US 11,859,352 B2
Artificial turf infill with natural fiber and rubber granulate
Jorg Siekmann, Guetersloh (DE)
Assigned to Melos GmbH, Melle (DE)
Appl. No. 16/315,488
Filed by Melos GmbH, Melle (DE)
PCT Filed Jul. 21, 2017, PCT No. PCT/EP2017/068543
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 4, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/019734, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 1, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 16181508 (EP), filed on Jul. 27, 2016; and application No. 16204500 (EP), filed on Dec. 15, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0316303 A1, Oct. 17, 2019
Int. Cl. E01C 13/08 (2006.01); C08L 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC E01C 13/083 (2013.01) [C08L 21/00 (2013.01); E01C 13/08 (2013.01); D10B 2505/202 (2013.01); Y10T 428/23921 (2015.04); Y10T 428/2982 (2015.01); Y10T 428/2991 (2015.01); Y10T 428/2998 (2015.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An artificial turf comprising:
an artificial turf infill, the artificial turf infill including natural fiber mixed with rubber granulate, the artificial turf infill including between 10% and 40% of the natural fiber by weight, the natural fiber including hemp fiber, cotton fiber, sisal fiber, elephant grass fiber, or any combination thereof,
wherein the rubber granulate includes outer coatings,
wherein one of the outer coatings covers a portion of a surface of the rubber granulate and includes a first binding agent,
wherein at least a portion of the natural fiber is attached to the rubber granulate by the one of the outer coatings,
wherein another one of the outer coatings covers another portion of the surface of the rubber granulate and a portion of a surface of the one of the outer coatings and comprises a second binding agent,
wherein at least another portion of the natural fiber is attached to the rubber granulate by the other one of the outer coatings,
wherein the one of the outer coatings is a first outer coating, wherein another one of the outer coatings is a second outer coating, and wherein the rubber granulate comprises one or more further outer coatings, wherein each further outer coating of the one or more further outer coatings includes either the first or second binding agent, and wherein each further outer coating of the one or more further outer coatings does not include the natural fiber.