WO1998005392A1

WO1998005392A1 - System for rolling and unrolling an insulating tarpaulin for rinks and/or interior ices

Info

Publication number: WO1998005392A1
Application number: PCT/CA1997/000546
Authority: WO
Inventors: André OUELLET
Original assignee: Ouellet Andre
Priority date: 1996-08-05
Filing date: 1997-08-01
Publication date: 1998-02-12
Also published as: AU3690497A

Abstract

A mechanical system permitting to store and easily unroll on ice an insulating tarpaulin. This insulating tarpaulin has as an objective to cover interior rinks in order to reduce, at the same time, the needs of heating, refrigeration and dehumidification.

Description

SYSTEM FOR ROLLING AND UNROLUNG AN INSULATING TARPAULIN FOR RINKS AND/OR INTERIOR ICES.

DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1/ Field of the invention:

This invention relates generally to man made iced surfaces and more particularly to a means of lowering energy costs involved in maintaining said iced surfaces.

2/ Description of the relevant art:

Formerly, before the arrival of arenas, people who desired to practice "ice skating" were obliged to meet on lakes and frozen streams during the winter season. The conditions had to be favorable and the area where you lived in the country also had to be the good one in order that you may practice your favorite sport.

With the popularity of ice sports such as hockey, the implantation of arenas began throughout the country. This permitted warmer regions than elsewhere during the winter season to practice this sport throughout a determined period of the year. Also, for spectators, these amphitheater permitted them to assist at different events produced on ice in conditions much more pleasant.

The majority of arenas possess a heating system; a system to dehumidify the amphitheater; and also a refrigeration system which all need energy. These systems are expensive to operate and constitute the major expense of an arena. As a result, the problem found in amphitheaters is on one side, the heat released by heating systems, the heat from outdoors during the summer season which warms the walls and the ceiling of a building and that of the public in general. On the other side, we find the cold released by the iced surface. The temperature of the ice on the rink must be maintained at about -10°C (14°F) whereas the room temperature within the arena must correspond to about 18°C (65°F) for the comfort of spectators. The compressors of the refrigeration system function to compensate for the enormous loss of cold towards room temperature. On its side, the heating system must combat the mass of cold air to keep the interior of the arena at a chosen temperature and the dehumidifiers recuperate excess humidity which could be harmful to comfort.

Because of rising electricity costs in the past years and budget cuts it becomes more and more difficult to operate an arena. We must therefore come up with profitable solutions in order to economize energy which will improve the fate of our arenas.

Many arenas don't operate more than 12 to 14 hours per day. Our procedure would facilitate the realization of economy in energy by diminishing the functioning of the refrigeration system, dehumidifier and heating during off hours. To attain these ends, there are means that currently exist on the market such as methods to isolate the iced surface temporarily with a biodegradable moss. But this invention entails major problems of which the instability of the insulating moss due to temperature changes and variation of humidity rate during our seasons and from day to day each season. Furthermore, we note difficulty in spreading uniformly this moss in order to definitely obtain a thermal resistance evenly all over the rink each day, and finally, with a certain number of consecutive hours, the insulating properties of the moss diminish. These disadvantages unavoidably result in instabilities with regards to the energy economy, not to mention, also that the user risks transforming energy economy into high costs for the purchase of moss if he applies too much at a time. Other means show a procedure which consists in bringing onto the ice, with the help of a cart, during a non utilized period, a sort of isolated tarpaulin composed of Styrofoam granules. When the rink is unoccupied, this tarpaulin is therefore stored on a cart conceived to this effect and is put away at the exterior of the rink. The continuous transportation of the cart each time that the rink is used as well as the efficiency of the isolation of the tarpaulin due to displacement of the insulating granules in the interior are the main inconveniences of this means. It could happen that upon the unrolling of the tarpaulin to spread it on the ice, the granules aggregate in patches inside the tarpaulin, leaving voids elsewhere. The isolation in these places is therefore diminished in a considerable way and possibly completely eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of this invention is to provide a means of reducing energy costs in the context of an ice arena.

To attain this end the invention consists on creating a mechanical system permitting to store and easily unroll on ice an insulating tarpaulin. Said tarpaulin is composed of three elements: 1 ) an insulator 2) a woven plastic fabric and 3) a protective cover. The advantage over the prior art is that the insulator is made in a way which doesn't degrade or aggregate in patches, details of which follows in the detailed description.

During the rink operating hours the insulating tarpaulin is mechanically rolled up and put away in a storage cylinder which is installed at the ceiling or on a wall of the building parallel to the length of the rink and at a height which won't interfere with the use of the rink. The choice of the location for installation of the cylinder is very important to facilitate the mechanical unrolling of the insulating tarpaulin in order that it can easily be pulled by an attendant who would lay it down on the ice as it unrolls. When all of the insulating taφaulin has been laid, the energy economy begins.

This method also applies to other types of buildings where we find ice rings, curling lanes, etc.

The presence of the insulating taφaulin on ice prevents the loss of cold towards room temperature. As a matter of fact, the compressors of the refrigeration system function much less to replace the lost cold. We therefore find the first type of energy economy. The second type will be found at the level of the heating system of the building. The heating expense will be diminished because it will no longer have to combat all this cold which previously escaped on the iced surface. Depending upon the arena this surface can represent about 50% of the total floor area of the building. The dehumidrfiers would also function less and would generate another type of energy economy.

This new invention also has an effect in minimizing the wear costs of the refrigeration, heating and dehumidifier systems since they would work less often as well as providing a quick and effortless way in regards to the work being done by the attendant responsible for rolling and unrolling this insulating taφaulin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ice rink with a cylinder holding the insulating taφaulin.

Fig.2 shows the storage cylinder generally

Fig. 3 is a side view of the storage cylinder Fig. 4 is side elevation of the arena showing the rink, the storage cylinder with the insulating tarpaulin laid on ice as well as temperature controlling equipment.

Fig.5 is a view inside of the storage cylinder with emphasis on the central axis

Fig.6 cut-out view of the insulating taφaulin.

Fig.7 is a side elevation of the cable system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ice rink 2 with a series of storage cylinders 8 holding sections of the insulating taφaulin 1 and how the said storage cylinders 8 relate to the rink 2 and the structure of the building 4.

We must mention that the insulating taφaulin 1 isn't necessarily made with one piece only. It can be divided by bands that are as long as the width of the ice rink 2. A typical ice rink 2 could have as much as ten such storage cylinders 8 side by side, it is much easier this way for the attendant to lay down the sections individually than the whole insulating taφaulin 1 at once.

Fig. 2 shows one storage cylinder 8 generally. Said storage cylinder 8 is placed along the length of the rink 2 (not shown) and has a structure 15 covered with a taφ cover 16 which is used for protecting the interior of the storage cylinder 8 as well as its contents from dirt and dust. Said structure 15 has an access panel 17 to facilitate maintenance and repair. During installation of the structure a caulking 29 of some kind can be applied between each structure 15 to stop the infiltration of dirt in the interior of the storage cylinder 8. Fig. 3 is a side view of the storage cylinder 8 that has a central axis 9 with its supports 10 and its ties 11 to obtain a perfect alignment with the rink 2 (not shown), the winch 12 with a chain and gears system 13 and its control 14 will be activated by an attendant said control 14 is conveniently located or is in the form of a portable remote control.

Fig. 4 is side elevation showing the rink 2, the storage cylinder 8 with the insulating taφaulin 1 laid on ice 3. Belts 20 (only one shown) are of a length that allows for the distance between the central axis 9 and the insulating taφaulin 1 when it is laid down and are to used during the raising and lowering operations of the insulating taφaulin 1.

Another element of the invention is the way that activity interceptors 31 are used to monitor energy consumption. They are installed on each of the electric wires that supply the air conditioner 32, the heating system 33 and the dehumidifier 34. Said activity interceptors 31 function by induction and require no electric connection. They are linked to a computer 35 and an attendant if he wishes, can monitor energy economy. This method will also permit the manager to have better control on the frequency of rolling and unrolling of the insulating taφaulin 1.

Fig. 5 is a view inside of the storage cylinder 8 (in dotted lines) with emphasis on the central axis 9. Said axis 9 has notches 19 across its circumference to receive the belts 20 (only two belts shown) which are affixed to the central axis 9 and partially rolled up in this illustration, that way, once the belts are rolled up and the insulating tarpaulin 1 (not shown) arrives at the central axis 9 it can be rolled up flat without being deformed. The ends 36 are fixed to the structure 15 of the storage cylinder 8 with the help of ball bearings 21 and guides 22 to direct the insulating taφaulin 1 (not shown) when rolling up. At one end of the central axis 9 we find the chain and gears system 13 linked to the winch 12 (not shown). Fig.6 Is a cut-out view of the insulating taφaulin 1 shown generally, which is composed of three elements and they are: the insulator 5 in the middle is made with a component which doesn't lose its thermal capabilities over time, is flexible enough to be rolled-up and is taken from the group comprising, but not limited to, polyester fibers. The other element is the bottom part and is selected from the group comprising, but not limited to, high density polyethylene woven plastic fabrics 6 for its non-tear and non-stretch capabilities as well as its wateφroof qualities. Finally, the third element is a protective cover 7 with an objective to cover and hold the insulator 5 in the middle and is less subject to the tensions of the woven plastic fabric 6 and therefore does not need to be as resilient or wateφroof. Both the woven plastic fabric 6 and the protective layer 7 are bonded to the insulator 5 by any means taken from the group which includes but is not limited to: injection, gluing or laminating. It is very important that the insulator 5 be bonded so that it won't aggregate in patches.

Fig.7 In order to help lay down the insulating taφaulin 1 , each of said insulating taφauiin 1 has a cable 37 attached to a handle 38 that is part of the insulating tarpaulin 1. The cable 37 then goes up and through a pulley 39 attached to the ceiling of the building on the opposite side from the storage cylinders 8. The cable 37 then ends to an adjustable pulley 40 at the end of the central axis 9.

As the insulating taφauiin 1 unrolls, the cable 37 rolls up on the adjustable pulley 40 thus pulling on the insulating taφaulin 1 and aiding in the process of laying it onto the ice.

The reverse happens when the insulating taφaulin 1 is rolled back into its storage cylinder 8.

Claims

1 A mechanical system permitting to store and easily unroll on ice an insulating tarpaulin. This insulating tarpaulin has as an objective to cover interior rinks in order to reduce, at the same time, the needs of heating, refrigeration and dehumidification.

2 A mechanical system as described in daim 1 is comprised of storage cylinders having the function of containing a rolled insulating tarpaulin and provided with a means of rolling and unrolling said insulating tarpaulin.

3 A mechanical system as described in daim I has an insulating tarpaulin which is composed of an insulator in the middle which is made with a component which doesn't lose its thermal capabilities over time, is taken from the group comprising, but not limited to, polyester fibers, a bottom part selected from the group comprising, but not limited to, high density polyethylene woven plastic fabrics, a protective cover with an objective to cover and hold the insulator in the middle and both the bottom part and the protective cover are bonded to the insulator by any means taken from the group which includes but is not limited to: injection, gluing or laminating.

4 A mechanical system as described in daim 1 is further comprised of a system of cables to assist in laying down the insulating tarpaulin.