MODULES, RIDING SURFACE AND METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A RECREATIONAL TRACK

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of U.S. provisional application no. 63/364,443 entitled “MODULES AND MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A RECREATIONAL TRACK, TRACKS CONSTRUCTED THEREWITH, RIDING SURFACES AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFOR”, and filed on May 10, 2022, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

[0002] A system for constructing a recreational environment or racing track for vehicles, motorized or not, particularly a pump track, skate park, tracks for mountain bikes, motocross, skateboards, segways, scooters, wheelchairs or the like with a combination of interconnected or individual modules made of a supporting structure and a riding surface made of one or more components of various shapes and dimensions.

Background of the Invention

[0003] Recreational environments meant for such vehicles can be made of separate individual modules of various shapes and dimensions or constitute a track offering straight lines, ramps, curves and bumps.

[0004] Concrete and/or asphalt covered constructions are generally permanently installed whereas modular constructions can’t be easily dismantled. A skate board track, a roller blade track and a scooter track generally differs from bicycle tracks or motocross tracks in the type of riding surface. The first type of surface, generally for non motorized vehicles is a hard and smooth surface whereas a second type generally for motorized vehicles can be softer and rougher.

[0005] As shown in the French patent application FR2757075, a modular skating track is described. The track is made of a horizontal surface connected to modular curved sections. The upper part of the end section is covered by a cylindrically-shaped bumper. The slope is connected to the platform by a safety barrier. The curved surfaces are supported on a frame made of vertical, horizontal and diagonal bars. They are stiffened with triangular bars and connected to each other by mounting plates. The horizontal surface is supported by bars beneath it, and inclination can be varied with means of feet of variable height.

[0006] European patent application EP0378725A1 shows a track, in particular for skateboards, made of individual modules. In order to set up a skateboard track which can be constructed outdoors and which has a long service life with simultaneously excellent rolling properties, it is proposed to construct a skateboard track from individual modules that consist of precast concrete, thus having excellent riding properties on their running side, thus generating less noise than prior art tracks.

[0007] European patent application EP0870523A1 describes a roller track solution made of individual elements. The track structure consists of many sections that form a hollow track with a flat bottom and a number of end sections, with which the structure has a closed semicircular end. The hollow track consists of concave sections that have flat horizontal platforms along the hill. Platforms are used for starting or landing. Users can also move along the structure and along the semicircular end. The concave sections are supported by struts.

[0008] DE202017102202U1 shows a modular ramp construction as a series of modules connected through a combination of magnetic and mechanical connections.

[0009] Published patent application W02022002288 discloses a bicycle track which is defined through a combination of straight lines, hills and curve bends defining a closed track. The track is made of composite with a rough surface but does not describe precisely the said construction and materials.

[0010] It is known to make motocross tracks of compacted earth or concrete shaped as slopes, hills, bumps and turns. Additional obstacles can be added to the track such as tires, rocks, concrete or metallic tubes or tree trunks.

[0011] Modular concrete tracks known but they are heavy and require heavy duty lifting machinery for their installation on site. [0012] Composite tracks, on the other hand can be installed without involving heavy equipment, but these tracks are limited in their dimensions (approximately 1 to 2 meters in width) and their structural capacity, hence not adapted to motocross. The composite track size and shape limitation is generally due to the manufacturing process which requires a mould for each individual shape. The structural capacity of the composite tracks is limited by the composite material used, generally short fiber reinforced plastics made with open mould process.

Objects of the Invention

[0013] The purpose of the invention is to provide modules and a riding surface to build a recreational or professional racing track which is made of interconnected modules of various shapes and dimensions. The track can be open with separated modules such as a skate park, or closed track such as a pump track. The invention enables the construction of individual modules of various shapes and dimensions, including riding surface of double curvature, which can be quickly connected together and provide enough structural integrity to support racing motorized (or not). The manufacturing process for the track may be based on adaptive moulding, enabling to use of a single mould to make a series of different shapes. The resin infusion process with continuous fiber is used to optimize the structural capacity of the track.

Summary of the Invention

[0014] The invention is a system to make an interior or exterior track (open or closed) or part of a track with individual modules, mechanically interconnected, which can be easily assembled and disassembled.

[0015] Each module is made with three components:

A) a hybrid construction including a metallic supporting structure,

B) a fiber reinforced plastic ridding surface,

C) the riding surface being covered or coated with a hard gelcoat, rubber material, polyurethane, acrylic polymer or a lightweight concrete coating.

[0016] The riding surface can be flat, angled or curved (single or multiple curvature). [0017] The riding surface preferably comprises a rigid outer skin defining a top surface and a bottom surface and a foam (composite, polystyrene, or the like) mat disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface.

[0018] The rigid outer skin may be made of fiberglass or other similar material.

[0019] Other and further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which different similar modules which may be assembled to form a series of ‘whoops’ for a motocross track.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of part of the track shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG 2A is a perspective view of a module shown in FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG 2B is a side view of the module shown in FIG. 2A.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a side view of a part of a few of the modules shown in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a supporting metallic frame shown in FIG. 2 without the top surface.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective side view of an embodiment of a jump module connected to a landing module in accordance with the invention.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a side view of the modules shown in FIG. 5.

[0029] FIG. 7 is Detail A of the modules shown in FIG. 5.

[0030] FIG. 8 is Detail B of the modules shown in FIG. 5.

[0031] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a composite sandwich construction (riding surface) for the track shown in FIG. 1 and 5. FIG.10 is a side view of an embodiment of a compression joint for connecting two modules with rubber.

FIG.11 is a view of an embodiment of a winch for assembling and connecting modules in different ways (track length and width direction).

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0032] Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0033] In one embodiment, each module can be up to 3 meters in width and 3 meters in length. However, other dimensions are also possible without departing from the invention.

[0034] As explained above and as shown in the FIGURES, each module is made with three components:

A) a hybrid construction including a metallic supporting structure, preferably of aluminium,

B) a fiber reinforced plastic ridding surface as shown in FIG. 9,

C) the riding surface can be covered or coated with a hard gelcoat, rubber material, polyurethane, acrylic polymer or a lightweight concrete coating.

[0035] The riding surface can be flat, angled or curved (single or multiple curvature).

[0036] The riding surface preferably comprises a rigid outer skin defining a top surface and a bottom surface and a foam (composite, polystyrene, or the like) mat disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface.

[0037] The rigid outer skin may be made of fiberglass or other similar material.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, 7, 8, and 11. The modules can be connected in the track length direction using various devices such as alignment pins, locating plates, flanges, winches and tightening clamps or bolts.

[0039] The modules can also be connected in the track width direction, using various devices such as alignment pins, locating plates, flanges, winches and tightening clamps or bolts for making a wider track as show in FIG.11. [0040] As shown in FIG. 5 and 8, the connection between two adjacent modules can also include a composite block at the riding surface, which is disposed between the two connected modules for example by using a male/female groove system, bolts, nuts or tightening clamps.

[0041] The composite block 5 connecting two modules can be made of rubber or simply assembled with bolts, nuts, alignment pins or tightening clamps.

[0042] As show in FIG 10, when connecting two modules, a rubber joint is preferably inserted therebetween which is the compressed with bolts, nuts, alignment pins, tightening clamps or the like.

[0043] The connection between two modules can also be achieved without using rubber and only with bolts, nuts, alignment pins, tightening clamps, cables, straps and ropes tensioned using winches or other known devices.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 9 the riding surface is made of structural composite materials (continuous fiber) making a sandwich construction including a minimum of two skins and one foam core. The skins can be made of a minimum of 0.5 mm thick Fiber Reinforced Plastic material (FRP), using glass, carbon or natural fibers (ex: flax or hemp fiber) with a thermoset or thermoplastic resin. Continuous fibers (unidirectional or woven roving) are preferably used for their high strength compared to short fibers. An infusion process is used for providing a higher fiber content rate (50% to 60% by weight) compared to an open mould process. The structural foam core is made of a minimum of 5mm thick thermoset or thermoplastic polymer (density between 40kg/m3 and 200kg/m3).

[0045] The composite riding surface is coated with a coated with a gelcoat, rubber material, polyurethane, acrylic polymer or a lightweight concrete coating providing either a smooth and hard surface or a soft and rough surface.

[0046] The composite block making the connection between two modules, includes metallic inserts allowing a bolted attachment on each side. A composite block can also be used as an access ramp to the modules. The composite blocks are made of machined foam core giving the shape of the block, and a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) skin preferably having a minimum of 0.5 mm in thickness. [0047] Referring now to FIG. 10, a rubber compression joint of the composite riding surface is shown between two adjacent modules. Adjacent modules may be attached together using, but not limited to, bolts, nuts, alignment pins, tightening clamps cables, straps and ropes tensioned using winches or other known devices.

[0048] Referring now to FIG. 11, the figure shows a possible location for the winches (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, and 106) to which are respectively attached cables, straps or ropes (201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206) via attachment points (221, 222, 223, 224, 225, and 226) to allow the positioning, alignment, and holding of the metallic modules for optional assembly using bolts, nuts, alignment pins, or tightening clamps. The use of winches allows the assembly of multiple modules face-to-face (along the track length) and/or side-by-side (in the width direction) to achieve all possible track configurations even without the use of bolts, nuts, alignment pins, or tightening clamps. To disassemble the track, the winches are disengaged and the respectively attached cables, straps or ropes can be rewound on the corresponding winch.

[0049] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.