Texture for skateboard deck and method of making

Abstract

A method of creating texture on a skateboard deck or surface of another object upon which it is desirable to have a texture, and toward a method of making and applying the texture to the surface of an object where a texture is desirable. The texture is created by coating the surface of the object with an adhesive through, preferably, coating the surface with a water-based adhesive, from an enclosed, pressurized container through a commercial paint sprayer. After coating the surface, a plurality of particles, preferably crushed, ground glass particles, are dispersed across the adhesive-coated surface and left to dry. After the adhesive/particle coat has dried, one or more surface coats of the same or a different adhesive may be optionally applied to more securely attach the particles to the surface and vary the texture. The method is fast, inexpensive, and provides a superior surface to that in the industry.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred iteration of the invention is a method of making a non-skid skateboard deck with the following process:

Step 1: Obtain a skateboard and place it deck-up on a rack, preferably, for the sake of the user's health, in a well ventilated room.

Step 2: Spray over the deck of the skateboard a thin layer of an adhesive. The adhesive is preferably contained in a pressurized tank and applied to the skateboard deck through a commercial paint sprayer or similar device. The adhesive is preferably water-based, and urethane, shellac and acrylic are particularly preferred as the adhesive.

Step 3: Transport the skateboard deck to another location where a supply of particles, preferably ground glass, is available.

Step 4: Apply the particles to the skateboard deck.

A preferred method involves locating an application box above the skateboard deck, where the application box has a mesh screen bottom, where the screen mesh bottom can contain one or more layers of screen mesh, and the size of the screen mesh can be varied. Using this method, the user places the skateboard deck on another rack, called the application rack, and dumps a quantity of particles, preferably ground glass, into the application box, shakes the application box one or more times, to cause a certain quantity of ground glass to percolate through the mesh screen and fall randomly upon the skateboard deck. The number of times and the intensity with which the user of the invention shakes the application box is dependant upon how rapidly the ground glass percolates through the mesh screen and how much ground glass is desired on the deck of the skateboard.

An especially preferred method involves laying the skateboard on a conveyer belt, deck up, and allowing the conveyer belt to move the skateboard deck under a mechanical applicator for a set period of time, during which the mechanical applicator applies a user-adjustable amount of particles to the skateboard deck in a relatively even manner. The machine containing the conveyor belt has, preferably a collection device which collects any particles which do not adhere to the deck of the skateboard, and then returns these particles to the application box for recycling.

Another way to vary the amount of particles dispersed on the deck of the skateboard is to vary the number of “passes” that are made with the source of ground glass over the deck.

Step 5: Move the skateboard to a drying rack in a, preferably, temperature and moisture-controlled setting, let adhesive dry for an appropriate amount of time, preferably at least 12 hours.

Step 6: Optionally, apply one or more additional coats of the adhesive over the particles embedded in the first layer of adhesive.

Step 6A: Let the additional coat or coats dry overnight.

Step 7: Optionally, sand over the adhesive to make the texture less sharp.

Step 8: Remove the skateboard and attach the trucks and wheels, then adjust the various screws and nuts to prepare the skateboard for sale or use.

This same method of applying a textured coat to the deck of a skateboard can also be used with other objects for which a textured surface is desirable. For example, the same process can be carried out on a wakeboard or surfboard in the manufacturing shop. For wetsuit booties and other water-related footwear, the textured coat can be applied after the item is manufactured, or to the sole section of the footwear before it is cut and sewn into the final product. The process can be used for a dock, sailboat deck or other surface near or in the water for which a textured, non-skid surface is desirable by merely bringing the sources of particles and adhesive to the location and applying the adhesive by a commercial paint sprayer, followed by dispersing the particles by hand, a commercial spreader or other means, over the adhesive. The adhesive/particle mixture is then allowed to dry and can, optionally, have one or more additional layers of adhesive applied. The same additional procedures (extra coats of adhesive, sanding, etc.) can also be applied to footwear.

Claims

1. A method of applying a non-skid texture to a surface of an object, comprising the steps of: first, arrange for the surface desired to be textured to be physically close to a source of a liquid compound, referred to as an “adhesive”, which acts as a bonding agent, and apply the adhesive to the surface, second, arrange for the surface desired to be textured to be physically close to a plurality of particles,third, apply the particles to the surface, such that an adhesive/particle mixture is created,fourth, allow the adhesive/particle mixture to dry.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the steps of: fifth, applying one or more coats of adhesive over the layer of adhesive applied in the first step of the method,sixth, allowing the one or more coats of adhesive applied in step 5 to dry, where each coat of adhesive is allowed to dry before the next coat of adhesive is applied.

3. The method of claim 1, where the particles are glass which has been crushed and ground.

4. The method of claim 1, where the particles are beaded glass.

5. The method of claim 1, where the adhesive is applied by spraying the liquid from a pressurized device.

6. The method of claim 1, where the adhesive is applied by hand.

7. The method of claim 1, where the surface is on a movable object, additionally comprising a preliminary step of moving the movable object to a well-ventilated location where the surface can have adhesive applied to it in a well-ventilated location.

8. The method of claim 7, where the well-ventilated location is a room enclosed on all sides with a roof such that intrusion of dust into the adhesive is minimized, such that the surface to of the object to have adhesive applied to it receives a coat comprised of at least 99.99% adhesive.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising a container of adhesive, where the container is capable of having pressure applied to it, such that the adhesive can be forced from the container with force, and additionally comprising a means of applying the adhesive to the surface, and, where the means of applying the adhesive to the surface is a commercial paint sprayer.

10. The method of claim 1, where adhesive is a water-based, acrylic urethane.

11. The method of claim 1, where the third step of applying the particles to the surface comprises the steps of locating an application box with a mesh screen bottom to the box over the surface, dumping a quantity of particles into the application box, and shaking the application box one or more times, with a force that is adjustable depending on the desired amount of particles to be dislodged, and to cause a certain quantity of particles to percolate through the mesh screen and fall randomly upon the skateboard deck.

12. The method of claim 11, where the number of times and the intensity with which the user of the invention shakes the application box is dependant upon how rapidly the ground glass percolates through the mesh screen and how much ground glass is desired on the deck of the skateboard.

13. The method of claim 11, where the object is movable and the user places the movable object on an application rack, where the adhesive is applied to the object while the object is on the application rack, and, where the mesh bottom is comprised of two or more layers of mesh screen.

14. The method of claim 1, where the surface is a surface on a movable object and the step of applying the particles to the surface comprises laying the movable on a conveyer belt, deck up, and allowing the conveyer belt to move the surface under a mechanical applicator for a set period of time, during which the mechanical applicator applies a user-adjustable amount of particles to the surface in a relatively even manner, and where the object is allowed to dry at least 12 hours.

15. The method of claim 1, where the object is a skateboard and the surface upon which the texture is to be applied is a skateboard deck.

16. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising a final step: removing the skateboard from the drying rack, attaching the trucks and wheels, adjusting the various screws and nuts, and preparing the skateboard for sale or use.

17. The method of claim 1, where the object is a surface upon which people can walk, where the surface is located near a body of water, as in the case of a sidewalk near a lake, or can be temporarily located in or near a body of water, as in a sailboat that can be transported from a house to a lake.

18. A skateboard with a non-skid texture on the deck of the skateboard, where the deck is created by the following method: first, moving the skateboard to a well-ventilated location where the surface can a source of a liquid compound, referred to as an “adhesive”, which can act as a bonding agent and apply the adhesive to the surface,second, arrange for the surface desired to be textured to be physically close to a source of adhesive and spray over the surface desired to be textured a thin layer of adhesive, where, the a container of adhesive, where the container is capable of having pressure applied to it, such that the adhesive can be forced from the container with force, and additionally comprising a means of applying the adhesive to the surface, the means of applying the adhesive to the surface is a commercial paint sprayer,second, arrange for the surface desired to be textured to be physically close to a source of ground glass,third, apply the ground glass to the surface,fourth, allow the surface to dry,where the well-ventilated location is a room enclosed on all sides with a roof such that intrusion of dust into the adhesive is minimized, such that the surface to have adhesive applied to it receives a coat comprised of at least 99% adhesive.

19. The method of claim 18, where the step of applying the ground glass to the surface comprises locating an application box with a mesh screen bottom to the box over the surface, dumping a quantity of ground glass into the application box, and shaking the application box one or more times, to cause a certain quantity of ground glass to percolate through the mesh screen and fall randomly upon the skateboard deck, and, where the number of times and the intensity with which the user of the invention shakes the application box is dependant upon how rapidly the ground glass percolates through the mesh screen and how much ground glass is desired on the deck of the skateboard, and, where the user places the movable object on an application rack, where the adhesive is applied to the object while the object is on the application rack.

20. The method of claim 19, where the surface is a surface on a movable object and the step of applying the ground glass to the surface comprises laying the skateboard on a conveyer belt, deck up, and allowing the conveyer belt to move the skateboard deck under a mechanical applicator for a set period of time, during which the movable on a mechanical applicator applies a user-adjustable amount of ground glass to the skateboard deck in a relatively even manner.