EP1726337A1 - Snow surf board - Google Patents

Abstract

The board has orientation-adjustable bindings each having a center (16, 17) defined as a rotation point of an orientation adjustment mechanism of the respective binding. The centers (16, 17) are separated by a distance (S) comprised between 45 and 55cms. A length of the board is defined by a distance separating front and rear end points (2, 3). A width of the board is defined by a distance separating points (7, 8) of sidecuts (9) arranged on a straight line (10) perpendicular to a median longitudinal axis (4) connecting the points (2, 3). The length to width ratio is lesser than 4.85.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the field of snow sliding sports, and more specifically that of snowboards used for the practice of snowboarding or snowboarding. The invention relates more particularly to a new board structure having optimized dimensions to allow both the practice of surfing for the realization of figures, according to a practice known as "free style", but also to allow the learning of this practice by novice users.

Snowboard snowboard means single boards, on which the feet of the user are held in a fixed position by means of fasteners. The presence of bindings is a decisive element, which allows the driving of the board, and in particular its orientation on the gliding plane and in the space, and this as opposed to certain gliding articles used on road (skateboard), on water (surf), or on snow, but which do not have bindings.

Similarly, a surfboard is a gliding machine which has a lower face acting as a gliding sole. This sole is substantially flat, to the approximation near the camber given at the central area on which are arranged the fasteners. This camber can be thwarted by the weight of the user, so that the sole comes into contact with the flat surface on which it rests. Thus, machines commonly called "domes", such as that described in the document US 6,254,111 can not be likened to snowboarding. Indeed, these machines do not have an almost flat gliding surface, but on the contrary highly convex, and moreover includes braking grooves.

Previous techniques

In general, a snowboard has a length that is slightly less than the height of the user, typically between 140 and 170 cm. This length is necessary to allow evolution in various types of snow. Thus, to evolve in the powdery snow, it is necessary to benefit from a sufficient lift which is all the more important that the board is long and wide. This large length also allows to benefit from an extended gliding surface, which allows to achieve high speeds, which may be necessary for the execution of certain figures, including jumps.

However, it is understood that this type of board is not totally appropriate for beginners learning. Indeed, on the current boards, the distance measured between one end of the board and the area where the attachment is located is relatively large, and therefore corresponds to a relatively long lever that can cause, in case of falls, twists ankle or knee. These falls are even more frequent that the user is beginner. It is conceivable that the use of the current boards is a brake on learning free style.

Likewise, the relatively large length, which is necessary for speeding up, is also a brake on maneuverability, and thus limits learning abilities.

Planks of lesser size have already been proposed, to allow the practice of snowboarding by children.

However, this type of board is not really satisfactory, since all the dimensions, that is to say the length and the width are reduced in proportion. These boards are not adapted to practice by an adult because of their low lift. In addition, such boards have a much lower rigidity, which is a major drawback especially in the practice of free style for which the boards are particularly mechanically stressed.

The objective of the invention is therefore to provide a surfboard that has both satisfactory gliding qualities for an adult while being compatible with its use by beginners in the practice of free style.

Presentation of the invention

The invention therefore relates to a snowboard snowboard. This board conventionally comprises adjustable fasteners in orientation each having a center, defined as the point of rotation of their adjustment mechanism in orientation.

This board has a length L, defined by the distance separating its front and rear extreme points after projection on a horizontal plane. The width ℓ of the board is defined by the distance separating two points of the dimension line situated on the line perpendicular to the median longitudinal axis connecting the extreme points, and which passes halfway between these extreme points.

According to the invention, the length / width ratio of the board is less than 4.85. In a complementary manner, the distance separating the two centers of the fasteners is between 45 and 55 cm, and preferably between 46 and 54 cm.

In other words, the surfboards according to the invention have a length / width ratio which is significantly lower than that measured on existing adult boards, for which this ratio is generally between 6 and 8. Such boards are therefore overall more shorter and wider than the existing boards, which gives them a great maneuverability, without reducing their lift too much, so that they remain perfectly adapted to adults.

It has been found that the sensations of glide in terms of grip, recovery, balance and control with this type of boards are substantially similar to the sensations that can be experienced with boards of great length. One of Advantages of the present invention is to provide these sensations at a lower speed, which minimizes the risk of falling and injury.

The position of the feet on the board of the invention, and in particular the characteristic spacing also allows to have a very stable position, conducive to rapid learning in optimal comfort conditions.

Similarly, the dimensional relationship of this type of board gives it greater maneuverability compared to current boards and further contributes to improving its adaptation to the learning of the practice of this sport.

Such a dimensional ratio therefore allows the realization of relatively short boards, typically of length less than 125 cm, to compare to the lengths of 150 cm and more of the current adult boards, and makes the same its use compatible with qualified people of juniors, as a separate category from that of children and adults.

To benefit from sufficient lift, it will be preferred that the length / width ratio be greater than 4.70, in particular with boards of reduced size.

Advantageously, in practice, the fasteners can be adjustable in translation along the median longitudinal axis of the board, so as to adjust the distance between the distance fixings commonly known as "Stance".

Brief description of the figures

The manner of carrying out the invention, as well as the advantages derived therefrom, will emerge from the description of the embodiment which follows, in support of the single appended figure which is a diagrammatic plan view of a board conforming to FIG. the invention.

Way of realizing the invention

The snowboard (1) illustrated in the single figure has a length L which is defined between its front ends (2) and rear (3).

In the definition of the invention, this length L corresponds to a projected length of the board, as opposed to a developed length that integrates the different curvatures of the board, at the central portion and the front and rear ends (2, 3).

This board (1) therefore has a median longitudinal axis (4) separating the board into two substantially equal parts. It should be noted that the plate illustrated in Figure 1 is symmetrical about this longitudinal axis (4), but also between its front part and its rear part. However, the invention can also be applied to shapes possibly diverging from this symmetry.

According to the invention, the width ℓ of the board 1, is defined between two points (7, 8) located on the side line (9) of the board. These two points (7, 8) are midway from the extreme points, on a perpendicular (10) to the median longitudinal axis (4) of the board.

According to the invention, the length L of the board (1) is reduced in comparison with the existing boards. This length L can be between 115 and 125 centimeters, and more particularly close to 120 cm.

Complementarily, the width ℓ of the board is on the contrary more important than that of existing boards, since it is around 25 cm, value to compare with a width of about 22 cm for boards of comparable lengths. The length / width ratio is therefore close to 4.7 for the boards according to the invention, compared with values between 6 and 8 for existing adult boards.

The gliding board illustrated in the figure also has areas in which the fasteners are located. These zones (12, 13) comprise threaded inserts (15) for receiving the fastening mounting screws not shown. Conventionally, these fasteners comprise an adjustment system in orientation, composed mainly of a disc whose first part is secured to the board by means of the fastening inserts (15), a second part cooperates with the base fixing.

The central position of the foot is defined by the point of rotation of this rotational adjustment mechanism, and substantially corresponds to the points (16, 17) at the centers of the various inserts (15) for mounting the fasteners.

According to the invention, the distance separating the fixing centers (16, 17), also called stance, is adjustable, thanks to a capacity of the fasteners to be translated along the longitudinal axis of the board 4. The bindings can translate according to the longitudinal axis of the board thanks firstly to their discs equipped with oblong holes in the so-called "4x4" format, with 3 possible positions in increments of about 0.5cm, and secondly to the presence of several series of inserts on the board, and typically 12 inserts on 4x4 format (4cmx4cm).

This stance distance S can vary between 46 and 54 cm.

In this way, the distance D1 separating the front end (2) of the point (17) in the middle of the front binding is between 33 and 37 cm. Complementarily, the distance D2 separating the rear end (3) of the board from the point (16) in the middle of the rear binding is between 31 and 35 cm.

Such a board has a structure similar to surfboards of larger size. It has a similar thickness, which is not in proportion to its reduced length. It follows that such a board has a satisfactory rigidity, much higher than the short surfboards used for the practice by small and light people, and especially children. With this combination of features, such a board has multiple advantages, including easier placement of the center of gravity relative to the center of the board, which allows to learn the balance in a relatively easy way and to progress quickly.

Such a board is also less bulky and lighter than conventional boards, which facilitates the learning of "free style". It has indeed relatively little inertia for the practice of jumps. In particular, it makes it easier to grasp the spatulas forward or backward during jumps, since these spatulas are less distant from the feet than for relatively long boards.

Such a board is also particularly manageable, which facilitates the learning of figures considered as delicate to execute with long conventional boards.

An additional advantage is that this relatively small board is suitable for different types of users, adult or child.

Claims (5)

Snowboarding board (1) having adjustable binding means each having a center (16, 17) defined as the point of rotation of their steering adjustment mechanism, said board (1) having a defined length (L) by the distance separating its front (2) and rear (3) extreme points after projection on a horizontal plane, and a width (ℓ) defined by the distance separating two points (7, 8) from the dimension line (9) situated on the right (10) perpendicular to the median longitudinal axis (4) connecting said end points (2, 3), and passing midway between said end points (2, 3), characterized in that the length-to-width ratio (L / 1) is less than 4.85, and in that the distance (S) separating the two fixing centers (16, 17) is between 45 and 55 centimeters. Surfboard according to Claim 1, characterized in that the ratio (L / 1) is greater than 4.70. Surfboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the length (L) is less than 125 centimeters. Surfboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the fasteners are adjustable in translation along the median longitudinal axis of the board. Surfboard according to Claim 1, characterized in that the distance (S) separating the two fixing centers is between 46 and 54 centimeters.

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