GB2530879A

GB2530879A - Processing of artificial turf

Info

Publication number: GB2530879A
Application number: GB1513807.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Alec Allen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-08-07
Filing date: 2015-08-04
Publication date: 2016-04-06
Also published as: GB201414012D0; GB201513807D0; US20160040367A1

Abstract

A method of processing artificial turf comprises: applying a binding agent 28 to the artificial turf 24 to bind together a granular infill material 13; wherein the artificial turf 24 comprises: a backing substrate (11, fig 1), a plurality of upstanding artificial fibres (12, fig 1) and a granular infill material 13. An artificial turf including a granular infill material 13 and a binding agent 28 is also disclosed. The binding agent is preferably an adhesive and the artificial turf may be cut before the adhesive fully hardens to form strips or tiles which may be used to form a walled structure (30, fig 2a).

Description

PROCESSING OF ARTIFICIAL TURF

This invention relates to the processing of artificial turf and in particularly, but not solely, to the processing of artificial turf for use in forming a wall structure for a golf course bunker or other formation.

Artificial turf comprises an upper surface provided within an array of turf fibres of nylon, polypropylene or other synthetic material upstanding from a backing layer of polyurethane, canvas, latex or other sheet material. Generally larger areas of artificial turf are in-filled with sand and/or another granular material to prevent expansion and contraction with temperature and to hold the artificial turf firmly in-situ.

Artificial turf has a finite lifespan, particularly when it is used as a surface in sports fields. At present, a high proportion of used artificial turf undesirably ends up in landfill sites.

UK Patent No. GB2490637B discloses how used artificial turf material can be cut into strips or tiles and then used to create a wall structure for a golf course by forming substantially horizontal layers of the material. This use of reclaimed artificial turf not only significantly reduces waste but it creates an extremely hardwearing and aesthetically pleasing side wall for a golf course bunker. The granular infill in the artificial turf actually benefits the structure because it increases the density of the layers and helps to distribute load and helps to keep the layers together.

An area of artificial turf which is to be removed and reclaimed for re-use is firstly cut into strips whilst in-situ. The strips are then rolled or stacked, removed from site and then taken to storage before being transported to a site for re-use. Unfortunately, this process can cause the granular infill to fall out of the turf fibres, with a result of the large proportion of the artificial turf cannot be re-used in a satisfactory manner.

I have now devised a method of processing artificial turf which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention, there is a provided a method of processing artificial turf, the method providing an area of artificial turf to be processed, the artificial turf comprising a backing substrate sheet and an upper surface formed by a plurality of artificial fibres upstanding from the backing substrate sheet and a granular infill material disposed between the fibres, wherein the method further comprises applying a binding agent to the upper surface of the turf so as to wet and bind the granular infill.

The binding agent may be applied at any stage in the method. The binder may, for example, be applied to the upper surface of the turf prior to being reclaimed from a previous environment in which it was used or stored or, alternatively or additionally, the binder may, for example, be applied when the artificial turf is being used to build a walled structure or after such a structure has been constructed Preferably the binding agent is allowed to dry, harden or set prior to moving the artificial turf to another location from that where the binding agent is applied.

In use, the binding agent bonds the granules of the infill material together so that they cannot fall out as the artificial turf is further processed, transported, stored and re-used.

Alternatively, the process could be applied to new artificial turf once the upper surface thereof has been in-filled with the granular material.

The binding agent may be applied by spraying, painting or otherwise wetting the granular infill material.

The binding agent may comprise an adhesive formed of modified starch, methyl cellulose, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), or other material. The binding agent may also comprise other materials such as, for example, acrylic paint, humectant or a dying agent.

The use of a humectant in the binding agent has the effect of retaining moisture inside the artificial turf.

The use of a dying agent in the binding agent enables the application of colour to the artificial turf which can help to delineate regions within a structure constructed using the artificial turf. This may enable colour to added to a structure or region constructed using the artificial turf, which may enable an advert or a slogan to be displayed therein. If the artificial turf is being used to construct a wall structure for a golf course bunker, the colour may be chosen to match that of sand within the bunker.

The use of an adhesive means that other material, such as sand, may be applied to form a surface of that material on the artificial turf as the presence of the adhesive will cause the other material to adhere to the artificial turf.

The formation of a surface of a material such as sand on the artificial turf hides the material from which the artificial turf is composed which means that a structure formed from the artificial turf is less unsightly.

Preferably the artificial turf is cut into strips or tiles following application of the binding agent.

In order to facilitate cutting, the cutting process may be carried out before the binding agent dries, hardens or sets.

Also in accordance of the present invention, there is provided a region of artificial turf comprising a backing substrate sheet and an upper surface formed by a plurality of artificial fibres upstanding from the backing substrate sheet, a granular infill material disposed between the fibres and a binding agent holding the granules of infill material together.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a walled structure formed of a plurality of layers of the artificial turf as hereinbefore defined.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view through an area of artificial turf which has been treated in accordance with the embodiment; Figure 2a is a sectional view through a walled structure comprising a plurality of layers of artificial turf in accordance with the embodiment; and Figure 2b is a magnified view of region A on Figure 2a.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a region of artificial turf 10 comprising a flexible substrate sheet 11. The upper surface of the turf 10 comprises a dense array of upstanding artificial turf fibres 12, which may be arranged individually or in groups as shown.

The space between the fibres 12 is filled with a granular infill 13. The depth of the infill 13 is arranged as such that a significant proportion of the upper end of each fibre 12 protrudes out of the infill 13 to form a fibrous surface. In the example shown, the infill comprises a first layer 13a of sand and a second layer 13b of rubber crumb material 13b. However, the infill may comprise only one kind of infill material or a mixture of infill materials, either mixed together or arranged in separate layers.

The artificial turf is hereinbefore defined is widely used as a covering for sports fields.

After a long period of use, the artificial turf becomes flattened and worn and needs to be replaced. As hereinbefore described, UK Patent No. GB2490637B discloses how used artificial turf can be recycled by cutting it into strips or tiles, which can be laid to form a side wall of a golf course bunker.

We now describe, with reference to Figures 2a and 2b, the construction of a golf course bunker 20 as an example of a walled structure comprising a region of artificial turf 22 comprising layers of artificial turf 24 treated in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 comprises two parts. The first part (Figure 2a) illustrates in sectional view the golf course bunker 20 comprising a wall 30 constructed from layers of artificial turf 24 treated in accordance with the present invention and infill material 42. The second part (Figure 2b) shows a close-up or enlarged view of region A of Figure 2a.

It is clear from Figure 2b that at least some of the layers of artificial turf 24 are staggered which defines steps 32 between adjacent layers of artificial turf 24.

It is desirable that the granular infill 13 remains in the artificial turf when constructing such wall structures as wall 30. In order to prevent the infill 13 from falling out of the spaces between the fibres 12 during removal, transportation, storage and re-use, the present invention provides for applying a liquid binding agent 28 to the granular infill 13. This agent 28 is applied by spraying or otherwise wetting the upper surface 34 of the artificial turf 10 prior to removal from its original location where it may be being used for another purpose, such as to form a sports field, or being stored.

Alternatively, additionally or optionally, the liquid binding agent 28 may be applied by spraying or otherwise wetting the upper surface 34 of the artificial turf 10 as the layers of artificial turf 24 are being laid upon one another to construct the wall 30 of golf course bunker 20.

Figure 2b exaggerates the scale of the nozzle 26A which may be used to apply the liquid binding agent 28 for clarity only.

The layers of artificial turf 24 may additionally be tied together using anchor pins 40 The binding agent 28 penetrates at least the upper surface of the infill 13 to hold it together and to keep it in-situ whilst the material is further processed, transported, stored and re-used.

A binding agent 44 may also be applied to the exposed edge 36 of the artificial turf using a nozzle 26B, the size of which is also exaggerated in Figure 2b.

Alternatively, optionally or additionally, the binding agent 44 applied to the exposed edge 36 may be a different binding agent from the binding agent 28 applied to the upper surface 34.

The binding agent 44 may comprise a dying agent which can be used, when the binding agent is applied to the exposed edge 36, to apply colour to the exposed edge 36 of the artificial turf to alter the appearance of the outer edge 36 of the layers of artificial turf 24.

The application of binding agent 28 and/or binding agent 44 may be repeated to build up a layer of coverage on the upper surface 34 or the exposed edge 36. After a number of applications of the binding agent 44 the steps 32 on the exposed edge 36 may become indiscernible.

The method of processing artificial turf in this manner significantly improves the quality and quantity of used artificial turf which is suitable for re-use in forming walled structures.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of processing artificial turf, the method comprises: providing an area of artificial turf to be processed, the artificial turf comprising a backing substrate sheet and an upper surface formed by a plurality of artificial fibres upstanding from the backing substrate sheet and a granular infill material disposed between the fibres, wherein the method further comprises applying a binding agent to the upper surface of the turf so as to wet and bind the granular inf ill.
2. The method of Claim 1 wherein, in use, the binding agent bonds the granules of the infill material together so that they cannot fall out as the artificial turf is further processed, transported, stored and re-used.
3. The method of any preceding claim wherein the method is applied to artificial turf which is going to be re-used by applying the binding agent to the artificial turf prior to removing the artificial turf from its original location.
4. The method of any preceding claim wherein the method is applied to the process could be applied to new artificial turf once the upper surface thereof has been in-filled with the granular material.
5. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent is applied by spraying the granular infill material.
6. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent is applied by painting the granular infill material.
7. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent is applied by wetting the granular infill material.
8. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises an adhesive formed of modified starch. a
9. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises an adhesive formed of methyl cellulose.
10. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises an adhesive formed of polyvinyl acetate.
11. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises acrylic paint.
12. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises a humectant.
13. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent comprises a dying agent.
14. The method of any preceding claim wherein the binding agent is allowed to dry, harden or set prior to moving the artificial turf to another location from that where the binding agent is applied.
15. The method of any preceding claim wherein the artificial turf is cut into strips or tiles following application of the binding agent.
16. The method of Claim 15 wherein the artificial turf is cut before the binding agent dries, hardens or sets.
17. A region of artificial turf comprising: a backing substrate sheet; an upper surface formed by a plurality of artificial fibres upstanding from the backsubstrate sheet; a granular infill material disposed between the fibres; and a binding agent holding the granules of infill material together.
18. A walled structure comprising a region of artificial turf as defined by Claim 17 or comprising artificial turf processed in accordance with Claims ito 16.
19. A method of processing artificial turf as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2a and 2b.
20. A region of artificial turf as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2a and 2b.
21. A walled structure as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2a and 2b.