Patent Abstract:
A lane maintenance machine has a cleaning system that includes at least one liquid dispensing head that reciprocates back and forth transversely of the lane as the machine travels along the length of the lane. The dispensing head includes a dispensing tip therein that emits a pin deck treatment product and applies it to a pin deck. The system provides accurate, precise metering of the pin deck treatment liquid and affords board-by-board control of the dispensing action. A wiping assembly immediately behind the dispensing head provides a web of cloth-like material looped under a compressible backup roller to wipe or smear the applied liquid. In a preferred embodiment, the dispensing head is a double head, and it includes a second tip for dispensing a cleaning solution so that pin deck treatment can take place with the same piece of equipment, after lane cleaning has taken place, making the entire process automated.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to bowling lane maintenance machines and, more particularly, to the cleaning mechanism of such machines used to remove dirt, grime and old lane dressing from the surface of the lane before re-applying conditioning dressing thereto. 
         [0003]    Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In the game of bowling a ball is rolled at an arrangement of bowling pins in order to knock them down and score points. The pins are arranged on a series of “spots” so that the pinsetting (or pinspotting) equipment can pick-up any pins left behind after the first roll of the ball and reset them for a second or spare shot. However, if a pin slides off the designated spot (referred to as an “out of range” pin), it can cause problems for the pinsetting equipment, and many times the dislocated pin(s) cannot be picked up and reset for a second attempt. This causes delays and dissatisfaction for bowlers as the pin(s) must be manually reset into place before the spare shot can occur. An out-of-range pin can also cause damage to the pinsetting equipment as it attempts to complete its cycle. 
         [0005]    To reduce or eliminate sliding pins, different types of liquid pin deck treatments have been used, typically applied with some sort of spray bottle or pressurized sprayer with a wand (i.e. bug sprayer) to reach into the pin deck area. This method of application always results in the treatment covering more than just the area where it is needed (creating areas of contamination) and wasting product. It is also time-consuming and inconvenient to treat the pin decks in larger bowling centers. Since applying liquid treatments is very labor-intensive, the treatment does not get applied as frequently as needed, creating a problem with sliding pins. 
         [0006]    Another method in use by bowling centers to help pins fall over rather than slide out of range has been to apply thin soft anti-skid plastic disks that adhere to each pin spot on the pin deck. A typical bowling center needs 10 disks per lane to cover the 10 spots on a triangular deck pattern—with the head pin (in front) designated as the 1-pin, the left rear pin being the 7-pin, and the right rear pin being the 10-pin. The disks covering the pin spots create an irregular surface that can make the pin deck more difficult to clean. In addition to being a more expensive method, if the disks are not properly applied and maintained they can cause the pins to fall over prematurely (i.e. when being placed on the spot by the pinsetting equipment). 
         [0007]    Additionally, the typical composition of the pin deck surface has changed from finished hardwood (i.e. maple) to a synthetic material (i.e. phenolic laminate), creating a greater need for recurring pin deck treatments to reduce the out of ranges due to sliding pins on the slicker surface. 
         [0008]    The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a new method and apparatus for applying liquid pin deck treatments in a consistent and automated fashion. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       Brief Description of the Drawings 
         [0009]      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; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a right rear perspective view of the machine; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a right front perspective illustration of the cleaning system of the machine and its relationship to certain other components; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a left rear perspective illustration of the cleaning system and related components; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a right side elevational view of the machine with the near sidewall thereof removed to reveal internal details of construction; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of the pin deck treatment system of the machine. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    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. 
         [0016]    The machine  10  illustrated in the drawings is similar in many respects to the machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,729,855 and 7,060,137. Accordingly, the &#39;855 and &#39;137 patents are incorporated herein by reference. In view of the full disclosures in the &#39;855 patent of the construction and operation of the lane machine, the construction and operation of the machine  10  will be described only generally herein. 
         [0017]    The machine  10  has a cleaning system denoted broadly by the numeral  12  and located generally in the front of the machine. A dressing 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 travels up and down the lane through the provision of lane-engaging drive wheels  16  and  18  fixed to a transverse shaft  20  that is powered by a drive motor  22  and a chain and sprocket assembly  24 . 
         [0018]    The dressing application system  14  includes an applicator roll  26  disposed for engaging the lane surface, a reciprocating dressing dispensing head  28  that travels back and forth across the width of the lane above roll  26 , and a brush assembly  30  between roll  26  and dispensing head  28  for receiving dressing from head  28  and delivering it to roll  26 . Details of the construction and manner of use of brush assembly  30  are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,384, which is incorporated herein by reference. Dressing application system  14  additionally includes a reservoir  32  and a positive displacement pump (not shown) for supplying dressing from reservoir  32  to dispensing head  28 . 
         [0019]    Dressing 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  to provide driving power to belt  36  and thus propel dispensing head  28  along track  34 . A pair of sensors  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 one limit 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 . 
         [0020]    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 forward 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  may be sent to the control system of the machine (not shown) for the purpose of determining the precise location of the dressing dispensing head  28  across the width of the machine and the bowling lane. Such location is coordinated with a particular lane dressing pattern that has been programmed into the control system of the machine so that dressing dispensing head  28  may be actuated to precisely dispense dressing 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. 
         [0021]    The cleaning system  12  includes one or more liquid dispensing head  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 one dispensing head  58  is utilized, and in this instance, head  58  is a double head, designed to accommodate two dispensing or discharge tips, described further below. Such head  58  travels essentially the full transverse width of the machine to the same extent as the dressing dispensing head  28 . 
         [0022]    Dispensing head  58  includes two openings  59   a ,  59   b . A vertically disposed, depending cleaning liquid discharge tube  60  provided with a dispensing or discharge tip  62  that is located close to the lane surface is positioned within opening  59   a . 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). 
         [0023]    Opening  59   b  includes a pin deck treatment discharge tube  61  provided with a dispensing or discharge tip  63  that is located close to the lane surface, in a similar fashion to the positioning of tube  60  and tip  62  ( FIG. 6 ). Additionally, tip  63  is similar in construction to tip  62 . In a preferred embodiment, tip  63  is bent at an angle of from about 20° to about 40°, preferably from about 25° to about 35°, and more preferably about 30°, in order to more properly direct the pin deck treatment liquid, as described in more detail below. This bend has the advantage of preventing the pin deck treatment liquid from splattering against the pin deck surface and back onto the machine front panel (since pin deck treatment is carried out while the machine is in a stopped position). Additionally, this angle allows for mechanical adjustments, which can assist with centering the stream. Furthermore, because pin deck treatment liquids will tend to dry within tip  63 , potentially causing clogging, it is preferred that tip  63  be provided with a removable cap (not shown) to seal the tip  63  (and tube  61 ) and prevent such clogging. A PLC program utilized for operating the machine can include a reminder to the operator to verify the tip is removed when the program calls for pin deck treatment liquid to be applied, as well as to remind the operator to replace the tip after application. 
         [0024]    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 dressing 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. 
         [0025]    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 forwardmost 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 dressing dispensing head  28  and cleaning liquid/pin deck treatment dispensing head  58  are reciprocated simultaneously by motor  42  when the latter is actuated. However, it will be noted that dressing dispensing head  28  and cleaning liquid/pin deck treatment dispensing head  58  reciprocate in mutually opposite directions due to the fact that dressing dispensing head  28  is secured to the upper run  36   a  of its drive belt  36  while cleaning liquid/pin deck treatment dispensing head  58  is secured to the lower run  66   b  of its drive belt  66 . 
         [0026]    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 peristaltic pump  76  driven by a chain and sprocket assembly  78  operably coupled with the drive shaft  20  of lane drive wheels  16  and  18 . When drive wheels  16  and  18  are turning, pump  76  is operating. It will be appreciated, however, that pump  76  could be driven by its own separate drive motor. An outlet line  80  from pump  76  leads to an inlet port of a solenoid-controlled valve  82  whose operation is controlled by the control system of machine  10 . A supply line  84  leading from one outlet port of valve  82  communicates the valve  82  with discharge tube  60  of dispensing head  58 , while a return line  86  communicates another outlet port of valve  82  with reservoir  72 . Thus, depending upon the position of control valve  82 , cleaning liquid may either be pumped to dispensing head  58  from reservoir  72  or by-passed back to reservoir  72  via return line  86 . 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 control valve  82 , affords precise, board-by-board control over the pattern of cleaning liquid applied to the lane surface by dispensing head  58 . 
         [0027]    Cleaning system  12  further includes a pin deck treatment assembly  83  at the rear of machine  10 . Pin deck treatment assembly  83  includes a pin deck treatment product can  85  operably connected to a trigger (push-pull) solenoid  87 . Discharge tube  61  is connected to product can  85  via quick disconnect fitting  89 , preferably at a “bag-on valve” in order to avoid product contamination. Product can  85  is preferably a replaceable aerosol can (typically with 14 ounces of capacity), with the pressure in the can used to propel the treatment liquid onto a lane surface when prompted to do so by solenoid  87 . That is, solenoid  87  is controlled by a PLC program to open and close the valve. In a preferred embodiment, a drip tray  91  is included. In these embodiments, tips  62 ,  63  are positioned above drip tray  91  when in their “home” or non-working position, so that drip tray  91  catches any liquid that might drip from either of the tips  62 ,  63 . 
         [0028]    The preferred volume of product dispensed per lane should be from about 3 μL to about 7 μm. The volume can be controlled several ways, such as by controlling the amount of time the PLC opens the valve, by using an adjustable needle valve or specific tubing diameter, speed of the reciprocating head, and/or by incorporating different actuators that meter the volume. Some or all of these may be used in combination to control the amount of product that is dispensed per lane. 
         [0029]    Any commercially available pin deck treatment compositions can be used with the present inventive method and equipment. One such composition is sold under the name Snowtack 765A by Lawter, Inc. In a preferred formulation, 30% by weight of the composition is mixed with 70% by weight water, and placed into an aerosol or otherwise pressurized can. 
         [0030]    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, hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification. 
         [0031]    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 pair of flexible, 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. 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 suction fan (not shown) coupled with tank  106 . 
       Operation 
       [0032]    In use, machine  10  is energized and controlled through the use of a user interface panel  108  located adjacent the right rear corner of the machine. Using interface panel  108 , any one of a number of different patterns may be selected for applying cleaning liquid to the lane surface and for the application of dressing. Details of the oil pattern application using the dressing dispensing head  28  are described in the incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,855. 
         [0033]    With respect to cleaning operations, as machine  10  travels along the lane surface the cleaning liquid dispensing head  58  reciprocates back and forth along its track  64  across the full width of the lane. Depending upon the distance down the lane as detected by the lane distance sensor  57  and the position of the dispensing head  58  across the width of the lane as detected by the transverse position sensor  52 , control valve  82  allows cleaning liquid from constantly operating pump  76  to be squirted onto the lane surface through the outlet tube  60  and tip  62  of dispensing head  58 . Although it is contemplated that dispensing head  58  may dispense cleaning liquid to the lane across the full width of the lane, it is also within the scope of the present invention to have cleaning liquid applied on a board-by-board basis for selective stripping or cleaning of the lane surface. The check valve (not shown) within tube  60  or tip  62  instantly closes the discharge path for cleaning liquid from head  58  when control valve  82  is shifted to a non-dispensing position. The check valve thus prevents leakage from dispensing head  58  during periods of non-use and provides a sharp demarcation between the presence and absence of cleaning liquid on the lane surface. 
         [0034]    Cleaning liquid deposited by head  58  is immediately wiped into a thin film by cloth  90  looped around the backup roll  92  of wiping mechanism  88 . While much of the liquid and oil and dirt are removed by cloth  90 , a thin film remains, and this is engaged by the squeegees  100  and  102  of vacuum pickup head  98 . Pickup head  98  thus lifts all remaining moisture, oil and grime from the lane surface and deposits it in the holding tank  106 . As the rear of the machine passes over the cleaned region, the lane dressing is applied by applicator roll  26  in the pattern selected by the operator. 
         [0035]    When the lane machine is programmed to start conditioning the bowling lanes, the operator will have the ability to either set a 7-day planner (to pre-program the desired days of the week to apply pin deck treatment) or choose to manually to apply the pin deck treatment for that particular operation. When using the lane machine of the &#39;137 patent, the pin deck treatment can only be applied when operating that machine in the normal “Clean &amp; Condition” mode or in “Clean Only” mode. As the lane machine moves in a forward motion, it will reach the end of the conditioner application distance and raise the buffer brush off the lane. When the input (in this example PLC Input 0.04) for the Brush Up Switch is closed, it will energize a relay to control two PLC outputs. One of the PLC outputs will be used to turn on and off the push-pull solenoid for the aerosol can triggering mechanism and the other changes the polarity of the power being sent to the Unwind Duster Motor (used for another feature). 
         [0036]    As the machine enters the pin deck, it will slow and come to a stop when it has reached the programmed distance to the end of lane. Next, the machine will travel in reverse for a pre-set adjustable distance and stop, then it will energize the Duster Unwind Motor for a predetermined amount of time to lower the duster cloth onto the pin deck. The PLC will actuate the solenoid to open the valve on the pin deck treatment reservoir and apply a stream of pin deck treatment with the reciprocating head. 
         [0037]    Once applied, the machine will begin traveling forward again for a pre-set adjustable distance to wipe or smear the solution onto the pin deck and then stop again. Typically, the machine will stop with the duster cloth at, or just behind, the rear row of pin spots. The Wind-Up Duster Motor will energize to wind up and lift the used cloth from the pin deck. Finally, the machine will travel in reverse and continue back to the foul line to finish its operation. 
         [0038]    In one preferred embodiment, the machine will “park” both tips  62  and  63  over an absorbent pad (not shown) to collect any unwanted drips that might occur when the machine is traveling on the approach for either a walking or push machine. This prevents the discharge of the sticky pin deck treatment liquid onto the approach and ensures it is only deposited within the pin deck treatment area or zone. 
         [0039]    In a preferred embodiment, a special function allows the machine to unwind more duster/cleaning cloth when the pin deck treatment option is selected. The amount of cloth used during this operation will be adjustable to eliminate the possibility of contaminating the cushion roller wrap or other parts of the cleaning system. When an operator chooses to enable the Pin Deck Treatment option, the Squeegee Wipe feature is turned off on the &#39;137 machine, as well as other machines with that function. 
         [0040]    It will be appreciated that the inventive pin deck treatment method and apparatus provide a number of advantages. For example, the entire process is automated and can be set as part of a routine schedule, making pin reset issues an unlikely occurrence. Additionally, the product stream is adjustable in width (lane boards covered from side to side) and length (longitudinal distance) via programming options in the PLC. Finally, using the reciprocating head and smearing the product with a duster cloth enables the machine to precisely apply the treatment to the desired areas of the pin deck and not anywhere else. 
         [0041]    Although the above describes some of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that variations can also be made while still being within the scope of the invention. For example, an alternate method for applying the pin deck treatment could be to use a separate reservoir, pump, and/or reciprocating head controlled by a PLC program to apply the treatment. This would require more components and an increased cost over the above description, but it may be useful in situations where a larger reservoir to store more product is desired. 
         [0042]    Furthermore, as an alternative to the reciprocating head, the pin deck treatment could be sprayed onto the lane with one or more stationary spray nozzles as the machine exits the pinsetter. This method would be possible whether using an aerosol can or the separate reservoir and pump arrangement. Furthermore, rather than applying the pin deck treatment product directly to a pin deck, the product could be sprayed directly onto the duster cloth (or other membrane, pad, etc.) and then wiped onto the pin deck by the duster system in a similar pattern to the preferred method.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0