Land vehicles – Skates – Runner type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-05-29
Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3661)
Land vehicles
Skates
Runner type
C280S609000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237932
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a board for gliding on snow, this gliding board consisting for example of a ski, a snowboard or a monoski, and the ski in question being for example of the alpine ski, nordic ski or cross-country ski type.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
This gliding board is of the type having a lower assembly composed of a sole optionally bordered by metal edges and optionally combined with a lower reinforcing layer, a central core optionally combined with reinforcing elements, and an upper cover forming a shell, composed of an upper wall extended laterally by side walls whose lower corners bear on two longitudinal reinforcement elements which themselves bear on the lower assembly, the upper cover being optionally combined, on its inner face, with a reinforcing layer, this board being further equipped with at least one vibration damper element.
A gliding board of this type is illustrated, in the case of a ski, in document FR 2 683 734 in the name of the Applicant Company.
When moving on snow, a gliding board is subjected to vibrations generated by successive impacts against unevennesses in the surface on which it is moving. These vibrations compromise the stability of the board, its purchase on the snow, as well as the quality of its glide, and cause discomfort to the user.
It is known to attempt to eliminate, or limit, the amplitude of these vibrations by equipping gliding boards with vibration damper elements.
Thus, document EP 0 188 985 relates to a ski having a vibration damper device which consists of at least one layer of viscoelastic material fixed on the upper face of the ski and constrained by a plate with high modulus of elasticity. A damper device of this type is located at a specific position to provide maximum efficiency.
Documents FR 2 611 518 and 2 615 405 each relate to a ski of the gliding board type according to the invention, that is to say having an upper cover in the form of a shell, the lower corners of which bear on the lower assembly. In these two documents, the ski comprises a central core which, with the upper cover, delimits lateral volumes used to accommodate, over the entire length or almost the entire length of the ski, viscoelastic material having a damper function. However, such damping makes the ski fairly inert because of excessive damping.
Document FR 2 618 344 describes a ski of 15 rectangular cross section, that is to say having a lower assembly, an upper wall and side faces delimiting a volume filled with a core. Transverse holes which pass through one side face and extend over a part of the width of the core are made in the ski, these holes being filled with a damping material.
However, the damping effect is negligible because this structure does not form a barrier to the propagation of vibrations through the side faces, around the holes.
Document FR 2 599 636 relates to a ski having a central part in which recesses containing damping elements are made. These damping elements may actually extend right through the side faces of the ski.
The damping effect is in this case questionable since the positioning of the damping elements is not defined.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a board for gliding on snow, of the aforementioned type, which provides selective filtering of the vibrations that are transmitted between a lower ridge of the board in contact with the snow, and the upper face of the board, on which the user's foot or feet are fixed, depending on the type of board in question. This actually involves damping only the unwanted vibrations, because excessive vibration damping would lead to a lack of response from the ski.
To this end, the board for gliding on snow to which it relates comprises at least one vibration damper element which is located on one side of the board and emerges visibly on this side, and lies in the region contained between a lower corner of the upper cover and the lower assembly, this damper element constituting a direct barrier to vibrations propagating between the lower ridge of the board in contact with the snow and the upper wall of the board to which the user's feet are fixed.
When a board for gliding on snow is being used, the board is circumscribed by a lower inner ridge when a turn is being performed. The force transmitted from the lower ridge to the upper surface of the board, on which one of the user's feet, or both feet in the case of a snowboard or a monoski, is fixed, passes through the side wall of the board lying on the inside of the turn. Locating damper elements level with this side wall makes it possible to filter uncomfortable vibrations which impair good control of the board and good purchase of the board on the snow.
According to a first embodiment of this gliding board, a damper element is arranged between a lower corner of the upper cover and a longitudinal reinforcement element.
According to a first possibility in this case, the upper cover has, level with a damper element, an upward protrusion delimiting a recess for at least partial accommodation of this damper element.
According to a second possibility in this case, each longitudinal reinforcement element has, level with a damper element, a recess which is turned upward and emerges on one side of the board, and is intended for at least partial accommodation of this damper element.
It should be noted that the two possibilities envisaged above may be combined, and a damper element may be accommodated partly in a recess made in the upper cover and partly in a recess made in a reinforcing element and emerging in its upper face.
According to another embodiment of this gliding board, a damper element is arranged between a lower corner of a longitudinal reinforcement element and the lower assembly, this longitudinal reinforcement element having a recess emerging in its lower face and on one side of the board, and intended for accommodation of the damper element.
According to yet another embodiment of this gliding board, a damper element is arranged inside a longitudinal reinforcement element, in a slot passing through the entire width of the element.
According to another feature of the invention, each damper element has a length of between 50 and 300 mm.
According to one possibility, each damper element has a thickness which varies over its length. Preferably, in this case, the thickness of each damper element is a maximum in its central part and decreases in the direction of its ends.
According to another feature of the invention, the thickness of each damper element is equal to at least 2 mm, over a large part of the length of the element.
In order to provide the best possible damping capabilities, each vibration damper element is located at a vibration antinode.
Since a board will bear on the snow successively via its two lower ridges, depending on whether a turn is being made to the right or to the left, the board according to the invention advantageously has vibration damper elements on both of its sides.
The vibration damper elements arranged on the two sides of the board may be symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal mid-plane or asymmetric with respect to its longitudinal mid-plane, this asymmetry resulting from their respective positioning and/or nature and/or shapes or dimensions.
According to one embodiment of this board, each damper element is centered on one of the following two regions lying at respective distances of between 10 and 20%, and 70 and 90% of the supporting length of the board, taken from its heel.
Advantageously, a damper element is centered in a region lying at a distance of between 75 and 80%, preferably 77%, of the supporting length of the board, taken from its heel.
Further, the constituent material of the damper elements is selected from rubber, polyurethane, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or other styrene derivatives.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3901522 (1975-08-01), Boehm
patent: 5232241 (1993-08-01), Knott et al.
patent: 44 02 669 A1 (1994-01-01), None
patent: 0 188 985 A
Mermet Max
Restani Eric
Schrobiltgen Thierry
Zanco Alain
Camby Richard M.
Ollif & Berridge, PLC
Skis Rossignol S.A.
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