US-20260125136-A1 - Inflatable Surfboard

US20260125136A1US 20260125136 A1US20260125136 A1US 20260125136A1US-20260125136-A1

Abstract

An inflatable surfboard formed of a top surface and bottom surface having a drop-stitch material coupled therebetween within an interior cavity. Stiffening layers formed of mesh material and adhering resin or adhesive may be provided on the top and bottom, and side edges of the formed surfboard. A stiffening member within the interior cavity is pivotally coupled to the top and bottom surfaces to allow it to pivot between a deployed and folded position.

Inventors

Shengwei Liang

Assignees

FUN WATER OUTDOOR, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251107

Claims (19)

1 . An inflatable surfboard comprising: said surfboard having a top surface formed of flexible material; said surfboard having a bottom surface formed of said flexible material; said top surface in a sealed engagement to said bottom surface at a seam running circumferentially around a side edge of said surfboard between a front and a rear end of said surfboard; an interior cavity positioned in between said top surface and said bottom surface; drop-stitch material positioned within said interior cavity, said drop-stitch material coupled to said top surface and to said bottom surface; a first stiffening layer formed of mesh material, said first stiffening layer adhered to a central area of said top surface; and an inflation valve coupled to said top surface of said bottom surface, said inflation valve for communicating air into said interior cavity during an inflation of said surfboard.
2 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 1 , additionally comprising: a second stiffening layer formed of said mesh material adhered to a central area of said bottom surface.
3 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 1 , additionally comprising: a side stiffening layer adhered to said side edge, said side stiffening layer formed of mesh material adhered circumferentially around a side edge.
4 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 2 , additionally comprising: a side stiffening layer adhered to said side edge, said side stiffening layer formed of mesh material adhered circumferentially around a side edge.
5 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 1 , additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.
6 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 3 , additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.
7 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 4 , additionally comprising: a first pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to an upper surface of said first stiffening layer; and a gap between said first pair of stiffening layers, said gap having an area of said upper surface of said first stiffening layer positioned therein.
8 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 2 , additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.
9 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 4 , additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.
10 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 7 , additionally comprising: a second pair of secondary stiffening layers adhered to said second stiffening layer; and a second gap between said second pair of stiffening layers, said second gap having an area of said second stiffening layer positioned therein.
11 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 1 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
12 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 2 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
13 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 3 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
14 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 4 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
15 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 5 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
16 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 6 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
17 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 7 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
18 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 8 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area of said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.
19 . The inflatable surfboard of claim 9 , additionally comprising: a stiffening member positioned within a central area said interior cavity; said stiffening member being in a pivoting coupling at juxtaposed edges with said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard; and said stiffening member being pivotable between a deployed position with an axis thereof running substantially perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface, with said surfboard inflated, and a folded position with said axis thereof running substantially parallel to said top surface and said bottom surface of said surfboard when deflated.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/717,433 filed on Nov. 7, 2024. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention herein disclosed relates generally to sports boards used for water sports. More particularly, it relates to an inflatable surfboard which is formed from flexible top and bottom half sections surrounding a slip stitch interior, which also includes stiffening components to stabilize the surfboard to better accommodate a standing rider. 2. Prior Art BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Surfing is a water sport that is enjoyed by individuals around the world. Originating in ancient Polynesian culture, it has evolved into a global phenomenon that attracts millions of enthusiasts. The sport of surfing requires skill and balance while standing and moving atop a surfboard, which is configured to allow the user to ride and steer it through the water. Thus, surfboards are essential equipment for surfing, because they are designed and constructed to help riders glide over waves. Surfboards are manufactured in many types. Short boards are conventionally from five to seven feet long. They lack the total buoyancy of bigger surfboards but are designed for high performance because their length allows for sharp turns and quick maneuvers. Long boards, on the other hand, are conventionally nine feet or longer and somewhat heavier than short boards. Their length renders these boards more stable and easier to paddle, making them a good choice for beginning riders and for riders who enjoy a more relaxed style of surfing on smaller waves, on which long boards are superior in catching. Conventionally, many solid surfboards are formed of polyurethane covered with a resin and provide a good ride to the user, but have less durability. Epoxy surfboards are lighter and more durable than polyurethane boards and, by design, are also more buoyant, which makes them a better choice where buoyancy is desirable. A more recent configuration for surfboards is those that are inflatable. These inflatable boards are configured to ride in the same fashion as solid core boards, but allow for a more compact storage when not in use. Conventionally, such inflatable surfboards are formed of an outer shell of waterproof polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which surrounds an interior cavity that includes drop stitch material positioned thereon. The forgoing background concerning the conventional manner in which surfboards are configured and used, and any limitations related therewith, are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the inflatable surfboard invention described and claimed herein. Various other limitations of the related art of surfboards are well known or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disclosed device herein provides for an inflatable surfboard and a method for construction of such, which yields a significant improvement in the stability of the inflatable surfboards. Forming the inflatable water sports board device herein is a flexible top surface and bottom surface formed of flexible waterproof material or polymeric material. Currently, by flexible waterproof material or polymeric material herein is meant material which will not pass air, such as PVC material, or thermoplastic polyurethane, laminated polyester, or other flexible planar sheets of material which may be adhered together or fused by heat or sonic welding. An interior cavity is formed in between the flexible top surface and the flexible bottom surface. Within this interior cavity may be positioned drop-stitch material in order to provide extra rigidity when the surfboard is inflated and to provide a determined thickness of the board, which is determined by the drop-stitch material. A top layer of the drop-stitch material is adhered or otherwise engaged to the top surface of the surfboard, and a bottom surface of the drop-stitch material is adhered or otherwise fully engaged to the bottom surface of the surfboard. Threads or yarns connected between the top layer and bottom layer of this drop-stitch material provide tension between the top layer and bottom layer of the drop-stitch material and resulting rigidity and stiffness to the surfboard when inflated. The inflatable surfboard in all configurations herein may be formed with adhesive material engaging the seams and edges to the top surface and bottom surface. It may also be formed without the use of adhesives, and instead, the surfboard herein may have top and bottom surfaces having seams engaged using adhesive, fusion from heat or sonic welding or similar fusing means to form seams. In one configuration of the surfboard herein, configured to enhance rigidity and stiffness to allow for quicker turns and the like while surfing, one or both of the top layer a