Patent ID: 6382658
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
A method of designing and making a snowboard or ski body having a number of parts including a cap, a base, and a core, said body being partitioned into a plurality of cross-sectional portions, said cap having a top surface and a first mounting zone located on said top surface for mounting a first snowboard binding, said base having a bottom surface, said core having a thickness, wherein said method comprises the steps of:(1) selecting a loading condition comprising a first downward load acting on said first mounting zone and an upward force acting on said bottom surface and selecting a desired curvature of said bottom surface under said loading condition; (2) determining said thickness of said core at one of said cross-sectional portions, so that the following equation is satisfied; I=M/(ECm) â€ƒwhere: Cm is said desired curvature of said bottom surface under said loading condition at said one of said cross-sectional portions; E is the composite modulus of elasticity of said body at said one of said cross-sectional portions; I is the composite area moment of inertia of said body at said one of said cross-sectional portions; M is the bending moment acting on said one of said cross-sectional portions under said loading condition; (3) repeating step (2) for each of said plurality of cross-sectional portions; and manufacturing a snowboard wherein said thickness of said core at each of said plurality of cross-sectional portions corresponds to the thicknesses determined in steps (2) and (3).