Modular Turf Base Pad Lamination for Quick Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for replacing high-wear sections of artificial turf are time-consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive, leading to prolonged field downtime and manufacturing challenges due to the need for custom shapes and the trapping of infill particles by hook-and-loop fasteners.
Innovation Solution
A turf system comprising a turf segment laminated with a base pad, where the base pad is thicker, heavier, or more rigid than the turf segment, allowing for efficient installation and removal of turf modules. The system includes a tray with a bottom tray portion and tray walls that support the turf module, enabling secure and efficient flooring management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hook-and-loop fasteners are used to attach replacement turf sections, then easier removal and replacement of damaged turf is achieved, but manufacturing challenges arise due to difficulty in producing irregular or custom shapes with consistent quality
Solution Approach 1:
The turf system is divided into modular sections with standardized rectangular base pads that can be manufactured consistently, while the turf segments can vary in shape to match specific wear patterns. This segmentation allows the base pad manufacturing to remain simple and consistent while accommodating custom turf segment shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The base pad serves multiple functions: it provides a standardized mounting surface for consistent manufacturing, acts as a structural support layer, and enables universal attachment mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows a single standardized component to work across various turf segment configurations and shapes.
2Ease of operation
If hook-and-loop fasteners are used to attach replacement turf sections, then easier removal and replacement of damaged turf is achieved, but infill particles are trapped by the fasteners reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is extracted from the turf segment itself and placed on the base pad instead. This separation allows the turf segment to be cleanly removed without the fasteners interfering with infill distribution or trapping particles during the attachment and removal process.
Solution Approach 2:
The base pad acts as an intermediary between the turf segment and the underlying structure. It provides a dedicated attachment surface that isolates the fastening mechanism from the infill material, preventing infill particles from being trapped by the fasteners while still enabling secure attachment.
3Ease of repair
If current methods are used to replace high-wear sections, then damaged turf can be replaced, but the process is time-consuming and expensive leading to prolonged field downtime
Solution Approach 1:
Turf segments are pre-attached to base pads during manufacturing, creating pre-assembled modules that are ready for installation. This preliminary action eliminates on-site attachment work and allows for rapid deployment, significantly reducing field downtime during replacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic replacement where entire pre-assembled base pad and turf segment modules can be quickly installed or removed as needed. This dynamic approach allows flexible replacement strategies, including preventive replacement of high-wear areas before complete failure occurs.
Data Source
AI summary
A turf system including a turf segment and a base pad laminated with the turf segment, where a bottom face of the turf segment is fixed with a top face of the base pad. The base pad is thicker than the turf segment in a direction perpendicular to a laminated direction between the turf and the base, the base pad is heavier than the turf segment per unit area along the laminated direction, or the base pad is rigid as compared to the turf segment.