Infill for synthetic and hybrid turfs and turfs so obtained

Abstract

A synthetic turf having a mat with a face arranged adjacent to a surface to coat, and a face opposite the face. The turf includes a plurality of blades made of a synthetic material that are connected to the mat. Above the face of the mat, an infill material is provided that is arranged among the blades. The infill material includes a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear. The infill material also includes a predetermined percentage by volume of a ligninic and/or resinous material of vegetable origin.

Claims

1. A synthetic or hybrid synthetic-natural turf for sports, recreational, or ornamental uses, comprising: a mat having a first face arranged on a surface to be covered and a second face opposite the first face; a plurality of blades of synthetic material connected to and extending from said second face, and forming a synthetic mat; and an infill material distributed on said second face; wherein the infill material consists of a first layer consisting of a mixture of: a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material, and wherein said vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear has a granulometry of between 0.3 mm and 5.0 mm; a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable ligninic and/or resinous material containing lignin and/or resin, being resistant to attack by microorganisms; and a predetermined percentage by volume of a loose final product from raw material based on ground cork; and a second layer positioned below the first layer and consisting of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material.

2. The turf according to claim 1, wherein said percentage by volume of said vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear in said infill material is between 5% and 90%.

3. The turf according to claim 1, wherein said ligninic and/or resinous material of vegetable origin is selected from the group consisting of: loose material based on ground coconut; olive stones; tegument of cracked pine-kernels; material obtained by defibering Pinus cones; common reed, or Arundo donax, ground into fragments, or particles of predetermined size; teguments of pistachio seeds; barley grain devitalized for avoiding germination; teguments of sunflower seeds; shells of dried fruits; fragments of banana plant parts; grape seeds and/or stalks of Vitus vinifera; Aloe fibers; and combinations thereof.

4. The turf according to claim 1, wherein said rachis of cereal ear is maize cob.

5. The turf according to claim 1, further comprising a living vegetable material arranged to form a natural turf in the infill material comprising a plurality of natural blades that are longer than the plurality of blades of synthetic material, the natural turf having rooting arranged to secure the infill material, and to cause the natural turf to be integral to said plurality of blades of synthetic material.

6. A synthetic or hybrid synthetic-natural turf for sports, recreational, or ornamental uses, comprising: a mat having a first face arranged on a surface to be covered and a second face opposite the first face; a plurality of blades of synthetic material connected to and extending from said second face, and forming a synthetic mat; and an infill material distributed on said second face; wherein the infill material consists of: a first layer consisting of a mixture of: a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material, and wherein said vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear has a granulometry of between 0.3 mm and 5.0 mm; a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable ligninic and/or resinous material containing lignin and/or resin, being resistant to attack by microorganisms; a predetermined percentage by volume of a loose final product from raw material based on ground cork; and a predetermined percentage by volume of cereal husks, and a second layer positioned below the first layer; wherein the second layer consists of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material.

7. The turf according to claim 6, wherein said cereal husks are selected from the group consisting of: rice husks; husks of wheat; husks of rye; husks of oat; husks of spelt; and combinations thereof.

8. A synthetic or hybrid synthetic-natural turf for sports, recreational, or ornamental uses, comprising: a mat having a first face arranged on a surface to be covered and a second face opposite the first face; a plurality of blades of synthetic material connected to and extending from said second face, and forming a synthetic mat; and an infill material distributed on said second face; wherein the infill material consists of a first layer consisting of a mixture of: a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material, and wherein said vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear has a granulometry of between 0.3 mm and 5.0 mm; a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable ligninic and/or resinous material containing lignin and/or resin, being resistant to attack by microorganisms; a predetermined percentage by volume of a loose final product from raw material based on ground cork; and a predetermined percentage by volume of sand; and a second layer positioned below the first layer, and consisting of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material.

9. A method of making a synthetic or hybrid synthetic-natural turf, comprising: preparing a turf comprising a mat and a plurality of blades of synthetic material connected to said mat, said mat being equipped with a first face, which is adjacent to a surface to be covered, and with a second face opposite to the first face, said plurality of blades of synthetic material protruding from said second face; and distributing on said second face of said mat an infill material obtaining a synthetic or hybrid synthetic-natural turf, said infill material consisting of a first layer which is a mixture of: a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear, said rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material, and wherein said vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereals has a granulometry of between 0.3 mm and 5.0 mm; a predetermined percentage by volume of a ligninic and/or resinous material containing lignin and/or resin, the ligninic and/or resinous material being resistant to attack by microorganisms; and a predetermined percentage by volume of a loose final product from raw material based on ground cork; and a second layer positioned below the first layer, and consisting of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear that is not coated by a layer, or film, of material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be now shown with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a cross sectional view of a possible exemplary embodiment of a synthetic turf in which an infill material, according to the invention, is used;

(3) FIGS. 2 and 3 diagrammatically show a cross sectional view of two possible exemplary embodiments of the synthetic turf shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a cross sectional view of a possible exemplary embodiment of a hybrid synthetic-natural turf in which an infill material, according to the invention, is used;

(5) FIG. 5 diagrammatically shows a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the turf shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(6) With reference to FIG. 1, a synthetic turf 1, according to the invention, comprises a mat 2 provided with a face 2a, that, in use, is arranged adjacent to a surface 50 to be coated, and with a face 2b opposite to the face 2a. The turf 1 also comprises a plurality of blades 3 made of a synthetic material that are connected to the mat 2. Above the face 2b of the mat 2 an infill material 10 is also provided that is arranged among the blades 3 of synthetic material.

(7) According to the invention, the infill material 10 comprises a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear. In a possible exemplary embodiment the cereal can be maize and therefore the vegetable material is cob. The infill material 10 also comprises a predetermined percentage by volume of a vegetable ligninic and/or resinous material i.e. having a high content of lignin and/or resin. The high content of lignin and/or resin makes these material, and therefore the infill material 10 of the whole turf, highly resistant to the attacks of microorganisms and allows, then to avoid the use of antibacterial chemical substances as provided for the turfs of prior art (see for example US2010/055461).

(8) The presence of the ligninic and/or resinous material of vegetable origin allows in any case a slow and graduated decomposition of the material consisting of rachis of cereal ear. This is desired and appreciated, because the presence of a certain amount of microorganisms allows to reproduce a normal activity of a natural turf and allows to regenerate the turf owing to the hygienizing action that causes the elimination of the pathogenic agents and to keep nutritive substances. In order to compensate the slow degradation of the material consisting of rachis of cereal ear it is sufficient to periodically reintegrate the turf with new material. Unlike other solutions of the prior art as for example described in US2010/055461, therefore, it is essential that the material consisting of rachis of cereal ear is not coated by a film of substances that completely inhibit its natural biological activities.

(9) As described in detail hereinafter, the infill material, according to the present invention, can be used both for synthetic turfs, i.e. comprising exclusively blades of synthetic material, and for hybrid turfs, i.e. comprising both blades of synthetic material and a living vegetable material.

(10) In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the infill material 10 provides a lower layer 11, or stabilizing infill, comprising the material consisting of rachis of cereal ear, and an upper layer 12, or performance infill, comprising a mixture of said ligninic and/or resinous material of vegetable origin and rachis of cereal ear.

(11) Both in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 and in the exemplary embodiments described below, the ligninic and/or resinous material can be selected from the group consisting of: a loose material based on ground coconut, olive stones, teguments of the cracked pine-kernels, material obtained by de-fibring the cones, in particular cones of arboreous species of the Pinus type, common reed, or Arundo donax, ground into fragments, or particles of predetermined size, teguments of pistachio seeds, barley grain, in particular devitalized for avoiding germination, teguments of sunflower seeds, shells of dried fruits, fragments of banana plant parts, grape seeds and/or grape stalks of Vitis vinifera, Aloe fibres, or a combination thereof. In case the vegetable material is a loose product obtained from a raw material based on ground coconut, preferably it comprises the sole granular and fibrous part contained in the raw material based on the starting coconut. For example, the granular and fibrous part can be obtained undergoing the starting raw material to a separation step of the granular and fibrous part from the powder part that is present in it, as described in detail in WO2008125895. The ligninic and/or resinous material can be mixed with a predetermined percentage by volume of a raw material based on ground cork.

(12) In particular, the above described ligninic material in the presence of humidity form a three-dimensional reticular structure that keeps between its meshes the cereal husks, trapping it and so avoiding that it can raise from the turf and scatter in the surrounding environment. This makes it possible to fully exploit the physical properties of the cereal husks, in particular its high porosity and elasticity, and to avoid at the same time that it can hamper the action of the athletes during a sports event, in case it pile up on the surface. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the infill material 10 provides a single layer comprising a mixture of a predetermined percentage by volume of vegetable material consisting of rachis of cereal ear, of a predetermined percentage by volume of husks of cereal and of a predetermined percentage by volume of ligninic and/or resinous material of vegetable origin.

(13) The infill material 10 for synthetic turfs, or hybrid turfs, as described above, is completely, even if slowly, biodegradable because it consists exclusively of organic material. This allows to avoid the disposal of the infill material in controlled dump when the synthetic turf is abandoned.

(14) In another exemplary embodiment, the layer 10 can comprise also a predetermined percentage by volume of sand mixed with the other materials.

(15) In the further exemplary embodiment, diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3, the infill material 10 provides a lower layer 11, an intermediate layer 12 and an upper layer 13. More in detail, the lower layer 11 can comprise a predetermined amount of sand, the intermediate layer 12 can comprise the material consisting of rachis of cereal ear, for example of cob, and the upper layer 13 can also be a mixture of ligninic and/or resinous material of cereal husks.

(16) In the FIGS. 4 and 5 hybrid turfs, are shown, i.e. comprising both leaves of the plant species 100, i.e. deriving from the growth of at least one vegetable species, and blades of synthetic material 3, 3, in which it is used infill material 10, according to the present invention. More in detail, in case of hybrid turfs 1 a flexible support 21 is provided. This can be made, for example, of a not biodegradable material, in such a way that it can work as a barrier for roots 110 of at least one living vegetable species 100 that roots in the infill material 10. Once a predetermined vegetative development is achieved, the vegetable species 100 form a natural turf that passes in height the synthetic mat consisting of the fibres of plastic material. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the difference of height Dh between the leaves of plant species 100 and the blades of synthetic material 3 can be higher than about 10 cm.

(17) The infill material 10 can have the same compositions of the synthetic turfs described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. For example, the infill material 10 can comprise a lower layer 11 and an upper layer 12 as described above, with reference to FIG. 1, (FIG. 4), or a single layer as described with reference to FIG. 2, (FIG. 5).

(18) In this case, the above described property of the cob, as well as generally of the spine of other cereals, provides an auto-regulation of the heat of the turf obtaining ideal environmental conditions for the development of the living vegetable material 100.

(19) The support 2 can provide drainage holes 4, having sizes such that it allows the outflow of the percolated obtained by the drainage action of the infill material, but at the same time to avoid the passage of the roots.

(20) The foregoing description of an embodiment of the method and of the apparatus according to the invention will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view so that other, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications this specific embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is meant that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the exemplified specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise 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.