Inflatable drop-stitch cornhole board

Abstract

An inflatable cornhole game board that is compact and light for transport, easy to inflate, and maintains a smooth and rigid surface for play. The rectangular playing board uses drop-stitch material, formed of opposing base layers of polyester support fabric joined to each other by thousands of fine polyester threads. One or more layers of airtight PVC coating layers are applied to the outer surfaces of both base substrates. Near one end of the rectangular playing board, a hole passes through the playing board. Sidewall material, usually made of a polyester base fabric with a non-breathable coating is glued between the outer edges of the top and bottom layers, as well as the inner edges of the cornhole, to create an airtight drop-stitch core. An inflatable support member, also formed by the drop-stitch construction, is glued to the bottom surface of one end of the rectangular playing board. The support member extends down from the bottom surface of the playing board to hold the playing board up at one end, which creates the sloped playing board needed to play the cornhole game. The dense matrix of fixed-length threads between the top and bottom layers of the drop-stitch material hold the layers in a very even distance from each other and, under inflation, create an extremely hard board. The drop-stitch construction can be inflated to pressures up to 20 pounds per square inch (psi), creating a hard and rigid structure suitable for playing the cornhole game or other games requiring a board with a hard playing surface, such as billiards.

1 . An inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board comprising:
 a rectangular board member comprising a planar top surface with a top edge about a top periphery of the planar top surface, a bottom surface with a bottom edge about a bottom periphery of the bottom surface, longitudinal sides and transverse sides, a side member joining the top edge to the bottom edge, a rear end at one of the transverse sides and a front end at the transverse side opposite the rear end, a cornhole passage between the top surface and the bottom surface of the board member, wherein the cornhole passage is formed by a cornhole inner wall joined to the top surface and the bottom surface of the board member, wherein the cornhole passage forms a hole configured to allow a game playing piece to pass through the hole, wherein the board member defines an airtight interior board space formed by the top surface, bottom surface, side member, and cornhole inner wall, and wherein the top surface and bottom surface of the board member are joined within the airtight interior board space by drop-stitch construction formed of an array of threads holding the top surface and bottom surface at a fixed distance when inflated;   a support member on the bottom surface of the board member proximate the rear end to prop the rear end of the board member above the front end of the board member.   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  wherein the inflatable board member further comprises a valve to inflate and deflate the inflatable board member. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 2  wherein the support member is formed by an inflatable airtight support core. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 2  wherein the support member further comprises a support member valve to inflate and deflate the support member. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 3  further comprising an air passage between the airtight interior board space and the airtight support core. 
     
     
         6 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 5  wherein the support member comprises a front face and a rear face joined by drop-stitch construction formed of an array of threads holding the front face and rear face at a fixed distance when inflated, wherein the front face has a front periphery and the rear face has a rear periphery, wherein a support wall joins the front periphery and the rear periphery, whereby the front face, rear face and support wall form the airtight support core. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  wherein the inflatable board member further comprises at least one flap at the bottom edge proximate the front end, wherein the flap comprises a passage through which a stake may be inserted to secure the inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board to a playing surface. 
     
     
         8 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  further comprising a stiffening layer formed of an elastic film disposed over the top surface of the board member. 
     
     
         9 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  wherein the support member is hinged to the bottom surface of the board member and may be folded against the bottom surface of the board member or folded out from the bottom surface to prop up the rear end of the board member. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  wherein the support member comprises a pair of legs. 
     
     
         11 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 10  wherein the legs are hinged to the bottom surface of the board member and may be folded against the bottom surface or folded out from the bottom surface to prop up the rear end of the board member. 
     
     
         12 . The inflatable drop-stitch cornhole game board of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinal sides of the board member have a length of between 47.5 and 48 inches and a width between 23.5 to 24 inches, the hole has a center and a diameter of 6 inches, and the center of the hole is 9 inches from the rear end of the board member and equidistant from longitudinal sides of the board member, and wherein the support member props the rear end of the board member above a front end of the board member by 12 inches.