Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
  • A63C5/00—Skis or snowboards
  • A63C5/03—Mono skis; Snowboards

Definitions

• the invention relates to a snowboard, consisting of a board on which two bindings are mounted on the surface of the board, at a distance apart approximately corresponding to 1/3 of the board's length.
• the board is designed with inwardly curving edge portions, the board having a greater width at both ends at the transition to the tips, and with a minimum width of 18 cm in the middle.
• the board has upturned tips, possibly with a slightly more moderate tip at one end.
• snowboards are normally designed with a flat sole surface between the tips at both ends. For steering the board is edged and the weight distributed between the feet in the two bindings.
• Alpine skiing is a field which is related to snowboarding.
• Alpine pair skis it is known to have the sole surfaces designed with angled portions in partial areas of the sole surface.
• Norwegian patent 172 170 there is disclosed an Alpine pair ski, which on a maximum 20 cm long front portion has a sliding surface which diverges upwards when the steel edge diverges outwards from the ski's longitudinal axis.
• the object of this ski is to turn with the least possible loss of kinetic energy.
• PCT NO95/00030 there is disclosed an Alpine pair ski, which on a portion which is longer than 20 cm has a sliding surface which diverges upwards when the steel edge diverges outwards from the ski's longitudinal axis.
• the object of this ski is to turn with the least possible loss of kinetic energy, but in this case with a more harmonious design than in that which is described in Norwegian patent 172 170.
• Norwegian patent no. 301 964 which corresponds to EP 748245 there is disclosed an Alpine pair ski with a flat first sliding surface and lateral surfaces provided with an almost continuous concave inward curve between a first transition line which defines the transition from a tip portion to a front portion and a second transition line which defines the transition from the main portion to a rear portion.
• the lower lateral edge between the transition lines describes an almost continuous curve.
• the sole on both sides of the first sliding surface comprises further sliding surfaces, which extend upwards from the edge of the first sliding surface to the lower lateral edges of the ski with an upward curve.
• the additional sliding surfaces extend in the longitudinal direction of the ski, at least from the first and second transition lines respectively towards a transverse line behind the middle of the ski and in the portion of the ski where the binding is attached, the width of the ski at the transverse line being equal to the least width of the ski between the transition lines.
• the upward curve in the lower lateral edge on the additional sliding surfaces increases substantially with the ski's increasing width in the direction of the two transition lines.
• the present invention is based on the development of Alpine skis which is described in Norwegian patent no. 301964. Even though both skis and snowboards are used for downhill skiing and turning in Alpine terrain, there are nevertheless significant differences. This difference is based both on the difference in design of the two products and on the manner in which the product manoeuvres. In skis the weight is distributed with a foot in a binding in the central portion of each ski and the ski, which is elongated and relatively narrow, at least for most of its length, will, when a pressure load is applied in the central area, be able to be forced to assume different positions against the base.
• the snowboard according to the present invention differs from the above- mentioned, known ski designs in the requirement, amongst other things, that the secondary lateral areas of the board should be substantially twisted. By twisted it should be understood that the angle of the lateral area against the base, viewed in the transverse direction of the board, increases from the central portion up to the front area at the tips.
• a snowboard differs from a ski in many ways, for reasons of both design and mode of application, as indicated above.
• a ski with a certain inward curve will be twisted upwards at the tip and rear tip when edged, since the skier presses with his foot in the middle of the ski and the counter-forces from the base will twist the ski, reducing the aggressiveness at the front and the rear due to the fact that the sole is flatter against the snow at the front and the rear than in the middle.
• the performer on a snowboard will stand with both feet placed not so far from the tips, with the result that in relative and absolute terms the snowboard has less length than the ski to generate a twisting moment. It will therefore not be so easy to twist the snowboard.
• ski and board there is therefore a fundamental difference between ski and board, and in the invention it has surprisingly been shown that by means of adaptation and modification of features known from the field of skis with regard to the design of twisted surfaces, it has been possible to develop a snowboard which is adapted to the dynamics which apply to skis.
• the twisted board according to the invention When the twisted board according to the invention is placed on the snow, it can already have a better dynamic shape than the surface the board is capable of achieving, since the board according to the invention is produced with a twisting of the sole adapted to where the weight is actually placed on the board, with regard to the ideal twisting which is desired. It has further been shown that there are significant safety aspects associated with a specific design of raised sliding surfaces with regard to landing after jumping with the snowboard. It is a fact that falls with snowboards result in many injuries, which are far more serious than the speed would indicate.
• the snowboard according to the present invention is also designed to increase safety in landing after a jump, due to the fact that it is not so aggressive in the edge area during landing.
• the invention will therefore provide greater safety benefits the more inward curve the snowboard has.
• the width is a further significant difference between ski and snowboard.
• a narrow ski can easily be edged 45°.
• the much wider snowboard is usually run much flatter than a ski.
• a great deal of edge grip will therefore easily be lost with a snowboard when the secondary surfaces are too acutely angled relative to the first sole surface.
• the invention solves this special problem for snowboards by means of the special design of raised lateral area from the following criteria:
• the secondary lateral area must have a certain minimum width which is greater than for most skis, thus achieving a greater uplift with less angling of the secondary lateral area relative to the first sole surface. 5
• the secondary lateral area is raised from the plane of the first sole surface by being twisted upwards when moving from the middle towards the tips.
• fig. 2 is a cross section of the snowboard in fig. 1, viewed across the board in the areas indicated by A, B C,
• fig. 3 is a variant of the embodiment in fig. 1,
• fig. 4 is a third embodiment of the invention
• fig. 5 is a variant of the embodiment in fig. 1,
• fig. 6 is a variant of the embodiment in fig. 5
• fig. 7 is a further variant of the invention
• fig. 8 is a further variant of the invention
• figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the snowboard according to the invention, viewed from the side and from one end.
• Fig. 1 illustrates the underside of a snowboard.
• the hatched sole surface 1 called the first sole surface, is completely flat when the board is pressed against a flat base.
• the secondary lateral areas 2a and 2b in line 5a - 5b form zero degrees with the first sole surface, and up to line 4a - 4b form a substantially increasing angle with the first sole surface, viewed in cross section as shown in fig. 2.
• the secondary lateral areas 2c and 2d in line 7a - 7b form zero degrees with the first sole surface, and up to line 8a - 8b form a substantially increasing angle with the first sole surface.
• the secondary lateral areas 2 therefore appear to be twisted, if not over their entire length, to such an extent that they have the function of a twisted surface.
• the front tip 3a and rear tip 3b and central transversal axis 6a - 6b are also shown.
• Fig. 2 illustrates three cross sections of the snowboard in fig. 1, taken directly across from fig. 1. In order to illustrate the increasing angle from line 5a-5b to line 4a-4b the angles are slightly exaggerated, thus making it easy to see that there is a larger angle nearest line 4a-4b.
• the sole surfaces are shown to be completely straight, even though in the transition between first sole surface and the secondary lateral areas there may be a certain degree of rounding.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a design in which the secondary lateral areas are terminated reasonably parallel to the steel edge.
• Fig. 4 illustrates a design in which the secondary lateral areas are widest at the transition to the tips at lines 4a-4b and 8a-8b respectively, gradually narrowing as one approaches lines 5a-5b and 7a-7b respectively. In this embodiment the degree of twisting will be less than in the other embodiments which are illustrated.
• Fig. 5 illustrates approximately the same design as fig. 1.
• the board is envisaged moving straight ahead with the board completely flat against a hard base. Only the steel edges outside the first sole plane 1 are then in contact with the snow, while the performer's weight is envisaged evenly distributed over the entire length of the first sole plane.
• the central portion of the snowboard be the same length as the sum of the length of the secondary lateral areas on the same side.
• the lengths 4a-5a and 7a-8a are here equal to 5a-7a, and correspondingly on the opposite side.
• F/2 is the force from the base on the steel edge over half the length of the board, while d/2 is the average distance from the centre 6 of the performer to the force's point of attack on one side.
• M indicates torque.
• Fig. 6 illustrates the same design as fig. 5, but with a completely flat sole.
• F is the force from the base on the steel edge along the entire length of the board, while d is the average distance from the centre 6 of the performer to the force's point of attack on one side.
• M indicates torque.
• Figures 7 and 8 illustrate two further examples of snowboards designed according to the invention.
• the hatched sole surface i.e. the first sole surface is designed with equal, relatively narrow width along the whole board, but has a central portion at line 6-6 which makes a "soft" transition into the lateral areas. A certain degree of asymmetry in the secondary areas is indicated, even though symmetry is preferred.
• the hatched first sole surface is designed narrowing from line 6-6 to end lines 4-4 and 8-8, which is first illustrated from lines 5-5 and 7-7. The portion of the first sole surface between these two lines is continued right out to the edge.
• the lateral areas are designed in a twisted form.
• figures 9 and 10 illustrate the snowboard according to the invention, viewed from the side and from one of the ends. On this scale the angles had to be exaggerated relative to the preferred angle in order to clearly illustrate the principle.
• the twisting of the lateral areas can be seen indicated on the underside, with the maximum angle in the transition to the tip.
• table 1 gives four examples of snowboards with a constant cross section for the first sole surface.
• Table 2 exemplifies an embodiment with constant width for the secondary lateral areas, while table 3 gives the angle for boards with variable width for the first sole surface in the secondary lateral areas.
• Table 4 illustrates an example of an asymmetrical snowboard. The tables are only intended as a demonstration of the increasing angle against a flat base from a cross section at the central area to cross sections at regular intervals distributed in the direction towards the ends of the board.
• the first base surface extend to the steel edges
• the width of the first base surface is chosen to be 80 mm, but it could just as well have been set at any value between 40 mm and 160 mm 9
• Table 2 Four examples of a snowboard with a constant width of the secondary areas.
• the first base surface extend to the steel edges
• the width of the scondary areas are chosen to be 75 mm, but it could just as well have been set at any value between 40 mm and 105 mm 10
• Table 3 Four examples of a snowboard with a variable width of the first base surface.
• the first base surface extend to the steel edges
• the width of the first base surface is chosen to be 40 mm at (4) and (8) and then the width increases towards the middle. 1 1
• the first base surface extend to the steel edges
• the width of the first base surface is chosen to be 80 mm, but it could just as well have been set at any value between 40 mm and 160 mm

Landscapes

• Materials Applied To Surfaces To Minimize Adherence Of Mist Or Water (AREA)
• Road Paving Structures (AREA)
• Inorganic Insulating Materials (AREA)
• Mechanical Treatment Of Semiconductor (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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• 1998
  • 1998-03-10 NO NO981056A patent/NO306896B1/no unknown
• 1999
  • 1999-02-04 CA CA002322866A patent/CA2322866C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-02-04 DE DE69907882T patent/DE69907882T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-02-04 EP EP99907967A patent/EP1062008B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-02-04 AU AU27496/99A patent/AU2749699A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-02-04 AT AT99907967T patent/ATE240136T1/de active
  • 1999-02-04 WO PCT/NO1999/000032 patent/WO1999046016A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-02-04 JP JP2000535426A patent/JP4256069B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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