Abstract:
A skateboard deck and a method of manufacturing a skateboard deck is provided without requiring the use of industrial-grade machinery. Precut layers of veneer or other suitable material are coated with adhesive and stacked on a one-sided, negative-contoured mold and placed in a flexible-walled, airtight container from which the air is evacuated, so as to place pressure on the container and force the layers to conform to the contours of the mold. The air evacuation may be accomplished by means of a hand operated, non-electric vacuum pump.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of skateboards, and more specifically to a kit and method of manufacture of a skateboard deck. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditionally skateboard decks, such as street decks, long boards, and luge boards, have been manufactured from hardwood veneer layers using industrial presses. These presses push two molds, a positive and a negative form, similar to the shape of a modem skateboard deck against a number of layers of veneer and glue. Once the glue has dried the molds are separated and the skateboard deck is removed, finished, and mounted on skateboard hardware. 
     It has been noted that avid skateboarders frequently break their skateboards in use, and require replacement decks, although the hardware portion (such as the trucks, including the wheels) are still in good condition. Some skateboarders also wish to customize their decks by building their own, or decorating the outer surfaces. However, at present skateboarders must either obtain a complete replacement skateboard, including hardware, which increases the cost of a replacement; or obtain a pre-manufactured deck, which is pre-shaped and pre-finished. Equipment such as the industrial press needed to manufacture a custom skateboard deck is typically inaccessible to the average skateboard user, who requires instead a less expensive, more accessible means of manufacturing a skateboard deck which may later be customized or finished and mounted on skateboard hardware. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a skateboard deck and a method of manufacturing a skateboard deck from a plurality of layers of veneer or other suitable material without the use of an industrial press or two-sided mold. A one-sided mold having a contoured surface is provided with a plurality of precut layers. The layers are stacked on the mold with an adhesive interposed between adjacent layers, and the mold and layers thus stacked are placed in a flexible-walled, air-impermeable environment. Air in the environment is evacuated until exterior pressure on the environment causes the layers to conform to the contours of the mold, and the adhesive is allowed to set before the layers are removed from the environment. 
     A feature of the invention is that the air may be evacuated by means of a hand operated, non-electric pump. 
     Still another feature of the invention is that alignment of the layers on the mold may be achieved by means of alignment pins mounted on the contoured mold surface which correspond to pre-drilled holes in the layers; or by means of an elastic or tie restraint. 
     Another feature of the invention is a kit for the manufacture of a skateboard deck using this method, comprising the precut layers, a flexible-walled, air-impermeable environment with valve means for evacuating air, and a one-sided, contoured mold. 
     Yet another feature of the invention is a skateboard, comprising a deck manufactured using this method mounted on appropriate skateboard hardware. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the skateboard deck mold. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of diagram of a mold-layer assembly after air evacuation and adhesive setting from the axis A shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the vacuum container and valve. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the mold-layer assembly and vacuum container with the air evacuated from the container. 
         FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the vacuum bag clip. 
         FIG. 5   b  is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum bag clip engaging the vacuum bag. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the skateboard deck  10  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the present invention is manufactured with a one-sided mold  30 . The mold  30  is shaped such that it generally follows the shape of the deck  10  to be manufactured. The upper surface  36  of the mold  30  is contoured as a negative of the finished skateboard deck  10  shape. To facilitate manufacture of the deck  10 , a first and second alignment pin  32 ,  34  are mounted on the mold  30  such that they protrude from the upper surface  36 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the mold  30  is manufactured from a sturdy but lightweight material such as extruded, expandable, or closed cell polystyrene foam or high density urethane with sufficient density and rigidity such that it does not deform or break during the assembly of the deck  10 . Such materials may be easily shaped to the form of the mold  30 ; extruded polystyrene foam, for example, may be cut to shape; expandable polystyrene and polypropylene may be injection or blow molded. Alternatively, the mold  30  may also be formed from molded pulp paper or plaster, or cut from balsa wood. However, with a material such as plaster, the mold  30  will then have a significantly greater weight. If the mold  30  is manufactured from a foam product, the alignment pins  32 ,  34  may be mounted in the mold  30  after the shape is formed; if the mold  30  is cast in a material such as plastic, paper, or plaster, the alignment pins  32 ,  34  are cast or mounted in the mold  30  before the material is set. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , the deck  10  is composed of several layers of material  22   a  through  22   g,  comprising skate face, skate core, and x-band layers. Preferably the layers  22   a  through  22   g  are formed of rotary cut hard maple veneer. For strength and flexibility, preferably seven layers of 1/16″ veneer are used to form the layers  22   a  though  22   g,  although fewer or more layers with other thicknesses may be used. The layers may also be composed of other materials such as other woods, bamboo veneer, aluminum, and composites such as carbon fiber. The layers, however, should be sufficiently thin so that the mold  30  is not distorted during the deck manufacturing process. Each of the layers  22   a  through  22   g  are precut with substantially similar shapes that correspond to a skateboard deck shape, as well as to the mold  30 . 
     The outer skate face layers  22   a,    22   g  are preferably cut from best quality veneer with no defects and, if cut from a wood, with the grain running in the lengthwise direction. The outer faces of the skate face layers  22   a,    22   g,  which in the assembled deck  10  do not contact any other layers  22   b  through  22   f,  may optionally be finished with decorative markings after the deck  10  is assembled. 
     The skate face layers  22   a,    22   g  sandwich an assembly of skate core layers  22   b,    22   d,    22   f  and x-band layers  22   c,    22   e.  The skate core layers  22   b,    22   d,    22   f  are formed of lengthwise grain veneer and are alternated with the x-band layers  22   c,    22   e,  cut from crosswise grain veneer. Where material with a grain is used, the crosswise grain of the x-band layers  22   c,    22   e  provide strength to the assembled deck  10 . The cosmetic quality of the interior layers  22   b  through  22   f  may be inferior to the cosmetic quality of the skate face layers  22   a,    22   g.    
     Each of the veneer layers  22   a  through  22   g  is provided with pre-drilled holes (not all shown) to facilitate mounting skateboard hardware after the deck  10  is assembled. The pre-drilled holes are aligned when the deck  10  is assembled. Two of the pre-drilled holes  24  (not shown) and  26  serve as alignment guides during assembly, and correspond to the alignment pins  32 ,  34  mounted on the mold  30 . 
     In assembly, the layers  22   a  through  22   g  are adhered using a suitable adhesive for the deck material. In the preferred embodiment, a crosslinking polyvinyl acetate emulsion adhesive for high density hardwood veneer such as Multibond® SK8 from Franklin International, a two-part epoxy such as West System® epoxy, or a polyurethane adhesive is used such as GorillaGlue®. Adhesive is applied to the upper faces of each of layers  22   a  through  22   f  as they are each mounted on the mold  30  and over the alignment pins  32 ,  34 . This mold-layer assembly is then inserted into the vacuum container  50 , shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The vacuum container  50  is preferably a bag formed of flexible nylon/polyethylene laminate or vinyl material and is of sufficient size to admit the insertion of the mold-layer assembly. The container  50  is initially sealed on all but one side to permit insertion of the mold-layer assembly. If the container  50  is manufactured from a roll of nylon/polyethylene laminate tubing, then one open end  54  may be heat sealed or otherwise sealed with an airtight seal. Once the mold-layer assembly is inserted in the container  50 , the remaining open end  62  may be sealed using a removable, airtight clamp (described below), or using another means of achieving an airtight seal such as an adhesive tape or reclosable slide fastener. 
     The container  50  is also provided with an air evacuation aperture  56 , to which is mounted in an airtight seal a one-way check valve means  60  for blocking the passage of air into the container  50 . In one embodiment, tubing  58  is mounted at one end through the aperture  56  using an airtight adhesive and is connected at its other end to the valve  60 . 
     The aperture  56  is preferably positioned in the container  50  such that when the mold-layer assembly is inserted in the container  50  in the position delineated by the dotted line in  FIG. 3 , the aperture  56  disposed against the mold-layer assembly. Positioning of the aperture  56  against the mold-layer assembly permits air to be evacuated though the aperture  56 , as described below, since the mold-layer assembly is somewhat porous. If the mold  30  is manufactured from a substantially non-porous material, such as plaster, then the side of the mold  30  may be scored to provide channels (not shown), or breather material may be interposed between the aperture  56  and the mold  30  (not shown) to permit the passage of air from within the container  50  through the aperture  56 . 
     The remaining open end  62  of the container  50  may be sealed using a removable clamp  70 , shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b,  so that the container  50  may be used for the manufacture of subsequent decks  10 . The clamp  70  comprises a cradle  72  and a rod  74  which fits in snap-fit relation into the cradle  72 , each of which extend for at least the width of the container opening  62 . To releasably seal the container  50 , the end  62  of the container  50  is placed on the cradle  72 , and the rod  74  is snapped into place in the cradle  72 , thus securing the container  50  therebetween, as can be seen in  FIG. 5   b.  The clamp  70  thus provides a releasable airtight seal for the opening  62 . Alternatively, the open end  62  may be sealed using a resealable low-tack adhesive tape which also provides an airtight seal. 
     In order to evacuate air from the sealed vacuum container  50 , a vacuum pump means is used. As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the preferred embodiment an inexpensive hand pump  80  is mounted on the check valve  60  to evacuate the air, and is removed once the air is evacuated from the container  50 . The check valve  60  prevents air leakage once the hand pump  80  is removed. 
     Thus, to assemble the skateboard deck  10 , the layers  22   a  through  22   g  are stacked in the desired order for mounting on the mold  30 , such that the first skate face layer  22   a  is mounted on the mold  30  first. A coating of adhesive is applied to the interior of the skate face layer  22   a;  this layer  22   a  is then mounted on the mold  30  with the adhesive-coated side facing up, such that the alignment holes  24 ,  26  are aligned on the alignment pins  32 ,  34 . A coating of adhesive is then applied to the surface of the next layer,  22   b,  such that when the layer  22   b  is mounted on the mold  30  and aligned, the adhesive-coated surface again faces up, and the non-coated surface of the layer  22   b  contacts the adhesive-coated surface of the previous layer  22   a.  This process is followed for the remaining layers, except for the second skate face layer  22   g.  This last layer  22   g  is placed on the mold  30  and alignment pins  32 ,  34  without a final coating of adhesive. 
     The mold-layer assembly is then placed inside the vacuum container  50 . Preferably, for added security against misalignment, the assembly may be temporarily secured with elastic bands or other tie fasteners  82  during the remainder of assembly. At this stage, the layers  22   a  through  22   g  are substantially unbent and do not conform to the contours of the surface  36  of the mold  30 . The vacuum container  50  is sealed using the bag clamp  70  or other sealing means, and the air is evacuated through the aperture  56  by means of the vacuum pump  80  such that pressure is applied against the layers  22   a  through  22   g  and they conform to the contoured surface  36 . Preferably, a pressure of approximately 26 Hg, which is effectively approximately 15 psi, is applied. By maintaining a vacuum within the container  50 , the layers  22   a  through  22   g  will continue to be contoured against the mold  30 . The adhesive is then allowed to set. If air inadvertently leaks into the container  50  while the adhesive is setting, the vacuum pump  80  may be temporarily reattached to evacuate the air. 
     Thus, the skateboard deck  10  is manufactured in the following process: 
     A mold and skate face, skate core, and x-band layers are provided. Adhesive is applied to the interior of a first skate face layer, and the first skate face layer is mounted on the mold with the adhesive-coated face up. Adhesive is then applied to subsequent layers on the face that will not be in contact with the glue from the previous layer mounted on the mold, and the subsequent layers are mounted in the appropriate order on the mold with the adhesive-coated side facing up, until the second skate face layer remains. This final layer is mounted on the mold without the application of additional adhesive. The layers are aligned on the mold either by means of alignment pins, or by temporarily fixing the layers in place using a removable restraint. The mold-layer assembly thus produced is placed in the vacuum container; the container is sealed, and air is evacuated to apply pressure to the mold-layer assembly and cause the layers to conform to the contours of the mold. The adhesive is allowed to set before the mold-layer assembly is removed from the vacuum environment and the deck is removed from the mold. The deck may then be finished, for example by smoothing the edges and decorating and sealing or finishing the surfaces of the deck. Skateboard hardware may then be attached. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.