US20120018970A1

US20120018970A1 - Pvc skin skateboard

Info

Publication number: US20120018970A1
Application number: US12/882,398
Authority: US
Inventors: Dean Ronald Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-23
Filing date: 2010-09-15
Publication date: 2012-01-26

Abstract

A skateboard has a hard top skin formed with a top concave skin cavity. The hard top skin has an inside surface. The hard top skin is pervious to light. A top layer of adhesive adheres to the hard top skin. A flexible plywood core is formed with a top profile and a bottom profile. The top profile matches and receives the top hard skin. The top layer of adhesive adheres to a top surface of the plywood core. A bottom layer of adhesive adheres to a bottom surface of the flexible plywood core; and a hard bottom skin is formed with a bottom concave skin cavity. The bottom concave skin cavity is formed to fit to the bottom profile. The hard bottom skin is pervious to light.

Description

This application claims priority and is a continuation in part from inventor THOMPSON, Dean U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 12/842,404 entitled Hard Shell Bodyboard Kickboard, filed Jul. 23, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims priority from and is a continuation in part from inventor THOMPSON, Dean U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 12/857,744 entitled PVC Shell Skatepark, filed Aug. 17, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of skateboards.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Skateboards come from a family of sports boards. Since they are used for recreation, decoration is preferred. A variety of patents describe different configurations for applying printed film to a soft body board. A variety of sports boards have been treated with different constructions for maintaining a balance between cost and performance. Sports boards can be stiff, or have variable stiffness such as described in Moran U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,890 issued Jul. 6, 1993, entitled Bodyboard With Variable Stiffness the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Szabad in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,913 describes a sports board having a slick film surface and a method for making, issued Jul. 25, 1989. Szabad teaches a sports board for surfing, snow sledding or other sports having a shaped polyethylene plywood core to which a polyethylene film and polyethylene plywood sheet laminate is heat laminated over substantially all the surfaces of the core
Core stiffening has also been accomplished by using flexible plywood for the sports board core. Burke in U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,351 issued Jun. 21, 2005 entitled Flexible plywood core sports board, provides for an flexible plywood core sports board, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The flexible plywood's core sports board has side rail skins and a slick skin on the bottom with a blend of flexible plywood and polyethylene on the top. Schneider in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,593 provides a plywood core structure with graphics imprinted skin, issued May 18, 1993, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Schneider discloses a multi-layer graphics imprinted skin laminated to a sports board.
Pearson in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,389 entitled bodyboard, issued Mar. 20, 2001 describes a bodyboard, “having a durable, slick outer skin on the lower surface, a conventional upper surface and a specially shaped lower surface for maximized speed, maneuverability, and performance”, learned disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Pearson teaches a plywood core covered by bidirectional epoxy cloth, which has been popular in less expensive sports boards. Unfortunately, the epoxy cloth is usually not very durable.
Yeh in U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,920 entitled Slider having improved resistance to erosion and wear, issued Jan. 24, 2006, describes a bodyboard that has a polyethylene plywood skin laminated to a polyethylene plywood board, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Yeh teaches a soft outer film receiving graphic print and being bonded to the polyethylene plywood board with a plurality of concave depression formed on the top and side edges to enhance grip. A variety of different configurations have been tested in the water, in the marketplace, and described in the patent literature. While there has been much advancement in the area of high end performance body boards, there has been little improvement in improving less-expensive constructions.
A variety of other graphic film have been applied to skateboard for laminate construction. For example, U.S. patent application 2008/0020166 published Jan. 24, 2008 by inventor Esposito, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, teaches and a decent antiskid material laminated along with a translucent filler grip piece. It has also been known to use grip tape, such as described in Fuster, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,759 issued Apr. 22, 1997, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Grip tape may include an abrasive material such as silicon carbide disposed on a tape. Laminate graphic print can also be seen in Parten U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,513, entitled Method Of Manufacturing A Skateboard issued May1, 1990, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Parten describes that a preprinted label applied to a board lower surface can be sealed by applying a suitable coating to protect the label.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A skateboard is generally planar configuration and has a deck that has a pair of upturned ends, namely a front upturned end and a rear upturned end. A plurality of wheels are mounted to a bottom of the skateboard. The plurality of wheels includes at least a front wheel and at least a rear wheel. A plywood core formed as a plank is formed with a top profile and a bottom profile. The top layer of adhesive adheres to a top surface of the plywood core. A top layer of adhesive is adhering to a top surface of the plywood core. A top hard skin can be matching and fitting to the top profile. The top hard skin has an abrasive layer providing traction for user on an outside top surface. The top hard skin has a top paint layer in printed on an underside of the top hard skin. The top hard skin is pervious to light. The top layer of adhesive adheres the top hard skin to the plywood core. A bottom layer of adhesive adheres to a bottom surface of the plywood core. A hard bottom skin is formed to fit to the bottom profile. The hard bottom skin is pervious to light and between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm thickness PVC and made of PVC.
The skateboard hard top skin, flexible plywood core, and hard bottom skin can be formed with a bottom convex. The hard top skin has a top printing means, and the hard bottom skin further has a bottom printing means. The top printing means has a graphic film a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, and the graphic print layer is laminated to the hard top skin. The hard top skin further has a top printing means which can be painting a lower surface of the hard top skin. The top hard skin can be transparent. The abrasive layer can also be transparent and made of a clear sand layer.
Optionally, the hard top skin may have a top printing means, and the hard bottom skin may have a bottom printing means so that the bottom printing means includes a multi-layer graphic film comprising a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer. The graphic print layer can be laminated to a top surface of the hard bottom skin. The bottom printing means may have the technique of painting an upper surface of the hard top skin. The printing means may include the hard top skin being made of PVC, and the hard bottom skin being made of PVC. The flexible plywood core is made of a flexible plywood plank formed with a bottom convex. The hard top skin, flexible plywood core, and hard bottom skin can be formed with a bottom convex. The top printing means may include a graphic film a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, such that the graphic print layer is laminated to the hard top skin. The top printing means may include painting a lower surface of the hard top skin with a contrasting color scheme.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a close-up cross-section diagram of the layer construction.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view diagram of the layer construction.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section diagram of the hard sheet introduced into the mold.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section diagram of the hard skin been removed from the mold.

The following call out list of elements can be useful in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.

11 Top Outside Graphic Layer
12 Top Hard Layer
14 Top Paint Layer
15 Top Skin
16 Top 1st Graphic Layer
17 Top 2nd Graphic Layer
18 Top Glue Layer
19 Top Substrate
21 Bottom Outside Graphic Layer
22 Bottom Hard Layer
24 Bottom Paint Layer
25 Bottom Skin
26 Bottom 2nd Graphic Layer
27 Bottom 1st Graphic Layer
28 Bottom Glue Layer
29 Bottom Substrate
41 Sheet Of PVC
42 Sheet Edge
43 Skin Cavity
45 Mold Cavity
46 Mold
47 Mold Top Face
48 Mold Top Edge

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A skateboard is not perfectly flat and is curved, such as at the tips so that a user may more easily use the skateboard. The skateboard is curved in the longitudinal direction lengthwise and also widthwise having a shallow depression in the middle of the board.
The present invention skate board is made in three basic parts, the top skin 15 is formed as a top cover that is preferably a hard skin of PVC which can be flexible. The bottom skin 25 is formed as a bottom cover which is also preferably a hard skin of PVC which can be flexible. The middle portion is a relatively flexible plywood core which can be formed as a pair of layers, namely a top substrate and a bottom substrate. It is preferred that the hard layer is preformed to shape, but can also be a flat. The top cover can be molded to a relatively hard skin shape, then the bottom cover can be molded to a relatively hard skin shape, and the top cover is fitted over a plywood core. It is preferred to make a batch of top covers, then make a batch of bottom covers and then making a batch of plywood cores that match the top and bottom covers. The final step involves assembly using a spray or film glue to glue the top and bottom covers to the plywood core. The preferred glue is a spray on glue.
The top layer or top skin has a top hard layer 12 providing structural flexibleity and structural strength to the top skin 15. The top hard layer 12 is preferably a sheet of transparent or translucent PVC that can be formed into a skin structure by vacuum forming in a hollow formation cavity. Depending upon the final shape, the top hard layer 12 can be made flexible with as thin as 0.01 mil thickness PVC, but can also be about 10 mil thick PVC if necessary, such as if the plank shape is relatively flat. It is preferred that the thickness is approximately between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm thickness PVC.
A hollow formation cavity of a mold cavity 45 can receive a rectangular sheet of PVC 41 having a sheet edge 42 around the edge of the sheet. The mold cavity 45 is an opening which receives a heated piece of transparent PVC and vacuum forms the sheet into a skin such as a top skin 15 having a skin cavity 43. The skin cavity is concave. The top mold face 47 surrounds the mold cavity 45. An edge of the mold, namely the mold top edge 48 defines the extent of the suction power. Suction is formed in the mold cavity 45 by a plurality of openings on the surface of the mold cavity 45.
The sheet of PVC 41 is preferably first laminated to other sheets, and then trimmed with a trimming machine so that sheet edges 42 are formed. The sheet of PVC 41 is then heated until it is soft enough to be vacuum formed in a mold cavity 45 of a mold 46 so that the hard sheet is bent to form a skin cavity 43. The mold top face 47 is preferably flat so as to form a vacuum along eight mold top edge 48 four sucking in the hard sheet 41.
Before placing into the mold machine, the top hard layer 12 receives a top paint layer 14 on an underside of the top hard layer 12. Also before placing into the mold machine, the top hard layer 12 optionally receives a top first graphic layer 16 or a top second graphic layer. Printing means may include a means for adding graphics to the top skin which is the hardtop layer. For example, the top first graphic layer can be a foil such as a metallized plastic sheet that is laminated to the top paint layer 14, and the top second graphic layer can be a sheet of plastic film. Alternatively, the top first graphic layer can be a graphic film and at least some portions of the top paint layer 14 can be omitted so that the graphic film can be seen through the clear top hard layer 12. Alternatively, the top skin can be directly screenprinted with a foil as the first or second graphic layer under the screen printing. Foil means metallic colored film which may have thin metal deposit, not a thick sheet of metal like standard kitchen use aluminum foil.
After assembly, the top outside surface may receive a top outside graphic layer 11 which can be applied to the outside surface of the top hard layer 12. The top outside graphic layer 11 can be formed as an adhesive sticker, or as a thermally laminated plastic sheet that adheres to the top hard layer 12. The overlap channel 31 includes the elements of the laminate construction including the top paint layer 14 which is bonded to a top first graphic layer 16, a top second graphic layer 17 and glued by a top glue layer 18 to a top substrate 19. The glue layer 18 can be applied by a plastic adhesive film or by spray glue. It is preferred to use a spray glue 18. Along the overlap portion, the spray glue 18 either: adheres the outside surface of the top hard layer 12 to the inside surface of the modern glue layer 28; or adheres the outside surface of the bottom hard layer 22 to the inside surface of the top glue layer 18.
The construction of the bottom layer is substantially similar to the construction of the top layer. The bottom layer has a bottom outside graphic layer 21 overlying a bottom hard layer 22, which in turn receives a bottom paint layer 24, and a bottom second graphic layer 26 and a bottom first graphic layer 27 which is secured by a bottom glue layer 28 to a bottom substrate 29. A top substrate 19 can be connected to the bottom substrate 29 especially if the substrate is made of similar material so that the core can be a multiple layer core.
The best mode for manufacturing the board is according to the following steps. The first step is to print the inside surface of the hard skin. The second step is to use laser printing for printing film which is heat laminated to the inside surface of the hard skin. The third step is to form the hard skin. The fourth step is to trim the hard skin edge in a trimmer. The fifth step is to spray glue on the inside of the hard skin.
The best mode also includes the step of either painting the inside surface of the hard skin, or laminating printed film to the inside surface of the hard skin. Depending upon the design, it is generally more feasible to only paint the inside surface of the hard skin or only laminating printed film to the inside surface of the hard skin. The printed film can be printed on the inside surface of the printed film in reverse, or on the outside surface of the printed film in a positively printed non-inverted manner. The best mode is to print the film in a positively printed manner such that the print is on the top surface or outside of the printed film. The printing on the outside surface of the printed film would mean that the PVC and the printed portion may be touching.
The printing on the printed film can be opaque or a shiny lucent paint. The best mode for printing means is to print on the outside surface of a foil sheet which is then laminated to the PVC. It is also possible to use a bilayer printed film construction by having print on the inside surface of a clear sheet which then receives a foil sheet underneath the clear sheet. The bi-layer printed film construction can be first printed in a roll and laminated together in a roll of printed film, for later lamination to a PVC sheet. Another manner of printing would be to print on the inside surface of the PVC sheet, and laminate a foil underneath the PVC sheet.
It is preferred to add an abrasive layer on top of the top hard layer 12. The abrasive layer can be a sanded finish with the graphic underneath the sanded finish. The top abrasive layer can be finished according to the prior art described such as in Parten U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,513. With a sanded finish, the sanded is adhered to the top hard layer 12 and the top outside graphic layer 11 is omitted. The top hard layer 12 is preferably screenprinted on an underside or backed with a top first graphic layer 16. The abrasive layer provides a grip for the user.
On the under side of the skateboard, the bottom hard layer does not receive a sanded finish and is preferably not abrasive in nature.
Therefore, while the presently preferred forms of the invention been shown and described, and several modifications thereof discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A skateboard, of generally planar configuration comprising:

a. a pair of upturned ends, namely a front upturned end and a rear upturned end;

b. a plurality of wheels mounted to a bottom of the skateboard, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least a front wheel and at least a rear wheel;

c. a plywood core formed as a plank and formed with a top profile and a bottom profile, wherein the top layer of adhesive adheres to a top surface of the plywood core;

d. a top layer of adhesive adhering to a top surface of the plywood core;

e. a top hard skin matching and fitting to the top profile, wherein the top hard skin has an abrasive layer providing traction for user on an outside top surface, wherein the top hard skin has a top paint layer in printed on an underside of the top hard skin, wherein the top hard skin is pervious to light, wherein the top layer of adhesive adheres the top hard skin to the plywood core;

f. a bottom layer of adhesive adhering to a bottom surface of the plywood core; and

g. a hard bottom skin formed to fit to the bottom profile, wherein the hard bottom skin is pervious to light and between 0.05 mm and 0.5 mm thickness PVC and made of PVC.

2. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin, flexible plywood core, and hard bottom skin are formed with a bottom convex.

3. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises atop printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises a graphic film a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to the hard top skin.

4. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises painting a lower surface of the hard top skin.

5. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises a multi-layer graphic film comprising a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to a top surface of the hard bottom skin.

6. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises painting an upper surface of the hard top skin.

7. The skateboard of claim 1, further comprising a graphic image seen through a transparent top hard skin and through a layer of clear sand.

8. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a first printing means, wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a second printing means, wherein the hard top skin is made of PVC, wherein the hard bottom skin is made of PVC, wherein the flexible plywood core is made of flexible plywood.

9. The skateboard of claim 8, wherein the hard top skin, flexible plywood core, and hard bottom skin are formed with a bottom convex.

10. The skateboard of claim 8, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises a graphic film a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to the hard top skin.

11. The sports board of claim 8, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises painting a lower surface of the hard top skin.

12. The skateboard of claim 8, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises a multi-layer graphic film comprising a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to a top surface of the hard bottom skin.

13. The skateboard of claim 8, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises painting an upper surface of the hard top skin.

14. A skateboard, of generally planar configuration comprising:

c. a core formed as a plank and formed with a top profile and a bottom profile, wherein the top layer of adhesive adheres to a top surface of the core;

d. a top layer of adhesive adhering to a top surface of the core;

e. a top hard skin matching and fitting to the top profile, wherein the top hard skin has an abrasive layer providing traction for user on an outside top surface, wherein the top hard skin has a top paint layer in printed on an underside of the top hard skin, wherein the top hard skin is pervious to light, wherein the top layer of adhesive adheres the top hard skin to the core;

f. a bottom layer of adhesive adhering to a bottom surface of the core; and

g. a hard bottom skin formed to fit to the bottom profile, wherein the hard bottom skin is pervious to light.

15. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin, flexible core, and hard bottom skin are formed with a bottom convex.

16. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises a graphic film a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to the hard top skin.

17. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the top printing means further comprises painting a lower surface of the hard top skin.

18. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises a multi-layer graphic film comprising a foil layer laminated to a graphic print layer, wherein the graphic print layer is laminated to a top surface of the hard bottom skin.

19. The skateboard of claim 1, wherein the hard top skin further comprises a top printing means, and wherein the hard bottom skin further comprises a bottom printing means wherein the bottom printing means further comprises painting an upper surface of the hard top skin.