Artificial turf with marbled monofilament

US11608572B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Polytex Sportbeläge Produktions-GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stephan SICK · Willich, DE
• Dirk SANDER · Kerken, DE
• Bernd JANSEN · Nettetal, DE
• Dirk SCHMITZ · Weeze, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 10, 2020
• Grant date: Mar 21, 2023
• Expiry date: Sep 16, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC D): Textiles; Paper
• CPC primary: D10B2505/202
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method of manufacturing artificial turf creating a liquid polymer mixture, wherein the polymer mixture is at least a two-phase system. A first one of the phases includes a first polymer and a first dye, and a second one of the phases of the polymer mixture includes a second polymer and a second dye. The second dye has a different color than the first dye, the second polymer being of the same or of a different type as the first polymer. The first and the second phase are immiscible, the first phase forming polymer beads within the second phase. The method further includes extruding the polymer mixture into a monofilament including a marbled pattern of the first and second color; quenching the monofilament; reheating the monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the polymer beads into threadlike regions and to form the monofilament into an artificial turf fiber; and incorporating the artificial turf fiber into an artificial turf backing.