Abstract:
In mounting of a fin on a surfboard, there is formed a through hole within the surfboard with the fin to be mounted within the through hole and extend from the underside of the surfboard. The through hole is normally open the top side of the surfboard. A cover, comprising a thin flexible base, is adhesively secured onto the top side of the surfboard surrounding the through hole. The cover includes a nametag which is removably mounted in conjunction with the base. Removing of the nametag permits access into the surfboard fin mounting box.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The field of this invention relates to surfboards and more particularly to a cover for a through hole that is formed within the surfboard that is usable to mount a fin on the surfboard. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     Surfboards are known to have between one and three fins mounted on the undersurface of the surfboard. The purpose of the fins are to provide control to the rider when the surfboard moves through water. In the past, these fins have been mounted permanently in conjunction with the board. This permanent type of mounting has certain disadvantages. One disadvantage is that when the board is being shipped or being carried from one location to another, the overall size of the surfboard is significantly increased. Elimination of the fin or fins will substantially reduce the size of the surfboard especially if it is contained within a surfboard carry bag. If the surfboard is carried on board an airplane, it is common for the carrier to charge a fee for each surfboard that is being carried. If the fin could be removed, in the same space that a single board would occupy, there could be placed within the carry bag three in number of surfboards. Generally, a single carry bag is only charged a fee for a single surfboard even though there are two or three in number of surfboards within the bag. 
     Additionally, the protrusion of the fin or fins substantially increases the possibility of damage to the surfboard when being transported. The fin can strike an object or an object can strike the fin which can result in the fin actually being broken or the mounting arrangement of the fin could be damaged. 
     Within recent years, it has been known to mount a surfboard fin in a removable manner in conjunction with a surfboard. A box is utilized which is imbedded within the board and then the fin is then mounted in conjunction with the box. This mounting permits removing of the fin during times of transporting of the surfboard. An advantage of mounting the fin in conjunction with a box imbedded within the surfboard is that if the box is made of an extended length, then the fin can be adjusted to different longitudinal positions within the box. Once an established longitudinal position is achieved, the fin is then fixed in position to the box by means of a fastener, such as a screw or bolt that is to be engageable from the top side of the surfboard by a tool being extended into the opening of the box. After the longitudinal position of the fin is established and the fin is then fixed in position, the opening into the box on the top side of the surfboard is open. This provides an open hole which is capable of being contacted by the surfboard rider&#39;s feet. This open hole, if not adequately deburred during installation, has somewhat sharp edges which can actually cause injury to the rider&#39;s feet. Additionally, as a rider maneuvers the surfboard, there is at times substantial force encountered between the surfboard rider&#39;s feet and the surfboard. It has been discovered that at times this force may be sufficient to cause separation to occur between the surfboard and the surfboard fin mounting box. Separation between the watertight fiberglass skin and the solid column of resin that surrounds the box will provide a point of entry for water to be absorbed by the foam core which will cause premature destruction of the surfboard. One of the purposes of the fiberglass skin is to prevent absorption of water by the foam core. If this separation gets severe enough, it can actually cause he surfboard mounting box to become dislodged from the surfboard thereby losing the mounting arrangement for the control fin that is to be mounted within the surfboard mounting box. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the primary objectives of the present invention is to construct a cover to be located about a through hole that is used to mount a surfboard control fin to the surfboard with this cover being mounted on the top side of the board around the through hole closing of the through hole preventing any contact between the rider of the surfboard and the through hole during use of the surfboard. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a flexible watertight seal. This seal is intended to bridge the interface between the surfboard top surface fiberglass shell and the solid column of resin cast around the box. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a cover for the through hole that is used for mounting of a control fin of a surfboard which provides an element of protection to tend to prevent separation occurring between the surfboard and the fin mounting box that is mounted in conjunction with the through hole. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a cover which is simple in construction and can be manufactured inexpensively and thereby sold to the ultimate consumer at an inexpensive price. 
     The surfboard box cover of the present invention comprises a thin base having an inner side and an outer side. The basic configuration of the base can be of any desired shape with generally an oblong configuration being preferred. The base includes a center opening. A nametag is removably mounted within the opening with the base including a pair of flanges that extend partially over the opening with the edges of the nametag to be located under these flanges in order to retain the nametag in position. Removal of the nametag will provide access into the fin mounting box so as to gain access to a bolt or screw fastener or any other means of securing the fin that is utilized within the fin box that is to be used to securely mount the fin in a fixed position on the surfboard. The inner side of the base includes a layer of adhesive which is used to securely mount the base onto the top side of the surfboard surrounding the through hole within which is mounted the fin mounting box. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through the fin mounting box that is mounted within a surfboard that is typically used for mounting of a control fin in conjunction with a surfboard; 
     FIG. 2 is a top side isometric view of a portion of a surfboard and fin mounting box shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view depicting the nametag that is usable in conjunction with the cover of the present invention showing the nametag in a spaced position from the cover about ready to be installed in conjunction with the cover; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the nametag in a partially installed position in conjunction with the cover; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with the nametag in a completely installed position which is similar to what is shown within FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the cover in its installed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown a conventional surfboard  10  which has a top side  12  and an underside  14 . It is to be understood that the rider would normally stand on the top side  12 . For reasons of control, it is required to include a type of protruding fin  16  with this fin  16  protruding from the underside  14 . The fin  16  coupled with other such fins, will provide the desired control to the surfboard  10  as it is moved through the water. 
     The surfboard fin  16  includes a plateau section  18 . The plateau section  18  includes a threaded hole  20 . The plateau section  18  is to be located within an elongated recess  22  of a fin mounting box  24 . The fin mounting box  24  includes an internal chamber  26 . The internal chamber  26  connects with the elongated recess  22 . The wall surface  28  located between internal chamber  26  and the elongated recess  22  includes an elongated slot  30 . A screw or bolt fastener  32  is to be located within the internal chamber  26  with the threaded end of the fastener  32  being located within the threaded hole  20  with the head of the fastener  32  being located in abutting contact with the wall surface  28  in the area of the slot  30 . Tightening of the fastener  32  will result in the fin  16  being fixedly secured in position relative to the surfboard  10 . It is to be understood that by loosening of the fastener  32 , the longitudinal position of the fin  16  can be adjusted in the direction of arrow  38  within the limit of the longitudinal dimension of the elongated recess  22 . This adjustment is desired in order to provide varying degrees of control of the surfboard to the rider. It has been discovered that a beginning type of rider generally desires the fin  16  to be located in a certain position while an intermediate skilled rider desires a slightly different position for the fin  16 . Still further, an advanced skill level of rider desires a still further different position of the fin  16 . 
     The fin mounting box  24  is located within an appropriately constructed through hole  34  formed between the top side  12  and the underside  14  of the surfboard  10 . It is to be understood that there will be a separate through hole  34  for each fin  16  with it generally being preferred that there may be used as many as three in number of the fins  16 . Once the fin mounting box  24  is correctly positioned within the through hole  34 , a liquid resin is then poured about the box  24  within the through hole  34 . This liquid resin hardens into a border  36 . Once the border  36  is hardened, the fin mounting box  24  is cut to be substantially flush with the top side  14  of the surfboard  10 , in the area of the box  24  and the border  36  sanded to be precisely flush with the top side  12 . 
     The cover  40  of this invention is shown of a basic sheet material configuration having an inner side  42  and an outer side  44 . The inner side  42  and the outer side  44  define respectively the lower and upper surfaces of a base  46  which comprises the cover  40 . A typical material of construction for the base  46  will be a rubber or plastic material with the base  46  being flexible. Mounted on the inner side  42  is an adhesive layer  48 . The adhesive layer  48  is to be placed into adhesive securement with the top side  12  so that the base  46  will cover entirely the opening providing access into the internal chamber  26 . Although the securement of an adhesive layer  48  is desired, it is to be considered to be within the scope of this invention that other types of securements could be utilized, such as possibly a bolt or screw fastening arrangement. The fact that the base  46  is somewhat flexible is so that the base  46  will flushingly contact the top side  12  even if the top side  12  has somewhat of a non-planar arcuate surface. The base  46  is to assume the shape of the top side when the adhesive layer  48  is applied against the top side  12 . 
     Centrally formed within the base  46  is a rectangularly shaped opening  50 . The outer side  44  includes a pair of flanges  52  and  54  which extend partially over the opening  50 . The flanges  52  and  54  are located on opposite longitudinal ends of the opening  50 . The flanges  52  and  54  are constructed of the same material as the base  46 , which will generally be of rubber or plastic. A nametag  56 , which is basically of a rectangular shape, is formed of a harder material such as a hard plastic than the material of construction of the base  46 . The nametag  56  terminates in a forward lip  58  and a rearward lip  60 . The forward lip  58  is to be mounted underneath the flange  52  with the rearward lip  60  being mounted underneath the flange  54 . The forward lip  58  is to be located between the flange  52  and the top side  12  of the surfboard  10 . The rearward lip  60  is to be located between the flange  54  and the top side  12  of the surfboard  10 . When installing of the nametag  56  in position, it is to be bent to a bowed configuration, as is shown in FIG. 4, when the forward lip  58  is installed in position in conjunction with the flange  52 . The rearward lip  60  can then be located beneath the flange  54  with the nametag  56  then being released so that it will assume a substantially flush position within the base  46  with the nametag  56  closing of the opening  50  and closing of the opening which provides access into the internal chamber  26 . The cover  40  is to be of sufficient size that will prevent the rider&#39;s feet from coming into contact with the edges of the internal chamber  26  located at the top side  12 . Because the base  46  is also constructed of a soft material such as rubber, the inherent resiliency of the base  46  provides a comfortable surface in order to be contacted by the user&#39;s feet. The size of the base  46  is selected so as to be located outwardly away from the border  36 . This size is so that the cover  40  provides support for the joint between the border  36  and the surfboard  10  which helps to assist in minimizing the possibility of separation occurring at this joint. 
     In order to assist in removing of the nametag  56  in order to gain access into the internal chamber  26  in order to loosen and tighten of fastener  32 , there is provided a slot  62  within the nametag  56 . The slot  62  is to be engageable with the forward end of a tool, such as a screwdriver, that can be used to pry up the nametag  56  so that it can be disengaged from the opening  50 . During this disengagement, it is to be understood that the nametag  56  will assume some type of a bowed configuration in order to disengage from the flanges  52  and  54 . 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. Reference should be made to the appending claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.