Apparatus for cleaning lines on a playing surface and associated methods
First Claim
1. An apparatus for cleaning lines on a game playing surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a chassis;
sensing means connected to the chassis for sensing a location of a line associated with a game playing surface that needs to be cleaned;
driving means connected to the chassis for driving the chassis in a selected direction of travel;
controlling means connected to the chassis, in communication with the driving means, and responsive to the sensing means for controlling the driving means to thereby direct the chassis to be driven along the line that needs to be cleaned in the selected direction of travel; and
a cleaning device connected to the chassis to clean the line when the chassis is being driven along the line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for clearing a playing surface are provided. The apparatus preferably includes a chassis or frame, a sensor connected to the chassis to sense a location of a line on a playing surface that needs to be cleaned, and a drive connected to the chassis to drive the chassis in a selected direction of travel. The apparatus also preferably includes a controller connected to the chassis, in communication with the drive, and responsive to the sensor to control the drive to thereby direct the chassis to move along the line that needs to be cleaned in the selected direction of travel and a cleaning device connected to the chassis to clean the line with the chassis is being driven along the line. Associated software is provided as well.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cleaning lines on a game playing surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a chassis;
sensing means connected to the chassis for sensing a location of a line associated with a game playing surface that needs to be cleaned;
driving means connected to the chassis for driving the chassis in a selected direction of travel;
controlling means connected to the chassis, in communication with the driving means, and responsive to the sensing means for controlling the driving means to thereby direct the chassis to be driven along the line that needs to be cleaned in the selected direction of travel; and
a cleaning device connected to the chassis to clean the line when the chassis is being driven along the line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, the cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a cleaning device;
a drive positioned to drive the cleaning device along at least one boundary line of a game playing surface; and
a controller in communication with the drive and the cleaning device to selectively control the driving of the cleaning device to clean the at least one boundary line on the game playing surface when the drive is driving the cleaning device along the at least one boundary line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, the method comprising:
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directing a cleaning device to move along boundary lines on a game playing surface responsive to a set of programmed directions; and
cleaning the boundary lines when the cleaning device is moving along the boundary lines. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, the method comprising:
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directing a cleaning device to move along boundary lines on a game playing surface responsive to a set of programmed directions; and
selectively positioning a cleaning tool on a boundary line to clean the boundary line as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary line. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, wherein the game playing surface includes a first playing surface and a second playing surface separated from each other by a net connected between net a plurality of posts, the method comprising:
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directing a cleaning device to move along boundary lines on the first playing surface responsive to a set of programmed directions;
cleaning the boundary lines on the first playing surface as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary lines on the first playing surface;
directing the cleaning device to move around one of the net post to position the cleaning device on the second playing surface; and
cleaning the boundary lines on the first playing surface as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary lines on the second playing surface. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A computer program product residing on a computer usable medium for directing a cleaning device to clean at least one line on a surface, the computer program product comprising:
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program code means for directing a cleaning device to move along at least one line of a surface; and
program code means for cleaning the at least one line on the surface when the cleaning device is moving along the at least one line. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A computer program product for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, the computer program product comprising:
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program code means for directing a cleaning device to move along boundary lines on a game playing surface responsive to a set of programmed directions; and
program code means for selectively positioning a cleaning tool on a boundary line to clean the boundary line as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary line. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer program product for cleaning boundary lines on a game playing surface, wherein the game playing surface includes a first playing surface and a second playing surface separated from each other by a net connected between net posts, the computer program product comprising:
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program code means for directing a cleaning device to move along boundary lines on the first playing surface responsive to a set of programmed directions;
program code means for cleaning the boundary lines on the first playing surface as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary lines on the first playing surface;
program code means for directing the cleaning device to move around one of the net post to position the cleaning device on the second playing surface; and
program code means for cleaning the boundary lines on the first playing surface as the cleaning device is moving over the boundary lines on the second playing surface. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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Specification