NL2030565B1

NL2030565B1 - A method for installing an outdoor gravel-based playing surface

Info

Publication number: NL2030565B1
Application number: NL2030565A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Marcel Martha Borgers Hans; Frederik Fiolet Arnoud
Original assignee: Recreational Systems Int B V
Priority date: 2022-01-17
Filing date: 2022-01-17
Publication date: 2023-07-25

Abstract

A method for installing an outdoor gravel-based playing surface, such as a tennis court, padel court, pétanque court or cinder track, comprising the steps of: a) providing a foundation layer comprising a flat surface; b) laying a base layer on said foundation layer, comprising a plurality of modular floor tiles, each floor tile comprising a main surface that is directed upwards after laying said floor tile on said foundation layer and an open structure, said open structure comprising a plurality of through drainage holes extending from said main surface to a bottom surface of said floor tile for allowing liquid to flow via said plurality of drainage holes from said main surface to said bottom surface into said foundation layer; c) applying gravel on said base layer; and d) forming a gravel top layer by distributing and sweeping said gravel over said base layer, wherein during said distributing and sweeping said open structure of said floor tiles is at least partially filled by said gravel by which said outdoor gravelbased playing surface is formed. An outdoor gravel-based playing surface obtained by the method.

Description

Title: A method for installing an outdoor gravel-based playing surface

The present disclosure relates to a method for installing an outdoor gravel- based playing surface, such as a tennis court, pétanque court or cinder track and an outdoor gravel-based playing surface obtained by said method.

Background:

An outdoor gravel-based playing surface, such as a tennis court, also known as a clay court, has a playing surface made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate, or a combination of one or more of the forgoing. Gravel- based playing surfaces such as clay courts are very popular among sporters, such as tennis players, compared to other playing surfaces, such as hard courts, grass courts and carpet courts, because clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce in comparison to grass or hard courts. Clay courts are therefore considered “slow” and make it easier for a player to return a shot, making it a more attractive for unexperienced players.

Another advantage of gravel-based playing surfaces is that they are cheaper to construct than other types of playing surfaces, such as hard courts. Most clay courts are made of a densely-packed layer of crushed brick that make the court, with a top layer consisting of finely crushed loose particles, making it for example more attractive for players to slide over the surface when trying to return a ball, and lowering the risk of injuries.

After construction or renovation, gravel-based playing surfaces must meet a number of (official) sport technical requirements. These are formulated by the sports associations and other stakeholders and relate to sports functionality, safety, playability, uniformity and sustainability. For example, tennis courts need to conform to the technical requirements according to NOCNSF-KNLTB2-15.

However, a disadvantage of gravel-based playing surfaces is that they have high maintenance costs, since, amongst other reasons, over time, and due to changing weather conditions, densification of parts of the playing surface can occur resulting in the formation of subsidence in the playing surface and if not addressed, even potholes may form. Therefore, to preserve flatness and in order to meet the official or desired sport technical requirements the surface needs to be rolled, brushed, or even watered on a regular basis. Also, the clay’s water content must be well-balanced.

As such, there is a need for gravel-based playing surface which on the one hand can be installed fast and easily, for which on the other hand, the maintenance is improved and in which at least some of the above mentioned drawbacks are resolved.

More in particular, there is a need for an improved gravel-based playing surface with easy and fast installation, and low maintenance costs, which can still meet the official or desired sport technical requirements and has for the players, the same or at least mostly similar look-and-feel of a conventional gravel-based playing surface.

Description:

The present disclosure is elucidated below with a detailed description. When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

In a first aspect, there is provided a method for installing an outdoor gravel- based playing surface, such as a tennis court, padel court, pétanque court or cinder track, comprising the steps of: a) providing a foundation layer comprising a flat surface; b) laying a base layer on the foundation layer, comprising a plurality of modular floor tiles, each floor tile comprising a main surface that is directed upwards after laying the floor tile on the foundation layer and an open structure, the open structure comprising a plurality of through drainage holes extending from the main surface to a bottom surface of the floor tile for allowing liquid to flow via the plurality of drainage holes from the main surface to the bottom surface into the foundation layer;

Cc) applying gravel on the base layer; and d) forming a gravel top layer by distributing and sweeping the gravel over the base layer, wherein during the distributing and sweeping the open structure of the floor tiles is at least partially filled by the gravel by which the outdoor gravel-based playing surface is formed.

The foundation layer may comprise different layers that result in a stable, water- permeable underlayment, such as a concrete layer, an asphalt layer, a lava stone layer and/or a clay layer. To improve the flatness of the surface of the foundation layer, a sand or stone grit layer may be applied as well. Optionally, the foundation layer may include a geotextile to strengthen the foundation layer.

Gravel as used in the present disclosure means gravel from a natural source, such as crushed stones like bricks or roof tiles. Non-natural sources, such as rubber granulate, can also be used as gravel. In an example applicable to all aspects of the present disclosure, non-natural gravel, or artificial gravel, is excluded from and does not fall within the scope of the present disclosure, hence, the gravel is a natural gravel providing the same look-and-feel as a conventional gravel-based playing field such as conventional gravel tennis playing fields.

Installing the outdoor gravel-based playing surface according to the presented method results in a playing surface that has a stable underlayment or base layer and surface with reduced risk of subsidence in the playing surface resulting in reduced maintenance costs. Also, costs for the construction or installation of the gravel-based playing surface according to the present disclosure are lower compared to the costs for the construction of a conventional gravel-based playing surface. Furthermore, the outdoor gravel-based playing surface can be used throughout the year, thus also in winter under harsh weather conditions, and can be installed (and even removed) faster, more easily and with lower costs as compared to conventional gravel-based playing fields.

These advantages make it an attractive alternative for conventional gravel- based playing surfaces, such as a gravel court.

Lines may be applied on or in the plurality of floor tiles after step b). These lines may be applied for example by means of gluing or sticking plastic foil on the main surface of the base layer. Alternatively, the lines can be painted or printed on the surface or the lines may be processed in the tile itself, to this end, each tile may have an identification or number according to an installation order or sequence. The various means for applying the lines on the playing surface provide flexibility in the method of installing of the gravel-based playing surface and make it easier for changing the layout of the playing surface from one type of game to another type of game, for example switching from a tennis court to a padel court.

In the method, the open structure of the plurality of floor tiles may be configured to maintain water permeability after step d). The floor tiles comprise a plurality of holes that can be at least partially filled with gravel. These holes are large enough to prevent clogging by the gravel particles, but not too small to allow sufficient filling of the holes to maintain the stability of the playing surface. Each hole in the floor tiles has an area between 0.15 and 0.50 cm?, preferably between 0.25 and 0.45 cm?, more preferably between 0.30 and 0.40 cm?

In an example, the method is characterized in that the floor tiles are interconnected. This prevents the tiles from moving thereby retaining the flat property of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface when the playing surface is being used.

The floor tiles may be configured for the outdoor gravel-based playing surface to conform official sport technical requirements, such as the NOCNSF-KNLTB2-15 requirements for tennis courts.

Furthermore, the floor tile may comprise a plastic material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The polypropylene may be a high-impact polypropylene copolymer, wherein UV stabilizer and anti-oxidant additives are molded into the material to ensure protection against color fade and plastic deterioration and oxidation. The plastic material may comprise virgin plastic material, recycled plastic material or a combination of virgin and recycled plastic material.

In another example, the open structure of the floor tile has a total accessible void percentage of between 20 and 50 %, preferably between 30 and 45 %, more preferably between 35 and 45 %. With the total accessible void percentage is meant the fraction of voids or holes in the floor tiles through which material like water, gravel 5 or other material like dust can flow. It is a measure of the accessible void spaces in the floor tiles. Void spaces that are completely closed by the material of the floor tiles, thus not accessible from the outside, and meso- and micropores, thus pores smaller than 75 microns, do not fall within the meaning of accessible voids and are not included in the total accessible void percentage as they do not allow absorption or more specifically drainage of the water.

In another example, the base layer comprises a surface profile for providing grip for a user of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface. The risk of injuries is reduced as it prevents the user from slipping and for example spraining his or her ankle.

In yet another example, the base layer has a thickness of between 5 and 15 cm, preferably between 8 and 13 mm, more preferably 10 cm.

The top layer may have a thickness of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm, more preferably between 1 and 3 mm. The thickness may be determined by the average level of gravel, hence, a top layer of 5 mm may have some larger size particles which extend the 5 mm, but wherein the average level of thickness of the top layer is still approximately 5 mm.

The gravel may have a particle size of between 0.1 and 5 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 2.5 mm, more preferably between 0.8 and 1.8 mm.

Preferably, the gravel comprises a mixture of crushed stones, such as bricks and/or roof tiles, within a predefined particle size range, preferably mixed with sand and/or clay.

In a second aspect, there is provided an outdoor gravel-based playing surface obtained by the method according to the first aspect, the outdoor gravel-based playing surface comprising: - a foundation layer comprising a flat surface, - a base layer comprising a plurality of modular floor tiles, each floor tile comprising a main surface that is directed upwards after laying the floor tile on the foundation layer and an open structure, the open structure comprising a plurality of through drainage holes extending from the main surface to a bottom surface of the floor tile for allowing liquid to flow via the plurality of drainage holes from the main surface to the bottom surface into the foundation layer, and - a gravel top layer, wherein the base layer and the gravel top layer are obtained by the method according to any of the preceding claims.

In an example of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface, the base layer has a thickness of between 5 and 15 cm, preferably between 8 and 13 mm, more preferably 10 cm.

In another example of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface, the top layer has a thickness of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm, more preferably between 1 and 3 mm.

The outdoor gravel-based playing surface according to the present disclosure is suitable for use as a tennis court, a padel court or a pétanque court or cinder track.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

Fig. 1A: shows a flow diagram of a method according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 1B: shows a flow diagram of a method according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 2A: shows a top view of a modular floor tile as used in the method according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 2B: shows a top view of a modular floor tile as used in the method according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 3A: shows a close up top view of an example of the fastening elements as shown in Fig. 2A;

Fig. 3B: shows a close up top view of an example of the fastening elements as used in the method according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 4: shows a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 5: shows a perspective of a modular floor tile used in the method according to present disclosure;

Fig. 6: shows a top view of a base layer, partially provided with gravel applied according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 7: shows a cross-sectional view along line B-B of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8: shows a cross-sectional view of a playing surface according to the present disclosure;

Fig. ©: shows a top view of a playing surface according to the present disclosure provided with lines for use as a tennis court.

Detailed Description of the Drawings:

Fig. 1A shows the various steps of a method 101 for installing an outdoor gravel-based playing surface 1 according to the present disclosure. The method 101 comprises the steps of: a) providing 103 a foundation layer 3; b) laying 105 a base layer 7 on the foundation layer 3; c) applying 107 gravel 17 on the base layer 7; and d) forming 109 a gravel top layer 19 by distributing and sweeping the gravel 17 over the base layer 7.

The foundation layer 3 comprises a flat surface 5 and the base layer 7 comprises a plurality of floor tiles. Each floor tile 9 comprises a main surface 11 that is directed upwards after laying the floor tile 9 on the foundation layer 3 and an open structure. The open structure comprises a plurality of through drainage holes 13 extending from the main surface 11 to a bottom surface 15 of the floor tile 9. This allows liquid to flow via the drainage holes 13 from the main surface 11 to the bottom surface 15 into or on the foundation layer 3.

During the forming 109 of the gravel top layer, the open structure of the floor tile 9 is at least partially filled by the gravel 17 during the distributing and sweeping or brushing of the gravel 17 by which the outdoor gravel-based playing surface 1 is formed. The sweeping or brushing may be performed in a conventional known manner with brushing or sweeping equipment, or with dedicated and optionally larger or powered equipment arranged for distributing or redistributing the material over the court.

Optionally, lines 21 can be applied 111 on or in the plurality of floor tiles 9 after laying 105 the base layer 7 on the foundation layer 3, as shown in the method 201 in

Fig. 1B.

A top view of a modular floor tile 9 provided with fastening elements 27 as used in the method 101 according to the present disclosure is shown in Fig. 2A. Each floor tile, and preferably except for the floor tiles that make up the edges of the playing surface, has two post or hook sides 30 and two receiver or loop sides 31, wherein on each side fastening elements 27A, 27B are applied. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2A, the fastening elements 27B are shown. The fastening elements 27A are recesses that fit into the openings that make up the fastening elements 27B. Other types of pairing, mating or fastening combinations can also be used as fastening elements, such as pin-hole connections, hook connections, tongue and groove connections, dovetail connections and spigot connections. These fastening elements 27 allow the floor tiles 9 to be interconnected with each other.

A close up top view of the fastening elements 27A, 27B present at the post sides 30 and receiver sides 31 of the floor tile 9 of Fig. 2A is shown in Fig. 3A. The fastening elements 27A comprise pins 29A that fit into holes 29B of the fastening elements 27B. Fig. 3B shows a top view of part of the floor tile 59 wherein the fastening elements 27A’, 27B’ comprise pins 29A' and holes 29B’ that have a different shape compared to the pins 29A and holes 29B as shown in Fig. 3A.

In Fig. 2A, the main surface 11 is visible and the floor tile 9 comprises an open structure that comprises the plurality of through drainage holes 13. The open structure is configured to maintain water permeability after step d) of the method 101 according to the present disclosure. Between the horizontal ribbons 33 and the vertical ribbons 35 are ribbons positioned in two different diagonal directions 37A, 37B resulting in the drainage holes 13 being triangularly shaped.

The floor tile 9 as shown in Fig. 2A is made of polypropylene, but it can also comprise other plastic materials, such as polyethylene. The plastic material can be a recycled plastic material, but also a virgin material.

The base layer 7 shown in Fig. 2A comprises a surface profile 23. The surface profile 23 provides grip for a user 25 of the playing surface 1.

Fig. 2B shows another example of the floor tile that may be used in the outdoor gravel-based playing surface 1.The floor tile 59 in Fig. 2B has a surface profile 23 that differs from the surface profile 23 of floor tile 9 of Fig. 2A.

A line A-A goes right through the middle of the top view of the modular floor tile 9 of Fig. 2A and a cross-sectional view along said line A-A is shown in Fig. 4. The main surface 11 and bottom surface 15 are indicated on respectively the top side 39 and bottom side 41 of the floor tile 9. Water can flow through the drainage holes 13 from the top side 39 to the bottom side 41. A plurality of projections 43 present at the bottom side 41 of the floor tile 9 provide support and stability and allow the flow of water in any direction to the sides of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface 1 and into the foundation layer 3.

A perspective view of the modular floor tile 9 as used in the method 101 according to the present disclosure (Fig. 5) shows various features that provide the supporting, stabilizing and water-draining properties of the playing surface 1.

Fig. 6 shows a top view of the base layer 7 comprising a plurality of modular floor tiles 9 laid 105 according to step b) of the method 1 according to the present disclosure. Gravel 17 is applied 107 on part of the base layer 7 before a gravel top layer 19 is formed 109.

A line B-B is shown in Fig. 6 that goes through the part of the base layer 7 on which the gravel 17 is applied 107. The cross-sectional view along this line B-B is shown in Fig. 7. The gravel 17 is present as a large pile on the base layer 7 and needs to be swept and distributed over the base layer 7 to form 109 a gravel top layer 19.

Most of the drainage holes 13 are at least partially filled with gravel 17. On the edges of the base layer 7, the drainage holes 13 are still empty.

In Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view is shown of the outdoor gravel-based playing surface 1 according to the present disclosure. The various layers are clearly visible.

Fig. 9 shows a top view of a playing surface 1 according to the present disclosure wherein the base layer is provided with lines 21 such that the playing surface 1 forms a tennis court on which a game of tennis can be played by users 25.

Claims

CONCLUSIONS

A method (101) of installing a clay-based outdoor playing surface (1), such as a tennis court, padel court, bocce court or cinder court, comprising the steps of: a) providing (103) a foundation layer (3) comprising a flat surface (5); b) laying (105) a base layer (7) on the foundation layer (3), comprising a number of modular floor tiles (9, 59), each floor tile (9, 59) comprising a main surface (11) facing upwards after laying the floor tile (9, 59) on the foundation layer (3) and an open structure, the open structure comprising a number of through drainage holes (13) extending from the main surface (11) to a bottom surface (15) of the floor tile (9, 59) for allowing liquid to flow through the plurality of drainage holes (13) from the main surface (11) to the bottom surface (15) in the foundation layer (3); c) applying (107) gravel (17) to the base layer (7); and d) forming (109) a gravel top layer (19) by distributing and sweeping the gravel (17) over the base layer (7), during the distributing and sweeping the open structure of said floor tiles (9, 59) on is at least partially filled by the gravel (17) forming the gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1).

A method (101) according to claim 1, wherein after step b) lines (21) are applied (111) on or in the plurality of floor tiles (9, 59).

A method (101) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the floor tiles (9, 59) are bonded together.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base layer (7) comprises a surface profile (23) for providing grip for a user (25) of the gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1).

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the floor tiles (9, 59) are configured such that the gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) meets official sporting technical requirements.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the open structure of the plurality of floor tiles (9, 59) is configured to maintain water permeability after step d).

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the floor tile (9, 59) comprises a plastic material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

The method (101) of claim 7, wherein the plastic material comprises virgin plastic material and/or recycled plastic material.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base layer (7) has a thickness between 5 and 15 cm, preferably between 8 and 13 mm, more preferably 10 cm.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said top layer (19) has a thickness of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm, more preferably between 1 and 3 mm.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the open structure of the floor tile (9, 59) has a total percentage of accessible voids between 20 and 50%, preferably between 30 and 45%, more preferably between 35 and 45%.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gravel (17) has a particle size between 0.1 and 5 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 2.5 mm, more preferably between 0.8 and 1.8mm.

A method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gravel (17) comprises a mixture of crushed stone, such as bricks and/or roof tiles,

within a predefined particle size range, preferably mixed with sand and/or clay.

A gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) obtained by the method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims, the gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) comprising: - a foundation layer (3) consisting of a flat surface (5), - a base layer (7) consisting of a plurality of modular floor tiles (9, 59), each floor tile (9, 59) comprising a main surface (11) facing upwards after laying the floor tile (9, 59) said foundation layer (3 ) and an open structure, the open structure comprising a plurality of through drainage holes (13) extending from said main surface (11) to a bottom surface (15) of the floor tile (9, 59) to allow liquid through said plurality of drainage holes (13 ) flows from the main surface (11) to the bottom surface {15) in the foundation layer (3), and - a gravel top layer (19), the base layer (7) and the gravel top layer (19) being obtained by the method (101) according to any one of the preceding claims.

The gravel based outdoor playing surface (1) according to claim 14, wherein the floor tiles (9, 59) include fasteners for interconnecting the floor tiles (9, 59).

The gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) according to claim 15, wherein the base layer (7) has a thickness between 5 and 15 cm, preferably between 8 and 13 mm, more preferably 10 cm.

The gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) according to claim 15, wherein the top layer (19) has a thickness of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm, more preferably between 1 and 3 mm.

The clay-based outdoor playing surface (1) according to any one of claims 15 to 17 for use as a tennis court.

The clay-based outdoor playing surface (1) according to any one of claims 15 to 17 for use as a padel court.

The gravel-based outdoor playing surface (1) according to any one of claims 15 to 17 for use as a pétanque court or cinder court.