Composite Skateboard Deck Structure for Lower Weight and Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skateboard decks are unnecessarily heavy due to the low strength-to-weight ratio of maple wood, and attempts to reduce weight with fiber-reinforced polymeric materials are limited to internal layers, lacking durability and shape retention.
Innovation Solution
A multi-material skateboard deck construction featuring fiber-reinforced polymeric materials as outer layers, combined with resilient layers, to achieve a high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, and stress absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If maple wood layers are used to provide structural integrity, then the skateboard deck maintains durability and shape retention, but the skateboard deck becomes unnecessarily heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite construction combining fiber-reinforced polymeric material (such as carbon fiber, Kevlar, or glass fiber) with wood layers. The fiber-reinforced layers provide high strength-to-weight ratio, while the wood layers contribute to flexibility and shock absorption. This composite structure achieves both light weight and high strength, resolving the contradiction between durability and weight.
2Weight of moving object
If fiber-reinforced polymeric material is used to reduce weight, then the skateboard deck becomes lighter, but the exterior layers lack durability and wear control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different materials to different locations within the deck structure. Fiber-reinforced polymeric material is used specifically for internal layers where weight reduction is critical, while traditional wood layers are retained for exterior surfaces where durability, wear resistance, and grip are required. This localized material assignment resolves the contradiction between weight reduction and exterior durability.
3Strength
If more wood layers are added to increase strength, then the skateboard deck becomes more durable, but the skateboard deck weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by introducing fiber-reinforced polymeric material with superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional wood. This material substitution allows achieving the same or higher strength levels with significantly reduced weight, resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
4Ease of operation
If traditional multi-layer wood construction is used, then the skateboard deck provides flexibility for comfort, but the skateboard deck is unnecessarily heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where fiber-reinforced polymeric material provides high strength and stiffness with low weight, while wood layers maintain flexibility and shock absorption properties. This combination allows the deck to be lighter than traditional all-wood construction while preserving the flexibility needed for riding comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
A skateboard deck with multiple layers constructed from multiple materials is disclosed. Embodiments for design and manufacture are disclosed.