Apparatus for cleaning lines on a playing surface and associated methods, enhancements
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 visible line that needs to be cleaned associated with a game playing surface;
driving means connected to the chassis for driving the chassis in a selected direction of travel;
a rechargeable energy supply device for powering driving means, advantageously reducing operating costs and maintenance;
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 upstream from the sensing means as the cleaning device is being driven along the direction of travel to clean the line prior to the line being sensed by the sensing means 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 while the chassis is being driven along the line. Associated software is provided as well.
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Citations
21 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 visible line that needs to be cleaned associated with a game playing surface; driving means connected to the chassis for driving the chassis in a selected direction of travel; a rechargeable energy supply device for powering driving means, advantageously reducing operating costs and maintenance; 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 upstream from the sensing means as the cleaning device is being driven along the direction of travel to clean the line prior to the line being sensed by the sensing means when the chassis is being driven along the line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning visible 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; a rechargeable energy supply device to power said drive, advantageously reducing operating costs and maintenance; 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; and a sensing device positioned to sense a location of the boundary lines associated with the game playing surface that need to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. 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; cleaning the boundary lines without cleaning substantial portions of the game playing surface when the cleaning device is moving along the boundary lines; and qualifying one or more operational parameters by the state of a user settable operational configuration means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification