Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORAGE AND TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF
SECONDARY FLOORING SURFACE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Serial No.
12/562,773, filed
September 18, 2009 and titled "System and Method for Storage and Temporary
Installation of
Secondary Flooring Surface," which claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Serial No.
61/098,543, filed September 19, 2008 and titled "System and Method for Storage
and Temporary
Installation of Artificial Turf," and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.
61/177,073, filed on May
11, 2009 and titled "System and Method for Storage and Temporary Installation
of Secondary
Flooring Surface". This application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Serial No.
61/207,030, filed February 6, 2009 and titled "System and Method for Storage
and Temporary
Installation of Secondary Flooring Surface".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Artificial turf, also known as synthetic turf, is a surface manufactured from
synthetic
materials designed to look and perform like natural grass. Artificial turf is
commonly used in the
athletic industry and is also used in both commercial and residential
landscaping applications.
Artificial turf may be formed from nylon fibers and/or polyethylene fibers,
among others. Some
artificial turf surfaces use an infill material between the artificial fibers
and are referred to as "infill
surfaces." The infill material is comprised of "resilient" granules, which may
be made of, for
example, rubber, cryogenically ground rubber, EPDM rubber, cork, polymer
beads, polymer foam,
styrene, perlite, neoprene, sand, gravel, or granulated plastic, among other
materials.
Artificial turf is desirable when the use of natural turf is inconvenient,
expensive, or
unfeasible. Some climates force athletic teams indoors for training and
practice and, depending on
the sport, a soft or grass-like surface may be necessary. Professional sports
teams may be located in
climates that necessitate the use of artificial turf in an indoor stadium.
Systems providing a portable, removable, and storable artificial turf or other
secondary
flooring surface are beneficial because they allow use of both a primary and
secondary flooring
surface in a single venue. For example, a secondary flooring surface may be
temporarily placed on a
gymnasium floor or other primary surface for selected sports and activities
and later removed.
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At least one existing installation system designed to unroll temporary
artificial turf is
capable of accommodating only products founed from short pile knitted nylon
with a knitted
backing that is coarser, yet more durable, than other turfs. This type of
existing system was
specifically designed for use with short pile knitted nylon type turf and is
not capable of
deploying turf systems formed from other materials or systems with tall pile
heights. Even when
used with knitted nylon turf, this type of existing system has drawbacks, such
as roll telescoping
as it is rolled up or sagging as the roll is rolled out. Moreover, this type
of existing system can
only be operated at one speed that cannot be controlled. This lack of system
control leads to
directionality issues and can lead to the turf creasing, tearing, and
distorting.
Artificial turf formed from polyethylene fibers has been used because it is
relatively softer
and taller than traditional nylon products, and can be tufted. Polyethylene
artificial turf has a pile
height that is about two inches higher than the short and compact traditional
nylon artificial turf,
which is typically no higher than Y2 an inch in height.
Attempts to roll and unroll an artificial turf having tall pile polyethylene
fibers using at
least one existing installation system result in broken backings, slipping,
and bagging that
congregates at either end of a roll. For example, the taller polyethylene
fibers cause the roll to
slip as it is unrolled and rolled. Slippage is undesirable because it can
result in damage to the
artificial turf. In contrast, nylon artificial turf has more "grip," because
the nylon fibers are not as
slippery, allowing a more even roll-up process. Thus, existing systems cannot
deploy newer
types of artificial turf, such as ones comprised of tall pile, including those
comprised of
polyethylene fibers and infill systems.
Although some conventional systems are capable of rolling and unrolling taller
pile
heights, including polyethylene fibers, these systems can only accommodate
narrow sections of
artificial turf or other secondary flooring on a roll and are pile height
dependent, and therefore the
artificial turf or other secondary flooring is limited to a narrower width.
With these existing
systems, the machine moves to roll up and unroll the artificial turf, and the
artificial turf remains
stationary. Because the turf remains stationary, these conventional systems
require lift trucks to
transport the rolls. This limits the width of the roll that can be used
because these lift trucks
cannot handle the weight of a single roll of artificial turf or other
secondary flooring or handle a
roll if it is too wide.
Thus, these conventional systems can only accommodate narrow rolls, and
therefore
require many pieces of artificial turf or other secondary flooring to cover an
existing primary
surface. These pieces are rolled into separate rolls, so a large storage area
is required to store all
of the numerous rolls of artificial turf or other secondary flooring. When
these separate rolls are
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unrolled, the individual pieces must be seamed together to form the secondary
flooring surface.
Furthermore, when the rolls are unrolled to lay out the secondary flooring
system, these pieces
must be installed in the proper order, which is cumbersome and time consuming.
Unrolling
artificial turf or other secondary flooring with conventional systems is time
consuming and can
require as much time as an hour or more per roll. Thus, rolling up a secondary
flooring surface,
such as an athletic field, and storing the rolls could take up to 5-7 hours or
more using a
conventional system.
Conventional carpet roll up systems are not suitable for use with artificial
turf because the
tensioning of carpet roll up systems is not appropriate for artificial turf
and other types of flooring
other than carpet. The conventional method of tensioning carpet cannot be
accomplished on
artificial turf because the machine cannot accommodate the wide width of turf
If the system is
made wide enough to accommodate turf, additional support would be necessary,
which would
then interfere with the threading process.
Thus, there is a need for a system capable of effectively rolling and
unrolling secondary
flooring surfaces, such as tall pile artificial turf, including tall pile
polyethylene turf, and/or infill
systems. There is also a need for a system capable of rolling and unrolling
secondary flooring
surfaces having a greater roll width and weight. There is also a need for a
system that is capable
of efficiently rolling up and unrolling a variety of secondary flooring
surfaces, including but not
limited to, tufted or knitted products, tall or short pile products,
rubberized flooring systems, floor
coverings, natural sod, infilled and non-infilled products, or any other
surface used to cover
and/or protect a primary surface. There is further a need to provide a system
capable of
accommodating multiple types of secondary flooring surfaces in a single venue.
These secondary
flooring surfaces are not limited to those used in the athletic industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Provided are systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring
surfaces,
such as tall pile turf, and any other floor covering that covers and / or
protects a primary surface.
The system includes a core, two frames, with each frame being each coupled to
an end of the
core, and two sets of tracks along which each of the two frames moves. The
system also includes
a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a
secondary flooring
surface in a relatively short period of time. In some embodiments, the system
includes a core that
is driven by at least one core motor that is controlled by a core drive unit.
In some embodiments,
the frame is driven by at least one frame motor that is controlled by a frame
drive unit. In some
embodiments, the drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for
controlling the
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speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as frame
adjustable speed drive units
for controlling the speed of the frame as it moves along the track. The core
adjustable speed
drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control
the speed of the core
motors during roll out.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a system for storage and temporary
installation
of a secondary flooring system as the primary surface is being converted.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the system of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partial top view of a core according to one aspect of the
invention.
FIG. 5 is a partial perspective front view of the system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is perspective side view of the system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the track of the system of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Systems and methods of this invention store and install and un-install a
temporary
secondary flooring surface 40, such as artificial turf, carpet, rubberized
flooring, natural sod, or
other suitable secondary flooring, on an existing primary surface 38. For
example, systems of
this invention unroll a secondary flooring surface to cover temporarily a
primary surface, such as
a gymnasium floor or a domed stadium. After use, the secondary flooring
surface can be rolled
up for storage. Systems and methods of this invention allow the conversion of
a large primary
surface to a secondary flooring surface in a short period of time with a
limited amount of labor.
The primary surface may be generally flat, or may be domed to allow for
drainage. The
secondary flooring surface may optionally include a pad underneath to provide
additional
strength, cushioning, and stability to the secondary flooring surface.
Systems of this invention also allow the user to choose from a number of
different types
of secondary flooring surfaces such as, but not limited to, a tufted or
knitted product, a tall or
short pile product, rubberized flooring systems, natural sod, carpet, an
infilled or non-infilled
surface, or any other suitable surface for covering and/or protecting a
primary surface. All of
these secondary flooring surfaces may be unrolled onto a primary surface and
then rolled up and
removed. In one embodiment, for example, systems of this invention roll up and
unroll a tall
pile, infilled synthetic artificial turf in a short period of time. The time
required for converting a
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primary surface to the secondary flooring surface depends, in part, on the
square footage of the
primary surface, and in particular the length of the primary surface.
Some benefits of systems of this invention include lack of distortion,
stretching, and
bunching of the secondary flooring surface, reduced infill migration and loss,
and reduced
damage and distortion of the secondary flooring surface. In other words, the
secondary flooring
surface is rolled up and is unrolled evenly and neatly and more efficiently.
An uneven roll up
process would likely result in product damage to the secondary flooring
surface. Moreover, an
uneven roll up process would likely result in congregating and bunching of the
secondary
flooring surface in certain spots, which could affect surface performance or
athletic performance
and eventually result in a non-functioning system. Another benefit of systems
of this invention is
that the system could be portable, and may be used in a variety of different
facilities such as a
multipurpose gymnasium or an outdoor stadium.
Some embodiments of this invention roll up and unroll a secondary flooring
surface on a
core that is generally the same width as the primary surface. In this way, the
secondary flooring
surface can be installed on the primary surface from a single roll, which is
faster and easier than
creating a secondary flooring surface from several fragmented rolls. These
embodiments of this
invention also allow the rolled up secondary flooring surface to be rolled up
into a single roll and
then stored as a single roll.
In certain embodiments according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the
conversion
system 10 includes a core 12 formed from steel or other suitable material.
Conversion system 10
may be mounted directly on the primary surface 38. The secondary flooring 40
is rolled around
the core 10 during the roll up process. As shown in FIG. 1, the conversion
system 10 includes at
least one frame 14 and at least one track 22. In some embodiments, track 22
runs generally along
the entire length or width of the primary surface 38. In some embodiments,
track 22 is
permanently mounted in a trough below the primary surface 38. In these
embodiments, track 22
may be covered when the system is not in use. In other embodiments, track 22
may be
temporarily mounted directly on the primary surface 38 and removed when the
system is not in
use.
In the embodiment shown in the Figures, conversion system 10 includes two
frames 14
and two tracks 22. Specifically, a frame 14 is coupled to both ends of core
12, with each frame
being movable along a track 22. Frame 14 is illustrated as generally A-shaped
to provide stability
to the frame, although frame 14 may be of any suitable shape and
configuration.
As shown in FIGS. 2-3, frame 14 is coupled to, and movable along, track 22.
Track 22
includes rack gears 24, shown in FIG. 3, or any other suitable gear tooth. In
some embodiments,
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track 22 is attached to the primary surface 38 so that it is flush, trench, or
otherwise mounted.
Frame 14 includes a plurality of gear boxes 28, which house sprocket 32 and at
least one spur
gear 30, or other suitable gear, as shown in FIG. 3. As described below, spur
gear 30 cooperates
with the rack gears 24 of track 22 as the frame 14 traverses along track 22 as
the secondary
flooring surface 40 is rolled or unrolled around the core 12 during a roll up
or roll out process. In
the embodiment illustrated in the Figures, each frame 14 includes four gear
boxes 28, although
fewer or more gear boxes 28 may be used.
Conversion system 10 also includes a drive mechanism to power the frame 14
along the
track 22. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, one such suitable drive mechanism includes a
frame motor 18.
Drive mechanism can also include gear reducers at one or both ends in certain
embodiments.
During the roll up process, the frame motor 18 drives the frame 14 along the
track 22.
Specifically, frame motor 18 engages chain 34 and sprocket 32, which in turn
engages spur gear
30. The teeth of spur gear 30 cooperate with the gear teeth 24 of track 22 to
drive frame 14 along
the length of track 22.
As shown in FIG. 1, a core motor 20 is located at each end of core 12 and is
coupled to
frame 14 via an arm 16. FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the core 12 and the
center shaft 36. The
core includes steel support headers 74. In one embodiment, the support headers
74 are provided
on 5 foot centers along the length of the core. The center shaft 36 extends
from the core 12 and
the rotation of center shaft 36 causes core 12 to rotate. Core motors 20
provide the power
necessary to turn the core 12 and roll the secondary flooring 40 onto the core
12 as the frames 14
progress along the length of tracks 22. In this way, the core 12 becomes a
center winder driven
by the core motors 20. This center winder acts with the drive mechanism of the
frames 14 to roll
up the secondary flooring surface 40 around the core 12. A variety of
different sized cores may
be used with conversion system 10, depending on the type of secondary flooring
to be installed
on primary surface. In one embodiment, the diameter of the core is 36 inches,
although the
system can utilize multiple size core diameters. If a different type of
secondary flooring 40 is
desired, the existing core 12 is replaced with another core housing the
desired type of secondary
flooring.
In one embodiment, each of the core motors 20 and the frame motors 18 are
controlled by
a separate adjustable speed drive unit. Exemplary motors and drive units for
one embodiment
include 7.5 hp, 480 volt, 3 phase, 1750 RPM motors and G9 Adjustable Speed
Drives (7.5 hp
model), both available from Toshiba. Although this embodiment uses the same
size motors to
drive both the core and the frame, other embodiments may use different motors
to drive the core
and the frame. A core drive unit supports at least a torque mode and a speed
mode and can
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control the core motors in both modes. The core drive unit may be shaft
mounted to the core
(shown), or alternatively may be belt driven, mounted via a chain and
sprocket, or coupled to the
core in any other suitable manner. For some embodiments, the core drive unit
is an adjustable
speed drive unit to vary the speed of the core 12 during roll out. The core
motors 20 have
sufficient power to drive the core 12 when the secondary flooring 40 is rolled
onto the core 12. A
frame drive unit provides a speed mode and can control the speed of the frame
motor 18. The
core drive unit and the frame drive unit may be independent from one another,
or may
communicate with each other using a communication system to adjust the speed
to ensure that
constant tension is maintained during roll up. Although the Figures illustrate
that the core and the
frame are driven by a pair of motors, not all embodiments use a pair of
motors. Depending on the
width and/or length of the secondary flooring surface, the frame and/or the
core may be driven by
a single motor at each end of the core, or more than two motors at each end of
the core.
Sand or other material, such as a liquid, may be added to the core 12 in some
embodiments. If so, the material is added to the middle section of the core
and tapers down
towards the ends. For example, there is sand in a predetermined section of the
core in one
embodiment, which could be centered at the midpoint of the core. The sand is
distributed so that
it is heaviest at the midpoint of the core and tapers down as it approaches
the ends of the section.
Without the sand, the heaviest part of the core in this embodiment is towards
the ends of the core
and the secondary flooring 40 is thus susceptible to wrinkling toward the ends
of the core as the
secondary flooring is rolled onto the core. The sand helps equalize the weight
of the core and
also facilitates a more even roll up process of the secondary flooring
material onto the core.
The core 12 is mounted at each of its ends on a movable arm 16, the arm 16
being capable
of moving up and down via a pivot point at either end of the core 12 as the
roll of secondary
flooring 40 increases or decreases in diameter around the core 12, as further
described below.
Allowing the core 12 to float up and down via the arm 16 helps to maintain an
approximately
constant tension during the roll up and roll out processes.
In other embodiments, for example, if the core 12 is mounted directly to the
frame 14
without use of arm 16, an optional hydraulic lift may be used at either end of
the core 12 to assist
with lifting and lowering the core 12. Specifically, as a cylinder in the
hydraulic lift extends,
pressure forces a piston upward to help support the weight of the core 12. As
the cylinder
extends, constant pressure is maintained to raise the core 12 at a steady
rate. A relief valve may
be used to maintain constant pressure as the core is lowered.
In some embodiments a linear voltage displacement transducer ("LVD") is used
to
determine the position of the core 12 and provide the infoimation to the core
adjustable speed
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drive units. In other embodiments, the position may be determined by the
position of the center
shaft 36 relative to the primary surface 38. In any of these embodiments, the
position of the core
provides information about the roll diameter and can be used during the roll
out process. The
LVD is not necessary in all embodiments.
In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the conversion system 10 includes two
frames
14 and two sets of tracks 22. In some embodiments, the frames 14 operate
independently of one
another. In other words, the movement of one frame 14 is not linked to the
movement of the
other frame 14. In these instances, a registration process may be utilized to
register the position
of one frame 14 relative to the position of a second frame 14. In this way,
the registration process
ensures alignment of the two frames relative to one another before and during
roll up and roll out
of a secondary flooring 40. In some embodiments, the registration process
consists of counting
the number of gear teeth 24 on each track 22 to detelilline the respective
position of the frame
along the track, and then comparing the position of one frame to the position
of the other frame
and communicating that position. In some embodiments, a processor-based
controller counts the
number of gear teeth and makes the comparison between the two frames. Based on
this
comparison, an automatic adjustment can occur if the position of the frames on
the tracks relative
to one another is not the same. For example, once the relative position of one
of the frames 14 is
communicated, the processor-based controller can adjust the relative speeds of
the frames can be
made. In one embodiment, the frame motor 18 of one frame 14 speeds up, in
another
embodiment the frame motor 18 of the other frame 14 slows down, and in yet
another
embodiment, the frame motor 18 of one frame speeds up while the other frame
motor 18 slows
down. In some embodiments, the processor-based controller includes a hardwire
connection,
although the communication system could also be wireless.
Also disclosed are methods of rolling up and unrolling a secondary flooring 40
using the
system described above. In some embodiments, the system is programmed to roll
up a secondary
flooring system using the system described above at a speed of approximately
20 ft/min.
Similarly, in some embodiments, the system is programmed to unroll a secondary
flooring system
using the system described above at a speed of approximately 20 ft/min. To
begin the roll up
process, the core motor 20 controlling the core 12 and frame motor 18 are
started and are
configured to drive the frames 14 along the tracks 22 in a first direction 42
as the core 12 rotates
so that the secondary flooring 40 rolls onto the core 12 as the frames 14
traverse along the tracks
22. Although secondary flooring 40 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as rolled up in
first direction 42,
secondary flooring 40 could be rolled up in the opposite direction. The frames
14 on either end of
the core 12 are guided along the track 22 via the rack and spur gears 24 and
30.
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As discussed above, the core 12 becomes a center winder that helps roll up the
secondary
flooring surface 40. During roll up, the frame drive units are programmed to
maintain a fixed
speed and the speed of the core 12 adjusts to maintain a predetermined torque
setting of the core
12 as the frames 14 progress along the tracks 22 and the secondary flooring is
wrapped around
the core. During the roll up process, the frame motors 18 are in a brake mode
to maintain the
predetermined fixed speed and to slow the speed of the core 12. The desired
torque setting of the
core 12 during roll up is determined by the weight of the secondary flooring
that is utilized with
the system. The speed is typically determined by the desired roll up/roll out
time and the length
of the secondary flooring 40. The roll up time is the time it takes to roll
the secondary flooring
onto the core 12 and the roll out time is the time it takes to roll the
secondary flooring 40 off the
core 12.
The frame motors operate at the predetermined fixed speed, subject to any
adjustments
based on the registration process described above. In these instances, once
the position of the
frames 14 are realigned, the speed of the frame motors reverts back to the
predetermined fixed
speed.
The core adjustable speed drive units are programmed to set the torque for the
core motors
to provide a relatively tight roll given the speed of the frame motors and the
amount and type
of the secondary flooring 40. Because the system accommodates secondary
flooring surfaces of
different types, for example, turf made from different yarn, construction,
pile height, and in-fill,
20 among others, it is desirable for the system to be able to adjust the
motor parameters to fit the
particular type of secondary flooring surface 40 used and the specific needs
of each venue,
especially if multiple types of secondary flooring surfaces are to be used.
The amount and type
of the secondary flooring 40 determine the weight and diameter of the
secondary flooring 40
when it is rolled on the core 12. The tightness of the roll is acceptable when
the secondary
flooring 40 can roll out without wrinkling or telescoping and there is no
excessive crushing of the
pile. If the secondary flooring 40 is rolled too tightly, then the pile may be
crushed and may
require more grooming time, which increases the conversion time. As the roll
of secondary
flooring 40 increases in size, the arm 16 onto which the core 12 is mounted
moves upwards via
the pivot point. Once the secondary flooring 40 is rolled onto the core 12,
the core motors 20 and
the frame motors 18 are turned off. In some embodiments, the starting and
stopping of the
system is manual, so that an operator starts and stops the motors using a
control box. In other
embodiments, the system starts and stops automatically. In some situations,
the system is only
partially automated. For example, the system in some embodiments includes a
sensor that senses
the amount of secondary flooring on the core to determine when to turn off the
motors. In some
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instances, only a portion of the secondary flooring is unrolled, so that the
secondary flooring only
covers a portion of the primary surface. This may be beneficial in situations
where one type of
flooring is desired on one part of the venue, and a different type of flooring
is desired on another
part of the venue.
The systems of this invention do not require that the secondary flooring
surfaces have a
specific tilt or pile angle, as was required with conventional systems. Unlike
conventional
systems, where the secondary flooring surface had to be reversed to maintain a
certain pile angle
so that the secondary flooring surface would roll up properly, systems of this
invention function
properly regardless of the tilt or angle of the secondary flooring surface,
because the system is
programmed to adjust for the tilt or angle and compensate for any variations
by adjusting the
torque and/or speed of the core motors.
Also provided is a method for rolling out the secondary flooring 40 from the
core 12. As
mentioned above, in some embodiments, the system is programmed to roll out the
secondary
flooring at a speed of 20 ft/min. The motors 20 and 18 (controlling the core
12 and frame 14
respectively) are started to begin the roll out process and the frame motors
are configured to drive
the frames 14 along the tracks 22 in a second direction 44. Although secondary
flooring 40 is
illustrated in FIG. 1 as rolled out in second direction 44, secondary flooring
40 could be rolled
out in the opposite direction. As the frames 14 moves along the tracks 22, the
secondary flooring
40 rolls off the core 12. In the roll out process, the frame adjustable speed
drive units are
programmed to maintain a fixed speed of the frames 14 along the tracks 22. As
the diameter of
the secondary flooring wrapped around the core changes, the speed of the core
changes to
accommodate this. Specifically, as the diameter of the core 12 reduces as more
secondary
flooring is unrolled off the core, the speed of the core 12 increases. As
during roll up, the rack
and spur gears of the track and frame (24 and 30 respectively) maintain
alignment of the core 12
while the secondary flooring 40 is being rolled out as the frames progress
along the tracks. The
speed may be the same as that used throughout the roll up process or may be
different. During
the roll out process, the core 12 may operate in brake mode, or in other
words, act as a brake to
control the speed of the secondary flooring 40 rolling off the core 12. In
some embodiments, the
brake percentage is a percentage of the total capacity of the horse power of
the core motor.
Controlling the speed of the core 12 prevents the secondary flooring 40 from
bagging as it comes
off the core 12. In this way, the relationship between the speed of the core
motor and the speed
of the frame motors is constant to maintain constant tension on the secondary
flooring. In some
embodiments, a single speed for the core motor 20 is maintained throughout the
roll out process.
However, in other embodiments where the dimensions of the secondary flooring
40 are larger and
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thus the diameter is larger, the speed is adjusted during the roll out
process. In these embodiments,
the core adjustable speed drive units receive the position information from
the LVD and adjust the
speed of the core motor 20 based on the amount of secondary flooring 40 that
remains on the core 12.
As discussed above, the LVD indicates the position of the core relative to the
frame 14, and thus
indicates the diameter of the secondary flooring 40 on the core 12. The core
adjustable speed drive
unit controls the speed of the core motor 20 in a linear manner.
In one embodiment, the core motors 20 and the frame motors 18 are activated
and
deactivated at approximately the same time for both roll up and roll out. The
acceleration and
deceleration profiles of the motors are also approximately the same and follow
a linear pattern. Other
embodiments may use different acceleration and/or deceleration profiles, such
as nonlinear patterns,
so long as the profiles are common between the motors.
This system allows the end user to convert an existing primary surface to a
secondary
flooring surface in a short period of time using a reduced amount of labor
when compared with
conventional systems. This system also allows the end user to choose from a
number of different
types of secondary flooring surfaces, such as either tufted or knitted
synthetic turfs, a tall or short pile
product, rubberized flooring systems, an infilled or non-infilled product,
natural sod, or any other
surface used to cover and/or protect a primary surface. The disclosed system
is not limited to use in
the athletic industry, but can be utilized whenever a primary surface is to be
converted into a
secondary flooring surface. Because the roll out and roll up procedure can be
done so quickly, a
primary surface can be converted to a secondary flooring surface in a fraction
of the time it took with
conventional systems.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for
illustrative
purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions,
modifications, and substitutions
are possible and that the scope of the claims should not be limited by the
embodiments set forth
herein, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the
description as a whole.
11
