Substrate element for an artificial grass pitch and method of manufacturing thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial grass pitches face challenges in achieving the same level of shock absorption and energy restitution as natural grass pitches, with existing designs requiring a thick granular infill that can become disturbed, leading to uneven playing surfaces and increased injury risk, and failing to meet the desired ergonomic and physiological standards.
Innovation Solution
A substrate element with evenly distributed protuberances and a hardness of 30-70 Sh(A) is used to create an artificial grass pitch, which provides effective shock absorption and reduces energy restitution, eliminating the need for a thick granular infill, and can be made from materials like styrene butadiene rubber or EPDM rubber for ease of production and recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thick layer of granular infill material is used to provide shock absorption and damping, then the playing surface becomes softer and safer, but the layer becomes disturbed by frequent playing, leading to uneven surfaces and increased injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the shock absorption function from the granular infill layer and transfers it to the substrate layer itself. The substrate is designed with a cellular structure containing gas-filled cavities that provide shock absorption and damping without requiring a thick layer of granular material, thereby eliminating the problem of infill disturbance and redistribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the substrate by incorporating gas-filled cavities with specific volume ratios (5-50% of total substrate volume) and controlling the cellular structure characteristics. This creates a lightweight, resilient substrate that provides consistent shock absorption without the stability issues of granular infill.
2Reliability
If a thick layer of granular material is used to achieve desired shock absorption, then safety improves, but the amount of material and labour required for laying and maintenance increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the shock absorption function with the substrate layer itself, eliminating the need for a separate thick granular infill layer. The gas-filled cellular structure within the substrate provides the required shock absorption and damping properties, simplifying both installation and maintenance while maintaining safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the substrate's internal structure to include gas-filled cavities with controlled volume ratios and cellular characteristics, the invention achieves the required shock absorption with a thinner, lighter substrate layer, reducing material quantity and simplifying installation and maintenance operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional artificial grass substrates are used, then the pitch can be laid on various surfaces, but they fail to achieve the same level of shock absorption and energy restitution as natural grass pitches
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the substrate's mechanical parameters by incorporating gas-filled cavities with specific volume ratios (5-50%) and controlling the cellular structure characteristics. This creates a resilient, lightweight substrate that achieves shock absorption values of at least 50% and energy restitution values below 40%, matching natural grass performance while maintaining adaptability to various installation surfaces.
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 substrate element achieves shock absorption values of at least 50% and energy restitution values below 40%, providing a true-to-life playing experience without the need for extensive infill, and can be installed easily on various surfaces, including concrete, while maintaining the required safety and durability standards.
Implementation Method 1
the substrate element additionally offers such damping properties that the artificial grass pitch has playing characteristics which are more true to life
Implementation Method 2
Energy restitution is a measure of how much of the kinetic energy of a body is returned to the body after the impact
Implementation Method 3
the protuberances ensure low energy restitution by folding on impact
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A substrate element for use in an artificial grass pitch, in particular an artificial grass playing field, in which aside of the substrate element comprises protuberances evenly distributed across its surface and extending therefrom. The substrate element has a hardness of 30-70 Sh(A)and may be provided with artificial grass fibres.