Artificial turf

#The present invention relates to artificial turf. More particularly this invention concerns artificial turf for use as a sport field, garden element, golf surface, or the like and comprising a base layer, a multiplicity of blades projecting up from and anchored in the base layer, and a mass of damping material on the layer through which the blades project. The invention also relates to a method of making such artificial turf.

#In artificial turf it has proven effective to fix fibers that are similar to natural blades of grass to a substrate and to fill the spaces between the fibers with a damping material. Shredded car tires are for example used as the damping material for filling. The disadvantage with such known artificial turf is that they do not have sufficient resilience and do not stand up again or do not stand up sufficiently after being loaded. Furthermore, the shredded car tires pollute the environment.

#It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved artificial turf.

#The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical section through a piece of artificial turf according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a large-scale perspective view of a blade of the turf; and

#As seen in FIG. 1 artificial turf according to the invention has blades 1 fixed to a base layer 2. Here the base layer 2 is a textile. A mass 3 of damping material according to the invention is provided on the base layer 2 between the lower portions of the blades 1.

#FIG. 2 shows that a blade 1 according to the invention in the illustrated embodiment is formed as a two-part fiber with a core-sheath configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, an outer plastic part forms the core 5 and consists of PET made from waste. An inner plastic part forms the sheath 4 of the two-part fiber and consists of virgin PET. The inner plastic part forming the sheath 4 also contains a coloring agent and a UV stabilizer.

#FIG. 3 shows a two-part fiber 6 of the damping-material mass 3 according to the invention that also has a core-sheath configuration. Preferably and in the illustrated embodiment according to FIG. 3, its core 7 consists of PET from waste while its sheath 8 consists of virgin PET that has been mixed with a coloring agent and a UV stabilizer. It can further be seen in FIG. 3 that the two-part fiber 6 of the damping-material mass 3 is textured or crimped. As a result the two-part fiber 6 of the damping-material mass 3 has a high elasticity and restoring force, so that the blades that project beyond the mass 3 of damping material are reliably erected again after their outer ends have been bent over for example when the artificial turf is treaded on.