WO1998046314A1

WO1998046314A1 - Snowboard for practising snow surfing

Info

Publication number: WO1998046314A1
Application number: PCT/FR1998/000627
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thierry Marion; Eric Metrot
Original assignee: Salomon S.A.
Priority date: 1997-04-11
Filing date: 1998-03-27
Publication date: 1998-10-22
Also published as: EP0981395B1; DE69810462D1; DE69810462T2; FR2761895B1; EP0981395A1; ATE230287T1; JP3067956U; FR2761895A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a snowboard for practising snow surfing, comprising a bearing surface (1) and a gliding surface (8) opposite the bearing surface (1). The invention is characterised in that it has at least one slot (4, 5) opening onto the bearing surface (1) and onto the gliding surface (8), the gliding surface (8) having a bottom groove (14) which widens the slot (4, 5) between the gliding surface and a shouldered surface (17) at the base of the bottom groove (14).

Description

Snowboard intended for snowboarding

The invention relates to the field of gliding boards. It relates more particularly to boards intended for the practice of snowboarding.

Generally, a user who practices snowboarding, or snowboarding, has his feet secured to the board by retaining devices which are connected to the board. The position of the retainers on the board must allow the user to drive the board in good conditions of safety and precision.

In order to find the best position for the retaining devices on the board, the prior art has proposed different means of adjustment.

For example, in document US Pat. No. 5,261,689, a specific arrangement of fixed inserts housed in a board makes it possible to secure retaining devices to the board.

This arrangement allows step-by-step adjustments in translation of the position of each device on the board, by screwing into the inserts. The specific arrangement of the inserts does not allow continuous adjustment of the position of each retainer on the board, which prevents a refinement of the position of the feet on the board.

In addition, it is necessary to provide for the board a complex internal structure with reinforcing elements to increase the resistance to tearing of the inserts, otherwise the retaining devices can be detached from the board during intensive driving.

Another document, WO 95/05219, teaches a fastening of retaining devices to a board by means of rails embedded in the thickness of the board. The rails allow continuous adjustment of the position of each retainer on the board by means of movable inserts which are positioned in the rails.

The rails locally stiffen the board and locally prevent or alter the flexibility of the board. It follows that the pipe is imprecise and less well controlled than for a board having fixed inserts. In addition, the forces exerted on the rails during driving cause mechanical alteration of the face of the board on which the user is supported. The pull-out resistance is therefore not sufficient.

The object of the invention is in particular to remedy the problems highlighted above. In particular, the invention seeks to propose a board on which it is possible to continuously adjust the position of the retaining devices without locally preventing or altering the flexibility of the board.

The invention also aims to improve the resistance to separation between the board and the retaining devices.

To do this, the invention provides a gliding board intended for snowboarding, the board comprising a bearing face and a gliding face opposite the bearing face.

The board according to the invention is characterized in that it has at least one slot which opens onto the bearing face and onto the sliding face, the sliding face having a lower groove which widens the slot between the face of slides and one side shouldered at the bottom of the lower groove.

This structure makes it possible to accommodate an insert in the board on the side of the sliding face, and to tighten a retaining device on the bearing face by screwing a screw into a threaded hole of the insert. It follows that a thickness of the board is pinched between the insert and the retaining device.

The advantage is that the resistance to tearing is better than in cases where an insert is introduced into the board on the side of the bearing face.

According to a complementary arrangement of the invention, the support face has an upper groove which widens the slot between the support face and a shoulder face at the bottom of the upper groove.

This arrangement makes it possible to locate the material constituting the board which resists tearing in a middle region of the thickness of the board. It advantageously follows that the incipient fractures of the material are reduced because the middle region undergoes little bending stresses relative to the bearing face or to the sliding face. Preferably, the board comprises at least one upper reinforcement layer at the level of the bearing face and at least one lower reinforcement layer at the level of the sliding face, the upper and lower reinforcement layers being separated at least in part by a core, the board being characterized in that the shoulder face of the lower groove is formed at least in part by the lower reinforcing layer, and in that the shoulder face of the upper groove is formed at least partly by the upper reinforcement layer. This arrangement makes it possible to work both the upper reinforcing layer, the lower reinforcing layer and the core in resistance against tearing.

This arrangement also makes it possible to distribute the forces due to traction on the retaining device over a surface of the board larger than the surface of the shouldered face of the lower groove. It advantageously follows that the stresses in the board are reduced.

More preferably, the upper reinforcing layer and the lower reinforcing layer are joined to each other at a central part of the slot by an adhesive means. This arrangement prevents any infiltration of impurities in the board at the core, and prevents relative sliding of the upper reinforcement layer with respect to the lower reinforcement layer in the slot.

According to another advantageous arrangement of the invention, the shouldered face of the lower groove and the shouldered face of the upper groove are located at a substantially constant distance from the sliding face along the length of the slot. The insert housed in the board is therefore always approximately the same distance from the sliding face, which allows a space of constant length between the insert and the snow. It is also easier to press one on the other the upper reinforcing layer and the lower reinforcing layer at the time of manufacture.

Indeed, preferably the slot has a peripheral edge delimited in part at least by the thickness of the upper reinforcing layer, the thickness of the bonding means, and the thickness of the lower reinforcing layer. This arrangement does not affect the flexibility of the board by compared to the prior art, because no rail is added in the thickness of the board.

Preferably finally, the board comprises two slots oriented substantially in a central longitudinal direction of the board, each slot being disposed along the length of the board at the level of a foot of a user. This allows multiple adjustments of the position of two retainers.

According to an alternative embodiment, the board comprises four slots oriented substantially in a longitudinal direction of the board, two slots being arranged at each of the feet of a user, the two slots being spaced from each other by 40 mm. In this case, it is possible to attach most of the commercial shoe retaining devices to the board.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawing illustrating, by non-limiting examples, how the invention can be implemented and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sliding board according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a section on II-II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a core used for the manufacture of the board,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a mold intended for the manufacture of the board,

FIG. 5 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 in a case where a base is connected to the board,

- Figure 6 is a section similar to that of Figure 2 for an alternative embodiment.

A gliding board shown in FIG. 1 comprises a support face 1 intended to receive devices for retaining the feet of a user. The board extends in a longitudinal direction between two ends 2, 3, and has two slots 4, 5 of elongated shape oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction. Each of the slots 4, 5 is preferably located substantially halfway between side edges 6, 7 of the board, in a reception region of one foot of the user.

As shown in FIG. 2, the board comprises a sliding face 8 opposite the bearing face 1 with respect to the thickness of the board. It should be understood that the sliding face 8 is intended to slide on the snow. This is why it is delimited by a gliding layer or sole 9, itself added by any suitable means such as bonding to a lower reinforcing layer 10. By analogy, the bearing face 1 is delimited by a decorative layer 11 added by any suitable means such as bonding to an upper reinforcing layer 12.

The lower 10 and upper 12 reinforcing layers are separated by a core 13 which extends substantially between the lateral edges 6, 7 and between the ends 2, 3 of the board. The presence of the slots 4, 5 creates an interruption in the continuity of the core 13. The example of the slot 5 seen in section in FIG. 2 shows that the lower 10 and upper 12 reinforcement layers are shaped to meet at slot level 5.

The lower layer 10 and the sole 9 have a deformation, towards the inside of the board, which delimits a lower groove 14. Likewise, the upper layer 12 and the decoration layer 11 have a deformation, towards the inside of the board, which defines an upper groove 15.

The lower 10 and upper 12 layers are joined to each other by any suitable means such as bonding along a joint plane 16 located between the lower groove 14 and the upper groove 15.

Preferably, the joint plane 16 is substantially parallel to the face 8 of the board. This amounts to saying that the parts of the reinforcing layers 10, 12 which respectively delimit shouldered faces 17, 18 of the grooves 14, 15 are substantially parallel to the face 8 of the board.

It follows that the grooves 14 and 15 are separated by a central part 19 of the slot 5 delimited by a peripheral edge 20 whose thickness comprises the lower reinforcement layer 10, the upper reinforcement layer 12, as well as any material located at the joint plane 16 which may have served to secure the layers 10 and 12 together.

The structure of the board in a transverse direction, that is to say in a direction which goes from edge 6 to edge 7, is such that the lower groove 14 is wider than the central part 19, and such that the groove upper 15 is wider than the central part 19.

By analogy, the structure of the board in the longitudinal direction has the same characteristics as the structure in the transverse direction, except for the dimensions. Indeed, the slot 5 has an elongated shape which makes it significantly longer than wide.

A preferred method of manufacturing the board is explained using FIGS. 3 and 4.

The core 13 is manufactured separately by machining a plank of glued laminated wood.

As shown in Figure 3, the core 13 has after machining a slot which allows to accommodate a portion of the layers 9, 10, 11, 12 in a subsequent manufacturing step.

Of course, another material such as pure wood or plastic foam could be suitable. Another working technique such as molding could also be suitable. After machining, the core 13 has a shape close to that which it will have after the manufacture of the board. The advantage of glued laminated timber is its mechanical stability and its ease of use.

All the constituent elements of the board are placed in a mold like that shown in section in FIG. 4. The mold comprises a lower shape 21 intended to receive the constituent elements of the board, and an upper shape 22 provided for pressing the constituent elements of the board in the lower form 21, as indicated by the arrow. A punch 23 secured to the lower form 21 is provided to conform the lower groove 14, and a punch 24 secured to the upper form 22 is provided to conform the upper groove 15.

The constituent elements of the board comprising in particular the sole 9, the lower reinforcing layer 10, the core 13, the upper reinforcing layer 12 and the decoration layer 11 are introduced in this order into the mold, successively or simultaneously, to form a stack ready to be pressed. Bonding means may be provided such as layers of glue or resin, or also plastic bonding films between the various layers 9,

10, 11, 12, 13.

The joining of the constituent elements of the board is obtained by raising the temperature of the mold and by pressing the upper form 22 into the lower form 21 according to a process known to those skilled in the art. The punches 23 and 24 respectively cause the deformation of the layers 9, 10 and

11, 12 to make the grooves 14 and 15.

When the constituent elements of the board are joined, the board is extracted from the mold. At this time, the grooves 14 and 15 are separated by a stack comprising the sole 9, the lower reinforcement layer 10, the upper reinforcement layer 12 and the decoration layer 11. A final manufacturing operation consists in making the part central 19 of the slot 5 by removal of material in the stack separating the grooves 14 and 15, by techniques such as machining, routing, nibbling, stamping or other. This gives the board previously described using FIG. 2.

The materials used are those known to those skilled in the art. The sole 9 can be made for example of polyethylene, the decorative layer 11 of any plastic, and the reinforcing layers 10, 12 of fiber fabrics impregnated with thermosetting resin. The fibers can be carbon, glass, aramid or the like. They can be woven or not, combined with one another and oriented in selected directions.

Of course, the slot 4 is manufactured at the same time as the slot 5, and has a structure similar or similar to that of the slot 5. It can be provided that the slots 4 and 5 have the same or different dimensions, one by compared to the other. Once the board is finished, it is possible to attach external elements to it as explained with the help of Figure 5.

An insert 25 is introduced into the slot 5 on the side of the sliding face 8. The insert 25 comprises a head 26 which is housed in the groove 14 by bearing on the shoulder face 17 of the groove 14. The head 26 is extended by a body 27 which passes through the central part 19 of the slot 5 and the upper groove 15. A base 28 of a not shown retaining device is secured to the insert 25 by a securing means shown in the form of a screw 29 which cooperates with the insert 25. The screw 29 biases the base 28 towards one another and the insert 25. It follows that the base 28 is pressed against the face 1 and that the head 26 is pressed against the shouldered face 17. The base 28 is immobilized on the face 1 by an adhesion phenomenon due to the coefficient of friction existing between the face 1 and the base 28.

Of course, the position of the base 28 is continuously adjustable along the slot 5. It suffices to loosen the screw 29, to put the base 28 in the desired location, then to tighten the screw 29. It It should be understood that the position of the base 28 is adjustable both in translation and in rotation.

The structure of the board makes it possible to distribute the clamping forces for retaining the base 28 over all the layers making up the thickness of the board, taking into account the shape of the slot 5. It advantageously follows that the resistance to tearing is better than on a board using a system of fixed inserts added on the side of the support face 1. In addition, the structure of the slot 5 does not hinder the bending of the board at all. It advantageously follows that the deformations of the board are progressive and continuous, and that the driving is precise.

We can provide many alternative embodiments such as that shown in section in Figure 6. In this case, there is always a face 1 opposite to a face 8 between side edges 6, 7. But the board comprises two slots 30, 31 parallel and substantially oriented in the longitudinal direction of the board. This alternative embodiment has an additional advantage which is to widen the range of possible adjustments.

In the case where the slots 30, 31 are spaced from each other by 40 mm, this alternative embodiment allows most of the commercial shoe retaining devices to be joined to the board.

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

In particular, numerous variants can be provided for producing the shape of the slots 4, 5.

It is also possible to provide different numbers or different orientations of the slots 4, 5.

Still, other arrangements of the layers may be suitable for achieving the internal structure of the board.

Claims

1- Gliding board intended for snowboarding, the board comprising a bearing face (1) and a gliding face (8) opposite to the bearing face (1), the board further comprising at least an upper reinforcement layer (12) at the support face (1) and at least one lower reinforcement layer (10) at the gliding face (8), the upper reinforcement layers (12) and lower (10) being separated at least in part by a core (13), characterized in that it has at least one slot (4, 5) which opens on the bearing face (1) and on the face of slides (8), the sliding face (8) having a lower groove (14) which widens the slot (4, 5) between the sliding face (8) and a stepped face (17) at the bottom of the lower groove ( 14).

2- Gliding board according to claim 1, characterized in that the bearing face (1) has an upper groove (15) which widens the slot (4, 5) between the bearing face (1) and a shouldered face (18) at the bottom of the upper groove (15).

3- Gliding board according to claim 2, characterized in that the shoulder face (17) of the lower groove

(14) is formed at least in part by the lower reinforcing layer (10), and by the fact that the shouldered face (18) of the upper groove (15) is formed in part at least by the upper reinforcing layer ( 12).

4- Gliding board according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper reinforcing layer (12) and the lower reinforcing layer (10) are joined to each other at a central part (19 ) of the slot (4, 5) by a bonding means.

5- Gliding board according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the shoulder face (17) of the lower groove (14) and the shoulder face (18) of the upper groove (15) are located at a substantially constant distance from the sliding face (8) along the length of the slot (4, 5).

6- Gliding board according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the slot (4, 5) has an edge peripheral (20) delimited in part at least by the thickness of the upper reinforcing layer (12), the thickness of the bonding means, and the thickness of the lower reinforcing layer (10).

7- Gliding board according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises two slots (4, 5) oriented substantially in a central longitudinal direction of the board, each slot (4, 5) being disposed along the length of the board at the level of a user's foot.

8- Gliding board according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises four slots oriented substantially in a longitudinal direction of the board, two slots (30, 31) being arranged at each of the feet of a user, the two slots (30, 31) being spaced from each other by 40 mm.