Inflatable water sports board

Abstract

An inflatable water sports board, including two parallel adjacent flexible panels. The panels have a front portion parallel to the rest of each panel. The panels also have perimeters connected by a sidewall adherent to the perimeters all the way around the perimeters, enclosing an air chamber. The distance separating the panels is upwardly limited by drop stitches between the panels throughout the air chamber. An inflation port is installed in one of the panels. When the board is inflated, air pressure in the air chamber pushes the panels outward, against the restraint of the stitching, rigidifying the panels sufficiently to support an adult human, while maintaining a shape suitable for use in surfing. The surface of the inflated board remains sufficiently elastic to be unlikely to cause injury by impact. The board may include an attached leash with bracelet for retention. When deflated, the flexibility of the panels allows the board to be rolled up or folded for easy transport or storage. The board may also include a window, fins, water-cutting edges, handles, UV-protective coating, pouches, or gas canister. The board may be in the style of a shorter body board or a longer surfboard.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An inflatable water sports board, comprising: 
 an upper panel;    a lower panel substantially facing said upper panel, wherein said upper panel and said lower panel have a front portion even with the rest of said upper panel and said lower panel;    a sidewall, wherein said upper panel, said lower panel and said sidewall enclose an air chamber; and    a plurality of thread supports between said upper panel and said lower panel throughout said air chamber.    
     
     
         2 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel and said lower panel is at least partially substantially planar.    
     
     
         3 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel and said lower panel is at least partially curved.    
     
     
         4 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said upper panel is flexible and has an upper panel perimeter;    said lower panel is flexible, has a lower panel perimeter, and is adjacent said upper panel;    said sidewall has an upper lengthwise perimeter and a lower lengthwise perimeter, said upper lengthwise perimeter overlapping and adherent to said upper panel perimeter, said lower lengthwise perimeter overlapping and adherent to said lower panel perimeter; and    each of said plurality of thread supports intersects an upper point of said upper panel and an adjacent lower point of said lower panel, wherein each of said plurality of thread supports has a length between said upper point and said lower point, wherein each said upper point is separated from each said lower point by a distance, wherein said distance is upwardly limited by said length of each of said plurality of thread supports, wherein said upper panel and said lower panel are substantially rigidified by air pressure in said chamber being greater than air pressure outside said chamber.    
     
     
         5 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said lower panel has substantially the same dimensions as said upper panel.    
     
     
         6 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel and said lower panel is approximately rectangular.    
     
     
         7 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel and said lower panel is approximately elliptical.    
     
     
         8 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least a portion of at least one of said upper panel, said lower panel, and said sidewall, has at least one other layer of flexible material applied thereto.    
     
     
         9 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said upper panel and said lower panel are substantially parallel.    
     
     
         10 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel, said lower panel, and said sidewall, comprises polyvinyl chloride (PVC).    
     
     
         11 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel, said lower panel, and said sidewall, comprises polyurethane.    
     
     
         12 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said upper panel, said lower panel, and said sidewall, comprises HYPALON®.    
     
     
         13 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 when air pressure in said chamber is in a range from approximately ten pounds per square inch (10 p.s.i.) to approximately fifteen pounds per square inch (15 p.s.i.), said board substantially maintains it shape when an adult person is upon it, yet said upper panel and lower panel and sidewall remain sufficiently elastic such that said board is little likely to cause injury by impact.    
     
     
         14 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of thread supports comprises drop stitches.    
     
     
         15 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of thread supports comprises nylon.    
     
     
         16 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a tail portion having a swallow-tail shape.    
     
     
         17 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a leash.    
     
     
         18 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one fin.    
     
     
         19 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one handle.    
     
     
         20 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a UV-protective substance.    
     
     
         21 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said board is in the style of a body board.    
     
     
         22 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said board is in the style of a surfboard.    
     
     
         23 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one pouch.    
     
     
         24 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a canister for inflating said board.    
     
     
         25 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a window in said upper panel and said lower panel.    
     
     
         26 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said window comprises translucent polymer.    
     
     
         27 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an inflation port.    
     
     
         28 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 27 , wherein: 
 said inflation port is in said upper panel.    
     
     
         29 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 one or more water-cutting edges.    
     
     
         30 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 at least one of said said one or more water-cutting edges comprises polymer.    
     
     
         31 . An inflatable water sports board as in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 at least one fin, wherein each of said one or more water-cutting edges is integral with at least one of said at least one fin.