Inflatable Surfboard

Abstract

An inflatable surfboard formed of a top surface and bottom surface having a drop-stitch material coupled therebetween within an interior cavity. Stiffening layers formed of mesh material and adhering resin or adhesive may be provided on the top and bottom, and side edges of the formed surfboard. A stiffening member within the interior cavity is pivotally coupled to the top and bottom surfaces to allow it to pivot between a deployed and folded position.

Claims

1. An inflatable surfboard comprising: said surfboard having a top surface formed of flexible material; said surfboard having a bottom surface formed of said flexible material; said top surface in a sealed engagement to said bottom surface at a seam running circumferentially around a side edge of said surfboard between a front and a rear end of said surfboard; an interior cavity positioned in between said top surface and said bottom surface; drop-stitch material positioned within said interior cavity, said drop-stitch material coupled to said top surface and to said bottom surface; a first stiffening layer formed of mesh material, said first stiffening layer adhered to a central area of said top surface; and an inflation valve coupled to said top surface of said bottom surface, said inflation valve for communicating air into said interior cavity during an inflation of said surfboard.

2. The inflatable surfboard of claim 1, additionally comprising: a second stiffening layer formed of said mesh material adhered to a central area of said bottom surface.

3. The inflatable surfboard of claim 1, additionally comprising: a side stiffening layer adhered to said side edge, said side stiffening layer formed of mesh material adhered circumferentially around a side edge.

4. The inflatable surfboard of claim 2, additionally comprising: a side stiffening layer adhered to said side edge, said side stiffening layer formed of mesh material adhered circumferentially around a side edge.

5. The inflatable surfboard of claim 1, additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.

6. The inflatable surfboard of claim 3, additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.

7. The inflatable surfboard of claim 4, additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.

8. The inflatable surfboard of claim 2, additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.

9. The inflatable surfboard of claim 4, additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.

10. The inflatable surfboard of claim 7, additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.

11. The inflatable surfboard of claim 1, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

12. The inflatable surfboard of claim 2, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

13. The inflatable surfboard of claim 3, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

14. The inflatable surfboard of claim 4, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

15. The inflatable surfboard of claim 5, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

16. The inflatable surfboard of claim 6, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

17. The inflatable surfboard of claim 7, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

18. The inflatable surfboard of claim 8, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

19. The inflatable surfboard of claim 9, additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURE

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an overhead perspective view of the body forming an inflatable surfboard, herein showing a single wide layer of stiffening material adhered to the top surface and bottom surface, which runs substantially the length of the surfboard.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an overhead perspective view of the bottom layer of the body of the surfboard of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a central portion of the surfboard of FIGS. 1-2, showing drop stitch material positioned within a formed interior cavity and showing adhered layers of stiffening material that runs along the center of the formed surfboard.

[0033] FIG. 4 depicts an overhead perspective view of one configuration of the inflatable surfboard herein having multiple layers of stiffening material positioned upon at least the top layer and preferably both the top and bottom layers.

[0034] FIG. 5 depicts a view of the bottom surface of the surfboard of FIG. 4.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view through the center of the surfboard of FIGS. 4 and 5, showing drop stitch material within the interior cavity and multiple layers of stiffening material adhered to the top and bottom surfaces.

[0036] FIG. 7 depicts a side rail of the inflatable surfboards herein, showing a seam engaging the top surface to the bottom surface.

[0037] FIG. 7A is a sectional view along line 7A-7A.

[0038] FIG. 8 depicts the side rail of FIG. 7 having at least one layer of stiffening material adhered thereon.

[0039] FIG. 8A is a sectional view along line 8A-8A.

[0040] FIG. 9 depicts an example of a sectional view through the inflatable surfboard herein, showing the top layer and bottom layer adhered to opposite sides of the drop-stitch material prior to the engagement of any stiffening layers.

[0041] FIG. 10 depicts an additional stiffening member in a deployed position with the surfboard inflated, positioned longitudinally within the interior cavity, which will run substantially the length of the surfboard and which is coupled to the opposing top and bottom layers of the drop-stitch or the surfboard top and bottom surfaces in a manner allowing it to pivot and fold when the surfboard is deflated.

[0042] FIG. 11 shows a sectional view through the inflatable surfboards and also shows a pivoting coupling of the stiffening member within the interior cavity, allowing it to move to a folded position, folded flatly within the interior cavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0043] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right, and other such terms refer to the surfboard device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Any such terms are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the surfboard has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0044] Now referring to drawings 1-11, FIGS. 1 and 2 show overhead perspective views of the inflatable surfboard 10 herein, showing a top surface 12 coupled or engaged to the bottom surface 14. The top surface 12 is currently connected in a sealed engagement at a seam 16 (FIG. 7) which runs circumferentially around a side edge of the formed surfboard 10.

[0045] A valve 17 is in a sealed engagement with either the top surface 12 or the bottom surface 14 to allow inflation of an interior cavity 18 (FIG. 3) and deflation thereof. Within the interior cavity 18, as shown in FIG. 3, is positioned drop-stitch material 20 having a top layer 22 coupled with the top surface 12 and a bottom layer 24 thereof coupled with the bottom surface 14. By coupled is meant one component is contacting, adhered to, or fused to the other component in a manner allowing inflation and deflation of the inflatable surfboard 10 with the threads 25 between the layers of drop-stitch material limiting travel distance between top and bottom layers when the surfboard 10 is inflated. It should be noted that the drop-stitch material 20 may also be coupled to extend the threads 25 between the interior surface of the top surface 12 and the interior surface of the bottom surface 14 in some cases, where the drop-stitch material is formed as part of those layers.

[0046] As also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first stiffening layer 26 is adhered to a central area of the top surface 12. A second stiffening layer 28 may be engaged with a central area of the bottom surface 14. This coupling may be adhered with cured resin, cured adhesive, of other means to adhere or fuse these stiffening layers 26 and 28 to the respective surfaces of the surfboard. Once inflated, these stiffening layers 26 and 28 adhered to a respective surface with cured resin or adhesive forms a fabric member or spine which is stiff and thereby helps limit bending of the surfaces they are engaged with to the sides and upward and downward to help to increase rigidity and stiffness of the surfboard 10 during turning and riding. These and other noted stiffening layers herein may be formed of a woven or knitted, or otherwise configured mesh material, such as fiberglass or polyethylene or polypropylene, or other material as noted above. Such mesh material has openings therein between fibers forming said mesh material. The openings form passages for the resin or adhesive to communicate through the mesh and to the surface of the surfboard on which the stiffening layer is located to better adhere the stiffening layer thereto. The resin or adhesive, upon curing in the opening and over an upper surface of the stiffening layers, forms the stiffening layer to a stiff spine or fabric member formed of the mesh material and cured resin or adhesive.

Fin pockets 30 are coupled to the bottom surface 14 to allow for engagement of fins 32 (FIG. 7) with the surfboard 10.

[0047] Shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are overhead perspective views of another configuration of the inflatable surfboard 10 herein. As shown, atop the first stiffening layer 26, there are, engaged by adhesive, cured resin, fusing or other engagement means, secondary stiffening layers 34. These secondary stiffening layers 34 are formed of mesh material, noted above. Currently, at least two secondary stiffening layers 34 positioned upon opposing sides of a center area of the surfboard 10 of a width up to twenty-five percent of the width of the first stiffening layer 26 are preferred.

[0048] The positioning of these secondary stiffening layers 34 can be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 6. As can be seen, the secondary stiffening layers 34 are engaged atop the wider first stiffening layer 26 to form a more rigid spine area in the center area of the inflated surfboard 10 during use when inflated.

[0049] In FIG. 7 is shown one of the sides or two opposing rails 36 of the inflated surfboard 10 having fins 32 engaged with the fin pockets 30. As shown, the seam 16 is formed to seal the top surface 12 to the bottom surface 14 and form the sealed interior cavity 18. This seam 16 may be located in other positions. However, locating it circumferentially around the surfboard 10 on the side rails 36 is the current preferred position, therefor. The seam 16, as noted, may be fused using heat or sonic welding or may be formed using adhesive between the two surfaces.

[0050] Shown in FIG. 8 is a similar view to that of FIG. 7. However, a layer of side stiffening 38 is engaged atop the material of the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14, forming the side rail 36 connected at the seam 16. The side stiffening 38 is formed of the same mesh material, noted above, and may be coupled or engaged to the rail 36 section using resin, adhesive, heat, sonic welding or other means for engagement. The side stiffening 38, so positioned, has been shown to further stiffen the surfboard 10 once inflated and yields a better and more controllable ride.

[0051] Depicted in FIG. 9 is an example of a sectional view through the inflatable surfboard 10 herein showing the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14 adhered to opposite sides of the drop-stitch material 20. However, in some instances of the surfboard 10 herein, the top surface 12 of the surfboard 10 may be the top layer of the drop-stitch material 20, and the bottom surface 14 of the surfboard 10 may be the bottom layer 24 of the drop-stitch material 20.

[0052] Shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is a depiction of an additional stiffening member 40, which is positionable within the interior cavity 18, preferably in a central area thereof between the opposing sides. This stiffening member 40 may run substantially the length of the surfboard. The stiffening member 40 may be formed of closed-cell, hydrostatic pressure-resistant polyurethane foam, balsa wood, a polymeric sheet, or a similar lightweight material.

[0053] The stiffening member 40 is pivotally coupled at juxtaposed edges in a pivoting coupling 41 with the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14. By pivotally coupled is meant herein that the juxtaposed edges are pivotally coupled to the top and bottom layers of the drop-stitch material 20, which are coupled to the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14, or pivotally coupled to the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14 of the surfboard surfaces where those surfaces are coupled to the threads 25 of the drop-stitch material 20.

[0054] This pivoting coupling 41 allows the stiffening member 40 to rotate or pivot at the juxtaposed corner edges from a deployed position with an axis 43 running substantially perpendicular to the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14 and to a folded position substantially parallel with the top surface 12 and bottom surface 12 when the surfboard 10 is deflated, such as shown in FIGS. 10-11. Such a pivoting coupling 41, for example, may be with adhesive or a fusing or using polymeric or other lightweight connectors, or stitching, at the juxtaposed edges of the stiffening member 40 to the top layer 22 and bottom layer 24 of the drop-stitch material 20 or the top surface 12 and bottom surface 14 of the surfboard. As to the term substantially relating to the axis 43 and the positioning thereof it is meant plus or minus 20 degrees from perpendicular or parallel.

[0055] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the inflatable surfboard with stiffening components have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the surfboard invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and equivalent variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.