METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE MATERIAL TO BE USED AS INFILL MATERIAL FOR SYNTHETIC AND/OR NATURAL TURFS

Abstract

Method for the treatment of loose material of vegetable origin to be used as infill material (10) in artificial, or natural, or mixed artificial and natural turfs (1), comprising a step of mixing a predetermined amount of loose material of vegetable origin with a predetermined amount of a predetermined compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, in such a way to improve its properties.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of loose material of vegetable origin to be used as infill material in artificial, or natural, or mixed artificial and natural turfs, said method comprising: mixing a predetermined amount of said loose material of vegetable origin with a predetermined amount of a predetermined compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil, in such a way to improve the properties of said loose material of vegetable origin.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compound based on said, or each, drying, or semi-drying oil, is a stand-oil is obtained by subjecting said, or each drying, or semi-drying oil, to a thermic treatment, which provides to heat said, or each, drying, or semi-drying oil, up to a predetermined temperature, in such a way to cause said, or each, drying, or semi-drying oil to polymerize in order to increase its stability.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said thermic treatment provides to heat in the absence of air said, or each drying, or semi-drying oil, up to a predetermined temperature higher than 200° C.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said drying oil is selected from the group consisting of: linseed oil; walnut oil; poppy oil; sunflower oil; and a combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a nebulization step is provided of said compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil, obtained by forcing said compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil, to pass through a supply nozzle, and to spray said nebulized compound on said loose material of vegetable origin through said, or each, supply nozzle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mixing step is carried out in a screw mixer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose material of vegetable origin comprises a predetermined amount of a loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose material of vegetable origin comprises a predetermined amount of a loose product obtained from raw material based on cork.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose material of vegetable origin comprises a predetermined amount of rachis of cereal ear.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said material of rachis of cereal ear is maize-cob, which is rachis of maize.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose material of vegetable origin comprises a predetermined amount of cereal husks.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said cereal husks is selected from the group consisting of: rice husks; wheat husks; rye husks; oat husks; spelt husks; and a combination thereof.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mixing step provides to mix an amount comprised between 50 and 200 g of said compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, for each litre of loose material of vegetable origin.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose material of vegetable origin is dried, i.e. it has a degree of humidity ≤10%.

15. The method according to claim 1, in cui said loose material of vegetable origin comprises a mixture of at least two of the following loose products: a loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut; a loose product obtained from raw material based on cork; rachis of cereal ear; and cereal husks.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut comprises la sola fibrous part of a starting product based on coconut.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut is obtained by subjecting said starting product based on coconut to a separation step configured to divide a powder part having a granulometry less than 500 μm, which is discharged, from a fibrous part, having a granulometry greater than 500 μm which is utilized.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said separation step is carried out by a vibrating sieve.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said during said separation step the humidity is adjusted in such a way that the humidity value is less than, or equal to 10%.

20. An artificial, or mixed artificial and natural, turf comprising: a base mat to which a plurality of synthetic blades are fixed; an infill material distributed on said base mat between said plurality of synthetic blades, said infill material comprising a predetermined amount of a compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil, mixed to a predetermined amount of a loose material of vegetable origin.

21. The turf according to claim 13, wherein at least 90% by weight of said loose material of vegetable origin has a granulometry greater than 500 μm.

22. The turf according to claim 13, wherein at least 90% by weight of said loose material of vegetable origin has a granulometry between 500 μm and 4 mm.

23. A plant for the treatment of loose material of vegetable origin to be used as infill material in artificial, or mixed artificial and natural, turfs, said plant comprising: a mixing device configured to mix a predetermined amount of said loose material of vegetable origin with a predetermined amount of a predetermined compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil, in such a way to improve the properties of said loose material of vegetable origin.

24. The plant according to claim 23, further comprising: a first reservoir arranged to contain a loose vegetable material; a second reservoir arranged to contain said compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil; a first transfer device configured to transfer said loose vegetable material from said first reservoir to said mixing device; a second transfer device configured to transfer said loose vegetable material from said second reservoir to said mixing device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention will now be shown with the following description of its exemplary embodiments, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a block diagram of a possible embodiment of a method for the treatment of vegetable material to be used as infill material in artificial, or natural, or mixed artificial/natural turfs, according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a side elevation view of a first embodiment of a plant for the treatment of vegetable material to be used as infill material in artificial, or natural, or mixed artificial/natural turfs, according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a side elevational view of a first alternative embodiment of the plant of FIG. 2 for the treatment of vegetable material to be used as infill material in artificial, or mixed artificial/natural turfs;

[0033] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows an enlargement of a section of a reservoir that can be used in the plant of FIG. 2, or 3, for storing the compound based on a drying, or semi-drying oil according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows an enlargement of a longitudinal section of a possible mixing device that can be used in the plant of FIG. 4;

[0035] FIG. 6 diagrammatically shows a side elevation view of another alternative embodiment of the plant of FIG. 2 for the treatment of vegetable material to be used as infill material in artificial, or mixed artificial/natural turfs;

[0036] FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows a perspective front view with a part removed, of a possible embodiment of a sack containing a mixture, according to the invention, that can be used for producing an infill material for an artificial, or mixed artificial/natural turf;

[0037] FIG. 8 diagrammatically shows a possible embodiment of a step of distribution of the compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, on the turf that is already put in place;

[0038] FIG. 9 shows an enlargement of the turf of FIG. 8;

[0039] FIGS. from 10 to 12, respectively, diagrammatically shows a cross-section view of two possible embodiments of an artificial, or mixed artificial/natural turf that can be made with the infill material obtained by the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0040] With reference to the block diagram 400 of FIG. 1, the method, according to the invention, for the treatment of loose material of vegetable origin to be used as infill material in artificial, or natural, or mixed artificial and natural turfs, provides a step of mixing, block 403, a predetermined amount of a loose material of vegetable origin, block 401, with a predetermined amount of a predetermined compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, block 402. In this way a mixture is obtained that can be used as infill material for artificial, or mixed artificial and natural turfs, block 404. Advantageously, the mixing step can provide to mix an amount comprised between 50 and 200 g of the aforementioned compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, for each litre, or dm.sup.3, of the aforementioned loose material of vegetable origin.

[0041] In particular, the above disclosed compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, can be a stand-oil. More in particular, stand-oil can be obtained by subjecting at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, to a thermic treatment, which provides to heat the starting drying, or semi-drying oil, up to a predetermined temperature I*, advantageously greater than 200° C., preferably greater than 250° C., for example comprised between 280° C. and 320° C., in such a way to cause the, or each, compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil to polymerize thus increasing its stability. In a possible advantageous embodiment of the invention, the above disclosed heating is carried out in the absence of air. In particular, the drying oil can be selected from the group consisting of: linseed oil, walnut oil, poppy oil, sunflower oil, or a combination thereof.

[0042] In a first embodiment of the invention, a plant 100 for the treatment of loose material of vegetable origin to be used as infill material in artificial, or mixed artificial and natural turfs, provides at least a first reservoir 30 containing the above disclosed loose vegetable material, and at least a second reservoir 40 containing the above disclosed compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil. More in particular, a first and a second transfer device 35 and 45 can be provided configured to respectively transfer the loose vegetable material and the compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, from the first reservoir 30, and from the second reservoir 40, respectively, to the mixing device 50. In a first embodiment of the invention, the transfer device 35 can be a conveyor belt, or a chute, or a pump for powder, for example a pneumatic pump, or an archimedean screw arranged to transfer the loose material within the mixing device 50 for example by means of a hopper 51. The transfer device 45 can be, instead, a volumetric pump. More in particular, the transfer device 35 and the transfer device 45 can provide respective flow measurement devices, not shown in figure for reasons of simplicity, in such a way to be able to transfer known amount of loose vegetable material and of the aforementioned compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, from the first reservoir 30 and from the second reservoir 40 within the mixing device 50. This is arranged to mix the loose vegetable material with the compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, in such a way to obtain a product that can be used as infill material.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, the mixing device can be a rotating, and in case also oscillating, drum mixer. However, the mixing device can be also of different type. For example, as diagrammatically shown in the alternative embodiment of FIG. 3, the mixing device 50 can be a screw mixer.

[0044] Advantageously, the distribution step of the above disclosed compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, can provide a nebulization step of the same. In particular, the nebulization of the compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, can be carried out within the mixing device 50. More in particular, in the example of FIG. 5 the nebulization is obtained by forcing the compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, to pass through at least a supply nozzle, advantageously through a plurality of supply nozzles 55. These can be made at a duct 56, which longitudinally passes through the mixing device 50, in which the compound is introduced through a duct 46 communicating with the transfer device 45. The nebulized compound is, then, sprayed on the loose material of vegetable origin through the, or each, supply nozzle 55 and mixed by the above disclosed screw mixer (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

[0045] In particular, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40, can contain a predetermined amount of a loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut. Alternatively, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40, can contain a loose product obtained from raw material based on cork. In another embodiment provided, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40, can contain rachis of cereal ear, advantageously maize-cob, which is rachis of maize. Still in another embodiment, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40 can contain cereal husks, in particular selected from the group consisting of rice husks, wheat husks, rye husks, oat husks, spelt husks, or a combination thereof. In a further embodiment of the invention, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40 can contain a mixture of the aforementioned materials, or of some of them. For example, the, or each, aforementioned reservoir 40 can contain a mixture of a loose product obtained from raw material based on ground coconut, with a loose product obtained from raw material based on cork, with rachis of cereal ear, with rachis of maize, with cereal husks. Mixing in the aforementioned ratio between weight of compound based on drying oil and volume of loose material of vegetable origin can be obtained by measuring the amount of components by means of the aforementioned transfer devices 35 and 45. More in particular, the transfer devices 35 and 45 are arranged to feed predetermined flows, respectively, of loose material of vegetable origin from reservoir 30, and of compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, from reservoir 40, to the aforementioned mixing device 50.

[0046] In particular, the above disclosed reservoir 40, which contains the compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, can be insulated in such a way to avoid that the product that is contained in the same may be subject to significant variations in temperature, in particular that is subjected to a temperature reduction. More in particular, the reservoir 40 can be insulated in such a wat that the above disclosed compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, remains at a predetermined temperature, advantageously higher than 70° C., for example at a temperature between 70 and 100° C., advantageously comprised between 80° C. and 95° C.

[0047] In a possible embodiment according to the invention and diagrammatically shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of reservoirs 30 is provided, for example 4 reservoirs 30a-30d, each of which arranged to contain a predetermined type of loose material of vegetable origin. In particular, each reservoir 30a-30d can be associated to a transfer device 35a-35d arranged to transfer a determined loose vegetable material within the mixing device 50. More in particular, a selection device 80 can be provided arranged to selectively open, or close, one, or more branches 81a-81c, respectively connected to reservoirs 30a-30c and to selection device 80 in such a way to put them in communication with, or disconnect them from, a branch positioned downstream 82 through which the loose material is introduced into the mixing device 50.

[0048] For example, the first reservoir 30a can contain a loose material based on coconut, the second reservoir 30b can contain raw material based on cork, the third reservoir 30c can contain rachis of cereal ear, for example maize-cob, and the fourth reservoir 30d can contain cereal husks, for example rice husks. In particular, the raw material based on coconut, advantageously ground, can comprise the only fibrous part of a starting product based on coconut. More in particular, the above disclosed loose product obtained from raw material based on coconut can be obtained by subjecting said starting product based on coconut to a separation step configured to divide a powder part having a granulometry smaller than 500 μm, which is discharged, from a fibrous part, having a granulometry greater than 500 μm which is used as the above disclosed loose product based on coconut. For example, the aforementioned separation step can be carried out by a vibrating sieve. In particular, during the aforementioned separation step the humidity of the product based on coconut can be adjusted, in such a way that the humidity value μ of the same is less than, or equal to, 10%, i.e. 0<μ<10%.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, according to the type of desired mixture, determined amount of two, or more, of the aforementioned loose materials of vegetable origin, are mixed together. This can be obtained setting, for example by a control unit 300, a determined mixture between a plurality of possible mixtures and operating by the control unit 300 same a determined number of transfer devices, in order to feed a corresponding amount of each loose material of vegetable origin to a mixing device. Within the mixing device, the aforementioned mixture can be, furthermore, mixed with a predetermined amount of the aforementioned compound based on drying, or semi-drying oil, in order to confer to the same the aforementioned water-repellent, flame retardant, and reduction of freezing temperature properties. For example, amount of cereal husks, of product based on coconut, and cork, can be fed into the mixing device 50 in such a way to have inside the aforementioned mixing device a mixture having the following composition: between 65% and 75% of the aforementioned loose product a based on coconut coming from the first reservoir 30a, between 20 and 25% of loose material based on cork coming from the second reservoir 30b, and between 1 and 15% by weight of cereal husks, in particular rice husks, coming from the fourth reservoir 30d. In a possible alternative embodiment of the invention, diagrammatically shown in FIG. 8, the above disclosed compound based on at least a drying, or semi-drying oil, can be distributed on an artificial, or mixed artificial-natural turf, after that the turf is laid down. In particular, the aforementioned distribution step can be carried out by a distribution device 60 that is able to move on turf 1, for example by wheels 62. The distribution device 60 can be provided with at least a supply nozzle 65, advantageously a plurality of supply nozzles 65 arranged to supply a predetermined amount of compound per m.sup.2 of swept surface. The distribution device can be furthermore provided with a displacement element, not shown in the figure for reasons of simplicity, that is able to move the infill material in order to mix the same with the distributed compound. For example, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 8, the above disclosed compound can be contained within a reservoir 61, advantageously an insulated reservoir, of which the distribution device 60 is provided. In an alternative embodiment, not shown in the figures for reasons of simplicity, the reservoir 61 can be mounted on a carriage, which is engaged, free to slide, on at least a guide configured in such a way to allow the aforementioned reservoir to cover the whole surface of turf 1.

[0050] In particular, as diagrammatically shown in the figures from 9 to 12, the above disclosed turf 1 to which the infill material 10 is destined, can provide a mat 2, having a face 2a, which, in use, is positioned adjacent to a surface to be covered, and a face 2b opposite to face 2a. Turf 1, furthermore, comprises a plurality of blades, or bristles, 3 made of synthetic material that are fixed to mat 2, for example by gluing, or sewing. In the case of the mixed artificial-natural turf, in addition to the blades made of synthetic material, on the mat 2 a turf of natural grass 4 is also present that is obtained by at least a vegetable species can root at least in part above the mat 2 (see FIG. 11). On face 2b of mat 2 is, furthermore, present an infill material 10 positioned between the vegetable species and/or the blades 3 made of synthetic material. In particular, the infill material 10 can be constituted only of raw material based on ground coconut. More in particular, at least 90% by volume of the raw material based on ground coconut is constituted of fibrous part of a product based on the starting coconut. Advantageously, at least 90% by weight of the above disclosed raw material based on coconut has a granulometry higher than 500 μm.

[0051] Alternatively, the infill material 10 can have the following composition by volume: between 1% and 15% of cereal husks, between 20% and 35% of raw material based on cork and between 55% and 80% of raw material based on ground coconut. In an alternative embodiment, the infill material 10 comprises between 5% and 90% by weight of rachis of cereal ear and the remaining part of raw material based on ground coconut.

[0052] In an embodiment provided by the invention, the infill material 10 can provide a lower portion, or stabilization infill 11, and an upper portion, or performance infill 12 positioned above the stabilization infill 11. In particular, the stabilization infill 11 can be constituted, or comprise sand and the performance infill 12 can have one of the compositions aforementioned.

[0053] The foregoing description exemplary embodiments of the invention will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realize the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.