EP2239025A1 - Impact-absorbing floor lining, in particular for play areas or sport facilities - Google Patents

Abstract

The lining (10) has an upper layer (12) made of elastic material, and a lower layer (14) arranged at a lower side of the upper layer. The lower layer includes a core area (26) with a knitted fabric made of filaments (40) that are partially and material-fittingly connected with each other. Fibrous material layers (28, 30) made of fleece or fabric material are provided at an upper side and/or a lower side of the core area. A fibrous material is formed with polycondensation fibers and polyamide coated polyester fibers. The upper layer is produced with polyurethane bound rubber granules. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing an impact absorbing floor construction.

Description

The present invention relates to a shock-absorbing floor covering, as it can be used for example in playgrounds or sports facilities in order to minimize the risk of injury, in particular falling persons.

The floor coverings used in the area of playgrounds, but possibly also sports facilities, must be constructed in such a way that they can provide a sufficient shock-absorbing effect for, for example, children who fall down from a play equipment or who fall while running and hit the floor covering. As a suitable floor covering, for example, a structure has been found, the two layers, so a top layer and a base has. Each of these, for example, constructed with a plurality of lining plates layers is constructed with recycled by recycling of waste rubber granules, which may be bound to produce a solid composite, for example polyurethane. The structure with two such layers has proven to be required on the one hand, since only with two such layers can provide a shock-absorbing property ensuring the necessary fall protection, and on the other hand has proven to be advantageous because such cover plates are relatively heavy and therefore also heavy are handled and the use of thinner, but then layered layers facilitates handling the structure.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbing floor covering, in particular for playgrounds or sports facilities, with which simplified and cost-effective construction improved fall protection properties can be achieved.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a shock-absorbent floor covering, in particular for playgrounds or sports facilities, comprising an upper surface made of elastic material which provides an upper side for being entered and a base arranged on a lower side of the upper layer, wherein the substrate comprises a core area with a knit fabric at least partially together includes material-connected filaments.

The floor covering according to the invention is also constructed with two layers. On the one hand, this is the upper layer also accessible by children or athletes, which is already constructed of elastic material and thus has a certain damping property. On the other hand, the base is provided which on the basis of providing its core region with a fabric of at least partially materially connected filaments on the one hand a solid and thus under sustained pressure substantially retaining its structure composite, on the other hand, however, due to the elasticity of the Gewirkfilamente the damping property the upper layer contributes to a significantly improved overall damping property.

In order to be able to ensure excellent cushioning or durability properties in the region of the backing with a comparatively small thickness, it is further proposed that the filaments of the core region comprise polymer filaments, preferably of polyethylene material or polyamide material, polyamide monofilaments having proved to be particularly advantageous.

At least one fiber material layer, preferably formed as nonwoven or fabric material, may be provided on an upper side or / and an underside of the core region. Here, for example, so-called filter fleece or geotextile can be used, wherein it can further be provided that at least one layer of the fiber material with the core region is firmly connected.

The fiber material can be embodied for example with polycondensation fibers. Polyamide-coated polyester fibers have proved to be particularly advantageous.

In order to be able to carry out the process of building up a floor covering according to the invention on a prepared substrate quickly but nevertheless reproducibly, it is proposed that the substrate be formed as a web or mat material, with fiber mat layers of mutually immediately adjacent webs / mats preferably overlapping one another. This can ensure that contamination particles, especially from the ground out, can not penetrate into the core area and affect its elasticity.

For the construction of the upper layer has proved to be particularly advantageous the use of preferably polyurethane bound rubber granules.

In order to design the upper side of the upper layer on the one hand with respect to the load occurring there with greater stability, on the other hand to be able to make the visual appearance of the same appealing, it is further proposed that the upper layer is constructed in a volume area providing the top with a layer of EPDM material.

In order to obtain very good fall protection properties with as thin a structure as possible, it can be provided that the top layer has a thickness in the range of 10 mm to 90 mm, or / and that the base has a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 25 mm or / and that a ratio of the thickness the top layer to the thickness of the pad in the range of 1 to 10, preferably 3 to 8, is located.

The present invention further relates to a shock absorbing floor structure, in particular for playgrounds or sports facilities, comprising a According to the invention constructed flooring on a substrate.

1. a) Vorbereiten eines Untergrunds zur Aufnahme eines Stoß absorbierenden Bodenbelags;
2. b) Aufbringen eines erfindungsgemäßen Stoß absorbierenden Bodenbelags auf den Untergrund.

The invention further relates to a method for producing a floor structure according to the invention, comprising the measures:

1. a) preparing a substrate for absorbing a shock absorbing floor covering;
2. b) applying a shock absorbent flooring according to the invention to the substrate.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of a backing material, comprising a core region with a knitted fabric of at least partially materially interconnected filaments and at least one side of the core region at least one fiber material layer, as a pad for a shock absorbing flooring, especially for playgrounds or sports facilities.

Fig. 1

einen Ausschnitt eines mit einer Oberlage und einer Unterlage aufgebauten Bodenbelags;

Fig. 2

einen Vertikalschnitt eines Bodenaufbaus mit dem in Fig. 1 dargestellten Bodenbelag.

The invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached figures. It shows:

Fig. 1

a section of a built up with a top layer and a base flooring;

Fig. 2

a vertical section of a floor structure with the in Fig. 1 shown flooring.

In Fig. 1 For example, a shock-absorbing floor covering that can be used in the area of a playground or a sports facility is generally designated by 10. The floor covering 10 is basically formed with two layers, namely a top layer 12 and a base 14. The top layer 12 is constructed in the example shown with a plurality of top plates 16 and provides a provided for entering top 18 ready. With her example with cuboidal or dome-shaped elevations 20 structured formed bottom 22 is the top layer 12 in contact with the pad 14, so it is for example on this. A solid composite of the lining plates 16 of the top layer 12 can be achieved by insertable into openings 24 in the adjacent end faces of the lining plates 16 connecting dowels.

The base 14 arranged on the underside 22 of the top layer 12 is essentially constructed with three layers. It comprises a core region 26, which is fixedly connected to a fiber material layer 28, 30 on its upper side facing the upper layer 12 and on its underside remote from the upper layer 12 and intended to rest on a substrate.

The structure of the floor covering 10 or of a floor structure 30 realized thereby is shown in FIG Fig. 2 more clearly recognizable. It can be seen the top layer 12, which occupies the essential volume range of the floor covering 10 and the top 18 provides. In this case, the top layer 12 has a body 32 occupying their substantial volume range of preferably polyurethane bound rubber granules, this preferably obtained by recycling old rubber material having. When producing the top layer 12 with a plurality of prefabricated lining plates 16, the rubber granulate is introduced into production molds and baked there under heat and pressure application and thereby brought into the desired shape.

In the volume area providing the upper side 18, the upper layer 12 may be constructed with a layer 34 of EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene-terpolymer) material. This non-reprocessed EPDM material, which is virgin material during manufacture, can also be used in granular form, which granules are bonded by a polyurethane, epoxy or latex based elastic binder. The lining plates 16 may be connected to the body 32 and the Layer 34 are produced in multiple layers. In principle, however, it is also possible that the layer 34 is applied as Ortmateriallage, so after laying the lining plates 16 on the substrate 14.

In the Fig. 2 the pad 14 is on a prepared for receiving the flooring 10 substrate 36. This can, depending on the requirements, as a solid, bound subsurface, so for example in the form of a concrete covering, be formed, but can of course also be provided in the form of compacted sand, gravel or soil material. On the substrate 36, the pad 14 lies with its lower fiber material layer 30. On the upper fiber material layer 28, the top layer 12 is located, in which in the Fig. 2 As shown, the structuring formed on the underside 22 of the top layer 12 is shaped and dimensioned so that it substantially completely presses into the base 14, so that there is a corresponding full-surface contact contact between the top layer 12 and the base 14. Alternatively, like this Fig. 1 illustrates, the structuring 20 are selected so that it only partially presses into the pad 14 so that partially between the pad 14 and the top layer 12 cavities 38 remain.

The core region 26 of the base 14 is constructed with a knit of filaments 40 connected to one another in a material-locking manner. For this example, filaments of polymer material, such as polyethylene or polyamide material can be used. Polyamide monofilaments have proved to be particularly advantageous. The filaments contained in the knitted fabric can be welded by means of temperature application in their contact or crossing areas by temporary melting and then cooling again after production of the knitted fabric, thus, so that they are materially bonded. This structure of the core region 26 has a corresponding elasticity and the density of the filaments 40 in the core region 26 adjusting elasticity, which also exists over the service life of the pad 14 due to the bond produced by the material bond between the individual filaments. One Gradual setting of the knit structure by prolonged pressure load does not occur.

The fiber material 28, 30, which is preferably provided both on the upper side and on the underside of the core region 26, is provided, for example, as nonwoven material and fabric material. Here, so-called geotextiles or filter nonwoven materials can be used, which have a very fine-pored structure and thus prevent the penetration of even smaller impurity particles into the core region 26. For example, the fibrous material 26 and 28 may be constructed with polyamide-covered polyester yarns which are thermally solidified. Also, a bond between the core region 26 and the fiber material layers 28, 30 can be generated by thermally induced fusion, so material closure, in the respective contacting areas.

Such underlay materials as can be used for the underlay 14 are marketed, for example, under the registered trade name Enkadrain and are generally also used as underlays because of their excellent drainage properties in the area of green flat roofs. These drainage properties are also of particular advantage when used in the area of impact absorbing floor coverings, since they are generally exposed and thus exposed to the effects of the weather, in particular also precipitation.

In order to be able to set the desired or required fall protection properties in the floor covering 10 or floor structure 30 according to the invention, it is of course possible to make certain variations, in particular in the region of the thickness of the top layer 12 and also of the base 14. For example, the pad 14 may have a thickness in the range of 5mm to 25mm, where, like the Fig. 2 This already makes clear that a substantial area of this thickness is occupied by the core area 26, which essentially determines the elastic properties of the base 14. The top layer 12 may have a thickness in the range of 10mm to Have 90mm, in which case again the body 32 will take the substantial thickness range and the layer 34, if present, for example, may have a thickness in the range 0.5mm to 1.5mm. Thus, there is a preferred range for a ratio of the thickness of the top layer 12 to the thickness of the base 14 in the range of 1 to 10.

In order to ensure that over a long service life, the elasticity properties, which are in particular also determined by the thickness, but in principle also by the material selection, are retained, it is important to ensure that the very porous structure of the support 14 is maintained in its body region 26 remains. As already stated, the two fiber material layers 28, 30 serve above all to prevent the penetration of impurities. Since the pad 14 is advantageously constructed with mat or sheet material, which is first rolled out on the substrate 36 and then receives the top layer 12, it is advantageous if in the adjoining region immediately adjacent tracks or possibly also mats the pad 14 at least partially overlap the fiber material layers 28 and / or 30 is realized.

The Fig. 2 shows two alternative options. In Fig. 2 On the left is shown a variant in which essentially only the lower fiber material layer 30 projects with an edge region 42 over the core region 26 and with this edge region 42 an adjacent web of the backing 14 can overlap. At the in Fig. 2 On the right-hand side, two such edge regions 42 ', 44' are present, namely both in the lower fiber material layer 30 and in the upper fiber material layer 28, so that an adjacent web of the substrate 14 is then sandwiched between these two edge regions 42 ', 44' can. In any case, it is not possible to get into the core region 26 by covering the abutting region by means of a fiber material layer, namely the edge regions 42 or 42 ', in particular particles from the substrate 36 can not be reached. At the in Fig. 2 On the right side, the penetration from above is also prevented. This is especially advantageous if the top layer 12, as in Fig. 1 shown, is constructed with a plurality of lining plates 16 which, although they abut each other in their edge regions, but can not ensure a hermetic conclusion against the migration of particles down into the region of the base 14.

It is self-evident that, in particular when using web material or mat material, such edge regions must each be provided only on one of the longitudinal edges and possibly also on a transverse edge, in order to be able to overlap all occurring impact regions of the substrate 14.

It should finally be pointed out that the floor covering 10 according to the invention or the floor structure 30 constructed therewith can be varied in various aspects. Thus, for example, the base 14 can be designed with only one fiber material layer, which then preferably lies in the bottom structure 30 on the underside, that is to say the ground 36. It is also possible to configure the base 14 in such a way that the two or possibly only one fiber material layer 28 or 30 is not firmly connected to the core region 36, but is introduced as an independent layer of the base 14. In principle, it is also possible to design the base 14 only with the core region 26, that is to say without the fiber material layers. This may be particularly useful when there is a risk of contaminants entering the substrate, for example due to the use of a hard substrate, e.g. Concrete, practically does not exist. It is of course also possible, under the pad 14, possibly under the lower fiber material layer 30, a separate layer 14 from the ground, such. an additional Geoxtextillage to provide, which ensures a more extensive demarcation to the underlying area of the subsurface.

The top layer 12 can be made alternatively as a Ortmateriallage alternatively to the embodiment with a plurality of lining plates 16. For this purpose, initially the pad 14 is laid out on the substrate 36, for example in the form of a plurality of adjacent webs. On these tracks Then the flowable material for the top layer is applied with the desired thickness and cured. For this purpose, first the body 32 and on this then before or after complete curing, the layer 34 can be made.

It is also possible in principle to produce the top layer 12 and the base 14 as a solid composite. This is particularly useful when the top layer 12 is constructed with a plurality of top plates 16. To realize this, the pad 14 may first be inserted into the mold used for the production of the lining plates 16, wherein then preferably at least on the serving for receiving the top layer 12 side of the pad 14, a fiber material layer 28 is present to prevent the penetration of the particles To prevent the formation of the top layer 12 granules used in the core region 26 to prevent. By pressure and temperature application, the material of the top layer 12 can then be cured or baked, at the same time the solid bond with the pad 14 is formed. Thus, the fiber material layer 28 develops an adhesion-promoting property between the top layer 12 and the core region 26 of the base 14.

Claims (14)

Shock absorbing floor covering, in particular for playgrounds or sports facilities, comprising a top layer (12) made of elastic material providing a top (18) and a base (14) arranged on a bottom side of the top layer (12), the base (14) having a Core region (26) with a knit of at least partially materially connected to each other connected filaments (40). Floor covering according to claim 1,
characterized in that the filaments (40) of the core region (26) comprise polymer filaments, preferably of polyethylene material or polyamide material. Floor covering according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the filaments (40) comprise polyamide monofilaments. Floor covering according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that at least one fiber material layer (28, 30) is preferably provided from non-woven or fabric material at an upper side and / or a lower side of the core region (26). Floor covering according to claim 4,
characterized in that the fiber material is constructed with polycondensation fibers. Floor covering according to claim 4 or 5,
characterized in that the fiber material is constructed with polyamide-coated polyester fibers. Floor covering according to one of claims 4 to 6,
characterized in that at least one fiber material layer (28, 30) is fixedly connected to the core region. Floor covering according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that the base (14) is formed as a web or mat material, wherein preferably fiber material layers (28, 30) of mutually immediately adjacent webs / mats overlap each other. Floor covering according to one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that the upper layer (12) is constructed with preferably polyurethane bound rubber granulate. Floor covering according to one of claims 1 to 9,
characterized in that the upper layer (12) is constructed in a volume area providing the upper side with a layer (34) of EPDM material. Floor covering according to one of claims 1 to 10,
characterized in that the top layer (12) has a thickness in the range of 10 mm to 90 mm, or / and that the base (14) has a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 25 mm or / and that a ratio of the thickness of the top layer (12) to the thickness of the pad (14) in the range of 1 to 10, preferably 3 to 8, is located. Shock absorbing floor construction, in particular for playgrounds or sports facilities, comprising a shock absorbing floor covering (10) according to one of the preceding claims on a substrate (36). A method of making a floor structure (30) according to claim 12, comprising the measures: a) preparing a substrate (36) for receiving a shock absorbing floor covering (10); b) applying a shock-absorbing floor covering (10) according to one of claims 1 to 11 on the substrate (36). Use of a backing material, comprising a core region (26) with a knit of at least partially materially interconnected filaments (40) and at least one side of the core region (26) at least one fiber material layer (28, 30), as a support (14) for a Shock absorbing flooring (10), especially for playgrounds or sports facilities.

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