Combination Surfboard Maintenance Tool Technical Field

This invention relates to the field of surfing and more particularly to tools for maintaining surf boards.

Background Art

The deck of a surfboard is the surface on which the surfer stands. Surf wax is usually applied to this surface in order to improve the grip of a surfer's feet on the board. Surfboard wax is applied to the surfboard by rubbing from rail to rail (side to side), and nose to tail (front to back) in an area protected from the sun to avoid melting. After several layers have been applied in each direction, a final coat is applied, rubbing the wax on in a circular motion.

After a board sits unused for a while or it gets hot, the wax will lose its grip or tack. The easiest way to revive the adhesion of the wax is to comb it. Surf shops sell special wax combs for this purpose. Usually, the comb is used to engrave crisscross valleys into the wax to create a tackier surface. It is also used to remove or scrape the wax from the board.

The surfboard fin is a stabilizing strut fixed to the rear of the surfboard to prevent it from sliding sideways. In the early days, surfers would stabilize the board by hanging the toes of their back feet over the edge of the board. The innovation of the fin revolutionized surfing, allowing surfers to direct the board's momentum and providing more balance while turning.

The single fin changed little until the late 1970's, when a second was added and popularized. The new twin-fin set-up allowed much more flowing carves to be carved in the water. Today, most surfboards still use the same arrangement with its popularity arising from the combined ability for carving turns and providing control and drive.

In the early 1990's removable fin systems became the norm. These provided surfers with the ability to alter the riding characteristics of a surfboard, by changing the size and shape of fins used. This innovation opened the market to a range of fin designs, including single foiled fins, concave inside surfaces, and curved fins.

Fins are attached with special bolts or screws. Special wrenches, called fin keys are sold for screwing, unscrewing and tightening these bolts. These keys, similar to Allen wrenches,

typically have T-shaped handles so that more fastening torque can be applied to the fin attachment bolt. The handles are usually made of plastic and the blade or driver portion is made of steel or stainless steel or similar material.

Another surfboard accessory which is commonly found these days is a surf pad or traction pad. This is a rubber pad that is fixed by adhesive to the rear of the board's deck. The top surface of the pad is specially grooved in order to provide improved grip. The pads usually are thicker in the rear to ensure stability and prevent the back foot from sliding off the board.

The problem with wax combs and fin keys is that they are small and are easily lost. If stored in the surfer's bag they may be lost in the sand. If stored in the swimsuit pocket they may become lost at sea and will poke into the surfer's body, causing discomfort. There is no good way to attach these tools to the board or the body.

AISurf Limited of Ferndown, Dorset, United Kingdom sells a fin comb with a pocket for storing a fin key. See Figure 1. However, this does not solve the storage problem.

Development of a product which can safely store a fin key and wax comb represents a great improvement in the field of surfboard maintenance and satisfies a long felt need of the surfer. An additional improvement would be a combination fin key and wax comb.

Disclosure of Invention

This invention is a product which can safely store a fin key and wax comb.

One embodiment of this invention is a surf mat having a cavity adapted to receive and retain a fin key. Another embodiment is a surf mat having a cavity adapted to receive and retain a wax comb. Yet another embodiment is a surf mat having: a cavity adapted to receive and retain a fin key, and a cavity adapted to receive and retain a wax comb.

This invention can additionally be a combination fin key attached to a wax comb. Preferably the attachment is pivotal. This invention can be provided as a kit comprising: the combination fin key/wax combination tool and a surf mat having a cavity adapted to receive and retain the combination tool.

Slots are formed at the intersection of the cavities with the exterior surface of the surf mat.

For security the pad can be provided with additional securing means for securing the combination tool or individual tools in the cavity. The additional securing means can be a pin or pins which passes or pass transversely through a transverse hole through the cavity and a transverse hole through the tool or tools. An alternative means can be an elastomeric plug that fits snugly in the slot. The additional securing means could be a flap of material adapted to removably attach to the surf mat over the slot or slots.

An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and a more complete and comprehensive understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and studying the following description of the best mode of carrying out the invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a sketch of the prior art fin key and wax comb sold by A1 Surf Limited.

Figure 2 is a partial, perspective sketch of a surf pad attached to the rear of a surf board.

Figure 3 is a perspective drawing of the combination fin key/wax comb tool of this invention in the closed position.

Figure 4 is a perspective drawing of the combination fin key/wax comb tool of this invention in the open position.

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the improved surf pad of this invention and the combination fin key/wax comb tool of this invention showing the improvement of the additional slot.

Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the improved surf pad of this invention with the combination fin key/wax comb tool of this invention inserted in the slot.

Figure 7 illustrates one method of securing the tool within the slot, a flap of material in the closed position.

Figure 8 illustrates the method shown in Figure 7 in the open position.

Figure 9 shows an alternate embodiment of this invention in which the surf pad is modified with two slots for holding a fin key and a wax comb.

Best Mode for Carrying Out Invention

Figure 1 is a sketch of the prior art fin key and wax comb 10 sold by A1 Surf Limited. This product comprises a fin key 14 and wax comb 18 of about the same thickness. The comb 18 has an enlarged rear 22 with a cut out 26 the shape of the fin key handle 30and a cavity 34 the shape of the key or driver portion 38. The comb section 42is used for combing the wax as usual. The fin key 14 is removed from the cut out 26 and cavity 34 for use and then replaced for storage. This is a clever combination tool 10 but the constituent parts 14, 18, being small and separable, are still easily lost.

Figure 2 is a partial, perspective sketch of a surf pad 46 attached to the rear of a surf board 50. It will be appreciated that the top surface 54of the mat 46 is grooved and the mat is thicker at the rear 58.

Figure 3 is a perspective drawing of the combination fin key/wax comb tool 100 of this invention in the closed position. Figure 4 is a perspective drawing of the combination fin key/wax comb tool 100 of this invention in the open position. This invention comprises a wax comb 104 attached to the handle 108 of a fin key 112. Preferably the handle 108 is in the shape of a truncated triangle although it could be rectangular. The driver or key portion 116 is just like the driver or key portion of prior art fin keys. Preferably, the handle 108 is pivotally attached to the wax comb 104 with a pivot pin 120 or equivalent method of attachment. The wax comb portion 104 is of a rectangular shape and has a cut out 124 having the shape of the fin key 112. A stop 128 across the bottom of this cavity 124 ensures that the fin key 112 will only pivot in one direction. The wax comb portion 104 may also have a hole 130 through it.

When the invention 100 is closed, as shown in Figure 3, it is easy to hold and use the teeth 132 for combing wax. When the invention 100 is open, as shown in Figure 4, the wax comb portion 104 functions similarly to the T-bar of a prior art fin key so that more torque may be applied to the bolt. As can be appreciated, since the fin key 108 and wax comb 104 are attached to each other they will be harder to lose. Also the hole 130 can be used to attach this invention 100 to clothing or other items with cord or a bungee.

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the improved surf pad 150 of this invention and the combination fin key/wax comb tool 100 of this invention. As can be seen, there is a slot 154 in the rear 158 of the surf pad 150. The slot 154 is the opening of a cavity 162 that has the same

outer shape as the combination fin key/wax comb 100. In other words, the slot 154 is the intersection of the cavity 162 with the rear surface 158 of the surf pad 150. The tool 100 can then be inserted into the cavity 162 through the slot 154 for convenient storage as shown in Figure 6. The pad 150 is provided with cut outs 166 so that the tool 100 can be easily grasped for removal.

Since the pad 150 is made of rubber the tool 100 will ordinarily remain in the cavity 162 until manually removed. However, a number of schemes can be used to ensure that the tool 100 will not be jarred out of the cavity 162, for example, by heavy surf, aggressive surfing and movement. One scheme is to provide a pin 170 that can be inserted through the mat 150 and the hole 130 in the tool. For this purpose a blind hole 174 through the mat 150 which will line up with the hole 130 in the tool 100 when the tool 100 is fully seated in the cavity 162, is required. Figure 5 illustrates just such an arrangement. The pin 170 could be made in the form of a quick release or detent pin to for increased safety. Another method is to provide a flap of material 178, attached at one end 182 to the rear 158 of the pad 150 that may be removably fastened over the slot 154. Hook and loop fastener 186, or Velcro ® , fastened to the inside of the flap 178 and the rear 158 of the pad 150 is the preferred material for allowing the flap 178 to be removaby secured to the pad 150. Figure 7 illustrates this method with the flap 178 of material in the closed position. Figure 8 illustrates this method with the flap 178 in the open position. Another scheme is to provide an elastomeric plug that will fit snugly in the cavity 162.

Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment 200 of this invention. This embodiment 200 is applicable for separate prior art fin keys 204and wax combs 208. In this embodiment 200 there are two slots 212, 216 in the rear 220 of the surf pad 200. The slots 212, 216 are openings to two cavities 224, 228: one 224 has an inner shape corresponding to the outer shape of the fin key 204 and the other 228 has an inner shape corresponding to the outer shape of the wax comb 208. In this way safe storage can be provided for a fin key 204 and a wax comb 208. The securing schemes shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8 could also be applied to this embodiment 200.

This invention has been described with reference to a several embodiments. However, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that other modifications and enhancements can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.