Artificial lawn
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current artificial grass sports fields require a thick layer of granular infill material for optimal playing characteristics, leading to increased maintenance and labor intensity, and are affected by weather conditions, resulting in uneven surfaces and increased injury risk.
Innovation Solution
An artificial lawn with a substrate featuring integral protrusions that extend between and along artificial grass fibers, reducing the need for a thick granular infill and enhancing damping characteristics, allowing for easier installation and maintenance, and incorporating drainage channels and interconnectable substrate elements for improved durability and water management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thick layer of granular infill material is used, then playing characteristics are improved and damping is enhanced, but installation and maintenance become more labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential damping function from the granular infill material and transfers it to the substrate structure itself. The substrate is designed with a foam material that inherently provides shock absorption and cushioning, eliminating the need for a thick layer of external infill material while maintaining playing characteristics and reducing maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the substrate and infill functions into a single integrated component. The foam substrate simultaneously serves as the base layer and the damping medium, combining structural support with shock absorption properties that were previously provided by separate granular infill layers
2Reliability
If a thick layer of granular infill material is used, then damping characteristics are improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the substrate: structural support, shock absorption, and cushioning are all integrated into the foam substrate itself, eliminating the need for separate infill layers and simplifying the overall structure while maintaining damping characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters of the substrate by using foam material with specific density and elasticity properties. This allows the substrate itself to provide damping characteristics that previously required thick layers of granular material, reducing structural complexity
3Reliability
If granular infill material is used, then playing characteristics are enhanced, but weather conditions adversely affect the infill material quality over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a weather-resistant foam substrate that maintains its damping properties over time without degrading like granular infill material. The foam material is inherently resistant to weathering, UV exposure, and moisture, eliminating the need for periodic replacement or maintenance of infill material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs foam material that combines the benefits of durability and shock absorption. The foam structure provides consistent playing characteristics across varying weather conditions, unlike granular materials that compact and degrade over time
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The artificial lawn maintains consistent, natural playing characteristics with reduced maintenance needs, lower injury risk, and improved durability, while allowing for efficient installation and adaptation, and effective water drainage.
Implementation Method 1
the substrate also exhibits damping characteristics such that the artificial lawn exhibits natural playing characteristics
Implementation Method 2
drainage channels extending through the substrate for the drainage of water from the artificial lawn
Data Source
AI summary
Artificial lawn, in particular an artificial grass sports field, comprising a substrate as well as artificial fibres extending from said substrate, whereby the substrate is formed such that it extends between the artificial grass fibres.