# US 9,751,598 B2 · Surfboard and method of manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,598 B2 - Document ID: US9751598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/367,573 - Filed: 2016-12-02 - Published: 2017-06-08 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-03 - Applicants: Javier Huarcaya-Pro - Inventors: Javier Huarcaya-Pro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751598B2 ## CPC - B63B 32/57: Boards characterised by the material, e.g. laminated materials - B26F 1/24: Perforating by needles or pins - B26F 3/08: with heated members - B63B 32/40: Twintip boards; Wakeboards; Surfboards; Windsurfing boards; Paddle boards, e.g. SUP boards; Accessories specially adapted therefor - B63B 32/59: Boards characterised by their manufacturing process, e.g. moulding or three-dimensional [3D] printing - B63B 32/60: Board appendages, e.g. fins, hydrofoils or centre boards - 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) - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) ## Abstract A surfboard includes a core covered with a laminate and having curved perforations in the deck area and the tail area of the surfboard, in order to prevent air blisters from forming between the core and laminate. The curved perforations are deformable under pressure to minimize the opening of the perforations to inhibit liquid from entering and maximizing under zero pressure to allow the maximum amount of trapped liquid and gasses from escaping. The core is formed from an extruded closed-cell polystyrene foam block that has been shaped by restraining it against a shaped form using shaped restraining tools and straps, and heating it; and by cutting using a hot wire. The core is laminated with FIBERGLAS® and epoxy resin, and the perforations are formed using a perforating tool that has a planar or curved working surface and one or more heated needles extending perpendicularly from the working surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surfboard having a deck, comprising: a closed-cell foam core; a stringer located internal to, and along the centerline of, the foam core; a laminate layer covering the core; a first plurality of perforations in the deck of the laminate layer located near the front of the surfboard where a first portion of the perforations is located on one side of the stringer and positioned in a straight line parallel to the stringer, and a second portion of the perforations is located on the other side of the stringer and positioned in a straight line parallel to the stringer and the first portion of the perforations; a second plurality of perforations in the deck of the laminate layer near the rear of the surfboard where a first portion of the second plurality of perforations is located on one side of the stringer and positioned in a straight line oriented at an angle to the stringer, and a second portion of the second plurality of perforations is located on the other side of the stringer and positioned in a straight line, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of perforations are curved such that the perforations penetrate completely through the laminate layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surfboard of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the second plurality of perforations are positioned at a forty five (45) degree angle from the stringer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surfboard of claim 1, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of perforations are configured to allow a top opening of each perforation to close in response to a force applied to the deck of the surfboard in the area of the perforations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The surfboard of claim 3, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of perforations are configured to allow the top opening of each perforation to open when the force is removed from the deck of the surfboard, thereby allowing any gasses or fluids to escape from the interior of the surfboard. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surfboard of claim 1, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of perforations are sized to allow gasses to pass through them but allow little or no water through them. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surfboard of claim 1, wherein the core is made from extruded foam. ### Claim 7 A tool for forming perforations through the lamination layer of a surfboard, the surfboard having a core, a stringer, and a laminate layer covering the core and stringer, the tool comprising: a body having a top face, a back face, a bottom face, a curved face, a front face, and side faces, where the curved face extends between the bottom face and the front face and has a curve angle; and a plurality of curved perforation needles extending from the front face proximate the intersection of the front face and the curved face and having a curve similar to the curve of the curved face. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tool for forming perforations of claim 7, wherein the plurality of curved perforation needles terminate at a plane created by the bottom face of the tool body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tool for forming perforations of claim 7, wherein the tool is sized such that the plurality of curved perforation needles fully penetrate the laminate layer and extend into the foam core. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The tool for forming penetrations of claim 7, wherein the tool body has a high thermal resistance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The tool for forming penetrations of claim 7, wherein the plurality of curved perforation needles have a low thermal resistance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The tool for forming penetrations of claim 7, wherein the plurality of curved perforation needles are heated to an operating temperature before forming perforations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The tool for forming penetrations of claim 7, wherein the curve of the curved face ensures the plurality of curved perforation needles follow a single path when inserted into, and withdrawn from, the laminate layer.