Background Art Currently skis are generally constituted by a sandwich structure obtained by processes which entail a plurality of stages or steps in different molds.

The resulting ski is essentially composed of a lower part, which comprises the runner for gliding over the snow and the lateral blades, of a central body, of an upper part which comprises an external covering, also known as cap, and of optional plates for connecting boot bindings by means of screws.

It is known to insert structural members in the ski, for example in the upper part and in the lower part, such as for example laminated components made of aluminum or glass fiber, in order to give the ski greater torsional and flexural rigidity, with the aim of improving its technical properties.

Accordingly, skis are known for this purpose which are internally provided with closed box-like structures which surround the central body of the ski.

The ski can also be made of different materials, such as for example injected polyurethane or synthetic foam combined with shaped wood, or possibly by inserting plates or other particular structures.

The methods for producing these skis comprise the execution of a plurality of molds by means of which the various described components must be modeled and associated.

Therefore, in the prior art, after pre-forming the various elements, said elements are placed in a final mold, in which the filler material, such as polyurethane or synthetic foam, is injected so as to obtain a monolithic body and therefore the final product constituted by the ski.

These conventional methods suffer many drawbacks, including high costs owing to the number of molds used for manufacturing and to the

consequent production steps required.

Secondly, it has been observed that the injection of the filler material, owing to the very high pressures involved, often causes the incorrect arrangement of the various laminated elements or box-like structures that are closed inside the ski; this is particularly observed regarding the positioning of the laminated elements in the upper and lower regions of the ski.

Accordingly, each individual ski has structural differences which considerably influence its behavior, preventing the manufacturer from providing the customer with a product whose technical properties and performance are known and guaranteed.

These problems increase if the skis need to have a plurality of stiffening ribs formed on the upper surface; accordingly, the same problems in positioning the laminated elements inside the ski, which affect its technical and control-related characteristics, are observed in this type of ski as well.

Moreover, it is noted that in the current trend to use skis which have a very pronounced sidecut, particularly in the practice of carving, there are considerable problems in manufacturing the ski; the considerable difference in cross-section, in terms of both width and height, between the front and rear regions and the central region in fact makes it difficult to shape the various elements that constitute the ski.

In order to partially overcome this drawback, it is known to use pre- impregnated materials which are initially soft and non-rigid but become rigid after the injection of a filler material, thus determining the technical characteristics of the ski.

US-5,186,777 discloses a method for manufacturing a ski comprising injecting the filler material in a case-like container made of flexible plastics which expands during injection, forcing the components against the walls of the mold.

The insertion of said case-like container, however, increases the number

of parts used and also requires a complicated system for exactly positioning the elements on it.

However, the above method hinders the embedding effect previously offered by the injected material and it is therefore necessary to add a new step of gluing or of a second injection in order to complete the manufacturing cycle.

Moreover, the elements inside the ski may be displaced also when using the above method and it is therefore not possible to provide, for each molding operation, a ski which has the same technical and structural characteristics.

EP-0 702 586 discloses a method for manufacturing a ski in which the structural laminated element is glued to the lower surface of the topskin or cap.

In this way, after inserting all the elements inside the mold and performing the subsequent injection of the filler material, the stiffening plate maintains the correct initial position inside the structure.

The shape assumed by the topskin or cap is in any case constrained to being flat, due to the gluing of the laminated element on the cap, or to the shape defined by the pre-formed configuration of the laminated element alone.

Deformation of the shape obtained from the combination constituted by the laminated element and the topskin or cap cannot be provided with the prior art, since it would require excessively high working pressures.

Disclosure of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art by providing a ski having a structure which allows to obtain the desired properties very rapidly and easily.

An important object of the invention is to provide a ski which has a simplified structure which accordingly allows to eliminate many of the

various additional structural elements that instead characterize conventional skis.

Another important object is to provide a ski whose technical properties can be reproduced in an optimum and serial manner.

Another object is to provide an invention which is reliable and safe in use and has low manufacturing costs.

This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a ski comprising a topskin, a runner and lateral blades, characterized in that it internally comprises at least one drawn structural element which is interposed between said runner and said topskin.

Brief description of the Drawinss Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of particular but not exclusive embodiments, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view of the ski, taken along a transverse plane; Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 2, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 5 is a lateral perspective view of the drawn structural element of the embodiment of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 1, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 6, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 8 is a view, similar to Figure 7, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 9 is a view, similar to Figure 8, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 10 is a view, similar to Figure 9, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 11 is a view, similar to Figure 10, of another embodiment of the ski; Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 5, of still a further embodiment of

the invention.

Wavs of carrvin out the Invention With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 designates a ski which comprises a topskin 2, optionally at least one lower structural laminated element 3 and an upper one 7, a runner 4 and two lateral blades 5a and 5b.

Plates for fixing bindings are optionally provided.

The ski is characterized in that it internally comprises at least one drawn structural element 6 which is accordingly interposed between said runner 4 and the topskin 2; it is possible to provide spaces, for example, with respect to the side walls 9a and 9b of the topskin 2.

The drawn structural element 6 is advantageously rigidly coupled in one or more regions to the runner 4 or to the lower laminated element 3, for example by gluing.

Said drawn structural element preferably has a tubular configuration with a rectangular transverse cross-section.

A filler material 8, such as a foamed product, can be placed inside and/or outside the drawn structural element.

The height of the drawn structural element can be equal to the distance between the runner 4 and the topskin 2 or to the distance between the lower and upper structural laminated elements, as shown in Figure 1, or can be lower than said distance, as shown in Figure 2.

As an alternative, as shown in Figure 3, the drawn structural element can be internally divided by means of multiple partitions 10 arranged for example horizontally or otherwise with respect to the runner 4.

Said partitions can optionally be arranged so as to form, inside the drawn structural element, seats for the filler material 8 having different volumes.

Figure 4 illustrates the drawn structural element of Figure 3, whose height is slightly less than the distance between the lower and upper structural laminated elements, and has, at the lower surface that is adjacent

to the lower structural laminated element 3, two fins 12a and 12b which protrude laterally so as to affect the entire width of the ski. said fins, shaped appropriately, determine the dimensions and the lateral shape of the ski.

Figure 5 is a view of a drawn structural element 6 in which openings are formed by means of cuts formed at one or more of the partitions 10, so as to allow optimum adaptation to the required dimensions of the ski both vertically and horizontally.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a ski in which the drawn structural element 6 has, at the central region of the upper surface 13 and/or of the partitions 10, at least one recess 14 which forms two longitudinal stiffening ribs 15a and 15b.

Figure 7 shows the use of a shock-absorbing element 16, adapted to absorb vibrations, in the interspace between the upper surface 13 of the drawn structural element 6 and a partition 10.

In Figures 8 and 9, the drawn structural element 6 has a symmetrical or asymmetric lattice-like structure which is obtained by vertically connecting the lower surface 11 and the upper surface 13 and the partitions 10 by means of walls 17.

Shock-absorbing elements 16 or filler material 8 or other elements 18 having the desired hardness can be placed within one or more of the cells formed by the lattice-like internal structure of the drawn structural element 6.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate two embodiments which comprise a drawn structural element 6 which is divided into two parts 6a and 6b which are directly coupled to each other, as shown in Figure 11, or have a shock- absorbing element 16 interposed between them in one or more regions, said element being adapted to absorb the stresses produced by uneven regions of the snow-covered surface.

Figure 12 shows still a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the drawn structural element 6 is directly associated with runner 4 and blades 5 a

and 5b. The drawn structural element 6 is provided with a thicker region 66 directly connected to the runner 4. The possible space between the blades Sa, 5b and the thicker region 66 may be filled with a filler material 55.

It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a ski having been obtained which has the chosen technical characteristics by using the drawn structural element 6, which has selected dimensions and is made of selected materials.

The use of the drawn structural element 6 obtained by means of low-cost processes also allows to eliminate the use of different structural elements used in the prior art, considerably reducing manufacturing costs and times; drawing is in fact the cheapest production process.

The drawn structural element 6 is not subject to displacement for example during the injection of the filler material, accordingly allowing to obtain skis which have uniform and constant technical characteristics.

The ski according to the invention is susceptible of other modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims.

The materials and the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention can of course also be the most appropriate according to specific requirements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV98A000157 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.