Europaisches Patentamt 0 300 714 J European Patent Office uO Publication number A1 Office europeen des brevets i EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION © Application number: 88306550.0 © int. CIA B63H 9/06 © Date of filing: 18.07.88 © Priority: 17.07.87 ZA 875272 © Applicant: Saperstein, Raphael 462 Essenwood Road © Date of publication of application: Durban Natal Province(ZA) 25.01.89 Bulletin 89/04 © Inventor: Saperstein, Raphael © Designated Contracting States: 462 Essenwood Road AT BE CH DE ES FR GB GR IT LI LU NL SE Durban Natal Province(ZA) © Representative: Westwood, Edgar Bruce et al STEVENS, HEWLETT & PERKINS 5, Quality Court Chancery Lane London WC2A1HZ(GB) @ A sail batten. © The invention relates to a hollow non cylindrical batten (10) for a sailboard formed from plastics ma- terial with a body (12) having a cross-sectional pro- file that varies along its length. 5f < IO J FIG I CO o a. LU Xerox Copy Centre EP 0 300 714 A1 A Sail Batten THIS INVENTION relates to a sail batten. More wall thickness of the elongate element may taper particularly, the invention relates to a batten for a from one end of the element to the other end. In sailboard sail. addition, the varying cross-sectional profile of the Sailboards are watercrafts meant for sailboar- element may taper from one end of the elongate ding or wind surfing, which essentially include a 5 element to the other and. typically, may taper in streamlined base on which is mounted a mast to the same direction as does the wall thickness of which a sail is attached, a boom being provided for the element. manipulating the mast and the sail and thus for In general, the degree of taper of the wall navigating the sailboard. Since the early eighties, thickness and/or the cross-sectional profile of the the sails of saiiboards are increasingly being pro- w elongate element, forming a batten in accordance vided with battens for stiffening, supporting or re- with both aspects of the invention, may determine inforcing the sails and ensuring that the sails are in the required bending or flexing properties of the a desired manouvreable position in relation to wind batten and also its compression pressure and direction in order that the sailboard is navigable at draught percentage, it being well known that dif- optimum speeds with optimum efficiency. 75 ferent battens require different properties and that In designing such battens for crafts such as sail board battens do not define a regular arcuate sailboards, some factors are important, i.e. the profile when bent into its normal operational mode. compression pressure of the batten, its draught The degree of taper can therefore be variable which is the percentage distribution of a minor axis and may particularly be determined by specific in its curved state to its major axis, its weight and 20 batten requirements. The degree of taper of the its inherent resistance to breaking apart as well as cross-sectional profile of the element may gen- the actual cost of the battens. erally determine the bending properties of a batten Sail battens of the prior art generally apply to whereas wall thickness tapering can provide for yachts, and the like, but when applied to sailboards exact properties. generally comprise flat strips of uniform or tapering 25 The profile of a batten, in accordance with the width and of uniform or tapering thickness made of invention, may be variable, the typical ratio of ma- wood, or plastics. Whilst these sail battens claim to jor axis length to minor axis length of the cross- be extremely successful, their construction is lab- section being between 4:1 and 2,5:1. our intensive and involves a considerable wastage As such, the inner and outer cross-sectional of material. These battens are also relatively heavy. 30 profile of battens in accordance with both aspects It is an object of this invention to provide a sail of the invention may be elliptical, polygonal, sub- batten that is lighter in weight and cheaper to stantially rectangular with round ends, or the like. produce than known battens. Furthermore, battens, in accordance with both According to the invention there is provided a aspects of the invention, may be of fibreglass be- sail batten which includes a formed, hollow, non 35 ing a composition including glass fibres and a cylindrical elongate element defining a varying thermosetting resin. The glass fibers may be pro- cross-sectional profile along its length. vided in sheet form, so that they can be wound The elongate element may typically taper from onto a mandril for forming a batten. As such, the one end of the element to the other. glass fibre content may comprise unidirectional According to one embodiment of this aspect of 40 glass fibre sheeting of approximately 0.25mm the invention, the elongate, hollow element may thickness. have a constant thickness wall along the length The thermosetting resin may be an isothalic thereof. Alternatively, the wall thickness of the elon- resin such as a polyester resin, or the like. The gate element may vary between opposite ends of typical ratio of glass fibre to resin may be in the the element. 45 region of 60:40. As such, the wall thickness of the elongate Battens, in accordance with both aspects of the element may taper in the same direction as does invention, may further include a filler material, in- the cross-sectional profile of the element. serted into the hollow element. The filler material A second aspect of the invention accordingly may be specifically adapted to prevent wall col- provides for a sail batten which includes an elon- 50 lapse of the elongate element when bent and, as gate hollow non-cylindrical element defining a vary- such, may comprise glass microspheres, a suitable ing cross-sectional profile and having a tapered foam material, or the like. bore. Still further, a batten, in accordance with the Once again, the wall thickness of the element invention, may include end caps for closing-off may be substantially constant but, alternatively, the opposite ends of the hollow element forming the EP 0 300 714 A1 batten. now be accurately complied with. The invention is now described, by way of an The sail batten 10 can be manufactured of fibre example, with reference to the accompanying dia- glass being a composition including glass fibres grammatic drawings, in which: and a thermosetting resin and, as such, the batten Figure 1 shows a side view of a batten for a 5 10 can typically be manufactured of uni-directional saiiboard sail, in accordance with the invention; glass fibre sheeting having a 0,25mm thickness, Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional end view of which can be wound onto a mandril for forming the the batten of Figure 1 ; batten, and which sheeting can be bound together Figure 3 shows a partially sectioned end by means of a polyester resin, or the like. The ratio view of one end portion of the batten of Figure 1, w of glass fibres to polyester resin may typically be on an enlarged scale; and 60:40. Different methods of manufacture are also Figures 4 a, b and c show possible configu- envisaged. rations of portions of battens, according to this The batten 10 may optionally have a filler ma- invention, on an enlarged scale. terial 14 inserted into the elongate element 12 Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a is along the length thereof, the filler material typically batten for a sailboard sail, in accordance with the being glass microspheres or a suitable foam ma- invention, is generally indicated by the reference terial that can prevent collapsing of the tubular numeral 10. The batten 10 comprises an elongate, element 12 as a result of bending or twisting forces hollow element 12 defining a non cylindrical cross- acting on the batten. sectional profile that varies from one end of the 20 As such, opposite ends of the batten 10 may element to the other. be provided with end caps 16 (only one shown in The particular element 12 as shown tapers Figure 3), the end caps 16 being adapted to fit into from one end to the other and has a constant wall opposite ends of the elongate element 12 as is thickness. However, the wall thickness of the ele- clearly illustrated in Figure 3. ment 12 may also taper, from one end of the 25 The Applicant believes that battens, in accor- element to the other (not shown), the direction of dance with the invention, will be significantly taper of the wail thickness in such a case conve- cheaper than existing known battens while also niently being the same as the direction of taper of being significantly lighter, and as these battens can the overall cross-sectional profile of the element. be provided with specific bending or flexing prop- The exact profile of the element 12 may be 30 erties it is believed that these battens will prove to variable for different battens and it is particularly be a significant development in the sailboard in- anticipated that the element will define a flat rec- dustry and, in particular, in respect of sailboard tangular shaped profile having curved ends and sails. The mode of use of battens of the above kind having a major axis to minor axis ratio of between is well known and is therefore not described in any 4:1 and 2,5:1. The said profile may also be ellip- 35 further detail in this specification. tical, oval, polygonal, or the like.