A method of manufacturing a substantially flat foam floor mat is described. The raw materials for each color layer are separately mixed and heated below their foaming temperature in different batches, and separately pressed through heated rollers to form a plurality of unfoamed sheets. The temperature of the rollers are maintained within a range of 5° C. or less. Two or more unfoamed sheets from each batch are stacked together in a press and heated above their foaming temperature to permit the stacked sheets to foam, expand, and heat-weld together. The press restricts the sheets from vertical expansion while allowing horizontal expansion. Once the sheets are foamed, a series of alternating teeth and receiving slots are cut around the boundary of the mat to form an interlocking peripheral wall.

A customizable tile system includes a tile disposed atop a surface; a forced fluid system comprising a pipe disposed below the tile and operatively coupled to a pump; a bladder operatively connected to the pipe, wherein the bladder is selectively inflatable; a sensor operatively coupled to the bladder; and a control system operable to control the pump. The control system includes a processor in data communication with the sensor, and computer memory, the computer memory comprising a program having machine readable instructions that, when effected by the processor, predicts a location of an impact upon the tile and selectively forces fluid through the pipe to inflate the bladder prior to the impact upon the tile.

An impact-absorbing assembly includes a covering layer being one or more of artificial turf, rubber mats, polymer mats, short pile carpeting, particulate infill, wood chips, and ground rubber chips. Also included is a layer of underlayment panels positioned beneath the covering layer. The panels have a panel section with a plurality of drain holes formed therethrough. A top surface of the panels is configured to support the covering layer. A bottom surface of the panels has a plurality of bottom projections that cooperate to define bottom channels suitable to permit water flow across the bottom surface, the bottom channels being in fluid communication with the panel drain holes. The bottom projections define a first spring rate characteristic that is part of a first stage and a second spring rate characteristic is part of a second stage, the first stage having a smaller volume of material than the second stage.

A support layer for supporting an artificial turf assembly. The support layer being formed of a polymeric foam, preferably having a density of between 20 and 70 grams per liter, such as a polyolefin foam; and having an upper side and a lower side, wherein in use the support layer has been placed with the lower side thereof on a base surface and supports, on the upper side thereof, the artificial turf assembly, the support layer including a plurality of through drainage holes extending from the upper side to the lower side for allowing liquid such as rain water to flow via the plurality of drainage holes from the upper side to the lower side, and also including a plurality of channels at the lower side for allowing liquid such as rain water to flow through the channels along the lower side, wherein each of said plurality of drainage holes debouches into one of the plurality of channels. The support layer is further included in an artificial turf system, that includes an artificial turf assembly with the support layer supported on a base surface such as a layer of sand, wherein the support layer forms, at the upper sides thereof, a closed support surface supporting the artificial turf assembly.

A method of installing a binder-based overlay system may include contacting a layer of geotextile fabric to a surface of a substrate and applying a primer layer to a surface of the geotextile fabric. Two or more binder layers including infill particles may be applied over the primer layer. A resurfacer layer followed by one or more color layers may be applied over the two or more binder layers. The primer layer, one or more binder layers, resurfacer layer, and two or more color layers may cure upon application to form a monolithic layer upon the substrate.

This invention generically concerns pavement modules, more specifically a pavement module that includes a protective system against wear and tear of the rigid support elements of the interconnected modules that form the covering of a pavement, or the impact absorbers that integrate or are coupled to the pavement modules. The system consists of a pavement module with an upper side and a wear-protective system consisting of a protective shoe.

This invention refers generically to pavement modules, more specifically to a pavement module that includes a resilient cushioning system to cushion the impacts caused by users in the interconnected modules that form the covering of a pavement. The system consists of a pavement module with an upper side and a resilient cushioning system that integrates a cushioning spike.

A support layer for supporting an artificial turf assembly. The support layer being formed of a polymeric foam, preferably having a density of between 20 and 70 grams per liter, such as a polyolefin foam; and having an upper side and a lower side, wherein in use the support layer has been placed with the lower side thereof on a base surface and supports, on the upper side thereof, the artificial turf assembly, the support layer including a plurality of through drainage holes extending from the upper side to the lower side for allowing liquid such as rain water to flow via the plurality of drainage holes from the upper side to the lower side, and also including a plurality of channels at the lower side for allowing liquid such as rain water to flow through the channels along the lower side, wherein each of said plurality of drainage holes debouches into one of the plurality of channels. The support layer is further included in an artificial turf system, that includes an artificial turf assembly with the support layer supported on a base surface such as a layer of sand, wherein the support layer forms, at the upper sides thereof, a closed support surface supporting the artificial turf assembly.

Disclosed herein is a method of resurfacing a sports court. This method involves applying a first adhesive to an existing sports court; curing the first adhesive to a tacky state; applying a thin fabric onto the first adhesive, wherein the thin fabric has a first side applied to the first adhesive and a second side opposite the first side and wherein the thin fabric is capable of releasing from the tacky state of the first adhesive; applying a second adhesive to the second side of the fabric; applying an elastic mat on top of the second adhesive, wherein the elastic mat has a first side applied to the second adhesive and a second side opposite the first side; and applying a sealer to the second side of the elastic mat.

An impact-absorbing assembly includes a covering layer being one or more of artificial turf, rubber mats, polymer mats, short pile carpeting, particulate infill, wood chips, and ground rubber chips. Also included is a layer of underlayment panels positioned beneath the covering layer. The panels have a panel section with a plurality of drain holes formed therethrough. A top surface of the panels is configured to support the covering layer. A bottom surface of the panels has a plurality of bottom projections that cooperate to define bottom channels suitable to permit water flow across the bottom surface, the bottom channels being in fluid communication with the panel drain holes. The bottom projections define a first spring rate characteristic that is part of a first stage and a second spring rate characteristic is part of a second stage, the first stage having a smaller volume of material than the second stage.