EP1815893B1 - Board for snow sports - Google Patents

Abstract

The snowboard or skateboard has raised areas (16, 18) near the front and back which support the feet. There are two depressions (41, 42) between them which increase the flexibility of the board in this area and make jumping maneuvers easier to execute.

Description

The invention relates to the field of snowboards for snowboarding.

A board traditionally has a length measured in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured in a direction transverse between a first edge and a second edge, and a height measured between a bottom and a top. The board also includes a first and a second home area of a foot, a shoe, and a foot or shoe restraint.

To drive it, a user asks for the board. This is particularly the case in snow surfing, or snowboarding.

In this discipline the user has both feet retained on the board, respectively in the first and the second reception area. The feet are each oriented in a substantially transverse direction of the board. This facilitates lateral support, with the heels or toes of the feet.

In general the user favors a direction of longitudinal sliding of the board, which is the one for which he feels most comfortable. Thus one arbitrarily considers a foot as being rear, the other as being before compared to the preferred direction of longitudinal sliding. By analogy we consider that one end of the board is back and the other before, and that a reception area is aft and the other front. Of course, these areas are respectively one or the other of the first and second reception areas.

The user can perform figures including jumps. One of them is called "ollie". This is to take off the board by pressing on one of its ends. Generally the support is taken on the rear end, to jump sliding in the privileged longitudinal direction.

To perform an ollie, the user bends the board and shifts the center of gravity of his body towards the rear end.

The bending is obtained by faction of the legs, so that the center of curvature is located on the side of the top. The bending must be understood as being a reversible elastic deformation of the board, along a transverse axis of the board. This elastic deformation corresponds to an accumulation of energy by the board. The bending, combined with the shift of the center of gravity, allows at first a lifting of the front end and a support on the ground on the rear end. During the support, energy is accumulated by bending deformation of the rear end. This deformation completes the bending. Then the user returns his center of gravity to the front end, and let the board regain its original shape by releasing the accumulated energy. As a result the rear end rises in turn. When both ends are raised, that is to say far from the ground, the board is completely above the ground.

In order to facilitate this type of jump, or ollie, it is known to reduce the height of the board between the reception areas. The reduction in height locally reduces the cross section of the board, and thereby creates a flexion area of the board. The reduction of height facilitates the bending of the board, and thus its bending. Indeed where the height is reduced flexural strength along a transverse axis is less. Thus the board flexes more easily.

In a traditional manner it is known to position the smallest cross section substantially midway between the reception areas. However this configuration makes the ollie difficult to perform. Indeed, the area that facilitates the bending of the board is relatively far from the foot. Thus the effort to provide flexion is important. The realization of the jump is tiring.

To facilitate the practice of jumps, it has been proposed to bring the area that facilitates the flexion to a reception area. Specifically, to account for the user's preferred direction of glide, the area of reduced height has been placed near the rear foot restraint area. Thus the user has a greater lever arm to cause bending with the front foot. Of course, the lever arm is the distance between the area that facilitates the bending of the board and the holding area of the front foot. As a result the user has more facilities to make a jump by sliding in the preferred direction.

The corollary is that it has less facility to make a jump in the case where it slides in the opposite direction to the privileged sense. In other words, the board facilitates jumps for a single direction of evolution, that is to say a single direction of slip.

One of the aims of the invention is to facilitate the execution of jumps, especially ollies, in both directions of longitudinal displacement. That is, the privileged sense, and the opposite sense.

Another object of the invention is to have a more versatile board.

The document EP-A-1,440,712 discloses a gliding board according to the preamble of claim 1.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a sliding or rolling board which has a length measured in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured in a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, and a height. measured between an underside and a top, the board comprising a first reception zone of a foot or a shoe and a second reception zone of a foot or a shoe.

The board according to the invention is defined by claim 1.

The first flexion zone is close to the first reception zone, while the second flexion zone is close to the second reception zone.

This arrangement creates two lever arms to bend the board with the legs. One of the arms extends from the first flexion zone to the second retention zone, and the other extends from the second flexion zone to the first retention zone. It follows that the user can easily bend the board, and he can easily lift either end, regardless of its longitudinal direction of movement.

As a result the user can store a lot of energy by bending to his board, regardless of the longitudinal direction of evolution.

One advantage of this is that it can perform jumps, such as ollies, with the same ease in both directions of evolution. The board according to the invention is therefore more versatile than a board according to the prior art.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une planche selon la forme de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une coupe selon II-II de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une coupe similaire à la figure 2, pour une alternative de construction qui fait partie de la forme de réalisation,
• la figure 4 est une coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 1,
• la figure 5 est une vue de côté de la planche de la figure 1.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawing illustrating, by a nonlimiting embodiment, how the invention can be realized, and in which :

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a board according to the embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 2 is a section on II-II of the figure 1 ,
• the figure 3 is a cut similar to the figure 2 , for a construction alternative which is part of the embodiment,
• the figure 4 is a section IV-IV of the figure 1 ,
• the figure 5 is a side view of the board of the figure 1 .

Although the embodiment relates to a snowboard, it should be understood that it also relates to other boards adapted to the practice of sports as mentioned before.

The embodiment is presented using the Figures 1 to 5 .

In a known manner, as can be seen in particular in the figure 1 , a snowboard 1 has a length measured in a longitudinal direction between a first end 2 and a second end 3. The longitudinal direction is marked with the central longitudinal axis Lo. The first 2 and second 3 ends are each rounded, but they could alternatively have a different shape like that of a tip, or a fin. The board 1 also has a width measured in a transverse direction between a first lateral edge 4 and a second lateral edge 5, as well as a height measured between a gliding underside or face 6 and a receiving top or face. cross direction is identified using the median transverse axis Wo. The edge of the board includes the ends and edges. For each edge, the dimension line according to the embodiment shown is concave with respect to the longitudinal direction Lo.

Of course, the transverse direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is parallel to the sliding face 6.

The board 1 also has, from the first end 2 to the second end 3, a first end zone 8, a first contact line W1, a central zone 9, a second contact line W2, and a second zone end 10. The central zone 9 itself comprises successively, between the contact lines W1, W2, a first intermediate zone 15, a first retention zone 16, a second intermediate zone 17 disposed at the central axis Wo, a second retaining zone 18, and a third intermediate zone 19.

Each retaining zone 16, 18 is provided to receive a user's foot restraint. The devices, not shown, can be secured to the board 1 by means such as screws. Each retaining zone 16, 18 is provided for this purpose with threaded orifices 20.

Each of the lines of contact W1, W2 is a line, substantially transverse to the board 1, at which the sliding face 6 touches a flat surface when the board 1 rests on the surface without external influence.

The general appearance of the board 1 is that of an elongated plate. According to the embodiment shown, the underside 6 is slightly concave between the lines of contact W1, W2. II 6 has a hollow or inner round which extends along the central zone 9, substantially from the first 15 to the third intermediate zone. In the embodiment shown, the rounding has a regular geometry. The top 7 has two slight prominences represented by greater thicknesses in the retaining zones 16, 18. Also, the board is slightly reduced in width between the edges 4, 5 at the level of the second intermediate zone 17.

The height of the board 1 is visualized in section on the figure 2 .

From the sliding face 6 to the reception face 7, the board has a sole 21, a first reinforcement 22, a core 23, a second reinforcement 24, and a protective layer 25.

Depending on the type of board the number of reinforcements can be changed and be less than or greater than two. The board may not include any reinforcement or protective layer.

The sole 21 is made for example with a plastic material containing polyethylene. The protective layer 25 is made, for example, of a plastics material containing an acetyl-butadiene-styrene.

According to the embodiment, each of the reinforcements 22, 24 is made from fibers impregnated with a resin. The fibers may be made of any material, or any mixture of materials, such as glass, carbon, aramid, metal, or the like. The core 23 comprises a main body 26 which gives it its general appearance. The main body 26 comprises for example wood, a foam of a synthetic material, or any other material.

The reinforcements 22, 24 and the core 23 form a sandwich panel which extends along at least 50% of the surface of the board, and preferably substantially over the entire surface.

The board 1 further comprises a first side sill 30 located at the first side edge 4, and a second side sill 31 located at the second side edge 5. This gives the board a box-type structure. A spar 30, 31 comprises for example a synthetic material, such as acetyl-butadiene-styrene.

Alternatively, as seen on the figure 3 a construction which forms part of the embodiment of the invention may be provided. This alternative excludes the side members. The first 22 and second 24 reinforcements join directly. This gives the board a hull type structure.

Of course, any other structure can be provided. For example, a portion of the board may be box type, while another is of the shell type.

There is also provided a peripheral edge 32 which borders the sole 21. The edge 32 is continuous but it could also be segmented, or not extend over the entire periphery. For example it could include a portion along the first edge 4 and a portion along the second edge 5. The edge 32 preferably comprises a metal, or a metal alloy, such as steel, or the like.

According to the invention, between the reception or holding zones 16, 18, the plate 1 comprises a first flexion zone 41, located towards the first reception zone 16, as well as a second flexion zone 42, located to the second reception zone 18. More precisely, the first flexion zone 41 is located between the first reception zone 16 and the median transverse axis Wo, and the second flexion zone 42 is situated between the second zone 18 home and the median transverse axis Wo.

If he shifts his center of gravity towards the first end 2 the user can easily press with one leg in the first retaining zone 16, at the same time as he shoots with the other leg at the second retaining zone 18. The first bending zone 41 facilitates the bending of the board 1 so that the center of curvature is turned towards the top 7. The lever arm extends from the first bending zone 41 to the second bending zone. retained 18.

Conversely, if he shifts his center of gravity towards the second end 3, the user can easily press with one leg in the second retaining zone 18, at the same time as he shoots with the other leg at the level of the first retaining zone 16. The second flexion zone 42 facilitates the bending of the plate 1 so that the center of curvature is turned towards the top 7. The lever arm extends from the second flexion zone 42 to the first retaining zone 16.

So whatever the end of the board he wants to lift, the user finds the same ease of action. As a result it is also easy to jump in each longitudinal sliding direction.

According to the described embodiment of the invention, as understood with the help of the set of Figures 1 to 5 the first 41 and the second 42 flexion zones each have a localized reduction in the height of the board. To obtain the reduction in height, the thickness of the core 23 is reduced at each of the flexion zones 41, 42. By corollary, the height of the board is greater in a junction zone 43 than in the flexion zones. 41, 42, the junction zone connecting to one another the flexion zones 41, 42. It is noted that the second intermediate zone 17 comprises the first flexion zone 41, the junction zone 43, and the second zone flexion 42.

The height of the board 1 is greater in the first retaining zone 16 than in the first flexion zone 41, and the height is greater in the second retaining zone 18 than in the second flexion zone 42.

Thus, seen in profile, the board 1 has three vertices 16, 43, 18 between the contact lines W1, W2. These vertices are successively the first reception or holding zone 16, the junction zone 43, and the second retention zone 18. The grooves 41, 42 separating the vertices are of course the first 41 and second 42 flexion zones. Of course each vertex 16, 18 of the reception areas is provided to receive the retaining devices of a shoe and thus has a suitable surface, for example approximately flat or flattened.

By way of non-limiting example the height of the board, at a retaining zone 16, 18 or the junction zone 43 is between 7 and 20 mm. The height at the bending zones 41, 42 is between 5 and 15 mm.

In a holding zone 16, 18, the height of the board is substantially constant in the transverse direction Wo. In a bend zone 41, 42, and in the junction zone 43, each cross section of the board has a substantially constant height. This gives the board a transverse homogeneity.

From the first retaining zone 16 to the second 18, the height of the board varies continuously and gradually. Thus longitudinally the top 7 is concave in the first flexion zone 41, convex in the junction zone 43, and concave in the second flexion zone 42.

Of course, alternatively non-continuous and / or non-progressive pitch variations could be provided. For example, a bending zone could comprise a transverse groove.

Each flexion zone 41, 42 is oriented in the transverse direction Wo of the plate 1. In other words the points where the board height is the lowest, that is to say the bottom of the grooves 41, 42 , are contained in a cross section. Thus the board 1 is stable in support at the time of the jumps.

One can alternatively provide different orientations of the grooves 41, 42.

Without limitation, the heights of the first 16 and second 18 retaining zones are the same. The maximum height of the junction zone is substantially equal to the height of the retaining zones 16, 18.

Of course, it is possible, alternatively, to provide that these zones 16, 18, 43 have different heights from one another.

The invention is made from materials and according to implementation techniques known to those skilled in the art.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes all technical equivalents that fall within the scope of the claims that follow.

It can be expected to fill a groove between two tops, by a trim element or damping.

If the board described is substantially symmetrical about a central transverse axis, at least between the contact lines W1, W2, it may alternatively be expected that it is not.

Claims (9)

1. Gliding board (1) adapted for snowboarding, having a length measured along a longitudinal direction (Lo) between a first end (2) and a second end (3), a width measured along a transverse direction (Wo) between a first edge (4) and a second edge (5), and a height measured between a bottom (6) and a top (7), the board (1) including a first zone (16) for receiving a foot or a boot and a second zone (18) for receiving a second foot or boot, each receiving zone being provided to receive a device for retaining a user's foot,
   characterized in that between the receiving zones (16, 18), the board (1) comprises a first flexion zone (41) located toward the first receiving zone (16), as well as a second flexion zone (42) located toward the second receiving zone (18), the first (41) and second (42) flexion zones each having a localized reduction in the height of the board, and the height of the board being greater in a connecting zone (43) than in the flexion zones (41, 42), the connecting zone (43) connecting the flexion zones (41, 42) together.
2. Gliding board (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first flexion zone (41) is located between the first receiving zone (16) and a median transverse axis (Wo), and in that the second flexion zone (42) is located between the second receiving zone (18) and the median transverse axis (Wo).
3. Gliding board (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness of a core (23) of the board is reduced in the area of each of the flexion zones (41, 42).
4. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the height of the board is greater in the first receiving zone (16) than in the first flexion zone (41), and in that the height is greater in the second retaining zone (18) than in the second flexion zone (42).
5. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that between two contact lines (W1, W2), the board has three peaks which, successively, are the first receiving zone (16), the connecting zone (43), and the second receiving zone (18).
6. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transverse cross section of the board has a substantially constant height in a flexion zone (41, 42).
7. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the height of the board continuously and progressively varies from the first receiving zone (16) up to the second receiving zone (18).
8. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the top (7) is concave in the first flexion zone (41), convex in the connecting zone (43), and concave in the second flexion zone (42).
9. Gliding board (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the board is substantially symmetrical along a central transverse axis (Wo), between the contact lines (W1, W2).

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