Ground slab for equestrian sports and sports facilities

Abstract

An environmentally friendly flooring panel (18) for equestrian arenas and sports fields (10), which can be laid on a substrate (12), essentially consists of a carpet (30) and at least one structural panel (20) made of a plastic material on the upper side of the carpet (30) facing away from the substrate (12), wherein the at least one structural panel (20) has a thin base panel (21) on the upper side of which facing away from the substrate (12) a plurality of studs (22) are provided and which is fastened to the carpet (30) by at least one connection (40).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a floor slab for equestrian arenas and sports fields.

[0002] Such floor panels are known to those skilled in the art, for example from EP 0 667 927 B1. Floor panels for riding arenas are intended to ensure both elasticity under load and sure-footedness for the horses. Depending on the soil conditions and climatic conditions, they should also have the ability to retain water and / or drain excessive amounts of water. To achieve this elasticity, conventional floor panels are generally made from a plastic material (particularly PVC), preferably also at least partially from a corresponding recycled material. Since the floor panels are then present in the equestrian or sports field surface for a very long time and can also be exposed to mechanical stress and climatic stress (particularly from water and heat), depending on the material used for the floor panels, there may be a risk that harmful substances such as lead, plasticizers, etc. will leach into the soil.This risk exists particularly for floor tiles that are in very frequent or even constant contact with water. Furthermore, US 2010 / 0041488 A1 and US 11 047 094 B2 disclose an environmentally friendly floor tile, as also stated in the upper part of independent claim 1.

[0003] It is therefore the object of the invention to improve such an environmentally friendly floor slab.

[0004] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the invention defined in independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0005] The floor panel for equestrian arenas and sports fields, which can be laid on a (basically stable) subsurface, has at least one structural panel made of a plastic material, which has a base panel, on the upper side of which facing away from the subsurface a plurality of studs is provided, and furthermore a carpet, wherein the at least one structural panel is arranged on the upper side of the carpet facing away from the subsurface, and furthermore at least one connection by which the base panel of the at least one structural panel is fastened to the carpet.

[0006] The carpet to which the at least one structural panel is attached supports the slip resistance and elasticity of the floor panel, whereby carpets are less harmful to the environment than plastic materials. By using carpet, which is inherently elastic, additional elastic layers between the floor panel and the subfloor arena are not necessary, which reduces the amount of material required. In addition, the carpet's elasticity supports the elasticity and slip resistance of the at least one structural panel, so that in this floor panel, the at least one structural panel can be replaced by a much thinner base panel on the carpet compared to conventional floor panels for equestrian arenas or sports fields. This significantly reduces the mass of the structural panel made of plastic materials and means that the floor panel contains even less environmentally harmful material.

[0007] According to the invention, at least one spacer is also provided between the carpet and the at least one structural panel. The distance formed by this at least one spacer is, for example, a maximum of approximately 10 mm, preferably approximately 1 to 5 mm. (Such a distance between the at least one structural panel and the carpet allows water to be distributed between them and thus drain more effectively through the carpet to the subfloor and / or flow to an edge region of the equestrian or sports field floor.) The at least one spacer is formed by a projection on the underside of the structural panel facing the carpet or by a special structure (e.g., a thicker outer circumference than the receiving opening) of a fastening stud in its end region relative to the structural panel, wherein the carpet has an upper wear layer and a lower support layer.

[0008] The carpet can basically have any shape and any size. Preferably, a rectangular or square carpet is used, particularly preferably a carpet with a size of approximately 80 cm x 120 cm (i.e., Euro pallet size). The total layer thickness of the carpet is preferably at least approximately 0.25 cm and at most approximately 4 cm, for example, approximately 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, or 2 cm. The at least one structural panel (in particular its base panel) can basically also have any shape and any size. Preferably, a structural panel with a rectangular or square base panel is used, for example, with a size of approximately 20 cm x 20 cm or 40 cm x 40 cm or approximately 80 cm x 120 cm. Smaller structural panels are preferably used because they are easier to manufacture (e.g.,in smaller injection molds using the injection molding process), which is why several structural panels are preferably attached next to each other on one carpet.

[0009] The floor slab according to the invention is particularly advantageous for outdoor and indoor equestrian arenas (e.g., show jumping and / or dressage arenas, vaulting and / or western riding arenas, racetracks, paddocks, stables, and the like). However, the floor slab according to the invention is also suitable for other sports fields that require a surface with elasticity and a certain moisture content, and possibly also non-slip properties (e.g., beach volleyball, tennis, hard court games, lawn games, etc.).

[0010] The invention refers to the generally known standard term "carpet." The carpet used in the floor panel according to the invention refers to any carpet that is available as a standard floor covering on the market and is commonly used for living spaces, work spaces, and the like. According to the invention, the carpet has an upper wear layer, which is usually textile (e.g., made of fibers), and a lower carrier layer for (secure and tear-resistant) laying and optionally also fixing to a respective floor surface, as well as an optional middle layer with adhesive for connecting these two layers and / or other layers. In this context, the invention is not limited to any specific types or dimensions of carpet. For use of the floor panel on hard surfaces, carpets with a somewhat thicker layer thickness are preferred to increase elasticity.

[0011] The at least one structural plate is preferably made of a plastic material selected from PE (polyethylene) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which materials are less harmful to the environment than PVC (polyvinyl chloride).

[0012] Furthermore, the at least one structural panel can preferably be made at least partially from a recycled material. Since the use of carpeting allows the base plate of the structural panel to be thinner, the structural panel can, in principle, be made of any plastic material, optionally including PVC (polyvinyl chloride), due to the reduced mass.

[0013] The base plate of the at least one structural plate is preferably substantially flat. The layer thickness of the base plate is preferably a maximum of approximately 20 mm, more preferably a maximum of approximately 10 mm, for example, even only approximately 2 to 5 mm. The studs and, if present, other structural elements on the base plate are also preferably constructed as thinly as possible (for example, with layer thicknesses of a maximum of approximately 5 mm or only 2 mm).

[0014] Preferably, the one structural panel or each of several structural panels of the base panel is attached to the carpet by several connections. In one embodiment of the invention, the at least one connection between the carpet and the at least one structural panel is formed by a fastening stud on the underside of the base plate of the structural panel facing the carpet and a receiving opening in the carpet for inserting or passing through the fastening stud. Preferably, the inner diameter of the receiving opening in the initial state is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fastening stud. The lower backing layer of the carpet ensures a tear-resistant connection with these fastening studs.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one connection can also be formed by an adhesive between the carpet and the base plate of the at least one structural panel. However, only a locally limited (i.e., preferably point-based rather than large-area) adhesive layer should be used between the carpet and the base plate of the at least one structural panel to avoid blocking the water permeability of the carpet.

[0016] The at least one structural plate is preferably manufactured by an injection molding process. In this case, the at least one fastening stud can be integrally integrated into the underside of the structural plate by the injection molding process.

[0017] In the at least one structural plate, the studs on the upper side of the base plate preferably have at least two different heights to promote sure-footedness, particularly for horses. For example, rows of studs of a first height and rows of studs of a second height can be arranged alternately next to one another, or studs of two different heights can be arranged in a matrix-like manner and offset from one another. Alternatively, studs of only one height can be present on the base plate. Furthermore, the studs on the base plate can each be either rod-shaped (i.e., bodies without a hollow space) or tubular (i.e., bodies with a hollow space) at least along part of their height (all of the same type or different), the second variant also having the advantage of a further reduction in the mass of the structural plate made of plastic material, so that the base plate contains even less environmentally harmful material.

[0018] If several structural panels are mounted side by side on a single carpet, adjacent structural panels are preferably coupled together. Coupling the adjacent structural panels increases the stability of the floor panel structure, which is advantageous because the attachment to the carpet is generally not very rigid. Furthermore, the couplings are preferably designed to be somewhat loose, allowing the adjacent structural panels to be somewhat movable relative to one another, increasing the elasticity of the entire floor panel structure.

[0019] The coupling of the adjacent structural panels on the carpet can be achieved, for example, by the adjacent structural panels each having at least one stud in the edge region of the respective structural panel. These studs in the edge regions ("edge studs") of the adjacent structural panels can be designed and arranged such that they can be directly connected to one another. This can be achieved, for example, by one of the adjacent structural panels having at least one edge stud that is designed and arranged to be gripped, and the other of the adjacent structural panels having at least one edge stud that is designed and arranged to grip the edge stud of one structural panel. For example, one edge stud is rod-shaped and narrow, while the other edge stud is tubular and wider for gripping.Alternatively or additionally, additional connecting elements can be provided for connecting these edge studs of the adjacent structural panels to one another. These additional connecting elements can, for example, be disc-shaped with a hole for engaging around the two adjacent edge studs or with two holes each for engaging around one of the adjacent edge studs. The structural panels can optionally have one or preferably more edge studs on each edge, whereby these edge studs are preferably also arranged along the rows of studs or the matrix of studs in the inner region of the structural panel. The edge studs on a structural panel and / or on adjacent structural panels can also have different heights, which are preferably also arranged along the rows of studs of different heights or the matrix of studs in the inner region of the structural panels.In addition, the different edges of a structural panel can be equipped with different types of edge studs or all edges can be equipped with the same type of edge studs, whereby in the first case all structural panels can be designed in the same way and in the second case the different structural panels are provided with different types of edge studs.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, the base plate of the at least one structural plate has a plurality of through-openings in its layer thickness direction, which serve to drain water through the floor plate to enable rapid drainage of excess water on the floor plate. In this embodiment, the carpet, which is already somewhat permeable to water, preferably also has a plurality of through-openings in its layer thickness direction to increase its water permeability. The through-openings of the base plates and the carpet can preferably be at least one of a coordinated position, of substantially identical dimensions, and of substantially the same total number.In addition to allowing water to pass through, the base plate's through-holes also have the advantage of further reducing the mass of the plastic structural plate, thus reducing the amount of environmentally harmful material in the base plate. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the base plate's through-holes, for example, is at least 25%, preferably approximately 25-50%, of the base plate's area.

[0021] Alternatively or in addition to the through-openings in its inner region, the at least one structural plate can also have open edge cutouts. In this case, the open edge cutouts of several structural plates are preferably coordinated with one another, so that the open edge sections of adjacent structural plates together form a common through-opening.

[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of water-storing cups are further provided on the upper side of the base plate of the at least one structural plate facing away from the carpet. These cups are preferably formed by thin plastic elements.

[0023] The invention also relates to an equestrian or sports arena floor comprising an arrangement of several riding arena floor panels of the invention, as described above, arranged side by side on a subsurface. This riding arena or sports arena floor can achieve the same advantages as explained above in connection with the floor panel according to the invention.

[0024] The multiple floor panels in the equestrian or sports field floor are preferably arranged on the subfloor with a gap (e.g., approximately 2 to 3 cm) between adjacent floor panels. This allows the floor panels to expand slightly due to heat without damaging each other or snapping upwards.

[0025] The equestrian or sports field surface preferably has a footing layer above the multiple floor panels. Optionally, a water-permeable retention layer can be provided between this footing layer and the floor panels. Furthermore, at least one drainage pipe can optionally be arranged between the subsurface and the floor panels. The drainage pipes can, for example, be connected to a water reservoir, thereby forming an ebb-and-flow system.

[0026] The invention further relates to a method for producing the above-described floor panel of the invention, which comprises the steps of producing at least one structural panel from a plastic material by an injection molding process, providing a carpet (preferably simply purchased in the store), and attaching the at least one produced structural panel by at least one connection to the upper side of the provided carpet facing away from the subfloor. This method can achieve the same advantages as explained above in connection with the floor panel according to the invention.

[0027] In connection with the above explanations and the claims, it is pointed out that the terms "top", "bottom", "upper side", "underside" each refer to the state of use of the floor slab in which it is placed on a substrate.

[0028] The above and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the structure of an equestrian or sports field floor with floor panels according to the invention; Fig. 2A is a plan view from above of a floor panel according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2B is a plan view from above of a floor panel according to another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3A is a plan view from above of a structural panel of the floor panel according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3B is a plan view from below of the structural panel of Fig. 3A ; Fig. 4A a sectional view (line AA) of the structural plate of Fig. 3A and B; Fig. 4B a sectional view (line BB) of the structural plate of Fig. 3A and B; Fig. 5 is a top or bottom plan view of a carpet of the floor panel according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6A is a partial sectional view of adjacent structural panels coupled together according to a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6B is a partial sectional view of adjacent structural panels coupled together according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 7A is a partial plan view of adjacent structural panels coupled together according to a third embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 7B is a partial plan view of adjacent structural panels coupled together according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0029] Referring to Fig. 1 An exemplary embodiment of the structure of an equestrian or sports field floor 10 and the basic principle of the floor panels 18 for the equestrian or sports field floor are explained in more detail. The equestrian or sports field floor can be used for outdoor or indoor equestrian arenas (e.g., for show jumping and / or dressage arenas, vaulting and / or western riding arenas, racetracks, paddocks, stables, and the like) or for other sports fields (e.g., beach volleyball, tennis, hard court games, lawn games, etc.).

[0030] On a substrate 12, for example, on an at least roughly leveled substrate, an arrangement of several adjacent floor panels 18 is laid. The term "subsurface" in this context encompasses any substrate. The substrate 12 is preferably substantially flat, but may also have unevenness. It may be a natural substrate (e.g., soil, gravel) or an artificial substrate (e.g., concrete floor). The substrate 12 also encompasses indoor and outdoor substrates. The floor panels 18 are preferably all arranged substantially in the same plane and preferably aligned substantially parallel to one another, resulting in a substantially flat surface for the arrangement of the floor panels 18. As shown in Fig. 1 As shown, the floor panels 18 are preferably arranged on the substrate 12 with a joint spacing 45 (e.g., approximately 2 cm) between adjacent floor panels 18 so that the floor panels 18 can expand slightly due to heat without damaging each other or snapping out upwards.

[0031] The floor panels 18 each consist of a normal carpet 30, which can be easily purchased on the market, for example for living rooms, work rooms and the like, and at least one structural panel 20 made of a plastic material such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or more preferably PE (polyethylene) or PET (polyethylene terephthalate), preferably at least partially made of a recycled material.

[0032] The carpets 30 each have, for example, an upper wear layer 32a, which is formed, for example, from fibers and is textile, and a lower backing layer 32b (illustrated in Fig. 4A und 4B ) and optionally a middle layer with adhesive for bonding these two layers 32a, 32b. The total layer thickness of the carpet 30 is, for example, approximately 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, or 2 cm. To achieve greater elasticity of the floor panels 18, the carpets 30 can also have greater total layer thicknesses, for example, 2 to 4 cm, on harder substrates 12.

[0033] The structural panels 20 each have a relatively thin, essentially flat base plate 21 with a layer thickness of, for example, approximately 2 to 5 mm, on whose upper side facing away from the substrate 12, a plurality of studs 22 are provided. The studs 22 can optionally also have internal cavities. The structural panels 20 are each arranged on the upper side of the carpet 30 facing away from the substrate 12 and are fastened to the respective carpet 30 by means of connections 40. A possible construction of the connections 40 is described below with reference to the Fig. 3 bis 5 explained.

[0034] A footing layer 14 is applied to the upper side of the floor slab assembly. Depending on the application, the footing layer 14 consists, for example, essentially of sand or a sand-chip mixture and / or comprises an artificial turf surface, rolled turf surface, natural grass surface or the like, and has a height of, for example, approximately 2 to 10 cm. As shown in Fig. 1 As indicated, a water-permeable retention layer 15, for example made of gravel, chippings, grit and / or coarse sand, is optionally provided between the base plates 18 and the footing 14. In the case of water-permeable base plates 18, as explained later, such a retention layer 15, on the one hand, allows water from the footing 14 to flow through the base plates 18 and, on the other hand, prevents material from the footing 14 from penetrating openings in the base plates 18, so that these do not become blocked. Below the base plates 18, a water-permeable gravel base layer 16, which can serve as a drainage unit, can optionally be applied to the subsurface 12. The gravel base layer 16 has, for example, a height of approximately 2 to 15 cm, and the gravel elements of the gravel base layer 16 have, for example, a size of approximately 8 to 16 mm.

[0035] Although not shown, drainage pipes can optionally be laid beneath the floor slabs 18 on the subsurface 12 in addition to or as an alternative to the gravel base layer 16. These drainage pipes can be used to remove or add moisture or water to the equestrian or sports field floor 10. The gravel base layer and / or the drainage pipes can, for example, be connected to a water reservoir located outside the actual equestrian or sports field floor 100. Such a system with drainage and water reservoir can also be referred to as an ebb-flow system, as described in detail, for example, in WO 2011 / 107114 A1.

[0036] The floor panels 18 are each laid with their carpeting 30 directly on the respective subfloor 12 or, if present, on the gravel base layer 16. An additional elastic layer is generally not required due to the elasticity of the carpeting 30, but is not excluded within the scope of the invention.

[0037] As a precaution, please note that the sectional view of Fig. 1 is essentially only schematic, i.e. the sizes and proportions of the elements and layers in Fig. 1 are not necessarily realistically represented as they would correspond to the given exemplary numerical values ​​for embodiments of the invention.

[0038] As in Fig. 2A As illustrated, several structural panels 20n can be arranged and fixed on a carpet 30. The carpet 30 and the structural panels 20n are each rectangular or square. In the embodiment of Fig. 2A For example, the carpet 30 has a size of approximately 80cm x 120cm (ie, Euro pallet size) and a total of six structural panels 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f, each measuring approximately 40cm x 40cm, are arranged thereon. Within the scope of the invention, the carpet 30 and the structural panels 20 can, in principle, each have any shape and any size. As shown in Fig. 2A As indicated, the adjacent structural plates 20a-b, 20c-d, 20e-f, 20a-c, 20b-d, 20c-e, 20d-f are each coupled to each other by at least one coupling 50. Possible designs of these couplings 50 are described below with reference to the Fig. 6A bis 7B explained. By coupling the structural panels 20 together, a stable construction of the floor panel 18 is achieved, even if the structural panels 20 are not firmly attached to the carpet 30 by the connections 40. Furthermore, the couplings 50 can be designed somewhat loosely so that the adjacent structural panels 20 are each somewhat movable relative to one another, thereby increasing the elasticity of the entire floor panel 18.

[0039] As in Fig. 2B As illustrated, a single structural plate 20 can alternatively be arranged and fixed on a carpet 30. The carpet 30 and the structural plate 20 are each rectangular or square. In the embodiment of Fig. 2B The carpet 30 and the structural panel 20 each have a size of, for example, approximately 80 cm x 120 cm (i.e., Euro pallet size). Within the scope of the invention, the carpet 30 and the structural panel 20 can, in principle, each have any desired shape and size for this embodiment as well.

[0040] Carpet 30 can be easily purchased as a standard carpet on the market. The purchased carpet is then only slightly processed to achieve a suitable size (e.g., Euro pallet size) and equipped with a few openings (as in Fig. 4 and 5 illustrated).

[0041] The structural panels 20 are generally manufactured by an injection molding process. The structural panels 20 are thus one-piece components (including the base plate, studs, and possibly other components). Therefore, several smaller structural panels 20n (e.g., approximately 20 cm x 20 cm or approximately 40 cm x 40 cm) are preferably arranged on a carpet 30, since smaller structural panels 20 are easier to manufacture (e.g., in smaller injection molds).

[0042] Referring to Fig. 3 bis 5 An exemplary embodiment of a base plate 18 will now be described in more detail, with only a single rectangular structural plate 20 being shown as an example.

[0043] On the upper side of the base plate 21 facing away from the substrate 12 and the carpet 30, the structural plate 20 has a plurality of studs 22, preferably studs 22a of a first height and studs 22b of a second height smaller than the first height. In this exemplary embodiment, several rows of studs 22a of the first height and several rows of studs 22b of the second height are provided, arranged alternately next to one another. Alternatively, the studs 22a, 22b could also be arranged in a matrix-like manner and offset from one another.

[0044] In addition to studs 22x in the inner area (i.e., studs 22ax of the first height in the inner area and studs 22bx of the second height in the inner area), the structural plate 20 also has studs 22z in the edge area (i.e., studs 22az of the first height in the edge area and studs 22bz of the second height in the edge area). These studs 22z in the edge area of ​​the structural plate 20 serve in particular for the Fig. 6 and 7 explained couplings 50 between adjacent structural plates 20. The studs 22az, 22bz in the edge region are aligned with the studs 22ax, 22bx in the inner region, ie arranged along the same rows of studs 22a of the first height or studs 22b of the second height or in the same matrix distribution.

[0045] In addition, the base plate 21 of the structural plate 20 has a plurality of through-openings 24 for water flow, which extend through the entire base plate 21 in the layer thickness direction of the base plate 21. In this exemplary embodiment, the through-openings 24 are essentially circular in shape and have a diameter in the range of approximately 2 to 4 cm. Furthermore, open edge cutouts 25 are provided in the edge regions of the structural plate, which accordingly have a partial circular shape and which, together with the open edge cutouts 25 of a respective adjacent structural plate, also form through-openings for water flow. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the through-openings 24 and open edge cutouts 25 of the base plate 21 is, for example, approximately 25-50% of the base plate area, in order to, on the one hand, enable a large water flow and, on the other hand, significantly reduce the amount of plastic material in the base plate 21.

[0046] The carpet 30 under the structural panels 20 is already somewhat permeable to water. As in Fig. 4A and 5 As shown, the carpeting 30 also has through-holes 34 in the area of ​​the through-holes 24 and possibly also the open edge cutouts 25 of the base plate 21 to increase water permeability. The through-holes 34 of the carpeting 30 have approximately the same or smaller diameters (e.g., approximately 0.5 to 2 cm) than the through-holes 24 of the base plate 21 of the structural plate 20.

[0047] As in Fig. 3A and 4BAs shown, in this exemplary embodiment, the structural plates 20 can preferably additionally have a plurality of wells 26 for storing water on the upper side of the base plate 21. The wells 26 are formed, for example, by approximately circular frame structures on a closed section of the base plate 21. The frame structures are designed to be as thin as possible (e.g., approximately 2 to 5 mm) in order to keep the amount of plastic material in the structural plate 20 as low as possible.

[0048] As in Fig. 4B As illustrated, the structural plate 20 in this exemplary embodiment is fastened to the carpeting 30 by means of a plurality of connections 40, each of which is formed by a fastening stud 28 on the underside of the base plate 21 of the structural plate 20 facing the carpeting 30 and a receiving opening 36 in the carpeting 30. The fastening studs 28 are injection-molded onto the underside of the structural plate 20 during the injection-molding process and are thus integrally integrated with the base plate 21. The fastening studs 28 can, for example, be positioned in the areas of the cups 26 where no water flows through the structural plate 20, wherein the number of fastening studs 28 can be relatively small and thus fewer than the number of cups 26. The receiving openings 36 in the carpeting 30 are, of course, positioned corresponding to the fastening studs 28 of the structural plate 20.The inner diameter of the receiving openings 36 is, in the initial state, slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fastening studs 28, so that the fastening stud 28 is at least somewhat clamped when inserted into the receiving opening 36. The lower carrier layer 32b of the carpet 30 forms a tear-resistant connection with the fastening studs 28 of the structural plate 20. However, since the carpet 30 is fundamentally very loose, these connections 40 do not achieve a permanent attachment of the structural plate 20 to the carpet 30, which is why the structural plates 20 are additionally coupled to one another, as already mentioned above. As shown in . Fig. 4B As shown, the fastening studs 28 preferably protrude completely through the receiving openings 36 in the carpet and extend somewhat further (e.g., approximately 2 to 10 mm) toward the substrate 12. This protrusion of the fastening studs 28 creates short projections 22 on the underside of the carpet 30, which can further increase the elasticity of the floor panel 18.

[0049] As in Fig. 3B and 4AAs shown, spacers are provided between the carpet 30 and the structural panels 20. Due to the gap thus formed, with a height of, for example, approximately 1 to 5 mm, the water can be distributed more easily between the structural panels 20 and the carpet 30 and thus drain better through the carpet 30 to the subfloor 12 and / or flow to an edge region of the equestrian or sports field floor 10. According to the invention, these spacers are formed by projections 27 on the underside of the base plate 21 of the structural panel 20 facing the carpet 30. Additionally or alternatively, the spacers can also be formed by the floor fastening studs 28, which for this purpose have a somewhat larger outer diameter in their edge section near the base plate 21 of the structural panel 20, so that this edge section cannot penetrate into the receiving opening 36 of the carpet 30.The projections 27 and / or the fastening studs 28 with their special edge sections can be injection-molded onto the underside of the structural plate 20 during the injection-mold process and thus integrated into the base plate 21 in one piece.

[0050] Referring to Fig. 6A, 6B , 7A , 7C, various embodiments of couplings 50 for coupling adjacent structural panels 20 on the carpet 30 are now explained. As already mentioned above, the structural panels 20 for these couplings have studs 22z in their edge regions ("edge studs").

[0051] In the example of Fig. 6A Two adjacent structural plates 20a and 20b are coupled together by a coupling 50, which is formed by an edge stud 22bzi of a smaller height and a smaller diameter for gripping and an edge stud 22azu of a higher height and a larger diameter with an internal cavity for gripping. These two edge studs 22bzi, 22azu of the coupling are positioned in the edge regions of the structural plates 20a, 20b such that they are positioned essentially in the same place when the structural plates 20a, 20b are positioned adjacent to one another. One structural plate 20a with the short, rod-shaped, narrow edge knob 22bzi is first placed on the carpet 30, and then the other structural plate 20b with the longer, tubular, wide edge knob 22azu is placed on the carpet 30, with the tubular edge knob 22azu being placed on the other short, narrow edge knob 22bzi in order to encompass the other edge knob 22bzi.This means that these two edge studs 22bzi, 22azu of the two structural panels 20a, 20b can be directly connected to one another. The structural panels 20a, 20b each have one or more such edge studs on their edges to be connected, for corresponding one or more couplings 50. The interconnectable edge studs 22bzi, 22azu are preferably dimensioned such that they do not interlock tightly, but are somewhat loosely connected.

[0052] In the example of Fig. 6B Two adjacent structural plates 20a and 20b are coupled together by a coupling 50, which is formed by an edge stud 22azi of greater height and smaller diameter for gripping and an edge stud 22bzu of lesser height and larger diameter with an internal cavity for gripping. These two edge studs 22azi, 22bzu of the coupling are positioned in the edge regions of the structural plates 20a, 20b such that they are positioned essentially at the same location when the structural plates 20a, 20b are positioned adjacent to one another. One structural plate 20a with the long, rod-shaped, narrow edge knob 22azi is first placed on the carpet 30, and then the other structural plate 20b with the short, tubular, wide edge knob 22bzu is placed on the carpet 30, and the tubular edge knob 22bzu is placed around the other narrow edge knob 22azi in order to encompass the other edge knob 22azi.These two edge studs 22azi, 22bzu of the two structural panels 20a, 20b can also be directly connected to one another. The structural panels 20a, 20b each have one or more such edge studs on their edges to be connected, for corresponding one or more couplings 50. In this case, too, the interconnectable edge studs 22azi, 22bzu are preferably dimensioned such that they do not interlock tightly, but are somewhat loosely connected.

[0053] In the example of Fig. 7A Two adjacent structural panels 20a and 20b are coupled to one another by two couplings 50, each of which is formed by a respective edge stud 22z on the two structural panels 20a, 20b and an additional connecting element 23. The two edge studs 22z of a coupling 50 can in principle each have any desired height (i.e. first or second), the same heights or different heights, and in principle any desired diameter (i.e. narrow or wide), the same diameters or different diameters. The additional connecting elements 23 are, for example, disc-shaped and designed with two holes 23o each for engaging around one of the two adjacent edge studs 22z. The structural panels 20a, 20b can both be placed on the carpeting 30 in any order, and then two mutually positioned edge studs 22z of the structural panels 20a, 20b are each engaged by an additional connecting element 23.The structural plates 20a, 20b each have one or more edge knobs for corresponding one or more couplings 50 on their edges to be coupled. The connecting element 23 and the edge knobs 22z are preferably dimensioned such that they do not engage tightly with one another, so that the edge knobs 22z are connected somewhat loosely.

[0054] In the example of Fig. 7B Two adjacent structural panels 20a and 20b are coupled to one another by two couplings 50, each of which is formed by a respective edge stud 22z on the two structural panels 20a, 20b and an additional connecting element 23. The two edge studs 22z of a coupling 50 can in principle each have any desired height (i.e. first or second), the same heights or different heights, and in principle any desired diameter (i.e. narrow or wide), the same diameters or different diameters. The additional connecting elements 23 are, for example, disc-shaped and designed with a hole 23o for engaging around the two adjacent edge studs 22z. The structural panels 20a, 20b can both be placed on the carpeting 30 in any order, and then two mutually positioned edge studs 22z of the structural panels 20a, 20b are each engaged by an additional connecting element 23.

[0055] The structural plates 20a, 20b each have one or more edge knobs for corresponding one or more couplings 50 on their edges to be coupled. The connecting element 23 and the edge knobs 22z are preferably dimensioned such that they do not engage tightly with one another, so that the edge knobs 22z are connected somewhat loosely.

[0056] In order to install the several structural plates 20n on a carpet 30 (such as Fig. 2A ) in this way (such as Fig. 6A, 6B , 7A, 7B ) together, the different edges of a structural panel can be equipped with different types of edge studs or all edges can be equipped with the same type of edge studs, whereby in the first case all structural panels can be designed in the same way and in the second case the different structural panels are provided with different types of edge studs. For example, one structural panel 20a can have the edge studs 22bzi of Fig. 6A have or on one edge edge knobs 22bzi of Fig. 6A and on another edge edge knobs 22azi of Fig. 6B In addition, the structural panels can also have one or more different coupling types. For example, the edge studs 22z of adjacent structural panels 20 can be directly combined with each other at an edge (such as Fig. 6A oder 6B ) and at another edge via an additional connecting element 23 (such as Fig. 7A oder 7B ).

[0057] The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The exemplary embodiments explained above are merely exemplary and serve in particular to better understand the invention defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art will be able to recognize further exemplary embodiments of a floor panel according to the invention for equestrian or sports fields, which are based on modifications and / or other combinations of features of the exemplary embodiments described above. For example, some of the features described above can be omitted and / or other features can be added. Likewise, the floor panels according to the invention can also be made from materials other than those explicitly mentioned and can be designed in sizes and proportions other than those explicitly mentioned. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0058] 10(Equestrian) sports field surface 12Substratum 14Foot layer 15Retention layer 16Gravel base layer 18Floor plate 20Structural plate 20nStructural plates 21Base plate 22Studs 22aStuds of a first height 22bStuds of a second height 22x(22ax, 22bx) Studs in the inner area of ​​the structural plate 22z(22az, 22bz) Studs in the edge area of ​​the structural plate 22zi(22azi, 22bzi) Edge studs for gripping 22zu(22azu,22bto) Edge studs for gripping 23Coupling element for gripping two adjacent edge studs 23oHole in the separate coupling element 24Through-holes through the base plate (for water flow) 25Open edge cuts of the base plate (for water flow) 26Cups on the base plate (for water storage) 27Protrusions as spacers between the structural plate and the carpet 28Fastening studs 30Carpet 32Layer structure 32aUpper wear layer 32bLower support layer 34Through-holes (for water flow) 36Receiving openings 40Connections between the structural plate(s) and the carpet 45Joint spacing between adjacent floor panels 50Couplings between adjacent structural plates of a floor panel,

Claims

1. Base plate (18) for equestrian sports arenas and sports fields, which can be laid on a subgrade (12), wherein the base plate (18) comprises at least one structural plate (20) made of a plastic material, which has a base plate (21) on whose upper side, which in the usage state faces away from the subgrade (12), a plurality of studs (22) is provided, and further comprises a carpet layer (30), wherein the at least one structural plate (20) is arranged on the upper side of the carpet layer (30) that faces away from the subgrade (12); and further comprises at least one connection (40) by which the base plate (21) of the at least one structural plate (20) is fastened to the carpet layer (30), wherein the carpet layer (30) in the usage state of the base plate (18) comprises an upper wear layer (32a) and a lower carrier layer (32b); characterized in that at least one spacer (27, 28) is provided between the carpet layer (30) and the at least one structural plate (20), wherein the at least one spacer is formed by a projection (27) on the underside of the structural plate (20) facing the carpet layer or by a special structure of a fastening stud (28) at its end region to the structural plate (20).

2. Base plate (18) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one structural plate (20) is made of a plastic material selected from PE and PET; and / or the base plate (21) of the at least one structural plate (20) has a layer thickness of a maximum of 20 mm.

3. Base plate (18) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one connection (40) is formed by a fastening stud (28) on the underside of the base plate (21) of the structural plate (20) facing the carpet layer and a reception opening (36) in the carpet layer for inserting or passing through the fastening stud (28).

4. Base plate (18) according to claim 3, wherein the at least one structural plate (20) is manufactured by an injection molding process; and the at least one fastening stud (28) is integrally formed on the underside of the structural plate (20) by the injection molding process.

5. Base plate (18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein several structural plates (20n) are mounted side by side on one carpet layer (30), and adjacent ones of the several structural plates (20n) are each coupled to one another.

6. Base plate (18) according to claim 5, wherein the adjacent structural plates (20n) each have at least one stud (22z) in the edge region of the respective structural plate (20n); and these studs (22z) in the edge regions of the adjacent structural plates (20n) are designed and arranged such that they can be directly interconnected, or additional connecting elements (23) are provided for connecting these studs (22z) in the edge regions of the adjacent structural plates (20n) to one another.

7. Base plate (18) according to claim 6, wherein one of the adjacent structural plates (20n) has in its edge region at least one stud (22zi) that is designed and arranged to be gripped, and the other of the adjacent structural plates (20n) has in its edge region at least one stud (22zu) that is designed and arranged to grip around the stud (22zi) in the edge region of the one structural plate (20n).

8. Base plate (18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base plate (21) of the at least one structural plate (20) has several through-holes (24) in its layer thickness direction and the carpet layer (30) has several through-holes (34) in its layer thickness direction.

9. Base plate (18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein on the upper side of the base plate (21) of the at least one structural plate (20) facing away from the carpet layer (30), several cups (26) for water storage are further provided.

10. Equestrian sports or sports field surface (10), comprising an arrangement of several base plates (18) laid side by side on a subgrade (12) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Equestrian sports or sports field surface (10) according to claim 10, wherein the several base plates (18) are each arranged on the subgrade (12) with a joint gap (45) to adjacent base plates (18).

12. Equestrian sports or sports field surface (10) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein an impact layer (14) is provided above the several base plates (18); and optionally a water-permeable retention layer (15) is provided between the impact layer (14) and the base plates (18).

13. Method for manufacturing a base plate (18) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: • Manufacturing at least one structural plate (20) from a plastic material by an injection molding process; • Providing a carpet layer (30); and • Fastening the at least one manufactured structural plate (20) by at least one connection (40) on the upper side of the provided carpet layer (30) facing away from the subgrade (12).

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