EP3957795B1 - Riding area floor panel and method of manufacturing a riding area floor panel - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a riding arena floor panel and a method for producing a riding arena floor panel.

Such floor panels are known to the person skilled in the art, for example from Otto Sport International GmbH in Germany. Floor panels for riding arenas should ensure both elasticity under load and sure-footedness for the horses. Depending on the nature of the soil and climatic conditions, they should also have the ability to store water and/or to drain excessive amounts of water. As a rule, such floor panels are made of a plastic and/or rubber material (eg PVC) to achieve elasticity, preferably also at least partially of a corresponding recycling material. Since the floor panels are then present in the riding arena or sports field floor for a very long time and can also be exposed to mechanical loads and climatic loads (especially from water and heat), depending on the material used for the floor panels, there can be a risk that pollutants such as e.g Lead, plasticizers, etc. leak into the ground. This risk exists in particular with floor tiles that are very frequently or even constantly in contact with water. The document EP 3 483 340 A1 discloses an arena floor panel according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

There is therefore a need for a measure to reliably and permanently prevent the escape of pollutants from floor panels. This object is solved by the teaching of the independent claims. Preferred refinements and developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The riding arena floor panel according to the invention has a panel body which essentially consists of a plastic and/or rubber material and whose entire surface is covered by a water-resistant and weather-resistant, fluid-tight top layer, the top layer having at least one Has preservatives and in the top layer additionally contains a quartz flour. By covering the slab body with a water-resistant and weather-resistant, fluid-tight top layer, the escape of pollutants from the floor slab can be reliably prevented over the long term. Floor panels can therefore also be made of plastic and/or rubber material in order to achieve good elastic properties without damaging the environment. As a precaution, it should be pointed out that the riding arena floor panel can also be referred to as a riding arena floor mat.

The cover layer is fluid-tight so that fluids (i.e. liquids and gases) cannot escape from or enter the panel body. The at least one preservative in the top layer brings about the water and weather resistance, so that the fluid-tight property can be permanently achieved. According to the invention, the top layer also contains quartz powder (also referred to as fine quartz sand powder), which further improves durability since the quartz powder stabilizes the abrasion resistance of the top layer and the layer thickness of the top layer. In this way, the protective effect of the top layer against the escape of pollutants from the slab body can be permanently guaranteed even with more heavily loaded floor slabs, so that these floor slabs can also be used for riding arenas and sports ground floors where the floor slabs are constantly in contact with water and/or or the floor panels are heavily and often mechanically stressed by the respective equestrian or sporting events.

The proportion of quartz powder in the top layer is preferably about 5 to 10% by weight.

In one embodiment of the invention, an adhesive can also be contained in the cover layer. The cover layer can be permanently fixed to the panel body more reliably by the adhesive.

The top layer preferably has at least one preservative selected from methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and benzisothiazolinone (BIT). The cover layer preferably has a mixture of MIT and CMIT, particularly preferably in a mixing ratio of about 1:3. The cover layer preferably has a mixture of MIT and CMIT as well as BIT.

The cover layer preferably also has at least one thickener. The thickener is, for example, a thickener based on (preferably hydrophobically) modified ethylene oxide urethane and/or a polyurethane resin.

In one embodiment of the invention, the panel body of the riding arena floor panel consists at least partially of a recycling material.

In principle, the invention can be used in connection with any structures and dimensions of the panel body. The invention can be used in particular for all mats and perforated mats from OTTO Sport International GmbH. The panel body of the riding arena floor panel may preferably have at least one structural member selected from (i) a plurality of through holes passing through the panel body in a thickness direction of the panel body; (ii) a plurality of projections on an upper side of the plate body facing away from the ground; and (iii) a plurality of cup-like indentations on an upper side of the plate body facing away from the subsurface. The through-openings serve as a water drain to allow excess water on the base plate to drain away quickly, and can optionally also each be provided with an annular projection on the underside facing the ground, in order to anchor the base plate on the ground and increase the elasticity of the increase entire floor panel. The projections on the upper side of the plate body preferably have two or more different heights and promote the horses' sure-footedness. The cup-like indentations or the top of the plate body serve as a water reservoir.

The subject matter of the invention is also a riding arena or sports arena floor which has an arrangement laid on a substructure of several riding arena floor panels of the invention which are arranged next to one another and are described above.

The riding arena floor panel according to the invention can be used for any indoor and outdoor riding arenas, such as show jumping and/or dressage arenas, vaulting and/or western riding arenas, horse racing tracks, paddocks, stables and the like. In addition, the riding arena floor panel of the invention is also applicable to sports fields (e.g. beach volleyball, tennis, hard court games, lawn games, etc.) which may need a floor with resilience and certain moisture.

The riding or sports arena floor preferably also has at least one component selected from (i) a footing layer above the arrangement of the riding arena floor panels; (ii) a layer of resilience between the assembly of the arena floor panels and the ground; and (iii) several drainage pipes between the assembly of the arena floor panels and the subsoil. For example, the drainage pipes can be placed inside the resilient layer or between the resilient layer and the ground. The drainage pipes can, for example, be connected to a water reservoir, creating an ebb and flow system (cf. WO 2011/107114 A1 ). A water-permeable retaining layer can optionally also be provided between the floor panels and the footing. At least one waterproof film can optionally also be provided between the elastic layer and the subsurface and/or on the side of the elastic layer facing away from the subsurface.

The method for manufacturing a riding arena floor panel includes the steps of manufacturing a panel body essentially from a plastic and/or rubber material; and encasing the entire surface of the plate body with a water-resistant and weather-resistant, fluid-tight top layer, the top layer having at least one preservative and the top layer additionally containing powdered quartz.

With this method, the same advantages can be obtained as with the riding arena floor panel of the invention described above.

The top layer encasing the panel body is preferably designed as explained above in connection with the riding arena floor panel of the invention. The The panel body is preferably also designed as explained above in connection with the riding arena floor panel of the invention.

The step of covering the entire surface of the panel body is preferably carried out by a dipping method or by a spraying method. After the dipping or spraying process, curing can also take place, for example by air drying.

The step of manufacturing the plate body is preferably carried out by an injection molding process.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Schnittansicht des Aufbaus eines Reit- oder Sportplatzbodens gemäß Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung; und

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittansicht des Aufbaus einer Reitplatz-Bodenplatte gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The above and other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show in it:

1

a schematic sectional view of the structure of a riding or sports ground floor according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

2

a schematic sectional view of the structure of a riding arena floor panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to 1 an embodiment of the structure of a riding or sports ground floor is first explained in more detail, in which the riding arena floor panels of the invention can be used.

On a subsurface 25, for example on an at least roughly leveled subsurface, an arrangement of several riding arena floor panels 10 arranged next to one another is laid, which results in a substantially closed surface of the arrangement of floor panels 10. The term "ground" in this context includes any ground. The subsoil is preferably essentially flat, but can also have bumps. It can be a natural subsoil (e.g. earth, gravel) or an artificial subsoil (eg concrete floor). The subsoil includes as well as indoor and outdoor substrates. The floor panels 10 are preferably arranged essentially in the same plane and are preferably aligned essentially parallel to one another, resulting in an essentially planar surface for the arrangement of the floor panels. In order to achieve a stable connection of the floor panels 10, in a preferred embodiment, these can be connected to one another, for example via a tongue and groove system, or hooked or latched to one another.

A footing 30 is applied to the upper side of the floor panel arrangement. Depending on the application, the footing 30 essentially consists of sand or a mixture of sand and shavings and/or the footing 30 has an artificial turf surface, rolled turf surface, natural turf surface or the like. As in 1 indicated, a water-permeable retaining layer 32, for example made of crushed stone, chippings, gravel and/or coarse sand, is optionally provided between the base plate arrangement and the footing layer 30. In the case of riding arena floor panels 10 designed to be water-permeable, the retaining layer 32 on the one hand allows water to flow out of the footing 30 through the floor panels 10 and on the other hand the retaining layer 32 prevents material from the footing 30 from penetrating into openings in the floor panels 10, so that these cannot clog.

Furthermore, an elastic layer 34 is applied to the subsurface 25 under the riding arena floor panels 10 in order to increase the elasticity of the floor structure. In this exemplary embodiment, the elastic layer 34 is a separate component from the floor panels 10 . The elastic layer 34 can also serve as an elastic and shock-absorbing layer. As in 1 indicated, a water-carrying or water-permeable base layer 36 , for example made of crushed stone, grit or gravel, can also optionally be provided under the elastic layer 34 . As an alternative or in addition to this support layer 36, at least one waterproof film can optionally be provided on the substrate 25.

In the embodiment of 1 several drainage pipes 38 are laid within the elastic layer 34 . Moisture or water can be withdrawn or supplied to the elastic layer 34 and thus to the riding surface or sports field floor as a whole via these drainage pipes 38 . The drainage pipes 38 can optionally with a Water reservoir be connected, which is outside of the actual riding or sports ground floor. The water level of this water reservoir is set, for example, to a predefined level within the riding surface or sports field floor in order to keep the moisture level of the riding surface or sports field floor or its footing at a desired level depending on the application. Such a system with drainage pipes and water reservoir can also be referred to as an ebb and flow system, as is the case, for example, in WO 2011/107114 A1 is described in detail.

The structure of such a riding or sports field floor is known in principle. Detailed explanations of the structure, properties, individual layer thicknesses, individual materials, other optional components, etc. are therefore not given.

Referring to 2 an embodiment of a riding arena floor panel 10 will now be described in more detail, as is the case, for example, in the riding or sports arena floor of FIG 1 can be used.

The riding arena floor panel 10 has a panel body 12, which essentially consists of an at least somewhat elastic plastic and/or rubber material (e.g. PVC) and is manufactured, for example, by means of an injection molding process. The basic shape of the plate body 12 is preferably substantially rectangular or square.

In the embodiment of 2 For example, the plate body 12 is designed in the form of a so-called perforated mat from the German company Otto Sport International GmbH.

As in 2 illustrated, the panel body 12 has on its top side facing away from the base 25 (top in 2 ) a plurality of projections 14 on. These projections 14 are preferably formed in the manner of knobs and are preferably distributed on the upper side of the plate body 12 in the manner of a matrix. The projections 14 can have the same or different heights with respect to the base of the plate body 12 . In the case of projections 14 with different heights Preferably, projections are arranged at two different heights in a matrix-like manner and mutually offset from one another, so that low projections and high projections alternate in each case. This configuration increases the sure-footedness, for example, for horses on a riding surface.

As in 2 illustrated, can also be provided on the top of the plate body 12 more cup-like depressions 16, each serving as a water reservoir.

In the embodiment of 2 the plate body 12 is also designed to be water-permeable. For this purpose, a plurality of through holes 18 are provided in the plate body 12, each of which is located in areas adjacent to the projections 14 and the recesses 16 and each of which extends in the thickness direction of the plate body 12 (top-bottom direction in FIG 2 ) extend through the plate body 12 so that water can flow through the plate body 12 out of the footing 30 or flow into the footing 30 . Optionally, the panel body 12 on its underside facing the ground (below in 2 ) may be provided with, for example, annular projections 19 around the through-openings 18, which are used for anchoring on the substrate 25 or in the elastic layer 34.

As in 2 indicated, the entire surface of this plate body 12, ie also in all surface areas around the projections 14, around the depressions 16, around the projections 19 and within the through-openings 18, is encased by a fluid-tight cover layer 20. This fluid-tight cover layer 20 prevents pollutants (e.g. lead, plasticizers, etc.) from escaping from the plastic and/or rubber panel body 12 into the soil and into the surroundings of the riding arena floor panel 10. This cover layer 20 can preferably be applied by means of a dipping process and/or a spraying process can be applied to the periphery of the plate body 12.

The fluid tightness and the presence of this cover layer 20 must be permanently guaranteed, which is why the cover layer must be water-resistant, weather-resistant, have a stable configuration and be firmly attached to the panel body. To this Purpose, the cover layer 20 has at least one preservative and additionally contains a quartz flour.

1. (i) als Konservierungsmittel ein Gemisch aus Methylisothiazolinon (MIT) und Chlormethylisothiazolinon (CMIT) (beispielsweise in einem Mischungsverhältnis von etwa 1:3);
2. (ii) als weiteres Konservierungsmittel Benzisothiazolinon (BIT);
3. (iii) als Verdickungsmittel ein Verdickungsmittel auf der Basis von (bevorzugt hydrophob) modifiziertem Ethylenoxidurethan (HEUR);
4. (iv) als Stabilisierungsmittel das Quarzmehl mit einem Anteil zwischen etwa 5 und 10 Gew.-% (z.B. etwa 7 oder 8 oder 9 Gew.-%) in der Deckschicht; und
5. (v) optional einen Klebstoff als Fixierungsmittel.

In one embodiment of the riding arena floor panel 10, the top layer has:

1. (i) as a preservative, a mixture of methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) (e.g. in a mixing ratio of about 1:3);
2. (ii) as a further preservative benzisothiazolinone (BIT);
3. (iii) as a thickener, a thickener based on (preferably hydrophobically) modified ethylene oxide urethane (HEUR);
4. (iv) as a stabilizing agent, the quartz flour with a proportion of between about 5 and 10% by weight (eg about 7 or 8 or 9% by weight) in the top layer; and
5. (v) optionally an adhesive as a fixative.

In addition, the cover layer 20 can contain other components. These include, for example, solvents, binders, additives, color pigments.

REFERENCE LIST

10

bottom plate

12

plate body

14

protrusions

16

bowl-like indentations

18

passage openings

19

annular protrusions

20

top layer

25

underground

30

footing

32

retention layer

34

elastic layer

36

base course

38

drainage pipes

Claims (14)

1. A riding arena floor plate (10), comprising a plate body (12) made of a plastic and/or rubber material,
   characterized in that
   the entire surface of the plate body (12) is covered by a water-resistant and weather-resistant, fluid-tight covering layer (20), wherein the covering layer (20) comprises at least one preservative and in the covering layer (20) is additionally contained a quartz powder.
2. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the quartz powder in the covering layer is 5 to 10% by weight.
3. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an adhesive is additionally contained in the covering layer (20).
4. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the covering layer (20) comprises at least one preservative selected from methylisothiazolinone and chloromethylisothiazolinone and benzisothiazolinone.
5. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the covering layer (20) further comprises at least one thickening agent.
6. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plate body (12) consists at least partially of a recycling material.
7. The riding arena floor plate (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plate body (12) comprises at least one structural element selected from:

   - several through holes (18) extending through the plate body in a thickness direction of the plate body;

   - a plurality of projections (14) on a side of the plate body facing away from the substrate; and

   - several cup-like recesses (16) on a side of the plate body facing away from the substrate.
8. A riding or sports arena floor, comprising an arrangement of a plurality of riding arena floor plates (10) according to any of claims 1 to 7 arranged next to one another on a subsoil (25).
9. The riding or sports arena floor according to claim 8, further comprising at least one component selected from:

   - a footing layer (30) above the arrangement of the riding arena floor plates (10);

   - an elasticity layer (34) between the arrangement of the riding arena floor plates (10) and the subsoil (25); and

   - a plurality of drainage pipes (38) arranged between the arrangement of the riding arena floor plates (10) and the subsoil (25).
10. A method for producing a riding arena floor plate (10), comprising:

    Producing a plate body (12) made of a plastic and/or rubber material;

    characterized by

    Covering the entire surface of the plate body (12) with a water-resistant and weather-resistant, fluid-tight covering layer (20), wherein the covering layer (20) comprises at least one preservative and in the covering layer (20) is additionally contained a quartz powder.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the covering layer (20) is designed according to any of claims 2 to 5.
12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the plate body (12) is designed according to claim 6 or 7.
13. The method according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the step of covering the entire surface of the plate body (12) is performed by a dipping process or by a spraying process.
14. The method according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the step of producing the plate body (12) is performed by an injection molding process.

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