Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/355,613, filed Feb. 5, 2002 and entitled “Laminate Inlay Process for Sports Boards”. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a method for creating an inlay pattern in a laminate sheet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for creating an inlay pattern in a laminate sheet and laminating the inlaid sheet into a composite laminate structure. The present invention finds particular utility for the top skin for a sports board, such as a snow sled or bodyboard.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Laminate sheets are useful in a variety of manufacturing processes. Laminate sheets may be bonded together to form a composite structure having layers of different materials. For example, foam core structures may have protective layers of laminated sheets attached to the outer surface thereof. Typical uses are again, snow sleds and bodyboards.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention provides a method for inlaying a design into a laminate sheet and bonding the inlaid laminate sheet to a core structure or core substrate. The method of the present invention includes the steps of die cutting a preselected inlay design out of a laminate sheet, die cutting a congruent insert to be placed in the aperture left by the die cut design, taping the insert into the die cut design aperture, laminating with heat and pressure the laminate sheet to a core material, removing the tape from the laminate sheet, and conducting a finishing operation such as trimming to clean the excess laminate sheet from around the edges of the core material. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a plan view of laminate sheet having a die cut inlay design cut therein according to the present invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a laminate sheet having a die cut inlay design removed, the laminate sheet having at least one different material characteristic than that of FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the removed die cut inlay design from the laminate sheet of FIG. 2.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the laminate sheet of FIG. 1, having the die cut inlay design removed, and showing the die cut inlay design of FIG. 3 taped into the cut out of the laminate sheet of FIG. 1, shown positioned over a core structure indicated by dashed lines.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is side view of the taped laminate sheet of FIG. 4 being fed through a laminating device and bonded to the surface of a core structure.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the laminate sheet of FIG. 4 after it has been bonded to the core structure, showing the tape removed.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 is a laminated sheet according to the present invention after it has been bonded to a core structure, showing another embodiment of the die cut inlay design.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 is a laminated sheet according to the present invention after it has been bonded to a core, showing still another embodiment of the die cut inlay design.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    The present invention is a method for making and applying an inlaid laminate sheet to a core structure or core substrate, and is particularly useful for forming tip skin designs on sports boards such as snow sleds and body boards. Top skin material may include polyethylene foam, in the range of about {fraction (1/16)}″ to ¼″ thick, and with a density in the range of about 4-8 lbs/ft 3 . A first laminate sheet  10  having a die cut inlay periphery or design  12  is shown in FIG. 1, and includes a surrounding expanse or portion  14  and an insert portion  16 . Insert portion  16  fills a die cut design aperture  18 . The shape and size of insert portion  16  and design aperture  18  are preselected, and are the same as the shape and size of inlay design  12 .  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 shows a second laminate sheet  20 , which includes a congruent die cut inlay design  22  sized and shaped to match die cut design  12  of FIG. 1. Second laminate sheet  20  further includes a surrounding expanse or portion  24  surrounding die cut design  22 . An insert portion  26  has been removed from second laminate sheet  20  in FIG. 2, leaving a corresponding or matching design outline or aperture  28 . Insert portion  26  is shown isolated in FIG. 3, prior to its being inlaid in another sheet.  
         [0015]    Laminate sheet  10  and laminate sheet  20  are different from one another in at least one material characteristic. For example, laminate sheet  10  may be red in color and laminate sheet  20  may be blue in color. Other color differences may exist between laminate sheet  10  and laminate sheet  20 . For example, laminate sheet  10  may be any color and laminate sheet  20  may be any other color including a lighter or darker shade of the same color as laminate sheet  10 . The idea is contrasting colors, to enhance the appearance of the laminated sheet.  
         [0016]    Other material characteristics may be different between laminate sheet  10  and laminate sheet  20 . The surface properties of the sheets may be different. For example, sheet  10  may have a relatively low coefficient of friction and sheet  20  may have a relatively high coefficient of friction. Also the reverse may be true, and sheet  10  may have a relatively high coefficient of friction and sheet  20  may have a relative low coefficient of friction. Variation in the coefficient of friction may be the result of a surface treatment or an inherent material property. Increases in the coefficient of friction increase the purchase, or grip, that the surface has on an adjacent surface.  
         [0017]    The matching die cut inlay designs  12  and  22  enable inserts  16  and  26  to be removed from sheets  10  and  20  and interchanged. Replacing insert  16  with insert  26  in sheet  10  makes a laminate sheet having an outer portion  14  of one material characteristic and an insert  26  of another material characteristic. Similarly, replacing insert  26  with insert  16  in sheet  20  makes a laminate sheet having an outer portion  24  of one material characteristic and an insert  16  of another material characteristic. The interchangeability may be used to enhance the characteristics of the composite structure. For example, if the composite structure is a snow sled or body board, an increase in the purchase of a rider surface may enhance the play value of the snow sled. The color of the insert may be different from that of the surrounding expanse, enhancing the visual aesthetics of the sports board.  
         [0018]    Laminate sheet  10  may be a variety of polymer materials. For example, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyvinylchloride may be used to form laminate sheet  10 .  
         [0019]    A method of making an inlaid laminate sheet and applying it to a substrate, such as the foam core of a sports board, such as a snow sled, will be better understood with reference to FIGS.  1 - 6 . Starting at FIG. 1, die cut design  12  is cut into laminate sheet  10 . Die cut design  12  may be cut using conventional stamping, like a “cookie cutter,” laser cutting, water jet cutting, or similar cutting techniques. Die cut design  12  forms separable insert portion  16 , which will be removed from laminate sheet  10  leaving an inlay aperture  18 . Inlay aperture  18  is sized to provide a corresponding periphery to receive an inlay piece to be inserted into laminate sheet  10 .  
         [0020]    As shown in FIG. 2, an inlay piece has been removed from second laminate sheet  20  leaving an inlay aperture  28 . Insert portion, or inlay piece  26  is shown in FIG. 3. Inlay piece  26  is oriented to lie within inlay aperture  18  and secured to laminate sheet  10  by adhesive tape  30  stretched along and secured to opposites sides of the boundary defined by aperture  18 , as shown in FIG. 4. Inlay piece  26  may be inlaid and secured in place manually, or using an automated process. Laminate sheet  10 , with inlaid piece  26  taped into position or otherwise secured, is now shifted and placed directly over a substrate such as foam core  32 , shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4. That foam core defines the outline of a sports board, such as a snow sled or bodyboard. While inlay piece  26  is shown taped into position it should be understood that other suitable means for securing inlay piece  26  may be used, such as an adhesive layer, or electrostatic bonds, etc.  
         [0021]    Laminate sheet  10  and substrate core  32  are then laminated together, as shown in FIG. 5. Substrate core  32  and laminate sheet  10  may be fed through a roll-press-laminating device  3   1 , and heat in the range of about 375° F. ensures lamination. The laminating device may include a pair of rollers  34  and  35  positioned to sandwich laminate sheet  10  and substrate core  32  together as indicated by arrows  36 . As shown in FIG. 5, roller  34  is adjacent laminate sheet  10  and may be heated to facilitate bonding between laminate sheet  10  and substrate core  32 . Roller  34  rotates in the direction, as indicated by arrow  38 , while roller  35  rotates in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrow  40 , to move both the substrate core  32  and laminate sheet  10  through the laminating device.  
         [0022]    It can be seen that tape  30  may be secured in place while laminate sheet  10  is being bonded to substrate core  32  in the laminating device. Tape  30  ensures that inlay piece  26  remains properly aligned and secured in place during the laminating process. As a result of the laminating process, inlay piece  26  and laminate sheet  10  are both bonded in place to substrate core  32 . Thereafter, the tape  30  may be removed. FIG. 6 shows laminate sheet  10  and insert potion  26  bonded to substrate core  32  with tape  30  removed.  
         [0023]    It should be understood that any die cut inlay design may be cut out of laminate sheets  10  and  20 , provided two requirements are met. The first is that the design dimensions are contained within the boundary of the exterior edge of substrate core  32 . The second requirement is that the design cut out of laminate sheet  10  be substantially the same size and shape as the design cut out of laminate sheet  20 . The aperture formed in the die cutting process is maintained within the boundaries of the laminate sheet. This is important because it is necessary to bond the sheet, using the inlay to the substrate core.  
         [0024]    After the laminated sheet  10  and inlay piece  26  have been laminated onto substrate core  32 , the loose edges of the sheet are “heeled” around the chine and edges of the board, and are laminated to the chine by a heat gun. Excess material is then suitably trimmed away with a knife.  
         [0025]    In the process shown, the laminate sheets may be sized about  22 ″ wide by  46 ″ or so in length, suitable for snow sled and bodyboard constructions.  
         [0026]    The present invention avoids wastage of laminate sheet material in a production process. For example, as a die cut is made on one sheet to create an inlay portion, that first sheet is then available to receive an inlay portion or insert from a second sheet of material. Simultaneously, the second sheet is available to receive an inlay portion from the first sheet or some other sheet having a matching or congruent inlay design.  
         [0027]    It should also be understood that the above-described process may be repeated on laminate sheet  20  with inlay piece  16  to form a composite with the material characteristics of laminate sheet  10  in the inlay design and the material characteristics of laminate sheet  20  in the surrounding portion.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 7 and 8 show other embodiments of inlaid laminate sheets  110  and  210  respectively. Inlaid laminate sheet  110 -having an inlaid piece  126  of a different design from inlaid piece  26 -is bonded to a core substrate  132 . Similarly, inlaid laminate sheet  210 -having an inlaid piece  226  of a different design than inlaid pieces  26  or  126 -is bonded to a core substrate  232 .  
         [0029]    It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein.  
         [0030]    Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed in a related application. Such claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to any original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.

Technology Category: 7