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Golf practice matGolf practice mat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080096684, Golf practice mat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to an improved golf practice mat for instructional and practice purposes. It is usable indoors and outdoors and simulates the look and feel of natural grass. The use of artificial mats in lieu of natural grass as a practice surface before hitting golf balls is well known and wide spread due to the maintenance and area requirements for using natural grass as a practice surface. A properly stuck iron shot contacts the ball before the hitting surface, driving the ball and club downwardly and through the grass, leaving a divot in the grass. The repetitive striking of balls as occurs during practice is obviously quite damaging to the natural hitting surface. Accordingly, the ball striking area must be constantly moved to fresh grass while the previously used area is regenerated. The resulting maintenance and area requirements can be alleviated by the use of an artificial hitting surface. [0002]A variety of artificial golf practice surfaces, also known as golf mats, have here to fore been developed as a substitute for natural grass. The surfaces attempt to simulate the look and feel of a natural grass surface. The results of such efforts, however, have not proved overly successful and golfers universally prefer natural grass for practice over artificial surfaces. A typical golf mat is comprised of synthetic turf attached to a shock absorbing pad. [0003]Mechanical devices have also been employed which allow the hitting section of the mat to move upon impact. None of such devices, however, have proved successful in simulating the resistance in give of hitting down and through natural grass. These mechanical devises also have limited utility due to premature wear of their relatively small hitting surface which must take the impact of each hit. In addition, most golfers prefer the convenience of being able to hit different shots from various areas of the practice mat rather than having to carefully place the ball in the exact spot before each shot. [0004]More typical golf mats, however, either comprise synthetic turf attached to a shock absorbing pad or synthetic brush like bristles attached to a base without the inclusion of a shock absorbing pad. Both types of mat typically employ a nylon which is a highly durable material but also high in friction. Brush style mats utilizing nylon bristles exhibit an even higher coefficient of friction than the synthetic turf mats and, without a shock absorbing pad, present a very hard surface resulting in an overall very poor feel for the golfer. Synthetic turf mats comprised of a nylon fiber such as ASTRO TURF (a federally registered trademark of Textile Management associates, Inc.) also exhibit high frictional drag at impact, again resulting in a poor feel for the golfer. Synthetic turf base mats comprised of polypropylene fibers are also known. While polypropylene fiber turf is less durable than nylon and has a lower coefficient of friction than a nylon turf, it still exhibits sufficient drag at impact so as not to replicate the feel of natural grass. Synthetic turf comprised of polyethylene fiber has also been developed but has not proved satisfactory in golf practice mats due to its poor durability producing an unacceptably short product life. [0005]It would be highly desirable to produce a golf mat formed of synthetic material or materials which retains the durability of the practice mats heretofore available but which more accurately replicate the feel of natural grass when striking a golf ball resting on the practice surface. The golf mat of the present invention obtains that result. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006]The golf mat of the present invention comprises a synthetic turf formed of a first plurality of elongated durable fibers having a low coefficient of friction, a second plurality of thinner, curled and twisted highly durable supporting fibers and a backing for securing the fibers to a shock absorbing resilient pad. The elongated fibers are preferably formed of a durable polyethylene copolymer that provides the actual hitting surface for the mat and provides that surface with a low coefficient of friction resulting in an exceptional feel and simulating the look and feel of natural grass. The curled supporting fibers are preferably formed of a durable nylon fiber that provides a resiliency to the mat for an extended wear life. The fibers are secured to durable synthetic backing, preferably by means of a tufting process and the backing, with the attached fibers thereto, is bonded to the pad. The shock absorbing resilient pad is preferably formed of a chemically cross-linked polyethylene foam that provides a highly durable shock absorber for the mat capable of retaining its configuration and shock absorption properties after repeated usage thus, contributing to both the durability and feel of the golf mat over the life of the mat. The resulting turf and pad combination reduces the bouncing effect found in conventional golf mats, allowing the club to move down and through the ball after impact simulating the feel of striking a golf ball on natural grass. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a portion of an exemplary golf practice mat constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0008]FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic representation of a cross-section of a portion of an exemplary golf practice mat constructed in accordance with the present invention illustrating the stitching and relative positioning of the fibers in a single layer backing. [0009]FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of an exemplary golf practice mat constructed in accordance with the present invention embodying a two-layer backing. [0010]FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of an exemplary golf practice mat constructed in accordance with the present invention embodying a single-layer backing. [0011]FIGS. 5A-5C are schematic illustrations of the forming of a first embodiment of a golf practice mat of the present invention. [0012]FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the forming of a second embodiment of a golf practice mat of the present invention. [0013]FIG. 7 is a graphic illustration of the results of the comparative testing of the coefficient of friction for the elongated fibers employed in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014]Referring now in detail to the drawings, the artificial practice surface or golf practice mat 10 of the present invention, also referred to as a golf mat, can be formed in any desired area size depending on its application and comprises a first plurality of elongated fibers 12, a second plurality of supporting fibers 14, a turf backing 16 and pad 18. The backing 16 with the fibers 12 and 14 that are stitched thereto, as will be described, are collectively referred to as the turf. The first plurality of fibers must be very durable, particularly when subjected to a load in a transverse direction, and exhibit a low coefficient friction to provide the surface with the proper feel. Polyethylene fibers marketed by Ten Cate Thiolon under the designation Thiolon XP have proved to provide such characteristics. Such fibers are extruded and formed as fibrillated band fibers and have a fineness of about 8500-11,500 denier with about 10,000 denier being most preferable. [0015]While most polyethylene fibers have a low coefficient of friction, they lack sufficient durability for use in a golf mat. When a synthetic fiber is subjected to a load in a transverse direction of the type generated by a golf club striking a ball, the fiber must have a tensile strength at break of greater than 1 megapascal (MPa) or >145 psi/in.sup.2 and an elongation of >50%. The Thiolon fibers 12 that are preferably employed in the present invention have a measured coefficient of friction of 0.174, yet have a tensile strength at break of about 2.8 MPa and an elongation of 100% in contrast to a standard polyester fiber which may have a slightly lower coefficient of friction but a tensile strength at break of 0.3 MPa and 2% elongation when tested in the transverse direction. The coefficient of friction of the elongated, fibrillated fibers 12 was determined by using the following test parameters and procedure: TABLE-US-00001 Test Parameters: Specimen: Tested as received Load applied: 9 lbs. Equipment: MTS 831.12 Elastomer Test System Temperature: 23.degree. C. Procedure: The samples ere first wrapped around a piece of glass in the direction of travel. The samples were then placed on top of a linear bearing which had a 20 lbs. load cell attached to the end to record frictional force. The rod used to drag against the turf was a polishedstainless steel rod that measured 0.3730 in. in diameter, and 3.00 in. long. A load of 9 lbs. was applied to the rod before dragging it across the sample. Load and displacement were zeroed once the sample was in place and the rod was loaded. Each pass was approximately 60 mm. [0016]Using the above methodology, the coefficient of friction was measured for both the elongated polyethylene fibers 12 and the supporting fibers 14 (which, as will be discussed, are formed from eight strands of nylon 66 fibers). Additionally, the coefficient of friction was determined for a conventional polyethylene fiber from Bonar Plastics, Inc. (Bonar Yarns No. 29/42). The results of this testing are illustrated in FIG. 7. As seen therein, the nylon material used in the supporting fibers 14 of the present invention exhibited the highest coefficient of friction. While the coefficient of the Bonar material was below that of the Thiolon fibers preferred in the present invention, the Bonar material, like typical standard polyester fibers, exhibits inadequate tensile strength for use in the present invention. Using the above-described testing methodology, the fibers 12 utilized in the present invention should exhibit a coefficient of friction within the range of about 0.125-0.200 to provide the golf mat 10 with the feel necessary to replicate grass turf. They should also exhibit the above-described durability to enable the mat to withstand repeated use. [0017]The Thiolon XP fibers 12 that provide both the desired mechanical strength and low coefficient of friction are comprised of two synthetic compounds wherein the first compound comprises a polymer and the second compound comprises a plastomer. The first compound is polyethylene and both (linear) low-density polyethylene or high density polyethylene can be utilized. The plastomer comprising the second compound is a copolymer of ethene, with one or more alpha.-olefins having 3-10 carbon atoms, in particular propene, isobutene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and 1-octene as the comonomer. Alternatively, the plastomer could comprise a copolymer of ethene, with 1-octene as the comonomer. The proportion of comonomer ranges between about 0 and 50 wt. %. More preferably, the proportion of comonomer ranges between about 5 and 35 wt. %. The proportion of the plastomer in the fiber is about 30-80 wt. %. More preferably, the proportion of the plastomer in the fiber is about 35-50 wt. %. The density of the plastomer generally ranges between about 860 and 970 k/m.sup.3. It is to be understood, however, that other fibers exhibiting such a low coefficient of friction and also having the above-described desired durability characteristics could be utilized in forming the elongated fibers 12. [0018]The supporting fibers 14 are very durable and are curled and twisted about the elongated fibers 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2 to provide resiliency and extended wear life to the mat 10. Nylon has been found to be a highly suitable material for fibers 14. More particularly, eight strands of nylon 66 fibers manufactured by Synthetic Turf Resources of Dalton, Ga. and marketed under the designation of Turf Green E16408 has been successfully employed in the present invention to provide mat 10 with the desired resiliency and durability. Such fibers preferably have a fineness of about 3570-4830 denier with about 4200 denier being most preferable. [0019]In one embodiment of the present invention, the backing 16 of golf mat 10 that carries the fibers 12 and 14 is formed of two layers 16A and 16B (see FIG. 3). Such construction allows the backing and fibers stitched thereto to be bonded to the resilient pad 18 using a conventional turf forming process and equipment while preventing the adhesive 20 that is preferably employed to bond the fibers to the backing and the backing to the pad from flowing through the backing and onto the exposed fibers, detracting from both the performance and appearance of the golf mat. Continue reading about Golf practice mat... Full patent description for Golf practice mat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf practice mat patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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