Sportsboard Stiffening System

Abstract

The invention relates generally to sports boards, and more particularly to a reinforcing stiffening system for surfboards. The stiffening system comprises fibrous profiles adhered on the top surface and/or bottom surface of the surfboard foam core. The invention relates in particular to a surfboard equipped with the present stiffening system for preventing board breaking, whereas the surfboard exhibits high stiffness, flex recovery and fracture resistance, and thus enhancing safety for surfboard riders. The fibrous profiles may have a round cross-section. The foam core is encapsulated by a top laminated foam skin at a foam core top surface, and the foam core is encapsulated by an inner bottom foam layer and an outer bottom foam layer on a foam core bottom surface.

1 . A sports board stiffening system comprising:
 a. a foam core having a foam core top surface and a foam core bottom surface;   b. a plurality of fibrous profiles completely or partially embedded inside the foam core wherein the fibrous profiles are bonded with the foam core at a location near the foam core surface;   c. stringer plates, wherein the stringer plates have a flat planar shape and are vertically oriented in a transverse direction, wherein the fibrous profiles are connected to the stringer plates at intervals to form a skeleton like structure;   d. an adhesive layer located between the fibrous profiles and the foam core and creating bond between the fibrous profiles and the foam core; and   e. a bottom laminated foam skin covering lower fibrous profiles.   
     
     
         2 . A sports board stiffening system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. grooves formed on the foam core, wherein the fibrous profiles are lower fibrous profiles installed to a foam core bottom surface by inserting the fibrous profiles into the grooves;   b. stringer plate notches formed on the stringer plates, wherein the fibrous profiles are connected to the stringer plates at the stringer plate notches; and   c. a bottom laminated foam skin covering the lower fibrous profiles.   
     
     
         3 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 2 , wherein the lower fibrous profiles are adhered to the surface of the foam core, whereas the lower fibrous profiles are adhesively bonded to the foam core. 
     
     
         4 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 2 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed from monofilament fiberglass. 
     
     
         5 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 2 , wherein the fibrous profiles have a round cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 2 , wherein the foam core is encapsulated by a top laminated foam skin at a foam core top surface, and wherein the foam core is encapsulated by an inner bottom foam layer and an outer bottom foam layer on a foam core bottom surface. 
     
     
         7 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 2 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed as a first group of fiberglass profiles and a second group of fiberglass profiles, wherein the a first group of fiberglass profiles have a higher stiffness than the second group of fiberglass profiles. 
     
     
         8 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 d. upper fibrous profiles molded to the foam core top surface; and   e. a top laminated foam skin covering the upper fibrous profiles.   
     
     
         9 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , wherein the lower fibrous profiles are adhered to the bottom surface of the foam core, whereas the lower fibrous profiles are adhesively bonded to the foam core. 
     
     
         10 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed from monofilament fiberglass. 
     
     
         11 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , wherein the fibrous profiles have a round cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , wherein the foam core is encapsulated by a top laminated foam skin at a foam core top surface, and wherein the foam core is encapsulated by an inner bottom foam layer and an outer bottom foam layer on a foam core bottom surface. 
     
     
         13 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 7 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed as a first group of fiberglass profiles and a second group of fiberglass profiles, wherein the a first group of fiberglass profiles have a higher stiffness than the second group of fiberglass profiles. 
     
     
         14 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , wherein the lower fibrous profiles are adhered to the surface of the foam core, whereas the lower fibrous profiles are adhesively bonded to the foam core. 
     
     
         15 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed from monofilament fiberglass. 
     
     
         16 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , wherein the fibrous profiles have a round cross-section. 
     
     
         17 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , wherein the foam core is encapsulated by a top laminated foam skin at a foam core top surface, and wherein the foam core is encapsulated by an inner bottom foam layer and an outer bottom foam layer on a foam core bottom surface. 
     
     
         18 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 17 , wherein the fibrous profiles are formed as a first group of fiberglass profiles and a second group of fiberglass profiles, wherein the a first group of fiberglass profiles have a higher stiffness than the second group of fiberglass profiles. 
     
     
         19 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , further comprising: foam core grooves receiving the fibrous profiles at a surface of the foam core, wherein the grooves are deep enough to encapsulate the fibrous profiles. 
     
     
         20 . The sports board stiffening system of  claim 13 , further comprising: foam core grooves receiving the fibrous profiles at a surface of the foam core, wherein the grooves are not deep enough to completely encapsulate the fibrous profiles.