ARTIFICIAL TURF, FILLER FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF, AND ARTIFICIAL TURF PRODUCTION METHOD

Abstract

An artificial turf can include a base material; a plurality of piles imitating turf leaves erected on the base material; and a filler layer formed by a filler material being filled between the plurality of piles, wherein the filler layer includes a water retaining layer and a mineral having calcium carbonate as a major component.

Claims

1. An artificial turf comprising: a base material; a plurality of piles imitating turf leaves erected on the base material; and a filler layer formed by a filler material being filled between the plurality of piles, wherein the filler layer includes: a water retaining layer; and a mineral having calcium carbonate as a major component.

2. The artificial turf according to claim 1, wherein the water retaining layer includes a porous material.

3. The artificial turf according to claim 1, wherein the filler layer includes a plant-derived material.

4. The artificial turf according to claim 3, further comprising a mineral layer between the filler layer and the base material, wherein the mineral is the main material of the mineral layer.

5. The artificial turf according to claim 4, wherein the mineral is limestone.

6. The artificial turf according to claim 5, wherein the plant-derived material is wood chips and sawdust derived from bark.

7. The artificial turf according to claim 5, wherein the plant-derived material is coconut pete.

8. An artificial turf filler for artificial turf, the artificial turf filler comprising: a plant-derived material; and a mineral comprising calcium carbonate as a major component.

9. A method of producing artificial turf, wherein: the artificial turf comprises a base material, a plurality of piles resembling turf leaves erected on the base material, and a filler layer comprising a filler material; the filler material comprising: a plant-derived material; and a mineral comprising calcium carbonate as a major component; and the artificial turf production method includes: filling the filler material on the base material and between the plurality of piles.

10. The artificial turf filler according to claim 8, wherein the mineral is limestone.

11. The artificial turf filler according to claim 8, wherein the plant-derived material is wood chips and sawdust derived from bark.

12. The artificial turf filler according to claim 8, wherein the plant-derived material is coconut pete.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the artificial turf of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of conventional artificial turf, showing the first generation. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of conventional artificial turf, showing the second generation. And FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of conventional artificial turf, showing the third-generation artificial turf.

[0032] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are the isothermal distributions of surface temperatures of a ground with third-generation artificial turf and a ground with natural grass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Form for Carrying Out the Invention

[0033] The embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are not limited to those described below.

Example 1

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an artificial turf 1. The artificial turf 1 (an example of “artificial turf” in the present claims) comprises a base material 3 (an example of “base material” in the present claims), a number of piles 5 (an example of “pile” in the present claims) imitating turf leaves standing on the base material 3, a filler layer 7 (an example of a “water retaining layer” and a “filler layer” in the present claims) formed by filling the spaces between the numerous piles 5 with a filler material (an example of a “filler material” in the present claims), a mineral layer 9 (an example of a “mineral layer” in the present claims) made mainly of minerals (an example of a “mineral” in the present claims), being between the base material 3 and the filler layer 7.

[0035] The filler material forming the filler layer 7 includes a plant-derived material (an example of a “porous material” and a “plant-derived material” in the present claims) and a mineral mainly composed of calcium carbonate. For the plant-derived material, dried and powdered coconut pete was used. For the minerals, Kansuiseki stone from Mt Kawaradake in lizuka, Fukuoka Prefecture, was used. Kansuiseki is a white crystalline limestone.

[0036] An artificial turf production method (an example of an “artificial turf production method” in the present claims) according to the present invention for producing an artificial turf 1 is as follows. The artificial turf 1 is produced through a pile planting step for planting a number of piles 5 on a substrate 3, a mineral layer formation step for forming a mineral layer 9 made mainly of minerals between a number of piles 5, and a filler layer forming step in which a filler layer 7 is formed by filling a filler material on top of the mineral layer 9 and between the numerous piles 5.

[0037] For example, the overall thickness of the pile 5 may be 40-60 mm, including the substrate 3 being a 5-15 mm shock pad, the mineral layer 9 being 10-15 mm, and the filler layer 7 being 15-30 mm and the length of the pile 5 above the filler layer 7 being 10-15 mm. The thickness of each of these layers and the overall thickness may be other than the above if necessary.

[0038] Fillers and minerals can be further added later if necessary.

[0039] A flexible shock pad is used as the base material 3, for example. Shock pads have a structure made of thread-like material and can retain a certain amount of water. Therefore, the water retaining layer may be realized by the base material 3 instead of a filler layer. Alternatively, the base material 3 may function as a water retaining layer together with the filler layer. The heat of vaporization of the moisture retained by the base material 3 can also be expected to cool the artificial turf, at least by the heat of vaporization.

[0040] The artificial turf 1 of the present invention has the same shock absorption, durability and ease of maintenance as conventional artificial turfs, and furthermore, the temperature rise of the artificial turf surface can be suppressed, thus providing players with a cooler and more comfortable environment.

[0041] Examples of actual measurement results comparing the surface temperature between the artificial turf of the present invention and the third-generation artificial turf are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, the surface temperature of the artificial turf in this example is more stable than that of the third-generation artificial turf placed in the same environment and the temperature rise is suppressed by more than 10° C.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Artificial turf of Measurement the present Third-generation environment invention (° C.) artificial turf (° C.) 1 36.9 48.6 2 35.0 49.1 3 43.8 60.1

[0042] Here, the above surface temperature measurements were made using a non-contact thermometer, which measured the radiant temperature. It is expected that the sport players who is in direct contact with the artificial turf will feel even cooler on the artificial turf of the present example.

[0043] In addition, because coconut pete is used instead of rubber chips to enhance shock absorption, there is no risk of environmental pollution or health hazards.

[0044] Although powdered coconut pete was used as the plant-derived material, bark chips from cypress, cedar and other trees may also be used. By replacing the filling material with bark chips instead of rubber chips, the higher surface temperature can be suppressed. Wood chips and/or sawdust from crushed bark may also be used as a plant-derived material, or a mixture with coconut peat may be used.

[0045] Black rubber chips, which are recycled tire material, tend to produce black carbon particles and produce an unpleasant odor when the temperature rises. On the other hand, cypress and cedar bark chips give off a woody aroma and a pleasant feeling of forest bathing. Furthermore, bark chips are superior to rubber chips in terms of resource recycling.

[0046] Powdered coffee beans may also be used as a plant-derived material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0047] (1) artificial turf, (3) base material, (5) pile, (7) filler layer, (9) mineral layer, (11) first-generation artificial turf, (13) pile layer, (15) cushion layer, (17) pile, (21) second-generation artificial turf, (23) pile layer, (25) cushion layer, (27) pile, (29) sand, (31) third-generation artificial turf, (33) pile layer, (35) rubber chip layer, (37) sand, (39) substrate layer, (41) long pile.