Synthetic turf with high drainage and manufacturing thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209368-B2
Application number	US-201816959610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Jan 8, 2018
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A synthetic turf ( 300 ) includes a plurality of synthetic turf fibers ( 102 ) knitted together to form a knitted backing layer ( 104 ) of the synthetic turf, and a water permeable polyurethane coat ( 114 ) formed on the knitted backing layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A synthetic turf,
characterized by comprising:
a plurality of synthetic turf fibers knitted together to form a knitted backing layer of the synthetic turf;
anchoring lines formed of a polymer material having a polar surface, the anchoring lines knitted into the knitted backing layer; and
a water permeable polyurethane, PU, coat on the knitted backing layer,
wherein the PU coat comprises a random or pseudo-random distribution of insular PU deposits formed by collapsed PU foam, wherein each insular PU deposit includes one or more capillaries and is porous to water,
wherein the porosity and the distribution of the insular PU deposits enables the PU coat to be water permeable, and
wherein the PU coat coats the knitted backing layer at between 7.37-8.85 ounces/yard 2 .

2. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , the synthetic turf fibers being formed of a polymer mixture which is at least a three-phase system, wherein the polymer mixture comprises a first polymer, a second polymer, and a compatibilizer, wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are immiscible, wherein the first polymer forms polymer beads surrounded by the compatibilizer within the second polymer in an intermediate product of the polymer mixture.

3. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , wherein the knitted backing layer has a surface area, and wherein the distribution of the insular PU deposits covers at least 1% of the surface area.

4. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , wherein the PU coat is porous to water.

5. The synthetic turf according to claim 4 , wherein the PU coat has a water permeability of between 800 and 1200 liters/min·m 2 as measured according to ASTM F 1551.

6. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , wherein the knitted backing layer has a surface area, and wherein the distribution of the insular PU deposits covers at least 10% of the surface area.

7. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , wherein the knitted backing layer has a surface area, and wherein the distribution of the insular PU deposits covers between 10%-50% of the surface area.

8. The synthetic turf according to claim 1 , wherein the anchoring lines comprise polyester anchoring lines.

9. A method for manufacturing a synthetic turf,
characterized by comprising:
knitting together a plurality of synthetic turf fibers for forming a knitted backing layer of the synthetic turf;
knitting anchoring lines into the knitted backing layer, wherein the anchoring lines are formed of a polymer material having a polar surface; and
applying a polyurethane, PU, to the knitted backing layer for forming a PU coat at between 7.37-8.85 ounces/yard 2 ,
wherein applying the PU to the knitted backing layer comprises applying the PU as a PU foam,
wherein upon collapse of the PU foam, the PU coat comprises a random distribution of insular PU deposits, wherein each insular PU deposit includes one or more capillaries and is porous to water, and
wherein the porosity and the random distribution of the insular PU deposits enables the PU coat to be water permeable.

10. The method for manufacturing a synthetic turf according to claim 9 , further comprising creating the PU foam by adding a foaming additive to the PU and/or mechanically agitating the PU, the PU foam comprising an unpolymerized foam.

11. The method for manufacturing a synthetic turf according to claim 10 , wherein the unpolymerized foam has a density between 300-400 grams per liter.

12. The method for manufacturing a synthetic turf according to claim 9 , wherein applying the PU to the knitted backing layer comprises applying a knife over roll coating of the PU to the knitted backing layer for forming the PU coat.

13. The method for manufacturing a synthetic turf according to claim 9 , further comprising curing the PU coat.

Assignees

• Synthetic Turf Resources Corp
• Polytex Sportbelage Produktions Gmbh
• Polytex Sporbelaege Produktions Gmbh

Inventors

• Sick Stephan
• Brown Kristan Michael
• Henson Matthew Lee
• Lands Chad D
• Tidwell Erin Anderson

Classifications

• B32B2255/02

  on fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• B32B2375/00

  Polyureas; Polyurethanes · CPC title

• Y10T428/23993

  Composition of pile or adhesive · CPC title

• Y10T428/23979

  Particular backing structure or composition · CPC title

• D10B2505/202

  Artificial grass · CPC title