Foam-core structure with graphics-imprinted skin

A bodyboard for supporting a rider during travel in ocean surf, comprising:

• an elongate foam plank forming the core of the bodyboard, the core being made of semi-rigid foam having a thickness generally in the range of 1-inch to 4-inches,
• a skin bonded to a surface of the core, the skin including a plurality of thin film plastic layers adhesively bonded together to form a laminate, the plastic layers including
• a nonopaque outer layer having a thickness generally in the range of 1-mil to 5-mils and having a first side of the layer which faces toward the core with graphic images imprinted thereon, the images being applied to the first side by means of a printing process which reproduces graphic images onto thin film plastic, and
• an inner layer having a thickness in the range of 1-mil to 5-mils adhesively bonded to the first side of the nonopaque outer layer, and wherein
• the skin is applied to a surface of the core by steps including heating the surface to between 180.degree. Fahrenheit and 220.degree. Fahrenheit, and then pressing skin against the heated surface with the nonopaque layer facing outwardly to form a thermal bond between the skin and the core, whereby the graphic images imprinted on the first side of the nonopaque layer are visible through the layer to decorate the bodyboard.

A method of applying printed graphics to a substrate of semi-rigid foam which has a thickness generally exceeding 1-inch, the method comprising:

• providing a skin for application to the foam by the following steps,
• imprinting graphics on one side of a nonopaque thin-film plastic sheet having a thickness generally in the range of 2-mils to 5-mils, and
• adhesively bonding the nonopaque sheet to a second thin-film plastic sheet with the graphics-imprinted side of the nonopaque sheet facing the second sheet, resulting in a layered skin with the imprinted graphics visible through the nonopaque sheet, and
• bonding the skin provided in the aforementioned steps to the foam substrate by heating a skin-receiving surface of the foam substrate to a temperature generally in the range of 180.degree. Fahrenheit to 220.degree. Fahrenheit, and
• pressing the skin, with the nonopaque sheet oriented outwardly, against the heated skin-receiving surface to adhere the skin to the foam substrate, whereby a skin covering with visible graphics is provided on the foam.