IP Library Granted Patent US 12,247,360
Granted Patent B2
US 12,247,360 · App. 17/335,488 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Infill for artificial turf system

Inventors: Daniel C. Sawyer (Boulder, CO); Stephen Keyser (Longmont, CO); Steven L. Sawyer (Huntington Beach, CA); Richard R. Runkles (Windsor, CO)
Assignee: Brock USA, LLC
E01C13/083D06N7/0086E01C13/08D10B2505/202Y10T428/23921Y10T428/2982
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,247,360
App. No.
17/335,488
Granted
Mar 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An artificial turf system includes a turf assembly having a turf backing and stands of artificial grass blades extending from the turf backing to form an artificial turf layer. Infill material is placed in between the blades of artificial grass and on top of the turf backing. The infill material has a composition of sand in an amount within the range of from about 80 to about 98 percent of the infill by dry bulk weight, and organic particles in an amount within the range of from about 2 to about 20 percent of the infill by dry bulk weight.

Claims (8)

1. An artificial turf system comprising:

a turf carpet having a plurality of spaced apart synthetic grass blades attached to a backing layer;

an underlayment layer defining at least one of a water channeling characteristic or a water permeability characteristic; and

an infill material dispersed onto the turf carpet between the grass blades, the infill material including sand and a plurality of wood particles, at least a portion of the plurality of wood particles defining a length dimension oriented generally parallel to a grain structure of the wood particles, the length dimension in a range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm, and wherein the portion of wood particles maintains a water absorptive property that permits water to be retained by the portion of wood particles and released over time to disperse heat from the infill material.

2. The artificial turf system of claim 1 wherein the underlayment layer is formed from expanded polyethylene or polypropylene bead material having a density in a range of 20-90 g/l.

3. The artificial turf system of claim 1 wherein the underlayment layer defines the water channeling characteristic through channels formed in at least one of a top surface or a bottom surface.

4. The artificial turf system of claim 1 wherein the underlayment layer defines the water permeability characteristic through one of drain holes formed though a thickness of the underlayment layer or interstitial voids formed though the thickness of the underlayment layer.

5. The artificial turf system of claim 1 wherein the length dimension is greater than a width or a thickness dimension, the length and one of the width or thickness dimensions defining an aspect ratio within a range of 1:2 to 10:1, and at least one of the edges along the length dimension are generally rounded.

Assignments (5)
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 9, 2025
From: BROCK USA, LLC
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073891/0555 →
ABL PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 9, 2025
From: BROCK USA, LLC
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073899/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2025
From: BROCK USA, LLC
To: PLAYCORE ACQUISITION SUB XVI, LLC
Reel/Frame 071536/0896 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 26, 2025
From: PLAYCORE ACQUISITION SUB XVI, LLC
To: BROCK USA, LLC
Reel/Frame 071751/0203 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2021
From: SAWYER, DANIEL C., MR.; KEYSER, STEPHEN, MR.; SAWYER, STEVEN L., MR.; RUNKLES, RICHARD R., MR.
To: BROCK USA, LLC
Reel/Frame 056402/0167 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 16295835 · Mar 7, 2019
Continuation PCTUS2018025266 · Mar 29, 2018
Provisional Application 62733116 · Sep 19, 2018
Provisional Application 62731499 · Sep 14, 2018
Provisional Application 62616858 · Jan 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62529543 · Jul 7, 2017
Provisional Application 62478254 · Mar 29, 2017
Related Publication 20210285166A1 · Sep 16, 2021
References Cited (6)
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US 20080176010A1 · Sawyer · 2008 [cited by examiner]
KR 20170105233A · 2017 [cited by examiner]
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Twomey et al., “Rotational traction testing: How can we improve the current test device?” Procedia Engineering 72 (2014) 919-924. [cited by examiner]