Base for turf system

• US 8,236,392 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brock USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Brock USA LLC
• Inventors: Sawyer, Steven Lee, Sawyer, Daniel C., Runkles, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BALDWIN, GORDON
• Application Number:
  US12/009,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/17
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/202 Artificial grass
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 13/02 Foundations, e.g. with drainage or heating arrangements E01C13/003, E01C13/083, E01C13/10 take precedence; drainage of soil E02B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 13/08 Surfaces simulating grass ; Grass-grown sports grounds grass-like surfaces for skiing E01C13/12
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 13/083 Construction of grass-grown sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 3/003 characterised by material or composition used, e.g. waste or recycled material E01C3/006, E01C3/04 and E01C3/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 3/006 made of prefabricated single units E01C3/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/003 characterised by material or composition used for beds or joints; characterised by the way of laying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/16 Two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/169 Sections connected flexibly with external fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/17 Three or more coplanar interfitted sections with securing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23979 Particular backing structure or composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 including aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

An underlayment layer is configured to support an artificial turf assembly. The underlayment layer comprises a core with a top side and a bottom side. The top side has a plurality of spaced apart, upwardly oriented projections that define channels suitable for water flow along the top side of the core when the underlayment layer is positioned beneath an overlying artificial turf assembly.

Claims

1. A turf underlayment layer configured to support an artificial turf assembly, the turf underlayment layer having panels including edges configured to interlock with the edges of adjacent panels to form a plurality of vertical interlocking connections capable of substantially preventing relative vertical movement of one panel with respect to an adjacent connected panel, where the panels are made from a plurality of beads bonded together to produce a substantially water-impervious surface, where the plurality of vertical interlocking connections have alternating top side and bottom side flaps along the edge, the alternating flaps substantially allowing horizontal thermal expansion and further substantially restricting non-thermally generated relative horizontal movement of one panel with respect to an adjacent connected panel, and where the edges include cooperating projections and grooves on the top side flaps and the bottom side flaps forming the interlocking connection between two adjacent panels, and where at least one of the cooperating projections is a protruding dovetail on one of the top side flap and bottom side flap that is configured to engage a cooperating recessed dovetail on a corresponding mating flap.

2. An underlayment layer configured to support an artificial turf assembly, the underlayment layer comprising a panel having edges, the panel including a core with a top side and a bottom side, the top side having a plurality of spaced apart, upwardly oriented projections that define channels suitable for water flow along the top side of the core when the underlayment layer is positioned beneath an overlying artificial turf assembly and the bottom side includes a plurality of spaced apart, downwardly oriented projections that define channels suitable for water flow, and wherein bottom side projections adjacent to the edges are arranged to form channels having a wider spacing at the edges than at locations spaced away from the edges, the wider spaced channel edges of adjacent panels being capable of being assembled together enabling a substantially continuous channel suitable for water flow between adjacent panels.

3. The underlayment layer of claim 2 where a plurality of drain holes connect the top channels for fluid communication with the bottom channels.

4. The underlayment layer of claim 2 where the top side of the core is configured to impede the flow of infill constituent particles along the top channels.

5. The underlayment layer of claim 2 in combination with an artificial turf assembly that includes an infill material, the top side projections having tapered sides that intersect at the top side channels to form an infill trap in the channel that is configured to substantially prevent free-flow of the infill material.

6. The underlayment layer of claim 2 including a grit material applied to the underlayment layer.

7. The underlayment layer of claim 6 where the grit material is applied to the projections.

8. The underlayment layer of claim 2 wherein the wider spaced channels have funnel edges formed at the ends of the channels.