MARKING DEVICE, TRAILER UNIT FOR A MARKING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MARKING A NUMBER, LETTER OR SYMBOL

Abstract

The invention relates to a marking device (10; 100) for marking a football field layout. The marking device (10; 100) comprises a drive unit (1; 101) and a trailer unit (2; 102), wherein the drive unit (1; 101) comprises a frame, at least three wheels (8a-8c, 108a-108c) for carrying the frame, in particular one line spray nozzle (11) for marking straight lines on the ground, the line spray nozzle (11), being fixedly attached to the frame or moveably attached to the frame for adjusting the position of the line spray nozzle (11), a motor (16a) for driving at least one of the wheels (8a-8c) of the drive unit (1) and/or a handle (16b) for a user to push the drive unit (101), in particular a drive unit pump (28) for pumping paint to the nozzle, and a command unit (5) for commanding the pump and/or nozzle and/or motor. The drive unit (1; 101) and the trailer unit (2; 102) are attached through a coupling, in such a way, that the trailer unit (2; 102) is pullable by the drive unit. The trailer unit (2; 102) comprises a support frame, at least one, in particular two, wheel (13a, 13b) for carrying the support frame, and at least one set of, in particular forty, symbol spray nozzles (12) for spraying a symbol on the ground, the nozzles (12) being fixedly attached to the support frame.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A marking device for marking a football field layout, comprising a drive unit and a trailer unit, wherein the drive unit comprises: a frame, at least three wheels for carrying the frame, a line spray nozzle for marking straight lines on the ground, the line spray nozzle being fixedly attached to the frame or moveably attached to the frame for adjusting the position of the nozzle, a motor for driving at least one of the wheels of the drive unit and a handle for a user to push the drive unit, and a command unit for commanding at least one of the nozzle and motor, wherein the drive unit and the trailer unit are connected through a coupling, in such a way, that the trailer unit is pullable by the drive unit, the trailer unit comprises a support frame, at least one wheel for carrying the support frame, and at least one set of symbol spray nozzles for spraying a symbol on the ground, the nozzles being fixedly attached to the support frame.

17. The marking device according to claim 16, wherein the drive unit comprises a drive unit pump for pumping paint to the nozzle.

18. The marking device according to claim 16, wherein the drive unit comprises at least a first container for a first color of paint.

19. The marking device according to claim 18, wherein the drive unit comprises a second container for a second color of paint and a third container for a third color of paint.

20. The marking device according to claim 18, wherein the trailer unit comprises a paint transportation system for transporting paint from the first container to the symbol spray nozzles, wherein the paint transportation system comprises ducts for transporting paint and a paint connection end for sucking in paint.

21. The marking device according to claim 20, wherein the paint transportation system comprises a trailer unit pump on the trailer unit for pumping paint to the symbol spray nozzles.

22. The marking device according to claim 16, wherein the trailer unit comprises a control unit for controlling the symbol spray nozzles, wherein the trailer unit comprises an information connection between the command unit and the control unit for transporting command information, the information connection being at least one of a wired and a wireless connection.

23. The marking device according to claim 16, wherein at least the trailer unit and the drive unit comprises a GNSS receiver or a reflector for a robotic total station attached to the frame for detecting a current location.

24. The marking device according to claim 23, wherein the drive unit is adapted to compare a detected location to a predetermined pattern and adapted to calculate at least a location and a direction, by means of at least the command unit and a comparator.

25. The marking device according to claim 24, wherein the drive unit is adapted to be steered autonomously.

26. The marking device according to claim 24, wherein the drive unit is adapted to be steered autonomously based on at least one of the calculated location and direction.

27. The marking device according to claim 24, wherein the drive unit comprises a prompting device for providing steering information to a user, wherein the drive unit is adapted to be steered by means of a manual steering device.

28. The marking device according to claim 27, wherein the marking device comprises a motor unit between the drive unit and the trailer unit for driving the marking device, wherein the motor unit comprises a frame, a motor, and at least three wheels.

29. A trailer unit for a marking device according to claim 16, wherein the trailer unit comprises: a support frame, at least one wheel for carrying the support frame, at least one set of symbol spray nozzles for spraying a symbol on the ground, the nozzles being fixedly attached to the support frame, and at least a first part of a coupling adapted for removably coupling the trailer unit to at least a drive unit and a motor unit, wherein the trailer unit is adapted to be attached to at least one of an external source of power, an external supply of paint and an external source of command information for spray pattern instructions.

30. The trailer unit according to claim 29, wherein the trailer unit comprises a control unit for controlling the symbol spray nozzles, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the nozzles according to command information.

31. The trailer unit according to claim 29, wherein the trailer unit comprises a paint transportation system for providing paint to the symbol spray nozzles, wherein the paint transportation system comprises ducts for transporting paint, wherein the paint transportation system comprises a paint connection end for sucking in paint.

32. A method for marking at least one of a number, letter and symbol with a marking device according to claim 16, the method comprising: defining a pattern; determining a current position with a GNSS receiver or a prism for a robotic total station; comparing the current position to the defined pattern and calculating at least one of a location and a direction, by a command unit (5) on the drive unit (1); driving by the drive unit autonomously or steered by a user, the drive unit tugging the trailer unit; and spraying the previously defined pattern by symbol spray nozzles, which are located on the trailer unit, while the trailer unit is being moved by means of at least one of the drive unit and a motor unit.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the current position is determined with a GNSS receiver or a prism for a robotic total station mounted on at least one of a drive unit and a trailer unit of a marking device.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the pattern comprises straight lines, wherein these lines are sprayed by a line spray nozzle on the drive unit.

Description

[0123] The invention will be further outlined in the following with reference to preferred embodiments with drawings, without being limited thereto. The figures show:

[0124] FIG. 1 a scheme of a first version of a marking device,

[0125] FIG. 2 a scheme of interactions between a trailer unit and a drive unit of the marking device of FIG. 1,

[0126] FIG. 3 a scheme of a second version of a marking device,

[0127] FIG. 4 a diagram of a method for marking numbers, letters and/or symbols

[0128] FIG. 1 shows a scheme of a first version of a marking device, the short marking device 10. The marking device 10 comprises a drive unit 1 and a trailer unit 2. The trailer unit 2 is coupled to the drive unit 1 via a two-part coupling 3a, 3b for tugging the trailer unit 2 after the drive unit 1. The trailer unit 2 comprises a support frame. Attached to the support frame are two wheels 13a, 13b, a set of forty symbol spray nozzles 12, a first part of the coupling 3a and an extendable support element 14.

[0129] The drive unit 1 also comprises a frame. Attached to the frame of the drive unit are a motor 16a for driving the marking device 10, three wheels 8a-8c, and a line spray nozzle 11 attached to the frame via an extendable arm 9. A second part of the coupling 3b is also attached to the frame.

[0130] The symbol spray nozzles 12 are arranged in a row with a width of essentially 1200 mm. This allows the trailer unit 2 to spray a number on an American football field layout in one go, as this corresponds to the necessary width for such a number.

[0131] The amount of 40 symbol spray nozzles 12 allows for a print resolution of 30 mm30 mm.

[0132] Thus, when spraying a pattern, the drive unit 1 tugs the trailer unit 2 in the drive direction D, powered by the motor 16a of drive unit 1. The marking device 10 drives over a surface to be marked with lines and/or symbols. The symbol spray nozzles 12 spray symbols, numbers and letters, and the line spray nozzle 11 sprays lines.

[0133] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the interaction between the drive unit 1 and the trailer unit 2 of a marking device 10.

[0134] For the spraying, the drive unit 1 comprises a container 4 for paint and a line spray nozzle 11. The trailer unit comprises a paint transportation system 20 for transporting paint from the paint container 4 to the symbol spray nozzles 12. The paint transportation system 20 comprises a pump 21 and ducts 22. The duct 22 which starts at the container 4 has a paint connection end 29 for sucking in paint. The paint connection end 29 in this case is adapted to be releasably attached to the container 4.

[0135] In this version of the marking device 10, the drive unit 1 also comprises a pump 28 for pumping paint to the line spray nozzle 11 and ducts 23 which lead from the container 4 to the line spray nozzle 11. In another version of the marking device 10, the pump 28 is the only pump for pumping paint to both the symbol spray nozzles 12 and the line spray nozzle 11.

[0136] The drive unit 1 comprises a command unit 5. The command unit 5 is adapted for connecting wirelessly to an interface device for a user to choose or enter a pattern, access information on the marking device 10 etc. Based on the chosen or entered pattern, command information is provided by the command unit 5. Command information, such as steering, calculating a path and for accessing the line spray nozzle 11, and command information of the symbol spray nozzles 12 is sent from the command unit 5 via a wireless connection 24 to a control unit 7 on the trailer unit 2. The control unit 7 accesses the symbol spray nozzles 12 on the trailer unit 2.

[0137] From motor 16a a power line is drawn to the trailer unit 2 to power the pump 21, the symbol spray nozzles 12 and the control unit 7.

[0138] The drive unit 1 comprises a GNSS-receiver 6 for determining the position by use of the signal 26 of a satellite 27.

[0139] Thus, a user chooses a pattern on an interface device or enters a pattern on the interface device. The command unit 5 determines the position of the marking device 10 with information of the GNSS receiver 6. Then, the command unit 5 calculates the pattern position and relates the pattern position to the determined position. The marking device 10 autonomously drives to a calculated start position for starting to spray. The command unit 5 accesses the line spray nozzle 11 and/or sends command information to the control unit 7 for accessing the symbol spray nozzles 12, depending on the chosen pattern to start spraying. The pump 21 and/or the pump 28 are accessed for pumping paint from the container 4 to the symbol spray nozzles 12 and/or the line spray nozzle 11. The marking device 10 travels autonomously a path calculated by the command unit 5 while spraying the pattern and returns to the start position in a docking station.

[0140] FIG. 3 shows a scheme of a second version of marking device, a three part marking device 100. The marking device 100 comprises a drive unit 101, a trailer unit 102 and a motor unit 103. The motor unit 103 is arranged between the drive unit 101 and the trailer unit 102. The trailer unit 102 is in essence identical to the trailer unit 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and for the details the description of trailer unit 2 is referenced here. The drive unit 101 differs from the drive unit 1, in that the drive unit 101 comprises a handle 16b for pushing and steering the marking device 100 and does not comprise a motor 16a. For the other details, the description of the drive unit 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is referenced. The motor unit 103 comprises a frame and attached to the frame a motor 119, a container for fuel, three wheels 18a-128c, and a seat for a user to sit on. The drive unit 101 and the motor unit 103 are coupled by a two-part coupling 118a, 118b and the trailer unit 102 is coupled to the motor unit 103 with another two-part coupling 117a, 117b.

[0141] The user chooses or enters a pattern in an interface device, in this case a tablet. The command unit calculates a path to spray the pattern and presents it to the user on the tablet. The user drives the marking device 100 following the presented path on the interface device, while the marking device 100 sprays the pattern.

[0142] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a method for marking numbers, letter and/or symbols.

[0143] In a first step 70, a pattern is defined. A pattern includes any lines, symbols, number and/or letters of a design to be sprayed by a marking device 10 (see FIG. 1) or a marking device 10 (see FIG. 3). In the case of an American football field layout, the pattern is stored in the memory of the command unit and is chosen by a user. Additionally, the user may amend the pattern to incorporate the name of the teams playing or other details of the pattern.

[0144] In a second step 71, the position of the marking device 10 is determined by use of a GNNS receiver.

[0145] In a third step 72, the determined position is compared to the predetermined patter and a direction or a location is calculated based on the comparison by the command unit. The command unit determines the shortest spray path, by calculating the distance and the necessary start positions for the trailer unit to start spraying.

[0146] In a fourth step 73, the marking device 10 drives or is driven by the user in the calculated direction or to the calculated location.

[0147] In a fifth step 74, the defined pattern is sprayed. For the spraying, the symbol spray nozzles are accessed by the control unit and the line spray nozzle is accessed by the command unit.

[0148] The method allows for quickly spraying an entire football field layout: As the line spray nozzle is adapted to spray the lines and the symbol spray nozzles are adapted to spray symbols, numbers and letters, when they are used in combination, the determination of the drive way for a certain pattern may be optimized.