Gliding board with varying bending properties

Abstract

A gliding board, such as a snowboard, has improved lift or float in certain conditions, e.g., when gliding in powdered snow. A nose and/or tail of the gliding board may have a variable bending property to provide the improved float. In one embodiment, the nose and/or tail may have a tapered thickness or other features so that the nose and/or tail is more flexible toward the tip of the nose or tail. Other variable bending properties in the nose and/or tail may be provided for reasons other than improved float, such as to enhance trick or other maneuver performance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gliding board comprising: 
 a running length having opposite ends, two edges and a sidewall extending along at least a portion of one edge of the running length;    a nose located at one end of the running length; and    a tail located at the other end of the running length, wherein the nose and tail each have a transition end near the running length and a tip opposite the transition end, at least one of the nose and tail having a varying bending property that affects a performance characteristic of the board.    
     
     
         2 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the nose and tail has a thickness that varies along a length of the nose or tail.  
     
     
         3 . The gliding board of  claim 2 , wherein the thickness decreases between the transition end and the tip.  
     
     
         4 . The gliding board of  claim 3 , wherein an overall thickness of the nose decreases from approximately 5-8 mm near the transition end to approximately 4-7 mm near the tip.  
     
     
         5 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein one of the nose and tail is sidewall-free, being formed with a cap structure.  
     
     
         6 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the bending property varies along a width of the nose or tail.  
     
     
         7 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the nose or tail is more flexible near the tip than near the transition end.  
     
     
         8 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the flexibility of the nose or tail decreases from near the transition end to near the tip.  
     
     
         9 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the nose or tail includes a structural element having at least one feature that provides the varying bending property.  
     
     
         10 . The gliding board of  claim 9 , wherein the feature includes one of a varying thickness, a hole, a groove, a varying material property, and a change in material.  
     
     
         11 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the nose and tail have varying bending properties that are different from each other.  
     
     
         12 . The gliding board of  claim 1 , wherein the gliding board is a snowboard.  
     
     
         13 . A snowboard adapted to cooperate with a pair of foot bindings that secure a rider's feet to the snowboard, comprising: 
 a running length having two side edges and extending between forward and rear transitions, the running length having a sidewall extending over at least a portion of the side edges;    an upturned nose at the forward transition having a transition end and a tip, the nose being sidewall-free and having a cap construction and a flexibility that varies between the transition end and the tip; and    a tail at the rear transition.    
     
     
         14 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the nose has a thickness that varies along a length of the nose.  
     
     
         15 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein an overall thickness of the nose decreases from approximately 5-8 mm near the transition end to approximately 4-7 mm near the tip.  
     
     
         16 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , further comprising a core that extends from the running length at least partially into the nose, wherein a thickness of the core within the nose decreases between the forward transition and the tip.  
     
     
         17 . The snowboard of  claim 16 , wherein the thickness of the core decreases from approximately 2 mm near the forward transition to approximately 1 mm near the tip.  
     
     
         18 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein at least the nose is formed with a cap structure.  
     
     
         19 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the flexibility varies along a width of the nose.  
     
     
         20 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the nose is more flexible near the tip than near the transition end.  
     
     
         21 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the flexibility of the nose decreases along a direction from the transition end toward the tip.  
     
     
         22 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the nose includes a structural element having at least one feature that provides the varying flexibility.  
     
     
         23 . The snowboard of  claim 22 , wherein the feature includes one of a varying thickness, a hole, a groove, a varying material property, and a change in material.  
     
     
         24 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the nose and tail each have a varying flexibility that is different from each other.  
     
     
         25 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , in combination with two foot bindings mounted to the running length of the snowboard.  
     
     
         26 . The snowboard of  claim 13 , wherein the tail is upturned.  
     
     
         27 . A method of manufacturing a gliding board having a running length and an upturned nose joined to the running length at a transition, comprising: 
 providing a core constructed and arranged for incorporation into a gliding board, the core having top and bottom surfaces and lateral sides;    providing at least one sidewall element, a top reinforcement layer and a bottom reinforcement layer; and    assembling the top reinforcement layer, the bottom reinforcement layer, the at least one sidewall element and the core so that (i) the top and bottom reinforcement layers are on opposite top and bottom surfaces of the core, (ii) the at least one sidewall element is secured along a lateral side of the core, and (iii) the nose has a varying bending property.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the nose is more flexible near a tip of the nose than near the transition.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the assembling step includes constructing the nose to have a varying flexibility to provide improved float in powder snow.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of providing a core comprises providing a core having a nose end that tapers from near the transition toward the nose tip.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein assembling step includes forming the nose to have a cap construction.  
     
     
         32 . A gliding board comprising: 
 a running length formed, at least in part, with a sidewall construction; and    an upturned nose located at one end of the running length;    the nose including means for providing the nose with a varying bending property.    
     
     
         33 . The gliding board of  claim 32 , wherein the means for providing provides the nose with a flexibility that varies along a length of the nose.