Outdoor Flooring Substrate Using Sand, Elastic Particles, and Fibers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current artificial outdoor floorings, such as bonded and stabilized synthetic substrates, are prone to instability and injury due to compaction, and incorporating cork for flexibility is costly and degrades over time, while high sand content reduces stabilization effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A substrate composition comprising at least 70% sand, 5% elastic material, and 3.2-8 kg/m³ fibers, with specific grain size and uniformity characteristics, along with optional grass seeds, zeolite particles, and fertilizing products to enhance cohesion, permeability, and air retention, using shredded tire waste as elastomer and textile fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sand is used as the majority component to reduce costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but stabilization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining sand (≥70% volume) with elastic material particles (≥5% volume, 1.5-30mm diameter) and fibers (3.2-8 kg/m³). This composite structure allows the majority sand component to reduce cost while the elastic particles and fibers provide the necessary stabilization and cohesion, resolving the contradiction between cost reduction and stabilization effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the substrate is compacted to be stable, then stability is improved, but hardness increases and injury risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the substrate by incorporating elastic material particles (1.5-30mm diameter) and fibers (3.2-8 kg/m³) in specific proportions. These parameter changes allow the substrate to achieve stability through material composition rather than compaction density, maintaining flexibility and reducing hardness while preserving stability, thus reducing injury risk.
3Ease of operation
If cork is incorporated to give flexibility and comfort, then flexibility is improved, but cost increases and cork degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive cork with cheaper elastic material particles (such as rubber granules from tire recycling) that provide similar flexibility and comfort properties. The elastic material particles are more durable and resistant to degradation compared to cork, thereby reducing both initial cost and long-term maintenance costs while maintaining flexibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If high sand content is used, then cost is reduced, but cohesion and stabilization are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fibers (3.2-8 kg/m³) as an intermediary element between sand particles. These fibers act as binding agents that provide cohesion and stabilize the substrate structure, allowing high sand content (≥70% volume) to be used for cost reduction while the fibers maintain structural integrity and prevent particle separation, thus resolving the cohesion deficiency.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, flexible, and stable outdoor flooring that reduces injury risk, maintains permeability, and supports grass growth with improved water retention and air accommodation, while minimizing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
Elastic material is used for its flexibility and shock absorbing ability
Implementation Method 2
The fibers ensure the cohesion and the blocking of the different elements
Implementation Method 3
The sand is the skeleton of the substrate
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
Substrate (1) for outdoor flooring usable in particular for the production of sports floors or children's play area floors comprising mainly sand in which particles of elastic materials (3) and fibers (4) are dispersed.