Illumination – Light fiber – rod – or pipe – Illuminating or display apparatus
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-25
2004-01-06
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light fiber, rod, or pipe
Illuminating or display apparatus
C362S153100, C362S563000, C428S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06672749
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to marked surfacing and, more particularly, to an improved playing surface with optical material which may be illuminated to indicate various markings, such as lines, symbols, emblems, designs or advertising, on the playing surface of sports and athletic facilities.
BACKGROUND ART
A variety of methods have been used in the past to mark the playing surface of sporting events. Different sports require different line markings, team logos, symbols or emblems, and advertising. Such line markings can include, but are not limited to, end zone lines, goal lines, yardage marker lines, boundary lines, creases, midfield lines, base lines, service lines, free throw lines, and circles.
For surfaces such as ice, concrete, or wood, a variety of marking methods have been employed in the prior art. For example, it is known that markings may be painted on the surface and a thin clear coating, such as polyurethane or ice depending on the underlying substrate, then applied to cover and protect the markings. In this type of marking system, the markings are permanent and not easily altered. As a result, such markings cannot be easily hidden or altered to accommodate different sports or activities.
On natural grass and synthetic turf surfaces, it is known that line markings can be indicated by applying a colored substance along the pile of the turf. It is known that such colored substance may be white wash, paint, or lime. Alternatively, it is also known that the line markings may be indicated by filling the turf or pile filaments along the desired lines with particulate material such as chalk, brick dust or sawdust. While a number of these methods are not necessarily permanent, they have the disadvantage of becoming blurred and less distinct with use of the playing field and, as a result, often need to be repeatedly reapplied. In addition, such markings are not easy to remove to accommodate the markings of different sports or activities.
With artificial turf it is also known in the prior art to mark the lines by giving the pile filaments along the desired lines a color which is different from the pile filaments of the adjacent turf material. Thus, the marking lines are made of filaments of a different color from the adjacent material but are otherwise similar to the adjacent material. However, such systems have the disadvantage of being difficult to adjust to accommodate the markings of different sports or activities.
With artificial turf it is also known to separately manufacture strips of material which may be inserted in corresponding gaps cut in the turf field to indicate the line markings. Such line marking strips may be attached by adhesive or loop and hook attachments. However, such systems can often result in a decrease in the durability of the lines and an increase in the labor involved in arranging the strips to accommodate the markings of different sports.
It is also known that a playing field may be marked to simultaneously indicate the lines for more than one sport or activity. However, such dual markings can become confusing to players and officials and can not accommodate the need for showing alternate team logos depending on the team playing or sport being played on the field.
Hence, it would be useful to provide an improved marked surface that may be easily adapted to selectively show on the same playing surface markings for a variety of different sports, teams and advertisements depending on the sport and teams using the particular playing surface.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
With parenthetical reference to the corresponding parts, portions or surfaces of the disclosed embodiment, merely for the purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides an improved optically marked surface (
15
) comprising a light source (
16
), a surface to be marked (
18
), optical material (
19
) capable of illumination by the light source, the optical material, the surface and the light source being so configured and arranged that illumination of the optical material is visible on the surface.
The light source may emit variable wavelengths of visible light and the optical material may be selectively illuminated at such variable wavelengths. The device may include a second light source wherein the optical material is capable of illumination by the second light source.
The optical material may comprise fiber optic filaments (
20
,
37
) and/or a fiber optical strip (
21
). The optical material may be selected from a group consisting of glass, plastic and rubber. The fiber optic strip may be selected from a group consisting of side-emitting plastic, side-emitting rubber, and side-emitting glass. The surface may be an athletic playing surface (
22
), and may be selected from a group consisting of artificial turf (
23
), in-filled artificial turf (
24
), natural grass turf (
25
), ice, concrete (
26
), rubber, wood, and tile, or a combination of artificial turf and natural grass turf. The artificial turf may include synthetic turf fibers (
27
) and fiber optic filaments may extend between such turf fibers. The artificial turf may include turf fibers comprised of the optical material. The optical material may include a fiber optic strip and the fiber optic strip and the turf fibers may be so configured and arranged that illumination of the fiber optic strip causes illumination of the turf fibers.
The optical material may be so configured and arranged as to indicate the line markings of a playing surface for a first sport (
35
) when selectively illuminated, may be so configured and arranged as to indicate the line markings of a playing surface for a second sport (
36
) when selectively illuminated, and may be so configured and arranged as to indicate the line markings for the second sport without indicating the line markings for the first sport when selectively illuminated. The light source may emit light at a first wavelength or a second wavelength and the line markings for the first sport may be illuminated at the first wavelength and the line markings for the second sport may be illuminated at the second wavelength. The device may further comprise a second light source and the line markings for the first sport may be illuminated by the first light source and the line markings for the second sport may be illuminated by the second light source. The optical material may be so configured and arranged as to indicate a team symbol (
38
) and/or an advertising logo (
39
) when illuminated.
The artificial turf may include a primary backing layer (
30
), the optical material may include fiber optic filaments, and the filaments may pass through the primary backing layer. The artificial turf may include a secondary backing layer (
33
) and a base layer (
34
) and the fiber optic filaments may pass through the secondary backing layer and between the secondary backing layer and the base layer to communicate with the light source.
Also disclosed is turf comprising artificial turf fibers and fiber optic filaments extending between the artificial turf fibers.
Also disclosed is turf comprising natural grass fibers and fiber optic filaments extending between the natural grass fibers.
The present invention also provides a method of marking a surface comprising the steps of providing a light source, providing a surface to be marked, providing an optical material capable of illumination by the light source, configuring and arranging the optical material, the surface, and the light source such that illumination of the optical material is visible on the surface, and illuminating the optical material.
The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing artificial turf comprising the steps of providing a primary backing layer, providing artificial fibers, providing fiber optic material, threading the artificial fibers through the primary backing layer, and threading the fiber optic material through the primary backing layer and between the artificial fibers. The primary backing layer may be orientated in a first direction and t
Nicholls Mark H.
Nicholls Sidney O.
Pullin Douglas L.
O'Shea Sandra
Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP
Turfstore.Com, Inc.
Ward John Anthony
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