Surfboard Stringer Reinforcing system
A reinforcing system for a floatation device, such as a surfboard, and a method of its manufacture is disclosed. Such a floatation device has an elongated stringer that has at least a top edge and a bottom edge. The reinforcing system of the present invention includes an elongated top bracket and an bottom bracket. The top and bottom sides of each bracket are wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer. The cross-sectional shape of the top bracket is preferably rectangular, forming an I-beam cross-section when each bracket is fixed to the stringer with a fastening means, such as a strong adhesive or screws. The floatation device is preferably of the type having two buoyant blanks, each adhered to one side of the stringer. During fabrication of the floatation device, each blank is fixed at one substantially flat side thereof to one side of the stringer with adhesive. A pair of notches may then be cut into each blank and the stringer to accommodate each bracket, which is then fastened with the fastening means to each blank and to the stringer, resulting in each blank being adhered to the stringer and each bracket. Alternately, or additionally, each bracket may be fastened to the stringer with a plurality of the screws. The assembled floatation device may then be sanded and then coated with a resin coating, applied over each blank, the stringer and each bracket.
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to floatation devices, and more particularly to a stringer reinforcing system for a surfboard.
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ARTTypical surfboard blanks are either made from a pressure-molded polyurethane or polystyrene material, either as a single piece or with a pair of buoyant foam blanks fixed to each side of a rectangular cross-section reinforcing stringer. If included, the stringer is typically made of balsa wood, a strip of adhesive, or other light-weight materials, and provides some amount of strength to the surfboard against breaking when strongly impacted by waves, the seabed, or other object. Even so, such conventional surfboards are still routinely subject to breaking laterally across the board and stringer. Surfboards are rarely broken longitudinally, clearly indicating a need for improving the lateral strength of such boards.
Several prior art devices have been developed to strengthen surfboards and like recreational devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,369 to Snyder on Aug. 30, 1988, teaches an improved water ski having in addition to a conventional stringer a pair of traversely spaced longitudinal core members. Such additional reinforcing core members, while aiding in the strength of such a ski, do not provide additional strength against breaks that originate in the bottom surface of the ski, such as may happen if a strong impact is experienced at the top central portion of the ski, forcing the ends of the ski upward and the center of the ski downward. As surfboards are typically thicker than skis, such a reinforcing design is even less suited for surfboards, particularly with large waves impacting any portion of the board. Such impacts frequently are strong enough to laterally break surfboards, the breaking point starting on the rear surface thereof. Such impacts would also be strong enough to break surfboards with such reinforcing members only in the top portion of the board, as such reinforcing core members are necessarily flexible somewhat along their length and would provide little resistance to such flexing and breaking of the surfboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,833 to Bixby on Jul. 13, 1999 teaches a stringer having a center panel with a pair of longitudinal cavities formed therein for hollow shaft members. The center panel of such a device is bordered by two conventional stringers. Such a device, while effective, is unnecessarily complex and expensive to manufacture. Such a device further changes the nose and tail shapes of the board and, as such, must be offered in a variety of suitable shapes. Further, such a device does nothing to provide additional support beyond the stringers to the foam blanks, which are the weakest portions of the board and where board failures typically being when the board is strongly impacted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,549 to Hirsch on Jan. 17, 1989, teaches a hollow stringer having additional branches [Col. 2, Line 25] for intermingling with injected foam on either side of the stringer. Such a stringer, however, and the required method of manufacturing a surfboard with such a stringer, is unnecessarily complex and requires additional tooling and manufacturing space to accommodate such tooling. Surfboard manufacturers need to have a means of strengthening surfboards without requiring a complete overhaul of their manufacturing facilities. Further, the stringer of such a device is unusually thick and cannot be made of various woods and adhesives. Such a stringer, moreover, cannot be added to a conventionally made surfboard.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved stringer reinforcing system that may be optionally added to any surfboard or like device that is made with conventional fabrication methods and tooling. Such a needed system would provide an I-Beam stringer shape, greatly increasing the lateral breaking resistance of any surfboard into which it is installed. Further, such a needed system would not greatly increase the cost or complexity of manufacturing such a board, and the finished surfboard would still be aesthetically pleasing. Such a needed invention could be used with any conventional solid blank or stringer and foam blanks combination. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present device is a reinforcing system for a floatation device, such as a surfboard. Such a floatation device has an elongated stringer that has at least a top edge and a bottom edge. The reinforcing system of the present invention includes an elongated top bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge. The top and bottom sides are each wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer. The cross-sectional shape of the top bracket is preferably rectangular. A similar elongated bottom bracket is also included. Such brackets may be made from a carbon fiber-based material, a plastic material, a resin material, or the like, provided that the bracket has suitable strength against breaking yet is somewhat resilient so as to accommodate a small amount of flexing during use.
A fastening means is included for fastening the top bracket to the top edge of the stringer and for fastening the bottom bracket to the bottom edge of the stringer. Such a fastening means may be screws, or other suitable fastening means as is known in the art.
The floatation device is preferably of the type having two buoyant blanks, each adhered to one side of the stringer. Such buoyant blanks are typically made of a foam or other buoyant material that is easily formed and cut. Each blank has at least one substantially flat side for fixing to one side of the stringer.
Typically, during fabrication of the floatation device, each blank is fixed at the one substantially flat side thereof to the one side of the stringer with adhesive or other bonding means. A pair of notches may then be cut into each blank and the stringer to accommodate each bracket, which is then fastened with the fastening means to each blank and to the stringer, resulting in each blank being adhered to the stringer and each bracket. Alternately, or additionally, each bracket may be fastened to the stringer with a plurality of the screws. Such brackets fastened to the stringer result in the reinforcement system having a relatively strong I-beam construction. The assembled floatation device may then be coated with conventional fiberglass cloth and resin coating, applied over each blank, the stringer and each bracket.
The present invention is an improved stringer reinforcing system that may be optionally added to any surfboard or like device that is made with conventional fabrication methods and tooling. The present invention results in an I-Beam stringer shape, greatly increasing the lateral breaking resistance of any floatation device into which it is installed. Further, use of the present system does not greatly increase the cost, complexity or time of manufacturing such a board, and the finished surfboard is still aesthetically pleasing and not much different in appearance than surfboards without such a device. As such, the present invention may be used with any conventional stringer or foam blanks. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The reinforcing system 10 of the present invention includes an elongated top bracket 40 comprising a top side 41, a bottom side 42, and a peripheral side edge 43. The top and bottom sides, 41, 42 are each wider than the top and bottom edges 34, 36 of the stringer 30. The cross-sectional shape of the top bracket 40 is preferably rectangular, as illustrated best in
Similarly, an elongated bottom bracket 50 is also included that comprises a top side 51, a bottom side 52, and a peripheral side edge 53. The top and bottom sides, 51, 52 are each wider than the top and bottom edges 34, 36 of the stringer 30. The cross-sectional shape of the bottom bracket 50 is also preferably rectangular (
A fastening means 60 is included for fastening the top bracket 40 to the top edge 34 of the stringer 30 and for fastening the bottom bracket 50 to the bottom edge 36 of the stringer 36, as illustrated in more detail in
The floatation device 20 is preferably of the type having two buoyant blanks 70, each adhered to one side 38 of the stringer 38. Such buoyant blanks 70 are typically made of a foam or other buoyant material that is easily formed and cut. Each blank 70 has at least one substantially flat side 75 for fixing to one side 38 of the stringer 30.
Typically, during fabrication of the floatation device 20, each blank 70 is fixed at the one substantially flat side 75 thereof to the one side 38 of the stringer 30 with adhesive 80 or other bonding means as is known in the art. Optionally, a pair of notches 77 may then be mortised or routed into each blank 70 and the stringer 30, if present, to accommodate each bracket 40, 50 (
Such an assembled floatation device 20 may then be covered with a conventional fiberglass cloth and coated with a resin coating 100, applied over each blank 70, the stringer 30 and each bracket 40, 50. Clearly, either the top bracket 40 or the bottom bracket 50 may be included alone, without the other bracket 50, 40, respectively, and still reinforce the strength of the stringer 30.
In one embodiment of the invention, illustrated in
In one embodiment of the invention, illustrated in
While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the exact placement of each bracket 40, 50 with respect to the entire floatation device 20 may be modified, as may the length of each bracket 40, 50. Further, the exact type of attachment means 60 may be any suitable type of adhesive, any suitable type of mechanical fastener, or the like as becomes known in the art. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A reinforcing system for a floatation device having a resin coating applied on an outer surface thereof and at least a top surface and a bottom surface, the reinforcing system comprising:
- an elongated top bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge;
- an elongated bottom bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge; and
- a fastening means for fastening both the top bracket to the resin coating of the top surface of the floatation device, and the bottom bracket to the resin coating of the bottom surface of the floatation device;
- whereby the brackets reinforce the floatation device at both the top and bottom surface.
2. The reinforcing system of claim 1 wherein the floatation device includes a longitudinal stringer fixed between two buoyant blanks, the resin coating applied thereover, and wherein the top bracket is fastened to the resin coating of the top surface substantially covering the stringer, and the bottom bracket is fastened to the bottom surface substantially covering the stringer.
3. The reinforcing system of claim 1 wherein the top side of the top bracket and the bottom side of the bottom bracket each have a rounded surface.
4. The reinforcing system of claim 1 wherein the top side of the top bracket and the bottom side of the bottom bracket each have a tapered surface.
5. A reinforcing system for a floatation device that has an elongated stringer having at least a top edge and a bottom edge, the reinforcing system comprising:
- an elongated top bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge, the top and bottom sides being wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer;
- an elongated bottom bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge, the top and bottom sides being wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer; and
- a fastening means for fastening the top bracket to the top edge of the stringer, and the bottom bracket to the bottom edge of the stringer;
- whereby the brackets reinforce the stringer of the floatation device upon assembly of the brackets and stringer into the floatation device.
6. The reinforcing system of claim 5 wherein the floatation device is of the type having two buoyant blanks, each adhered to one side of the stringer, and wherein each blank and the stringer is further cut to accommodate each bracket.
7. The reinforcing system of claim 6 wherein each blank is adhered to one side of the stringer and to the peripheral edge and one side of each bracket.
8. A floatation device comprising:
- an elongated rectangular stringer defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, and two sides, each side being substantially parallel to the other;
- a pair of buoyant blanks, each having one substantially flat side for fixing to one side of the stringer;
- an elongated top bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge, the top and bottom sides being wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer;
- an elongated bottom bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge, the top and bottom sides being wider than the top and bottom edges of the stringer; and
- a fastening means for fastening the top bracket to the top edge of the stringer and the bottom bracket to the bottom edge of the stringer.
9. The floatation device of claim 8 wherein a pair of notches are cut into each blank and the stringer to accommodate each bracket.
10. The floatation device of claim 8 wherein each blank is fixed to the stringer and to one side and the peripheral edge of each bracket with adhesive.
11. The floatation device of claim 8 wherein the fastening means is a plurality of screws.
12. The floatation device of claim 9 wherein the fastening means is adhesive.
13. The floatation device of claim 9 wherein the fastening means is a resin coating applied over the blanks, stringer, and brackets.
14. The reinforcing system of claim 1 wherein each bracket further includes two projecting side portions, a U-shaped channel defined therebetween for receiving one edge of the stringer therein.
15. The floatation device of claim 8 wherein each bracket further includes two projecting side portions, a U-shaped channel being defined therebetween for receiving one edge of the stringer therein.
16. The floatation device of claim 1 wherein the top bracket further includes at a rear end thereof a traction pad.
17. The floatation device of claim 5 wherein the top bracket and the bottom bracket are each made from a corrugated plastic material.
18. A method of reinforcing a floatation device comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an assembled floatation device having an outer resin coating, a top surface and a bottom surface; an elongated top bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge; an elongated bottom bracket comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side edge; and a fastening means that fastens each bracket to the outer resin coating of the floatation device;
- b) fixing the top bracket to the resin coating of the top surface of the floatation device with the fastening means and fixing the bottom bracket to the resin coating of the bottom surface of the floatation device with the fastening means.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the fastening means is a strip of adhesive covered by a protective liner, and the following step is inserted between steps a) and b):
- a′) removing the protective liner from the strip of the adhesive of each bracket.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 3, 2007
Publication Date: Sep 4, 2008
Inventor: Steven Jon Cox (San Juan Capistrano, CA)
Application Number: 11/681,768
International Classification: B65D 19/00 (20060101);