WO2008087509A2

WO2008087509A2 - Device for thermal treatment of skis, snowboards, or equivalent winter sport equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2008087509A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulisse Carini
Original assignee: Ulisse Carini
Priority date: 2007-01-17
Filing date: 2008-01-07
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: WO2008087509A3; ITMI20070059A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a device for thermal treatment of winter sport equipments (2, 3), such as skis, snowboards and the like. The device comprises a band (10) superimposable on the outsole of said equipments (2, 3) and at least one element (5), being electrically heatable, placed next to at least part of the surface of the band (10) to transfer heat to the outsole. The device is particularly useful to heat the ski and snowboard outsoles, previously waxed, so that to maximize the outsole material saturation with the wax. The band is configured as an electric blanket for waxed winter equipments.

Description

"DEVICE FOR THERMAL TREATMENT OF SKIS, SNOWBOARDS, OR

EQUIVALENT WINTER SPORT EQUIPMENT"

********

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a device for thermal treatment of winter sport equipment, particularly for thermal treatment of skis, snowboards, and similar equipment, after the respective waxing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Waxing is a surface treatment of the equipment designed for the winter sports, such as, for example, skis, snowboards, etc., and consists in applying a material layer known with the name of "wax" over the surfaces intended to slide on the snow (outsoles or sliding surfaces). The wax improves the smooth running of the treated surface, and then allows maximizing the respective equipment performance.

The wax is a paraffϊnic based material, usually obtained by mixing paraffins having different characteristics.

Currently there are two methods for waxing, that is applying an even wax layer over the ski, snowboard, etc. outsoles.

A first method is the "cold" application of the wax on the outsole, for example by spraying the wax in fluid state or scrubbing the wax in solid state on the outsole. The wax adheres to the surface outsole.

A second method is the "hot" application of the wax on the outsole. The wax, led to a temperature greater than the melting temperature, is placed over the outsole, for example causing the melted wax to drip on the outsole surface and then spreading the wax by a heated plate, otherwise leading the outsole in contact to a revolving roller soaked with the melted wax.

Traditionally, the person skilled in the art uses an iron, or an equivalent device, to spread the melted wax on the outsole. The temperature of the iron plate may arrive to 200 °C.

It has been noticed that the hot waxing causes better results than the cold waxing. When the waxed surface has been heated, the pores of the plastic material of which the ski is realized are expanded, enhancing the melted wax penetration. The wax layer being hot applied is evener, thicker and more resistant than what the cold applications may provide. Recently some devices become popular on the market, having the function of heating the sporting equipments after the waxing, with the object to optimize the wax penetration in the outsole material. The Japanese Application JP 2005-230655, in the name of Rokkusu KK, has the object

) of a device for thermal treatment of winter sporting equipments, comprising a stiff casing, closed as an oven, in which a ski couple may be housed, or a snowboard, etc. The equipment waxed surface is placed in contact with a casing inner portion covered by a fabric equipped to output radiations in the infrared frequencies. Then the ski or snowboard body is subjected to an overall heating due to the IR radiation. The electrical

) power supply needed for the device operating is outside the casing.

Once the ski has been heated, the wax further penetrates into the material pores, saturating the same. Thereby the finishing of the waxing process is obtained. The devises currently available on the market for the post — waxing thermal treatment of the winter sporting equipments exhibit several drawbacks.

) First of all, the traditional devices are not easy to carry, but on the contrary are bulky and not much handy. Furthermore, such a devices cause detrimental overheating of the treated equipments.

Secondary, the heating element, that is the radiant fabric provided in the device according to JP 2005-230655, has a low efficiency, at the expense of the electrical

) consumption, and is difficult in regulating, with the risk of equipment overheating. A ski or snowboard overheating might cause the deterioration of the bonding agents used to assembly die various portions of such equipment, for example the plastic material layers bonded to form the skis. An overheating might result, among other things, from a wrong equipment positioning relative to the radiant surface and / or from an excessive

5 exposition to heat relating in time.

During the thermal treatment, possible ski or snowboard movements relative to the heating element might modify the conditions of treatment itself in considerable manner. In other words, the known devices do not guarantee an even surface heating to be treated, with evident drawbacks about the waxing finishing quality.

3 Many traditional devices cause the sporting equipment overheating. For example, some technicians heat the skis in closed oven. This practice proved to be detrimental for the equipment integrity just due to the overheating the ski material is subjected to. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for thermal treatment of skis, snowboards, or similar equipment for winter sports, which simply and efficiently overcomes the traditional equipment drawbacks, at the same time being simply to use, easy to carry, and economic.

These and other objects are obtained by the present invention referring to a device for thermal treatment of winter sport equipments, such as skis, snowboards and the like, characterized by comprising a band superimposable on the outsole of said equipment and at least one element, being electrically heatable, placed next to at least part of the surface of said band to transfer heat to said outsole.

Advantageously, the band according to the present invention is realized in a fabric so as to be folded when not in use, thereby highly simplifying the device transportation. The band is flat, i.e. it is shaped to adhere to the equipment outsole to be treated, for example a snowboard, a ski or a couple of skis. Thereby the heat transfer with the outsole to be heated is optimal.

Preferably the band is realized by sewing two fabric strips, superimposed, along the corresponding edges. A suitable fabric for this object is commercialized by the DU

PONT Company with the name of Nomex®. Alternatively Kevlar or other heat resistant materials can be used.

The heatable element is of the electrical and dissipative type. Preferably the heatable element comprises at least one metallic resistance or a plurality of metallic resistances conveniently disposed between the superimposed fabric strips forming the band.

The heating element transfers heat to both fabric strips. If a thermal shield of one of the ^' two strips is not provided, the heating element heats the whole inner surface of the band.

Preferably the heatable element comprises a metallic wire net, fixed inside the band between the two fabric strips, that can be supplied with a voltage to dissipate heat due to Joule's effect. The metallic wire net may be coated with a layer of a material suitable to heat transferring, so that to adapt the outer surface heating of the band. Alternatively, the heatable element comprises a single metallic wire disposed in a zig-zag manner into the band.

The heatable element regulation is easy, being sufficient to adjust the voltage applied to the metallic wires.

Preferably the device according to the invention provides a feedback adjustment of the temperature at the band surface. The device is provided with at least one sensor placed to detect the temperature at the band surface or the sporting equipments subjected to the thermal treatment. The sensot generated signal, or generated by more sensors, is processed by a processing unit providing the electrical power supply adjustment to the heatable element to increase / decrease the dissipated heat, balancing possible undesired modifications of the temperature from a reference value.

The device according to the present invention may be provided with a timer having the function of stopping the electrical power supply to the heatable element after a predefined time interval.

The device according to the present invention allows heating the equipment outsoles for winter sports evenly, avoiding detrimental overheating occurring with the oven use according to the known art. The device adjustment is easy and the feedback control of the temperature allows maintaining the treatment temperature almost constant.

The device is handy to use and might be folded when not in use, thereby aiding its transportation.

The operation is easy. The operator provides to place the band on the snowboard outsole or the ski outsole, taking care that the outer surface of the band remains in contact with the outsole to be heated. The operator actuates the power supply of the heating element inside the band. The sensor detects the temperature at the outsole surface. The feedback control maintains the temperature constant during the treatment, for example at 60 ⁰C. When the treatment is finished, the processing unit will stop the power supply of the heating element and the band will be separated from the treated equipment, the latter resulting ready to be used for other treatments or operations.

The operator provides to spread the band over the sporting equipment outsole, taking care that the band itself would overlap the whole outsole surface. Preferably the temporary constrain between the band and the outsole is obtained by providing spring clamps, for example spring clips, that the operator arranges along the outsole perimeter to compress die band against the outsole, so as to form a sandwich - type structure. The ski or the snowboard is thereby covered by the band and the volatile portion evaporation of the wax is minimized. In other words, when die band is correcdy placed on the sporting equipment to be treated, the volatile portion evaporation of the wax is minimal.

Advantageously, the band of the device might be interposed between the two skis or two snowboards outsoles (pressed like a "sandwich") to heat such outsoles contemporaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Further aspects and objects of the present invention will become more evident from the description below, made for illustrative and not limitative purposes, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a first device according to the present invention partially assembled;

Figure IA is a top view of a second device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a prospective view of the device of figure 1 and a snowboard;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the device shown in figure 2, assembled. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.

Referring to figure 1, a device 1 according to the present invention is shown partially assembled. The device 1 has the function to realize the thermal treatment of equipments for winter sports, such as skis 2, snowboards 3, etc., following the correspondent waxing.

The device 1 comprises a band 10 composed of a flexible and foldable fabric. Preferably the band 10 is realized by sewing two fabric strips A and B along the edge 4. A suitable fabric for this object is commercialized by DU PONT Company with the name of Nomex ®. Alternatively Kevlar could be used, or a composite - fiber fabric, nylon, rayon, or any other heat - resistant fabric.

Between the strips A and B of fabric one or more heating elements 5 are included. The heating elements 5 could be of various type, but preferably the device 1 is provided with dissipative metallic elements, for example a metallic wire 55 net that, being electrically power supplied, will dissipate the heat due to Joule's effect.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 — 3, the device 1 is provided with a plurality of metallic wires 55 arranged to form a net on the inner surface of the portion B. The wires are sewed at the portion B, or fixed with appropriate bonding agents, and are electrically supplied by the 56 and 57 connections allowing connecting to accumulator battery or to local mains.

The distribution of the wires 55 over the inner surface of portion B of the device 1 is such to guarantee a distribution of the thermal power transferred as much as possible even. The applicant founded that an optimal distribution of wires 55 could be obtained arranging the latter according to a squared meshed net having the side length between 0,5 cm and 3 cm.

Alternatively, as shown in figure IA, the element 5 comprises a single wire 55 (showed in dotted line) arranged as a winding or zigzag line inside the band 10, on the inner surface of the portion B of the device 1. This arrangement is particularly suitable to treat the skis 2. The winding pitch is between 0,5 and 4 cm.

In figure 2 the assembled device 1 is shown, during the thermal treatment of a snowboard 3. When the sporting equipment 3 is overlapped on the outer surface of the band 10, the wires 55 are placed at the outsole S that will have to be heated. The heat dissipated from the metallic wires 55 is firstly transferred to the portion of the outsole S that has to be heated, and a minimal portion only will concur in other portion heating of the same equipment 3. Relative to known solutions, frequendy providing the whole equipment heating, the device 1 provides to heat appreciably the outsole S only, reducing the risks of damages to other portions of respective equipments due to thermal treatment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wires 55 are covered by a thermal diffusion material layer, for example an aluminum or polyester laminate. The covering layer (not shown in figures) has to protect the metallic wires 55 against possible damages due to wear and, in the meanwhile, to maximize the heat transfer surface with the fabric strips A and B.

According to a simplified embodiment of the present invention, the device 1 could be connected to the mains by a plug 57. Consequently the heat dissipated by the wires 55 is depending on the voltage available, in addition to the ohmic resistance of the same wires. The heat dissipated by the wires 55 is constant during the supplying period of the device 1 and, with a voltage of 220 Volts, the wire 55 surface temperature is between 40 ⁰C and 80 ⁰C. The thermal treatment length is defined by the operator, which provides to disconnect the plug 57 from the mains upon the heating is finished. The shown temperature range allows dilating the plastic material pores of the outsole S of the sporting equipments, promoting the maximum wax penetration being present on such a surface.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device 1 is provided with a processing unit CPU. Such a unit allows the operator to adjust the thermal treatment length and the heat strength produced by the wires 55. The CPU unit is provided with a timer that will stop the electrical power supply to wires 55, 56 after a operator — defined period , for example by a knob. The CPU unit is further provided with a potentiometer adjustable by the operator to change the voltage applied to the electrical resistances 55.

The operator might adjust the treatment length acting on the processing unit CPU timer and might adjust the strength of the heat emitted, that is the wires 55 temperature, by the potentiometer.

Preferably, the device 1 is provided with one or more temperature sensors 6 able to detect the temperature at the outer surface of the band 10, for example at the outer surface of the strips A, B. The temperature sensors 6 provide a signal indicating the temperature and, based on such a signal, the CPU unit makes a feedback control on the thermal treatment length and strength.

If the detected temperature would fall in the considered operator range, for example 50 ⁰C - 70 ⁰C, the CPU unit will not make any correction of the treatment length and strength. If the detected temperature would be less than the minimum value of the afore said range, for example equal to 45 ⁰C, the CPU unit will provide to adjust the potentiometer to increase the voltage supplied to the wires 55. If the temperature detected would be greater than the maximum value of the afore said range, for example equal to 74 ⁰C, the CPU unit will provide to stop the power supply to the wires 55, to allow their cooling, and subsequently will re-establish the power supply at a voltage lower than the previous, eventually adapting the treatment length to the new temperature values detected by the sensors 6.

Thereby the device 1 operation provided with a processing unit CPU is easy. At the beginning the operator adjusts the timer and the potentiometer and starts the device 1. If during the treatment the equipments 2, 3 are subjected to an overheating, otherwise they did not heat up sufficiently, the CPU unit would provide to change the operative parameters to realize the necessary adjustments relatively to the treatment length and strength, taking care of preserving the equipment S outsole temperature almost constant.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the band 10 interposed between the outsoles S of two skis

2 subjected to the thermal treatment. The band 10 is sandwiched between the outsoles S by the spring elements M pushing the skis 2 one against the other. The spring elements

M might be clamps, clips or similar restraining means, user operable. Thereby die perfect overlapping and / or bonding of die outer surface of the band 10 to die outsoles

S are guaranteed and die simultaneous treatment of die two skis 2 is realized, or two snowboards 3, etc. This arrangement allows minimizing die volatile portion evaporation of die wax, widi a consequent maximization of die wax penetration itself in the pores of die treated sporting equipment outsole.

Advantages offered by die device 1 relative to known solutions are various.

The band 10 of the device 1 might be easily folded, when not used, with evident advantages about bulk. The device 1 widi die folded band 10 can be carried easily, this characteristic being particularly useful for the operators assigned to the ski and snowboard waxing of adiletes, which have to travel frequendy with many bulky equipments.

The thermal treatment, diat is the heating of the outsoles S of die sporting equipments, is operated preventing overheating, maintaining die temperature of the same outsoles S practically constant during each treatment. When there is a CPU unit, the unit itself provides to modify die operative parameters of the device 1 to balance possible undesired temperature changing of the outsoles S during treatment.

The great heating evenness of the outsoles S available with die device 1 promotes the saturation of die outsoles S with die wax previously applied by the operator. The final result is better dian what could be obtained widi known solutions, concerning about bodi die diickness of die wax layer bonding to the outsoles S, and the evenness of the applied wax layer.

The device 1 is easy to realize with materials easily available on die market having low costs and does not require a particular maintenance.

Claims

1. Device (1) for thermal treatment of winter sport equipments (2, 3), such as skis, snowboards and the like, characterized by comprising a band (10) superimposable on the outsole of said equipments (2, 3) and at least one element (5), being electrically heatable, placed next to at least part of the surface of said band (10) to transfer heat to said outsole.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said band (10) is foldable to provide easy transportation of the device (1).

3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said heatable element (5) comprises a metallic wire (55) net intended to be supplied with an electric power for dissipating heat.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said band (10) is a sheath composed of two fabric strips (A, B), sewed at the edges (4), and in that a wire net (5) is interposed between said two fabric strips (A, B) and heats the outer surface of both fabric strips (A, B).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 - 4, characterized in that said band (10) is covered by a layer of flexible material, having high thermal diffusivity.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 - 5, characterized by further comprising at least one sensor (6) adapted to detect the temperature at the heated surface of the band (10) and a processing unit (CPU) programmed to adjust the electric power supply of said heatable element (5) based on the detected temperature value.

7. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said , fabric is Nomex ®.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by further comprising a timer to adjust the operation-time of the electric power supply to said heatable element (5).

9. Method for heating the previously waxed outsole of skis, snowboards and similar sporting equipments, by the device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 - 8, characterized by the steps of placing said band on said outsole and supplying electric power to said heatable element (5) for a predetermined time interval.

LO. Method according to claim 9, characterized by the further steps of regulating the temperature and / or the thermal treatment length by said processing unit (CPU).

Ll. Method according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein said band is placed on said outsole by one or more manual retaining elements.