MXPA06001227A - Protective surfboard covering device - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective surfboard covering device for covering and protecting various selected surfaces of a surfboard including a cover that defines a plurality of inflatable cushions that may include a top surface cushion, a bottom surface cushion and a pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall cushions, the cushions defining therebetween a surfboard compartment and cooperating to form a mouth through which the surfboard is inserted into the surfboard compartment.

Description

"SURF BOARD COVER PROTECTIVE DEVICE" FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices for protecting surfboards from damage during transit and storage, and more particularly, to surfboard covers to protect surfaces such as those found in the upper, lower, parts. and side of a surfboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years, surfing has become a well-established sports and recreational activity, and with the progress and growing popularity of surfing sport, surfers have searched for better designed and constructed surfboards. As surfing technique has progressed, modern technology has produced smaller surfboards that offer greater operability and performance capabilities. Consequently, the traditional construction of wooden or plastic boards has been supplanted by surfboards constructed of lighter and more durable compounds, such as, for example, polyurethane or fiberglass. However, the benefits derived from these lighter and more operable surfboards can be reduced more quickly when the surfaces of the board are dented, or otherwise scratched. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that such damage can cause undesirable drag on the board in the water, which will degrade its operability, balance and performance in general. Such damage will typically occur during the transport of a surfboard from a house or storage site to a surfing site. During such transportation, when the board is to be loaded into a vehicle storage compartment and taken from there into the water, the surfboard may be subjected to multiple impacts or scraped against any number of variously contoured surfaces. Therefore, it is advisable for a surfer to protect his surfboard during transport to the selected surfing practice site. Also, it is especially beneficial to protect the surf speech surfaces critical to the operability and control of the board such as its lateral surfaces (known as "rails" speaking in terms of surface), its dorsal or upper surface on which it stops. surfer, who is in contact with water. To provide this protection, numerous surfboard decks and transport houses have been proposed. Some prior art devices incorporated ened boxes to store the table similar to guitar boxes, but such devices are heavy and problematic to transport, and can not collapse into a smaller and less bulky form for storage when not in use. . Other devices of the prior art have proposed a soft box constructed of cloth or a similar lightweight material, but such a construction, although effective to withstand minor pacts and scrapes, offers insufficient protection from typical impacts and scrapes that must be absorbed during the transport or when the surfer accidentally falls off the board. In order to solve this need, various lightweight surfboard protectors have been proposed. For example, the U.S. Patent. No. 4,719,952 to Geronimo describes shock absorbing covers, made of a sheet material of synthetic rubber or neoprene foam, to individually cover and protect the front tip, the rear portion and the side rails of a typical board. However, devices like this do not provide enough protection for all the top and bottom surfaces of a surfboard, and are unwieldy and problematic to store when you are not used to protecting it. Other prior art devices have taught inflatable mats or tubes to protect various surfaces of the surfboard. For example, the U.S. Patent. No. 5,193,677 for Moreno proposes a surfboard bag with a pneumatically inflated guard rail to include the circumference of the side rails of the board. This guard rail comprises an intermediate tube and two shorter upper and lower tubes configured to collectively adjust the edges of the side rails. Nevertheless, such device does not provide protection for the remaining surfaces of the table, such as the upper and lower surface, and the construction of three guard rail tubes may not be sufficient to prevent the intact by an object that can penetrate between the tubes for damage the side rails. The U.S. Patent No. 6,003,745 for Mechanic describes a double-purpose surfboard bag that serves both as a sleeping pad and as a table top protector. The upper and lower bearings respectively cover the upper and lower surfaces of the surfboard, and the removable and inflatable mats inside the bearings prospectively intersperse the surfboard while providing a surfer sleeping surface. Although effective for its intended purpose, the inflatable mats of such a device do not provide adequate protection to all surfaces of the table, especially the side rails, and are not configured to achieve communication with one another. In addition, Mechanic teaches that inflatable mats are to be inserted and held within the bearings, and that the pads and mats cooperate in order to consistently protect the top and bottom surfaces of the surfboard. Therefore, there is a need for a light weight surfboard deck device that is capable of protecting all the exposed surfaces of a surfboard with inflatable pads or the like that can be defined by the cover itself. It would also be beneficial if such a cover device were designed to deflate and easily be configured into a small package for storage when it is not in use, and if the various inflatable pads were able to achieve fluid communication between them. The present invention satisfies this need.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Briefly and in general terms, the present invention relates to a protective device for surfboard cover during transport and storage. When not in use, the cover can be deflated and rolled or folded for convenient storage until its next use. The cover device can be described in general terms as a cover bag or liner having a plurality of pads divided into sections constructed to cover and receive the surfboard in addition therebetween. The device is formed with an outer layer and flexible inner layer, and with partition walls extending from the outer layer to the inner spaced layer, which collectively define the boundaries of the various pads therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the determined segments of the outer layer, the inner layer and the partition walls respectively form an outer wall, an inner wall and side or top and bottom walls of an envelope for each pad. These walls are flexible and interconnected in an airtight seal so that the inner surfaces of the shell walls form respective expandable pad bags therebetween. Consequently, in a preferred embodiment, the wrapping walls cooperate to define both the outer contours and the internal volume of each respective pad. Air or any type of pressurized gas can be introduced to the sachets by valves to expand the envelope walls and inflate the sachets, and the valves can supply pressurized air directly to the individual sachets or to multiple sachets by means of communication formed through the walls of partition. It is contemplated that the wrapping walls may be inelastic, to allow inflation of the sachets from a deflated state to a predetermined volume, or in the girls, to allow inflation of the sachets beyond such predetermined volume if desired . When the user wishes to store the protective cover device, air can also be expelled through the valves in order to deflate the sachets. In an alternate embodiment, each of the shells defined by the inner and outer layers of the cover and the partition walls may include an inflatable and shaped complementary pad respectively. The pads in such an embodiment can be inflated and deflated upon request, and can be inserted into and removed from various respective wrappings by insertion openings formed in the outer layer of the cover. Accordingly, the cover device will be formed with a plurality of pads divided into sections that can be configured to collectively correspond in general to a typical surfboard and to cover and protect the various desired exposed surfaces of the board. A typical surfboard will include an upper board surface, a lower board surface, a longitudinally spaced front and back section and two laterally spaced side surfaces, also known as "side rails". Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the compartments will be configured to form an upper pad, a lower pad, and two side rail pads to cover and respectively protect the upper surface, lower surface, front section and side rails of the surfboard. The side rail pads can be connected in fluid communication at their front ends to cover and protect the front section of the board, and can curl back and forth from them in order to follow the contours of the side rails and finish at rear ends respective laterally spaced. The upper and lower pads are located between the side rail pads and are generally configured in the form of a conventional ironing table to cover and protect the remaining portions of the top and bottom surfaces of the board. So configured, the upper, lower and side rail pads will form between them a surfboard compartment to receive the surfboard when they are typically inserted with their front section forward. The rear ends of the upper and lower pads and the side rail pads further cooperate to form a mouth defining an opening for receiving the surfboard therethrough so that the further advancement of the board in that placed in the compartment surf table. Closing means formed in the mouth facilitate closure of the cover around the back section of the board, and the mouth can be formed with an inflatable back board pad to protect this back section. These and other features and advantages of the surfboard cover protector device will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top view of the surfboard cover protective device embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view from the left, with enlarged scale, of the cover device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view broken down, with enlarged scale, taken along the line of Figure 1; Figure 4 is not a cross-sectional view, with enlarged scale, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view, with enlarged scale, taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed view taken from the circle 6 of Figure 4; Figure 7 in vertical cross section, with enlarged scale, taken along line 7-7 of Figure 2; Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with enlarged scale, taken along line 8-8 of Figure 1 and graphically depicting an inflation valve as an example in an undeployed position; Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 8, showing the inflation valve in an unfolded position; and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view, with enlarged scale, of an alternative embodiment of the surfboard cover protector device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figures 1-4, the surfboard cover protective device 15 of the present invention includes, in general terms, a cover 17 having an inner layer 18, on the outer layer 20 and various partition walls 22 cooperating to define a plurality of inflatable pads divided by section which, in a preferred embodiment, may include a top surface pad 35, a bottom pad 45 and a pair of laterally spaced side pads, 55 and 65. pads define between them a surfboard compartment 80 for receiving a surfboard 25 therein, and their rear ends cooperate to form a mouth 81 by which the surfboard is inserted into the surfboard compartment 80 . The pads 35, 45, 55 and 65 are collectively configured to cover the various surfaces of a typical surfboard 25, and are considered to be sized and contoured to correspond in shape to any specifically manufactured board or to cover a wide variety of typically dimensioned tables. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a typical surf board 25 will include a dorsal or upper surface 26, on which the surfer stands, a ventral or lower surface 27, which is in contact with the water, a front section 30 at the front end of the board, and a rear section 31 at the rear end of the board, a port side rail 28, which is defined by the left edge of the board when the surfer is facing the front section 30 and a starboard side rail 29, which is defined similarly by the right edge of the board. In a preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 4, the cover 17 incorporates a double layer construction with an outer layer 20, the outer surface of which is exposed to the external environment, and an inner layer 18, whose outer surface is in contact with the various surfaces of the board 25. The layers, 18 and 20, of the cover 17 can be formed of any suitable desired material, and are preferably formed from a non-permeable, flexible and durable light weight material that will resist exposure to elements such as water and sunlight while resisting wear or other damage that may occur after contact during transport and storage. In a preferred embodiment, the cover device is thus constructed and dimensioned so that when inflated it closely fits the contours of at least a portion of the board and is also receivable in a conventional surfboard travel bag (not shown). ). For example, it is considered that this material can take the form of a plastic, vinyl, nylon, gortex, canvas other such suitable materials that are known in the art. It is also considered that the layers, 18 and 20, may also include an interior coating to provide the cover 17 with additional water resistance. The outer surface of the cover device can be treated to allow it to slide more easily into a surfboard travel bag. On this aspect, the outer surface can be coated to provide a smooth finish. Additionally, in some embodiments the cover device will be constructed as an independent cover. In that case, it will be appreciated that to facilitate transport with a board received inside, a support strap, handle or other similar means of transport (not shown) can be attached to the cover 17. As shown in the Figures at 4 and 6, a plurality of partition walls 22 extend from the outer layer 20 to the inner layer 18 to divide the cover 17 into various desired pads. These partition walls 22 are flexible and define a the lateral boundaries and transitions between the adjacent pads. With reference to Figure 6, it is also considered that, where the partition walls 22 intersect with the outer layer 20, a transition groove 23 may be formed in the outer layer to demarcate the boundaries between the pads divided by section. It is further contemplated that the partition walls 22 may be defined by two vertically oriented wall segments permanently bonded or heat sealed to one another in a transition seam 24 such that these segments define the respective side, top or bottom walls of the walls. adjacent pad wrappers located on either side of the partition wall 22. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 4, to form the pads, 35, 45, 55, and 65, the respective selected sections of the outer layer 20, the inner layer 18 and the partition walls 22 cooperate to collectively define the walls of the respective pad envelopes, 36, 46, 56 and 66, and the inner surfaces of the walls of such wraps define between them the respective inflatable bags, 42, 52, 62 and 72. The pads can be inflated to configure the cover 17 for the protective cover of the table 25 by introducing air or any desired pressurized gas into these sachets, and they can deflate by expelling air from the sachets when the surfer wishes to fold or roll the cover 17 for storage when not in use. On this aspect, the outer surfaces of the walls of the pad wraps, 36, 46, 56 and 66, define the outer contours of each respective pad, 35, 45, 55 and 65, and the inner surfaces of these walls define the internal volume of each pad. Additionally, although the invention is described herein to include the upper and lower surface pads, 35 and 45, and the side rail pads, 55 and 65, it also holds that the invention includes any combination of these pads. For example, such an alternate embodiment is depicted graphically in Figure 10, in which the cover device 15 is shown including only the side rail pads, 55 and 65. In such alternate embodiments, it is also considered that the cover 17 may define cover sheets (not shown) for covering the surfaces that are not protected by such pads, and that the cover sheets will cooperate with the pads to form the surfboard compartment 80 therebetween. Furthermore, it is considered that such cover sheets may incorporate filler or a similar shock absorbing material to protect all or a portion of the surfaces that are not protected by such pads. Referring now to the construction of the individual pads, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the outer layer 20, the inner layer 18 and the partition walls 22 of the cover 17 operate to form the respective wraps, 56 and 66, for a pad 55 of side rails of port and a starboard side rail pad 65, which respectively protect the port and starboard side rails, 28 and 29, of the surfboard 25. With continued reference to Figure 4, the port rail side rail pad 55 form with an outer wall 57 whose outer surface is exposed to the external environment, an inner wall 58 whose outer surface is in contact with the lateral risk of port 28 of table 25 and an upper and lower wall, 59 and 60, which respectively define the transition between the port side railing pad 55 and the upper and lower pads, 35 and 45. These walls, 57, 58, 59 and 60, cooperate to define the track pad wrap 56 It's lateral to port. Similarly, the starboard side track pad 65 is formed with an outer wall 67, an inner wall 68, and an upper and lower wall, 69 and 70, which cooperate to define the side track pad wrap 66 starboard. To provide protective capability to the port side and starboard side rail pads, 55 and 65 respectively, the interior surfaces of the walls of the casings, 56 and 66, are gas impermeable and are configured to respectively define expandable sachets between them. inflatable, 62 and 72. Although the pads can take any suitable shape and configuration to protect the surfaces of the board 25, in a preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 4, when the paddle bag 62 of side railing pad is inflated , the port side netting pad 55 will assume a "C" shaped vertical cross-sectional configuration to complement the port side rail 28 shape of the surfboard 25. Thus configured, at least the inner wall 58 will assume a concave in vertical transverse curvature to complement the generally convex curved contour of the port side rail 28, and both the inner net 58 as the outer wall 57 projects laterally inwardly on the lateral marginal edges of the port side upper surface 26 and the bottom surface 27 of the surfboard 25. Similarly, to complement the shape of the side rail of starboard 29, the starboard side rail pad 65 will assume a "C" shape oppositely and reversely positioned in a vertical cross section configuration after inflation of the starboard side rail pillow bag 76. Thus configured, the inner wall 68 of the starboard side rail pad 65 will assume a concave curvature to complement the generally convex curvature of the starboard side rail 29, and both the inner wall 68 and the outer wall 67 will project laterally inwardly over the lateral marginal edges of the starboard side of the upper and lower surfaces, 26 and 27, of the surfboard 25. The "C" shape of the port and starboard side rails is advantageous because it allows the pads completely cover and protect the side rails, 28 and 29, by remaining in contact with the side rails along the entirety of their convex curvature while also projecting along a portion of the upper and lower pads, 35 and 45 , in order to provide protection in the vulnerable area of the transition between the upper and lower pads and the side rails. As also shown in the preferred embodiment of Figure 1-4, the port side rail pad 55 and the starboard side rail pad 65 can be connected at their forward ends to form what can be described with a front cover 73 of cushioning to cover and protect the most forward portion of the front section 30 of the surfboard 25, and that the front ends of the upper and lower surface pads, 35 and 45, can cooperate with the forward ends of the side rail pads, 55 and 65, to form their cushion cover 73. It is considered that the port side and starboard side net pads can also be connected in fluid telecommunication to one another, such that inflating even the port side railing 62 will simultaneously result in inflating the sachet 72 starboard side rails and vice versa. Starting from its connection at its front ends in the vicinity of the front section 30, and when inflated, the port side rail pad 55 and the starboard side rail pad 65 will form a backward and outward angle for inquiring and extending generally coextensively along at least a portion of the section of the surfboard side rails, 28 and 29. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, approximately at the midpoint that the lateral worshipers, 28 and 29, of a surfboard 25, the side rails will make the transition from extending backward and outward and will begin to extend back and inward toward the rear section 31 of the board. However, in the preferred embodiment shown graphically in Figures 1 and 5, at a point along the side rails, which can generally be located near the middle section of Table 25, the side railing pads of port and starboard, 55 and 65, may then fail to follow the contours of the surfboard side rails and may begin to extend backwards in a generally parallel fashion so as to end at the respective laterally spaced rear ends. However, it is also considered that, in an alternate embodiment, these side rail pads, 55 and 65, can continue to trace the contours of the side rails, 28 and 29, and will extend back and inwards along from the intermediate section of table 25 to end at their respective rear ends, instead of extending parallel therefrom. In such an embodiment, at least a portion of the inner layer 18 of the cover in the vicinity of the side rail pads, 55 and 65, is capable of flexing and expanding outward in order to accommodate the width of the middle section of the tire. table. As shown in the preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figures 1-4, the cover 17 may also include a top surface pad 35 and a bottom surface pad 45 to respectively cover and protect the upper and lower surfaces, 26 and 27 , of the surfboard 25. The upper surface pad 35 is formed with an outer wall 37 whose outer surface is exposed to the external environment, an inner wall 38 whose outer surface is in contact with the upper surface 26 of the table 25, and a port and starboard side wall, 39 and 40, which respectively define the transition between the upper surface pad 35 and the port side and starboard side rail pads, 55 and 65. These walls, 37, 38, 39 and 40, cooperate to define the side surface cushion 36. Similarly, the lower surface pad 45 is formed with an outer wall 47, an inner wall 48, and a port and starboard side wall, 49 and 50, which cooperate to define the lower surface pad wrap 46. In order to provide protective capability to the upper and lower pads, 35 and 45 respectively, the inner surfaces of the walls of their wraps, 36 and 46, are gas impermeable and are configured to respectively define bilateral and inflatable sachets therebetween, 42 and 52. Although the pads can take any suitable shape and configuration to protect the surfaces of the table 25, in a preferred embodiment as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the upper and lower pads, 35 and 45, are located between the port side rails and starboard pads, 55 and 65. With the port side rails and starboard, 55 and 65, respectively cover and protect the convex curved side port and starboard rails, 28 and 29, and laterally projecting inward on the lateral marginal edges of the upper and lower surfaces, 26 and 27, of the surfboard 25, the upper and lower pads, 35 and 45, will protect and respectively cover the remaining portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the board. To do so, as shown in the preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figure 1, the side edges of the upper and lower surface pads, 35 and 45, may extend back and forth from the portions of the front section 30 discovered by the side rail pads, 55 and 65, and then continue to extend rearwardly and coextensively along with the orientation edges generally parallel and radially inward of the side rail pads. In this configuration, the side edges of the upper and lower surface pads, 35 and 45, will generally assume the shape of a conventional ironing table, which extends backward to end at its respective rear ends. It will be appreciated that some surfboard designs also include a single fin or multiple spaced fins, also known as "keels" "speaking in terms of surfing, which generally extend downwardly from the bottom surface 27 of the surfboard. 25 to provide control surfaces for improving the stability and operability of the board in the water, after which, although not graphically depicted in specific manner in Figures 1-10, the spirit of the invention is also maintained to configure the pad of lower surface 45 either with a single cavity of keels (not shown) or multiple cavities of keels for receiving the keels therein when the surfboard 25 is received in compartment 80. The keel cavities can take any suitably shaped to protect the keels, which will initiate a keel opening formed in the inner wall 48 of the lower pad 45 and extend downward therefrom to terminate at a point near the outer wall 57. In such an embodiment, it will be appreciated that the lower surface pad pouch 52 will form around the keel cavities. It will also be appreciated that the lower surface pad can be configured with a relatively greater depth than the depth of the remaining pads or the lower pad depicted graphically in Figure 3 in order to accommodate the length of the keels as they extend downwardly from the base. surface 27 of table 25. Since such fins are generally located to extend from the lower surface near the rear or aft section of the board, the keel cavities will be placed in corresponding locations near the rear end of the lower pad 55. However, it is within the scope of the invention to place these keel cavities anywhere to correspond to the location of the keels, or to construct the keel cavities as parallel and longitudinally elongated grooves extending from the section back of the lower surface pad 5 5 to a point in the vicinity of the intermediate section of the pad to accommodate dimensionally positioned and differently placed keels that can be formed in a wide range of surfboards. To inflate the respective sachets, 42, 52, 62, and 72, of the sachets 35, 45, 55 and 65, the cover 17 can be formed with a plurality of valves 75 in order to communicate the air or any pressurized gas from a point selected on the outer layer 20 to a selected sachet. The particular shape of these valves is not essential for the invention, it being important only that the valve facilitates the inflation and deflation of the sachets. However, in a preferred and exemplary embodiment as depicted graphically in Figures 8 and 9, valve 75 is shown including a retractable and expandable valve stem 76, an outer tab 77 connected to the outer surface of the outer layer 20 of the cover to cover the valve stem in order to cut off the air flow or expose the valve stem to allow air flow therethrough, and an internal tab 78 connected to the inner surface of the outer layer 20 to work in conjunction with the outer tab to allow or cut the air flow to the selected pouch 72. As shown in Figure 8, with the outer tab 77 covering the valve stem 76 and holding it in a contracted position, and the inner tongue in closed position, air inside the pouch 72 will be prevented from flowing out from the valve 75. The outer tongue can be kept in closed position and releasable therefrom by a tab connector 79 formed between the distal degree of the outer tab 77 and a corresponding portion of the outer layer 20. This valve tab connector 79 may take the form of any of the connection devices known in the art. material, such as a stack hook and sail construction, quick construction or the like. As shown in Figure 9, with the outer tab 77 in the open position, the valve rod 76 will expand from its contracted position and allow pressurized air to flow through the valve rod when it is introduced, which in turn will force to the inner tab 78 to an open position to communicate the air to the selected pouch 72. It will also be appreciated that, in the open configuration of Figure 9, the surfer can manipulate the valve to allow air to flow out of the pouch and by the valve 75 to deflate the sachet when the cover device 15 is not being used. Pressurized air can be supplied and communicated via valve 75 by any variety of portable air pumps known in the art, or it can be expired from the surfer's lungs to be directed by the valve as desired. It is contemplated that a plurality of valves 75 may be configured on the cover 17 to inflate or deflate the individual pad packs or multiple pads that are in communication with each other, or that a single valve 75 may be used to communicate air to and from all of the pads. the pillow bags. For example, four valves may be configured on the cover 17 to individually inflate and deflate the upper, lower and side rail pads, 35, 45, 55 and 65, individually. However, as shown in a preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figures 1 and 2, the cover 17 can be formed with three valves, the valve 75 being designated to inflate and deflate the starboard side rail pad 65, which is in communication with the port side rail pad 55, and valves 75 'and 75"are respectively designated for inflating and deflating the upper and lower surface pads, 35 and 45. However, any combination of valves for inflating multiple pads can be selected. , or a valve can be selected to inflate all the pads. In such embodiments, where a single valve 75 inflates and deflates multiple pads, the air will be communicated to multiple pads by passage means formed through the partition walls 22, the means of passage taking any appropriate form, such as, for example. , a reinforced conduit extending through the partition walls 22, to communicate air from a certain sachet towards the adjacent sachets. Additionally, although in one. preferred embodiment shown graphically in Figure 1 the valves are located near the rear end of the pads, it will be appreciated that the respective valves can be located at any point on the cover 17 allowing inflation and deflation of a corresponding pad sachet therefrom. When introducing air into the expandable sachets, 42, 52, 62 and 72, the sachets will be inflated to consequently expand the walls of the pad wrappers, 36, 46, 56 and 66, and the pads, 35, 45, 55 and 65 will be inflated to a desired volume to effectively protect the surfaces of the table 25. Consequently, for example, when air is introduced into the sachet 42 of the upper pad 35 by the valve 75 '(see Figures 1-3), the wall external 37 will dilate away from inner wall 38, and, as shown in Figure 4, the outer surface of inner wall 38 will be securely butted against upper surface 26 of a surfboard 25 when received in the compartment 80. It will also be appreciated that, when the selected bag of a desired pad is filled with pressurized air, the wrap and its walls can be essentially inelastic to prevent further expansion of the wrapping walls after one volume. at predetermined or they may be elastic to allow dilation of the wrapping walls up to a desired volume. Additionally, although not shown graphically in Figures 1-10, it is contemplated that, in an alternate embodiment, any combination of the pad wrappers, 36, 46, 56 and 66, may be configured to receive and wrap a separate pad inside. and contoured in addition (not shown), which can be inflatable on demand and inserted inside the envelope. It will also be appreciated that such separate pads may be formed from any suitable shock absorbing material such as foam or other filling materials known in the art. In such an embodiment, the outer layer 20 of the cover 17, and according to the foregoing the external walls, 37, 47, 57 and 67 of the respective wrappings, 36, 46, 56 and 66, can be formed with an insertion groove. of pad (not shown) to insert the separate pad through them to receive them in the wrapper. To close the insertion groove and secure the pad in the wrapping after insertion, the slot can be formed with a hook and sail-stack latch device, or any other suitable means known in the art for closing the slot such as a closure, string or a quick construction. Referring now to the manner in which the surfboard 25 is received in the deck device 15, the upper surface pad 35, the lower surface pad 45, the port side rail pad 65 and the rail pad 65 Starboard sides cooperate to define between them a surfboard compartment 80 to receive the surfboard 25 within it. When the surf board 25 is received in this compartment 80, the compartment is configured such that the front ends of the pads completely wrap the front section 30 of the board and the pads extend back to cover and protect the surfaces 26, 27 upper and lower of the board, and the port and starboard side rails, 28 and 29, with the outer surfaces of the inner walls, 38, 48, 58 and 68, engaging these board surfaces. As shown in the preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figure 2, to receive the surfboard 25 in the compartment 80, the compartment is configured such that the pads 35, 45, 55 and 65 terminate at the rear ends of the surfboard. respective pad defining between them a compartment access port 81 by which the surfboard is inserted into the compartment 80. As shown in Figure 2, the mouth 81 can be formed by upper and lower edges, 83 and 84, respective that project laterally, united in their lateral part and defining between them a mouth opening 85 for passing the surfboard through it. The pads are configured such that their trailing ends end at a point that is longitudinally spaced from the outermost end of the back section of the back section 31 of the board 25 such that the trailing ends of the pads, and defining mouth, extend slightly beyond the back section 31 of the table when board 25 is received in compartment 80. Closing means 86 formed at upper and lower edges, 83 and 84, facilitates the closing of the mouth around the back section 31 of the table. Although the preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figures 7 and 3 show that this closure means 86 has a hook-like construction and stack Velero®, the particular form of the closure means is not essential to the invention and can take the form of various closure means known in the art, such as an inherent inclination of the inflated edges, a closure, a cord, a quick or flange and buckle construction, or any other form of fastener suitable for closing the opening 85 of the mouth. Also, as graphically represented in the preferred embodiment of Figure 2, the edges, 83 and 84, may be formed with respective upper and lower edge pad segments, 89 and 90, which may also collectively define a back pad 88 for cover and protect the rear section 30 of the table 25 when it is received in the behavior 80 and the closing means 86 is closed. The edge pad segments, 89 and 90, and / or the back pad 88 may be inflatable and deflatable as, for example, by the addition of a valve 75 as described above, or, as in a preferred embodiment depicted graphically. in Figure 2, it can be formed from an independent shock absorbing material such as foam or other suitable filler material. In such an embodiment, when the pads 35, 45, 55 and 65 are in a deflated state, the independent back pad 88 will provide an internal support member around which the cover 17 can be rolled or folded for conventional storage of the cover device 15. when it is not being used by the surfer to cover and protect his board.

In operation, when a surfer wishes to protectively cover his surfboard 25 for transport or storage, it will extend out of the cover device 15, in its deflated state, and then proceed to inflate the pads. It will be appreciated that the surfer may inflate the pads and then insert the table into the compartment 80, or may first insert the table into the compartment and then inflate the pads. By selecting the preferred embodiment depicted graphically in Figures 1 and 2, to inflate the pads, the surfer may, for example, first introduce pressurized air to the starboard side rail pad sachet 72 by the valve 75. To configure the valve 75 to introduce pressurized air into the bag 72, the surfer will first move the outer tab 77 from its closed position as shown in Figure 8 to its open position in Figure 9, which will cause the valve rod 76 to expand from its contracted position shown in Figure 8 to its position shown in Figure 9. The surfer will then connect a portable air pump to valve 75 and begin introducing pressurized air from the pump to the valve. The surfer may also expire air from his lungs to the valve if a valve is not available. When the pressurized air begins to flow through the valve 75, it will force the inner tongue 78 to deviate from its closed position as shown in Figure 8 to its open position in Figure 9, which in turn will communicate the air through the valve 75 to bag 72 of side rail pad. The introduction of pressurized air will begin to increase the volume of air in the pouch 72, which will cause the starboard side rail cushion 66 to expand as the outer wall 67 expands from the inner wall 68. As a result, the outer wall 67 expands. similarly, with the starboard side rail pad bag 72 which is configured in communication with the port side railing pad bag 62, pressurized air will be simultaneously introduced to the port side rail pad bag 62 to increase its volume and causing the port side railing pad wrap 56 to expand as the outer wall 57 expands from the inner wall 58. The inflation of the bags 72 and 62 and the expansion of the wraps 66 and 56 will continue until the sachets are dilated to a specific predetermined volume, or until the shells dilate to a desired volume by the surfer. Accordingly, the starboard side rail pad 65 and the port side rail pad 65 will, in their inflated state, be configured in a "C" shape and prepared so that, when the board 25 is subsequently inserted into the compartment 80, cover in addition and protect the respective convex curved side rails 29 and 28 of the table 25 while projecting laterally and inwardly on the lateral marginal edges of the upper and lower surfaces, 26 and 27, of the table. Thereafter, the surfer will arrange a similar sequence to inflate the upper surface pad 35 and the lower surface pad 45. To accomplish this, the surfer can then deploy the valve 75 'and introduce pressurized air to the upper surface pad pouch 36 as described above, which will cause the upper surface pouch 36 to expand as the pad. outer wall 37 extends from inner wall 38. When a desired or predetermined volume is reached in pouch 36 and envelope expansion 36, the user can subsequently follow a similar sequence to inflate lower surface pad 45 by the valve 75 ''. With the upper, lower and side rail pads, 35, 45, 55 and 65, respectively, the inflated surfboard compartment 80 will be formed therebetween and the trailing ends of the pads will cooperate to form the mouth 81. The surfer will then ensure that the closure means 86 is in Open position and you can then insert your surfboard 25 through the mouth 81 and advance it forward into the compartment 80 until the front section 30 of the board is securely wrapped by the front ends of the pads. As shown in Figure 1, when fully inserted into the compartment 80, the surf board 25 will be covered and protected in the cover device 15 with the upper surface pad 35 which engages the upper surface 26, the pad 45 bottom surface engaging the bottom surface 27, and the port side and starboard side rail pads, 55 and 65 respectively that engage the port and starboard side rails, 28 and 29. If the surfboard 25 is constructed with keels, the The surfer will also ensure that the keels are placed inside the keel cavities so that they can be protected during transport and storage. In the tables that have removable keels, the surfer can leave them attached and place them in the keel cavities, or they can remove the keels and insert them in the compartment 80 together with the surfboard 25. Thus configured, the rear ends of the pads and the mouth 81 will extend slightly beyond the rear section 31 of table 25 and the surfer may then place the edges 83 and 84 on the rear section and close the closure means 86 as shown in Figures 2 and 7. This in turn it will place the back pad 88 on the back section 31 of the board to protect it and cover it. Thereafter, the surfer may transport or store the surfboard 25 in the protective cover device 15 as desired with the board received safely in the compartment 80 and its surfaces protected by the upper, lower, side and rear rail pads, 35, 45, 55, 65 and 88, respectively. The covered surfboard can then be slipped into a conventional surfboard bag and the access opening (s) thereof closed to keep the deck device and the surfboard in place. When the surfer reaches his destination, the travel cover can be removed and the board removed from the protective cover device. Then, the surfer can deflate the pads by manipulating the valve (s) 75 to release pressurized air from the sachets. Once the pads have deflated, the surfer can then be placed on the independent back pad 88 as a support member and roll up or fold the cover 17 over the back pad to configure the protective cover device 15 into a convenient and compact package for storage. Although several particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without isolation from the spirit and scope of the invention. According to the foregoing, it is not intended to limit the invention except for the following claims.

Claims (32)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as antecedent, the content of the following claims is claimed as property CLAIMS 1. An inflatable surfboard deck device for covering the upper, lower and side rails surfaces of a surfboard characterized in that it comprises: upper and lower surface pads for covering the upper and lower surfaces of the surfboard; side rail pads for covering the respective side rails, with the upper, lower and side rail pads cooperating to form a surfboard compartment and a mouth for inserting the surfboard through it into the compartment; at least one of the pads that includes gas-impermeable wrapping walls that cooperate to form a pad wrap, the wrapping further defining a sealed pad pouch for receiving a pressurized gas to expand the sachet volume and expand the wrap in order to define a pneumatic pad; and a valve to admit pressurized gas to the sachet. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper and lower surface pads and the side rail pads include flexible gas-impermeable wrapping walls which cooperate to form respective pad wraps, further defining the wrapping sachets respective watertight and expandable pads for, when the volume of the sachets is expanded by the introduction of a pressurized gas, the respective outer envelope walls are expanded from the respective internal wrapping walls to define respective pneumatic pads; and a plurality of valves for admitting pressurized gas to the respective sachets. The cover device according to claim 2, characterized in that: the side rail cushion covers include respective internal and external walls, at least the internal walls configured so that, when the side rail cushions are inflated by the introduction of gas Pressurized to the respective side rail cushion sachets, the shape of the respective surfaces of side rails of the surfboard is complemented. The cover device according to claim 2, characterized in that: the cover includes partition walls separating the side rail pillow casings from the upper and lower surface pad wrappers. The cover device according to claim 4, characterized in that: the cover is formed with an inner layer and an outer layer that are segmented to define the inner and outer envelope walls; and the partition walls extend from the inner layer to the outer layer. The cover device according to claim 5, characterized in that: the partition walls cooperate to define the envelope walls of the respective adjacent pads formed on either side of each partition wall; and at least one partition wall is formed with a passage means for communicating the pressurized air between its respective adjacent pads. 7. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the pads are formed with the respective inner walls configured to additionally adjust the respective surfaces of the surfboard. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes: a releasable closure means for holding the opening in the closed position. The cover device according to claim 8, characterized in that: the closure means includes a hook and stack material. The cover device according to claim 8, characterized in that: the pads cooperate to form the opening in the rear part of the compartment. 11. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the wrapping walls are constructed of plastic. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the wrapping walls are constructed of vinyl. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the envelope of at least one pad includes an outer wrapping wall and an inner one; and the outer wrapping wall is constructed so that, when the sachet is pressurized, it cooperates with the pressurized gas in order to press the inner wall at a shaping relationship with at least a portion of the contour of the surfboard. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper and lower surface pads and the side rail pads include such flexible gas-impermeable wrapping walls which cooperate to form respective pad wraps, the wraps further defining sachets respective watertight with the side rail pillow bags configured in communication with each other; and first, second and third valves, admitting the first pressurized gas valve for the side rail pillow bags and admitting the second and third pressurized gas valves respectively for the upper and lower surface pads. 15. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper and lower surface pads and the side rail pads include such gas impermeable flexible wrapping walls which cooperate to form respective pad wraps, the wrapping also defining respective hermetic sachets which are in communication with each other; and the valve admits pressurized gas for the sachets. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes: heat sealed seams between the opposite sides of the respective upper and lower surface pads and the opposite sides of the side rail pads. The cover device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the mouth is formed with an upper edge and a lower edge defining a mouth opening therebetween; and the edges are formed with closing means to close and open the mouth opening. 18. The cover device according to claim 17, characterized in that: the surfboard includes a rear surface; the upper and lower edges are formed with flexible edge walls configured to receive cushioning material therebetween in order to define the respective upper and lower edge pads; and the upper and lower edge pads cooperate to define a back surface pad to cover and protect the back surface when the closure means is closed. The cover device according to claim 17, characterized in that: the upper and lower edges are formed with respective flexible edge walls defining respective pressure chambers therebetween; and when the pressure chambers are pressurized, the upper and lower order walls expand to form respective upper and lower edge pads projecting laterally. 20. A surfboard deck device for covering a surf board having side rail surfaces and top and bottom surfaces characterized in that it comprises: a pair of inflatable side rail pads formed with respective inflatable pillow bags, the pads being connected of side rails together at their respective front ends and configured so that, when the respective sachets are inflated, they form an outward and backward angle away from one another to project along at least a portion of such side rail surfaces for finish at respective rear ends; an inflation valve for communicating the inflation gas to the sachets; upper and lower cover sheets for covering the upper and lower surfaces of the surfboard and connected on their respective opposite sides to such lateral track pad, cooperating the upper and lower sheets and the side rail pads to form a compartment therebetween and an opening for receiving the surfboard. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the side rail pads are formed along at least a portion of their respective lateral inner sides with the internal side walls configured so that, when they are engaged with the legs respective surfaces of side rails, and, when the respective sachets are inflated, assume a C-shape in vertical cross-sectional configuration to complement the shape of the respective surfaces of side rails. 22. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the side rail pads are constructed to place their respective sachets in fluid communication with each other. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the side rail pads and the cover sheets are constructed so thatwhen the surfboard is received in the compartment and the respective bags are inflated, the lateral rail pads, after such outward angle formation, are projected backwards in the direction of the respective rear ends in an orientation generally parallel to each other. 24. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the sheets include filler to protect the upper and lower surfaces. 25. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the side rail pads are constructed so that, when they are inflated, they project laterally inward on the lateral marginal edges of the upper and lower surfaces of the surfboard. . 26. The cover device according to claim 20, characterized in that: the lateral rail pads cooperate so that, with the surfboard received in the compartment, they form a front damping cover that projects towards the front of the surfboard . 27. A surfboard deck device for covering the top, bottom and side rail surfaces of a surfboard, characterized in that it comprises: a pair of inflatable side-rail pads connected together at their respective front ends forming an angle back and out to investigate what the opposite side rail surfaces of the surfboard, the side rail pads with respective rear portions projecting parallel to each other and being terminal to the respective rear ends of the pads are formed. of lateral rails; inflatable upper and lower surface pads for respectively covering the upper and lower surfaces and cooperating with the side rail pads to form a compartment for receiving such a surfboard, terminating the upper and lower surface pads at the respective rear ends to cooperate with the rear ends of the side rail pads so as to form an access opening for inserting the surfboard into the compartment. 28. An inflatable surfboard cover protective device, characterized in that it comprises: a bag device formed with a plurality of walls and including a compartment configured to additionally receive a surfboard, forming the bag device with multiple cameras inflated to receive pressurized gas in order to expand at least some of the walls in such a way that the walls cooperate with the inflation chambers in order to form respective pads to protect the selected portions of the surfboard, further cooperating the walls so that , when such chambers receive such pressurized gas, they restrict the expansion of such a bag from the surfboard; further cooperating the walls to form an upper and lower edge defining a mouth for reception through it of the surfboard in the compartment; and at least one pressure valve for introducing pressurized gas into the chambers. 29. A method for covering and protecting a surf board having a top and bottom surface and side rail surfaces, characterized in that it includes: selecting a cover formed with a plurality of inflatable pads and divided by section to respectively engage at least the surfaces upper, lower and side rails defining between them in a compartment for receiving the surfboard, forming the pads with respective rear ends cooperating to define a mouth and including a plurality of expanding wrapping walls that cooperate to define respective pad wraps and forming respective inflatable and gas-impermeable pad bags; introducing pressurized gas into the sachets to dilate • the shell walls to a predetermined volume in order to inflate the pads; and insert the surfboard through the mouth and into the compartment. 30. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that it includes: forming the mouth with an additional pad to cover and protect a back surface of the surfboard when the surfboard is completely inserted through the mouth and placed in the compartment. 31. The surfboard deck device according to claim 1, characterized in that; at least some of said pads are formed with exterior walls; and at least some of the outer walls are coated. 32. The surfboard deck device according to claim 1, further characterized in that; for use with a surfboard travel cover having a predetermined interior configuration; and the pads are configured in such a way that when inflated on a surfboard they can be received on the travel cover.