Back to results
US 7,396,036 B2Granted
Gliding board with varying bending properties
AssigneeThe Burton Corporation
InventorsScott Barbieri, Peter J. Bergendahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gliding board, such as a snowboard, has improved lift or float in certain conditions, e.g., when gliding in powdered snow. A nose and/or tail of the gliding board may have a variable bending property to provide the improved float. In one embodiment, the nose and/or tail may have a tapered thickness or other features so that the nose and/or tail is more flexible toward the tip of the nose or tail. Other variable bending properties in the nose and/or tail may be provided for reasons other than improved float, such as to enhance trick or other maneuver performance.
Claims28
A snowboard comprising:
- a running length having opposite ends, two sides and having an area for mounting a first snowboard binding and a second snowboard binding, the running length including
- a core including opposite top and bottom surfaces;
- top and bottom reinforcement layers overlying the top and bottom surfaces of the core, the top reinforcement layer being planar in a side-to-side direction across the width of the running length;
- a top layer overlying the top reinforcement layer;
- a base layer with a gliding surface overlying the bottom reinforcement layer;
- and
- first and second sidewalls that extend along lateral sides of the core, each of the first and second sidewalls extending along a substantial height of the core and along the running length;
- a nose located at one end of the running length;
- and
- a tail located at the other end of the running length, the nose and tail each having a transition end and a tip opposite the transition end, at least one of the nose or tail having an increasing flexibility along a substantial length of the at least one of the nose or tail from the transition end toward the tip,
- wherein the increasing flexibility is not exclusively the result of a change in width of the at least one of the nose and tail, and wherein the entire running length, nose and tail have a sidewall-type construction.
8 more elements
A snowboard adapted to cooperate with a pair of snowboard bindings that secure a rider's feet to the snowboard, comprising:
- a running length having an area for mounting a first snowboard binding and a second snowboard binding, the running length having two side edges and extending between forward and rear transitions, the running length including
- a core including opposite top and bottom surfaces;
- top and bottom reinforcement layers overlying the top and bottom surfaces of the core, the top reinforcement layer being planar in a side-to-side direction across the width of the running length;
- a top layer overlying the top reinforcement layer;
- a base layer with a gliding surface overlying the bottom reinforcement layer;
- and
- sidewalls that extend along lateral sides of the core, each of the sidewalls extending along a substantial height of the core and along the running length, the entire running length having a sidewall construction with the sidewalls extending over both side edges;
- an upturned nose at the forward transition having a transition end and a tip, the nose having a sidewall construction and a varying flexibility along a substantial length of the nose between the transition end and the tip that is not due exclusively to the width of a portion of the nose decreasing between the transition end and the tip;
- and
- a tail having a sidewall construction at the rear transition;
- wherein the varying flexibility provides improved float in powder snow.
8 more elements
A method of manufacturing a snowboard having a running length and an upturned nose joined to the running length at a transition, the nose having a tip, comprising:
- providing a core constructed and arranged for incorporation into a snowboard, the core having top and bottom surfaces and lateral sides;
- providing sidewall elements, a top layer, a top reinforcement layer, a bottom reinforcement layer and a base layer with a gliding surface;
- and
- assembling the top layer, the top reinforcement layer, the bottom reinforcement layer, the base layer, the sidewall elements and the core so that (i) the top and bottom reinforcement layers are on opposite top and bottom surfaces of the core with the top layer overlying the top reinforcing layer and the base layer overlying the bottom reinforcing layer, (ii) the sidewall elements are secured along lateral sides of the core along the running length, (iii) a portion of the nose has an increasing flexibility that does not vary solely due to any decrease in width of a portion of the nose between the transition and the tip, and (iv) the snowboard, including the running length and nose, has an all-sidewall construction with the top reinforcing layer being planar in a side-to-side direction across the width of the running length and with each of the sidewall elements extending along a substantial height of the core and along the running length.
1 more element
A snowboard comprising:
- a running length entirely formed with a sidewall construction, the running length including
- a core including opposite top and bottom surfaces;
- top and bottom reinforcement layers overlying the top and bottom surfaces of the core, the top reinforcement layer being planar in a side-to-side direction across the width of the running length;
- a top layer overlying the top reinforcement layer;
- a base layer with a gliding surface overlying the bottom reinforcement layer:
- and
- first and second sidewalls that extend along lateral sides of the core, each of the first and second sidewalls extending along a substantial height of the core and alone the running length;
- and
- an upturned nose located at a transition end of the running length, the nose having a tip and a sidewall construction;
- the nose including means for providing the nose with a flexibility that varies along a substantial portion of the nose, the means for providing the nose with a varying flexibility being additional to any decrease in the nose width from the transition end to the tip.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.