EP0582597A1 - Protection de sol - Google Patents

Protection de sol

Info

Publication number
EP0582597A1
EP0582597A1 EP19920908975 EP92908975A EP0582597A1 EP 0582597 A1 EP0582597 A1 EP 0582597A1 EP 19920908975 EP19920908975 EP 19920908975 EP 92908975 A EP92908975 A EP 92908975A EP 0582597 A1 EP0582597 A1 EP 0582597A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
tubes
cover according
cover
atmospheric pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19920908975
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jremy Johnson-Marshall
Stephen Robert Webb
Neil Geoffrey Pollard
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0582597A1 publication Critical patent/EP0582597A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C19/00—Design or layout of playing courts, rinks, bowling greens or areas for water-skiing; Covers therefor
    • A63C19/12—Removable protective covers for courts, rinks, or game pitches or the like

Definitions

  • Ground Cover This invention relates to a ground cover, for example (but not exclusively) one which can be used to protect the grass of sports fields.
  • a number of air supported structures have been used in the past for protection of sports fields in connection with a variety of different sports.
  • ground covers for cricket squares, tennis courts and football pitches.
  • ground covers are somewhat cumbersome and easily fall into a state of disrepair.
  • ground covers presently available tend to be relatively expensive, especially since many require permanent foundations.
  • Other covers require a large underground trench, preferably with an artificial grass cover, to store the ground cover when it is not in use.
  • permanent anchor points for securing the erected cover to the ground are often required.
  • Other forms of ground cover presently available are simple plastic sheets laid on the ground and rolled up to one side of the ground to be protected when not in use. These have the disadvantage that they do not throw rainwater clear, and they also cannot be used for extensive periods since they are likely to cause grass disease.
  • the present invention attempts to overcome these problems since it does not require extensive permanent securing means, can be easily stored, is relatively inexpensive and, in certain of its arrangements, is less likely to cause grass disease when in use.
  • a ground cover comprising: a main sheet; and means for creating a sub-atmospheric pressure beneath the sheet.
  • the sheet is hollow and divided into zones, and there is also provided means for creating a super-atmospheric pressure in the hollow zones within the shee .
  • ground cover can be formed of a robust plastics material, but other robust materials could also be used.
  • the ground cover can have any desired shape, but conveniently is rectangular, for example square.
  • the main sheet is preferably in the form of a plurality of zones or compartments in the form of inflated tubes joined to each other. A positive pressure is maintained in these tubes whilst the ground cover is in use, for example by means of an attached fan pumping air into the tubes.
  • Each tube may be joined to an adjacent tube by seams which may act as gutters on the outside of the sheet for rainwater, or the like.
  • the tubes taper and become smaller in height from one end to the other such that rainwater may travel along the seams which- act as gutters from the larger end to the smaller end of the tubes to a collection point, from where it may be pumped away from the surface to be protected.
  • the tubes may be in any position relative to each other but are preferably parallel.
  • the walls between the tubes may be solid, in which case each is inflated by passage of air around the perimeter of the cover into each tube separately, or may, for example, comprise netting thus allowing passage of air between the walls of adjacent tubes. If the walls between the tubes are solid, passage of air may be allowed into either end or both ends of the tubes.
  • the ground cover Underneath the ground cover there is provided a reduced air pressure, which draws the cover downwardly towards the ground, thus opposing wind forces which may tend to lift' the cover due to the "vacuum effect” induced by the movement of the wind at speed over the upper surface of the cover, and also due to the wind getting under the edge of the cover and then lifting it.
  • the likelihood of grass disease is reduced due to the passage of air under the region of the seams between adjacent tubes making up the ground cover.
  • the fan speed can be adjusted to increase the sub-atmospheric pressure beneath the ground cover and therefore to increase the downward force.
  • the fan speeds may also be adjusted in order to ease the movement of the cover from one part of a surface to be protected to another part of that surface.
  • the air pumped into the tubes may be warm in order to protect the ground from the cold due to frosty or snowy conditions, and to melt snow for removal.
  • the introduction of warm air may enhance growing conditions under the cover, which could preferably be further improved by the secondary infiltration of warm air through perforations in any or all of the tubes, preferably only the outermost tubes, or similar means, to the underside of the cover which is at sub-atmospheric pressure.
  • a simple guy rope and peg system may be provided as emergency backup in the event of power failure.
  • cover Although a wide variety of shapes and sizes of cover can be manufactured and used, very large areas may be protected by joining two or more ground covers to each other in order achieve the desired degree of protection.
  • the typical size of a single cover may be 22m x 44m and is suitable for covering, for example, the main area of wear on football pitches, that is the penalty area or centre circle.
  • the super-atmospheric pressure for the inflation of the tubes is of the order of 1500 Pa gauge
  • the sub-atmospheric pressure used beneath the ground cover is of the order of -356 Pa gauge.
  • the ground cover is deflated and, for convenience, a trailer can be provided, which can support the fan unit and the deflated cover for easy storage.
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of the cover;
  • Figures 2 and 5 are respectively side views in the directions of the arrows Il-ll and V-V in Figure 1; and
  • Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7 are respectively cross- sections taken along the lines Ill-Ill, IV-IV, VI-VI and VII-VII in Figure 1.
  • the cover 1 includes a plurality of tubes 2 joined together along seams 3 and having open ends 6 and partially closed ends
  • the ends 7 having end walls which are perforated and are formed of netting, for example.
  • air is pumped into the cover 1 through an inflation inlet 4 and then passes around a peripheral distributing tube 5 of the cover entering the tubes 2 at both their partially closed ends 7 and their open ends 6. The air is pumped into the cover 1 until the desired degree of inflation is achieved.
  • the ends 6 of the tubes 2 are greater in height than the ends 7 of the tubes 2, and, as a result, there is a slope from the ends 6 to the ends 7 down which rainwater or the like may fall.
  • a sub-atmospheric pressure is achieved beneath the cover 1 by extracting air through an outlet 8.
  • the resulting reduced air pressure draws the cover 1 onto the ground, thus opposing wind forces which may lift the cover due to the "vacuum effect" induced by the movement of the wind at speed over the upper surface of the cover, and also due to the wind getting under the edge of the cover and then lifting it.
  • the presence of the seams 3, as well as the provision of inflatable projections 10 (see Figure 6) on the bottoms of the tubes 2 means that the area of the underside of the cover in contact with the ground is relatively small, and this, in combination with the passage of air under the cover, reduces the likelihood of significant grass disease.
  • the distributing tube 5 is itself provided with an inflatable lower rib 11 extending about the periphery.
  • the cross-sectional view in Figure 6 shows the slope of the tubes 2 from the larger ends 6 of the tubes to the smaller ends 7 of the tubes, whereas the cross- sectional view in Figure 7 shows the joining walls 9 at the seams 3 between the tubes 2.
  • the cross-sectional view at the larger ends 6 of the tubes 2 is shown in which the seams 3 are formed by the joining walls 9 between the tubes.
  • the walls 9 may be solid, in which case the tubes 2 are inflated by passage of air into one or both ends of the tubes, or may comprise netting thus allowing passage of air between adjacent tubes.
  • the cross-sectional view at the smaller ends 7 of the tubes 2 is shown.
  • the area of contact between adjacent tubes is small at the ends 7.
  • the area of contact between adjacent tubes tapers from a maximum at the larger ends 6 of the tubes to a minimum at the smaller ends 7 of the tubes.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)

Abstract

Protection de sol (1) destinée à protéger l'herbe d'un terrain de sport comprenant une pluralité de tubes (2) reliés entre eux le long de jointures (3) et possédant une extrémité ouverte (6) et une extrémité partiellement fermée. Lors de son utilisation, l'air est pompé dans la protection à travers un orifice d'admission (4) vers un tube de distribution (5) et tous les autres tubes (2). Les exrémités (6) sont plus hautes que les extrémités (7) du tube, ce qui permet d'obtenir une pente le long de laquelle peut s'écouler la pluie. Une fois les tubes (2) gonflés, on crée une ligne de pression sous la protection en aspirant l'air à travers une sortie (8). Cette dépression plaque la protection contre le sol, ce qui permet de contrecarrer la force du vent qui aurait tendance à soulever la protection. Une telle protection peut être utilisée sans moyens de fixation permanents et provoque moins de dégâts à l'herbe qu'un dispositif classique.
EP19920908975 1991-05-02 1992-04-29 Protection de sol Withdrawn EP0582597A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB919109479A GB9109479D0 (en) 1991-05-02 1991-05-02 Ground cover
GB9109479 1991-05-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0582597A1 true EP0582597A1 (fr) 1994-02-16

Family

ID=10694330

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920908975 Withdrawn EP0582597A1 (fr) 1991-05-02 1992-04-29 Protection de sol

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0582597A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH06506847A (fr)
CA (1) CA2108973A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB9109479D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1992019335A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2151802B1 (es) * 1998-02-24 2001-08-16 Bermejo Francisco Ortez Sistema para proteccion de terrenos preferentemente deportivos.
GB2359026B (en) * 1999-12-24 2003-10-01 Kenyon Textiles Ltd Protective cover for a sports surface
BE1025615B1 (fr) * 2018-02-01 2019-04-29 Maxim Stillemant MS Dry
NL2024218B1 (en) * 2019-11-12 2021-08-23 Hato World B V Impact attenuating system

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE672097A (fr) * 1963-03-26 1966-03-01
US3324846A (en) * 1963-11-28 1967-06-13 Albert A Smith Method and apparatus for drying fields
US3619957A (en) * 1969-12-11 1971-11-16 Herbert Alexander Adam Inflatable canopy for outdoor areas
GB2047546A (en) * 1979-04-24 1980-12-03 Williams J Fluid impervious cover

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9219335A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9109479D0 (en) 1991-06-26
CA2108973A1 (fr) 1992-11-03
JPH06506847A (ja) 1994-08-04
WO1992019335A1 (fr) 1992-11-12

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19931124

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IT LI NL SE

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19941104

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19950315