Hook and loop attachment for artificial grass

Abstract

An artificial grass turf comprises roll sections of artificial turf which have a primary backing fabric comprising synthetic grass ribbons extending outwards therefrom, and manufactured with one of a loop portion and a hook portion of a hook and loop fastening system integral with an underside of the primary backing fabric. An underlying roll section attachment means has a top surface including the other of the hook portion and loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system, for engagement with the underside of the primary backing fabric. This system eliminates the need for sewing synthetic turf roll sections together, or the need for the use of adhesives to fasten the field surface to the solid substrate, permitting easy installation of the artificial grass surface and simplified disassembly if required.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An artificial grass turf comprising: 
 roll sections of artificial turf having a primary backing fabric comprising synthetic grass ribbons extending outwards therefrom, and manufactured with one of a loop portion and a hook portion of a hook and loop fastening system integral with an underside of the primary backing fabric; and    an underlying roll section attachment means having a top surface including the other of the hook portion and loop portion of said hook and loop fastening system, for engagement with the underside of the primary backing fabric.    
     
     
         2 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said underlying roll section attachment means is used for seaming abutting edges of said roll sections to each other, at least one of said roll sections overlapping said underlying roll section attachment means, preventing relative lateral movement between said roll sections.  
     
     
         3 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said underlying attachment means is a non-adhesive fabric ribbon.  
     
     
         4 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said underside of said primary backing fabric comprises loops, and said top surface of said underlying roll section attachment means comprises hooks.  
     
     
         5 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said loops are created by one of tufting, knitting, needling and weaving loops through said primary backing fabric.  
     
     
         6 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said loops are part of a looped fabric substrate layer laminated to said underside of said primary backing fabric.  
     
     
         7 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said loops are components of the primary backing fabric material itself, created during the manufacturing process.  
     
     
         8 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said looped fabric substrate layer is laminated to a backing coating on the underside of said primary backing fabric.  
     
     
         9 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said underlying roll section attachment means can also be used for securing the outside edges of said roll sections to perimeter anchors.  
     
     
         10 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said primary backing fabric has at least a second primary backing layer attached thereunder and comprises loops thereon.  
     
     
         11 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said loops are one of tufted or laminated to said second primary backing layer.  
     
     
         12 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said second primary backing layer has a hooked top surface and a looped underside, and is fastened below said primary backing fabric, the hooks of said second primary backing layer adhering to the loops of said primary backing fabric.  
     
     
         13 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said roll sections of primary backing fabric contain inlaid markers, having looped undersides and which are fastened to said roll sections of primary backing fabric using said underlying roll section attachment means.  
     
     
         14 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said inlaid markers comprise those for playing fields including lines, numbers, hash marks and logos, and those for airport and highway landscaping including runway numbers, distance indication, logos, advertising and lettering.  
     
     
         15 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said artificial grass turf comprises those used for sport playing fields, any landscaping applications, and growing uses.  
     
     
         16 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said primary backing fabric is generally permeable, but can be non-permeable for applications such as indoor use.  
     
     
         17 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said primary backing fabric is perforated.  
     
     
         18 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said primary backing fabric is non-stretchable.  
     
     
         19 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said primary backing fabric comprises a non-woven material attached by needle-punching means.  
     
     
         20 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a coating is applied to the underside of the primary backing fabric only along rows of said synthetic grass ribbons.  
     
     
         21 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a looped fabric substrate layer is laminated to said underside of said primary backing fabric.  
     
     
         22 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said looped fabric substrate layer covers the full width of said roll sections.  
     
     
         23 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said roll sections of artificial turf are perforated.  
     
     
         24 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 21 , wherein an intermediate coating layer is located between said primary backing fabric and said looped fabric substrate layer.  
     
     
         25 . A method of adding inlaid markers to the artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 providing an inlaid marker having a primary backing fabric comprising synthetic grass ribbons extending outwards therefrom and manufactured with one of a hook portion and a hook portion of a hook and loop fastening system integral with an underside of the primary backing fabric;    cutting out a portion of said roll sections of artificial turf, the portion having a shape corresponding to that of the inlaid marker to be added and a surface area slightly larger than that of the inlaid marker;    removing the cut-out portion from the roll sections of artificial turf, creating a void therein;    laying the underlying roll section attachment means within the void, such that the underlying roll section attachment means underlies the surrounding roll sections substantially around a perimeter of said void; and    laying the inlaid marker into the void, the hook portion and the loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system engaging to retain the inlaid marker in place within the surrounding roll sections.    
     
     
         26 . The artificial grass turf as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said underlying roll section attachment means is integral with the primary backing fabric along an edge of one of said roll sections.  
     
     
         27 . A method of joining roll sections of an artificial turf, comprising the steps of: 
 providing adjacent roll sections of artificial turf, each having a primary backing fabric comprising synthetic grass ribbons extending outwards therefrom, and manufactured with one of a loop portion and a hook portion of a hook and loop fastening system integral with an underside of the primary backing fabric;    providing an underlying roll section attachment ribbon having a top surface including the other of the hook portion and loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system; and    laying the underlying roll section attachment ribbon beneath abutting edges of both adjacent roll sections of artificial turf, such that said roll sections substantially equally overlap the underlying roll section attachment ribbon, the hook portion and the loop portion of the hook and loop fastening system engaging to seam the adjacent roll sections of artificial turf together.