U.S. patent application number 12/025290 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-07 for snow board.
This patent application is currently assigned to Skis Rossignol. Invention is credited to Jacky Christoud, Joao Mendes, Thierry Monnet, Joan Torrella.
Application Number | 20080185800 12/025290 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38728573 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080185800 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Christoud; Jacky ; et
al. |
August 7, 2008 |
SNOW BOARD
Abstract
A snowboard (1), comprising a core (4) covered with an upper
assembly (10), which comprises: a reinforcing layer (12)
impregnated with a polymerized resin, an upper protective layer
(11) having a penetrating opening (20, 21), and an additional
decorative element (13) present inside said opening (2) extending
under the upper protective layer (11) at the periphery of said
opening, characterized in that the additional decorative element
(13) is formed of a layer of fibrous material, and in that it
comprises a layer (14) of a polymer material forming a seal barrier
between said additional element (13) and the resin of the
reinforcing layer (12), said sealed layer (14) extending under the
additional element and projecting beyond said element (13) to
contact the underside (16) of the upper protective layer (11).
Inventors: |
Christoud; Jacky; (Saint
Cassien, FR) ; Monnet; Thierry; (Izeaux, FR) ;
Mendes; Joao; (Voiron, FR) ; Torrella; Joan;
(Baga, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.;624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Assignee: |
Skis Rossignol
Moirans
FR
|
Family ID: |
38728573 |
Appl. No.: |
12/025290 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/21.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 5/003 20130101;
A63C 5/04 20130101; A63C 5/124 20130101; A63C 2203/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/21.1 |
International
Class: |
A63C 5/14 20060101
A63C005/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 2, 2007 |
FR |
0753047 |
Claims
1. A snowboard (1), comprising a core (4) covered with an upper
assembly (10), which comprises: a reinforcing layer (12)
impregnated with a polymerized resin, an upper protective layer
(11) having a penetrating opening (20, 21), and an additional
decorative element (13) present inside said opening (2) extending
under the upper protective layer (11) at the periphery of said
opening, characterized in that the additional decorative element
(13) is formed of a layer of fibrous material, and in that it
comprises a layer (14) of a polymer material forming a seal barrier
between said additional element (13) and the resin of the
reinforcing layer (12), said sealed layer (14) extending under the
additional element and projecting beyond said element (13) to
contact the underside (16) of the upper protective layer (11).
2. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
additional decorative element (13) is made from textile
material.
3. The snowboard as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the
additional decorative element (13) is a woven cloth.
4. The snowboard as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the
additional decorative element (13) is an openwork textile
cloth.
5. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
upper protective layer (11) has a plurality of penetrating openings
(20, 21) under which an additional common decorative element (13)
extends.
6. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
penetrating opening (21) extends up to the edge of the board.
7. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
additional decorative element (13) projects beyond the perimeter of
the penetrating opening (20) by a distance e.sub.1 larger than 5
mm.
8. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
additional element (13) has a fraction of its perimeter which
matches the contour of the penetrating opening.
9. The snowboard as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
seal layer (14) projects beyond the perimeter of the additional
element (13) by a distance e.sub.2 larger than 5 mm.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to the field of snow sports, and it
relates more particularly to an improvement made to board
structures, designed to permit the use of fibrous materials and in
particular textiles, for making decorative elements for the upper
layer.
PRIOR ART
[0002] In general, boards for snow sports, whether skis or
snowboards, have an upper side that has a decoration which can be
produced in various ways, but mainly by preparing designs, patterns
or other inscriptions under the upper layer which forms the outer
layer of the ski.
[0003] To further improve the quality and aesthetics of the boards,
it has been proposed to integrate additional decorative elements on
the upper side, generally made from a different material from the
material of the upper protective layer. To avoid being exposed to
the risk of mechanical pullout, and in particular by the edges,
these additional elements are generally placed in such a way as to
be flush with the top of the upper protective layer, without
excessive projection.
[0004] For this purpose, an opening is generally made in the upper
protective layer, in order to form a window through which the
additional decorative element appears.
[0005] Document FR 2 823 126 describes a method for fabricating a
snowboard in which the additional decorative elements are inserted
into the upper protective layer in order to form zones of a
particular polymer material, different from the polymer layer
constituting the remainder of the protective layer.
[0006] These inserts may, for example, be made from a material
having a soft feel facilitating the gripping of the board. More
precisely, these additional elements are cut out to the exact shape
of the window made in the upper protective layer. It is also known
that in general, snowboards incorporate mechanical reinforcing
layers which are based on a fibrous material impregnated with a
thermosetting resin, thereby increasing the stiffness of the board.
To avoid any leakage of resin in the interstices formed between the
additional decorative element and the perimeter of the window
formed in the upper layer, the aforesaid document proposes to
insert a seal film under the window, preventing any seepage of
resin.
[0007] It is an object of the invention to permit the use of
additional decorative elements which are made from a fibrous
material, and in particular textile. A further object of the
invention is to permit the preparation of decorative patterns which
vary widely, in shapes and in size, with said type of fibrous
material.
[0008] In fact, the method described in the aforesaid document is
inapplicable to the use of textile inserts.
[0009] This is because the texture and extensibility of the textile
makes it impossible to make inserts of the textile materials which
have exactly the same dimensions as the window made in the upper
protective layer. The risks of fraying of a fabric would be high,
particularly if the patterns required are small.
[0010] Other methods have also been proposed for integrating
additional decorative elements of the upper protective layer. Thus,
in document EP 0 615 773, the Applicant has described a method
which consists in producing an upper assembly that comprises,
superimposed, the upper protective layer and an underlying lower
layer of a polymer material, of the ABS type.
[0011] The upper protective layer has one or more openings forming
windows. During the molding operation, the pressures applied cause
the distortion of the underlying layer of the upper assembly, which
fills the window of the upper protective layer, while being blocked
at the upper level by the mold cover. Said method is also
inapplicable to the use of additional decorative elements based on
fibrous materials and particularly textiles. This is because these
materials have a porosity and a capillarity that makes them
permeable to the resin that impregnates the reinforcing layers
placed under the upper assembly.
[0012] A derivative method has been described in document EP 0 774
280, which describes the production of an upper assembly, for its
subsequent placement in a mold for the fabrication of the board.
This upper assembly comprises a top layer having windows inside
which additional decorative elements based on transparent or
translucent polymer materials are inserted. Said additional element
is joined to the upper protective layer by a hot lamination,
bonding or welding step. It is obvious that such a method is
inapplicable or not transposable to the use of additional elements
of a fibrous material and particularly textile. This is because the
capillarity of such a material would inevitably cause the at least
partial penetration of the fluid materials present nearby during
the molding, and in particular the resin of the mechanical
reinforcing layers, and to a lesser extent, the material of the
upper protective layer during the preparation of the upper
assembly.
[0013] It is therefore the object of the invention to permit the
use of materials having a certain capillarity in order to integrate
them as additional decorative elements in part of the upper
assembly, despite the proximity of the resin-impregnated
reinforcing layers having a natural tendency to migrate during the
molding of operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The invention therefore relates to a snowboard that
comprises a core covered by an upper assembly. Conventionally, said
upper assembly comprises at least one reinforcing layer impregnated
with a polymerized resin, and an upper protective layer forming the
upper side, and which has a penetrating opening. The upper assembly
also comprises an additional decorative element, which is present
inside the opening made in the upper layer. Said additional element
extends under the upper protective layer at the periphery of said
opening.
[0015] According to the invention, the board is characterized in
that the additional decorative element is formed of a layer of a
fibrous material. Fibrous material mainly means textile materials,
and in particular woven or knitted cloths, but also textile cloths
based on nonwoven materials.
[0016] By extension, also covered are materials which have a
certain capillarity, and particularly leather, cardboard, or
similar synthetic materials.
[0017] According to the invention, the upper assembly also
comprises a layer of a polymer material forming a seal barrier
between the additional decorative element and the resin of the
mechanical reinforcing layer. Said sealed layer extends under the
additional decorative element and projects beyond it to contact the
underside of the upper protective layer.
[0018] In other words, the invention consists in employing, as
additional decorative element, layers of a material having a
certain capillarity, and in preventing any migration of the fluid
materials, and in particular of the reinforcing resin, during the
injection operation, by protecting said additional fibrous element
by the insertion of a sealed layer which isolates it from any
infiltration of the fluid material.
[0019] The fibrous decorative material therefore preserves its
appearance and its feel. A textile feel may in fact be particularly
appreciable, not only for its aesthetic qualities, but also because
it diminishes the feeling of cold on contact, due to the trapping
of a layer of air between the textile fibers. Moreover, a textile
based decoration is naturally less subject to scratching than a
conventional polymer layer.
[0020] In practice, the principle of the invention can be
implemented in various ways, and in particular by using one
additional decorative element per opening made in the upper
protective layer, or even by using an additional decorative element
that is common to a plurality of penetrating openings. And in
practice, these penetrating openings can produce patterns with
complete freedom of shape, and in particular for producing
alphabetical markings or very small patterns. It is also possible
for the penetrating opening to extend to the edge of the board, in
such a way that the additional textile element is present up to the
edges of the board.
[0021] In practice, it may be advantageous for the additional
decorative element to have a fraction of its perimeter that matches
the contour of the penetrating opening. In other words, the
additional element projects under the upper protective layer by a
strip having a substantially constant width. This width can be
defined to avoid any risk of pullout of textile materials.
[0022] Thus, related to the size of the pattern, the projection of
the additional element is proportionally greater when the openings
are smaller.
[0023] In practice, it is preferable for the additional decorative
element to project from the perimeter of the penetrating opening by
a distance larger than 5 mm, said distance depending on the size of
the pattern and the type of textile material used, in particular
its deformability.
[0024] Similarly, it is preferable for the sealed layer to project
from the perimeter of the additional element by a distance larger
than 5 mm, in order to guarantee the most complete possible seal
and to prevent any penetration or migration of resin that would
pollute the additional textile element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0025] The procedure for implementing the invention, and the
advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the description of the
embodiment that follows, in conjunction with the appended figures
in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a board according to the
invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a rough perspective view showing the placement
of the various elements for producing a board according to the
invention.
MANNER OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a snowboard (1) conventionally includes
a lower assembly comprising a base (2) bordered with edges (3).
Upon said upper assembly rests a core (4) which can be obtained in
various ways, either from a core fabricated in a prior operation,
or by a core made during an injection operation.
[0029] In certain types of boards, said core (4) may be bordered by
longitudinal reinforcing elements (5) constituting all or part of
the edges of the board. However, the invention is in no case
limited to this type of structure, but also covers conventional
"sandwich" or "shell" structures.
[0030] The core (4) is covered with an upper assembly (10) which is
composed in the form shown in FIG. 1 of an upper protective layer
(1), a reinforcing layer (12) and according to the invention, a
layer (13) forming an additional decorative element, associated
with a seal layer (14).
[0031] Obviously, the upper assembly may also comprise other
reinforcing or other elements, which have not been shown because
they have no direct influence on the invention.
[0032] The upper protective layer (11) is conventionally made on
the basis of a thermoplastic polymer material, and can receive on
its underside (16) various layers of ink or varnish, not directly
related to the present invention. In certain alternative
embodiments, the upper protective layer can be made on the basis of
sheets of various materials, such as sheets based on wood,
particularly bamboo or similar, and in general, of any other plant.
It may also consist of textiles different from those formed in the
additional element, in terms of materials, color, or more
generally, appearance.
[0033] Said upper protective layer (11) has penetrating openings.
Said openings may be localized and have a closed contour when they
are situated, like the opening (20) in the central part of the
upper protective layer (11). These openings (21) may also extend to
the border of the upper protective layer, so that they define a
window which extends to the edge (5) of the board. These openings
are made in a conventional manner by any punching, stamping or
cutting operation.
[0034] The upper assembly (10) also comprises a fibrous reinforcing
layer (12) which may be made in various ways, and in particular
based on one or more layers of yarn, woven or not. This layer (12)
is impregnated with a thermosetting resin, which, when completely
cross-linked, confers high stiffness on the layer which contributes
to the stiffness of the board.
[0035] Typically, the resins employed may be based on epoxy
compounds or polyurethane.
[0036] According to the invention, the upper layer (11) also
comprises a layer (13) forming the additional decorative element.
This layer can be made as already described, by various types of
material depending on the effect to be obtained. For example,
mention can be made of woven cloths of the denim type, also
optionally undergoing aging operations, and which has good
resistance to scratching or impact of the edges, or even cloths
having a larger thickness, of the knitted wool type in particular.
This textile may also include various additional decorative
elements, such as printed patterns or elements such as embroidery,
stitching or similar. They may also include openwork textiles, such
as lace or similar, insofar as the additional element is separated
from the rest of the structure of the board by a sealed layer
(14).
[0037] Thus, according to the invention, this layer (13) is coated
on its underside with a sealed layer (14), which may typically be
made from a film of the multilayer type to guarantee good tightness
and adhesion to the adjacent layers. In order to prevent any
migration of resin from the reinforcing layer (12) to the textile
layer (13), this layer (14) projects beyond the perimeter of the
textile layer (13) by a distance which is defined according to the
viscosity of the resin employed, the molding temperatures, the
porosity of the textile layer, and the operating conditions.
[0038] In practice, this distance e.sub.2 may be a few
millimeters.
[0039] Similarly, the textile layer (13) projects under the upper
protective layer (11) by a distance e.sub.1 beyond the borders (25)
of the openings (20), to ensure a secure maintenance of the textile
layer and to prevent its movement during use.
[0040] In practice, the patterns can be prepared by various
methods. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the method may be one in which
the core has previously been prepared by assembly, machining or
molding operations.
[0041] Thus, the core (4) is placed in a mold with the various
components of the lower assembly. This core is covered with the
reinforcing layer (12) pre-impregnated with a thermosetting resin.
The part (14) intended to form the sealed layer is then placed on
the reinforcing layer (12). The dimensions of this part (14), which
are larger than those of the textile part (13) and the openings
(27) allow its positioning with a certain tolerance.
[0042] The additional decorative element (13) is then placed on the
sealed layer (14), leaving a peripheral strip (28) which is
intended to contact the underside of the upper protective layer
(11). This upper protective layer is then placed on the previously
positioned elements so that the pattern (27) is centered with
regard to the textile layer (13).
[0043] The mold cover is then closed and the application of a
pressure causes, on the one hand, the cross-linking of the resin
contained in the reinforcing layer (12) and the deformation of the
various layers in such a way that the volume formed by the openings
(20, 21) is filled by the textile layer (13). Said textile
therefore preserves its original appearance on its visible
side.
[0044] Other methods can be implemented in which the textile layer
is joined to the upper protective layer, by prior assembly
operations, to facilitate the handling of said upper assembly. Said
assembly can be obtained for example using a sealed layer, or by
specific bonding, stitching or similar. In the case of the
stitching, the stitching yarn whereby the assembly is made can be
used to create a decoration such as an embroidery, by passing
continuously from the apparent zones of the textile layer of the
additional element to the upper protective layer.
[0045] It is also possible to previously prepare the upper assembly
integrating the textile layer for the assembly with a prefabricated
core.
[0046] It appears from the above that the invention is suitable for
producing snowboards which have localized patterns, made from a
textile material and therefore having an attractive appearance and
feel.
[0047] The invention serves in particular to use this type of
material despite the nearby direct presence of fluid materials
which could pollute it.
* * * * *