of first chambers 31 between the first ribs 32 and the first walls 33. The chambers 31 can be any known polygonal shape such as hexagonal chambers. The first ribs 32 and the first walls 33 are made by TPU or TPE so as to provide sufficient flexibility to absorb shocks.
As shown in FIG. 2, the shock absorbing device 30 includes an upper layer and a bottom layer 34, so that the first chambers 31 are enclosed between the upper layer and a bottom layer 34. The friction pad 23 is attached on the shock absorbing device 30 and a plurality of bosses 24 extend from a top of the friction pad 23. The shock absorbing device 30 is located at one third of the length of the elongate body from the rear end so that one of the player's feet stands on the friction pad 23 or the shock absorbing device 30, the other foot stands in front of the shock absorbing device 30 as shown in FIG. 5.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4-1, the shock absorbing device 30 can be composed of two overlapped layers which is composed of the first ribs 32 and walls 33, and a plurality of second ribs 32A and second walls 33A. The layer composed of the first ribs 32 and walls 33 are overlapped on the layer composed of the second ribs 32A and second walls 33A. A plurality of chambers 31A are, defined between the second ribs 32A and the second walls 33A. The second ribs 32A and second walls 33A are located beneath the first ribs 32 and the first walls 33A and are arranged alternatively to the first ribs 32 and the first walls 33. The two-layer shock absorbing device provide more cushion feature then one layer.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show that shock absorbing device 30 can be sandwiched between inner layer and outer layer of a bag 50 or a suitcase 60 so as to protect the contents in the bag 50 or suitcase 60. The shock absorbing device 30 can be connected to the corners or edges of the bags 50 or suitcases 60
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A board for water sport gears comprising:

an elongate body having a front end and a rear end;

a shock absorbing device attached on a top surface of the board, the device including a plurality of first ribs and a plurality of first walls connected between the first ribs so as to define a plurality of first chambers between the first ribs and the first walls.

2. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first ribs and the first walls are arranged to define polygonal-shaped first chambers.

3. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing device is located at one third of the length of the elongate body from the rear end.

4. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing device includes an upper layer and a bottom layer, the first chambers are enclosed between the upper layer and a bottom layer.

5. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein a friction pad is attached on the shock absorbing device and a plurality of bosses extend from a top of the friction pad.

6. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing device includes a plurality of second ribs and second walls, a plurality of chambers are defined between the second ribs and the second walls, the second ribs and second walls are located beneath the first ribs and the first walls and are arranged alternatively to the first ribs and the first walls.

7. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second ribs and the first and second walls are made by TPU or TPE.

8. A bag comprising:

a body composed of an inner layer and an outer layer which is connected to the inner layer, an opening defined in the body between the inner layer and the outer layer, and

a shock absorbing device sandwiched between the inner layer and an outer layer, the shock absorbing device including a plurality of ribs and a plurality of walls which are connected between the ribs so as to define a plurality of chambers between the ribs and the walls.

9. The bag as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ribs and the walls are arranged to define polygonal-shaped first chambers.

10. The bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs and the walls are made by TPU or TPE.