Method for marking grass fields and apparatus for applying such method

• US 5,540,516 A
• Filed: 07/27/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Urs Wuetrich
• Original Assignee: Athar International Services SA
• Inventors: Mohring, Ewald, Nicodemo, Carlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, PAMELA ANNE
• Application Number:
  US08/280,661
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 47/1.01, 47/1.5, 404/12, 404/93, 15/79.1, 15/79.2
• US Class Current: 404/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/00 Design or layout of playing courts, rinks, bowling greens or areas for water-skiing; Covers therefor golf courses A63B69/3691; water roundabouts A63G3/00; construction of surfaces of foundations E01C; roofs E04B7/00; buildings or groups of buildings for sports E04H3/10; swimming or splash baths or pools E04H4/00; coverings for baths E04H4/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/06 Apparatus for setting-out or dividing courts
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/00 Advertising or display means not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An advertising display method involves marking grass sports fields by bending the grass blades in definite zones and bending or leaving them straight in other zones in order to form an image or a word. The difference in the direction given to the grass blades is quite visible to the spectator. The grass blades are directed by means of an apparatus mounted on rollers which runs on the grass surface. The apparatus also has brushes and/or additional rollers which rotate to straighten the grass blades on definite sectors. The sectors form an image or the letters of a words. The engines which drive the apparatus and the brushes and/or rollers are electrical and are controlled by a computer. The image or word to represent on the grass, as well as the position of the apparatus on the surface to work, are entered in the memory of a computer.

Claims

1. A method for marking grass fields, comprising the steps of directing a part of the blades of the grass surface in one direction, and directing or leaving at least another part of the blades to be directed in at least one other direction so that at least one of the parts forms a marking on the grass, wherein the step of directing the blades of at least the part of the grass surface comprises the step of directing blades by blade directing means, further comprising the steps of dividing a model of the image into several points, dividing the grass surface into several sectors, and operating the blade directing means on the grass in connection with the position of said blade directing means on sectors which correspond to points of the model of the image.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of directing the blades by means of brushes comprises the step of directing the blades using rotating brushes.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of operating of the brush comprises the step of inputting to a computer (1) said model, (2) an instantaneous position of the brush on the grass surface, and (3) instructions which operate the brush in each sector based on the corresponding point of the model and the position of the brush.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of registering the position of said apparatus on the grass surface through sensors which detect magnetizable bodies that are deposited or buried at definite places on or under said grass surface.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of registering the position of said apparatus on the grass surface by means of a device which is able to at least receive electromagnetic or sonic waves.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said electromagnetic waves are signals from geostationary satellites.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of directing the blades comprises the step of directing the blades of at least a part of the grass surface by means of at least one brush and by means of at least one roller.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of dividing a model of the image into several points, dividing the grass surface into several sectors, and operating the roller on the grass in connection with the position of said roller on sectors which correspond to points of the model of the image.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of operating of the roller comprises the step of inputting to a computer (1) said model, (2) an instantaneous position of the roller on the grass surface, and (3) instructions which operate the brush in each sector based on the corresponding point of the model and the position of the roller.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of registering the position of said apparatus on the grass surface through sensors which detect magnetizable bodies that are deposited or buried at definite places on or under said grass surface.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of registering the position of said apparatus on the grass surface by means of a device which is able to at least receive electromagnetic or sonic waves.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said electromagnetic waves are signals from geostationary satellites.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of directing the blades comprises the step of directing the blades of at least a part of the grass surface by means of at least one roller.

14. Apparatus for marking grass fields, comprising wheels arranged to move the apparatus, blade directing means selected from the group consisting of brushes and rollers for directing blades of grass, means for lowering the blade directing means down to the grass and raising the blade directing means from the grass, further comprising a computer into which is input a model of an image to mark on the grass surface, means for determining a position on the apparatus on the grass surface, and means for moving at least some of the blade directing means so that a part of the blades of the grass surface is directed in a direction which is different from that of the other grass blades, whereby at least a part of the grass surface constitutes at least one image which corresponds to that which is entered in the computer.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the blade directing means is arranged in rows.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the blade directing means are rollers mounted on one or more rotating barrels so that they can freely rotate.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein in that the blade directing means are arranged in staggered rows.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for raising up the wheels, and rollers which are able to support and to move the apparatus when the wheels have been raised up.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein a position of the apparatus on the grass surface is determined by an odometer actuated by the rollers which support the apparatus or by a wheel which rolls on the grass surface.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising at least one engine which sets in motion the rollers which support the apparatus and a steering device for directing the apparatus when the wheels have been raised up.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the blade directing means includes both rollers and brushes and each roller and each brush is set in motion by a separate engine.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a rotation axis of the wheels is perpendicular to the rotation axes of the blade directing means when a steering device for the wheels is in neutral position.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising wheels for moving the apparatus, brushes, and means for causing the brushes to selectively rotate in either a forwards or backwards direction.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for lowering the brushes down to the grass and for raising at least some of the brushes so that they do not touch the grass.