Artificial tuft and associated devices and methods for making same

Abstract

Implementations herein describe an artificial turf having a backing layer and a plurality of rows of individual tufts tufted into the backing layer. Each tuft comprises at least three yarns per tuft and each one of the at least three yarns varies in at least one of material, color, texture, denier and cross-section. Each row of individual tufts is substantially similar to each adjacent tufted row and adjacent tufts on a given row are spaced apart at a predetermined gauge.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Artificial turf, comprising:
 a backing layer, and   a plurality of rows of individual tufts tufted into the backing layer, wherein each tuft comprises at least three yarns per tuft, wherein each one of the at least three yarns varies from the others in at least one of material, color, texture, tuft denier, denier per filament, and cross-section.   
     
     
         2 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least three yarns comprises a wrap yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The artificial turf of  claim 2 , wherein the wrap yarn comprises one of a low-bulk, low temperature-shrinkage fiber, a medium-bulk, low temperature-shrinkage fiber and a high-bulk, low temperature-shrinkage fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The artificial turf of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the at least three yarns comprises a bulk continuous filament yarn. 
     
     
         5 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein a given tufted row of the plurality of tufted rows is substantially similar to each adjacent tufted row, and wherein adjacent tufts on a given row are spaced apart at a predetermined gauge. 
     
     
         6 . The artificial turf of  claim 5 , wherein each tuft comprises a tuft denier that is the sum of the respective denier of each of the at least three yarns. 
     
     
         7 . The artificial turf of  claim 5 , wherein the tuft denier is about 3,000 to about 60,000. 
     
     
         8 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least three yarns comprises a denier of about 70 to about 20,000. 
     
     
         9 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein at least one yarn of the at least three yarns comprises a textured yarn. 
     
     
         10 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein at least one yarn of the at least three yarns comprises a slit yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein at least one yarn of the at least three yarns comprises a monofilament yarn. 
     
     
         12 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , further comprising infill material disposed on a top surface of the backing layer and in between the tufts. 
     
     
         13 . The artificial turf of  claim 12 , wherein the infill material comprises at least one of rubber particles, sand and natural materials. 
     
     
         14 . The artificial turf of  claim 1 , wherein each yarn of the at least three yarns comprises a material selected from the group comprising LDPE, MDPE, Nylon, PP, PET, PLA and co-extruded biomaterials thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A tufting assembly, comprising;
 a plurality of needles, wherein each needle is adapted to receive at least a first yarn, a second yarn and a third yarn and wherein each of the first yarn, the second yarn and the third yarn are selected to be distinct from each other;   a creel assembly having at least three post positions associated with each needle, wherein each post position is operable to receive a yarn bundle having one of at least the first yarn, the second yarn and the third yarn wound thereon; and   a plurality of tensioners, wherein each tensioner is associated with each of the first yarn, the second yarn and the third yarn and wherein a tension associated with each tensioner can be selectively modified such that substantially equal tension between the first, second and third yarns can be delivered to each needle;   wherein each of the plurality of needles is adapted to tuft at least the first yarn, the second yarn and the third yarn simultaneously through at least a primary backing layer.   
     
     
         16 . The tufting machine of  claim 15 , further comprising at least three feed rollers configured to feed the respective first, second, and third yarns to the plurality of needles. 
     
     
         17 . The tufting machine of  claim 15 , wherein, upon tufting through at least the primary backing layer, at least the first yarn, the second yarn and the third yarn each form a tufted loop. 
     
     
         18 . The tufting machine of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the tufted loops are cut. 
     
     
         19 . The tufting machine of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first yarn, the second yard and the third yarn comprise a wrap yarn. 
     
     
         20 . The tufting machine of  claim 2 , wherein each one of the at least three yarns varies from the others in at least one of material, color, texture, tuft denier, denier per filament, and cross-section.