Abstract:
A snowboard having a contoured bottom surface wherein a raised profile near the center of the bottom surface defines a pair of parallel, longitudinal channels through which snow is directed toward the tail end of the snowboard. Inboard from the tail end, aligned with at least one of the channels, an aperture is located that allows snow to be ejected vertically, forming a plume or rooster tail of snow as the rider passes over the snow.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to snowboarding. Specifically, the present invention relates to a snowboard having a contoured bottom surface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Snowboarding remains a popular winter sport in many areas that have hills or mountains that are suitable for snow skiing. Unlike skis, snowboards require the rider to strap both feet to a single snow board and ride it in a stance similar to how a skateboard is ridden. Indeed, both snowboarding and skateboarding incorporate similar rider movements to control direction and speed. Like a skateboard, a snowboard has a length defined by a nose end at the front end of the snowboard and a tail end at the rear end of the snowboard. A snowboard&#39;s width is defined by two running edges that are substantially parallel to each other and run the length of the snowboard. 
         [0003]    Examples of prior art snowboards include U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,745, issued to Stovekin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,868, issued to Morris; U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,078 issued to Vance; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 308, 996 to Katz, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 346, 194 to Ferris. 
         [0004]    The Stovekin snowboard sought to improve steering and ride characteristics by adding steering skegs and shock absorption devices to a snowboard. The Morris snowboard includes transverse channels and longitudinal grooves formed by longitudinal, downwardly-extending edges to facilitate movement through the snow. The Vance snowboard includes running edges secured to the lower edges of the snowboard to improve handling characteristics of the board. The Katz snowboard includes several shapes formed or cut in the upper surface of the snowboard for ornamental reasons. The Ferris snowboard, provides a two piece capped board with a fin-shaped tail. 
         [0005]    Typically, snowboards are manufactured from laminated materials, which subjects snowboards to delamination problems and significant manufacturing cost. Snowboards are subject to punishing conditions of being in constant contact with snow and ice while bearing the weight of a rider. Aggressive riders demand snowboards that can withstand riders&#39; jumping or “catching air” with the snowboard, which results in significant shock to the snowboard when landing on hardpacked snow or ice. Another more common impact to a snowboard comes from colliding with obstacles such as rocks or trees, or other collisions that occur during transport. Running edges bear the brunt of these collisions, which can damage the integrity of the snowboard. To combat the wear on running edges, some snowboards incorporate permanently-secured running edge guards attached to the running edges of the snowboard. They are typically so rigid and permanently affixed to the snowboard that they are an integral part of the snowboard, and define control and handling characteristics for the snowboard. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to remove and replace damaged edge guards on a snowboard because they are often bonded to the snowboard body through epoxy. Delamination problems and replacement of edge guards require the average rider to pay a professional shop to repair the snowboard or change the edge guards, which is cost-prohibitive. Thus, there is a need for a more simple material to be used in a snowboard body as well as a need for edge guards that are easier to maintain. 
         [0006]    Another shortcoming of prior art snowboards is that snow is not significantly diverted by contours on the bottom surface of the board or any other part of the snowboard, whether for speed, handling or simple aesthetics. In the sport of offroad motorcycle riding, for example, riders enjoy generating a plume of dirt that is ejected vertically from the back tire, often referred to as a “rooster tail.” A similar plume can be seen in the operation of speed boats and jet skis, which can create a plume of water vertically from the behind the stern of the boat or from the back end of a jet ski. 
         [0007]    Finally, current snowboards are opaque. The laminated construction is usually fiberglass, plastic, and/or metal, and thus the rider cannot see the surface beneath the snowboard. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention overcomes the shortcomings described above by providing a snowboard having a contoured bottom surface wherein a raised profile near the center of the bottom surface defines a pair of parallel, longitudinal channels through which snow is directed toward the tail end of the snowboard. Inboard from the tail end, aligned with at least one of the channels, an aperture is located that allows snow to be ejected vertically, forming a plume or rooster tail of snow as the rider passes over the snow. This vertical ejection of snow also helps keep the tail end of the snowboard in contact with the snow, which reduces chatter and improves handling of the snowboard. The raised profile in the center of the bottom surface also provides rigidity to the snowboard as it is located beneath the area where a rider secures his boots in bindings on the top surface of the snowboard. In the preferred embodiment, the raised profile has a shape that is substantially that of the profile of an hourglass, where a first round, raised area under the forward foot of the rider and the second round, raised area under the rear foot of the rider are connected by a longitudinal raised profile area, such that the raised profile protrudes outward from the bottom surface of the snowboard and makes contact with the snow or ice. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the present invention, the preferred material for construction of the snowboard is transparent polycarbonate, formed in a single, non-laminated shape. This material is also easily recycled. In alternative embodiments, the snowboard is constructed from polymethyl methacrylate. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is thin enough to allow the snowboard body to flex during riding, so that more of the snowboard&#39;s bottom surface remains in contact with soft snow, and absorb some shock while riding over hardpacked snow or ice. In the preferred embodiment, the thickness of the snowboard typically varies from about 0.5 inches to about 0.25 inches. 
         [0010]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, the snowboard includes edge guards that are easily removed and replaces. By incorporating a channel along the running edge, an edge guard can have an interior shape that is inserted into the channel and secures the edge guard to the running edge. In the preferred embodiment, the leading point of the edge guard is secured also by a removable nose piece that attaches to the nose end of the snowboard, thus protecting the edge guard from forward-point collisions that might tear the edge guard lose from the snowboard. 
         [0011]    Many other features and advantages of the present invention will be realized by reading the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the bottom surface of the snowboard of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the snowboard showing a cross sectional view from the aspect of the nose end of the snowboard. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the snowboard having exit holes for snow and ice channeled along the bottom of the snowboard. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Directing attention to  FIG. 1 , there is shown bottom surface  12  of snowboard  10  having a plurality of features of the present invention. Bottom surface  12  includes first raised area  14 , which in the preferred embodiment is located substantially under the forward boot binding on the top side of snowboard  10 . Second raised area  16 , in the preferred embodiment, is located substantially under the rear boot binding on the top side of snowboard  10 . Connecting raised area  18  joins first raised area  14  to second raised area  16 , and forms a divider that separates snow underneath snowboard  10  and guides it through channels  20 ,  22 . In some embodiments, connecting area  18  extends no farther than between first raised area  14  and second raised area  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , connecting raised area can extend beyond first raised area  14  and second raised area  16  to form a central rail protruding from bottom surface  12 . While in the preferred embodiment, first raised area  14  and second raised area  16  are substantially circular shapes that protrude downward from bottom surface  12  and can be somewhat spherical, they also can be shaped as shown in  FIG. 1  to streamline the diversion of snow between and along channels  20 ,  22 . Channels  20 ,  22  in the preferred embodiment are concave, longitudinal channels formed in bottom surface  12 . The side of channel  20  and edge  26  define edge rail  28 , and the side of channel  21  and edge  30  define edge rail  32 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , snowboard  10  includes a trimaran design, in which there are three runners or rails supporting snowboard  10 , defined by edge rail  28  on one side, the combination of first raised area  14 , second raised area  16 , and connecting raised area  18  as the central rail, and edge rail  32  on the other side. Snow displaced by these rails is directed through channels  20 ,  22 . While in the preferred embodiment connecting area  18  is disposed between raised areas  14 ,  16 , in an embodiment, connecting area  18  may be utilized in a design without any other raised areas, such as raised areas  14 ,  16 . 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, channels  20 ,  22  include apertures  21 ,  23 , respectively, through which snow passing through channels  20 ,  22  exit. Directing attention to  FIG. 3 , apertures  21 ,  23  are positioned such that snow passes through them, thus reducing the drag or resistance of the portion of bottom surface  12  that is located between apertures  21 ,  23  and tail end  24 . In an embodiment, apertures  21 ,  23  have forward edge  25  and read edge  27 , both of which are oriented at acute angles with respect to the plane defining bottom side  12 . When operated at sufficient speed, snow exiting from apertures  21 ,  23  is ejected upward in a substantially vertical direction with respect to bottom surface  12 , creating a plume or rooster tail that is not only aesthetic, but also exerts a downward pressure on tail end  24  of snowboard  10 . This is effective to reduce vibration or chatter experienced in the tail end when passing over a hardpacked snow or ice. The plume or rooster tail generated by snowboard  10  is also effective for teaching other riders to maintain a safe distance from snowboard  10 . In an embodiment, diverters may be placed over apertures  21 ,  23  to divert the plumes, such as to a desired degree to left or right, elevational configuration, apart from each other, etc. Connection of diverters to snowboard  10  can incorporate the connection technique of edge guard  34 . 
         [0017]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, edge guard  34  is attached to edge  26  and edge guard  36  is attached to edge  30  to protect snowboard  10  from impacts such as collisions with obstacles and general wear and tear associated with transporting and storing snowboard  10 . Edge guards  34 ,  36  are flexible, extruded pieces of material, such as plastic or rubber, and include a key  38  that feeds into channel  40 . Channel  40  is formed in edges  30  and  32  and receives edge guards  34 ,  36 . In an embodiment, edge guards  34 ,  36  can be made from sufficiently flexible material to allow them to be pressed or hammered into channel  40 . Also in an embodiment, removable nose guard  42 , also made from plastic, rubber or other durable material, can be secured on nose end  44 , and hold edge guards  34 ,  36 , in place. As shown in  FIG. 1 , edge guards  34 ,  36  can be shaped to provide channel  46  and edge rail  48 . Edge guards having this profile can improve handling and steering characteristics for snowboard  10 . 
         [0018]    Because snowboard  10  is flexible in the preferred embodiment, additional stiffening of snowboard  10  can be obtained by placing stiffener  50  on top side  52 . In the preferred embodiment, stiffener  50  is positioned above the central rail formed by connecting raised area  18  on bottom surface  12 . There are several ways contemplated for attaching stiffener  50 . In a simple embodiment, stiffener  50  incorporates flat sections that are secured between snowboard  10  and the rider&#39;s boot bindings that are attached to top side  52 . In a preferred embodiment, stiffener  50  snaps into channels  54  that are formed in top side  52 . Stiffener  50  can be offered in a variety of flexibilities, and selected based on snow conditions or simply by rider preference. 
         [0019]    While a unitary snowboard has been described and illustrated in its best mode, it is to be understood that many changes can be made to the various embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof.