Sports board having stringers

Abstract

A sports board includes a foam core, a top skin, a bottom skin, at least one stringer and at least one flexible foam tube. The top skin is connected to a top of the foam core. The bottom skin is connected to a bottom of the foam core. The stringer enclosed by the foam tube is secured in the foam core for strengthening the board.

1 . A sports board comprising:
 a foam core;   a top skin connected to a top of the foam core;   a bottom skin connected to a bottom of the foam core;   at least one stringer disposed within the foam core to strengthen the foam core; and   at least one flexible foam tube enclosing the stringer within and disposed in the foam core.   
     
     
         2 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the foam tube is made of expanded polyethylene (EPE). 
     
     
         3 . The sports board of  claim 2 , wherein the foam core is made of a material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polypropylene (EPP) and expanded polyolefin (EPO). 
     
     
         4 . The sports board of  claim 3 , wherein the foam core has a density in a range of 4 to 24 pcf, and a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 1.25 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The sports board of  claim 3  further comprises an adhesive layer connecting the foam tube and the foam core. 
     
     
         6 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is a cylindrical tube. 
     
     
         7 . The sports board of  claim 1 , wherein the top skin includes a first foam layer and a second foam layer; the first foam layer connects to the top of the foam core with a first density; and the second foam layer connects to the first foam layer with a second density larger than the first density. 
     
     
         8 . The sports board of  claim 7 , wherein the first density is in a range of 1.5 to 10 pcf. 
     
     
         9 . The sports board of  claim 7 , wherein the top skin further includes a first film formed with a first pattern and connected with the second foam layer. 
     
     
         10 . The sports board of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom skin includes a third foam layer connected to the bottom of the foam core, and a plastic plate connected to the third foam layer. 
     
     
         11 . The sports board of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom skin includes a third foam layer connected to the bottom of the foam core, and a plastic plate connected to the third foam layer. 
     
     
         12 . The sports board of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom skin includes a third foam layer connected to the bottom of the foam core, a second film formed with a second pattern and connected to the third foam layer, and a plastic plate connected to the second film.