Patent Application
20120297713
The invention relates to an illuminated arena floor, a method for its production, and its use.
Sports arenas are used for a large number of different types of sports. Examples include the classical ball sports of soccer, handball, volleyball, and basketball. Increasingly, other types of sports such as badminton and squash are also being added. Usually, sports arenas are used by different groups and associations. This entails intensive use of various types of sports. Accordingly, a correspondingly large number of lines and markings must be applied to the arena floors since the types of sports mentioned have greatly differing rules.
However, when many markings are applied to the floor of the playing area, this makes the orientation of the players on the playing area more difficult. In addition, it is more difficult for referees to recognize fouls. Moreover, during tournaments, the markings of the other types of sports have to be removed or covered. These measures are expensive and time-consuming. Illuminated floor panels made of safety glass represent one possibility for temporarily indicating markings. However, the illumination devices installed under the safety glass panes are in many cases quite difficult to access.
DE 39 25 742 A1 discloses an arena floor with a subfloor made of screed concrete and an elastic layer applied thereon. The elastic layer comprises at least two polyolefin plates that are glued together with a fleece.
US 2008/0287221 A1 discloses a base for a ball court. The base contains a plurality of adjacent safety glass panes freely movable vertically relative to each other that are aligned on a support and spring structure. Illumination devices enable the illumination of lines and markings.
The object of the invention is to provide an illuminated arena floor that is provided with a plurality of different colored lighting means and permits simple replacement and maintenance of the lighting means and control electronics.
The object of the present invention is accomplished according to the invention by an illuminated arena floor, a method for its production, and its use according to the independent claims 1, 14, and 15. Preferred embodiments emerge from the subclaims.
The illuminated arena floor comprises at least one composite glass floor panel. The composite glass floor panel preferably contains safety glass. A polymer block and a light channel are arranged between the composite glass floor panel and an overlay.
The light channel preferably contains LEDs and the corresponding electrical connections. Besides LEDs, other lighting means, such as incandescent bulbs, energy-saving bulbs, or halogen bulbs, can also be used. The light channel preferably includes differently colored LEDs that can be individually or jointly controlled. Thus, it is possible to generate moving light effects through the selective activation and extinction of individual LEDs. To the observer, the light appears to spread out in waves of color. If multiple colored waves are superimposed, further effects such as a colored moiré effect result. The light channel is laid under the composite glass floor panel along the playing field lines and enables selective illumination of the field lines of the selected type of sport. The light channel can also be laid out as a flat area and thus enable the representation of symbols and advertising.
The polymer block preferably contains an elastic polymer that exerts a cushioning effect on the composite glass floor panel.
A hook and loop fastener connects the polymer block to the composite glass floor panel. The hook and loop fastener enables simple, secure, and preferably reversibly detachable fastening of the polymer block to the composite glass panel.
The overlay is preferably configured as a metal and/or polymer panel or frame. The overlay ensures a level alignment of the composite glass floor panel and is borne by supports. The overlay can be a unperforated panel or a grid panel.
The supports are preferably aligned level on the foundation of the arena and the overlay.
Usually, the illuminated arena floor is made up of a plurality of composite glass floor panels, such that the above-described structure of composite glass floor panels, light channel, polymer block, overlay, and support is repeated over both the length and width of the foundation of the arena.
The composite glass floor panel preferably includes a composite glass pane and a connection joint. The connection joint connects the individual composite glass floor panels and seals the surface of the arena floor.
The composite glass floor panel preferably has a height from 4 mm to 20 mm, preferably 8 mm to 16 mm.
The composite glass floor panel preferably includes an anti-slip coating on the top. The anti-slip coating can be produced by etching the glass surface with an acid or base and/or printing with an enamel or ceramic paint. The enamel or ceramic paint is preferably applied as points or bumps.
The connection joint preferably contains cement, silicones, RTV (room-temperature-vulcanizing) silicone rubber, HTV (high-temperature-vulcanizing) silicone rubber, peroxide-vulcanized silicone rubber, addition-vulcanized silicone rubber, natural rubber, vulcanized rubber, polyisoprenes, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, polyurethanes, polysulfides, polyepoxides, and/or polyacrylates as well as mixtures and/or copolymers thereof.
The connection joint is preferably manufactured from a liquid curable silicone.
The connection joint preferably contains acrylate adhesives, methyl methacrylate adhesives, cyanoacrylate adhesives, polyepoxides, silicone adhesives, and/or silane-curing polymer adhesives as well as mixtures and/or copolymers.
The connection joint preferably has a Shore-A hardness of >30, preferably >40. A definition of Shore hardness for elastomers is found in DIN 53505 and DIN 7868. The Shore-A hardness is preferably 30 to 90.
The light channel preferably contains a light source, particularly preferably an LED (light emitting diode) and/or OLED (organic light emitting diode).
The light channel preferably contains a delimiting profile made of metal and/or polymer, preferably aluminum, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, and/or mixtures and/or copolymers. The delimiting profile functions as a compartment for the light source and seals the light source against dust and moisture.
The polymer block preferably has a height from 5 mm to 30 mm, particularly preferably 15 mm to 25 mm.
The polymer block preferably contains silicones, RTV silicone rubber, HTV silicone rubber, peroxide-vulcanized silicone rubber, addition-vulcanized silicone rubber, natural rubber, vulcanized rubber, polyisoprenes, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, and/or polyacrylates as well as mixtures and/or copolymers thereof.
The polymer block preferably contains, on the top and/or bottom, a flat aluminum frame. The flat aluminum frame preferably ends flush with the polymer pad. The flat aluminum frame is preferably located on the top between the hook and loop fastener and the polymer block and/or on the bottom between the polymer block and the overlay. The flat aluminum frame is preferably arranged, as described above, below a connection joint. The purpose of the flat aluminum frame is to press two adjacent glass panes downward together when a load is applied to one of them.
The overlay preferably contains, on the top and/or bottom, a flat aluminum frame. The flat aluminum frame is preferably arranged, as described above, below a connection joint.
The overlay preferably contains aluminum, iron, titanium, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, and/or alloys thereof.
The overlay preferably contains polymers, carbon fibers, carbon-fiber reinforced polymers, and/or mixtures or copolymers.
The overlay preferably has a height from 5 mm to 20 mm, preferably 7 mm to 15 mm.
The supports preferably contain spring elements and/or spring supports.
The supports are preferably height adjustable. The supports can compensate for unevenness in the foundation of the arena and can be adapted to different arena floor heights.
The invention further includes a method for the production of an illuminated arena floor. In a first step, one or, usually, a plurality of supports are positioned on the floor foundation. Then, an overlay is placed and attached on the support. In the case of a plurality of supports, a plurality of overlays can be used. These are preferably attached to each other.
In the next step, a polymer block is attached on the overlay. The attachment can occur using an appropriate adhesive or mechanically using a screw, nail, clips, and/or a dowel. In the following step, the two associated parts of a hook and loop fastener are attached on the polymer block and a composite glass floor panel. The expression “associated parts of a hook and loop fastener” means, on the one hand, the loops, fabric, or strips and, on the other, the hooks of a hook and loop fastener. The hooks can be attached both on the composite glass floor panel and on the polymer block.
In a further step, a light channel is attached on the overlay and provided with electrical connectors.
In the final step, the composite glass floor panel is attached on the polymer block by means of the hook and loop fastener.
The invention further includes the use of the illuminated arena floor as a sports field, sports arena, gymnasium, particularly preferably as a handball court, volleyball court, hockey field, soccer field, and/or basketball court.
In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference to drawings. The drawings are purely schematic and not to scale. They in no way restrict the invention.
They depict:
They represent:
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2009 044 180.8 | Oct 2009 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP10/64735 | 10/4/2010 | WO | 00 | 7/31/2012 |
