EP3106212B1 - Snowboard - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gliding board for hiking.

The invention applies more particularly to a board for both climbing and descending on snow-covered terrain and the practice of ski touring.

Snowshoes are available for safe walking, on snowy terrain, uphill and downhill.

These boards, generally of very short length, have a shoe attachment in the central portion possibly surrounded by perforated zones and supported in and / or snow to stabilize the evolution on the snow.

However, these boards do not allow any downhill gliding which makes long walks and tiring.

Furthermore, hiking skis are known made of boards comprising a sandwich-type structure with a core and reinforcements, side edges with edges and a sole.

For climbing uphill, the sole is equipped with an anti-kickback band called "seal skin" which prohibits the return of the board backwards.

For downhill skiing, the skins mounted on each ski are removed to allow the ski to slide on the snow.

Such skis are difficult to handle and require a technical level of learning sufficient skiing.

In addition, their use is tedious because of the need to mount or dismount seal skins under the skiing to go from the climb to the descent.

The US 8,925,956 describes a gliding apparatus consisting of a bottom hull provided with anti-recoil teeth.

However, the profile and the position of these teeth do not allow to hold the board back when the board moves in the climbing phase.

Indeed, the shape of the chosen teeth which is asymmetric brakes the sliding of the ski forward and has no anti-recoil effect to the rear.

In addition, the hull does not allow a stable evolution, mainly uphill.

The US 20060091645A1 describes a board whose side songs are provided with undulations.

The profile of these ripples is designed to locally increase the attachment of the board on the snow during downhill turns and not to avoid the back of the board back to secure the rise of the ski touring.

Indeed, these corrugations are symmetrical and promote the sliding of the board both forward and backward.

The document US 8,596,667 describes a ski whose side edges are provided with notches whose shape is symmetrical with respect to a transverse axis of the ski.

The present invention aims to solve these technical problems ergonomically by providing a compact gliding board, versatile, easy to use for hiking in the mountains and which allows a good hold on the snow in the climb phase while maintaining gliding ability for the descent, regardless of the type of snow and the declination of the course.

Another object of the invention is to provide a board having a simple structure with no edges unlike traditional skis.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a board defined by claim 1.

According to an advantageous characteristic, each of its two lateral edges is provided with a series of notches extending over at least a portion of the area of the board intended to receive the user's boot.

According to a first embodiment, the edges are vertical.

According to another characteristic, it is provided that on each lateral edge of the board, the intersections of the edges of the series of notches with the lower face are positioned on the same concave curve.

According to yet another characteristic, the longitudinal connecting faces between the adjacent notches of the same series are chamfered towards the inside of the board.

According to a particular feature, it is expected that at each notch, the transverse face and the longitudinal face are not symmetrical with respect to the transverse axis of the board passing through the edge of this notch. According to yet another characteristic, the longitudinal connecting faces have an angle of between 60 ° and 85 ° relative to the transverse axis of the board passing through their edge.

Furthermore, the transverse abutment faces have an angle between 0 ° and 15 ° on either side of the transverse axis of the board passing through their edge.

Preferably, at each of the edges, the transverse abutment face has an angle of 90 ° with the longitudinal connecting face.

According to one dimensional characteristic, the notches have a depth of between 2 and 10 mm while the vertices of two consecutive edges are spaced apart by at least 20 mm and preferably by at least 30 mm.

Meanwhile, the notches extend over a height greater than or equal to half the thickness of the side edge of the board and, on the side edge, at least 300 mm being centered on the positioning of the middle of the shoe.

According to another variant, the board consists of a core positioned between the upper and lower faces and the lower face being provided with a sole extending from one side edge to the other.

Preferably, this core comprises partially recessed areas.

Advantageously, the sole extends to the side edges of the board where the series of notches is formed.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the underside of the board is provided with at least one longitudinal groove for receiving an anti-recoil skin.

Alternatively or in addition, the underside of the board is provided with scales.

The board of the invention allows the practice of ski touring on a wide variety of snowy terrain, especially on more or less hilly terrain and on different types of snow such as, for example, hard snow, processed or powdery.

With the board of the invention which frees itself from traditional edges, the skier can advance easily in upward movement.

The binding used allows him to free the heel of his shoe, both without risk of recoil both on the flat and in the slope and with a limited burial in the snow.

It can then evolve downhill without any modification of the board sliding in a secure and controlled manner thanks to the lateral hooking notches in the snow, useful mainly in the cornering phase.

For the descent phase, the binding used can leave a free rotation of the heel of the free shoe or lock it.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'un mode de réalisation de la planche de glisse de l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue de dessous du mode de réalisation de la figure 1.
• Les figures 3A et 3B sont des vues, respectivement, en perspective et de dessus d'un mode de réalisation du noyau de la planche de l'invention.
• Les figures 4A, 4B sont des vues de détail en perspective, respectivement, du chant de la planche finie et du noyau selon l'invention.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe transversale d'une variante de la planche de l'invention.
• La figure 6 est une vue de dessous d'une variante de réalisation de la planche de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, accompanied by the drawings explained below.

• The figure 1 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of the gliding board of the invention.
• The figure 2 represents a bottom view of the embodiment of the figure 1 .
• The Figures 3A and 3B are views, respectively, in perspective and from above of an embodiment of the core of the board of the invention.
• The Figures 4A , 4B are detailed perspective views, respectively, of the edge of the finished board and the core according to the invention.
• The figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a variant of the board of the invention.
• The figure 6 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the board of the invention.

The board 1 shown on the figure 1 is particularly intended for the practice of ski touring and allows you to evolve both uphill and downhill.

This board is equipped here with a traditional attachment F with a base articulated about an axis D to maintain a shoe (not shown). The maintenance of the shoe is here made by two straps but any other means of the prior art could be used.

The board 1 has an outer envelope delimited by an upper face, a lower face and side edges.

In a variant that will be described later, the lower face is optionally provided with a sole S.

The board also has a rib line delimited by the edge of the lower face and a camber area, according to ISO 6289.

The longitudinal axis XX 'of the board 1 extends from the rear to the front of the board and forms the axis of symmetry of the board 1. The transverse axis YY' of the board 1 is perpendicular to the board. longitudinal axis XX 'of the board 1.

According to the variant of Figures 3A and 3B , the plate 1 has a structure composed of a core N (shown in detail on the figure 3A ), usually of wood or plastic such as polyurethane foam or ABS.

As illustrated by Figures 4A and 5 this core is provided with at least one upper layer formed of a protective coating R1 of plastic, thermoplastic or polymer forming the upper face of the board and / or at least one reinforcing layer R2 of composite material of the glass fiber and / or carbon and / or Kevlar or metal material type, of two side edges 1a, 1b and of at least one lower layer formed of a soleplate S1 associated with at least one other reinforcing layer S2 composite material or metal for example.

This board has a curvilinear coastline which is, more precisely, concave radius so as to have a maximum width AV in the front part of the board and a maximum width AR in the rear part of the board.

The narrowest area of the board is located at the level of the pad P.

This board is, according to the invention, completely devoid of edge. The sole S extends over the entire width of the board and forms its lower lateral edges.

The invention consists in producing, on at least one of the lateral edges of the board 1 (and in the embodiment shown, on both edges) a series of notches 11 ensuring on the one hand the axial attachment of the board in the snow, in particular, when the ski is at an angle, in the descending and climbing phases, and secondly, an anti-recoil function in the climbing phase.

Specifically, the notches 11 create lateral zones of overpressure when the board is inclined on its side edge to make a turn or when the skier clings to the slope in the climb phase.

It should be noted that the less the series has notches, the greater the attachment force is large on each notch which leads to limit the number of notches.

The series of notches 11 extends over at least a portion of the area of the board for receiving the shoe.

These notches are made either directly and integrally on the lateral faces of the assembly formed by the core N (see Figures 3A and 3B ) coated with the lower and upper layers, or (according to a variant not shown) on a reported profile and fixed on the side edge or edge 1a, 1b of the board or core.

Preferably, the notches 11 are all identical. However, it would be possible, according to the invention, to vary the profile and the geometry of the various notches of the series, depending on their position on the board.

As illustrated by the figures, each notch 11 has a vertical edge 11a delimiting, towards the rear of the board, a transverse face 12 which is parallel or slightly inclined towards the rear of the ski with respect to its transverse axis YY 'and, towards the front of the board, a longitudinal face 13 which is slightly inclined relative to its longitudinal axis XX 'and reentrant towards this longitudinal axis XX'.

In other words, the transverse face 12 extends from the rear side of the edge 11a, while the longitudinal face 13 extends to the front side of the edge 11a, relative to the front of the board.

The transverse faces 12 of the series of notches 11 make it possible to fulfill a function of abutment or blocking of the ski towards the rear preventing it from moving back during the climbing phase when the board is sinking into the snow or when the board is inclined with respect to the snow surface and door diagonally on one of its side edges.

The longitudinal connecting faces 13, in turn, allow the sliding of the ski forward without restraint. The edges 11a are vertical but they could have a certain inclination relative to the vertical without departing from the scope of the invention.

As an exemplary embodiment, each series of notches comprises between 6 and 12 notches over a length of between 300 and 350 mm for a board whose length is between 0.8 and 1.25 m and spread evenly over this area.

The zone of the notches is preferably not centered with respect to the ends of the board but centered with respect to the positioning point of the middle of the shoe MC on the board.

In the case where the series comprises six evenly distributed notches, the spacing between the two edges of two consecutive notches is 28 to 32 mm and preferably 30 mm, whereas for a series of twelve notches, this spacing is from 58 to 62 mm and preferably 60 mm. The zone of the notches 11 could be wider, extending as far as possible between the lines of maximum widths before AV and rear AR, or even on a more restricted length of between 300 and 600 mm.

For a notched zone of length equal to 600 mm, the number of notches would then be between 12 and 20 notches.

In a variant not shown, the distribution of the notches along the length of the board may not be uniform. Thus, this distribution may be irregular or progressively tighter and / or more compact from front to back. This distribution can also occur on each edge of the board, in the form of two distinct areas on which the notches are distributed regular and uniform; these two areas being respectively in the area of the board for receiving the front of the shoe and in the area of the board for receiving the back of the shoe with a spacing greater than 100 mm between these two areas.

It would also be possible to provide that the notch areas of each lateral edge of the board are offset on the axis XX 'and are not located opposite.

In general, the spacing between the lower end of the respective ridges of two adjacent notches is greater than 20 mm and preferably greater than 30 mm.

With regard to the dimensions of the board, the width at the pad is, for example, between 75 and 95 mm and is preferably 90 mm, the maximum spatula width is between 110 mm and 130 mm and is preferably, 120 mm while the maximum width at the heel is between 90 mm and 110 mm and is preferably 100 mm.

The maximum thickness of the finished edge of the board is between 6 and 15 mm and is preferably between 8 and 10 mm.

In addition, the board has a section raised upwards in its spatula portion.

In the back part of the board, the heel can be raised upwards but may not have a statement. In this latter configuration, the back portion at the heel is therefore flat to avoid instabilities when the weight of the skier is excessively applied to the rear.

To obtain a difference in the behavior of the board between a rearward sliding phase in the direction of recoil and a sliding phase forward in the direction of displacement, the transverse face 12 of the notch 11 and the longitudinal face 13 of the notch 11 are not symmetrical with respect to the transverse axis YY 'passing through the edge 11a. In particular, the angle α defined between the longitudinal connecting face 13 and the transverse axis YY 'passing through the edge 11a is in absolute value greater than the angle β defined between the transverse abutment face 12 and the same axis transverse YY 'passing through the same edge 11a.

Also, the transverse faces 12 are rectilinear and inclined towards the rear of the board with an angle β between 0 ° and 15 ° relative to the transverse axis YY 'of the board and passing through the edge 11a (see Figure 4B ) to allow the blocking of the board to the rear thereby forming a stop and a snow jam at this transverse face 12. Preferably the angle β is about 0 °.

In the context of the invention, it would be possible to provide, according to a variant not shown, that the transverse and longitudinal faces are curved provided to retain a transverse face abutment to the rear to provide the anti-recoil function.

As illustrated, in particular, by the figures 2 and 4A , 4B on each of the edges or edges 1a, 1b, the intersections of the notches or their vertical edges 11a with the lower face define the same concave curve which here merges with the line of ribs of the board 1.

To maintain this alignment, the longitudinal connecting faces 13 between the adjacent notches 11 are rectilinear and chamfered towards the inside of the edge of the board, as illustrated by the detailed view of the Figures 4A , 4B .

These longitudinal faces 13 are inclined towards the front so as not to hinder the forward movement or sliding of the board and preferably have an angle α understood between 60 and 85 ° with respect to the transverse axis YY 'of the board passing through the edge 11a of the notch considered.

In particular, in the illustrated configuration, the angle γ formed between the transverse faces 12 of abutment and the longitudinal faces 13 is about 90 ° at the edge of a notch 11 in order to provide enough material to level of the edge and thereby increase the resistance of it.

The notches 11 have a depth (corresponding to the width L of the face 12 - Figure 4B ) between 2 and 10 mm, preferably between 3 and 5 mm. This depth must not be too low to allow the transverse face to block enough snow to achieve the anti-recoil effect backwards. Thus, fine protuberances of a depth less than 1 mm would not achieve the objectives of the invention.

Furthermore, the notches 11 extend over a height h greater than or equal to half the thickness of the edge 1a, 1b of the board 1.

Preferably, the notches 11 extend over the entire height of the board, so as to obtain a blocking and compacting surface of the snow on the transverse end stop face of the notches which is as large as possible. The greater the depth of these notches, the greater the effect of immobilization of the board to the rear will be strong during an upward stroke, thus filling the anti-recoil function all the better via the transverse abutment faces.

To lighten the board 1, the core N is partially hollowed out.

In the embodiment shown on the Figure 4B , the core N has a honeycomb-shaped honeycomb structure. These cells can be cut in a plastic material such as ABS for example or in wood, or molded directly by injection of a plastic material in a suitable mold, or even be constituted directly by a honeycomb material.

However, to avoid weakening the structure of the board in the areas of the highest stress and to ensure a solid anchoring of the binding on the board, the recessed areas N0 are preferably located outside the anchoring zones or fastening the fastener F to the board, as illustrated by the Figures 3A , 3B .

In the illustrated embodiment, the core has two central solid areas 14 and a peripheral solid area 15 to seal around the edge of the board.

In general, the soles are formed of a material sliding on the snow type polyethylene and, in the context of the invention, the underside of the board must be equipped with an anti-recoil means limiting the sliding properties from the board to the back. Also this lower face consists of at least two zones, a gliding zone and an anti-recoil zone. The anti-recoil function zone may consist of a seal skin or a flange provided with scales or any other means known from the prior art.

In the embodiments of figures 2 and 6 , the sole S forming the underside is provided with at least one longitudinal groove 10 for receiving a strip B anti-recoil skin type "seal skin" possibly removable and may be replaced in case of wear.

In the embodiment of the figure 2 the sole has two parallel grooves 10 for fixing two strips B1, B2.

As illustrated by figure 5 preferably, the strips B1, B2 project outside the grooves 10, beyond the plane of the sole S so as to further limit the downward speed. Of course, to obtain a board that is more efficient in sliding and therefore faster, the outer surface of the skin can also be positioned at the outer surface of the sole S.

Preferably, the strips B have a width of 20 mm and a length of 620 mm and extend, beyond the series of notches 11, for example over a length of 75 mm behind the last notch located on the rear side of the board and a length of 220 mm in front of the last notch located on the front side of the board.

The strips B may extend over the entire contact length of the board with the snow (dimension standardized to ISO 6289) or, preferably, over a length of between 70% and 100% of this length of contact.

In the transverse dimension of the board, the band B can cover approximately the entire width of the board by following or not the profile of the rib line or maintaining straight and parallel edges.

The anti-recoil zone can also be divided into at least two bands leaving between these bands gliding zones.

In another embodiment illustrated in figure 6 the areas of the underside not covered by the seal skin bands may be partially provided with scales e which are formed directly from a plastic material and which are oriented in such a way as to prevent the board from falling back towards the 'back.

Still in embodiment of the figure 6 , the scales are positioned at the front and back of the seal skin band area on a stretch extending to the lines of maximum width before AV and rear AR. These scales are rounded but any other shape could be suitable as a triangular shape or a U shape.

The combination of seal skin areas with flake zones optimizes the immobilization or braking of the board in a sliding movement to the rear and this regardless of the type of snow.

Indeed, the seal skin is more effective on hard snow while the scales are more effective on soft snow, that is powdery or transformed.

In another variant of the figure 6 (not shown), the portion of the lower face located between the two skin strips B1, B2 and / or the portion of the lower face located between the lateral edge of the board and the outer lateral edge of the skin strip could also include scales.

The invention also proposes a board comprising, over the entire length of contact, a lower face (provided or not with a sole) consisting of a zone of scales corresponding to 50% of the contact surface associated with a zone of contact. skins corresponding to the 50% complementary allowing to obtain a multipurpose board in any type of snow.

For more flexible snow, the board will be adapted by choosing a lower face consisting of a scale area of 70% of the contact area associated with a skin area of 30% of this surface.

On the other hand, for hard snow, the board will be adapted by the choice of a lower face consisting of a zone of scales of 30% of the contact surface associated with a skin zone of 70% of this surface.

• proposer des planches courtes, maniables et faciles d'utilisation,
• qui permettent de monter facilement sur des pentes enneigées en toute sécurité et sans risque de glisse vers l'arrière,
• qui permettent de glisser également en toute sécurité sur des pentes variées dans les phases de descente et,
• sans qu'il soit nécessaire de procéder à des manipulations ou des modifications de ces planches.

The invention thus has the advantages of

• offer short boards, easy to handle and easy to use,
• which makes it easy to climb on snowy slopes in complete safety and without risk of slipping backwards,
• which allow to slide also safely on various slopes in the descent phases and,
• without the need to manipulate or modify these boards.

The board according to the invention is also composed of a simplified structure, without edge and with an outdoor profile adapted to the hike having a series of anti-recoil notches on the side edges.

Of course, any internal structure having such an outer profile is included in the invention.

In particular, this structure could be manufactured in one piece from a single conventional material or reinforced by the introduction of fillers or fibers.

Claims (19)

1. A snowboard for ski-touring, intended to receive a shoe binding (F) comprising an upper face, a lower face and lateral edges, at least one of which is provided with a series of notches (11), characterized in that each edge (11a) of said notches defines, on the one hand, a transverse stop face (12) extending on the rear side of the edge (11a) and enabling the board to be stopped in the backward direction and, on the other hand, a longitudinal face (13) for connecting the notches together which extends on the front side of the edge (11a), relative to the front of the board between said notches (11) and which enables the sliding forward.
2. The snowboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, on each notch (11) and on either side of the edge (11a) thereof, the transverse face (12) and the longitudinal face (13) are not symmetrical with respect to the transverse axis (Y, Y') of the board passing through the edge (11a) of that notch.
3. The snowboard according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the angle defined between the longitudinal face (13) and the transverse axis (Y, Y') is greater than the angle defined between the transverse face (12) and said transverse axis passing through the same edge.
4. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transverse face (12) is inclined towards the transverse axis (Y, Y') and towards the rear of the board with an angle (β) between 0° and 15° with respect to said axis.
5. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal face (13) has an angle (α) between 60° and 85° with respect to the transverse axis (Y, Y') of the board.
6. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, at each of the edges, the transverse face (12) has an angle of 90° with the longitudinal face (13).
7. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the two lateral edges (1a, 1b) thereof is provided with a series of notches (11) extending over at least a part of the area of the board intended to receive the user's shoe.
8. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edges (11a) are vertical.
9. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, on each lateral edge, the intersections of the edges (11a) of the series of notches (11) with the lower face are positioned on the same concave curve.
10. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal faces (13) connecting adjacent notches (11) of the same series are chamfered towards the inside of the board.
11. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the notches (11) have a depth (L) between 2 and 10mm.
12. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tops of two consecutive edges are spaced by least 20mm, preferably at least 30mm.
13. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said notches (11) extend over a height (h) greater than or equal to half the thickness of the lateral edge of the board.
14. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the series of notches extend over the lateral edge over at least 300mm and are centred on the positioning of the middle of the shoe.
15. The snowboard according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the board consists of a core positioned between the upper and lower faces and the lower face being provided with a sole extending from one lateral edge to the other.
16. The snowboard according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the core (N) comprises partially recessed areas.
17. The snowboard according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the sole extends to the lateral edges of the board where the series of notches is formed.
18. The snowboard according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that said lower face is provided with at least one longitudinal groove (10) intended for receiving a back-stop skin (B).
19. The snowboard according to one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that said lower face is provided with scales.

Images