Abstract
A wave riding vehicle having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear tail, a nose, and said tail and nose are connected by opposite left and right side rails, and the side rails extend substantially linearly from the tail and away from a central axis and then linearly extend to the nose and toward the central axis and embodiments include a central arcuate hump that transverses the top surface.
Claims
1. A riding vehicle comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear tail, a nose, and said tail and nose are connected by opposite left and right side rails, wherein said rear tail has a first and second end and a length, wherein said left side rail has a first rear section that extends substantially linearly from said first end of said tail and away from a central axis running from said nose to the middle of said tail, and a second forward section of said left side rail that linearly extends to the nose and toward said central axis, and wherein said right side has a first rear section that extends substantially linearly from said second end of said tail and away from a central axis running from said nose to the middle of said tail, and a second forward section of said right side rail that linearly extends to said nose and toward said central axis, and wherein the length of the said first rear rail sections is longer than the length of said second forward rail sections.
2. The riding vehicle of claim 1 wherein said left and right side rails have third sections between said first rear sections and said second forward section and said third sections are parallel with each other and said central axis.
3. The riding vehicle of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is comprised of a closed cell foam that floats.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said bottom of said vehicle is substantially flat and said top surface is flat with an elevated hump portion that laterally traverses the central axis at a location in front of said rear rail sections.
5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein said hump has an arcuate shape.
6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the maximum height said hump extends approximately two inches from said top surface.
7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said front rail section further comprises handles that extend from said second rail sections and said handles have portions that are parallel with said second forward rail sections.
8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said front section is provided with openings that are and parallel with the front rail sections and said openings have a length of at least 5 inches and a width of approximately 2 inches and are sized to allow a used to grasp the vehicle by extending fingers through said openings and engaged the side of the vehicle rail with the palm of the hand.
9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail has a length of between 8 and 12 inches, and the length of said vehicle, from the middle of said tail to said nose. is between 30 and 45 inches.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the shape of said vehicle resembles a kite with a truncated bottom and a rounded front nose.
11. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said nose is substantially straight and connects said front rail sections.
12. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said rails are configured in a 40/60 ratio.
13. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail is a bat tail shape.
14. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail extends straight from the opposite ends of the rear rail sections.
15. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said tail extends in an arc to join the opposite ends of the rear rail sections.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a first prior art body board having a flat nose and crescent shaped tail.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a second prior art having a flat nose and a bat tail rear end.
[0019] FIG. 3A is a sectional view of a first rail design.
[0020] FIG. 3B is a sectional view of a second rail design.
[0021] FIG. 3C is a sectional view of a third rail design.
[0022] FIG. 3D is a sectional view of a fourth rail design.
[0023] FIG. 3E is a sectional view of a fifth rail design.
[0024] FIG. 3F is a sectional view of a sixth rail design.
[0025] FIG. 3G is a sectional view of a seventh rail design.
[0026] FIG. 3H is a sectional view of an eighth rail design.
[0027] FIG. 3I is a sectional view of a ninth rail design.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a body board according to the invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0032] FIG. 8 is a front view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a body board according to the invention.
[0034] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
[0035] FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
[0036] FIG. 12 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
[0037] FIG. 13 is a front view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
[0038] FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of a body board according to the invention.
[0039] FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 14.
[0040] FIG. 16 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 14.
[0041] FIG. 17 is a rear view in elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 14.
[0042] FIG. 18 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a body board according to the invention that includes handles for gripping that extend from each forward rails.
[0043] FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a further embodiment that provides passages through the board to facilitate manual engagement at the rear portion of forward rails.
[0044] FIG. 20 depicts a view in elevation of a further embodiment that includes handles and a transverse hump.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0045] Now referring to FIG. 4, a first embodiment of a body board 101 is depicted that includes a flat tail 103 that is approximately 10 inches, from which extend side 105 and 107 that meet lateral side sections 109 and 110 respectfully. Extending from lateral sides 109 and 110 are forward rails 115 and 115 which extend to the nose 120. Lateral side section 109 and 110 are parallel with a central axis that extends from tail 103 to the nose 120. Top surface 150 of board 101 is smooth and flat and comprised of polyurethane or polychloroprene, also known as Neoprene® but other soft rubber or synthetic materials may be used. As can be determined from FIGS. 4 to 6, this embodiment has rails that extend from the top surface inwardly to the bottom surface of the board. This embodiment facilitates the manual engagement of the forward rails 115 and 116 as it provides a fairly sharp angle to grip. In alternative designs other rail arrangements are used.
[0046] Referring now to FIG. 6, the bottom of the board includes a base region surface 605 that is flat and smooth from which extends a surface 609 that is gradually tapered toward nose 120. Base section 605 includes stabilizing groove 610 and 612.
[0047] Now referring to FIG. 9, a second embodiment 900 has a similar shape as the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4-8 but further includes a raised hump 940 across the top surface 930 that extends from lateral side 910 and 911. The hump extends from the top surface to a maximum height of about 4 inches and divides to rear section defined by the rear rails and the tail from the front section defined the front rails and the nose. This embodiment of a body board 900 includes tail 905 that is approximately 10 inches across, from which extends side 908 and 907 that meet lateral side sections 910 and 911 respectfully. Extending from lateral sides 910 and 911 are forward rails 915 and 917 which extend to the nose 920. Lateral side section 910 and 911 are parallel with a central axis that extends from tail 905 to the nose 920. Top surface 950 of board 900 has smooth flat rear region 952 and smooth flat front section 954. The rails of this embodiment are similar to that of FIG. 4 which facilitates the manual engagement of the forward rails 115 and 116 as it provides a fairly sharp angle to grip. In alternative designs other rail arrangements are used.
[0048] Referring now to FIG. 12, the hump 940 includes peak 941, a rear slope 945 that extends from peak 941 to rear top surface area 960 and front slope 944 that extends f peak 941 to the front nose area front area 970. The peak of the hump in this embodiment extends perpendicular to a central axis that extends from rear tail 905 to nose 920 and is at a location between 20 to 30 inches from tail 905. The board of FIGS. 9-13 has a length of 40 inches and a width between rail 910 and 911 of 14 inches. The bottom of board 900 includes a rear base region 960 that is flat and smooth and connects with forward lower surface 970 gradually tapers toward nose 920. Referring now to FIG. 13, as seen from the front, hump 940 has an arcuate profile that extends from the top of rail 911 to top of rail 910.
[0049] Now referring to FIGS. 14-17, a further embodiment of a body board 1400 is depicted that is a generally kite shaped with a truncated rear or tail. Board 1400 has a crescent shaped rear side surface 1405 or tail, rear rails 1408 and 1409, and forward rails 1415 and 1417 which terminate at nose 1420. As seen in FIG. 15, rear surface 1505 has stabilizer grooves or channels 1580, 1581 and 1582 that terminate at tail 1405. This embodiment has a tail that is 12 inches from point 1560 to point 1561, rear rails 1408 and 1409 are 27 inches long, and forward rails 1415 and 1417 are 22 inches and a length from tail 1405 to nose 1420 of 36 inches. As best seem in FIG. 17, this embodiment has a 50/50 rail arrangement where a lower rail surface 1436 extends from bottom surface 1505 to ridge or chine 1407 of rail 1408 and surface 1435 extends to top surface 1450. On the opposite side the lower surface 1656 of the rail 1409 a first part 1656 of the rail 1409 extends from lower surface 1505 to the ridge or chine 1650 and a second surface 1655 extends from chine 1650 to top surface 1450. While the rail surfaces in FIGS. 14-17 are planar and the chines 1407 and 1650 are relatively sharp edges, in other embodiments the rail comprise a rounded ridge that transitions from a lower and upper rail surface, such as those depicted in FIGS. 3A-3I.
[0050] FIG. 18 depicts a further embodiment of the invention that includes handles 1840 and 1841 that extend from front lateral rails 1810 and 1811. This embodiment, as well as the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 19 and 20, has the same dimension as board 1400 illustrated in FIGS. 14-17. Handles 1840 and 1841 provide a structure to enhance a rider's ability to grip the board and assist with steering the board. FIG. 19 depicts a further embodiment that is characterized by passages 1950 and 1951 through the board that allow a rider to securely grasp front rails 1910 and 1911. FIG. 20 depicts yet a further alternative that includes a transverse hump 2040 that that crescent shaped on a kite shaped board 2000 that includes handles 2060 and 2061. In yet further embodiments, a thick rope or cord is provided at the rear portion of the forward rails to enhance the rider's ability to hold the board.
[0051] The above-described embodiments are intended to be illustrative in all respects, rather than restrictive, of the embodiments. Thus, the embodiments are capable of many variations in detailed implementation that can be derived from the description contained herein by a person skilled in the art. No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the embodiments unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific examples presented and that modifications and other examples are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing description and the associated drawings describe examples of the present disclosure in the context of certain illustrative combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
