WO2023081941A1

WO2023081941A1 - Process for manufacturing a sidewall for a gliding device

Info

Publication number: WO2023081941A1
Application number: PCT/AT2022/060374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Krenn
Original assignee: Isosport Verbundbauteile Gesellschaft M.B.H.
Priority date: 2021-11-11
Filing date: 2022-11-02
Publication date: 2023-05-19
Also published as: AT525607A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a sidewall (5) for a gliding device (1), in particular a ski or a snowboard, wherein a geometry and an inner structure, in particular a laminar structure, of the sidewall (5) is specified, and the sidewall (5) is manufactured using a generative manufacturing process according to the specified geometry and according to the specified inner structure.

Description

Method of manufacturing a sidewall for a gliding device

The present invention relates to a method for producing a side wall for a gliding device, a method for producing a gliding device, a side wall for a gliding device and a ski or snowboard with at least one such side wall.

Gliding devices such as skis or snowboards are divided into different groups depending on the design of the gliding device. A basic distinction is made between shell skis or cap skis on the one hand and sandwich construction on the other.

Gliding devices are usually constructed from a core, an overlying cover layer, an underlying sliding layer and laterally arranged side panels.

In shell skis, the top layer (can also be referred to as the top belt) is designed to be integrated with the side walls. With the sandwich construction, the sidewall is designed separately and inserted laterally to the core in such a way that pressure exerted by the cover layer is transferred to an edge via the sidewall.

The sandwich construction has the advantage over the shell ski construction that the side walls can be made stiffer and therefore forces exerted by the skier or snowboarder can be passed on better from the binding to the edge via the stiffer side walls. Overall , edge grip and smooth running are improved . In contrast to this, the production costs for the sandwich construction are generally higher than for the shell ski. In the sandwich construction, the side wall in the prior art consists of a material that has the appropriate properties for the respective area of use, which can be produced easily and with high productivity on conventional sheet extrusion systems in the dimensions required for the application.

Reinforced plastics, for example glass fiber reinforced plastics, and/or duroplastic plastics, for example phenol and/or melamine, are also used for this application.

This is also known, for example, from AT 10 837 U1, US Pat. No. 4,672,529 A, DE 24 02 754 A or US Pat. No. 4,545,597 A.

This produced raw material, which is present as plates for the side walls, is now processed to produce the side walls by chip-removing methods, such as milling, with the plates being milled to a desired geometry of the side walls.

However, with this chip-removing process there is increased material waste, which accounts for up to 50% of the starting material.

This material waste not only represents a negative cost factor in terms of raw material consumption, but also increased disposal costs, since the materials used, which are stiffened and often contain glass fibers, are difficult to dispose of and also difficult to return to production through a recycling process are, whereby improper handling of the grinding dust can also result in an ecological burden due to the manufacturing process. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for producing a side panel and a method for producing a gliding device, a gliding device and a side panel, in which at least some of the above-described disadvantages of the prior art are improved and/or the handling of the gliding device is improved is further improved.

This object is achieved by a method for manufacturing a side panel for a gliding device according to claim 1 , a method for manufacturing a gliding device according to claim 10 , a side panel according to claim 11 and/or a gliding device according to claim 12 .

According to the invention, it is provided that in a method for producing a side wall for a gliding device, in particular a ski or a snowboard, a geometry and/or an internal structure, in particular a layered structure, of the side wall is specified and the side wall according to the specified geometry and according to is manufactured with the specified internal structure using an additive manufacturing process.

In the case of the invention, the highly productive methods known from the prior art for producing the side walls are replaced by an additive manufacturing method. Generatively manufactured sidewalls mean there is far greater freedom in the construction of the sidewalls. In particular, geometries and internal structures (for example honeycomb structures) can be produced that are not possible with the methods from the prior art.

A basic aspect of the invention is the surprising finding that the properties of the side walls and the gliding devices produced with them can be improved in a specifically designed and constructed side wall to such an extent that the tendentially greater effort involved in manufacturing using an additive manufacturing process is acceptable. By using a generative manufacturing process, the material used can also be used with a high level of precision for manufacturing in a material-saving manner, with no further chip-removing processes then having to be used to produce the desired geometry.

As mentioned, the use of a generative manufacturing process results in the essential advantage that the inner structure of the side bolster can also be manufactured in a targeted manner, as a result of which the possibility of influencing the properties of the side bolster is significantly increased.

The entire side wall is particularly preferably produced by the additive manufacturing process.

Generative manufacturing processes are often also referred to as 3D printing or additive manufacturing processes, in which material is applied layer by layer, thus creating three-dimensional objects.

A method according to the invention or a device according to the invention can be used in already known design variants of sliding devices according to the prior art, as already described in the introduction to the description.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Provision is preferably made for the side panel to be produced by an additive manufacturing process which processes a plastic, preferably a thermoplastic plastic, particularly preferably acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA) and/or a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). . Good impact and notched impact strength at low temperatures is required for skis and snowboards. For this reason, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is often used as the sidewall material for this application, which can also be easily colored and can therefore be used as a design element.

Of course, the thermoplastic can also be a suitable blend.

Provision can be made for multi-jet vision and/or laser sintering and/or fused deposition modeling to be used as the additive manufacturing method.

In multi-jet modelling, a model is built up layer by layer using a print head with at least one linearly arranged nozzle, similar to the print head of an inkjet printer. Due to the small size of the droplets that can be generated with this system, very fine details and resolutions can also be produced. Hard wax and/or special thermoplastics are usually used as the starting material.

In laser sintering - often also referred to as selective laser melting - workpieces are manufactured from a powdery starting material, with the powdery starting material being melted (more precisely: fused) in the desired regions using a laser beam, thus creating a three-dimensional geometry layer by layer a workpiece is manufactured. A wide range of materials is available as the starting material, with metals, ceramics, plastics and/or a mixture thereof being able to be used. In fused deposition modeling (or fused filament fabrication), a grid of dots is first applied to a surface, with the dots being produced by heating a wire-shaped starting material to liquefy it, which can be applied through a nozzle. The workpiece is usually built up by repeatedly moving along a working plane line by line or in layers and applying the dots to this working plane (stacked) until the three-dimensional workpiece has finished forming. These layer thicknesses can be reduced by up to 0.025 mm, which allows very precise and fine production. Thermoplastic plastics are mostly used as starting materials.

The various manufacturing processes mentioned can also be combined within the scope of the invention. In this way, complex internal structures can be created with different materials, whose mechanical properties can be specified precisely.

Alternatively, the following generative manufacturing processes could also be used in the course of the present invention or, if necessary. be combined with each other:

Stereolithography ( SL )

Laser sintering ( LS )

Laser beam melting (SLM = Selective Laser Melting, also: Laser Beam Melting = LBM)

Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Fused Layer Modelling/Manufacturing (FLM or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF))

Multi Jet Modeling (MJM)

Poly Jet Modeling (PJM)

3D printing (SDP, also binder jetting)

Layer Laminated Manufacturing (LLM)

Digital Light Processing (DLP) Thermal transfer sintering ( TTS )

Metal Laminated Tooling (MELATO)

Continuous Liquid Interface Production ( CLIP )

Selective Heat Sintering (SHS)

Laser Metal Deposition (LMD)

Wax Deposition Modeling (WDM)

Contour crafting

Cold gas spraying or metal powder application (MPA) Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM) 3D screen printing

3D inkjet printing of optical elements

Light-controlled Electrophoretic Deposition

Shaping-Debinding-Sintering (SDS) and Bound Metal Deposition (BMD), production of metallic or ceramic green bodies by means of Fused Deposition Modeling/Fused Layer Modeling or material extrusion

Two-photon lithography

Arburg plastic free forming

Screw Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (SEAM)

Selective LED-based Melting (SLEDM)

It can preferably be provided that the side wall is built up by the additive manufacturing process using an outer layer, a middle layer and an inner layer, preferably with the outer layer and/or the inner layer, for example made of a thermoplastic material, being applied to the middle layer by the additive manufacturing process .

So it can also be possible that different materials, preferably plastic materials, are used for the outer layer, the middle layer and the inner layer. The generative manufacturing process creates the possibility that these layers are fused and thus bonded to one another by the manufacturing process. The combination of an outer layer and a middle layer, with the middle layer having a higher rigidity than the outer layer, has the advantage that on the one hand the side wall on the surface of the gliding device can have optimal impact and notched impact resistance, and at the same time it can be easily colored.

On the other hand, the middle layer with higher rigidity, in particular flexural rigidity, allows the introduction of a material that improves the power transmission from the top layer to the edge or to the sliding surface.

The inner layer can structurally enhance the sidewall and at the same time act as a kind of adhesion promoter to the core of a gliding device.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the inner layer consists of a thermoplastic material.

In other exemplary embodiments, the inner layer can also consist at least partially of metallic materials.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the outer layer of the side wall consists of an impact-modified, thermoplastic material.

In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the inner layer also consists of an impact-resistant modified plastic. It can be provided that the outer layer and/or the inner layer consists of an ionomer. Of course, the thermoplastic can also be formed by a suitable blend. The properties of the middle layer are primarily responsible for the optimal power transmission to the edges or. a sliding layer of the sliding device. In practice, it has proven to be advantageous if the middle layer consists of a material with anisotropic properties, preferably a fiber-reinforced plastic.

Provision can furthermore be made for at least one further layer to be arranged between the inner layer, middle layer and/or outer layer in order to improve the structure of the side wall.

The inner layer, the middle layer and/or the outer layer can itself also consist of several partial layers.

The inner layer, the middle layer and/or the outer layer do not have to be designed to be flat due to the production using an additive manufacturing process. For example, the outer layer and/or the middle layer can only partially cover the inner layer. If the layers are colored differently, externally visible color transitions can be realized without having to accept disadvantages in the mechanical properties of the sidewalls. Such designs also allow greater freedom in the external design of the side panels.

Provision can preferably be made for at least one cavity to be produced inside the side wall by the additive manufacturing process.

Provision can be made for the side wall to be formed with at least one reinforcement structure, preferably a reinforcement rib, by the additive manufacturing process. The generative manufacturing process thus creates the possibility that the side wall can be formed with cavities or stiffening structures at certain points, which means that individual, point-specific loads in the later area of application can be addressed and the geometric design and internal structure of the side wall saves material Force introduction, deformation and / or loads can be designed.

In some embodiments, it can be provided that the side wall is formed by at least two separate parts, these separate parts are connected to the side wall by a form-fitting or material-locking method. It can preferably be provided that an adhesive and/or welding process is used to connect the side wall designed as at least two separate parts.

Provision could preferably also be made for the side panel to be connected to the gliding device by means of a form-fitting or cohesive method--in particular an adhesive and/or welding method.

Provision can be made for the side wall—preferably for different layers—to be produced using at least two different materials and/or using different additives in accordance with the specified geometry and in accordance with the specified internal structure.

Consequently, by using different materials, the subsequent use of the side wall with regard to force transmission, loading and deformation can be addressed in a targeted, weight-optimized and cost-saving manner.

It has turned out to be particularly preferred that through the use of different additives in different Optimal design properties arise in regions of the side wall, as a result of which particularly preferred design elements can be produced, for example by means of differently colored plastics, which was not possible with the methods known in the prior art.

It can be provided that to produce the inner structure (e.g. similar to a honeycomb structure) of the side wall, basic geometric shapes - preferably discs with elliptical and/or circular and/or rectangular and/or hexagonal basic shapes - are created, which together form the inner structure of the yield sidewall.

Such basic geometric shapes for producing the inner structure of the side wall can also be referred to as fill patterns or filling structures of the additive manufacturing process.

Protection is also sought for a method for manufacturing a gliding device, in which a side bolster produced using the method according to the invention for manufacturing a side bolster is brought into contact with at least one core, at least one top layer and/or a sliding layer and then—preferably under the influence of heat—with the at least one core, the at least one cover layer and the at least one sliding layer is pressed to form the sliding device.

To produce skis or snowboards, for example, edges or runners can also be provided and pressed together with the side wall, the core, the cover layer and the at least one sliding layer in order to produce the sliding device.

The sliding device according to the invention can preferably have two side walls which are arranged laterally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sliding device. Protection is also sought for a side wall which was produced by a method according to the invention, and a gliding device, preferably a ski or a snowboard, which has at least one side wall produced by a method according to the invention.

Further details and advantages of the present invention are described using the following description of the figures with reference to the figures. It shows:

Fig. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of one according to the invention

gliding device ,

Fig. 2 shows a section through an exemplary embodiment of a gliding device according to the invention,

Fig. 3 different filling structures for a generative manufacturing process to manufacture a sidewall,

Fig. 4 an exemplary embodiment of a side panel made up of several separate parts,

Fig. 5 different cross-sectional shapes of an embodiment of a side wall according to the invention and

Fig. 6- 8 examples of form-fitting connection of a side panel .

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a gliding device 1 according to the invention, for example an alpine ski or snowboard. The top layer 2 and the side wall 5 can be seen.

The internal structure of such a gliding device 1 in what is known as a sandwich construction comprises a core 4 and laterally arranged side walls 5 (for example as shown in FIG. 2), which were produced using an additive manufacturing process. Above would be based on Fig. 2 the cover layer 2 and optionally a top belt 10 are provided.

Below the core 4 and side walls 5 there would be a sliding surface 3 and, in the case of an alpine ski or snowboard, two edges 9 , for example made of steel, would also be provided.

In Fig. 2 an exemplary embodiment of a gliding device 1 according to the invention in the form of an alpine ski is shown in cross section (AA according to FIG. 1).

Fig. 2 shows a core 4 , an upper chord 10 arranged above it, a lower chord 11 arranged below it, and a cover layer 2 arranged above the upper chord 10 and a sliding layer 3 arranged below the lower chord 11 . The sliding layer 3 is delimited laterally by edges 9 .

The core 4 is delimited on each side by a side wall 5 which has a layered structure with an outer layer 6 , a middle layer 7 and an inner layer 8 .

The layer structure of the side panels 5 is implemented here by an additive manufacturing process, with the outer layer 6 , the middle layer 7 and the inner layer 8 being connected to one another in one piece in the side panels 5 .

As shown here, in the so-called sandwich construction, the side wall 5 is separated from the top layer 2 and any upper flange 10 or trained separately. As a result, the side wall 5 can be optimally designed with regard to the mechanical properties, so that the transmission of force from the cover layer 2 and/or the top flange 10 to the edges 9 takes place in an optimal manner. In the case of shell skis, the force is not transmitted to the edges via the side walls 5, since the top layer 2 or the upper chord 10 is formed in one piece with the side wall, so that the force distribution is less favorable and the provision of multi-layered side areas in shell skis does not show any improvements of the type mentioned above.

A binding for a shoe arranged on the cover layer 2 now transmits the force via the side cheek 5 to the edges 9 when force is exerted by the user.

Fig. 3 shows different filling structures which can be used in an additive manufacturing process to produce a side wall 5 . These filling structures are also known and familiar as fill patterns and serve as basic geometric shapes for producing the inner structure of the side wall.

These filling structures can form inner structures of the side walls 5, some of which have cavities. As a result, the side wall 5 can have outstanding mechanical properties, with the weight of the side wall 5 and thus of the gliding device 1 being reduced at the same time.

The outer layer 6, middle layer 7 and/or inner layer 8 can, in exemplary embodiments, be made using the in FIG. 3 filling structures shown are manufactured.

Fig. 4 shows the manufacture of a side wall 5 from a number of separate parts, the separate parts being connected to the side wall 5 by means of a positive or material connection. With regard to form-fitting connections, reference is made to FIGS. 6 to 8 referenced . A material connection can be achieved, for example, by fusing the separate parts or by using an adhesive.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional shape of an embodiment of a side wall 5 according to the invention in a section A-A corresponding to FIG. 1, in which case only the side panel 5 is shown.

It can be seen how the design using a generative manufacturing process can also deviate from a planar structure of the layers of the side wall 5 and/or the layer thicknesses can be freely changed.

The layers and layer transitions shown can be designed, for example, as an outer layer 6 , a middle layer 7 and an inner layer 8 or simply correspond to the sub-layers of an individual layer built up by the additive manufacturing process.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show examples of the form-fitting connection of a side wall 5, with geometrical exemplary embodiments for connecting a side wall 5 to the gliding device 1 (preferably with the core 4) or for connecting a side wall 5 consisting of several parts to one another.

The parts of a side wall 5 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 have an area with a special geometric configuration, which area can be brought into engagement with a corresponding negative of a cooperating component in order to produce a form-fitting connection.

So shows Fig. 6 a possible positive connection via a dovetail geometry, FIG. 7 via a pin geometry and FIG. 8 on a groove geometry. Reference sign list : 1 sliding device

2 top layer

3 sliding surface

4 core

5 sidewall 6 outer layer

7 middle class

8 inner layer

9 edge

10 upper chord 11 lower chord

Claims

Method for producing a side wall (5) for a gliding device (1), in particular a ski or a snowboard, wherein a geometry and an internal structure, in particular a layer structure, of the side wall (5) is specified, and the side wall (5) according to the specified geometry and according to the specified internal structure is manufactured using an additive manufacturing process. Method according to claim 1, wherein the side wall (5) is produced by a plastic - preferably a thermoplastic plastic, particularly preferably acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA) and/or a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) - processing additive manufacturing process . Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein multi-jet fusion and/or laser sintering and/or fused deposition modeling is used as the additive manufacturing method. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall (5) by the generative

Manufacturing process through an outer layer (6), a

Middle layer (7) and an inner layer (8) is constructed, preferably wherein the outer layer (6) and / or the inner layer (8) made of a thermoplastic material is applied to the middle layer (7) by the additive manufacturing process. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one cavity in the interior of the side wall is produced by the additive manufacturing process

(5) is manufactured.

6. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall (5) is formed by the additive manufacturing process with at least one stiffening structure, preferably a stiffening rib.

7. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall (5) is formed by at least two separate parts, which separate parts are connected by a positive or material connection to the side wall (5).

8. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall (5) - preferably for different layers - is produced using at least two different materials and/or using different additives according to the given geometry and according to the given internal structure.

9. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein for producing the inner structure of the side wall (5) basic geometric shapes - preferably discs with an elliptical and / or circular and / or rectangular and / or hexagonal basic shape - are created, which together the inner structure of the side wall (5).

10. A method for producing a gliding device (1), wherein a side wall (5) produced according to at least one of the preceding claims is brought into contact with at least one core (4), at least one cover layer (2) and/or a sliding layer (3). and then - preferably under the influence of heat - with the at least one core (4), the at least one cover layer (2) and the at least one sliding layer (3) is pressed (1) to form the sliding device. 19 side wall, which is produced by a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 9. Gliding device with at least one side wall (5) manufactured according to Claim 10.