U.S. patent application number 12/801614 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-25 for artificial turf mat and method for manufacturing thereof.
Invention is credited to Hugo De Vries.
Application Number | 20100298073 12/801614 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32678024 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100298073 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
De Vries; Hugo |
November 25, 2010 |
Artificial turf mat and method for manufacturing thereof
Abstract
An artificial turf mat, including a backing and a plurality of
protruding artificial grass blades divided into rows and connected
to the backing. The mutual distance between successive blades in a
row is substantially equal to the distance between adjacent rows
and is at least 10 mm. The backing and the blades may be formed and
mutually connected by weaving. A method for forming an artificial
turf mat, including supplying a backing material, supplying an
artificial turf material, forming a backing from the backing
material, and connecting blades of the artificial turf material
divided into rows to the backing. The blades may be connected to
the backing such that their mutual spacing in a row is
substantially equal to the mutual distance between adjacent rows
and is at least 10 mm.
Inventors: |
De Vries; Hugo; (Ridderkerk,
NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 8910
RESTON
VA
20195
US
|
Family ID: |
32678024 |
Appl. No.: |
12/801614 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10539439 |
Apr 3, 2006 |
|
|
|
PCT/NL2003/000918 |
Dec 19, 2003 |
|
|
|
12801614 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/415 ;
139/116.1; 428/17; 428/27 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 428/23929 20150401;
D03D 27/02 20130101; D03D 1/00 20130101; D10B 2403/0111 20130101;
Y10T 428/23921 20150401; D05C 17/026 20130101; E01C 13/08 20130101;
D06N 7/0065 20130101; D03D 27/12 20130101; D10B 2505/18 20130101;
D03D 13/008 20130101; D03D 2700/60 20130101; Y10T 428/23936
20150401; Y10T 428/23957 20150401; D05C 15/12 20130101; D03D 27/06
20130101; D03D 27/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/415 ; 428/17;
428/27; 139/116.1 |
International
Class: |
A41G 1/00 20060101
A41G001/00; A63B 67/00 20060101 A63B067/00; D03D 49/50 20060101
D03D049/50 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 19, 2002 |
NL |
1022214 |
Claims
1. An artificial turf mat, comprising: a backing; and a plurality
of protruding artificial grass blades divided into rows and
connected thereto, mutual distance between successive blades in a
row being substantially equal to the distance between adjacent rows
and is at least 10 mm.
2. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distance between the plurality of protruding artificial grass
blades and the row spacing is at least 13 mm.
3. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
distance between the plurality of protruding artificial grass
blades and the row spacing is at least 16 mm.
4. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
backing and the plurality of protruding artificial grass blades are
formed and mutually connected by weaving.
5. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
backing comprises warp threads and weft threads woven therethrough,
and wherein the plurality of protruding artificial grass blades are
formed by pile threads arranged between the warp threads and
parallel thereto.
6. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 5, wherein each pile
thread is connected by weaving to a plurality of adjacent weft
threads.
7. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
plurality of protruding artificial grass blades are formed by
threads having a density of at least 25,000 dtex.
8. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
plurality of protruding artificial grass blades are formed by
threads having a density of at least 30,000 dtex.
9. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
plurality of protruding artificial grass blades are formed by
threads which each include a plurality of fibers.
10. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
fibers in each thread forming a blade have different densities
and/or different cross-sectional shapes.
11. The artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
backing is made from a fabric and the plurality of protruding
artificial grass blades are connected thereto by tufting.
12. An artificial turf field, comprising: the artificial turf mat
as claimed in claim 1, and a layer of loose filling material
arranged thereon, the thickness of which is less than the length of
the plurality of protruding artificial grass blades.
13. A method for forming an artificial turf mat, comprising:
supplying a backing material; supplying an artificial turf
material; forming a backing from the backing material; and
connecting blades of the artificial turf material divided into rows
to the backing, such that their mutual spacing in a row is
substantially equal to the mutual distance between adjacent rows
and is at least 10 mm apart.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the blades are
connected to the backing at a mutual distance and a row spacing of
at least 13 mm.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the blades are
connected to the backing at a mutual distance and a row spacing of
at least 16 mm.
16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the backing is
formed by weaving the backing material, and the artificial turf
material is co-woven to form the blades.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the backing is
formed by weaving a plurality of weft threads through a plurality
of warp threads, and wherein the blades are formed by pile threads
arranged between the warp threads and parallel thereto.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a plurality of weft
threads is woven through each pile thread.
19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the blades are
formed by threads having a density of at least 25,000 dtex.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the blades are
formed by threads having a density of at least 30,000 dtex.
21. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the blades are
formed by threads which each include a plurality of fibers.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the fibers in each
thread forming a blade have different densities and/or different
cross-sectional shapes.
23. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the backing material
is formed into a fabric and the blades are connected to the fabric
by tufting.
24. The method for forming an artificial turf field by arranging on
a ground an artificial turf mat as claimed in claim 1, and
spreading thereover a layer of loose filling material to a
thickness which is less than the length of the artificial grass
blades.
Description
[0001] This U.S. non-provisional application is a
continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of domestic priority
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/539,439 filed on Jun. 20, 2005, which is a 371 of application
PCT/NL2003/000918, filed Dec. 19, 2003, and claims the benefit of
priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 to Netherlands Application No.
1022214 filed on Dec. 19, 2002. The contents of the above
applications are incorporated herein in their entirety by
reference.
[0002] Example embodiments relate to an artificial turf mat,
including a backing and a plurality of protruding artificial grass
blades divided into rows and connected thereto.
BACKGROUND
[0003] An artificial turf mat is generally known and is used to
form artificial turf fields on which for instance sports, and in
particular ball sports, are played. The artificial turf fields are
herein formed by laying artificial turf mats on a flat, generally
slightly resilient ground and then spreading a layer of loose
filling material, for instance sand or a mixture of sand and rubber
granules, over these artificial turf mats. The layer of filling
material herein has a thickness such that the artificial grass
blades protrude thereabove, so that the artificial turf field
creates the same impression as a natural grass field.
[0004] Known artificial turf mats have the drawback, however as a
result of the manner in which they are manufactured, the artificial
grass blades in a row stand relatively close to each other, while
the mutual distance between the rows is often considerably larger.
This has the consequence that an artificial turf field on the basis
of such an artificial turf mat will display different properties in
different directions. In ball sports, this can result in a ball not
rolling uniformly over the field. Owing to this irregularity the
chance of injury, for instance as a result of performing a sliding
tackle, is also relatively great when such a sliding tackle is made
in the direction of the rows. Tight packing of the blades in a row
has the further result that the filling material is there held fast
more firmly than between the rows, whereby local compaction and
thereby hardening of the field can occur.
SUMMARY
[0005] Example embodiments provide an artificial turf mat of the
above described type wherein the drawbacks do not occur. This is
achieved according to example embodiments in that the mutual
distance between successive blades in a row is substantially equal
to the distance between adjacent rows which amounts to at least 10
mm.
[0006] The distance between the blades and the row spacing
preferably amounts to at least 13 mm, and more preferably to at
least 16 mm. Owing to such a large gap between the individual
blades the filling material can be readily loosened periodically,
whereby compression or compaction thereof is avoided. The risk of
injury as a result of for instance studs getting caught in the
artificial turf mat, or a relatively high rotational resistance
thereof, is also reduced by this large interspacing.
[0007] The backing and the blades can be formed and mutually
connected by weaving. This allows relatively larger distances
between the blades and row spacing to be achieved than would be
possible when tufting the blades to the backing.
[0008] The backing may comprise warp threads and weft threads woven
therethrough, and the blades may be formed by pile threads arranged
between the warp threads and parallel thereto.
[0009] In order to ensure an adequate connection of the blades to
the backing despite the relatively large interspacing between the
blades, each pile thread may be connected by weaving to a plurality
of adjacent weft threads.
[0010] In order to provide sufficient artificial grass material at
the relatively large mutual distances and row spacing that are
considered here, the blades may be formed by threads having a
density of at least 25,000 dtex, and preferably even a density of
at least 30,000 dtex. The blades are thus formed from a relatively
thick and/or heavy fiber material. By making use of a fiber
material, for instance a yarn with a high yarn weight (Dtex number)
or a large yarn volume, a well covered mat can be obtained which
provides a natural (green) appearance. The farther apart the blades
are, the greater the yarn weight and volume should be to ensure a
sufficiently dense appearance and feel. For instance, while threads
having a weight of 15,000 dtex could be used when the distance
between the blades and the row spacing is around 10 mm, a yarn
weight of 30,000 dtex would be more suitable when the blade
distance and row spacing are increased to e.g. 15 mm.
[0011] The blades may be formed by threads which each include a
plurality of fibers, for instance five or six fibers in each thread
or yarn. In this way a more natural appearance is created than
would be the case with relatively thick single blades. In one
embodiment the fibers in each thread forming a blade have different
densities and/or different cross-sectional shapes. This provides an
even more natural appearance, and also allows the characteristics
of the artificial grass blades to be tailored to specific
applications of the mat.
[0012] The invention also relates to an artificial turf field
formed by an artificial turf mat as described above and a layer of
loose filling material arranged thereon, the thickness of which is
less than the length of the artificial grass blades.
[0013] The invention further relates to a method for forming an
artificial turf mat, comprising of supplying a backing material,
supplying an artificial turf material, forming a backing from the
backing material, and connecting blades of the artificial turf
material divided into rows to the backing. Such a method is also
generally known.
[0014] The method according to the present invention is
distinguished from the known methods in that the blades are
connected to the backing such that their mutual spacing in a row is
substantially equal to the mutual distance between adjacent rows
and amounts to at least 10 mm.
[0015] When the backing is formed by weaving the backing material,
and the artificial turf material is co-woven to form the blades,
relatively large mutual distances between the blades and relatively
large row spacing may be obtained. Weaving also allows relatively
thick yarn to be used for forming the artificial grass blades. The
backing may be formed by weaving a plurality of weft threads
through a plurality of warp threads, and the blades may be formed
by pile threads arranged between the warp threads and parallel
thereto.
[0016] Finally, the invention further relates to a method for
forming an artificial turf field by arranging on a ground an
artificial turf mat as described above and spreading thereover a
layer of loose filling material to a thickness which is less than
the length of the artificial grass blades.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention is now elucidated on the basis of a number of
embodiments, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a part of an
artificial turf mat according to a first example embodiment of the
invention,
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section along line II-II in FIG. 1,
[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding with FIG. 2
of an artificial turf field based on an alternative example
embodiment of the artificial turf mat,
[0021] FIG. 4 is a top view of the artificial turf mat of FIG.
3,
[0022] FIG. 5 is a top view of an artificial turf mat with an
alternative orientation of the rows of artificial grass blades,
[0023] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding with FIGS. 2
and 3 of an artificial turf field with yet another embodiment of
the artificial turf mat,
[0024] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an artificial turf mat with
separately formed blades and support loops,
[0025] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a tufting machine with which
an artificial turf mat according to example embodiments can be
manufactured,
[0026] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of an artificial turf
mat in accordance with a example embodiment of the invention,
and
[0027] FIG. 10 shows a cross-section along line X-X in FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0028] An artificial turf mat 1 (FIG. 1) includes a backing 2, for
instance in the form of a woven fabric or non-woven, to which is
attached a large number of protruding artificial grass blades 3.
Blades 3 are distributed uniformly over rows 4 which are likewise
uniformly distributed with an interspacing D. The mutual distance
between blades 3 in a row 4 is designated with d. According to
example embodiments, these distances are substantially
corresponding so that D.apprxeq.d. A uniform distribution of the
artificial grass blades over mat 1 is hereby obtained, which
results in homogeneous properties in all directions of a playing
field based on this artificial turf mat 1.
[0029] In order to avoid studs of sports footwear catching in the
blades 3, and also to prevent a filling material 5 (FIG. 3) spread
on artificial turf mat 1 being held too firmly in place, whereby
this material would be compacted and hardened, the mutual distances
d, D are chosen to be relatively large. According to example
embodiments, these two distances amount to 10 mm or more, but more
preferably to 13 mm or more, and most preferably to more than 16
mm.
[0030] In a first example embodiment, the artificial grass blades 3
are tufted into backing 2. Use is herein made for each row 4 of a
continuous thread 6, here of monofilament fiber, which is pressed
into backing 2 in a regular pattern by an up and downward moving
tufting needle 7 (FIG. 8) and then held fast by looping hooks 10,
with the formation of loops 8 (FIG. 2). During so-called cut pile
tufting, these loops 8 are severed or cut by means of knives 11
co-acting with looping hooks 10, whereby two artificial grass
blades 3 are formed in each case standing adjacently of each
other.
[0031] Where mention is made in this text of the mutual distance d
between adjacent blades, this does not therefore refer to the
distance between blades 3 formed from a single loop 8, but to the
distance between two loops 8 and the pairs of blades 3,3 formed
therefrom.
[0032] In order to strengthen the connection between the continuous
tuft thread 6 and backing 2, one or more further support loops 9
can be tufted between successive (pairs of) blades 3. These support
loops 9 protrude less far through backing 2 than the loops 8 from
which the blades 3 are formed, nor are they cut open. Use can be
made to form these support loops of separate or secondary looping
hooks, and so as to prevent conflicts between these secondary
looping hooks and the looping hooks for forming of blades 3, the
support loops 9 are preferably formed outside the row 4 (FIG.
4).
[0033] Blades 6 are otherwise fixed in the usual manner in the
backing 2 after the tufting by providing the latter on the
underside with an adhesive layer 13, which can be glued or welded
to backing 2.
[0034] For application, it is not essential for the rows 4 to run
straight. A different pattern, for instance with zigzag rows 4
(FIG. 5), can also be envisaged as long as the mutual distance
between the different artificial grass blades (or pairs of blades)
3 is substantially equal, and greater than 10 mm. Other patterns
may also be used.
[0035] For forming of the artificial turf field 12, the artificial
turf mat 1 is laid on a flat, slightly resilient ground 14 (FIG. 3)
and a layer of loose filling material 5, for instance, sand or a
mixture of sand and rubber granules, is spread thereover. The
thickness h of the layer of filling material 5 is chosen to be
smaller than the height H of artificial grass blades 3, so that
these latter protrude above filling material 5.
[0036] When blades 3 and support loops 9 are formed from a
relatively thick fiber material or for instance a composite yarn
bundle, the fiber or yarn segments 16 between blades 3 and support
loops 9 protrude relatively far on the underside of backing 2,
whereby intermediate spaces or air chambers 17 are as it were
formed therebetween (FIG. 6). These intermediate spaces 17
contribute toward the shock absorption and energy restitution of
artificial turf field 12, which is particularly important when it
is laid on a relatively flat and hard ground.
[0037] The artificial turf mat 1 as shown here can be manufactured
on a tufting machine 15 which is of conventional construction and
forms no part of the invention. Tufting machine 15 is provided with
a frame with a bed 18 and a head 19 arranged thereabove. Present on
the infeed side of bed 18 is a feed roller (not shown) for the
material of backing 2, while on an opposite side there is arranged
a wind-up roller (not shown) for the tufted artificial turf mat 1,
so that the material of the backing is transported over the bed in
the direction of arrow A.
[0038] Situated in head 19 is an up and downward movable bar 20 in
which is received a series of tufting needles 7. The mutual
distance between tufting needles 7 herein defines the row distance
D. Guides 21 are further fixed to needle bar 20 for carrying to the
needles 7 the fiber material 22 from which the blades 3 are
formed.
[0039] A number of looping hooks 10 corresponding with the number
of tufting needles 7 are arranged in bed 18. These looping hooks 10
are fixed to arms 23 which are pivotable on a shaft 24, so that
looping hooks 10 are movable roughly parallel to the backing
material and thus roughly transversely of needles 7 to take over
the loops placed through the backing material by needles 7.
Adjacently of looping hooks 10 are further arranged the knives 11
co-acting therewith which cut open the loops to form said pairs of
blades 3.
[0040] The wind-up roller, needle bar 20 and pivot shaft 24 are
driven by (servo)motors (not shown) which are all connected to a
control system. The insertion depth for instance of needles 7 can
hereby be set, while by regulating the motors the insertion speed
can be adapted to the winding-up speed such that between two
successive insertion movements of needles 7 the material of backing
2 is moved forward each time through the distance d corresponding
with the row distance D. In addition, it is possible to interrupt
the winding-up each time the tufting needles 7 are inserted into
backing 2.
[0041] Use could optionally be made for the tufting of a tufting
machine with two needle bars movable independently of each other
and looping hooks and knives co-acting with the bars, such as
described for instance in GB-A-2 357 301. The support loops 9 could
hereby be tufted independently of blades 3. For the support loops
9, which could optionally be arranged crosswise over fiber 6
between successive (pairs of) blades 3 (FIG. 7), use could then be
made of another fiber material, for instance a much thinner
yarn.
[0042] In another example embodiment, the backing 102 of the
artificial turf mat 101 is woven and the artificial grass blades
103 are co-woven at the same time. The backing is made up of warp
threads 125 and weft threads 126 that are woven through the warp
threads 125 at right angels thereto (FIG. 9). The artificial grass
blades 103 are formed by pile threads 127 which run parallel to the
warp threads 125 and are spaced apart a distance D. In the
illustrated example embodiment, each pile thread 127 is made up of
a bundle of fibers 128, in this case five fibers 128A-E (FIG. 10).
These five fibers 128A-E may have different characteristics and
different colors--i.e. various shades of green--to give the look
and `feel` of natural grass. The characteristics of the fibers
128A-E may be varied by selecting fibers with different
cross-sections, different densities and different stiffness.
[0043] A plurality of weft threads 126, in this case five weft
threads, are woven through each pile thread 127 between the two
protruding ends of the pile thread 127 which will form the
artificial grass blades 103. In this way the blades 103 are
securely connected to the backing 102. The protruding ends are
formed by cutting the pile thread 127, which is continuously woven
into the backing 102, at a desired location. Here again, the
distance d between the protruding ends forming the grass blades 103
is substantially equal to the spacing D of the pile threads
127.
[0044] Since the spacing D and the blade distance d are selected
such as to be relatively large--10 mm and more--the pile threads
127 must have a relatively large volume and weight to provide
sufficient grass blades 103. For instance, when the spacing D and
distance d are set at 10 mm, pile threads 127 having a density in
the order of 12,000 dtex could be used. However, when the distance
d and spacing D are increased to e.g. 13 mm, the number of grass
blades 103 per unit area is reduced by 70 percent, and the density
of the pile threads 127 should be at least 20,000 dtex to provide a
similar amount of artificial grass material. Increasing the
distance d and spacing D even further, e.g. to 16 mm, would lead to
an even smaller number of grass blades 103, which should then have
a correspondingly higher yarn weight in the order of 30,000 dtex.
Yarn having such a high density cannot be processed on a
conventional tufting machine, so that weaving is the preferred
option.
[0045] An advantage of weaving is that the pile thread 127 lies
substantially in the same plane as the backing 102, so that the
underside of the backing 102 with the woven grass blades 103 is
relatively flat. This results in an even playing field.
[0046] Although example embodiments of the invention are elucidated
above with reference to an embodiment, it will be apparent that the
invention is not limited thereto. Materials other than those
discussed here are also conceivable. The artificial grass blades,
or at least the outer ends thereof, could thus be fibrillated. It
is also conceivable for the tufted loops not to be cut open,
whereby double blades would in fact be formed. The composite yarn
used when weaving the grass blades could include more or less
fibers than shown and described here, and higher or lower values
could be selected for the spacing D and distance d.
[0047] The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by
the now following claims.
* * * * *