Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing artificial turf, comprising the following steps of: providing a carrier and synthetic fibres, connecting the synthetic fibres to the carrier by means of tufting or weaving, wherein the synthetic fibres form blades or loops on the upper side of the carrier, and fixing the synthetic fibres to the carrier. The fixing herein takes place at a speed which is substantially at least equal to the speed of the tufting or weaving. The invention further relates to a device for performing this method, which is formed by a tufting or weaving machine and a fixing station, both of which have a guiding system. The tufting or weaving machine and the fixing station are connected in series and their guiding systems have substantially the same guiding speed.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing artificial turf, comprising the following steps of: providing a carrier and synthetic fibres, connecting the synthetic fibres to the carrier by means of tufting or weaving, wherein the synthetic fibres form blades or loops on the upper side of the carrier, and fixing the synthetic fibres to the carrier. The fixing herein takes place at a speed which is substantially at least equal to the speed of the tufting or weaving. The invention further relates to a device for performing this method, which is formed by a tufting or weaving machine and a fixing station, both of which have a guiding system. The tufting or weaving machine and the fixing station are connected in series and their guiding systems have substantially the same guiding speed.
Abstract:
A structure (1) of synthetic turf includes a mat (2), having a sheet-like substrate (3) from which there extend filiform formations (4A, 4B) having at least two different heights (H1, H2). The filiform formations (4A, 4B) are interspersed with respect to one another and are made by using respective yarns (8A, 8B) that are woven separately from one another to the substrate (3) and are cut to different heights. A particulate infill material (11) is arranged between the filiform formations (4A, 4B) to form a filling layer (12), which has a height (H), measured starting from the substrate (3), smaller than or equal to the height (H1) of the filiform formations (4A) of smaller height.
Abstract:
A tufting machine (T) has a needle bar (11) for carrying a plurality of needles for reciprocating into and out of a base material. A sliding needle bar shift mechanism (56) may shift the needle bar (11) laterally according to a pattern. The needle bar (11) is mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movement relative to the direction of reciprocation by a drive system (10) including a first directional drive component (35, 101) having a foot (41, 104) secured to a respective push rod (26) of the tufting machine (T) and a second directional drive component (37, 102) connected to the shift mechanism (56). The first and second drive components (35, 101, 37, 102) will connect to the needle bar (11) through linear bearings or bushings so that the motion of the needle bar (11) in multiple different directions is controlled while permitting greater machine operating and needle bar shifting speeds.
Abstract:
A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material. The system generally will include spaced rows of needles mounted along a tufting zone and which are reciprocated through the backing to different penetration depths. A series of loopers and a series of hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form cut and loop pile tufts of yarns having varying lengths in the backing material.
Abstract:
A structure (1) of synthetic turf includes a mat (2), having a sheet-like substrate (3) from which there extend filiform formations (4A, 4B) having at least two different heights (H1, H2). The filiform formations (4A, 4B) are interspersed with respect to one another and are made by using respective yarns (8A, 8B) that are woven separately from one another to the substrate (3) and are cut to different heights. A particulate infill material (11) is arranged between the filiform formations (4A, 4B) to form a filling layer (12), which has a height (H), measured starting from the substrate (3), smaller than or equal to the height (H1) of the filiform formations (4A) of smaller height.
Abstract:
A variable stroke drive system (10) for a tufting machine (T) includes a series of drive assemblies (40) mounted along the frame of the tufting machine (T). Primary drive shafts (41A, 41B) extend through the drive assemblies (40) and are each driven by a drive motor (46). A series of first drive members (55A, 55B) are mounted to the primary drive shafts (41A, 41B) and are linked to associated second drive members (60A, 60B) such that the driving of the first drive members (55A, 55B) by the primary drive shafts (41A, 41B) in turn drives the second drive members (60A, 60B). Cam arms (65, 66) are connected to the second drive members (60A, 60B) and to rocker arms (68) to which push rods (85) are mounted, the cam arms (65, 66) being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members (60A, 60B) so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods (85), and thus the needle bar(s) (11, 11') connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts (41A, 41B) are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s) (11, 11').
Abstract:
A system and method for forming patterned tufted fabrics such as carpets, including the formation of patterns having cut pile and loop pile tufts therein. The system includes a pair of needle bars (25, 26) each carrying a series of needles (27) to which a plurality of yarns (Y1, Y2) are fed. Cut pile hooks (52) are arranged along a cut pile side of a tufting zone (12, T), in a position to engage the needles (27) of one of the needle bars (25, 26), while loop pile loopers (51) are arranged along the opposite loop pile side of the tufting zone (12, T), in a position to engage the needles (27) of the other one of the needle bars (25, 26). A backing material (B) is fed through the tufting zone (12, T), and as loop pile tufts of yarns (Y1, Y2) are formed in the backing material (B), the needles (27) mounted along a needle bar (25, 26) extending along the cut pile side of the tufting zone (12, T) can be shifted to an off- gauge position, with the yarn feed (35A/B, 36A/B) to these needles (27) further being controlled, to substantially prevent engagement and pick-up of the yarns (Y1, Y2) carried by such needles (27) by the cut pile hooks (52).
Abstract:
A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an artificial turf mat, comprising a backing and a number of protruding artificial grass blades divided into rows and connected thereto, wherein the mutual distance between successive blades in a row is substantially equal to the distance between adjacent rows and amounts to at least 10 mm. Such an artificial turf mat has uniform properties in all directions. The backing can be a fabric and the blades can be connected to the backing by tufting, wherein at least one support loop protruding less far from the backing can further be formed in each case between successive blades. The invention also relates to an artificial turf field comprising such an artificial turf mat and a layer of loose filling material arranged thereon, the thickness of which is less than the length of the artificial grass blades. The invention further relates to methods for forming the artificial turf mat and the artificial turf field.