Organic infill for artificial turf fields

Abstract

The present invention relates to organic infill for artificial turf fields. The organic infill includes at least one layer of particles having walnut shell particles. At least 1% of the walnut shell particles are particles that have a sieve size of 50 or smaller sized particles. The at least one layer can further include walnut shell particles in other sieve ranges, sand, or both, and be intermixed in the at least one layer. The organic infill can also include a layer of sand overlaying a backing of an artificial turf field. The at least one layer overlays on the sand layer. The organic infill can further include a layer of walnut shell particles or extruded composite. The layer includes walnut shell particles having a sieve range different from the sieve range in the at least one layer. The layer overlays on the at least one layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An infill composition for artificial turf fields comprising:
 at least one layer of particles comprising walnut shell particles, the walnut shell particles include walnut particles that have a sieve size of 50 or smaller sized particles, and the walnut particles that have a sieve size of 50 or smaller sized particles are between about 1% and about 5% by weight of the walnut shell particles.   
     
     
         2 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer is applied over a backing of an artificial turf field and is interspersed between artificial fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the infill is an organic infill that is without or is almost entirely without containing rubber or similar materials. 
     
     
         4 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the remainder of the walnut shell particles in the layer includes an amount of walnut shell particles in the 10-40 sieve range, wherein the amount of walnut shell particles in the 10-40 sieve range is 50% or higher by weight of the walnut shell particles. 
     
     
         5 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer is made entirely from walnut shell particles. 
     
     
         6 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the walnut shell particles are raw or untreated crushed walnut shells. 
     
     
         7 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the walnut shell particles further comprise walnut shell particles in a first sieve range, wherein the walnut shell particles in the first sieve range include walnut shell particles larger than the particles having a sieve size of 50 or smaller. 
     
     
         8 . The infill composition of  claim 7 , wherein the amount of the walnut shell particles in the first sieve range is above 90% by weight of the walnut shell particles. 
     
     
         9 . The infill composition of  claim 7 , wherein the first sieve range is from 14 to 40. 
     
     
         10 . The infill composition of  claim 7 , wherein the walnut shell particles in the first sieve range and the particles between about 1% and about 5% by weight of the walnut shell particles are intermixed in the at least one layer. 
     
     
         11 . The infill composition of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one layer of particles further comprises sand. 
     
     
         12 . The infill composition of  claim 11 , wherein the particles between about 1% and about 5% by weight of the walnut shell particles, the walnut shell particles in the first sieve range, and the sand are intermixed in the at least one layer of particles. 
     
     
         13 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particles between about 1% and about 5% by weight of the walnut shell particles are particles that have a sieve size from 50 to 100. 
     
     
         14 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of particles further comprising sand in a sieve size range from 20 to 50. 
     
     
         15 . The infill composition of  claim 14 , wherein the walnut shell particles and the sand are intermixed in the at least one layer. 
     
     
         16 . The infill composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of particles comprising sand overlaying a backing of an artificial turf field. 
     
     
         17 . The infill composition of  claim 16 , wherein the least one layer overlays the second layer. 
     
     
         18 . The infill composition of  claim 17 , further comprising a third layer of walnut shell particles or extrude composite, wherein the third layer overlays the least one layer. 
     
     
         19 . The infill composition of  claim 18 , wherein the walnut shell particles further comprise walnut shell particles in a first sieve range, and the walnut shell particles in the first sieve range include walnut shell particles larger than the particles having a sieve size of 50 or smaller. 
     
     
         20 . The infill composition of  claim 19 , wherein the walnut shell particles in the third layer are in a second sieve range that is different from the first sieve range.