Sports field structure and method for forming the same
AssigneePermavoid Limited
InventorsCarolus Hermanus van Raam, Andrew Bryan Shuttleworth, Paul David Culleton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sports field comprises a base structure and a cover. The cover is at least partly permeable to fluid, especially water. The base structure comprises voids for containing fluid. The base structure forms a substantially continuous deck supporting the cover. The cover comprises or is formed by an artificial sports layer, such as artificial grass. At least a number of the voids are in fluid communication with each other. Wick elements are provided fluidly connecting at least a number of the voids with the cover for supplying fluid from the voids to the top layer.
Claims27
A method of operating a sports field, wherein the sports field comprises a series of modules placed on a substructure, each module of said series of modules coupled to at least one other module of said series of modules, said modules comprising a deck and columns opening into said deck, a series of said columns filled at least partly with a wick medium, a cover provided on top of the modules, in fluid connection with the wick medium in each column of the series filled at least partly with said wick medium, wherein water is provided or retained in said modules for wetting at least part of the cover on top of the modules through the wick medium in said series of columns, wherein water is fed from inside the modules to an upper side of the cover and made to evaporate from said cover, and wherein water is fed from inside the modules into each of said columns at least partly filled with the wick medium through at least one wall opening provided between a top end and a lower end of the column.
A method of operating a sports field, wherein the sports field comprises a series of modules placed on a substructure, each module of said series of modules coupled to at least one other module of said series of modules, said modules comprising a deck and columns opening into said deck, a series of said columns filled at least partly with a wick medium, a cover provided on top of the modules, in fluid connection with the wick medium in each column of the series filled at least partly with said wick medium, wherein water is provided or retained in said modules for wetting at least part of the cover on top of the modules through the wick medium in said series of columns, wherein water is fed from inside the modules to an upper side of the cover and made to evaporate from said cover, wherein air is circulated through the modules, and wherein the air is allowed to enter into the cover from the modules through openings in the deck, said air aerating and/or cooling and/or heating said cover.
A method of operating a sports field, wherein the sports field comprises a series of modules placed on a substructure,
- said modules comprising a deck and columns opening into said deck, a series of said columns filled at least partly with a wick medium, a cover provided on top of the modules, in fluid connection with the wick medium in each column of the series filled at least partly with said wick medium,
- wherein water is provided to or retained in an internal volume of said modules for wetting at least part of the cover on top of the modules through the wick medium in said series of columns, and wherein water is fed from inside the modules to an upper side of the cover and made to evaporate from said cover, and wherein water is fed from inside the modules into each of said columns at least partly filled with the wick medium through at least one wall opening provided between a top end and a lower end of the column.
A method of operating a sports field, wherein the sports field comprises a series of modules placed on a substructure, said modules comprising a deck and columns opening into said deck, a cover provided on top of the modules, wherein the cover comprises or is formed by a cover layer placed from a roll or as sheets, forming a sports surface, wherein water is provided to or retained in an internal volume of said modules for wetting at least part of the cover on top of the modules, wherein the water is fed from the internal volume through a wick medium connecting to said cover, through openings in said deck to an upper side of the cover and made to evaporate from said cover, and wherein water is fed from inside the modules into at least one of said columns at least partly filled with the wick medium through at least one wall opening provided between a top end and a lower end of the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.