US20080102719A1

US20080102719A1 - Aquatic sport assembly

Info

Publication number: US20080102719A1
Application number: US11/977,017
Authority: US
Inventors: Barry Moffeit
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-27
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-01

Abstract

There is disclosed an aquatic sports assembly comprised of a body board member of torsodial dimension and paralleledly-disposed ski-like runner members paced-apart and mounted to the body board member in paralleled relationship to the longitudinal axis of the body board member.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/854,669, filed Oct. 27, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to recreational water sports, and more particularly, to an aquatic sport assembly of improved versatility and facile usage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water surfing has evolved from body surfing without any floatation device through the use of surf boards of elongated lengths, generally of a length greater than the height of the user or surfer. Accordingly, the user is propelled by the force of a wave moving towards the shore. Body surfing without any floatation device is of limited maneuverability and may expose the user to some hazards since once in motion the user is somewhat limited in response other than attempting to roll out before coming to close to the shore.
The use of a surf board permits substantial maneuverability with a more satisfactory result as well as facile return to a starting point and permitting resting as well as better visualization of incoming waves. While the use of elongated surf boards have found extensive use, surf boards of smaller length or of torsodial dimensions, i.e. of length and width corresponding to dimensions of a torso have found usage, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,476 to Brocone et al. including a torso receiving recess to provide enhanced maneuverability.
Velocity of a surf board is a function of the area of the contacting surface with water defining a resistance factor with respect to such surf board. A variable area of the contacting surface with water would result in potentially improved versatility and maneuverability to enhance user experience.
As a spin off from surfboarding, additional surfing sports have evolved, such as body boards, which are lighter, and cheaper than a surfboard, and are ridden by the user in a prone position with the user's torso resting on the board. Body boards further evolved into boogie boards and other surfing apparatus which allow the user to skim along the thin film of water which recede from the beach after the wave had broken.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an aquatic sports assembly having diverse areas of contacting surface with water.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an aquatic sports assembly having diverse area of contacting surfaces with water providing diverse usage velocities.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an aquatic sports assembly having diverse areas of contacting surface with water permitting of enhanced surfing experiences.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an aquatic sports assembly comprised of a body board member of torsodial dimension and paralleledly-disposed ski-like runner members spaced-apart and mounted to the body board member in paralleled relationship to the longitudinal axis of the body board member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof will become more readily apparent from the following detailed disclosure thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein . . .

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the aquatic sports assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the aquatic sports assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the aquatic sports assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the aquatic sports assembly of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the aquatic sports assembly; and

FIG. 6 is a front side view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrating a preferred embodiment, there is provided an aquatic sports assembly, generally indicated as 10, comprised of a body board member 12 mounted on paralleledly-disposed ski-like runner members 14, as more fully hereinafter described. The body board member 12 is comprised of a top surface 16 and a bottom surface 18 defined by a rounded leading edge 20, a rounded trailing edge 22 and rounded right and left side edges 24 an 26. The ski-like members 16 are formed with a top surface 28. To the bottom surface 18 of the body board member 12, there is provided paralleledly-disposed spacers and mounting members 30 mounted to the bottom surface 18 of the body member 12 and to the top surface 28 of the ski-like members 14, respectively in paralleled relationship to the longitudinal axis of the body board member 12. The parallelledly-disposed ski like members 14 are disposed within the outer portions of the side edges 24 and 26 of the body board member 12 and are formed with upturned forward edge portions 36 extending forward of the leading edge portion 20 of the body board member 12.
Another embodiment of the aquatic sports assembly present invention, generally indicated as 110, is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein the body board member 12 is mounted on ski-like members 14 via elongated spacer and mounting members 130 mounted to the body board member 12 extending laterally and outwardly from such body board member 12 to the ski-like members 14.
The board body member 12 is formed of a material capable of floating in water, e.g. a rigid, expanded polyethylene/polystyrene interpolymer; exhibiting the capability of floating on the ski members 16 in contact with the body of water without contact thereof of the bottom surface 18 of the body board member 12 with such body of water, and preferably in use with a user of a weight of from 180-200 pounds disposed on the body board member 12. For a user of greater weight, elongated and support members 30 of greater height are used to provide the desired buoyancy characteristics as hereinabove discussed with reference to a user of normal weight.
As hereinabove discussed, the body board member 12 is formed of a material which floats in water, as well as all components thereof, and may be excised from a sheet of an expanded polyethylene/polypropylene thermoplastic material. To provide facile handling and comfortable positioning on the top surface 16, the top surface 16 of such an expanded thermoplastic material is coated with a polypropylene layer of material to a thickness of up to ½ inch, as well as coated with like polypropylene layer, the top surface 34 of the ski-like runner members 14. Further, the bottom surfaces of the ski-like members 14 may be coated with a water repellant material, such as a Surlyn®, heat bonded to such bottoms surfaces.
It will be understood to one skilled in the art, that the bottoms of the ski-like members provide less surface area contact with water and thus provide greater maneuverability and speed than that provided by the bottom surface of the body board member.
While the present invention has been described with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications or changes can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore it is manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims and the equivalence thereof.

Claims

1. An aquatic sports assembly, which comprises:

a body board member having a top surface and a bottom surface; and

paralleledly-disposed ski-like members mounted to and spaced apart from said bottom of said body board member in parallel relationship to longitudinal axis of said body board member.

2. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 1 and further including paralleledly-disposed elongated spacer members in parallel relationship to said longitudinal axis and mounted, respectively, to said bottom surface of said body board and said paralleledly-disposed ski-like members.

3. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said top surface of said body board member is defined by right and left edges and wherein said ski-like members are disposed within said edges of said body board member.

4. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said ski-like members extend forwardly beyond a leading edge of said body board member.

5. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said ski-like members are formed with upturned leading edge portions.

6. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said body board member is formed of an expanded thermoplastic material.

7. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said top surface of said body board member is coated with a polypropylene thermoplastic material.

8. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein top surfaces of said ski-like members are coated with said polypropylene thermoplastic material.

9. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein bottom surfaces of said ski-like members are coated with a water repellant layer.

10. The aquatic sports assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated spacer and mounting member extend outwardly and downwardly from said body board member.