Method for marking, robot unit for painting stripes, and use hereof

• US 10,040,200 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Marking ApS
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Marking ApS
• Inventors: Sorensen, Anders Ulrik, Ydesen, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bendidi, Rachid
• Application Number:
  US15/304,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2019/067 Machines for marking
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/22 movable relative to the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0075 Manipulators for painting or coating
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/222 specially adapted for automatic spraying of interrupted, individual or variable markings
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for marking sports field by placing stripes of paint according to a predefined plan via a spraying nozzle on a level playing surface such as grass, gravel, ice, artificial grass or synthetic material field. A robot unit is provided that is configured to move along the stripes according to the predefined plan. The robot unit receives signals from a number of GPS sending units and continuously calculates its current position on the sports field, and uses the current position on the sports field to calculate a set of control signals to two or more movable elements for propulsion of the unit and for controlling the emission of paint. The invention also relates to a robot unit and use of a robot unit for marking fields.

Claims

1. A method for marking a sports field according to a predefined plan, comprising:

providing a robot unit comprising a reservoir configured to contain paint in replaceable containers in the form of bag in box type containers comprising an outer rigid framing element and an inner flexible bag, a control box configured to receive GPS signals and two or more movable elements configured for propulsion of the robot unit,

connecting said one or more containers through a connecting pipe to a pump connected to a spraying nozzle, by bringing said connecting pipe on the outside of the framing element in fluid connection with the paint in the flexible bag,

receiving, by the control box of the robot unit, one or more GPS signals from one or more GPS sending unit,

continuously calculating, by the control box of the robot unit, a current position of the robot unit on the sports field,

calculating, by the control box of the robot unit, a set of control signals for the two or more movable elements and emission of paint from the spraying nozzle of the robot unit,

pumping, by the control box of the robot unit, paint from the reservoir to the spraying nozzle in response to one or more of the set of control signals,

forming one or more strips in accordance with the predefined plan during movement of the robot unit and emission of paint from the spraying nozzle in response to the set of control signals,

limiting the spreading of the paint from the spraying nozzle by a cover on each side of the spraying nozzle for achieving a uniform line width,

adjusting the cover automatically in relation to line width in the predefined plan by use of the current position of the robot unit on the sports field,

wherein the outer rigid framing element of the replaceable bag in box type container is chosen between a cardboard or plastic bucket which is a part of the replaceable container or a fixed part of the robot unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising passing the paint through a connection pipe to the pump, pressurizing the paint in the pump, and directing the paint from the pump under pressure through a nozzle pipe to the spraying nozzle for release.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of supplying the paint to the pump via a manifold such that the one or more portions of paint are arranged on the robot unit with each own connection pipe to the pump such that the one or more portions together form the reservoir.

4. A robot unit for marking a sports field according to a predefined plan, comprising:

a reservoir configured to contain paint,

two or more movable elements configured for propulsion of the robot unit,

a control box configured to receive GPS signals, and configured to control the robot unit in response to the GPS signals,

said reservoir comprises at least one replaceable container configured for containment of paint, wherein the replaceable container is a bag in box type container comprising an outer rigid framing element and an inner flexible bag, and wherein a connecting pipe on the outside of the framing element is in fluid connection with the paint in the flexible bag,

at least one spraying nozzle and a pump connected with the replaceable container through said connecting pipe and the spraying nozzle for release of paint in response to commands received from the control box,

wherein the control box is configured to continuous calculate a current position of the robot unit on the sports field,

wherein the control box is configured to calculate a set of control signals for the two or more movable elements and emission of paint from the spraying nozzle of the robot unit,

wherein the control box is configured to cause the pumping of paint from the reservoir to the spraying nozzle in response to one or more of the set of control signals,

wherein on each side of the spraying nozzle there is provided at least one adjustable screen such that a predefined stripe width can be achieved by adjusting the distance between the at least one adjustable screens positioned on each side of the spraying nozzle, and

wherein the outer rigid framing element of the replaceable bag in box type container is chosen between a cardboard or plastic bucket which is a part of the replaceable container or a fixed part of the robot unit.

5. The robot unit according to claim 4, wherein the connecting pipe comprises a quick clutch and a block tap.

6. The robot unit according to claim 5, wherein the robot unit comprises a plurality of replaceable containers are provided on the robot unit, with each replaceable container having its own connecting pipe, wherein each replaceable container is connected to a pump via a connection pipe and a manifold connecting the connecting pipes to the pump, and wherein a single additional nozzle pipe is provided between the pump and the spraying nozzle.

7. The robot unit according to claim 6, wherein the robot unit further comprises at least one movable element configured for contact with the playing surface and positioned on each side of the spraying nozzle for controlled propulsion of the robot unit.

8. The robot unit according to claim 7, wherein the movable elements on each side of the spraying nozzle are rotatable elements.

9. The robot unit according to claim 8, wherein the movable elements on each side of the spraying nozzle comprise pairs of multiple link walking legs.

10. The robot unit according to claim 8, wherein the rotatable elements are wheels or caterpillar tracks.

11. The robot unit according to claim 4, wherein at least one adjustable screen is adjustable by use of an actuator, wherein the actuator is connected to the control box and is controlled by control signals dependent on the position of the robot unit on the playing surface.

12. A method for painting stripes on a playing surface with a robot unit, wherein the robot unit comprises:

a control box configured to receive GPS signals, and configured to control the robot unit in response to the GPS signals,

at least one replaceable container configured for containment of paint, wherein the replaceable container is a bag in box type container comprising an outer rigid framing element and an inner flexible bag, and wherein a connecting pipe on the outside of the framing element is in fluid connection with the paint in the flexible bag,

at least one spraying nozzle and a pump connected with the replaceable container through said connecting pipe and the spraying nozzle for release of paint in response to commands received from the control box,

wherein on each side of the spraying nozzle there is provided at least one adjustable screen such that a predefined stripe width can be achieved by adjusting the distance between the at least one adjustable screens positioned on each side of the spraying nozzle and wherein the outer rigid framing element of the replaceable bag in box type container is chosen between a cardboard or plastic bucket which is a part of the replaceable container or a fixed part of the robot unit, and

wherein the method comprises painting said stripes on grass areas, artificial grass and other types of field cover, including football, baseball, cricket fields and other facilities where field marking is used, marking of indoor areas including ice hockey field and marking of other outdoor areas including parking spaces, school yards and other paved areas.