Amusement devices – Surface or enclosure for athletic or exhibition event
Patent
1995-11-07
1998-05-12
Nguyen, Kien T.
Amusement devices
Surface or enclosure for athletic or exhibition event
404 32, A63C 1910
Patent
active
057497877
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a floor cover based on an elastic plastic, with an essentially flat and passable top side and an underside arranged at a spaced location therefrom.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such covers for sports facilities have been known as granular covers, solid plastic covers or so-called sandwich covers. Such covers contain elastic plastic particles, which are bound with an elastic plastic resin binder. Waste rubber particles or the like are usually added, especially for cost reasons.
The covers are especially suitable for running sports, because they have a damping action during running as a consequence of their elasticity and diminish the overloading especially of joints. The surface is uneven as a consequence of projecting synthetic resin particles, and it ensures good adhesion of the running shoes when pushing off. Excellent running times have therefore been reached on such covers in short-and medium-distance events.
SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a floor cover which promotes even shorter running times and is yet durable and can be manufactured at a low cost. The task is accomplished in a floor cover of this class by the floor cover having means for forming anisotropic elasticity in the intended direction of running which is substantially parallel to the floor, or moving such that it damps a running shoe acting on the top side approximately in the direction of running more strongly than a running shoe acting on the top side in the opposite direction.
It is possible due to direction-dependent damping properties to design a sports field cover which is substantially harder to the runner at the time of pushing off, than during the deceleration after the airborne phase. This makes possible a better propulsion with equal damping actions at the end of the airborne phase. The floor cover according to the present invention is also suitable for use as a support surface for moving objects such as an industrial floor cover, e.g., for ramps and escalators, as well as for walkways especially where elasticity in one direction is preferred to another direction.
The present invention can be embodied at a particularly low cost if an elastically anisotropic means such as a material such as netting or fabric, which has a lower elasticity than the elastic plastic at least in some areas, is inserted into the elastic plastic, and this netting or fabric has pins, pegs or the like, which are inclined in the direction of running. In the case of a force acting on the top side of the cover approximately in the direction of running, these pins or pegs are bent at right angles to their longitudinal direction, and they exert only a very weak counterforce as a result. In the case of a corresponding action of a force in the opposite direction, these pins or pegs are stressed in their longitudinal direction, and as a result they offer a substantially stronger counteracting resistance to a deformation. The runner correspondingly experiences a higher resistance and correspondingly a weaker damping in this direction. Such a fabric is preferably made of synthetic or natural rubber. The elastic plastic forming the base is now preferably an elastomer, e.g., polyurethane.
The floor cover according to the present invention may be prepared from prefabricated slabs or webs or directly by pouring, especially on a sports field. The netting or the fabric can thus be fastened to the flat base prepared by means such as an adhesive. For example, polyurethane is subsequently poured on until the pins or pegs are covered.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure for a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
FIG. 1 is a view of a
REFERENCES:
patent: 1628090 (1927-05-01), Weiss
patent: 3022712 (1962-02-01), Cousino et al.
patent: 4301207 (1981-11-01), Schomerus
patent: 4948116 (1990-08-01), Vaux
patent: 5123778 (1992-06-01), Bohnhoff
Jank Werner A.
Nguyen Kien T.
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