Tufted structure for landscape and sports
AssigneeDfs Europe NV
InventorsMarc Verleyen, Mathijs Beauprez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention seeks to provide a tufted structure such as an artificial turf, that imitates more closely the root zone, the volume effect, and density of natural grass and that has an improved wear and drainage property. An artificial turf adapted for use in landscape and sports applications comprises a bounded layer of fibers formed as a non-woven matting made of one or more natural and/or synthetic fibers. A plurality of tufts of pile yarn is inserted through the bounded layer of fibers. A backing is applied at the backside of the bounded layer of fibers enhancing anchoring the tufts to the bounded layer of fibers.
Claims14
A tufted structure for use in landscape and sports applications, comprising:
- a bounded layer of fibers made of one or more natural and/or synthetic fibers, and
- pile yarn inserted through the bounded layer of fibers, the pile yarn being anchored to the bounded layer of fibers,
- wherein the bounded layer of fibers has a density that decreases from a bottom to a top of the bounded layer of fibers, and
- wherein the bounded layer of fibers includes a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer being positioned at the bottom of the bounded layer of fibers and the upper layer being positioned on top of the lower layer, and the upper layer having a higher fiber coarseness than the lower layer.
A method for manufacturing a tufted structure for use in landscape and sports applications, comprising the steps of:
- forming by needle-punching a bounded layer of fibers having a density that decreases from the bottom to the top of the bounded layer of fibers;
- creating fill yarn extending from the upper surface of the bounded layer of fibers through velour needle-punching, thereby giving the upper surface of the bounded layer of fibers a velour-structure;
- inserting pile yarn through the bounded layer of fibers;
- and
- anchoring the pile yarn at the backside of the bounded layer of fibers;
- wherein the bounded layer of fibers includes a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer being positioned at the bottom of the bounded layer of fibers and the upper layer being positioned on top of the lower layer, and the upper layer having a higher fiber coarseness than the lower layer.
A method for manufacturing a tufted structure for use in landscape and sports applications, comprising the steps of:
- forming by needle-punching a lower layer from a plurality of natural and/or synthetic fibers;
- forming by needle-punching an upper layer from a plurality of natural and/or synthetic fibers that have a higher linear mass density than the fibers of the lower layer, the upper layer having a less dense structure than the lower layer;
- placing the upper layer on top of the lower layer to form a bounded layer of fibers;
- creating fill yarn extending from the upper surface of the upper layer through velour needle-punching thereby giving the upper surface of the upper layer a velour-structure;
- inserting pile yarn through the bounded layer of fibers;
- and
- anchoring the pile yarn at the backside of the bounded layer of fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.