# US 10,370,799 B2 · Tufted structure for landscape and sports > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,799 B2 - Document ID: US10370799B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/103,469 - Filed: 2014-12-09 - Published: 2016-11-03 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-13 - Assignees: Dfs Europe NV - Applicants: Bfs Europe NV - Inventors: Marc Verleyen; Mathijs Beauprez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370799B2 ## CPC - E01C 13/08: Surfaces simulating grass {; Grass-grown sports grounds (grass-like surfaces for skiing E01C13/12)} - D04H 11/08: formed by creation of a pile on at least one surface of a non-woven fabric without addition of pile-forming material, e.g. by needling, by differential shrinking (needling machines D04H18/00) - D05C 17/02: Tufted products - D05C 17/023: {characterised by the base fabric} - D06N 7/0068: {characterised by the primary backing or the fibrous top layer} - D06N 2201/0254: Polyolefin fibres - D06N 2209/103: Resistant to mechanical forces, e.g. shock, impact, puncture, flexion, shear, compression, tear - D06N 2213/02: All layers being of the same kind of material, e.g. all layers being of polyolefins, all layers being of polyesters - D10B 2503/042: Primary backings for tufted carpets - D10B 2507/00: Sport; Military - Y10T 428/23907: Pile or nap type surface or component - Y10T 428/23936: Differential pile length or surface - Y10T 428/23979: Particular backing structure or composition - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B) - D05C: EMBROIDERING; TUFTING (making non-woven fabrics D04H; sewing D05B) - D06N: WALL, FLOOR, OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM, OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULAR MATERIAL; FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein fill yarn extending from the upper surface of the bounded layer of fibers is created through velour needle-punching, the fill yarn giving the upper surface of the bounded layer of fibers a velour structure of fibers standing out above the upper surface, thereby providing structural support for the pile yarn by assisting the pile yarn to stand, imitating a root zone of natural grass, and providing cushioning. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer is a structural layer that is utilized for anchoring the pile yarn and that provides dimensional stability. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer is a volume simulating layer that acts as a shock-absorbing layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer is formed by fibers that are more flexible and form a denser structure than fibers forming the upper layer, the fibers of the lower layer having a smaller linear mass density than the fibers forming the upper layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tufted structure according to claim 5, wherein the fibers of the lower layer have a linear mass density in the range of about 3.3 dtex to about 110 dtex. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The tufted structure according to claim 5, wherein the fibers of the upper layer have a linear mass density in the range of about 11 dtex to about 600 dtex. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the bounded layer of fibers is formed by needle-punching. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the bounded layer of fibers consists of up to eight different types of fibers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the bounded layer of fibers, the pile yarn, and a backing enhancing the anchoring the pile yarn to the bounded layer of fibers are made of eco-friendly materials that are 100% recyclable by being mechanically deconstructable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the bounded layer of fibers, the pile yarn, and the backing are made of 100% polyolefin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tufted structure according to claim 1, wherein the density of the bounded layer of fibers decreases gradually at a constant rate from the bottom to the top of the bounded layer of fibers. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 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.