Patent Application
20060097564
This invention relates to a system for resurfacing ice skating rinks.
Ice skating is extremely popular in the northern states of America and is growing increasingly popular in the southern states. The demands for ice skating surfaces are becoming nearly impossible to meet. Many ice rinks have to operate 24 hours a day to meet skaters' needs. The number and availability of ice skating rinks are limited by the maintenance required to keep the quality of the ice surface in an optimum or at least satisfactory condition. Such maintenance involves eliminating ruts and the like created by the skaters, removing the resulting ice particles, removing any fallen snow accumulation (in the case of an outdoor rink), and controlling the thickness of the ice.
It is important to control the thickness of the ice. The average ice thickness on an indoor ice skating rink is about 0.75 to 1.0 inch. If, for example, a person were merely to constantly shovel away the ice powder created after an ice skating session and reapply water, the ice would eventually become too thick for the ice chillers to handle and the ice would become soft and wet.
Backyard or homemade ice rinks, ponds, and lakes are called natural ice skating surfaces. They are usually created outdoors when the temperature is constantly below 25° F. Natural ice skating surfaces rely on cold air temperatures to keep the surface frozen. Even in colder climates, ice skating surfaces cannot have thick ice because they are hard to keep frozen. Natural ice skating surfaces also have the disadvantage of not having protection from snowfall.
Typically these smaller rinks are maintained manually, by one or more persons using hand tools, such as a shovel, a wheelbarrow, a hose, and a T-shaped squeegee-like implement. This not only tends to be burdensome, labor intensive, energy-depleting, and slow, but it also may produce an uneven, unduly thick, and/or poor quality surface. As a practical matter, the long term result of these deficiencies is likely to be that the ice surface is resurfaced with insufficient frequency. Manual maintenance also requires fairly large quantities of water, and sometimes creates fog which can be a problem in enclosed rinks. As a member of a neighborhood recreation association having a 7,000 sq. ft. indoor ice skating rink, I have had personal experience in hand shoveling and resurfacing and the attending disadvantages thereof. That experience led to the present invention.
Large ice resurfacing machines such as those sold under the trademark Zamboni® or Olympia® have been used for many years for large rinks, for example regulation hockey rinks having regulation dimensions of 200 ft.×85 ft. and other rinks having an area of 19,000 to 20,000 sq. ft. These large machines are excellent for large rinks, but their initial expense, size, complexity, training, maintenance, and storage requirements render them less suitable for medium and small size rinks, such as those operated by homeowners, municipalities, recreation associations, parks, private establishments, and the like. Currently such machines of one manufacturer have a selling price in the lower $70,000 range and weigh in excess of 9,000 pounds. Also, their size limits their turning radius and maneuverability and often requires a separate building for storage. In addition, they are complex, requiring considerable skilled maintenance and operator training. Certification of an operator of one of these machines requires that he or she attend a 3-day training course. More recently, downsized versions of these machines such as the Zamboni® Model 100 and the Olympia 250® have become available, but aside from their size and weight these have many of the same shortcomings.
The Zamboni® and Olympia® and various other machines shave off a surface ice layer of a sufficient depth, which can be as much as ⅛ inch, to remove substantially all of the ruts, and then deposit water on the resulting rut-free substrate so as to create an entirely new layer of fresh ice on the substrate. The shaving produces a rather large quantity of ice particles or “snow”, which is carried away by conveyors in the machine, stored in a snow box in the machine, and later disposed of as waste.
There has been a long-felt but unmet need for an ice resurfacing machine which has the following attributes and capabilities: relatively low initial cost; compact; easily maneuverable; short turning radius; easy to maintain and repair with standard parts; operator friendly; minimum water requirements; minimum snow disposal requirements; fast; adjustable; flexible, with ice thickness reduction capability and heavy snow removal capability; providing high quality ice surfaces; suitable for ice skating rinks of any size, including small and medium size rinks; and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
An object of the invention is to fill the above-identified need, or at least provide as many of the attributes and capabilities as possible, bearing in mind the compromises necessary to reconcile the inherent competition between them.
Rather than remove a layer of ice that is sufficiently thick to remove substantially all of the ruts and then replace it with water, the present invention removes only a thin layer of ice, leaves the ruts, fills the ruts with snow, and adds hot water to fill the interstices in the snow in the ruts and melt that snow. This leaves the ruts completely filled with water, which when frozen will provide a smooth ice surface and effectively eliminate the ruts.
The inventive approach eliminates the need for apparatus to convey large quantities of snow off the ice and into the resurfacing machine, to store it in the machine, and to haul it away. This greatly reduces the cost, size, weight, and complexity of the machine. It also conserves water. Also, the inventive machine has the capabilities of removing heavy snow and reducing ice thickness. In addition, it is easy to operate and maintain and produces an excellent ice surface. Further, it works sufficiently fast to be useful for larger rinks as well as small and medium-size rinks.
Apparatus utilizing this approach takes advantage of and enhances these and other aspects and advantages of the invention, including an integrated combination of a light towing vehicle, a compact resurfacing attachment, and a lifting and leveling assembly connecting the vehicle and the attachment.
Sales data for ice resurfacing machines according to the present invention are consistent with my belief that the invention fills a long-felt need. My company, Ragged Point Industries, sells these machines under the trademark “The Ice Wizard”. The first sale took place on Sep. 27, 2004. In the less than 6 months since then, we have sold 22 of these ice resurfacing machines, in the United States and abroad. One of these machines is being used at the ice skating rink on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Four of them are being used at ice rinks in Saudi Arabia, and another one is being shipped to Saudi Arabia. Ours is not a large or sophisticated operation, as all of these machines were assembled by my partner and me at my personal residence, when we were (as we still are) employed full-time in our “day jobs”.
The following terms are used throughout this application in accordance with these definitions, unless a different interpretation is required by the context.
The terms “ice rink” and “rink” refer to ice having a horizontal surface used for ice skating, including recreational, professional, hockey, or figure skating, whether located indoors or outdoors, constructed or naturally occurring (such as a pond), or cooled naturally or by refrigeration.
The term “rut” refers to local, concave imperfections in the surface of an ice rink, including grooves, nicks, cracks, and gouges. (Ruts are typically caused by ice skate blades, falls, and hockey sticks.)
The term “snow” refers to particles of frozen water removed from the surface of an ice rink by scraping, including scrapings of the top layer of the ice, skater-generated snow, fallen snow, sleet, frozen rain, condensation, or other precipitation on the surface, including any liquid water mixed with them. Since “snow” includes associated liquid water, its nature will vary greatly depending upon wetness, compaction, temperature, slushiness, particle size, flowability, stickiness, etc.
The term “average thickness”, in a reference to a layer of snow being removed by a scraper blade from an ice surface, means the theoretical thickness the layer would have if the surface were perfectly and uniformly flat and level.
The term “box” is used in accordance with its dictionary definition relating to machines, e.g., an enclosing casing or part in a machine.
The term “cut”, used as a noun, means a series of passes of the machine, usually overlapping, that cover a desired rink area, as one would use that term with respect to mowing a lawn or field.
Vehicle 12 has wheels 18, steering mechanism 20, driver's seat 22, a motor (not shown), a battery (not shown), and a standard trailer hitch receiver 24. The particular vehicle shown is a golf cart with an electric motor. Other vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles and tractors, may be used for outdoor rinks. As an alternative to battery power, motors powered by compressed gas such as butane or propane may be used for indoor rinks.
Water supply system 17 consists of water supply tank 26 in vehicle 12 behind driver's seat 22. Located within tank 26 is water pump 27, which is connected to water supply line 28 via water regulator 29, which may be manually regulated to vary the volume of water flow. Water regulator 29 is a ball valve. Alternatively, water supply system 17 may be mounted on resurfacing attachment 14.
As shown in
Ice blade mounting bar 34, which is shown in
Water distributor 38 is a tube secured to the rear wall of snow box 30 by hangers 40. A number of aligned holes 42 spaced V2 inch apart in the tube are aimed at the rear wall of box 30. One end of water distributor 38 is connected to water supply line 28 at a 90° elbow.
Also attached to the rear wall of snow box 30 is towel holder 43. Removably connected by studs to towel holder 43 are water spreader towel 44 and towel backing bar 46, which in turn are attached to each other. This connection enables the towel and backing bar to be quickly replaced so that the towel can be allowed to dry. Spreader towel 44 is made of terry cloth, while backing bar 46 is made of stainless steel. Towel 44 lies on the ice over the width of box 30. A spreader towel is sometimes referred to as a “mat”.
Lifting and leveling assembly 16 includes at its front end a drawbar (not shown) which engages and is removably connected to hitch receiver 24. Post 52 is fixed to the drawbar. Pivotally connected to post 52 are central support arm 54 and two lever links 56, which in turn are pivotally connected at their rear ends to outer support arms 60 and farther forward to the piston of hydraulic unit 58 comprising a cylinder, piston, motor, pump, and fluid reservoir. Two support bars 62 are pivotally connected at their front ends to the drawbar, at their rear ends to snow box support frame 32, and in between to the lower ends of outer support arms 60. By virtue of their threaded parts, the three support arms 54, 60 are manually adjustable, and may be lengthened or shortened in turnbuckle fashion. The lifting and leveling assembly is a three point hitch, which was commercially available before the present invention was conceived.
Adjustment of support arm 54 levels the lower edges of snow box 30 from front to rear. Adjustment of support arms 60 levels the lower edges of the snow box 30 from side to side. Actuating hydraulic unit 58 to extend the piston lifts snow box 30 vertically, while actuating it to retract the piston lowers snow box 30 so that it rests on the surface of the ice.
The resurfacing machine may be used in three different modes—routine resurfacing mode, heavy snow removal mode, and ice thickness reduction mode. Routine resurfacing, the mode of its most frequent use, is appropriate after skaters have created snow and there has been no significant precipitation, extreme wear, or degradation. Heavy snow removal is appropriate when precipitation has fallen on an outdoor rink. Ice thickness reduction is appropriate when the thickness of the ice has become or is becoming thicker than 1 inch. It will be understood that other factors may be involved (for example, heavy snow resulting from especially vigorous skating, or falling and freezing condensation from the roof of an indoor rink) and that there is no bright line between the conditions warranting the selection of the appropriate mode. Usually, when either of the latter two modes is used, the operation will be immediately followed by a routine surfacing.
The heavy snow removal and ice thickness reduction modes are used without applying water to the surface of the ice and hence are sometimes referred to as a “dry cut”. Towel 44 is removed for either of these modes. In the routine resurfacing mode, blade 36 is adjusted and secured so that it is coplanar with the bottom edges of box 30. In the heavy snow removal mode, blade 36 is either at that coplanar position or is adjusted and secured so that it is above the coplanar position. In the ice thickness reduction mode, blade 36 is adjusted and secured so that it is below the coplanar position.
The routine resurfacing mode is carried out as follows. The operator fills tank 26 with hot water having a temperature in the range of from about 95° F. to about 120° F. and, with the box in the raised position, drives vehicle 12 to the desired starting position on the ice. Then he or she lowers box 30 until it rests evenly on the surface of the ice, turns on pump 27, and drives around the ice in a desired pattern. Typically the pattern is a series of slightly overlapped ovals with ever-decreasing radii, possibly with an initial swath along the longitudinal axis of the rink to avoid ending with irregularities due to turning radius limitations. If the box fills completely with snow, the operator drives to a location either on the ice or on a smooth, level surface contiguous with the ice, stops the vehicle, and raises box 30, leaving the snow exposed on the surface, so that the “dumped” snow may be shoveled into a container such as cart, either then or later.
As so used in the routine resurfacing mode, the ice resurfacing machine depicted in the drawings will resurface about 8,000 sq. feet before box 30 fills up with snow to the extent that dumping is required. As used in either of the waterless modes, the box fills up more quickly and more frequent dumping is required. Also, the lower the position of blade 36, the more snow is collected and the more frequently dumping is required.
Whenever the machine is stopped on the ice, water pump 27 should be turned off and box 30 should be raised. Otherwise, the hot water will melt the ice and the towel or box will stick to the ice. This is accomplished manually by “Water On/Water Off” and “Snow Box Up/Snow Box Down” controls in vehicle 12.
In the routine resurfacing mode, with the edge of blade 36 coplanar with the bottom edge of box 30, blade 36 will lightly scrape the surface of the ice and remove the snow already on the surface of the ice and a very thin layer of the ice. I estimate that the average thickness of this layer is about 1/32 inch, and certainly less than 1/16 inch. Blade 36 also levels the ice by removing high spots and bumps.
If necessary to generate sufficient snow to fill the ruts in the surface of the ice, blade 36 may be lowered slightly. The blade may be effectively lowered in a small increment by stopping vehicle 12 and adjusting central support arm 60 so as to lower the front of box 30, which avoids the need to move blade 36 with respect to blade mounting bar 34 as described above.
During routine resurfacing, the operator manually controls water regulator 29 to adjust water flow as desired. Increased flow is warranted by higher vehicle speed, resurfaced areas that appear to have insufficient water, creating new ice at the beginning of the skating season, and building up low spots. Decreased flow is warranted by reduced vehicle speed (as may be necessary for turning corners) and standing water. The slower the vehicle speed, the better the quality of the ice resurfaced.
The ice resurfacing machine according to the invention requires very little maintenance. The operator needs to make sure the batteries have the proper charge and water levels. Most golf carts require a monthly water fill. The scraper blade, though it holds a good edge and is very durable, requires sharpening from time to time. Also, the individual components are relatively light and can be easily moved and handled by one or two people.
Meanwhile, water pump 27 pumps pressurized hot water from tank 26, through line 28, and into water distributor 38. Pressurized water issuing from holes 42 in distributor 38 strikes the rear wall of box 30 and flows down its surface due to gravity and surface tension, as shown symbolically at 68, thereby further distributing the water in the transverse direction as it falls onto ice surface 10. Finally, towel 44 spreads the water uniformly across the surface of the ice, where it will freeze to form good ice, typically within a few minutes.
Specific data for the resurfacing machine shown in the drawings are as follows:
The following table lists the reference characters and names of features and elements used herein, with asterisks indicating groups of features and elements:
It will be understood that, while presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims. It will also be understood that the method claims are not intended to be limited to the particular sequence in which the method steps are listed therein, unless specifically stated therein or required by description set forth in the steps.
This application discloses and claims subject matter which was disclosed in copending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/552,820, filed Mar. 12, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60522820 | Nov 2004 | US |
