The currently used floorball rinks are based on three types of solutions discussed hereinbelow: Solution No. 1: The board element comprises a frame of aluminiun or steel, as well as a front panel of plywood or plastics. The board element is provided with a required rigidity by means of the frame element and the rebound properties needed for a boarding in floorball are attained by virtue of the front panel.

The board's frame element is further fitted with support brackets constructed from a metal or some other material for holding the board upright. A complete floorball rink is built from a plurality of such board elements which are interconnected by means of fasteners made primarily from rubber.

Regarding its rebound or deflection response properties, this board element is highly functional as a floorball barrier. However, its problem is structural heaviness. Assembling the rink is a slow process and the manipulation and handling of board

elements requires the labour input of several persons.

Storage of board elements is also labour-intensive.

Another problem with the board element is its hazardousness in certain playing situations, such as accidents and players falling against the boards. In playing situations, the presence of a metallic frame member in the board element as well as plywood or plastic edges in the front panel constitute a hazard for players, especially in fall and accident situations. The edges constitute both a fracturing and cutting hazard for players, the elements being made of a material which neither yields in accident situations nor absorbs impacts in a safe manner.

Rubber fasteners used for holding board elements together are also problematic. In anticipation of eventual accident situations, the board elements should not be connected to each other in an excessively secure manner and, thus, the fasteners must have elasticity in accident situations, which is why the fasteners are indeed primarily manufactured in elastic and flexible rubber. Hence, if necessary, the rubber fastener gives way in accident situations, which is important from a safety aspect. However, a problem in this design is that such fasteners do not sufficiently eliminate the sideways movement of board elements in normal playing situations, the rink wall going easily out of alignment in the heat of regular play, thus impeding the game itself.

Solution No. 2: The board element comprises a thermoplastic panel-like element of ABS plastics, which is filled with urethane. The boarding has its bottom edge fitted with support brackets of metal for holding a board element upright. A floorball rink is assembled from a plurality of such board elements which are interconnected by means of rubber-made

fasteners. The board elements may additionally have the ends thereof formed with a male/female joint, intended for facilitating the mutual alignment of board elements as well as for reducing a relative sideways movement therebetween in regular playing situations.

The problems in this board element solution are largely identical to those in the above-described solution. Attempts have been made to alleviate the hazardousness of board elements in accident and fall situations by designing or shaping a top portion of the board to be less angular, yet, nevertheless, even these board elements are hazardous as they are not sufficiently flexible in terms of the material thereof, nor do they absorb impacts sufficiently, thus constituting a hazard of bone fracture. In addition, the ends of these board elements include sharp edges which constitute a cutting hazard, as well.

The rubber fasteners of these board elements involve the same problems as the first solution. Although the male/female joints present at the board elements'ends are intended for improving the boarding's permanent linearity or straightness, this objective is not fulfilled sufficiently well. The rink walls are still able to move notwithstanding rubber bands and male/female joints, the rink wall quickly losing its straightness or alignment in the heat of the game.

Solution No. 3: The board element comprises a thin element laminated to form with fiberglass, wherein the board element, including its upright panel and support bracket, is laminated to provide a single integral element. A floorball rink is assembled from a plurality of such board elements attached to each other by means of primarily rubber-made fasteners.

A problem with this board element is its hazardousness as it contains a multitude of sharp edges as a result of using thin panel. In accident and fall situations, as panel elements and rubber fastenings give way, the sharp edges constitute a serious cutting hazard. Thin fiberglass and plastic panels are also susceptible to breaking under a weight, thus developing more sharp edges, particularly in accident situations.

As a result of rubber attachment, the panel elements are easily able to move even in normal playing situations, thus making the rink wall non-linear the same way as in the preceding solutions.

In all these prior known floorball configurations, the rink elements, along with fastenings therefor, consist of a plurality of separate components. The board elements comprise several separate components : a frame, a front panel, rubber fasteners, as well as screws and nuts holding the same together. This is problematic with regard to both manufacture and board usability. The more components to be secured in various operations are included in board elements, the more complicated and expensive is the manufacture of such board elements. The more separate components (board elements, rubber fasteners, etc. ) are included in a rink structure, the more complicated and tedious is the mounting and dismounting of the rink. The mounting and dismounting of a rink is also restrained by a heavy weight of the above-described board elements.

It is an object of a dismountable/collapsible board structure of the present invention to provide a decisive improvement regarding the above-described problems and hence to raise essentially the existing state of the art. In order to fulfill this objective, a board structure of the invention is principally

characterized in that a board element, comprising at least a board component and a base component, is manufactured in an expanded or foamed plastic-based material, such as honeycombed, cellular, foamed plastics or the like.

The most important benefit offered by a board element of the invention is its safety in service. Safety in service has been improved especially by means of material selections, as well as by reducing the need for separate fastening elements and support structures by producing the board elements as an integral unit from a single mould.

The board elements manufactured integrally from expanded plastics (in practice e. g. EPP plastics) do not contain sharp edges, corners, brackets or components, which could expose a player to injuries or cuts. The material is elastic and yields in accident and fall situations, which reduces a risk of bone fracture. The material is also capable of absorbing impacts and is resilient under a weight and, thus, not likely to cause cuts and fractures even when a player falls on top of the boarding. In addition, the material has elasticity and, thus, after absorbing impacts or giving way in accident situations, it recovers its original constitution, which enables a quick resumption of play after a fall situation, for example. In extreme situations, the material may also crack under a person to prevent injury, but even then there will be no sharp edges or pieces that could be dangerous, since the fragments will be resilient and exhibit no sharp edges.

The integral design of a board element, as well as the elasticity and resilience of its material, have enabled an integral attachment mechanism, which in normal playing situations maintains the rink in

alignment, yet gives way in fall and accident situations. Thus, the board elements are able to disengage from each other in hazardous situations, yet do not during the course of normal play. This is an essential benefit gained by the novel solution over the prior art, wherein rubber fasteners, although important from a safety aspect, are nevertheless incapable of immoblizing the board elements sufficiently during normal play.

Unlike the prior known solutions, the presently developed board element is manufactured in the sense of engineering technology by means of a single mould as a single element, which integrally incorporates all the features required in a board element, i. e. both the board element's vertical panel, support bracket and, in a preferred embodiment, also necessary fastening mechanisms. Since board elements can be manufactured in the sense of engineering technology by means of a single mould, the manufacturing process of such board elements will be as simple and cost- effective as possible.

Regarding its deflection response properties, the inventive board element satisfies the game requirements. By virtue of the selection of manufacturing materials, the board elements are also lightweight and can be readily handled by a single person. Since the board elements can be provided with integral fastening mechanisms, the building of a rink will be as easy as possible. The fastening mechanisms can be designed so as to retain the board elements in engagement with each other in both lateral and longitudinal directions, the rink maintaining as closely as possible its proper outline during normal play and the rink walls remaining in line. In comparison with rubber fastenings, integrally built fasteners are also preferred in the sense that

integral fasteners do not require separate storage or shipping in connection with the assembly or disassembly of a rink.

Extra support for fastening board elements to each other and/or for keeping a rink in alignment can be further provided by using separate metal or plastic fasteners. Especially, fasteners fixed to support brackets prevent the rink wall from opening outward in playing situations.

Preferred embodiments for a dismountable/collapsible board structure of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims directed thereto.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 shows one board element included in a board structure of the invention in a perspective view from the front, fig. 2 shows the board element of fig. 1 in a perspective view from the back, fig. 3 shows an end of the board element of figs. 1 and 2 in an enlarged perspective view, fig. 4 shows the board element of figs. 1 and 2 in an end view, fig. 5 shows a board structure composed of board elements of the type depicted in figs. 1 and 2,

fig. 6 shows one board element configuration alternative to that of figs. 1 and 2 in a perspective view from the back, fig. 7 shows the board element of fig. 6 in a view from above, fig. 8 shows a board structure composed of board elements of the type depicted in fig. 6 in a perspective view from the back, fig. 9 shows one preferred retainer mechanism included in a board structure of the invention, fig. 10 further shows one preferred mechanical bracing arrangement included in a board structure of the invention, fig. 11 further shows one preferred further embodiment for a board structure of the invention, e. g. for advertising applications or the like, figs. 12a-12c show a few preferred optional retainer and coupling mechanisms, fig. 13 further shows one preferred optional coupling and retainer mechanism,

figs. 14a and 14b illustrate the operating principle for base component locking facilitated by a board element of the invention, and figs. 15a-15d show a few preferred surface structures for a board element of the invention.

The invention relates to a dismountable/collapsible board structure especially for sports and exercise activities, such as for setting up a boarding for a floorball court. The board structure consists of elongated board elements 1, which are removably interconnectible one after the other in a longitudinal direction s and which are provided with a board component substantially vertical in cross-section and a base component extending substantially sideways therefrom for supporting the board element against a foundation. The board element included in the board structure is made from an essentially non-metallic material for an integral unit, such as a profile. In reference to the preferred embodiments shown e. g. in figs. 1 and 6, the board element 1; 1', consisting of at least a board component 1'a and a base component l'b, is manufactured in an expanded or foamed plastic- based material, such as honeycombed, cellular, foamed plastics or the like.

In reference to the preferred embodiments shown e. g. in figs. 1-8, the board element 1; 1'has its opposite ends I, II in a preferred embodiment provided integrally with a coupling system 2 for interconnecting adjacent board elements on a quick coupling principle, such as with mutually complementary snap-fit couplings. Quick coupling refers to a locking system, in which separate elements are fastened to each other by means of fastening

mechanisms included in the elements, such that the coupling process does not require the use of separate tools. The mutual snap-fit coupling of board elements refers to such a locking system in which the board elements have the ends thereof provided with such shaped mechanisms which, when secured to each other, retain the board components in attachment with each other against tractions in various directions.

In particular reference e. g. to figs. 3 and 4, the coupling system 2 comprises one or more alternately placed pairs of protrusions and recesses 2a, 2b arranged at least in the end of the board element's 1; 1'board component 1'a. The coupling mechanism can be optionally implemented by using, for example, a male/female configuration 2a', 2b'as shown in fig.

12c.

In a further preferred embodiment, the coupling system 2 comprises a retainer mechanism 2cl, which is arranged integrally in the end of the board component 1'a and/or the base component 1'b for resisting a lengthwise s traction and which comprises, for example, friction, anti-release, pressure contact, joint surfaces or the like. Such retainer mechanisms are depicted in figs. 12a and 12b. The coupling system 2 and/or the retainer system 2cl for the lengthwise s traction can also be implemented by using separate locking mechanisms 2,2c4, such as a Velcro attachment, as depicted in fig. 13.

Instead of or in addition to what is described above, it is possible to exploit in the coupling system 2 a type of retainer mechanism 2c2 shown e. g. in fig. 9, which is implemented with separate quick couplings, such as so-called clips, retaining the end faces of adjacent board elements together in a spring-loaded manner. This type of retainer is capable of providing

a highly secure construction, which first of all enables a sufficiently secure attachment of elements to each other in such a way that, as the loading increases, the retainers are capable of popping off, thus allowing a disengagement of the board elements from each other without safety hazard.

In a preferred embodiment, a retainer system 2c; 2c3 is used for completing the coupling system 2 by being mounted only on the base component 1'b for maintaining the rink structure in alignment during regular play.

Such retainer systems 2c3 are depicted in figs. 14a and 14b.

As shown in the enclosed drawings, it is beneficial to provide the complementary joint surfaces of board elements with sufficient wall thicknesses, by virtue of which the board elements urge each other for a proper alignment. In practice, when manufactured e. g. from an EPP material, the joint surfaces have a wall thickness which is most preferably within the range of 10-60 mm.

The board elements can be further provided with profiled braces and undercuts of the types shown in figs. 15a-15d both for reinforcing and lightening the board elements. Profiled braces and undercuts refer to formations and patterns designed on a board element in its manufacturing process.

In a further preferred embodiment, the inventive board element 1'is manufactured e. g. from an EPS material, such as expanded cellular polystyrene, styrofoam, or the like, from an XPS material, such as extruded cellular polystyrene, from an EPP material, such as expanded polypropylene, extruded cellular polyethylene, polyurethane, or e. g. from extruded structural foam panel of PVC. With a particular

emphasis on manufacturing, the board element 1'is preferably manufactured by low pressure casting.

Generally speaking, the manufacturing material may comprise a variety of cold-set and thermoplastics. The materials may also involve various additives and fillers for conditioning the properties of a material.

In a preferred embodiment, the manufacturing material comprises EPP plastics (foamed cellular polypropylene). As far as the invention is concerned, the properties of EPP plastics are particularly advantageous, its properties including elasticity, absorbability of impacts, and resilience, which are important for the invention. Moreover, the manufacturing process of an EPP element enables a board element of this invention to be manufactured with a single mould as a single element, which contains all of the components required in a rink element, i. e. an upright panel and a support bracket, as well as, if necessary, also coupling mechanisms, in the way of an integral structure.

In a preferred embodiment, the board element is manufactured in its entirety with a single mould. The manufacturing process can be effected by using various injection moulding techniques, rotational moulding, reaction casting (RIM, RRIM, PUR), compression forming or moulding, vacuum moulding, lamination, blow moulding, extrusion, as well as SMC and BMC methods.

Preferably, the EPP element is manufactured, for example, by means of a RIM process.

Furthermore, with particular reference to the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 10, the board element 1'is provided as a mechanically reinforced assembly by way of inserts 4 removably mounted thereon, such as bracing ribs 4a, bracing profiles 4b and/or bracing plates 4c secured by means of snap-fit

and/or slide-fit joints. The inserts 4 can be manufactured e. g. from metal, plastics, or wood. The size, shape and position of these inserts can be varied for various modifications in the properties of the product. From the aspect of mould technology, the inserts can be located just as well inside a board element.

In a still further preferred embodiment, the board element can be coated with various materials and, for example, with panels of various shapes for conditioning the properties of board elements. The coating may comprise for example plastics or urethane.

Urethane, for example, can be applied on top of the element for example by spraying or by mechanical application. The coating may also comprise a shaped or unshaped coating panel, such as a plastic or wood panel. These coatings and panels can be used for improving board elements'properties, such as strength, rigidity, or appearance. Coatings can also be used for modifying properties associated with a type of board elements, such as the rebound or deflection response properties of board elements.

On the other hand, with particular reference to fig.

11, the board element 1'is provided in a preferred embodiment with a transparent cover component 5 removably mountable thereon, such as with a snap-fit locking, for carrying replaceable advertisements 5a, messages, and/or the like. The cover component 5 can be made, for example, from polycarbonate.

In a solution alternative to the board element shown in figs. 1 and 2, the board element 1'has its base component lib provided, as depicted particularly in figs. 6-8, by two or more brackets 1'bl, which are successive in a longitudinal direction s and protruding in a perpendicular direction from the board

component's 1'a back surface 1'at. A board element designed like this is feasible for making a corner piece for the board structure by bending the element on a principle depicted in fig. 7 to a curvature R.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the foregoing or above-described applications, but can be provided in a multitude of variations within the scope of the basic inventive concept. Thus, it is naturally obvious that e. g. the retainer system, used in connection with a coupling mechanism, can be implemented by means of e. g. a separate coupling pin or a locking member pivotably coupled between the components, as opposed to a so-called dovetail joint provided by a snap-fit or slide-fit connection present in the foregoing embodiments and/or as opposed to an extra friction surface present in each pair of protrusions and recesses. Of course, the board elements included in the board structure can have surface contours and dimensions which are different from the foregoing, such that a retainer system based on a separate connecting member is also essentially different from the retainer shown in the attached drawings, which is immobilized in a spring-loaded manner and which, in turn, can further be manufactured from appropriately flexible wood, plastic/metal materials.