EP1127191A1

EP1127191A1 - Synthetic surface treatment apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1127191A1
Application number: EP98931841A
Authority: EP
Inventors: William Bayfield Doolen
Original assignee: Synthetic Grass Management Systems Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Synthetic Grass Management Systems Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-13
Filing date: 1998-07-13
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Also published as: AU8200798A

Abstract

A treatment apparatus is provided for treating a surface, especially a playing surface for sports such as hockey, soccer, tennis and the like. The apparatus has one or more treatment means such as rotatable brushes (38, 40) for removing undesired materials from the surface and means (22) for drying the surface so that the treated surface becomes relatively dry to play on. The heating means may have one or more burners for generating a predetermined heating capacity at a predetermined temperature which is below the flash point of the surface material which may be synthetic fibre. Air directing means (36) may also be provided for directing heated air at the surface.

Description

SYNTHETIC SURFACE TREATMENT APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to an apparatus having one or more treatment means for treating a surface, and in particular but not limited thereto, to an apparatus for treating an artificial playing surface for a sporting facility, which surface can be substantially damp for a considerable time period at certain time of the year and/or can be prone to build up of organisms such as algae, moss, mould etc.

Examples of the artificial surface include synthetic playing fields for hockey, football and the like, synthetic tennis courts, synthetic turf for bowling greens, synthetic cricket pitch, rubberised running tracks etc.

BACKGROUND ART Known treatment apparatus have one or more treatment means usually in the form of brushes for treating an artificial playing surface. While operating, the treatment means gathers materials removed from the surface, and attempts to dispose off the gathered materials. But certain materials such as algae, moss, mould, etc. tend to cling to the treatment means. In time, the treatment means will be clogged up and its efficiency will thereby reduce progressively. Therefore frequent maintenance is required in order to keep the apparatus efficient. In regions where cold climate prevails, the playing surfaces may be damp for a considerably long time and they are unsafe to play on. The dampness in conjunction with bad drainage also lead to a build up of the above mentioned organisms.

OBIECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to alleviate or to reduce to a certain degree one or more of the above prior art disadvantages and/or to maintain playing surfaces relatively safe.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in an apparatus for treating a surface. The apparatus comprises one or more treatment means adapted to contact the surface for removing undesired materials from the surface, and means for drying the surface so that the treated surface becomes relatively dry.

Preferably the drying means is disposed so that the surface is subject to drying prior to contact with the one or more treatment means.

More preferably the drying means includes a heating source for heating air and means for direction the heated air for applying to the surface for drying thereof.

Desirably the heated air is set so that its temperature when applied to the surface is below the flash point of the material of the surface. The material is conveniently synthetic fibre. The heating source may be in the form of one or more burners.

Conveniently the burner or burners are LP gas fired. The LP gas burner(s) or any other form of the heating source is adapted to generate a predetermined heating capacity, preferably about 1 50,000 BTUs at a predetermined temperature, preferably at 100 degrees Centigrade. Typically, the directing means includes a chamber and the heating source is positioned upstream of the chamber through which the heated air flows.

The chamber may have an outlet means at one end thereof. The outlet means is desirably positioned, in use, above the surface so that the heated air is directed substantially to the area of the surface beneath the outlet means. The outlet means may have one or more baffle members for spreading the heated air. Guide means which can be arranged in one or more rows are also located in the outlet means for guiding air onto the surface. Where the guide means includes more than one guiding members in a row the baffle members are conveniently spaced for guiding the heated air evenly. In one case the chamber is defined by a body which may be insulated in order to reduce heat loss.

A blower or fan may be provided for drawing or blowing air over the heating source and then into the chamber. The blower or fan is typically driven by a motor unit. The heated air dries the surface to at least a degree of relative dryness.

Where the surface includes materials to be removed the relatively dried materials are then preferably transferred by the treatment means into a ducting for disposal or collection.

A filter trap may be provided for filtering the relatively dried materials so that only the undesired materials are trapped and the rest of the materials are reused. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 1 ; and Figure 3 is a front cross-sectional view along line C-C in Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the figures and initially to Figure 1 , there is shown a treatment apparatus 10 according to the present invention. The apparatus 10 has a body 12, a front swivel wheel assembly 14, a pair of back wheel assemblies 16, 18 and a draw bar 20.

The apparatus 10 of the present invention has a drying device 22 for substantially drying a damp synthetic playing surface 50, including substantially drying algae, moss and/or mould on the surface 50.

In the embodiment of the present invention the drying device 22 has an insulated chamber 24 joined to a manifold chamber 26. Air is drawn into the chamber 26 by means of a fan unit 28 which is driven by a motor 30. LP gas fired burners (not shown) are positioned in the chamber 26 for heating air drawn into the chamber 26. In this case the burners generate 1 50,000 BTUs at about 100°C.

Guide members 32 are arranged for guiding the preheated air in the chamber 24. Baffle members 34 are also located in the chamber 24 for spreading the preheated air so that the air is substantially evenly distributed at the chamber outlet 36. In this case the outlet 36 has a width of about 250mm so that a relatively large area of the surface 50 is subject to the preheated air at any one time. The apparatus 10 also has a pair of treatment means which in this case are brushes 38, 40. However the present invention contemplates the use of any of other forms of known treatment means such as the impact means and brush means described in the pending International Patent Application No. WO 95/03455 which is fully incorporated herein for reference.

The brushes 38, 40 are adapted to loosen up the now substantially dry materials such as sand, algae, moss and mould from the synthetic playing surface 50. The substantially dry materials are then drawn into the tubing 42 by means of suction and in this case the suction is provided by means of a suction fan 44. The substantially dry materials drawn in by suction are delivered to a filter

46 where sand and other relatively high density components of the materials are returned to the surface 50 for redistribution and the materials of lesser density are trapped in the filter. Algae, moss, mould are examples of the lesser density materials. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating a surface which may become damp, the apparatus comprising one or more treatment means adapted to contact the surface for removing undesired materials therefrom, and means for drying the surface so that the treated surface becomes relatively dry.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drying means is disposed so that the surface is subject to drying prior to contact with the one or more treatment means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drying means includes a heating source for heating air and means for directing the heated air for applying to the surface to be dried and the heating source is set so that the temperature of the heated air when applied to the surface is below the flash point of the material of the surface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the heating source includes one or more burners for generating a predetermined heating capacity of about

150,000 BTUs and at a predetermined temperature of about 100 degrees Centigrade at the surface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the directing means includes a chamber and the heating source is positioned upstream of the chamber through which the heated air flows, the chamber having an outlet means at one end thereof and the outlet means being positioned, in use, above the surface so that the heated air is directed substantially to the area of the surface beneath the outlet means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the outlet means having one or more baffle members for spreading the heated air and guide means arranged in one or more rows for guiding the heated air onto the surface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the apparatus further comprising a blower or fan for drawing or driving air over the heating surface and then into the chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the treatment means is arranged to remove materials which have been subject to drying by the heating means into a ducting for disposal or collection.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a filter trap is provided for filtering the removed materials so that materials of relatively low density are trapped therein and the remainder materials are returned to the surface.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the relatively low density materials including algae, moss and/or mould, and the relatively high density materials including sand.