Snowboard Flex Profile for Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snowboards with increased structural strength under the rider's feet reduce the ability to store and release energy for maneuvers like nose presses and ollies due to shifted areas of board flex away from the feet.
Innovation Solution
The board is designed to bend more easily within binding mounting regions compared to areas near the nose or tail, with specific thickness and stiffness variations, including regions of increased stiffness between binding mounting regions and the nose or tail, and the use of concave and convex surface features to optimize bending characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the board thickness is increased in binding mounting regions to provide structural strength, then the board strength is improved, but the board's ability to store and release energy for maneuvers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The board employs varying thickness throughout its length, with thinner sections in binding mounting regions and thicker sections in transition zones. This local variation in geometry allows the board to have different mechanical properties at different locations, providing both flexibility for energy storage under the bindings and structural strength in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The board utilizes a composite construction with a core material (such as wood or foam) sandwiched between reinforcement layers. This composite structure allows optimization of mechanical properties, where the core provides flexibility and the reinforcement layers provide strength, enabling the board to achieve both energy storage capability and structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the board is made stiffer under the rider's feet, then the board stability is improved, but the rider's ability to perform nose presses and ollies is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The board has different stiffness characteristics at different locations along its length. The transition zones have increased stiffness to provide stability, while the binding mounting regions maintain flexibility to allow the board to bend and store energy during maneuvers like nose presses and ollies.
Solution Approach 2:
The board is effectively divided into functional segments with different mechanical properties. The transition zones act as stiffer segments for stability, while the binding regions act as more flexible segments for energy storage, allowing the board to perform both stable riding and dynamic maneuvers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the board's ability to store and release energy, allowing for more effective performance of tricks and maneuvers by distributing force evenly and increasing responsiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the board's ability to store and release energy when performing certain maneuvers
Data Source
AI summary
A gliding board may have less resistance to bending in portions within one or both binding mounting regions as compared to portions at or near ends of the binding mounting regions. Some embodiments provide for increased ability to store and release energy when performing certain maneuvers with the board, such as nose presses, ollies and similar moves. Regions of greatest stiffness may be arranged at outer ends of the binding mounting regions, and may be arranged along lines that are transverse to a longitudinal axis of the board. Alternately, a board may include heel and toe convex portions in the heel and toe side edges that are offset along the board length, e.g., so that the heel convex portions are closer to each other and to a longitudinal board center than the toe convex portions.