WO2023083810A1 - A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board - Google Patents
A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2023083810A1 WO2023083810A1 PCT/EP2022/081133 EP2022081133W WO2023083810A1 WO 2023083810 A1 WO2023083810 A1 WO 2023083810A1 EP 2022081133 W EP2022081133 W EP 2022081133W WO 2023083810 A1 WO2023083810 A1 WO 2023083810A1
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- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- core
- board
- layers
- plastic
- matrix
- Prior art date
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- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 19
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 103
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 103
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 40
- 239000002131 composite material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 34
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 230000035939 shock Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 claims description 131
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 76
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 claims description 53
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 claims description 43
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 43
- 239000003562 lightweight material Substances 0.000 claims description 36
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 claims description 17
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 11
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 claims description 9
- 229920001519 homopolymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 8
- 240000007182 Ochroma pyramidale Species 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000011796 hollow space material Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920002430 Fibre-reinforced plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011151 fibre-reinforced plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011241 protective layer Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012792 core layer Substances 0.000 claims 6
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000011162 core material Substances 0.000 description 184
- 238000007781 pre-processing Methods 0.000 description 16
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 description 8
- 239000004416 thermosoftening plastic Substances 0.000 description 8
- 239000012779 reinforcing material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000012805 post-processing Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000032798 delamination Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
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- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000750 progressive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229930091051 Arenine Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
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- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
- A63C17/00—Roller skates; Skate-boards
- A63C17/01—Skateboards
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
- A63C17/00—Roller skates; Skate-boards
- A63C17/01—Skateboards
- A63C17/017—Production or mounting thereof
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
- A63C5/00—Skis or snowboards
- A63C5/12—Making thereof; Selection of particular materials
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
- A63C2203/00—Special features of skates, skis, roller-skates, snowboards and courts
- A63C2203/42—Details of chassis of ice or roller skates, of decks of skateboards
Definitions
- the present invention relates to boards for sports like skateboarding where specific properties of the board can be important to performance and safety in the sport, in particular, the present invention may relate to a skateboard with a central reinforcement element.
- a skateboard traditionally comprises three major parts: the deck (the board upon which the rider stands), the trucks (the construction that attaches the wheels to the deck), and the wheels.
- decks were made of wood, but later they were also made of aluminium, fibreglass, and plastic.
- the rear part of the deck is bent upward to form the kicktail, as is the front (“nose”) on modern designs.
- the truck includes an axle, a hangar (which houses the axle), and a cushion that both absorbs shocks and provides flexibility for steering.
- Boards are measured length in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, and a height measured between a bottom and a top. Most skateboards are about 80 cm long and 23 cm wide. One variation of the skateboard is the longboard, which can run from 96 to 152cm length.
- skateboarding is often considered one of the so-called extreme sports. Skateboarding as a sport features tricks performed in a real or simulated urban environment with stairs, rails, ledges, and other obstacles. Acrobatic acts of jumping and then landing again on the ground are often performed.
- Use boards are subjected to substantial forces, especially when landing on the ground after the user has performed a jump. Forces can be impulse or continuous forces in several directions. The board may also be subjected to twisting forces. Forces are often in the form of impulses.
- Important attributes of a board comprise board flexibility, board pop-up, strength, and board weight.
- a board traditionally comprises a core, reinforcements above and below the core. Reinforcements below the core are those closest to the ground when the board slides or rolls under normal conditions of use. Reinforcements above the core are those furthest from the ground when the board rolls under normal conditions of use. Traditionally the board has a sandwich structure.
- Boards described in prior art use a core and reinforcements above and below the board in a sandwich structure.
- EP2000180B1 teaches a board having a core extending along the surface and having upper and lower reinforcement layers made of natural or synthetic fibres. The construction is a sandwich structure.
- CN100534556C discloses another sandwich structure where the core and the upper and lower layers are held by adhesive. All sandwich structures potentially suffer from risk of delamination. It is also difficult to achieve a combination of low weight, high strength, and flexibility.
- the present invention provides a board that can provide an excellent combination of low weight, high strength, and flexibility whilst also having high durability.
- a core of the board may comprise a material of a higher density than a material of adjacent layers.
- the core may comprise a material having a higher young’s modulus than the material of the adjacent layers.
- the core may have a higher flexural stiffness than the adjacent layers.
- the present invention therefore provides methods of manufacturing boards and boards in accordance with the claims.
- Figs. 1 a to 1c show an isometric view, a side view and a top view of a typical board deck.
- Figs. 2a and 2b show sections of the board deck of the current invention, post processing.
- Fig. 3 is a section of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing.
- Fig. 4a is a three-dimensional exploded view of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing a number of material layers above and below the core.
- Fig. 4b is a three-dimensional exploded view of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing a number of material layers above and below the core in an alternative arrangement.
- Fig. 5a is a three-dimensional view of the board deck of the current invention, pre processing where multiple layers can be seen from outside.
- Fig. 5b is a section of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing a number of material layers above and below the core.
- Fig. 5c is a section of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing a number of material layers above and below the core.
- Fig. 6a is a partial exploded view showing the core and the material that encloses the core.
- Fig. 6b is a view of a progressive cut showing the core and the surrounding layers.
- Fig. 6c is a view of an exploded view showing the core and the surrounding layers.
- Fig. 7a is a three-dimensional view of an alternative shape of the core having a hollow central region.
- Figs. 7b and 7c are three-dimensional section views showing the board deck of the current invention, having a core with a hollow central region in pre-processing and post-processing states.
- Fig. 8 is a three-dimensional exploded view of pre-processed board deck of the current invention, showing multiple layers above and below the core.
- Fig. 9 is a section of the board deck of the current invention showing a post-processing view with a board characterised by presence of slots or cuts.
- Fig. 10 is a schematic illustration of section of the board deck of the current invention showing a pre-processing view with a board characterised by the use of at least two layers of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic.
- Figs. 11a to 11c are schematic illustrations of sections of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the thermoplastic matrix is embedded with pockets of lightweight material.
- Figs. 12a and 12b are schematic illustrations of sections of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises several strips of reinforcing materials that extend continuously along the length of the board deck.
- Fig. 13 is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises several strips of reinforcing materials that do not extend continuously along the length of the board deck.
- Fig. 14 is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises several strips of reinforcing materials that do not extend continuously along the length of the board deck while the plastic matrix contains pockets of lightweight material.
- Fig. 15a is a schematic illustration of a section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a hollow structure wherein pockets of lightweight material are present in the plastic matrix within the central hollow area of the core.
- Fig. 15b is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a hollow structure wherein pockets of lightweight material are present in the plastic matrix within the central hollow area of the core.
- Fig. 16a is a schematic illustration of a top section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a continuous longitudinal structure wherein pockets of lightweight material are present in the plastic matrix at each of two longitudinal sides.
- Fig. 16b is a schematic illustration of a side section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a continuous longitudinal structure wherein pockets of lightweight material are present in the plastic matrix at each of two longitudinal sides.
- Figs 17a and 17b are schematic illustration of sections of the board, without a core material, before and after the fusing of the layers of plastic matrix material.
- Fig. 18 is a schematic illustration of a board with variable stiffness along the longitudinal direction.
- Fig. 19 is an example of a possible interface to capture user preferences for board customisation.
- the present invention refers to board deck for use as skateboard or longboard in extreme sports, having a length measured along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, as well as a thickness measured between a bottom and a top.
- the board has customizable performance parameters comprising board flexibility, board pop-up, and strength, which can be customized economically during manufacture.
- the board deck comprises a core extending along a surface, a lower structure located beneath the core, an upper structure located above the core, and a peripheral structure around the core wherein said lower structure, upper structure, and peripheral structure comprising plastic or plastic composite materials.
- the board deck is characterized in that said lower, upper, and peripheral structures comprise multiple layers of plastic or plastic-composite materials which during manufacture are heated to above melting point and then allowed to cool so that said multiple layers fuse and resolidify to form a monolithic structure.
- the core is therefore encapsulated by a monolithic plastic or plastic composite structure and the properties of the board are defined by a combination of attributes of the core, of the upper structure, lower structure, and peripheral structure and the interface between the core and the upper and/or lower surfaces. Adjustment of the manufacturing parameters such as the number of layers and the structure of the core provides tuneable properties of the board.
- the plastic material comprises polypropylene (PP) composite containing PP copolymer as matrix and stretched PP homopolymer as reinforcement.
- PP polypropylene
- Figs. 1 a to 1c show an isometric view, a side view, and a top view of a typical board deck (1).
- the board deck has a rear part of the deck that is bent upward to form the kicktail (2a), and a front “nose” (2b).
- a core at the centre of the deck provides main structural support (300).
- the load has a length L in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width W measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, and height H measured between the bottom and the top surface.
- Figs. 2a and 2b show sections of the board deck of the current invention, post processing.
- the board (1) comprises a core (301) which is surrounded by a support structure (100) that is essentially monolithic.
- the interface (401 ) between the core (301) and the surrounding support structure (100) may have different degrees of adhesion.
- the surrounding structure is fused.
- a key characteristic of this invention is that the core is surrounded by plastic material. This means that the edges of the core are not exposed and are not visible from the outside.
- the core comprises a honeycomb structure which may be characterised in that upper and lower skins of the honeycomb comprise of a fabric of polypropylene-based thermoplastic, which have a thickness between 0.05mm and 3mm, most preferable between 1 mm and 2mm.
- the material said skin of the honeycomb can be for example “Self-reinforced” thermoplastic composites which is a plastic matrix (PP, Polyester) plus same class fibres.
- Fig. 3 is a section of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing. Multiple layers of plastic material (101 ) surround the core (301 ). During manufacture, plastic material is available in sheets which are cut to shape and stacked together below the core, surrounding the core, and above the core to completely encapsulate the core. The sandwich structure is then placed in a mould and heated at approximately 160°C such that they melt and fuse together. It is then allowed to cool to room temperature and solidify into a monolithic plastic structure that surrounds the core.
- Fig. 4a is a three-dimensional exploded view of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing a number of material layers above and below the core.
- the sheet of plastic or plastic composite material is cut to the correct shape for each layer and then layers are stacked together.
- the upper layers (1 11 ) are placed so that the core is completely surrounded by layers of plastic and/or plastic composite.
- the number of upper layers (111 ) and bottom layers (1 13) are arranged according to the thickness needed to deliver the required mechanical properties of strength, flexibility, and pop-up.
- the number of middle layers is arranged so that the total thickness of the stack of middle layers (112) is equal to the thickness of the core.
- Fig. 4b is a three-dimensional exploded view of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing material layers above and below the core in an alternative arrangement.
- the number of bottom layers (113) is greater, thus resulting in a thicker bottom section when the layers are fused together into a monolithic structure.
- the thickness of the layers of plastic material ranges from 0.05mm to 3mm and is preferably from 0.05 mm to 1 mm.
- the plastic material is polypropylene (PP).
- PP polypropylene
- the plastic material comprises PP composite containing random PP copolymer as matrix and stretched PP homopolymer as reinforcement.
- Fig. 5a is a three-dimensional view of the board deck of the current invention, preprocessing where multiple layers (110) can be seen from outside. This is the view before the layers are heated to be fused together.
- Fig. 5b is a section of the board deck of the current invention, pre-processing showing material layers above and below the core.
- This view shows an approximately equal number of bottom layers (113a) of plastic material and upper layers (111a) of plastic material.
- One other alternative arrangement is shown in figure 5c. In this embodiment the number of material layers above the core (111 b) is greater than the number of layers below the core (113b).
- Fig. 6a is a partial exploded view showing the core and the material that encloses the core, the middle layers (120).
- the middle layers (120) have a cut-out area (140) to accommodate the core (301) so that the core is surrounded by plastic material.
- Fig. 6b is a view of a progressive cut showing the core and the surrounding layers.
- the core (301 ) sits on the bottom layers (131) and is surrounded by a plurality of middle layers (121 ,122). Upper layers (116,115) then are placed on top of the core and middle layers.
- Fig. 6c is a view of an exploded view showing the core and the surrounding layers.
- the core is shown as rectangular block.
- the core may be an essentially rectangular prism, while in other embodiments the core may be of a different shape.
- the core may be elongate.
- the core may extend along at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85% of the length of the board (1).
- the core may extend along at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50% or at least 60% of the width of the board (1 ).
- Fig. 7a is a three-dimensional view of an alternative shape of the core.
- a ring-shaped core (304) has a hollow central region (305).
- the ring-shaped core (304) is surrounded by plastic material in a similar way as any other core shape and the hollow central region (305) is filled with layers of plastic or plastic-composite material.
- Figs. 7b and 7c are three-dimensional section views showing the board deck of the current invention, having a core with a hollow central region in pre-processing and post-processing states.
- the layers of plastic and/or plastic composite material are distinct and form a sandwich structure.
- the layers of plastic material are fused together to form a monolithic structure.
- Fig. 8 is a three-dimensional exploded view of pre-processed board deck of the current invention, showing multiple layers above and below the core.
- This embodiment shows a ring-shaped core (304) comprising a hollow central region (305) which is filled with layers of plastic material (125).
- the number of layers above the core (123), and the number of layers below the core (126) can be selected to produce a desired overall thickness and the desired combination of board strength, flexibility, and pop-up.
- the core may comprise a non-uniform cross-sectional area.
- board properties of strength, flexibility, and pop-up are also determined by the shape, thickness, material properties, and other attributes of the core.
- the core may comprise slots or cuts at the upper or lower surface of the core body.
- Figure 9 is a section of the board deck of the current invention showing a post-processing view with a board characterised by presence of slots or cuts.
- These slots or cuts can result in controlled and anisotropic flexibility of the core so that the behaviour of the board can be fine-tuned to the exact behaviour desired by a user.
- slots or cuts typically have a relatively small width and/or depth.
- These slots or cuts during fusing of the plastic material will be filled by plastic material.
- the presence of slots has a double effect: 1) the core has increased flexibility and if desired in an anisotropic manner, and b) there is increased adhesion between the core and the plastic material.
- the core comprises of several layers of high strength composite material which are heated and pressed to form a single body. Each layer of the core material has a thickness between 0.05 mm and 3 mm.
- the core material typically comprises carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
- the carbon fibres may have orientation in both along the length of the board and along the width of the board. Different kitting patterns of carbon fibres are known the produce different mechanical properties. In some embodiments, anisotropy may be desired while in other embodiments anisotropy is undesired and knotting patters are arranged to minimise anisotropy.
- the core is generally manufactured separately.
- Figure 10 is a schematic illustration of section of the board deck of the current invention showing a pre-processing view with a board characterised by the use of at least two layers of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic.
- a structure that behaves like a core may be formed by the use of at least two thin layers of strong material (309a, 309b) wherein these layers are separated by layers of plastic material (118).
- this sandwich structure (310) upon processing and fusing of the plastic layers, behaves as a strong core.
- the benefit is that a core is effectively created in exactly the same process and sequence as the rest of the layers are being stacked up. This saves time and material cost, while at the same time enables a thinner and lighter board to be created for the same desired stiffness and strength.
- the layers of strong material are preferably out of a fabric of polypropylene-based thermoplastic of a thickness between 0.05 mm and 3mm, most preferable between 1 mm and 2mm.
- the material for layers 309a, 309b can be for example “Self-reinforced” thermoplastic composites which is a plastic matrix (PP, Polyester) plus same class fibres. It is light, stiff and very tough.
- FIGS. 11 a to 11 c are schematic illustrations of sections of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the thermoplastic matrix is embedded with pockets of lightweight material.
- a key performance attribute of the board is weight.
- weight material we specifically mean material with density less than the density of the matrix of plastic material (101 ) that surrounds the core (301 ).
- this lightweight material is balsa wood. Balsa wood typically has a density of 160Kg/m 3 , which is 5 times less than the density of the plastic material which has a density of 800kg/m 3 .
- the pockets of lightweight material (151 ) are distributed along the matrix area above and below the core (301 ). The distribution of these pockets is generally even, but this is not always necessary. In these figures the pockets of lightweight material (151 ) are illustrated as being square. This is only indicative, and these pockets can in practice be of any shape. These pockets (151 ) may be placed both above and below the core as illustrated in figures 1 1 a to 1 1c, and it is also possible that pockets of lightweight material may also be placed only above or only below the core (301 ). In another embodiment (not shown) the size of the pockets of lightweight material is not the same for all pockets.
- Figures 12a and 12b are schematic illustrations of sections of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core (301 ) comprises several discrete strips (311 ,312,313) of reinforcing materials that extend continuously along the length of the board deck.
- Figure 12a shows a top view with the strips of reinforcing material shown in a longitudinal orientation along the main axis of the board deck.
- Figure 12b shows a section X-X that illustrates schematically the position of reinforcing slips (314,315,316) along the thickness of the board deck.
- the core as an element of the board deck comprises several discrete reinforcing strips within a matrix of plastic material.
- FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises several strips of reinforcing materials (that do not extend continuously along the length of the board deck. In this embodiment reinforcing strips do not extend continuously along the entire length of the board deck but extend in pairs. In the illustration of figure 13, three pairs (317a, 317b; 318a, 318b; 319a, 319b) are shown.
- Fig. 14 is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises several strips of reinforcing materials (317a, 317b; 318a, 318b; 319a, 319b) that do not extend continuously along the length of the board deck while the plastic matrix (101) contains pockets of lightweight materials (151 ).
- Fig. 15a is a schematic illustration of a section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a hollow structure wherein pockets of lightweight material are present in the plastic matrix within the central hollow area of the core.
- the structure of the core (305) is similar to the one described in figure 7a.
- the hollow area (305) of the core is filled with plastic material of the matrix, and within this material are pockets of lightweight material (151). These pockets of lightweight material are surrounded by plastic material of the matrix (152).
- the lightweight material is Balsa wood.
- Fig. 15b is a schematic illustration of a top view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core comprises a hollow structure wherein pockets of lightweight material (151) are present in the plastic matrix (152) within the central hollow area (305) of the core.
- Fig. 16a is a schematic illustration of a top section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core (301 ) comprises a continuous longitudinal structure wherein pockets of lightweight material (151) are present in the plastic matrix (101) at each of two longitudinal sides.
- the areas at each of the longitudinal sides of the core are subjected to lower values of stress, and the placement of pockets of lightweight material there does not significantly reduce the strength of the board when it contributes to reducing the overall weight of the board.
- Fig. 16b is a schematic illustration of a side section view of the board deck of the current invention showing an embodiment where the core (301 ) comprises a continuous longitudinal structure wherein pockets of lightweight material (151) are present in the plastic matrix (101) at each of two longitudinal sides. It can be seen from this figure that the pockets of lightweight material (151) are at the same level as the core (301).
- Figs 17a and 17b. are schematic illustration of sections of the board, without a core material, before and after the fusing of the layers of plastic matrix material. Layers (119) as illustrated in figure 17a are first stacked together and then heated near of just over the melting point and pressed to cause them to fuse and form a monolithic structure (103) as illustrated in figure 17b.
- the plastic material comprises polypropylene (PP) composite containing PP copolymer as matrix and stretched PP homopolymer as reinforcement.
- Figure 18 is a schematic illustration of a board with variable stiffness along the longitudinal direction.
- Variable stiffness can be desirable in different situations. For example, stiffer end sides along the longitudinal direction and less stiff central region may provide a better popup characteristic and allow the user to have a more responsive board as far as pop-up behaviour is concerned. Other characteristics of the behaviour of the board may also be optimised and customised to the preferences of a user by utilising regions of lower or higher stiffness.
- Variable stiffness can be obtained by adjusting, during manufacture, of the thickness and/or density of the reinforcing layers or reinforcing strips, or more broadly adjusting the characteristics of the reinforcing structure.
- a higher stiffness and the end portions of the board along the longitudinal direction is achieved by having additional reinforcing strips at the end regions (322) as compared to the reinforcing strips along the length of the board (321) so that a higher density of reinforcing strips (321 ,322) is achieved.
- the core material has a melting temperature above 180°C whereas the melting temperature of the plastic material is below 180°c, preferably below 170°C.
- the core comprises multiple layers which are cut to shape, stacked together, heated to a temperature between 180degC and 240deg C and pressed to bond or fuse together, so that upon cooling the core is a single solid body.
- the core top and/or bottom surface is rough and/or undulated. This offers improved adhesion between the core and the plastic material.
- the core and the players of plastic material are placed in a mould and heated together to fuse the layers of plastic material before the core is fully cooled to room temperature. Therefore, when the core is cooled to below 100°C, so that it is in a stable solid form and can be handled safety, it is placed together with the layers of the plastic material in a second mould. In this second mould the materials are heated together to about 160°C so that the plastic material melts and fuses together to produce a monolithic structure. At this temperature, which is below the melting point of the core, the core remains solid and retains its shape.
- a selection of temperatures and pressures are selected so that different degrees of adhesion between core and surrounding plastic can be achieved as may be desired.
- the degree of adhesion between the core and the surrounding plastic material is one of the variables can influence the board properties, and specifically board flexibility and pop-up.
- the board further comprises a layer with printed graphics and a protective layer at the outer surface.
- One preferred method of manufacture of a board as herein described comprises preparing a core as a single body, said core comprising a plurality of layers which are fused together by application of heat and pressure cutting a plurality of layers of a lower structure cutting a plurality of layers of a peripheral structure to a shape to create a hollow space to accommodate the shape of the core, and placing said layers of said peripheral structure on top of the layers said lower structure, placing said core into said hollow space of the peripheral structure, cutting a plurality of layers of said upper structure, and placing said layers of said upper structure on top of the core and the layers said peripheral structure to form a sandwich assembly, placing said sandwich structure into a press mold preheating said sandwich structure to a temperature between 80 and 100°C, applying a pressure of 10 to 20Bar onto the sandwich structure while raising the temperature to 150 to 160°C for a period of 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the sandwich structure to cool to 60degC while said sandwich structure is within the press mold, removing said sandwich structure from said press mold and allowing it to cool to room temperature
- the customization of boards can be based the following parameters: a) User weight b) Shock absorption c) Pop-up d) Strength
- Figure 19 is an example of a possible interface to capture user preferences for board customisation.
- User weight is entered as an actual number in Kgs.
- the user can also assign a priority among there three performance parameters. For example, one use may designate as first priority pop-up and second priority shock-absorption.
- an algorithm Based on user preferences an algorithm makes a selection of the most appropriate board for that user, among a finite number of standardised boards. For example, for production efficiency there may be five standardised boards. Based on the user selections, an algorithm determines which of the five standard boards is closest to the optimal conditions.
- customisation is achieved by the core structure, the number of layers above the core and the number of layers below the core.
- a board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports having a length measured along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, as well as a thickness measured between a bottom and a top, and having, during manufacture, customizable performance parameters comprising board flexibility, board pop-up, and strength, the board including a core extending along a surface, the board including a lower structure located beneath the core, an upper structure located above the core, and a peripheral structure around the core wherein said lower structure, upper structure, and peripheral structure comprising plastic or plastic composite material characterized in that said lower, upper, and peripheral structure comprise multiple layers of plastic or plasticcomposite material which during manufacture is heated to near and/or slightly above melting point and then allowed to cool, so that said multiple layers fuse and resolidify to form a monolithic structure so that said core encapsulated by a monolithic plastic or plastic composite structure and wherein the properties of the board are defined by a combination of attributes of the
- a board according to any preceding clause wherein the plastic material is arranged in layers which are stacked together and then heated and pressed to fuse and melt so that a monolithic structure is produced.
- the plastic material comprises polypropylene (PP), preferably the plastic material comprises PP composite containing PP copolymer as matrix and stretched PP homopolymer as reinforcement.
- A5 A board according to any preceding clause, wherein there is an equal thickness of plastic material above and below the core.
- a board according to any preceding clause wherein the thickness of plastic material above and below the core is not equal, and the wherein the number of layers of plastic material above the core in relation to the number of layers of plastic material below the core are arranged in a way as to produce the desired properties of the board for flexibility, strength, and pop-up for a given board weight.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that said core comprises of several layers of high strength composite material which are heated and pressed to form a single body.
- each of the layers of the core material has a thickness between 0.05 mm and 3 mm, said layers being stacked together prior to heating and fusing.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that said layers of said core comprise carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that the core comprises an essentially ring-shaped body having a hollow central region.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that the core comprises multiple layers which are cut to shape, stacked together, heated to a temperature between 180°C and 240°C and pressed to bond or fuse together, so that upon cooling the core is a single solid body.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that the core comprises a top and or bottom surface of rough and/or undulated surface.
- A13 A board according to any preceding clause, characterized in that the core comprises a plurality of slots or cuts at the upper or lower surface of the core.
- a board according to any preceding clause characterized in that the core comprises a non-uniform cross-sectional area.
- A15 A board according to any preceding clause, wherein the lower structure further comprises a layer with printed graphics and a protective layer at the outer surface.
- A16 A board according to any preceding clause, wherein the core comprises several discrete reinforcing strips within a matrix of plastic material.
- said pockets of lightweight material comprise balsa wood.
- a board according to any preceding clause having a method of manufacture of comprising preparing a core as a single body, said core comprising a plurality of layers which are fused together by application of heat and pressure cutting a plurality of layers of a lower structure cutting a plurality of layers of a peripheral structure to a shape to create a hollow space to accommodate the shape of the core, and placing said layers of said peripheral structure on top of the layers said lower structure, placing said core into said hollow space of the peripheral structure, cutting a plurality of layers of said upper structure, and placing said layers of said upper structure on top of the core and the layers said peripheral structure to form a sandwich assembly, placing said sandwich structure into a press mold preheating said sandwich structure to a temperature between 80 and 100°C, applying a pressure of 10 to 20Bar onto the sandwich structure while raising the temperature to 150 to 160°C for a period of 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the sandwich structure to cool to 60degC while said sandwich structure is within the press mold, removing said sandwich structure from said press mold and allowing
- a board according to any preceding clause wherein said board is customized by allowing a user to enter at an interface his weight and performance parameters comprising pop-up, shock-absorption, and strength, and define priorities among the properties of at least pop-up, shock-absorption, and strength, characterized in that based on user entries an algorithm makes a selection of the most appropriate board for that user among a finite number of standardized boards and wherein said customization is achieved by appropriate selection of the core structure, the number of layers above the core and the number of layers below the core.
- a board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports having a length measured along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, as well as a thickness measured between a bottom and a top, said board comprises a core extending along a surface, the board including a lower structure located beneath the core, an upper structure located above the core, and a peripheral structure around the core wherein said lower structure, upper structure, and peripheral structure comprising plastic or plastic composite material characterized in that said lower, upper, and peripheral structure comprise multiple layers of plastic or plastic-composite material which during manufacture is heated to near and/or slightly above melting point and then allowed to cool, so that said multiple layers fuse and resolidify to form a monolithic structure so that said core encapsulated by a monolithic plastic or plastic composite matrix structure and wherein the properties of the board are defined by a combination of attributes of the core, of the upper matrix structure, lower matrix structure, and peripheral matrix structure characterized in that
- a board according to any preceding clause further characterized in that said core comprises several discrete reinforcing strips within a matrix of plastic material.
- a board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports having a length measured along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, as well as a thickness measured between a bottom and a top, comprising of plastic material and characterized in that the plastic material is arranged in layers which are stacked together and then heated and pressed to fuse and melt so that a monolithic structure is produced and wherein the plastic material comprises polypropylene (PP) composite containing PP copolymer as matrix and stretched PP homopolymer as reinforcement.
- PP polypropylene
- a board according to any preceding clause wherein said board is customized by the number of layers that are stacked together and then fused to form a monolithic structure.
- A25. A board according to any preceding clause, wherein said board is customized by allowing a user to enter at an interface his weight and performance parameters comprising pop-up, shock-absorption, and strength, and define priorities among the properties of at least pop-up, shock-absorption, and strength, characterized in that based on user entries an algorithm makes a selection of the most appropriate board for that user among a finite number of standardized boards and wherein said customization is achieved by appropriate selection of the number of layers.
- A26 A board according to any preceding clause, wherein within the layers of plastic material are inserted pockets of lightweight material, said lightweight material comprising balsa wood.
- a board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports having a length measured along a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a width measured along a transverse direction between a first edge and a second edge, as well as a thickness measured between a bottom and a top, the board including a core extending along a surface, the board including a lower structure located beneath the core, an upper structure located above the core, and a peripheral structure around the core wherein said lower structure, upper structure, and peripheral structure comprising plastic or plastic composite material characterized in that said lower, upper, and peripheral structure comprise multiple layers of plastic or plastic-composite material which during manufacture is heated to near and/or slightly above melting point and then allowed to cool, so that said multiple layers fuse and resolidify to form a monolithic structure so that said core is encapsulated by a monolithic plastic or plastic composite structure and wherein the properties of the board are defined by a combination of attributes of the core, of the upper structure, lower structure, and peripheral structure, characterized in that the plastic material
Landscapes
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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AU2022385348A AU2022385348A1 (en) | 2021-11-10 | 2022-11-08 | A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board |
CA3238124A CA3238124A1 (en) | 2021-11-10 | 2022-11-08 | A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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GB2116164.1A GB2612783B (en) | 2021-11-10 | 2021-11-10 | A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board |
GB2116164.1 | 2021-11-10 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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WO2023083810A1 true WO2023083810A1 (en) | 2023-05-19 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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PCT/EP2022/081133 WO2023083810A1 (en) | 2021-11-10 | 2022-11-08 | A board for use in skateboarding or other extreme sports and a method of manufacturing such a board |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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AU (1) | AU2022385348A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA3238124A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2612783B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2023083810A1 (en) |
Citations (7)
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US20040135347A1 (en) * | 2002-12-19 | 2004-07-15 | Salomon S.A. | Gliding or rolling board |
US20080129004A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-06-05 | Magee Thane G | Skateboard deck |
TW200932625A (en) * | 2007-03-26 | 2009-08-01 | Nova Chem Inc | Sportsboard structures |
CN100534556C (en) | 2007-08-14 | 2009-09-02 | 张广基 | Mightiness skateboarding structure |
EP2000180B1 (en) | 2007-06-06 | 2012-04-11 | Salomon S.A.S. | Snowboard or skateboard with reinforcement made of natural fibers |
US20150076781A1 (en) * | 2013-09-18 | 2015-03-19 | Devin O'Dea | Skateboard Formed of Unitary Structure |
US20190308088A1 (en) * | 2019-02-24 | 2019-10-10 | Aifu Shen | Method for manufacturing skateboard |
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AT390736B (en) * | 1988-06-23 | 1990-06-25 | Danutec Werkstoff | SKI OR SKI-LIKE SPORTS EQUIPMENT, AND A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF |
US5295883A (en) * | 1991-02-15 | 1994-03-22 | Kransco | Bodyboard with stiffening reinforcement |
AT405139B (en) * | 1995-08-14 | 1999-05-25 | Atomic Austria Gmbh | SLIDER |
US6612605B2 (en) * | 1999-09-29 | 2003-09-02 | K-2 Corporation | Integrated modular glide board |
JP2005231738A (en) * | 2004-01-21 | 2005-09-02 | Nippon Petrochemicals Co Ltd | Sheet pallet |
CN201049530Y (en) * | 2006-05-10 | 2008-04-23 | 巴美巴国际加拿大有限公司 | Multilayer sport plate with pattern printed on surface |
JP2018110768A (en) * | 2017-01-13 | 2018-07-19 | ヨネックス株式会社 | Snowboard core-forming body, snowboard, binding part and structure |
-
2021
- 2021-11-10 GB GB2116164.1A patent/GB2612783B/en active Active
-
2022
- 2022-11-08 AU AU2022385348A patent/AU2022385348A1/en active Pending
- 2022-11-08 WO PCT/EP2022/081133 patent/WO2023083810A1/en active Application Filing
- 2022-11-08 CA CA3238124A patent/CA3238124A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US20040135347A1 (en) * | 2002-12-19 | 2004-07-15 | Salomon S.A. | Gliding or rolling board |
US20080129004A1 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2008-06-05 | Magee Thane G | Skateboard deck |
TW200932625A (en) * | 2007-03-26 | 2009-08-01 | Nova Chem Inc | Sportsboard structures |
EP2000180B1 (en) | 2007-06-06 | 2012-04-11 | Salomon S.A.S. | Snowboard or skateboard with reinforcement made of natural fibers |
CN100534556C (en) | 2007-08-14 | 2009-09-02 | 张广基 | Mightiness skateboarding structure |
US20150076781A1 (en) * | 2013-09-18 | 2015-03-19 | Devin O'Dea | Skateboard Formed of Unitary Structure |
US20190308088A1 (en) * | 2019-02-24 | 2019-10-10 | Aifu Shen | Method for manufacturing skateboard |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2612783A (en) | 2023-05-17 |
GB2612783B (en) | 2024-05-29 |
CA3238124A1 (en) | 2023-05-19 |
AU2022385348A1 (en) | 2024-06-13 |
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