Turf quick change system and method

Abstract

A turf system including a turf segment and a base pad laminated with the turf segment, where a bottom face of the turf segment is fixed with a top face of the base pad. The base pad is thicker than the turf segment in a direction perpendicular to a laminated direction between the turf and the base, the base pad is heavier than the turf segment per unit area along the laminated direction, or the base pad is rigid as compared to the turf segment.

1 . A turf system comprising:
 a turf segment; and   a base pad laminated with the turf segment, wherein a bottom face of the turf segment is fixed with a top face of the base pad, and   the base pad is thicker than the turf segment in a direction perpendicular to a laminated direction between the turf and the base, the base pad is heavier than the turf segment per unit area along the laminated direction, or the base pad is rigid as compared to the turf segment.   
     
     
         2 . The turf system of  claim 1 , wherein the turf segment defines a turf segment perimeter that encases the base pad in the laminated direction, and the base pad defines a base pad perimeter that extends along the turf segment perimeter in the laminated direction. 
     
     
         3 . The turf system of  claim 1 , further comprising a footing fixed with the turf segment or the base pad, where the footing supports a user on the turf segment, and includes a plate, a post, a scoreboard, a backstop, or an indicator line. 
     
     
         4 . The turf system of  claim 1 , wherein the turf segment is integrally formed with the base pad, mechanically fixed with the base pad, or adhered to the base pad. 
     
     
         5 . The turf system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tray that receives the turf segment with the base pad, wherein the turf segment and the base pad are removable from the tray as compared to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The turf system of  claim 5 , wherein the tray includes a bottom tray portion that supports the turf segment and the base pad, and includes tray walls formed from raised edges of the bottom tray portion, and
 the tray walls overlap the base pad in the laminated direction.   
     
     
         7 . The turf system of  claim 6 , wherein a top end of the tray walls and the top face of the base pad occupy a same position in a direction perpendicular to the laminated direction. 
     
     
         8 . The turf system of  claim 6 , wherein the tray walls define a tray perimeter,
 the turf segment and the base pad are a first turf segment and a first base pad that form a first turf module supported on the tray, the first turf module having an outer edge that defines a first turf module perimeter,   the system comprises a second turf module supported on the tray, the second turf module including a second turf segment laminated with a second base pad, and having an outer edge that defines a second turf module perimeter, and   the first turf module and the second turf module tessellate with each other and fit the tray perimeter such that the first turf module perimeter extends along the tray perimeter or the second turf module perimeter.   
     
     
         9 . The turf system of  claim 8 , wherein the tray supports a plurality of turf modules including the first turf module and the second module, and
 the first turf module and the second module tessellate with each other and fit the tray perimeter such that a majority of the first turf module perimeter extends along the tray perimeter or module perimeters defined by the plurality of turf modules, and a majority of the tray perimeter extends along the module perimeters.   
     
     
         10 . The turf system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a foundation that includes foundation walls that extend upward from around the tray in the laminated direction such that the foundation walls overlap the tray in the laminated direction, wherein a top end of the tray walls and a top end of the foundation walls occupy a same position in a direction perpendicular to the laminated direction, and the foundation is relatively rigid as compared to the tray; and   an adjacent flooring disposed on top of the tray walls and the foundation walls, wherein the adjacent flooring extends along and is flush with the turf segment.   
     
     
         11 . The turf system of  claim 6 , wherein the tray includes a bottom tray portion that supports the turf segment and the base pad between the tray walls in the laminated direction,
 the tray walls extend upward from the bottom tray portion, around the base pad in the laminated direction, and   the bottom tray portion defines an aperture below the turf segment, between the tray walls in the laminated direction.   
     
     
         12 . The turf system of  claim 5 , wherein the tray includes a bottom tray portion having a top face that supports the turf segment and the base pad, and having a bottom face opposite the top face,
 the turf system further comprises a tag fixed with the bottom face,   the tag is formed from a flexible ribbon having a length greater than a combined width of the turf segment and the base pad.   
     
     
         13 . The turf system of  claim 5 , wherein the tray includes a bottom tray portion that supports the turf segment and the base pad,
 the base pad is a first base pad,   the turf system further comprises a second base pad that is a shock pad disposed on top of the tray, between the tray and the first base pad in a vertical direction perpendicular to the laminated direction, the tray being relatively rigid as compared to the second base pad, and   the second base pad is interposed between and separates the first base pad and the bottom tray portion in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         14 . The turf system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tray that supports the turf segment and the base pad on a bottom tray portion;   tray walls that extend upward from the bottom tray portion, and overlap the base pad in the laminated direction, around a perimeter of the turf segment and the base pad; and   an adjacent flooring that extends along the perimeter of the turf segment and the base pad, wherein the adjacent flooring is disposed on top of the tray walls and flush with the turf segment.   
     
     
         15 . The turf system of  claim 1 , wherein the turf segment laminated with the base pad forms a turf module, and an outer edge of the turf module in the laminated direction forms a regular polygon shape. 
     
     
         16 . The turf system of  claim 1 , wherein the turf segment includes turf on a top face opposite the bottom face of the turf segment in a direction perpendicular to the laminated direction. 
     
     
         17 . The turf system of  claim 1 , wherein the base pad is a shock pad formed from rubber, including a styrene-butadiene rubber, an ethylene propylene diene monomer, a thermoplastic elastomer, a polyurethane rubber, a natural rubber, or a nitrile rubber. 
     
     
         18 . A method of replacing a turf module in a turf system, the method comprising:
 recessing a tray into a flooring, wherein the tray includes a bottom tray portion that supports a first turf module, and includes tray walls that extend upward from the bottom tray portion, around a first turf module disposed in the tray; and   removing the first turf module from a tray, wherein the first turf module includes a first turf segment laminated with a first base pad, and the first base pad is lifted from the tray with the first turf segment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising disposing a second turf module in the tray, at a location previously occupied by the first turf module, wherein the second turf module includes a second turf segment laminated with a second base pad, the second turf module is a same size and shape as the first turf module, and disposing the second turf module in the tray includes lowering the second base pad onto the bottom tray portion, between the tray walls. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom tray portion supports the second turf module in the tray, and the tray walls receive the second turf module in a snug fit connection that obstructs the second turf module from moving in a laminated direction relative to the tray.