# US 2014/0190851 A1 · Inflatable case to transport a sports board and a method for making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190851 A1 - Document ID: US20140190851A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/689,721 - Filed: 2012-11-29 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-29 - Inventors: PERRY SAMIOS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190851A1 ## CPC - B63B 32/80: Arrangements specially adapted for stowing or transporting water sports boards - B63B 32/87: for carrying, e.g. board bags - Y10T 156/10: Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An inventive case capable of transporting a sports board, such as a surfboard, snowboard or skate board or element thereof, is described. The case may include a top cushion designed to conform to a top surface of a sports board, a bottom cushion designed to conform to a bottom surface of the same sports board. Optionally or alternatively, each of the top and the bottom cushions may include a plurality of compartments which have varying cross-sectional dimensions along a length of the compartments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A case capable of transporting a surfboard, comprising: a top cushion designed to conform to a top surface of a surfboard; a bottom cushion designed to conform to a bottom surface of the surfboard, wherein each of said top and said bottom cushions include a plurality of compartments which have varying cross-sectional dimensions along a length of said compartments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surfboard case of claim 1, wherein said top and bottom cushions and said plurality of compartments are inflatable and said compartments have defined therein an aperture which allows air to travel from one compartment to another compartment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surfboard case of claim 1, further comprising a side rail cushion that is disposed between said top cushion and said bottom cushion and is designed to be adjacent to a side rail of said surfboard when said surfboard is encased inside said case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from the front end of said case, a cross-sectional area of said compartment in an inflated state of said top cushion is between about 4 square inches and about 30 square inches. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between more than ⅓ and about ⅔ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said top cushion in an inflated state is between about 6 square inches and about 30 square inches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a back end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said top cushion in an inflated state is between about 4 inches and about 24 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 6 square inches and about 30 square inches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between about ⅓ and about ⅔ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 4 square inches and about 24 square inches. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The surfboard case of claim 2, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a back end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 4 square inches and about 30 square inches. ### Claim 10 A case capable of transporting a surfboard, comprising: a top inflatable cushion designed to conform to a top surface of a surfboard in an inflated state of said top cushion; a bottom inflatable cushion designed to conform to a bottom surface of the surfboard in an inflated state of said bottom cushion; wherein in an inflated state, each of said top and said bottom cushions vary in thickness along their length to protect said top surface and bottom of surfboard from being impacted from an external force when said surfboard is secured inside said case. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The case of claim 10, further comprising a side rail cushion that is capable of being disposed between said top and said bottom cushions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The case of claim 11, wherein said top and said bottom cushion are inflatable such that in an inflated state said top cushion conforms to said to top surface of said surfboard and said bottom cushion conforms to said bottom surface of said surfboard and said case further comprising a first valve designed to inflate said top cushion, a second valve designed to inflate said bottom cushion and a third valve designed to inflate said side rail cushion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from the front end of said case, a thickness of said compartment of said top cushion in an inflated state is between about 2 inches and about 4 inches. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between more than ⅓ and about ⅔ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said inflatable compartment of said top cushion in an inflated state is between about 2.5 inches and about 4.75 inches. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a back end of said case, a thickness of said inflatable compartment of said top cushion in an inflated state is between about 2 inches and about 4.75 inches. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said inflatable compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 2 inches and about 4.75 inches. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between about ⅓ and about ⅔ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a front end of said case, a thickness of said inflatable compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 2.5 inches and about 3.5 inches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The surfboard case of claim 12, wherein at a distance which equals between about 0 and about ⅓ of a length of said case and said distance measured from a back end of said case, a thickness of said inflatable compartment of said bottom cushion in an inflated state is between about 2 inches and about 4.75 inches. ### Claim 19 A method for manufacturing a case, comprising: fabricating a plurality of longitudinal inflatable compartments having varying cross-sectional areas along their lengths; and adhering some of said longitudinal compartments to form a top cushion and adhering others of said longitudinal compartments to form a bottom cushion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein said adhering includes heat welding.