Apparatus and method for conditioning a bowling lane using precision delivery injectors

• US 7,014,714 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Bowling Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Richard A., Burkholder, Roy A., Mitchell, Patrick J., Recknagel, Troy A., Meade, Mark H., Gonring, Steven J., Buckley, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorilla, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): TADESSE, YEWEBDAR T
• Application Number:
  US10/934,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 118/313, 118/315, 118/323, 118/305, 118/300, 118/663, 118/679, 118/681, 118/684, 118/207, 118/256, 118/304, 118/206, 15/98, 151/035
• US Class Current: 118/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/185 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4047 Wound-up or endless cleaning belts
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 1/00 Installations for bowling games, e.g. bowling-alleys or bocce courts bowling greens A63C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 5/10 Apparatus for cleaning balls, pins, or alleys
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/04 in flat form, e.g. fan-like, sheet-like
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/14 with multiple outlet openings B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3053 the actuating means being a solenoid
• 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: B05B 15/658 the spraying apparatus or its outlet axis being perpendicular to the flow conduit

Abstract

The invention relates generally to the conditioning of bowling lanes, and, more particularly to an apparatus and method for automatically applying a predetermined pattern of dressing fluid along the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of a bowling lane.

Claims

1. A surface conditioning system comprising:

a dressing application system including at least one precision delivery injector for injecting high viscosity dressing fluid directly onto a surface, said at least one precision delivery injector including a valve reciprocable between open and closed positions for respectively injecting and preventing injection of the dressing fluid through said at least one precision delivery injector; and

a cleaning fluid delivery and removal system, wherein the cleaning fluid delivery and removal system comprises;

a cleaning fluid reservoir;

at least one cleaning fluid delivery nozzle in communication with the cleaning fluid reservoir; and

a vacuum.

2. A bowling lane conditioning system comprising:

a dressing application system including at least one precision delivery injector for injecting high viscosity dressing fluid directly onto a bowling lane, said at least one precision delivery injector including a valve reciprocable between open and closed positions for respectively injecting and preventing injection of the dressing fluid through said at least one precision delivery injector; and

a cleaning fluid delivery and removal system, wherein the cleaning fluid delivery and removal system comprises;

a cleaning fluid reservoir;

at least one cleaning fluid delivery nozzle in communication with the cleaning fluid reservoir; and

a vacuum.

3. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said dressing fluid having a viscosity greater than 10 centipoises.

4. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on an injector rail reciprocable generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof.

5. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on an injector rail and being shuttled in predetermined intervals generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis of said injector rail.

6. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer for smoothing the dressing fluid applied onto the bowling lane and being reciprocable generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof.

7. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer for smoothing the dressing fluid applied onto the bowling lane and being rotatable in a direction opposite to a direction of travel of said lane conditioning system.

8. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer for smoothing the dressing fluid applied onto the bowling lane and being rotatable in the same direction as a direction of travel of said lane conditioning system.

9. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on an injector rail reciprocable generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof, said lane conditioning system further comprising:

a buffer for smoothing the dressing fluid applied onto the bowling lane and being reciprocable generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof.

10. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bowling lane when said lane conditioning system is positioned orthogonal to the bowling lane.

11. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a control system for controlling various functions of said lane conditioning system.

12. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a user interface for controlling said control system.

13. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a calibration system for calibrating said at least one precision delivery injectors.

14. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

thirty-nine precision injectors for injecting dressing fluid onto thirty-nine respective boards of a bowling lane.

15. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a reciprocable agitation mechanism for agitating the dressing fluid prior to being smoothed by a buffer.

16. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a rotatable agitation mechanism including a plurality of resilient paddles for agitating the dressing fluid prior to being smoothed by a buffer.

17. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on an injector rail reciprocable generally vertically relative to the bowling lane.

18. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on an injector rail pivotable about an axis disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal length of the bowling lane.

19. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer for smoothing the dressing fluid applied onto the bowling lane; and

a dispersion roller disposed in contact with said buffer for dispersing dressing fluid on said buffer.

20. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 19, wherein said dispersion roller is reciprocable generally parallel relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof.

21. A bowling lane conditioning system according to claim 2, said at least one precision delivery injector being mounted on a fixed injector rail.

22. A bowling lane conditioning system comprising:

a dressing system including at least one precision delivery injector for injecting high viscosity dressing fluid onto a transfer roller, said at least one precision delivery injector including a valve reciprocable between open and closed positions for respectively injecting and preventing injection of the dressing fluid through said at least one precision delivery injector; and

a cleaning fluid delivery and removal system, wherein the cleaning fluid delivery and removal system comprises;

a cleaning fluid reservoir;

at least one cleaning fluid delivery nozzle in communication with the cleaning fluid reservoir; and

a vacuum.