Sportsboard structures

Abstract

A sports board that includes an elongate, water impervious, thermoplastic foam core having an upper surface and an under surface; an upper layer covering at least a portion of the upper surface; and an under layer covering at least a portion of the under surface. The foam core is made of a foamed material having a water absorption (measured according to ASTM C-272) of less than 2 volume percent.

1 . A surfboard comprising:
 (a) an elongate, water resistant, thermoplastic foam core having an upper surface and an under surface, a nose end, a tail end, and a stringer encased in the foam core extending from the nose end to the tail end;   (b) an upper layer covering at least a portion of the upper surface; and   (c) an under layer covering at least a portion of the under surface;   wherein the foam core is made of a foam material 50 to 100 percent based on the weight of the foam material of expanded and fused interpolymer resin particles containing from about 20% to about 80% by weight of a polyolefin and from about 80% to about 20% by weight;   wherein the density of the foam core is from about 0.02 g/cc to about 0.64 g/cc and the density of the foam core is higher at the nose end and tail end as compared with the rest of the foam core;   wherein the foam core comprises a skin, consisting of the foam material, formed on the upper surface and under surface;   wherein the foam core has a water absorption (measured according to ASTM C-272) of less than 2 volume percent   wherein the upper layer and under layer comprise a cloth comprising a fiber selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, graphite fibers, aramid fibers, metal fibers, glass fibers, silicon carbide fibers, polyester fibers, composite fibers, and fiberglass; and   wherein the cloth is encased in a laminating resin, which forms a bond to the thermoplastic foam core.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein a sealant is applied to at least a portion of the outer surface or under surface of the foam core. 
     
     
         6 . The surfboard according to  claim 5 , wherein the sealant comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, styrene-butadiene polymers, styrene-isoprene polymers; styrene-butadiene-styrene block polymers; styrene-isoprene-styrene block polymers; and hydrogenated resins thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam core has a flexural strength at 5% strain, measured according to ASTM C-203, of at least 60 psi at a molded density of about 2.25 lb/ft 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam core has a tensile strength (measured according to ASTM D-3575-T) of at least 75 psi at a molded density of about 2.25 lb/ft 3 . 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminating resin comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of unsaturated polyester resins, saturated polyester resins, epoxy resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, unsaturated polyesteramide resins, vinyl ester resins, polyimide resins, poly amide-imide resins, unsaturated (meth)acrylic resins, acrylic-urethane resins, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper layer covering and/or under layer covering comprise one or more polyolefins. 
     
     
         13 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is an axial or a parabolic stringer. 
     
     
         27 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more fins secured to and extending from the under surface of the surfboard. 
     
     
         28 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the surfboard can be deflected 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) without demonstrating a deflection in the stress-strain curve. 
     
     
         29 . The surfboard according to  claim 1 , wherein the surfboard does not fail when deflected 0.87 inches (2.2 cm). 
     
     
         30 . A sports board comprising
 (a) an elongate, water resistant, thermoplastic foam core having an upper surface, an under surface, a nose end and a tail end;   (b) an upper layer covering at least a portion of the upper surface; and   (c) an under layer covering at least a portion of the under surface;   wherein the foam core is made of a foam material comprising 50 to 100 percent based on the weight of the foam material of expanded and fused interpolymer resin particles containing from about 20% to about 80% by weight of a polyolefin and from about 80% to about 20% by weight;   wherein the density of the foam core is from about 0.02 g/cc to about 0.64 g/cc and the density of the foam core is higher at the nose end and tail end as compared with the rest of the foam core;   wherein the foam core comprises a skin, consisting of the foam material, formed on the upper surface and under surface;   wherein the foam core has a water absorption of less than 2 volume percent measured according to ASTM C-272;   wherein the upper layer and under layer comprise a cloth comprising a fiber selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, graphite fibers, aramid fibers, metal fibers, glass fibers, silicon carbide fibers, polyester fibers, composite fibers, and fiberglass; and   wherein the cloth is encased in a laminating resin, which forms a bond to the thermoplastic foam core.   
     
     
         31 . The sports board according to  claim 30 , wherein the sports board is selected from the group consisting of a surfboard, a body board, a sailboard, a wave board, a tow board, a water ski, a snow board, a sled, a toboggan, and a snow ski.