Dual density foam core sports board

Abstract

A sports board with an expanded foam core that has a density adapted so the core will receive a solid sheet skin laminated directly thereto without an adhesive layer. The sports board includes a bottom solid sheet skin laminated directly to a bottom surface of the expanded foam core, and a foam top skin laminated to a top surface and heeled to side surfaces of the expanded foam core.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A sports board comprising: 
 an expanded foam core having a density adapted so the core will receive a solid sheet skin laminated directly thereto without an adhesive layer; and    a bottom solid sheet skin laminated directly to a bottom surface of the expanded foam core.    
     
     
         2 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the expanded foam core includes a first section having a first density and a second section having a second density, and wherein the second density is adapted to receive a solid sheet skin laminated directly thereto without an adhesive layer.  
     
     
         3 . The sports board of  claim 2 , wherein the second density is in the range of 1.7 to 3.0 pounds per cubic foot.  
     
     
         4 . The sports board of  claim 2 , wherein the second density is around 2.2 pounds per cubic foot.  
     
     
         5 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom solid sheet skin has a thickness in the range of 6-25 mils.  
     
     
         6 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom solid sheet skin has a thickness of about 15 mils.  
     
     
         7 . The sports board of  claim 2 , wherein the sports board further includes a handle attached to a top surface of the board.  
     
     
         8 . The sports board of  claim 2 , further including a set of runners attached to the bottom surface of the board.  
     
     
         9 . The sports board of  claim 2 , further including a handle attached to the top surface through the sports board to a runner attached to the bottom surface of the sports board.  
     
     
         10 . A dual density foam core sports board comprising: 
 a first core section having a first density;    a second core section having a second density laminated to the first core section forming a composite core;    a bottom skin directly laminated to a surface of the second core section forming the bottom of the sports board; and    a top foam skin laminated to a surface of the first core section and healed onto sides of the composite core.    
     
     
         11 . The sports board of  claim 10 , wherein the second density is in the range of 1.7 to 3.0 pounds per cubic foot.  
     
     
         12 . The sports board of  claim 10 , wherein the second density is around 2.2 pounds per cubic foot.  
     
     
         13 . The sports board of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom solid sheet skin has a thickness in the range of 6-25 mils.  
     
     
         14 . The sports board of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom solid sheet skin has a thickness of about 15 mils.  
     
     
         15 . The sports board of  claim 10 , wherein the sports board further includes a handle attached to the sports board on the top foam skin side of the board.  
     
     
         16 . The sports board of  claim 15 , wherein the sports board further includes a runner attached to the bottom skin side of the board.  
     
     
         17 . The sports board of  claim 16 , wherein the runner and the handles are attached to the sports board by snap-rivets and snap-posts passing through apertures in the sports board.  
     
     
         18 . A sports board comprising: 
 a body having an expanded foam core covered on a bottom surface by a solid skin and covered on a top and on side surfaces by a thin foam skin;    a handle coupled with the body through a flexible strap member; and    a runner coupled with the body, wherein the handle and the runner couple together though the body of the sports board by a snap rivet passing through the flexible strap member and a snap post receiving the snap rivet.    
     
     
         19 . The sports board of  claim 18 , wherein the snap rivet includes snap segments configured to engage snap slots in the snap post, and wherein the engagement of the snap segments with the snap slots prevents the snap rivet from being removed from the snap post.  
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a dual density foam core sports board comprising: 
 providing a first foam sheet of a first density;    providing a second foam sheet of a second density;    laminating the first foam sheet to the second foam sheet by applying heat and pressure to form a dual density laminated sheet;    cutting the dual density laminated sheet into a blank;    extruding a polymer sheet and laminating it to the blank to form a bottom skin on a bottom surface of the blank;    cutting a sports board shape from the blank; and    laminating a foam top skin to a top surface of the sports board shape and heeling the top skin to sides of the sports board shape.