Multi-layered flooring, ideally suited for sports or recreational activities

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-layered flooring system, advantageously adapted for sports or recreational use. The multi-layered flooring system (1) comprises: - a lower support layer (2), - an intermediate layer (3) made of an elastomeric material and defining at least one sealed chamber (31) intended to be filled with a fluid, - an upper layer (4) adapted to provide an aesthetic and / or technical finish to said multi-layered flooring system (1). Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Multi-layer floor equipment, advantageously suited to sports or leisure activities Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of multi-layer floor equipment, advantageously adapted to sporting or recreational practice. State of the art

[0002] Ground equipment is essential for certain human activities, for example sports or leisure activities.

[0003] Certain floor equipment includes, for example, a layer made of elastomer material to provide flexibility when users come into contact.

[0004] However, most of these ground devices offer relatively similar experiences and sensations.

[0005] In addition, the installation of ground equipment is generally relatively complex. Presentation of the invention

[0006] The present invention provides multi-layer floor equipment, advantageously suited to sporting or recreational practice.

[0007] The multi-layer floor equipment includes:

[0008] - a lower support layer,

[0009] - at least one interlayer mattress, made of an elastomeric material and delimiting at least one sealed chamber intended to be filled with a fluid,

[0010] - a top layer, suitable for providing an aesthetic and / or technical facing said multi-layer floor equipment.

[0011] Such multi-layer floor equipment has the advantage of offering an original experience and sensation for users, while ensuring ease of installation.

[0012] In particular, the interlayer mattress, inserted between the support layer and the upper layer, allows stability exercises (fun and / or sporting) for users while ensuring safety of use.

[0013] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the product according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are the following:

[0014] - said interlayer mattress comprises a hermetic strip delimiting said at least a sealed chamber, which hermetic band comprises at least one section hermetically closed by a weld and / or a pair of profiles pinching said section;

[0015] - said interlayer mattress comprises a peripheral strip which is secured to the support layer (advantageously by means of a profile attached by through members);

[0016] - said interlayer mattress has a square or rectangular outline, having advantageously the following dimensions: a width of 1 to 2 m and a length of 1 to 10 m;

[0017] - the surface area of ​​the interlayer mattress is smaller than the surface area of ​​the layer support and relative to the surface of the upper layer;

[0018] - the support layer is made of plastic material or geotextile film; preferably, the support layer is formed of juxtaposed plates, advantageously assembled by assembly means, advantageously assembly means by interlocking;

[0019] - the top layer consists of synthetic turf;

[0020] - said multi-layer floor equipment further comprises at least one layer elastic, solid and made of elastomeric material, advantageously agglomerated rubber granules; said at least one elastic layer is advantageously arranged overlying, or underlying, or around, said interlayer mattress; said at least one elastic layer has the following characteristics: a thickness ranging from 10 to 50 mm, a density ranging from 400 to 1,000 kg / m3, a Shore A hardness ranging from 45 to 70.

[0021] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0022] Furthermore, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting forms of embodiment of the invention and where:

[0023] [Fig. 1] is a general and perspective view of the multi-layer floor equipment according to the invention;

[0024] [Fig.2] is a schematic and sectional view of a first embodiment of multi-layer floor equipment according to the invention;

[0025] [Fig.3] is a schematic and sectional view of a second embodiment of multi-layer floor equipment according to the invention.

[0026] It should be noted that, in these figures, the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

[0027] The present invention thus relates to multi-layer floor equipment 1, advantageously adapted to sporting or recreational practice.

[0028] The multi-layer floor equipment 1 is advantageously intended to be attached to an S-shaped floor (advantageously horizontal), for example in a children's play area or a sports area.

[0029] A multi-layer floor equipment 1 according to the invention is advantageously suitable for outdoor use (outdoor terrain), resistant to the surrounding climatic conditions.

[0030] Users are intended to move, preferably on foot, on the multi-layer floor equipment 1.

[0031] The multi-layer floor equipment 1 comprises a superposition of layers, namely at least:

[0032] - a lower support layer 2,

[0033] - at least one interlayer mattress 3,

[0034] - an upper layer 4, suitable for providing an aesthetic and / or technical facing said multi-layer floor equipment 1. Support layer

[0035] The support layer 2 advantageously forms an interface between the soil S and the overlying layers 3, 4.

[0036] The support layer 2 advantageously makes it possible to protect the overlying layers 3, 4 against damage by contact with the ground S. It also advantageously makes it possible to generate a flat receiving surface for the overlying layers 3, 4.

[0037] The support layer 2 advantageously comprises two opposite faces (defining its thickness), advantageously parallel to each other, namely:

[0038] - a lower face 2a, intended to be oriented towards the ground S, or even to take support on the ground S, and

[0039] - an upper face 2b, intended to serve as a support surface for at least one overlying layer.

[0040] The support layer 2 is advantageously made of plastic material or geotextile film.

[0041] In the case of a plastic material, the support layer 2 is advantageously formed of juxtaposed plates 21, for example parallelepiped plates, preferably made of plastic material.

[0042] Preferably, the plates 21 have sides ranging from 250 mm to 600 mm (preferably for a square plate or a rectangular plate).

[0043] The plates 21 are advantageously assembled by assembly means (not shown), advantageously assembly means by interlocking (preferably monobloc).

[0044] The interlocking assembly means consist, for example, of tenon / mortise pairs, for example dovetail.

[0045] The tenon / mortise pairs advantageously equip the contour of the plates 21 so that two juxtaposed plates 21 are assembled / locked together by interlocking.

[0046] The assembly of these plates 21 is advantageously locked by connection pieces which are secured between two adjoining plates 21.

[0047] The support layer 2 advantageously has a height (also called thickness) ranging from 10 to 100 mm, preferably from 10 to 80 mm, preferably from 10 to 25 mm.

[0048] Alternatively or additionally, the support layer 2 is advantageously in the form of a geotextile layer.

[0049] The geotextile layer is advantageously chosen from woven products and non-woven products, advantageously made of synthetic material.

[0050] Generally speaking, the support layer 2 is advantageously secured to the ground S by means of anchoring members (not shown) which pass through the support layer 2 and which are driven / anchored into the ground S. Interlayer mattress

[0051] The interlayer mattress 3 is made of an elastomer material and delimits at least one sealed chamber 31 intended to be filled with a fluid.

[0052] The intercalary mattress 3 is in particular adapted to deform during the movement of at least one individual, while resisting the forces applied during this movement.

[0053] Generally, the interlayer mattress 3 is added / installed between the support layer 2 and the upper layer 4.

[0054] Generally speaking, the interlayer mattress 3 advantageously has a square or rectangular outline, advantageously having the following dimensions:

[0055] - a width of 1 to 2 m, and

[0056] - a length of 1 to 10 m.

[0057] Also generally, this intercalary mattress 3 is advantageously made in one piece from the elastomer material.

[0058] This interlayer mattress 3 is made from at least one material capable of undergoing elastic deformation, also called “elastic material”, chosen from:

[0059] - elastomeric materials, namely for example natural rubber, ca “natural synthetic” or synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene, or

[0060] - plastic or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials, namely example PVB (polyvinyl butyral), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) / SBR (styrene-butadiene), PP (polypropylene) / EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer), TPU (polyurethane TPE).

[0061] This interlayer mattress 3 is advantageously made in one piece, either single-material (in a single material), or multi-material (with at least two sub-layers su- perposed made from different materials).

[0062] The interlayer mattress 3 may also contain reinforcing sub-layers chosen from textile fibers, metal fibers or any other product providing stability and / or resistance to elongation.

[0063] These reinforcing underlayers consist, for example, of a textile reinforcement serving as reinforcement, advantageously made of a material chosen from nylon, cotton, polyester, polyamide or any other reinforcing textile.

[0064] Said at least one sealed chamber 31 is intended to be filled with a fluid, for example a liquid (water for example) or a gas (air for example).

[0065] This intercalary mattress 3 comprises for this purpose a filling valve (not shown) in fluid communication between the sealed chamber 31 and the exterior.

[0066] Once said at least one sealed chamber 31 is filled, the interlayer mattress 3 advantageously has a generally parallelepiped shape or a convex domed shape or a spherical cap shape.

[0067] Once said at least one sealed chamber 31 is filled, said at least one sealed chamber 31 has a thickness ranging from 10 to 100 mm, preferably from 30 to 100 mm.

[0068] Generally speaking and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the interlayer mattress 3 comprises a hermetic strip 32 delimiting said at least one sealed chamber 31.

[0069] The hermetic strip 32 comprises at least one section 321 hermetically sealed by a weld (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) and / or by a pair of profiles which pinch this section (not shown).

[0070] Preferably, the profiles have complementary shapes and are connected by connecting members which pass through the section 321.

[0071] Preferably, the hermetic strip 32 has a frame shape which comprises several sections 321:

[0072] - two longitudinal sections, advantageously hermetically closed by a welding, and

[0073] - two transverse sections, advantageously hermetically closed by a welding or a pair of profiles.

[0074] The implementation of closure means by “profiles” allows a custom adjustment of the length of the intercalary mattress 3 and its sealed chamber 31.

[0075] Still generally, the interlayer mattress 3 comprises a peripheral strip 33 which is secured to the support layer 2, advantageously by means of a profile 6 attached by through members 7.

[0076] The peripheral strip 33 is thus pinched between the profile 6 and an underlying layer.

[0077] The through members 7 pass through the profile 6 and the peripheral strip 33, so as to be advantageously anchored in the support layer 2.

[0078] The peripheral strip 33 advantageously has a width ranging from 100 to 200 mm.

[0079] In this case, the hermetic strip 32 and the peripheral strip 33 are merged or form the same structure.

[0080] In other words, the peripheral strip 33 here forms the hermetic strip 32 delimiting the sealed chamber 31.

[0081] Again in general, the surface area of ​​the interlayer mattress 3 is advantageously smaller than the surface area of ​​the support layer 2 and than the surface area of ​​the upper layer 4.

[0082] This feature makes it possible to maintain a peripheral space 1a, or pavement, which is firmer around the intercalary mattress 3 ([Fig.l]), useful in particular in terms of safety in the event of the user falling (advantageously critical fall height for children's games).

[0083] Preferably, this peripheral space has, for example, a width ranging from 1 to 1.5 m. Top layer

[0084] The upper layer 4, advantageously forming a wear layer, is aesthetically and / or technically adapted to the intended application.

[0085] The upper layer 4 advantageously covers the multi-layer floor equipment 1, and in particular the interlayer mattress 3.

[0086] The upper layer 4 is for example chosen from synthetic lawns, which are conventional in themselves.

[0087] By “synthetic lawns” (also called “synthetic lawns” or “artificial lawns” or even “artificial lawns”), we advantageously mean a surface imitating natural lawns.

[0088] Such synthetic turf advantageously comprises plastic strands (imitating grass) which are attached to a support (woven or non-woven) provided with drainage holes.

[0089] The upper layer 4 can have two different aspects:

[0090] - a first aspect in an overlying zone of the interlayer mattress 3, and

[0091] - a second aspect in an area surrounding said interlayer mattress 3.

[0092] Still generally, the upper layer 4 is advantageously secured to the support layer 2, preferably by means of profiles 41 which are attached by through members 42.

[0093] The upper layer 4 is thus pinched between the profiles 41 and an underlying layer.

[0094] The through members 42 advantageously pass through the profiles 41 and the upper layer 4, so as to be anchored in the support layer 2.

[0095] Generally speaking, the peripheral contour of this upper layer 4 advantageously corresponds to the peripheral contour of the support layer 2. Elastic layer

[0096] As illustrated in the figures, the multi-layer floor equipment 1 also advantageously comprises at least one elastic layer 8 (or plate), solid and made of elastomeric material.

[0097] The elastic layer 8 advantageously comprises agglomerated rubber granules.

[0098] The rubber granules advantageously come from a recycling operation (for example from tires).

[0099] The rubber granules are advantageously joined together by:

[0100] - vulcanization, and / or

[0101] - polymerization, advantageously by means of polyurethane resin, latex or any other polymer binder.

[0102] Generally speaking, the elastic layer 3 has characteristics chosen from:

[0103] - a thickness ranging from 10 to 50 mm, and / or

[0104] - a density ranging from 400 to 1,000 kg / m3, and / or

[0105] - a Shore A hardness ranging from 45 to 70.

[0106] Said at least one elastic layer 8 can advantageously have various arrangements relative to the interlayer mattress 3 within the multi-layer floor equipment 1, namely for example:

[0107] - an elastic layer 8 overlying the interlayer mattress 3 ([Fig.3]), or

[0108] - an elastic layer 8 underlying the interlayer mattress 3 ([Fig.2]), or

[0109] - an elastic layer 8 around the interlayer mattress 3 (not shown).

[0110] In the “overlying” arrangement, the overlying elastic layer 8 is advantageously advantageously interposed between the interlayer 3 and the upper layer 4; this elastic layer 8 is further advantageously interposed between the support layer 2 and the upper layer 4.

[0111] In the “underlying” arrangement, the underlying elastic layer 8 is advantageously interposed between the support layer 2 and the interposed mattress 3; this elastic layer 8 is further advantageously interposed between the support layer 2 and the upper layer 4.

[0112] In the “around” arrangement, the elastic layer 8 advantageously comprises a housing in which the interlayer mattress 3 is attached; this elastic layer 8 is also interposed between the support layer 2 and the upper layer 4.

[0113] Generally speaking, the elastic layer 8 is advantageously parallelepipedal. The peripheral contour of this elastic layer 8 advantageously corresponds to the peripheral contour of the support layer 2 and the upper layer 4. Installation of multi-layer flooring equipment

[0114] Preferably, the layers are advantageously laid successively on a floor S to be covered to together form the multi-layer floor equipment 1 according to the invention.

[0115] In particular, the support layer 2 is advantageously placed on the ground S and then the successive layers are then added to, and secured to, this support layer 2.

[0116] At least one user can then move around, preferably on foot, on the multi-layer floor equipment 1 according to the invention.

[0117] In particular, the path above the intercalary mattress 3 provides original sensations, advantageously reinforced by transitions between the intercalary mattress 3 and the peripheral space 1a.

[0118] Of course, various other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims

1. Multi-layer floor equipment, advantageously suitable for sports or recreational activities, which multi-layer floor equipment (1) comprises: - a lower support layer (2), - at least one intermediate mattress (3), made of an elastomeric material and delimiting at least one sealed chamber (31) intended to be filled with a fluid, - an upper layer (4), suitable for providing an aesthetic and / or technical facing for said multi-layer floor equipment (1), which support layer (2) forms an interface between the floor (S) and the overlying layers (3, 4), which intermediate mattress (3) comprises a peripheral strip (33) which is secured to the support layer (2), which surface of the intermediate mattress (3) is smaller than the surface of the support layer (2) and than the surface of the upper layer (4), which multi-layer floor equipment (1) further comprises at least one elastic layer (8),solid and made of elastomer material.,

2. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to claim 1, characterized in that said intermediate mattress (3) comprises a hermetic strip (32) delimiting said at least one sealed chamber (31), which hermetic strip (32) comprises at least one section (321) hermetically closed by: - ​​a weld, and / or - a pair of profiles which hermetically clamps said section (321).

3. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said interlayer mattress (3) has a square or rectangular outline, advantageously having the following dimensions: - a width of 1 to 2 m, and - a length of 1 to 10 m.

4. Multi-layer ground equipment, according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the support layer (2) is made of plastic material or geotextile film.

5. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to claim 4, characterized in that the support layer (2) is formed of juxtaposed plates (21), advantageously assembled by assembly means, advantageously assembly means by interlocking.

6. Multi-layer ground equipment, according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the upper layer (4) consists of synthetic turf.

7. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said multi-layer floor equipment (1) further comprises at least one elastic layer (8), solid and made of agglomerated rubber granules.

8. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said at least one elastic layer (8) is arranged: - overlying, or - underlying, or - around, said intermediate mattress (3).

9. Multi-layer floor equipment, according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said at least one elastic layer (8) has the following characteristics: - a thickness ranging from 10 to 50 mm, - a density ranging from 400 to 1,000 kg / m3, - a Shore A hardness ranging from 45 to 70.

Images