Abstract:
A bowling lane maintenance machine has its operating functions designed and controlled in such a manner that the machine may be battery-operated without loss of performance. Included in the operation are special movements of the machine at the pin deck to flick moisture off blades of the squeegee assembly and limited activation of the vacuum motor to reduce battery drain.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of bowling lane maintenance machines, in particular, to machines that can both clean and dress the lanes as they move along the surface thereof. It relates especially to a machine whose various operating functions are carried out in such a manner as to render the machine suitable for, but not necessarily limited to, battery operation so as to eliminate the need for an electrical supply cord connecting the machine to a source of electrical house current. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     It is well known in the prior art to provide a lane machine that applies cleaning liquid to the lane at the front of the machine, picks up the liquid, surface grime and old dressing (oil) near the middle of the machine, and then applies a new film of oil to the cleaned surface at the rear of the machine as the machine is traveling along the length of the lane. In the past, such machines have required connection to house current through a long, unwieldy supply cord because the sequence of operations performed by the machine drew too much electrical current to make battery operation practical considering the significant number of lanes in a bowling facility. 
     In a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention the operational steps of the machine are such that battery operation can become a practical reality, without sacrificing quality and speed. Although the inventive operating steps are beneficial even if not incorporated into a machine that is battery-powered, the convenience of battery operation makes incorporating these principles into a battery-powered machine particularly attractive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a left front perspective view of a maintenance machine embodying the principles of the present invention with its top cover removed to reveal internal details of construction; 
         FIG. 2  is a right rear perspective view of the machine; 
         FIG. 3  is a right front perspective illustration of certain internal components of the machine with walls and other structures removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 4  is a left rear perspective illustration of certain internal components of the machine with walls and other structures removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 5  is a right side elevational view of the machine with the near sidewall thereof removed to reveal internal details of construction; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged, fragmentary right side elevational view of the machine illustrating the action of the squeegee blades as they engage the lane during forward travel of the machine; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged, fragmentary right side elevational view of the machine similar to  FIG. 6  but illustrating the machine stopped at the end of its forward travel with the squeegee assembly passed beyond and overhanging the edge of the pin deck to flip moisture off the squeegee assembly; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged, fragmentary right side elevational view of the machine similar to  FIG. 6  but illustrating the squeegee assembly in a raised position; and 
         FIGS. 9-13  are block diagrams of the different portions of the electrical system of the machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. While the drawings illustrate and the specification describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is by way of example only. There is no intent to limit the principles of the present invention to the particular disclosed embodiments. 
     The machine  10  illustrated in the drawings is similar in many respects to the machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,855 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,404. Accordingly, the &#39;855 and &#39;404 patents are hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification. In view of the full disclosure in the &#39;855 and &#39;404 patents of the construction and operation of the lane machine, the construction and operation of the machine  10  will be described only generally herein. 
     The machine  10  has a cleaning system denoted broadly by the numeral  12  and located generally in the front of the machine. A dressing (preferably oil) application system is denoted broadly by the numeral  14  and located generally in the rear portion of the machine. These two systems perform their functions as the machine is propelled down the lane and back by lane-engaging drive wheels  16  and  18  fixed to a transverse shaft  20  that is powered by a drive motor  22  (Baldor 24VDC model 24A531Z019G1) and a chain and sprocket assembly  24 . A conventional proximity sensor speed tachometer  25  ( FIG. 9 ) is coupled with the end of drive shaft  20 . 
     The oil application system  14  includes an applicator roll  26  (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “buffer”) disposed for engaging the lane surface, a reciprocating oil dispensing head  28  that travels back and forth across the width of the lane above buffer  26 , and a brush assembly  30  between buffer  26  and dispensing head  28  for receiving oil from head  28  and delivering it to buffer  26 . Buffer  26  is rotatably driven by a buffer motor  31  (Baldor 24 VDC model 24A532Z046G1) ( FIG. 10 ). Buffer  26  pivots up and down, in and out of contact with the bowling lane surface by way of linkage  27  operated by a buffer up/down motor  29  (Merkle Korff 31 RPM 24VDC model S-3727-87D) ( FIG. 12 ). In the down position, buffer  26  operates a buffer down limit switch  21  and operates a buffer up limit switch  23  in the up position. 
     Details of the construction and manner of use of brush assembly  30  are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,384 titled “Strip Brush Bowling Lane Dressing Application Mechanism”, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Oil application system  14  additionally includes a reservoir  32 , a positive displacement pump (not shown) (FMI model RHOCKC Lab Pump Jr.) having a motor  33  ( FIG. 10 ) (Dayton 24 VDC model3XE19) for supplying oil from reservoir  32  to dispensing head  28 , and a three-way valve  35  ( FIG. 9 ) for controlling the flow of oil. In a recycle position valve  35  recycles oil back to reservoir  32 , and in a delivery position valve  35  delivers oil from pump  33  to dispensing head  28 . 
     Oil dispensing head  28  is mounted for reciprocation along a transverse guide track  34  extending between the sidewalls of the machine. An endless drive belt  36  is secured to head  28  and has its opposite ends looped around a pair of pulleys  38  and  40 , the pulley  40  being operably coupled with a reversible motor  42  (Crouzet 24 VDC model 808050Y07.66Z) to provide driving power to belt  36  and thus propel dispensing head  28  along track  34 . A pair of left and right sensors in the form of proximity switches  44  and  46  adjacent opposite ends of the path of reciprocal travel of dispensing head  28  are operable to sense the presence of dispensing head  28  as it reaches the limits of its path of travel so as to signal the motor  42  to reverse directions and drive dispensing head  28  in the opposite direction along track  34 . 
     The pulley  38  is fixed to a long fore-and-aft extending shaft  48  disposed just outboard of the right sidewall of the machine. Near its rear end, just forwardly of pulley  38 , shaft  48  is provided with a notched wheel  50  whose rotation is sensed by a sensor  52 . An output from sensor  52  is sent to the control system of the machine (described in more detail below) for the purpose of determining the precise location of the oil dispensing head  28  across the width of the machine and the bowling lane. Such location is coordinated with a particular lane oil pattern that has been programmed into the control system of the machine so that oil dispensing head  28  may be actuated to precisely dispense oil at predetermined locations along its path of reciprocation. 
     Distance down the lane is determined by a pair of lane-engaging wheels  53  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 ) located just in front of the rear wall of the machine. Wheels  53  are fixed to a common cross shaft  54  that rotates a notched wheel  55  ( FIG. 4 ) via a chain drive  56  ( FIG. 3 ). The number of revolutions of notched wheel  55  is detected by a sensor  57  ( FIG. 4 ) that sends a signal to the control system of the machine. 
     The cleaning system  12  includes one or more cleaning liquid dispensing heads  58  that reciprocate across the path of travel of the machine as it moves along the lane. While system  12  may also include one or more pressurized spray nozzles as in conventional machines, in a preferred embodiment no such conventional spray nozzles are utilized. In the particular embodiment disclosed herein, only a single dispensing head  58  is utilized, such head  58  traveling essentially the full transverse width of the machine to the same extent as the oil dispensing head  28 . 
     Dispensing head  58  includes a vertically disposed, depending discharge tube  60  provided with a tip  62  that is located close to the lane surface. In one form of the invention, tip  62  is not in the nature of an atomizing nozzle but is instead configured and arranged to emit liquid in a fairly coherent stream so that a bead of cleaning liquid is laid down on the lane surface. One suitable tip  62  for carrying out this particular non-atomizing function is available from the Value Plastics Company of Fort Collins, Colo. as part number VPS5401001N. Other types of tips (not shown) that atomize, breakup or diffuse liquid supplied to the tip may also be utilized where broader surface area coverage by the cleaning liquid is desired. In either case, tip  62  is preferably provided with an internal check valve (not shown). 
     Cleaning system  12  further includes a guide track  64  attached to the front wall of machine  10  that slidably supports dispensing head  58  for its reciprocal movement. Track  64  extends across substantially the entire width of machine  10  to the same extent as the track  34  associated with oil dispensing head  28 . An endless drive belt  66  is attached to dispensing head  58  for providing reciprocal drive thereto, the belt  66  at its opposite ends being looped around a pair of pulley wheels  68  and  70  respectively. 
     Although pulley  68  may be driven in a number of different ways, including by its own separate drive motor, in a preferred form of the invention pulley  68  is fixed to the forward most end of shaft  48  from pulley  38  so that both dispensing heads  28  and  58  are driven by the same reversible motor  42 . Consequently, both oil dispensing head  28  and cleaning liquid dispensing head  58  are reciprocated simultaneously by motor  42  when the latter is actuated. However, it will be noted that oil dispensing head  28  and cleaning liquid dispensing head  58  reciprocate in mutually opposite directions due to the fact that oil dispensing head  28  is secured to the upper run  36   a  of its drive belt  36  while cleaning liquid dispensing head  58  is secured to the lower run  66   b  of its drive belt  66 . 
     Cleaning system  12  further includes a cleaning solution reservoir  72  at the rear of machine  10 . A supply line  74  leading from reservoir  72  is coupled in flow communication with a reversible peristaltic pump  76  (Barnant 24 VDC model D-3138-0009). An outlet line  80  from pump  76  leads to discharge tube  60  of dispensing head  58  for supplying cleaning liquid to head  58 . A cleaner control  82  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) is electrically connected to cleaner pump  76  for adjusting the speed of pump  76 , and thus the amount of cleaner discharged by head  58 . 
     Because pump  76  is preferably a peristaltic pump, it supplies liquid to dispensing head  58  in constant volume slugs or squirts that enable the cleaning liquid to be very precisely and accurately metered onto the lane surface. Furthermore, it permits the supply of liquid to dispensing head  58  to be essentially instantaneously stopped and started, which, in conjunction with the control valve, affords precise, board-by-board control over the pattern of cleaning liquid applied to the lane surface by dispensing head  58 . 
     Cleaning system  12  additionally includes a wiping assembly  88  immediately behind cleaning liquid dispensing head  58 . Assembly  88  includes a web  90  of soft material such as duster cloth looped around a lower compressible back-up member  92  in the nature of a roller that extends across the full width of the machine. Cloth  90  is stored on a roll  94  and is paid out at intervals selected by the operator and taken up by a takeup roll  96 . Wiping assembly  88  is similar in principle to the corresponding wiping assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,434, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification. A duster unwind motor  95  ( FIG. 12 ) (Merkle Korff 9 RPM 24VDC S-3828-87D) is coupled with roll  94  and, when activated, rotates roll  94  to let out slack in the cloth, allowing backup member  92  to gravity to the lane surface. A duster windup motor  97  ( FIG. 12 ) (Merkle Korff 9 RPM 24VDC S-3828-87D) is coupled with takeup roll  96  and, when activated, rotates roll  96  to raise backup member  92  off the lane surface. 
     A further component of cleaning system  12  comprises a vacuum pickup head  98  located behind wiping assembly  88 . Vacuum pickup head  98  extends essentially the full width of machine  10  and includes a squeegee assembly  99  comprising a pair of resilient, squeegee-type blades  100  and  102  that assist in picking up the thin film of cleaning liquid left on the lane surface after the wiping assembly  88  has acted upon the liquid. Lift linkage  101  is connected to a squeegee lift motor  103  ( FIG. 12 ) (Merkle Korff 31 RPM 24 VDC S-3727-87D) and is operably coupled with suction head  98  and squeegee assembly  99  for moving the same between an operating position in engagement with the lane as shown in FIGS.  5 , 6  and  7  and a raised position out of engagement with the lane as shown in  FIG. 8 . A large vacuum hose  104  leads from pickup head  98  to a holding tank  106  for storing liquid picked up by head  98 . Vacuum pressure within holding tank  106  is obtained by means of a vacuum motor  107  (Ametek 24 VDC model 116155-00) ( FIG. 10 ) coupled with tank  106 . 
       FIGS. 9-12  are block diagrams illustrating various portions of the control system  108  of machine  10 . Control system  108  includes, in addition to the electrical components already mentioned above, controller  110  (programmable logic controller Omron model CPM2A), drive motor control  112 , printed circuit board  114 , and control relays CR 1 , CR 2 , CR 3 , CR 4 , CR 5 , CR 6 , CR 7 , CR 8 , CR 9 , CR 10 , CR 11 , and CR 12 . Control system  108  further includes start switch  116  ( FIG. 9 ) and an emergency stop switch  117  ( FIG. 13 ). 
     An electrical power supply system  120  for machine  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 13 , portions of system  120  also being visible in  FIGS. 1-12 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heart of power system  120  comprises a pair of series-connected, 12 VDC rechargeable storage batteries  122  (EnerSys Energy Products model Odyessey PC925) that jointly provide up to 24 volts DC power to operating components of the machine. Batteries  122  are connected to a forty amp charger  124  (Iota charger model DLS-27-40 with IQ Smart Charge Controller) that, in turn, is connected to a receptacle  126  ( FIG. 1 ) on the left sidewall of the machine. Receptacle  126  may be connected to a 120 VAC outlet in the bowling center using an electrical supply cord (not shown) in order to recharge batteries  122  from time-to-time, or to run the machine on 120 VAC power supply. As is well understood by those skilled in the art, charger  124  converts 120 VAC power from the supply cord to 24 VDC power for recharging batteries  122  and/or for operating the 24 VDC operating and control components of the machine. Preferably, a constant voltage regulator  128  (Solar Converters Inc. model CVP 12/24-15) is interposed between batteries  122  on the one hand and dispensing head motor  42 , oil pump motor  33 , buffer motor  31 , three-way valve  35 , and drive motor  22  on the other hand to maintain constant voltage to such components. 
     Operation 
     The operation of machine  10  is controlled by way of the programmed operating controller  110 . Although machine  10  may be selectively operated through appropriate switches to clean the lanes only, or to oil the lanes only, in the following example machine  10  is operated to both clean and oil the lanes. 
     Initially machine  10  is placed on the approach of a bowling lane just behind the foul line. The operator presses start switch  116  one time, which initiates the sequence of maintenance operations. A variety of lane oil patterns can be selected byway of the key pad and display  130  ( FIG. 1 ) as is conventional. The duster unwind motor  95  comes on at this time to dispense a new section of cloth, but if the normally open contacts of duster up switch  134  do not open up, there will be a “duster empty” error displayed. The squeegee assembly  99  will move down and stop when the normally open contacts of down switch  132  close. If the switch contacts do not close, there will be a “squeegee did not lower” error displayed. The oil pump  33  also turns on. 
     The machine  10  is then pushed onto the lane and properly seated. The start switch  116  is pressed a second time and the dispensing heads motor  42  will start up and cause both heads  28  and  58  to begin moving. Oil dispensing head  28  moves from left to right, as the lane is viewed from the foul line looking toward the pin deck, while cleaner head  58  moves from right to left. 
     Cleaner pump motor  76  is energized at the same time as heads motor  42 . Thus, as cleaner head  58  starts to move, it also starts to apply cleaner instantly to the lane and does not stop until the last programmed “squirt distance” down the lane has been reached. When the oil head  28  reaches the right board edge proximity switch  46 , the moving heads  28 ,  58  will reverse their directions and oil head  28  will begin to apply the first stream of oil. 
     The oiling head  28  is now moving in a right-to-left direction, while cleaner head  58  is moving in a left-to-right direction. When oiling head  28  reaches the left board edge proximity switch  44 , the heads motor  42  will reverse, at which time buffer motor  31  starts up and drive motor  22  is energized to start the machine moving down the lane. Vacuum motor  107  has remained in an “off” condition during this initial startup phase, but after machine  10  has traveled about two feet down the lane, vacuum motor  107  turns on. It is also to be noted that after start switch  116  has been pressed a second time, machine  10  will start a clock (not shown) to record the total amount of run time on the display  130 . The total amount of time the three-way valve  35  dispenses oil for each lane is also shown in the display  130 . 
     As machine  10  travels forward down the lane, the oiling and cleaning heads  28 ,  58  continue to operate, applying oil and cleaner. The board-counting sensor  52  monitors the positions of the moving heads  28 ,  58 . If the motion is interrupted, an error message will be displayed. 
     During movement of the machine  10  down the lane, the lane distance sensor  57  counts inches traveled and monitors movement of the machine. If travel is interrupted, an error message will be displayed. The speed of machine  10  is also being monitored by the speed tack  25  and is displayed continuously. As the machine continues to move forward, speeds will change (through a drive motor speed control (KB model KBBC-24)) and oil and cleaner will continue to be dispensed to the lane as programmed. As the machine approaches the applied oil distance in accordance with the selected program, the oil pump motor  33  turns off but the buffer motor  31  stays on so buffer  26  continues to buff oil onto the lane. 
     When the oil distance is reached, buffer  26  stops and buffer lift motor  29  is energized to raise buffer  26  off the lane until buffer up limit switch  23  is operated. If the contacts for raising buffer  26  do not close, there will be an error message displayed. If the up switch  23  sticks closed when it should be open, a “brush down” error message will be displayed. 
     Additionally, when the oil distance has been reached machine  10  will shift into high speed and continue to travel toward the pin deck. As the machine approaches the pin deck, the programmed distance for the application of cleaner will be reached, causing cleaner pump motor  76  to be turned off and heads motor  42  to be deenergized so as to stop movement of dispensing heads  28 ,  58 . At the same time the machine will down-shift to low speed to reduce its momentum into the pin deck. 
     When machine  10  enters the pin deck, the duster windup motor  97  will turn on and start to windup the cloth to raise the backup member  92 . The normally open contacts of the duster up switch  134  will close to turn off the duster windup motor  97 . If the contacts do not close, there will be a “duster did not wind up” error message displayed. 
     Machine  10  then continues the rest of its travel with squeegee assembly  99  engaging the lane in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 6  before coming to a stop at a point where the front of the machine, including squeegee assembly  99 , travels off and overhangs the edge  136  of the pin deck  138  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Drive motor  50  has been shut off. This allows the resilient blades  100 ,  102  of squeegee assembly  99 , which have been flexed rearwardly as the machine travels forwardly down the lane, to flip resiliently forwardly in a quick snapping action and throw off cleaning liquid moisture that may otherwise cling to the blades. Squeegee lift motor  103  is then activated to lift squeegee assembly  99  and suction head  98  into a raised position as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Squeegee lift motor  103  stops when the normally open contacts of the squeegee up limit switch  136  close. If the contacts do not close, an error message will be displayed. 
     Drive motor  50  is then driven in reverse for a short duration, causing machine  10  to move in the reverse direction toward the foul line and stop after moving four inches. The squeegee assembly  99  and suction head  98  are then lowered to re-engage the blades  100 ,  102  with the pin deck  138 . Drive motor  50  is then driven in forward to advance the machine forwardly four inches, whereupon it stops to once again cause squeegee assembly  99  to overhang the edge  136  of pin deck  138 . Blades  100 ,  102  snap forwardly to flip off any excess moisture. The squeegee assembly  99  then lifts. 
     Drive motor  50  now reverses to cause machine  10  to move in the reverse direction toward the foul line at high speed. At the same time vacuum motor  107  is turned off and cleaner pump motor  76  is run in reverse for one second to help reduce the possibility of dripping cleaner out of tip  62  of the cleaner head  58 . 
     As machine  10  travels in reverse, the lane distance sensor  57  counts inches traveled and continuously monitors movement of the machine. If travel is interrupted, an error message will be displayed. As the machine reaches the oil distance, buffer  26  begins to lower and stops in its down position when the normally open contacts of the buffer down switch  21  close. If the contacts do not close, an error message is displayed. If the down switch  21  sticks closed when it should be open, a “brush up” error message will be displayed. 
     Buffer motor  31  is then energized, causing buffer  26  to begin buffing as the machine continues its travel in reverse. The oil head  28  starts dispensing oil again when the machine reaches the first “reverse load” distance on the lane according to the selected oil pattern program. The machine progressively down-shifts to lower speeds as it continues toward the foul line. When the last reverse load of oil has been applied, the oil head  28  stops and parks. Once the machine reaches the foul line, drive motor  50  is deactivated, causing the machine to stop and await operator attention to move it to the approach of the next lane. 
     If at any time during its travel up and down the lane machine  10  stops and displays a “LOW BATTERY OR E-STOP PRESSED” warning, this means either battery voltage has dropped below seventeen volts or the emergency stop switch  117  ( FIG. 13 ) has been pressed. In either case, the machine will need to be returned to the foul line and connected to the 120 VAC house power supply for recharging or running on house current using the electrical power supply cord. 
     The constant voltage regulator  128  plays a significant role in the machine  10  if it is battery-powered (there is no requirement that the machine functions as above described be incorporated into battery-powered machines. However, significant ease-of-use benefits are achieved when they are.) Because the constant voltage regulator  128  is capable of maintaining a constant voltage of twenty-four volts to the key functions of the machine even though the batteries may run down to twenty or twenty-one volts, there is no gradual loss of performance. The machine shows no signs of losing battery power until the voltage drops so low (such as seventeen volts) that the controller  110  simply shuts down and the machine stops and displays the warning. The dispensing head motor  42 , oil pump motor  33 , buffer motor  31 , three-way valve  35 , and drive motor  22  all operate from the constant voltage regulator  128 . 
     The inventor(s) hereby state(s) his/their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of his/their invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.