FR2771644A1 - Snow board with longitudinal beams in core - Google Patents

Abstract

The snow board (1) has a core with beams (14-18) that extend along it. The lateral beams (14,15) lie along the sides (4,5) of the board and there is a central beam (16). These beams have a density greater than or equal to 0.6. Intermediate beams (17,18), between the central and lateral beams, have a density less than 0.6.

Description

Snowboard intended for surfing on
snow.

 The invention relates to a gliding board intended for the practice of snowboarding, and relates more precisely to the internal structure of the board.

 The practice of snowboarding, or snowboarding, is done with a board removably secured to the feet of a user by bindings and shoes. The practice results in displacements in straight line or in curve, or by the realization of jumps or figures.

 Traditionally, a surfboard has the general shape of an elongated plate with a face intended to receive the bindings and a face intended to slide on the snow.

 The thickness of the board includes a reinforcing layer located on the side of the fasteners and a reinforcing layer located on the side intended to slide, the layers being separated by a core. The materials generally used to make the cores are wood, glued wooden strips, high density synthetic materials, or equivalent materials.

 These boards allow you to control driving in a straight line or in a curve, and allow you to perform jumps or tricks.

 However, their relatively large mass hinders the movements of the user and tires him. It follows that the driving precision is impaired regardless of the style of practice.

 To overcome this drawback, the prior art has proposed solutions for reducing the mass of a board.

 For example, DE-U1-295 16 548 discloses a board whose core includes solid beams and hollow beams. This structure allows a reduction of the core, and of the board consequently. It follows that the board, lightened compared to a traditional board, is easier and less tiring to drive.

 However, part of the advantage gained is lost because the hollow beams cause uncontrolled deformation of the board while driving. Deformations, resulting from the stresses exerted on the board, affect driving precision.

 In addition, the hollow beams make the board much more sensitive to shocks. In particular, certain side impacts, for example with an obstacle, can deform the side walls irreversibly. It follows that the dimension line of the board is distorted and that correct driving is no longer possible.

 The invention particularly relates to a board, whose structure is light compared to a traditional board, and whose deformations related to driving are controlled by the user.

 Another object of the invention is a light board, the structure of which withstands impact well, in particular with obstacles.

 The invention provides a gliding board intended for the practice of snowboarding, the board being delimited in length by a first end and a second end, in width by two sides, and in thickness by a top face provided for receiving bindings. and a lower face intended to slide on snow, the thickness comprising an upper layer which delimits the upper face, a lower layer which delimits the lower face, and a core separating the upper and lower layers, the core comprising beams which s 'extend lengthwise substantially between the front end and the rear end of the board.

 The board is characterized by the fact that a first lateral beam runs along one side, that a second lateral beam runs along the other side and that a central beam is located substantially halfway between the sides, the lateral and central beams. having a density greater than or equal to 0.6, and by the fact that a first intermediate beam separates the first lateral beam from the central beam, and that a second intermediate beam separates the second lateral beam from the central beam, the intermediate beams having a density less than 0.6.

 This structure makes the board light compared to a traditional board, and allows control of deformations related to driving by the user.

 The structure of the board according to the invention also allows good impact resistance.

 The invention is also characterized as it appears in claims 2 to 8.

Other characteristics 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 non-limiting examples, how the invention can be implemented and in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a board according to the invention corresponding to a first embodiment,
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the board of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but corresponds to a second embodiment,
FIG. 4 is a section on IV-IV of FIG. 1,
- Figure 5 is a section along VV of Figure 3.

 A first embodiment of the invention is described using FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

 As can be seen in FIG. 1, a gliding board extends longitudinally between a front end 2 and a rear end 3, the ends 2, 3 being arbitrarily referred to as front and rear.

 The board 1 is delimited in width by two sides 4, 5, and in thickness by an upper face 6 intended to receive bindings and a lower face 7 intended to slide on the snow.

 As best shown in FIG. 4, the sliding face 7 of the board 1 is opposite to the upper face 6 with respect to the thickness of the board 1.

 The sliding face 7 is delimited by a lower layer 8 which comprises a sliding strip 9 and a reinforcing strip 10, the sliding strip 9 being intended to slide on snow, the reinforcing strip 10 connecting the strip 9 to a core 11.

 The upper face 6 is delimited by an upper layer 12 which is a reinforcing strip also connected to the core 11.

 The sides 4, 5 are preferably made at least in part by extending the upper layer 12. A metal square 13 connects each of the sides 4, 5 to the lower layer 8.

 According to a preferred manufacturing method, the edge 13 is continuous and delimits the periphery of the lower face 7 of the board 1.

 More preferably still, the sides 4, 5 are inclined, so that the upper face 6 has a surface which is smaller than the surface of the lower face 7.

This arrangement is described for example in the document
FR 2,746,662.

 As can be better understood by looking at FIGS. 2 and 4, the core 11 comprises five juxtaposed beams which extend substantially in the direction of the length of the board 1, that is to say between the ends 2 and 3.

 A first lateral beam 14 runs along the side 4, a second lateral beam 15 runs along the side 5, and a central beam 16 is situated substantially halfway between the sides 4, 5. A first intermediate beam 17 separates the first lateral beam 14 of the central beam 16, and a second intermediate beam 18 separates the second lateral beam 15 from the central beam 16.

 The lateral beams 14, 15 and central 16 are made of a material which gives the board 1 the mechanical characteristics necessary for precise driving, whether for movements in contact with snow, or for performing jumps or figures.

 The beams 14, 15, 16 have good elasticity, to allow the board 1 to return to its initial shape after a stress, in particular in longitudinal bending, and to provide a spring effect which improves driving precision and facilitates jumps.

 The beams 14, 15, 16 also have good resistance to compression to avoid irreversible deformations of the board 1. In particular, the beams 14, 15 ensure good maintenance of the edge 13 at the sides 4, 5 for example in the event of an impact. The central beam 16 ensures good anchoring of inserts, not shown, intended for retaining fasteners also not shown. The inserts are embedded, by any means known to those skilled in the art, for example in cavities 19 opening onto the upper face 6, visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.

 As symbolized in FIG. 4 by means of center lines 20, 21, the inserts are arranged in the cavities 19 which are themselves formed in the central beam 16.

 The beams 14, 15, 16 have, again, good resistance to traction and tearing. This property facilitates the maintenance of the edge 13 at the sides 4, 5, because the edge 13 is preferably partially glued to the strips 14, 15. This property also facilitates the maintenance of the inserts in the cavities 19 of the central beam 16, and consequently the maintenance of the fixings on the board 1.

 The beams 14, 15, 16 are preferably made of a material such as wood which makes the board nervous and elastic. For example, it may be an assembly of wooden strips glued to each other. Woods that are well suited are ash, birch, maple, or other.

 The beams 14, 15, 16 have a density greater than or equal to 0.6, preferably between 0.6 and 0.8.

 The materials used to manufacture the beams 14, 15, 16 are well known to those skilled in the art.

 The intermediate beams 17, 18 are made of a material which is used to lighten the board. For example, the beams 17, 18 can be made with a foam of synthetic material, such as polyurethane reinforced with fiberglass yarns. Weight proportions of the materials corresponding to 80% foam and 20% fiberglass give the beams 17, 18 good mechanical characteristics, in particular good resistance to compression in all directions. In addition, the beams 17, 18 are light with a density close to 0.35.

 Another material for manufacturing the beams 17, 18 can be a polyurethane foam in which the cells are oriented in a chosen direction. Manufacturers are now able to produce such foams. In this case, the beams 17, 18 are even lighter with a density close to 0.2, but the mechanical properties vary according to the directions.

 The beams 17, 18 can also be made with a honeycomb structure made with fibers of composite materials and bonding resins. For example, the fibers can be glass, carbon, aramid or the like. In this case, the beams are even lighter with a density close to 0.126, and the mechanical properties are also different depending on the directions.

 The choice of the constituent material of the beams 17, 18 is essentially based on the cost of each material and the desired gain in mass, knowing that the least dense materials are generally the most expensive with neighboring mechanical characteristics.

 According to the examples, the density of the intermediate beams 17, 18 is less than 0.6, and preferably less than 0.35.

 The other materials used to make the board are known to those skilled in the art. The reinforcing strips 10, 12 can be made with fibers of composite materials impregnated with resin. The sliding strip 9 can be made with a mixture of plastic materials comprising polyethylene.

 Methods of assembling the constituent elements of the board 1 are also known to those skilled in the art.

 For example, it can be provided to manufacture the core 11 alone by gluing the beams 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 to each other. Then, the sliding strip 9, the reinforcing strip 10, the edge 13, the core 11 and the upper layer 12 are arranged in a mold. Different bonding means such as plastic films or liquid glue can be inserted between the elements of the board 1. The elements are pressurized in the mold with temperature rise. This known method makes it possible to obtain a board 1 whose constituent elements are secured to one another.

 Surprisingly, the board 1 is lighter than a board whose core is made entirely of wood, while also being precise in driving. The user controls all the deformations of the board 1. In particular, he perfectly controls the flexural deformations, which allows him to modify at will the contact radius of the board 1 with the ground. In particular, it follows that cornering is very precise. In addition, driving is not tiring compared to driving with a heavier board.

 A second embodiment of the invention is described using FIGS. 3 and 5.

 For the sake of convenience, the same elements are designated by the same references.

 As seen in Figure 3, the core 11 always has five juxtaposed beams 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 which extend between the ends 2 and 3, substantially along the length of the board 1. The core 11 has also a reinforcement 22 delimiting the front end 2, and a reinforcement 23 delimiting the rear end 3, each reinforcement 22, 23 being integral with each of the beams 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

 Each reinforcement 22, 23 protects the intermediate beams 17, 18 at the ends 2, 3. In particular, the reinforcements 22, 23 prevent irreversible deformations of the beams 17, 18 in the event of an impact with an obstacle at the ends 2, 3 .

 Furthermore, the board 1 is crossed by two oblong orifices 24, 25 oriented along the length of the board 1. The orifices 24, 25 are respectively located in an area of the board 1 provided for retaining a foot.

 As shown better in FIG. 5, the orifice 25 crosses the plate 1 between the upper face 6 and the lower face 7. The same is true for the orifice 24 not visible in FIG. 5. This structure is described in detail in the document registered under the number FR 97 04858.

 It allows the central beam 16 to pass through through an insert which is not shown to retain a fixing which is also not shown.

 Whatever the embodiment, the central beam 16 preferably has a width greater than or equal to 70 mm, and each lateral beam 14, 15 preferably has a width greater than or equal to 10 mm.

 Each width is measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the board 1, that is to say in a direction of junction of the sides 4 and 5.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and includes all the technical equivalents which may fall within the scope of the claims which will follow.

 In particular, it can be provided that the lateral beams 14, 15 and central 16 have different densities from each other.

 We can also provide that the intermediate beams 17, 18 have different densities from one another.

 It can be foreseen that the board 1 has either none, only one, or two reinforcements 22, 23 at the ends 2, 3.

 The trapezoidal or rectangular sections of the beams 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 could be different and present, for example, rounded, serrated or other parts.

 The width of the beams and / or their section can vary over the length of the board 1. In particular, the lateral beams 14, 15 are wider near the ends 2, 3 than towards the middle of these ends.

Claims (8)

 1. Gliding board (1) intended for snowboarding, the board (1) being delimited in length by a first end (2) and a second end (3), in width by two sides (4, 5 ), and in thickness by an upper face (6) intended to receive bindings and a lower face (7) intended to slide on snow, the thickness comprising an upper layer (12) which delimits the upper face (6), a lower layer (8) which delimits the lower face (7), and a core (11) separating the upper (12) and lower (8) layers, the core (11) comprising beams (14, 15, 16, 17 , 18) which extend lengthwise substantially between the front end (2) and the rear end (3) of the board (1), characterized in that a first lateral beam (14) runs along one side (4), that a second lateral beam (15) runs alongside the other side (5), and that a central beam (16) is located in the opposite direction iibely halfway between the sides (4, 5), the lateral (14, 15) and central (16) beams having a density greater than or equal to 0.6, and by the fact that a first intermediate beam (17) separates the first lateral beam (14) of the central beam (16), and that a second intermediate beam (18) separates the second lateral beam (15) from the central beam (16), the intermediate beams (17, 18) having a density less than 0.6.  2. Gliding board (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the core (11) has a reinforcement (22) delimiting the first end (2), and a reinforcement (23) delimiting the second end (3) , each reinforcement (22, 23) being integral with each of the beams (14, 15, 16, 17, 18).  3. Gliding board (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower face (7) is delimited at its periphery by a continuous edge (13).  4. Gliding board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper face (6) has a surface less than the surface of the lower face (7).  5. Gliding board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lateral (14, 15) and central (16) beams are made of wood, and that the intermediate beams (17, 18) are made of synthetic foam.  6. Gliding board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the central beam (16) has a width greater than or equal to 70 mm, and that each lateral beam (14, 15) has a width greater than or equal to 10 mm.  7. Gliding board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has at least one oblong orifice (24, 25) passing through the board (1) between the upper face (6) and the lower face (7) at the level of the central beam (16), the oblong orifice (24, 25) being oriented in the lengthwise direction of the board (1).  8. Gliding board (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lateral (14, 15) and central (16) beams have a density between 0.6 and 0.8, and that the beams intermediates (17, 18) have a density less than 0.35.