U.S. patent number 3,863,915 [Application Number 05/395,743] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-04 for surfing simulator.
Invention is credited to Harry J. Pifer.
United States Patent |
3,863,915 |
Pifer |
February 4, 1975 |
SURFING SIMULATOR
Abstract
A surfing simulator consists of a top board which is suspended
by a spring suspension system consisting of two units. In one
embodiment, each unit includes two spaced apart parallel coil
springs. The units are used to suspend the top board above an
appropriate surface, e.g., ground. The rockability of the top board
about one axis when a person steps on the board, is dependent on
the orientations of the springs with this axis. The rockability of
the board about a transverse axis depends on the spacing between
the two units. Both the orientations of the springs and the spacing
between the units is easily variable.
Inventors: |
Pifer; Harry J. (Kalispell,
MT) |
Family
ID: |
23564315 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/395,743 |
Filed: |
September 10, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/51; 446/153;
446/220 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
69/18 (20130101); B63B 32/00 (20200201) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
69/18 (20060101); B63B 35/73 (20060101); A63b
069/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/54,55,57A,57B,57D,57E,6R,65,66,70
;280/11.28,11.37R,87.4R,87.4A ;267/182 ;35/29R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
980,145 |
|
1965 |
|
GB |
|
1,029,590 |
|
1966 |
|
GB |
|
616,723 |
|
1946 |
|
GB |
|
434,315 |
|
1926 |
|
DD |
|
1,360,732 |
|
1964 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Marlo; George J.
Assistant Examiner: Taylor; Joseph R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lindenberg, Freilich, Wasserman,
Rosen & Fernandez
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A surfing simulator comprising:
an elongated board having top and bottom sides and defining a
longitudinal axis in a plane parallel to said sides;
spring suspension means including first and second spring
assemblies, each assembly including at least one coil spring and
top and bottom members with the spring connected therebetween, with
the spring axis extending between said members; and
connecting means for selectively connecting each assembly to the
board by securing the assembly top member to the board's bottom
side with the spring's axis perpendicular to said longitiduinal
axis, whereby said springs suspend said board above a support
surface with which the bottom members of said assemblies are in
contact, with the rockability of said board about an axis
perpendicular to said longitudinal axis being a function of the
spacing between said assemblies, each of said assemblies includes
first and second coil springs spaced apart and parallel between the
top and bottom members of the assembly, each assembly defines a
plane in which the axes of the springs of the assembly lie, and
said connecting means connect each assembly to said board at a
selectable angular orientation of the assembly's plane with respect
to the board's longitudinal axis so as to control the rockability
of the board about said longitudinal axis, the top member of each
assembly defining an aperture equidistant from the two springs of
the assembly, said board defining a plurality of apertures along
its longitudinal axis, and said connecting means include a pair of
bolts, extending through one of said board apertures and the
aperture of the top member of one assembly, with the rockability of
the board about an axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis
being a function of the distance between the board's apertures
through which the bolts extend.
2. A surfing simulator comprising:
an elongated board having top and bottom sides and defining a
longitudinal axis in a plane parallel to said sides;
first and second identical spring assemblies, each assembly
including a pair of similar coil springs, top and bottom members
and means for securing said springs between said members, with the
springs being spaced from one another and with the axis of each
spring extending between said members, the axes of the two springs
being an imaginary plane extending through said assembly; and
connecting means for connecting said assemblies to the bottom side
of said board so as to suspend said board above said assemblies
with each assembly being connected at a variable selected angular
orientation of its plane with respect to said longitudinal axis,
each assembly being connected to said board so that its springs are
at equal distances from said longitudinal axis, with the planes of
said assemblies being vertically oriented and said longitudinal
axis is in a horizontal plane and the angular orientation of each
assembly plane with respect to said longitudinal axis being
variable between zero and ninety degrees, said board defining a
plurality of apertures along said longitudinal axis, each aperture
extending between the board's top and bottom sides, and said
connecting means include means for each assembly which extend
through a selected one of said apertures to connect the assembly to
the board through the selected aperture to thereby vary the spacing
between the assemblies connected to said board.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a surfing simulator and,
more particularly, to a simulator for learning and practicing the
art of water surfing without resort to any body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years water surfing has become a very popular sport,
particularly among young people. The development of the dexterity
and skill necessary to become a competent surfer requires months of
daily practice, all of which must take place in a relatively large
body of water, such as the ocean or a large lake, and only when
waves of reasonable size and intensity are present.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel
surfing simulator with which the art of surfing can be learned
without the need for a body of water.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel
surfing simulator with which a beginner can teach himself the art
of surfing without resort to a body of water and waves.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel surfing
simulator with which the art of surfing can be learned by a
beginner and which is adjustable to enable experienced surfers to
improve and/or retain their surfing skills, all without the need
for a surfboard or any body of water, and which can be used within
the confines of a small area, either indoor or outdoor.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing
a surfing simulator, hereinafter simply referred to as the
simulator, which includes a top board, supported by an adjustable
suspension system. The top board is generally shaped like a
conventional surfboard, defining a longitudinal axis extending
along the board length and a transverse axis extending along the
board width. The suspension system is adjustable to control the
rotation or rockability of the board about either or both axes.
Typically, the suspension system includes two identical suspension
units. When used by a beginner, the two suspension units are
oriented with respect to the board and with respect to one another,
so as to minimize the rockability of the board about either axis.
As the surfing skill increases, the units are alignable in a
direction parallel to the longitudinal axis so as to provide
maximum board rockability about the longitudinal axis. The units
are also adjustably movable with respect to one another. By
reducing the distance between them, the rockability of the board
about the transverse axis is increased.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with
particularity in the appended claims. The invention will best be
understood from the following description when read in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an expanded view of a suspension unit 20, shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is another top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an expanded view of another embodiment of the invention;
and
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of
the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 which is a top view of one
embodiment of the invention. The novel simulator is shown
comprising a top board 10, which may be shaped as a surfboard.
Board 10, which is essentially rectangular, except for its short
sides 11, which are shown as curved, defines a longitudinal axis,
designated X which extends parallel to the long sides 12 and
through the board center 15. The board also defines a transverse
axis Y which also extends through the center 15 and is
perpendicular to the board's long sides 12. A plurality of holes 16
along the X axis, spaced on opposite sides of center 15, extend
from the board's top side 18 to its bottom side 19.
The board 10 is suspended above an appropriate surface, such as the
ground, by means of two identical suspension units 20 and 21, which
together form an adjustable spring suspension system. An expanded
view of one of the units, such as unit 20, is shown in FIG. 2. The
unit includes a pair of coil springs 22 which are spaced apart and
secured by means of clips 23 and screws 24 between a top member 25
and a base member 26. The top member 25 has a hole 28.
The unit, when assembled, can be thought of as defining a plane 30
with the longitudinal axes of the two springs 22 parallel to one
another and in plane 32. The hole 28 is preferably equidistant from
the two springs 22. Each unit is attachable to the top board 10 by
means of a bolt 31, which extends through one of the holes 16, the
unit's hole 28, and a nut 32. By tightening the nut on the screw,
the unit's top member 25 is biased against the bottom side 19 of
board 10.
As shown in FIG. 1, the two suspension units 20 and 21 are
positioned so that their planes 30, represented by dashed lines 30,
are parallel to the transverse axis Y. In this orientation, the two
springs of each unit are on either side of the longitudinal axis X.
Consequently, they minimize the rotation or the rockability of the
board 10 about axis X, represented by arrow 35 when a person using
the simulator attempts to get on top of the board 10. The
rockability of the board 10 about the axis X may easily be adjusted
by varying the orientations of the planes 30 of the two units with
respect to the board's axis X. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the
planes 30 of the two units are aligned along the axis X, i.e., are
perpendicular to the Y axis. Clearly in such an orientation, the
support which the springs provide on either side of axis X is a
minimum. Consequently, the rockability of the board about the axis
X is maximized.
From the foregoing, it should thus be apparent that the rockability
of the board 10 about the longitudinal axis X is dependent on the
orientations of the support units with respect to the board's axis
X. These orientations are easily variable by means of the two
screws 31 and the nuts 32 with which the units are releasably
clamped to the board. Clearly, the rockability of the board 10
about axis X may be varied to any desired value between the minimum
represented by the units' orientations shown in FIG. 1, and the
maximum shown by the units' orientations in FIG. 3 by orientations
of one or both units in which either or both are neither parallel
nor perpendicular to the transverse axis Y. That is, either unit
may be oriented so that its plane 30 forms an angle .phi. with
respect to the axis X where 0 .ltoreq. .phi.
.ltoreq.90.degree..
It should be appreciated that the rockability of the top board 10
about the transverse axis Y (or an axis parallel thereto), as
represented in FIG. 1 by arrow 36, depends on the spacing between
the two units. The spacing is easily varied by providing more than
two holes 16 in board 10, as shown in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 1 and 3, the
units are shown clamped through two holes 16 which are farthest
from center 15 and at equal distances on opposite sides thereof. In
this position, the rockability of the board about the axis Y is at
a minimum level. The rockability is increased by clamping the units
through holes 16 which are closer to center 15. It should also be
appreciated that the two holes 16 through which the units are
clamped need not be at equal distances and on opposite sides of
center 15. Any two holes 16 may be used to control the rockability
of the board 10 about any axis parallel to the axis Y which passes
through any point between the two units.
The previously described simulator is particularly advantageous to
one, beginning to learn the art of surfing, since therein the
board's rockability is controllable about the longitudinal axis X
as well as the transverse axis Y. If controlling the rockability of
the board about the longitudinal axis X is not required, a
simulator, such as the one shown in FIG. 4 may be used. Therein
elements like those previously described are designated by like
numerals. The primary difference between the two simulators is that
in the one shown in FIG. 4, each unit includes only one coil spring
22. In this embodiment a member 40 which defines a channel 42 is
secured to the bottom side 19 of board 10 by means of screws 43.
The top member 25 of each of units 20 and 21 defines grooved sides
25a which engage complementary sides 42a of channel 42. Thus, the
units are secured to the board 10 by sliding their top members 25
into the channel 42. Again, the rockability of the board about any
axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X is controlled by the
spacing between the two units in the channel. It should be clear
that in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the board's rockability about the
longitudinal axis X is not controllable, which is the case in the
simulator described in connection with FIGS. 1-3.
From the foregoing, it is thus seen that in accordance with the
present invention, a simulator is provided in which the rockability
of its top board on which a person, learning or developing the
skills of surfing, attempts to get on and stand is easily
controllable. The board is suspended by two separate suspension
units which together form a spring suspension system for the board.
By controlling the orientations of the units with respect to the
board and/or the spacing between them, the board's rockability
about one or more axes is easily controllable. Clearly, in the
simulator of the present invention, this is easily achievable. In
the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the adjustment is achieved by
first loosening the nuts 32, adjusting the units to the desired
orientation and then tightening the nuts. Also, the spacing between
units is easily variable in either of the above described
embodiments.
Hereinbefore, it was assumed that in each simulator, the two
suspension units are identical. Clearly, such limitation is not
necessary. If desired, one unit may include two springs, as shown
in FIG. 2, and the other unit may include a single centered spring,
as shown in FIG. 4. In such a case, the rockability of the board 10
about the longitudinal axis X may be made to vary along the board's
length. For example, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, by
replacing unit 21 with a unit with a single centered-spring, the
rockability of the board about the axis X is increased from a
minimum near the board's back end due to the orientation of unit 20
to a maximum due to the single spring unit near the board's front
end.
In practice, several factors control the selection of the springs.
The springs should be long enough and have a spring constant so as
to support the user on the top board, yet not be fully compressed
when the user stands on the top board. In the embodiment, using two
springs per suspension unit, smaller diameter springs with lower
spring constants can be used than for the springs in the
embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, wherein each unit includes one spring.
As an example, rather than to limit the invention thereto, each of
the springs in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 may be 12 inches long, 4
inches in diameter. For a user weighing approximately 150 .+-.35
lbs., springs with a constant k of 20 lbs/in can be used. The
constant k may be about 12 lbs/in for a user weighing between
50-115 lbs. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, each spring may be
12 inches long, 6 inches in diameter with k of about 50 lbs/in. It
should again be stressed that the specific springs are described
only as examples and are not intended to limit the invention
thereto.
Although in the previously described embodiments the simulator's
board is shown supported by a spring suspension system, the
invention need not be limited thereto. It has been discovered that
many of the surfing skills can be acquired by using a simulator
which consists of board 10 connected to the top and suspended by an
inflatable flexible container 50, as shown in FIG. 5. Gas, e.g.,
air and/or fluid, e.g., water or a combination of both is used to
inflate the container through opening 52. The board's stability on
the container 50 is adjusted by varying the amount of gas and/or
fluid in the container.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that
modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in
the art and consequently, it is intended that the claims be
interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents .
* * * * *