Fabric sliding surfaces for ski and sled applications

Abstract

A fabric sliding surface is disclosed, which has a functional layer (1) and a base layer (2), and the functional layer (1) and the base layer (2) are interconnected by filament yarns. The functional layer (1) is formed by loops, wherein the height of the loops is the height (4) in the functional layer (1), and this height ranges from 4 to 14 mm according to the type of movement, and the functional layer (1) has 400 - 2400 loops per dm<supgt;2< / supgt>. The yarns are combined in the base layer (2) through W keys (10) at the lower part of the loops.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a textile sliding surface for skis and sleds, which comprises a base layer and a functional layer and forms a mat having snow-like sliding properties on the surface of the functional layer.

[0002] Furthermore, the structure of the functional layer provides, in the case of ski applications, guidance properties that are as uniform as possible and can thus be used with a wide variety of winter sports equipment such as skis, snowboards and the like.

[0003] The trapability and closed surface at low loop heights in the functional layer also allow for use in sleds.

[0004] For applications where little or no edge holding is required, the low ring height can also be used for skiing. This is particularly useful for classic cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

[0005] This sliding surface enables these applications to be carried out all year round and is therefore not affected by snow and temperature.

[0006] Due to these properties, the sliding surfaces can also be used in other friction-critical applications, such as conveying technology, and in the form of conveyor belts. Background Art

[0007] Plastic mats and injection-molded sliding mats for ski jumps (such as products from the companies Neveplast or Skitrax) are known to date, which only have good properties in combination with a separate lubricant. Due to their open structure these products carry a risk of injury. Alternatively, various types of artificial turf are used, but these have very poor sliding properties.

[0008] DE10 2014 000845 describes a textile layered composite material with a sliding surface. The sliding layer of the patent application comprises a textile layer having 100-950 loops or pile tufts / dm 2 The fabrics are made of a 3-10 mm high fabric. The fabrics may have a back coating. The modules made of these fabrics are fixed to the ground by straps and nails. The modules are connected to each other by gluing, welding, sewing or bonding. The fineness of these rings, which can be made of different plastics, is 5000-30000 dtex (dtex).

[0009] DE 102013 014285 describes a layered composite material with a sliding surface. The sliding layer consists of floating warp threads with a floating length of 3-100 mm. The warp threads can be so close together that the sliding surface becomes an almost closed surface. The webs and grooves generated by the floating have a width dimension of 2-5 mm transverse to the direction of travel. The outer diameter of the warp threads themselves is 1-6 mm.

[0010] These known fabrics or mats have the following disadvantages when used as fabric ski or toboggan runners:

[0011] Higher production and connection costs

[0012] Difficulty connecting modules

[0013] Direction dependence of edge behavior, limited tilting capability

[0014] Direction dependence of sliding behavior, such as in bob ) in the inclined curve

[0015] Hard surface

[0016] Risk of injury due to the protruding thick and long floating monofilaments sticking up in the event of a break.

[0017] For use as a ski slope, the solutions and production possibilities known to date all show disadvantages with regard to the properties of the sliding surface, in particular with regard to the directional dependence of the edge properties of the ski. This directional dependence is caused by the small number of loops, which are usually formed from multifilaments in order to increase the proportion of surface material and thus the amount of wear. The retention of the edge of the ski is therefore dependent on the angle at which the sliding surface is gliding. This is reflected in the fact that starting a turn in drift skiing style is not possible with low-floating skis, especially outside skis. The edge retention forces are therefore too great here. This behavior reverses as the curve is controlled. The edge retention then reduces the sliding of the outside ski. A similar behavior can be observed in cutting swings (carving). There is therefore no edge property that is always the same as in the snow, which makes gliding very difficult, especially for beginners.

[0018] Due to the high floating height and the resulting span between two points where the yarn sinks into the base layer, there is a high risk of injury in the field of sledding. The monofilament or multifilament yarn extends about 10 mm on the surface of the mat between two fixing points of the base layer. If such a flat-lying yarn (loop height 0 mm) is broken in the middle of the yarn by external influences, two open ends of the yarn are produced, which, because the yarn is still fixed in the base layer, are slightly pointed upwards due to the corresponding tension. In practice, an upward angle of about 20-40° can be observed. The open, broken ends of the yarn thus protrude from the actual surface of the mat and form sharp edges, which increase the risk of injury.

[0019] The analysis of the requirements for improved textile coverings for snow-free sliding with winter sports equipment is as follows:

[0020] Manufacture the entire product (pad with base layer and functional layer) in one process

[0021] Easy and fast to manufacture to cover large areas

[0022] Introducing connection technology to directly connect the individual modules of the mat in the product (e.g. through overlapping locations, fastening locations)

[0023] Evenly distribute the contact points with winter sports equipment in both the vertical and horizontal directions

[0024] Provides fall protection through soft, closed surfaces

[0025] Possibility to configure individual modes for special applications. Summary of the invention

[0026] It is therefore an object of the present invention to meet the above requirements and to provide a product and mat laying which ensures cost-effectiveness.

[0027] The objects of the invention are achieved by the features of the claims.

[0028] Based on these characteristics, a mat has been developed that achieves a low coefficient of friction and good guiding properties. The numerous combination possibilities offer numerous adaptation options for all types of winter sports.

[0029] The large number of loops in the functional layer makes it possible to evenly distribute the contact points with the winter sports equipment even at low buoyancy. The resulting closed surface is safe even if some yarns of the pile material fail, since the yarns cannot stand up. This is particularly suitable for applications in the field of skiing.

[0030] Due to the large number of loops and the low float, the edge and guidance properties are independent of the laying or travel direction. The large number of small loops enables uniform edge guidance and at the same time provides a soft and break-resistant surface.

[0031] Uniform edge guidance is achieved through a large number of small loops. These smaller loops are made of monofilament yarns as opposed to multifilament yarns, thereby increasing the number of contact points with the ski with the same amount of surface wear. The greater number of loops also allows for a more even distribution of the loops on the pad. This results in nearly the same number of loops engaging the ski regardless of the angle of the ski to the direction of travel. There is no noticeable difference in the force the pad applies to the ski during turn initiation and turn control.

[0032] A large number of loops made of monofilaments makes the surface softer, because a single loop can escape loads more easily than a loop made of multifilaments. The density of the loops thus enables a compromise between edge retention and drop protection.

[0033] The connection of the individual modules into a larger area can be achieved directly by the characteristics of the material. The loop height can be adapted to produce a closed surface with the same loop height, for example when overlapping.

[0034] These functional properties form the basis for the application of ground coverings for various winter sports equipment such as skis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The present invention will be described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a cross section of a pad,

[0037] Figure 2 shows a top view of the pad, and

[0038] Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing a cross section of the connection locations between pads. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] As shown in the figure, the fabric of the pad comprises a functional layer 1 and a base layer 2 .

[0040] The functional layer 1 has one or more loops 3 made of fibers or filament yarns of synthetic fibers. These yarns are optimized for frictional pairing with the PE coating of the ski. This achieves a friction value (also called friction coefficient) of <0.1 similar to snow. According to the invention, plastics based on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) have proven to be the best friction partner. Other sliding-optimized plastics, such as plastics based on PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) or PA (polyamide), can also be used.

[0041] The base layer 2 also comprises a textile material and forms a dense fabric (for example, by ribbed weaving), which carries the functional layer 1 and stabilizes the loops by clamping or bonding (between warp, binding and weft) by form fit. Here, for example, a W connection 10 is used, which prevents the loops of the functional layer from tilting due to other small loops or deflections in the base fabric (W-shaped extension of the pile yarn). The loops of this functional layer 2 can be designed to have a loop height 4 of 0.5 mm to 4 mm (mainly for sled applications) or 4 mm to 14 mm (for skiing) to meet the requirements of specific sports. The higher the requirements for edge retention in alpine skiing or cross-country skiing, the higher the height of the loops. Low loops have advantages for sled applications.

[0042] The height of the loops 4 can vary in both the longitudinal direction 5 and the transverse direction 6 of the fabric. Likewise, the distances between the loops (7 and 8) can vary between 1.5 mm and 20 mm in order to form a pattern on the surface. This results in 400-1200 loops / dm2 High loop density, even up to 2400 loops / dm for sled applications 2 .

[0043] The material thickness of the yarn in the loops is 0.5-1.2 mm. Yarns of different strengths can be used alternately. For example, for applications in the field of sledding and for machine processing, the continuous use of yarns with a thickness of 0.7 mm has proven to be the best choice. For optimal edge retention, a mixture of 1 / 5 thicker monofilament yarns with a thickness (strength) of 0.9-1.2 mm and 4 / 5 thinner monofilament yarns with a thickness of 0.5-0.7 mm is used.

[0044] By varying the loop height 4, it is also possible to achieve an overlapping position 11 at the outer edge of the pad module in order to connect to a larger area in the longitudinal direction 5 and the transverse direction 6, wherein the first pad 12 effectively has no loops (or has an absolute minimum loop height) and the loop height 4a of the second pad 13 reduces the thickness of the base layer in this area.

[0045] The new production method (weaving technology) makes it possible to achieve numerous parameters and product properties in one production step. The post-treatment of the fabric known from previous production to achieve the desired functions is thus eliminated. The machine's possibilities for rapid adjustment of the pile height, pile density and pattern and their variation in the product are optimally utilized. Mat widths of up to 4 m can be achieved. The length of the mat is limited only by transportation.

[0046] The weaving technology enables the manufacture of a complete mat including connection features in one working step. Here, only a single yarn for the fabric is used as the starting material. The yarn can be placed directly on the machine and woven into a mat. Here, the loops 4 of the base layer 2 and the functional layer 1 are formed. The material of the base layer 2 is mainly unfolded from the warp beam. The material of the functional layer 1 is preferably obtained from a separate coil so that it is easier to pattern and adjust the material properties. A plurality of weft yarns overlapping each other can be introduced, thereby forming a greater product variety and performance integration compared to previously known products, because the layer structure of the base layer 2 is significantly more variable. No other intermediate steps or production steps of pretreatment or post-treatment are required for the manufacture of a mat including all the characteristics.

[0047] In a first embodiment, the mat comprises a base fabric 2 based on polypropylene fibers, which serves as a binding and filling warp and as a weft. The functional layer 1 is a pile fabric (Polgewebe) made of 100% PET monofilament yarn with the following structural parameters:

[0048] Yarn thickness 9: 0.7mm

[0049] Terry loop height 4: 10mm

[0050] ·Weight per unit area: 900g / m 2

[0051] Terry loop density: 600 / dm 2 .

[0052] The mat is used in ski school applications. Under the mat, for further protection against damage and for better drainage, a liner is provided which consists of a layered composite material of nonwoven fabric and plastic knitted together. The overlapping mats are fixed by metal sheets which are anchored to the ground by ground bolts. Self-tapping sheet metal screws are screwed into the sheet metal through the overlapping points 11 of the mat so that the screw heads are well below the surface of the mat so that the travel of the winter sports equipment is not affected.

[0053] In a second embodiment, the mat also comprises a base fabric based on polypropylene fibers, and the functional layer 1 is a pile fabric (Polgewebe) made of 100% PET monofilament yarn with the following structural parameters:

[0054] Yarn thickness 9: 4 / 5 is 0.7mm for Terry, 1 / 5 is 0.9mm for Terry

[0055] Terry loop height 4: 14mm

[0056] ·Weight per unit area: 980g / m 2

[0057] Terry loop density: 500 loops / dm 2 .

[0058] The mat is used for professional ski training. In this case, for example, the mat is screwed directly to a wooden base. This allows the mat to be screwed directly into the base material through the overlapping position. A connection via sewn-on adhesive tape or an additional magnetic solution is also conceivable.

[0059] In a third embodiment, the mat comprises a base fabric 2 based on polypropylene fibers. The functional layer 1 is a pile fabric made of 100% PET monofilament yarn with the following structural parameters:

[0060] Yarn thickness (9): 0.7mm

[0061] Terry loop height (4): 0.7mm

[0062] ·Weight per unit area: 360g / m 2

[0063] 1200 loops / dm 2 .

[0064] In this embodiment, the mat is used as a toboggan run or a ski run with separate guide strips, where the good entrapment of the fabric in the mat is used to form a guided toboggan run and to form the sliding surface and the band with the same surface. A similar principle also applies to the application of classic cross-country skis.

[0065] In addition to screwing, bonding of the material to different substrates is also conceivable.

Claims

1. A textile sliding surface, comprising a functional layer (1) and a base layer (2), wherein the functional layer (1) and the base layer (2) are connected to each other via filament yarns, wherein the functional layer (1) is formed by loops, characterized in that: The height of the loops in the functional layer (1) is a height (4), which is in the range of 0.5-14 mm depending on the type of sport. The functional layer (1) has a height of 1.5-2.5 mm per dm. 2 The invention discloses a textile fabric having 400-2400 loops therein, wherein the yarn is connected to the base layer (2) at the lower part of the loops by a W connection (10), and wherein the loops are composed of monofilaments and the monofilaments have a thickness in the range of 0.5-1.2 mm.

2. The fabric sliding surface according to claim 1, wherein: The height (4) of the loops in the functional layer (1) is in the range of 0.5-4 mm and each dm 2 With 400-2400 loops.

3. The textile sliding surface according to claim 1 or 2, having overlapping locations (11) where the height of the loops is smaller.

4. The fabric sliding surface according to claim 1, wherein: The functional layer (1) consists of monofilament yarns based on the plastics PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) or PA (polyamide).

5. The fabric sliding surface of claim 1 further comprising a backing.

6. The fabric sliding surface according to claim 5, wherein: The backing is made of non-woven fabric or wood.

7. The fabric sliding surface according to claim 1, wherein: A groove is formed in the sliding surface.

8. A ski run or toboggan run made from a textile sliding surface according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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