EP1082977B1 - Ski, or other gliding board having rigid and distinct sidewalls and method of making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A ski, etc has two longitudinal side faces formed by discrete rigid elements that include non-corrodible metallic particles. Independent claims are included for the following: (a) Forming an element for use as above by adding metallic particles to a polymer and extruding the mixture. (b) Forming an element for use as above by repeatedly building up on a sheet of thin paper first a layer of thermally curable resin and then a layer of metallic particles. The stacked layers are compressed and released after the resin has cured. The cured stack is cut into lengths. Preferred Features: The particles are flakes 5-100 micro,m in length or balls of about 100 micro,m diameter.

Description

The present invention relates to a ski, or other gliding board on snow, with rigid and distinct side edges, materialized by stiff reinforcement elements in the form of longitudinal rods.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing rigid and distinct lateral edges in the form of rigid reinforcement elements.

Field of the invention

Figure 1 represents, schematically and in cross section, a traditional skiing.

• un ensemble inférieur comprenant une semelle de glissement 1 bordée de part et d'autre par des carres métalliques latérales 3 et 4 ; cet ensemble est surmonté d'une couche de renfort fibreux 2 ;
• un noyau 5 surmontant cet ensemble inférieur, et bordé de part et d'autre par deux éléments de renfort en longerons rigides 6, 7 ; et
• un ensemble supérieur comprenant une couche de renfort fibreux 15, surmontée d'une couche supérieure plastique 10 de protection et de décor.

This ski presents:

• a lower assembly comprising a sliding sole 1 bordered on both sides by lateral metal edges 3 and 4; this assembly is surmounted by a fibrous reinforcement layer 2;
• a core 5 surmounting this lower assembly, and bordered on both sides by two reinforcement elements in rigid spars 6, 7; and
• an upper assembly comprising a fibrous reinforcing layer 15, surmounted by a plastic upper layer 10 of protection and decoration.

The two rigid reinforcement elements 6, 7, which are called "chants" in craft language, are located above the lower set, and they have a not negligible thickness. The external lateral faces 8, 9 of the two elements of rigid reinforcement 6, 7 form at least a portion of the lateral faces of the ski.

• transmettre directement des efforts du pied de l'utilisateur à la neige ; ils permettent, en particulier, d'éviter « l'écrasement » des différents composants empilés dans la structure du ski lorsque le ski est sollicité ; la force d'impulsion générée par le skieur notamment au moment de conduite du virage, tend en effet à écraser le ski entre ses pieds et la neige ; cet écrasement se traduit par une perte de temps de réaction et une perte d'énergie donc par une perte d'efficacité ;
• consolider la tenue des carres métalliques à l'intérieur de la structure du ski ; au cours de son utilisation, le ski est souvent malmené par la présence de pierres sur les pistes ; si l'appui situé au-dessus de la carre n'est pas assez ferme, les carres s'enfoncent ou s'arrachent sous un choc important ;
• renforcer la structure du ski en flexion et en torsion, avec des éléments latéraux de renfort 6, 7 présentant un haut module d'Young ; on améliore les raideurs et on obtient une amélioration des résistances à la rupture ;
• renforcer la résistance des chants du ski à l'abrasion ; les chants d'un ski alpin sont soumis à l'abrasion de la neige, à l'usure par frottement contre des obstacles rencontrés sur la piste, (sapins, rochers, ...) et à l'agression des carres de l'autre ski de la paire ;
• participer à l'aspect esthétique du ski ; les chants du ski sont une zone bien visible de tous.

The two stiff lateral reinforcing elements 6, 7 are intended for:

• directly transmit efforts from the user's foot to the snow; they allow, in particular, to avoid "crushing" of the various components stacked in the structure of the ski when the ski is stressed; the impulse force generated by the skier, especially at the moment of driving the turn, tends to crush the ski between his feet and the snow; this crushing results in a loss of reaction time and a loss of energy and therefore a loss of efficiency;
• consolidate the strength of the metal edges inside the ski structure; during its use, skiing is often abused by the presence of stones on the slopes; if the support located above the edge is not firm enough, the edges sink or snap under heavy impact;
• reinforcing the ski structure in flexion and torsion, with side reinforcing elements 6, 7 having a high Young's modulus; the stiffnesses are improved and an improvement of the breaking strengths is obtained;
• strengthen the resistance of ski songs to abrasion; the songs of an alpine ski are subjected to the abrasion of the snow, to the friction wear against obstacles encountered on the track, (fir trees, rocks, ...) and to the aggression of the edges of the other ski of the pair;
• participate in the aesthetic aspect of skiing; the songs of the ski are a visible zone of all.

A traditional ski therefore has songs, or lateral elements of reinforcement, or rigid reinforcing spars, located on each side of a central core called core and arranged above the metal edges.

These longitudinal members may have a length substantially equal to the carrying length of the ski, or less than this. Similarly, the height of these spars may correspond to the total height of the ski, or be less than this height.

These spars thus correspond to a need for consolidation of least one area of the ski subject to significant pressure or stress.

State of the art

For example, it is known from US Patents 3,967,992, US 4,093,268, and US 4,455,037, to make skis with reinforcing elements corresponding in size to the lateral surfaces of the skis, that is to say having substantially the length and height of the ski.

Other intermediate solutions with elements of localized reinforcement exist by the documents FR-A-2,683,734 and FR-A-2,703,915 of the Applicant.

These lateral reinforcing elements are of different natures, and different production methods make it possible to obtain them.

• un composite lamifié, avec résine thermodurcissable à base de phénol ou de mélamine, par exemple.
• un matériau polymère thermoplastique extrudé puis injecté tel que l'Acrylonitrile-Butadiène-Styrène (A.B.S.), par exemple.

For the realization of gliding boards with lower metal edges, there are at present reinforcing elements essentially in two forms:

• a laminated composite with a thermosetting resin based on phenol or melamine, for example.
• a thermoplastic polymer material extruded and then injected such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), for example.

Summary of the invention

The subject of the invention is a ski, or other snow-sliding board, whose characteristics are optimized by the use of lateral elements of reinforcement improved.

A ski or other snow board with both edges lateral and longitudinal consist of rigid longitudinal members distinct called "songs".

According to the present invention, the ski or other board of snow is characterized in that these songs include, incorporated and distributed in their structure, metal particles uncorrelated to corrosion.

Typically, these particles or inclusions may be balls metal with a maximum diameter of 100 μm, or metallic flakes the length can vary between 5 and 100 μm, and they are arranged in a discreet way in the structure of said songs. They are preferably in a noble metal and relatively low density compared to steel. As a metal used for these inclusions, mention may be made, for example, of titanium or zirconium, of white appearance and brilliant, or gold, of yellow and brilliant appearance.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of making rigid and distinct lateral edges for a ski or another snowboarding board includes the steps of covering a thin sheet of paper a layer of thermosetting resin, sprinkle this thermosetting resin layer of metal particles, renew many times these first two steps, in order to get a stack of sheets glue, press this stack and start the polymerization of the resin, and cut the stack to the dimensions of the side edges.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method of making rigid and distinct side edges for a ski or other board snow sliding includes the steps of incorporating particles metal granules of polymeric materials, extrude and cut molded plates obtained to the dimensions of the side edges.

Description of the Figures

• la Figure 2 est une coupe transversale d'un ski conforme à l'invention ;
• la Figure 3 est une vue latérale partielle de ce même ski ;
• la Figure 4 est une coupe schématique d'un composite lamifié utilisable pour la réalisation d'un ski de l'invention.

The invention will be better perceived, in its various aspects, in the following description of a nonlimiting embodiment, with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:

• Figure 2 is a cross section of a ski according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a partial side view of the same ski;
• Figure 4 is a schematic section of a laminated composite used for the realization of a ski of the invention.

detailed description

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, this ski is different from a ski according to Figure 1 in that its songs 6, 7 include, incorporated and distributed within their structure, a multitude of inclusions 11 formed here by titanium flakes whose length is typically between 5 and 100 microns.

If these songs 6, 7 are made by cutting a plate 19 into composite laminated according to Figure 4, the invention consists, in the design of plates 19, to deposit a thin sheet of paper 16, to cover it with a layer thermosetting liquid resin 17, to sprinkle this layer of resin metal flake liquid 18, then to renew many times this operation to obtain a stack of sheets glued, finally to put under This stack is pressed to initiate polymerization of the resin. The plaque thus obtained will then be cut to the desired dimensions of the song of the ski.

If the edges 6, 7 are made of a polymer material As in A.B.S., the metal flakes are incorporated into the polymer granules for making A.B.S. by molding, in which will be cut the songs or will be obtained profiles by extrusion.

In view of the fact that the lateral faces 8, 9 of the ski are made, with their classic lower side edges 12, 13, or "overflowing", by machining of the ski's lateral sides during finishing operations following the molding of the ski, the metal inclusions 11, 18 become apparent on these side faces, as seen in Figure 3.

As they are made of a metal of shiny appearance, the effect This visual effect is particularly striking, this visual effect tending to value the quality of this ski.

Note that over the entire apparent surface of the two overflowing 12, 13, this striking aspect is "renovated" with each sharpening of the edges 3, 4 because a new surface of the overflows 12, 13 is then exposed.

• d'augmenter le module d'Young des chants donc d'améliorer la résistance à l'écrasement et les résistances en flexion et torsion ;
• d'augmenter la résistance à l'abrasion sans pénaliser l'aptitude à l'usinage du débordant ;
• d'obtenir un effet esthétique et un aspect « technique » persistant, qu'une peinture métallisée (de surface) n'aurait pas pu assurer après usure par abrasion.

Including low density metal elements in the lateral reinforcing elements ultimately has the following effects:

• to increase the Young's modulus of the edges thus to improve the resistance to crushing and the resistances in bending and torsion;
• to increase the resistance to abrasion without penalizing the machining ability of the overflow;
• to obtain an aesthetic effect and a persistent "technical" aspect, which a metallic paint (of surface) could not have ensured after wear by abrasion.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which comes to be described.

Instead of metallic flakes, one can choose to incorporate, in the edges 6, 7, metal balls with a diameter of up to 100 μm about.

The constituent metal of these beads or flakes must be a metal unalterable to corrosion, typically unalterable to water and air. The particles selected metal must be stainless. In this case, unlike other fibrous reinforcements the metal charges are hydrophobic, so we do not run the risk of deterioration of the songs by infiltration of water, the latter can also turn into destructive ice particles.

He must also have a brilliant appearance. To avoid weighing down the ski, he It is preferable that it be of relatively low density compared with steel or other common metals.

We can of course for this use aluminum, or an alloy aluminum, or a copper alloy, or, in an embodiment outside the scope of the invention, oxides of magnesium or Zirconium. It is possible to use a noble material, such as titanium or Gold.

Claims (11)

1. Ski or other snow board, of which the two lateral, longitudinal edges are constituted by rigid, distinct elements (6, 7) called "sidewalls",
   characterised in that said sidewalls (6, 7) comprise corrosion-proof metal particles (11), incorporated therein and distributed in their structure.
2. Ski or other snow board of Claim 1, characterised in that said metal particles (11) are metallic flakes.
3. Ski or other snow board of Claim 2, characterised in that said metallic flakes (11) each present a length ofbetween about 5 and 100 µm.
4. Ski or other snow board of Claim 1, characterised in that said metal particles are metallic bails.
5. Ski or other snow board of Claim 4, characterised in that said metallic balls have a diameter going up to about 100 µm.
6. Ski or other snow board of Claim 1 to 5, characterised in that said particles are made of noble metal.
7. Ski or other snow board of Claim 6, characterised in that said particles are made of titanium.
8. Ski or other snow board of Claim 6, characterised in that said particles are made of gold.
9. The ski or other snow board of Claim 6, characterised by wherein said particles are made of zirconium.
10. Process for producing rigid, distinct sidewalls for a ski or other snow board, comprising the steps of :

    covering a thin sheet of paper (16) with a layer of thermosettable resin (17),

    sprinkling this layer of thermosettable resin (17) with metallic particles (18),

    repeating these latter two steps a number of times in order to obtain a stack of coated sheets,

    compressing this stack and triggering off polymerization of the resin, and

    cutting out the stack to the dimensions of the sidewalls.
11. Process for producing rigid, distinct sidewalls for a ski or other snow board, comprising the steps of :

    incorporating metallic particles with the granules of polymer materials,

    extruding them, and

    cutting out the moulded plates obtained to the dimensions of the sidewalls.

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