Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
  • A63C19/00—Design or layout of playing courts, rinks, bowling greens or areas for water-skiing; Covers therefor
  • A63C19/06—Apparatus for setting-out or dividing courts
  • A63C19/065—Line markings, e.g. tapes; Methods therefor

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a marking element which can be implanted in a turfed surface for signaling or location purposes.
• marking elements consisting of a body capable of being placed in the ground and carrying tufts of blades of artificial grass projecting above the ground surface, in particular for marking the boundaries of sports fields such as football fields.
• marking devices are known, the general structure of which is of the type mentioned above. above, but which are in fact intended to replace the traditional marking lines made with a suitable paint or plaster.
• the implantable bodies of these devices are important, require the digging of trenches, constitute rigid blocks flush with the ground capable of injuring the users of the ground and of being damaged by the aeration devices of the lawn in particular.
• the invention aims to propose a new type of implant much simpler in design, much easier to use, without the drawbacks of known devices and capable of a range of applications other than the simple constitution of lines of permanent marking which is the only application of the known devices described above.
• the invention relates to a synthetic grass implant for marking on the ground of turfed surfaces, comprising a body intended to be placed in the ground and carrying blades of artificial grass projecting above the ground surface, characterized in that said body comprises an upper part for anchoring said strands having, the implant being in place, an upper face substantially flush with said ground surface and a lower blunt part.
• the lower part of the body of the implant is conical and provided with a thread and the upper part has recesses cooperating with a suitable tool allowing the screwing of the implant into the ground and its unscrewing.
• the implant according to the invention in its application to the marking of sports fields, does not in itself constitute the marking line, but a simple permanent mark, arranged from place to place along the theoretical line defining the terrain, and allowing marking with paint or plaster in the traditional way by following the alignment of the implants.
• the implant of the invention is, moreover, very easy to install, without having to dig or prepare the ground and because of its reduced size, does not disturb the ground and does not constitute an obstacle or hard body sufficient to hinder the evolution of users of the land, or the maintenance of the latter, such as mowing or aeration of the lawn.
• the implant of the invention can be used not only as a marker for marking the delimitation lines of grassed sports fields, such as in particular football or rugby fields, but also as an isolated signaling or marking means, in a surface. lawn, of any element in the basement, such as a pipe, a valve, or any other invisible object or structure whose situation on the said surface must be constantly known.
• FIG. 1 is a view in axial vertical section of an implant according to the invention according to a first embodiment
• FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of an implant according to a preferred embodiment
• Figure 3 is a 'top of the body of the implant of Figure 2.
• an implant according to the invention comprising a body 1 of generally cylindrical shape and blunt, that is to say shaped as a point 2 at its lower end.
• the body 1 is fully buried in the ground 3, the lawn covering the ground being shown in
• the upper face 6 of the upper part of the body 1 is substantially level with the surface of the surrounding lawn soil and the strands 5 protrude from this face 6 substantially in parallel with the strands of grass 4.
• the strands 5 are fixed in one or more tufts on the body 1 and are anchored in the latter by any suitable means.
• the external face of the cylindrical part of the body 1 advantageously has sawtooth edges 7 preventing the implant from being torn off.
• the implant is placed by pressing into the ground 3 by any appropriate means, from place to place along a line to materialize on the lawn.
• Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the implant, according to which the body comprises a cylindrical upper part 10 of low height in which are anchored the blades of synthetic grass 5 and a lower part 11 of generally conical shape with a point 12 at the lower end and a screw thread 13 from one end to the other of said lower part 11.
• the profile of the thread 13 is asymmetrical, the lower face 13a being clearly more inclined on the axis of the implant than the upper face 13b, so that the thread
• the upper face 14 of the part 10 is flat, has a certain number of blind holes 15 distributed regularly and in which small tufts of strands 5 are fixed.
• the strands 5 are made of plastic of sufficient flexibility to be possibly mowed at the same time as the grass and to avoid any risk of accident.
• the density of the strands 5 is very loose, because the implant has only a signaling function and not the constitution of an artificial marking line.
• the density, considered at the free end of the strands 5, is, for example, less than ten per square centimeter.
• the diameter of the part 10 is of the order of a few centimeters, 3.5 for example, while the height of the body of the implant (10, 11) is of the order of ten centimeters.
• the entire implant body is advantageously made in one piece by molding a suitable plastic.
• the implant of Figure 2 is put in place by screwing in using a suitable fork-shaped tool with two fingers cooperating with two recesses or cavities 16 diametrically opposite the periphery of the face 14.
• the implantation, as well as the possible removal by unscrewing, of the implant is particularly simple, easy and fast and does not involve any digging or manhandling of the lawn which thus preserves all its integrity.
• the implants of the invention are put in place at regular intervals along the theoretical line to materialize on the lawn surface.
• the marking line is drawn in the known manner, with paint or plaster. Then, at the next mowing, the line, if it is not already erased, will be done by the mower. This passes over the implants without being hindered and possibly mows the strands 5 at the same time as the grass without disturbing the implants which will be used for the new marking of the line.
• the strands 5 can be optionally colored or made phosphorescent for better identification in particular.
• the implant of the invention can also be used for permanent signaling on a lawn soil of any object or structure hidden beneath the surface, for example a pipe, a valve, etc. and the situation of which it is important to know.
• the invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments described and shown but on the contrary covers all the variants in particular as regards the shapes and dimensions of the upper part 10 of the implant body, which can be by example with a polygonal outline, and of the lower part 11 which may be cylindrical or conical, smooth, with or without anti-tearing projections, whatever their shapes and arrangements.
• the number, location, dimensions of strands 5, their method of attachment to the implant body, the nature of their constituent material can vary within wide limits without departing from the scope of

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
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• Road Paving Structures (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
• Road Repair (AREA)
• Harvester Elements (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Pretreatment Of Seeds And Plants (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (8)

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Citations (7)

• 1993
  • 1993-11-02 FR FR9313296A patent/FR2711926B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1994
  • 1994-10-31 EP EP95900178A patent/EP0726796B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-10-31 WO PCT/FR1994/001264 patent/WO1995012441A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1994-10-31 DK DK95900178T patent/DK0726796T3/da active
  • 1994-10-31 ES ES95900178T patent/ES2118529T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-10-31 DE DE69410285T patent/DE69410285T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1994-10-31 AT AT95900178T patent/ATE165992T1/de active

Patent Citations (7)

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