Lining system

Abstract

A lining system providing means of establishing visual demarcation lines for sports or other uses such as being played or other use to be used as demarcations for such things as base lines, foul lines, mid-field, goal boxes, penalty boxes, goal lines, yardage markers, parking spaces and other demarcations for playing fields or courts for sports such as baseball, softball, kickball, badminton, volleyball, bocce, croquet, football, flag football, flickerball, soccer, rugby, field hockey, ultimate frisbee, lacrosse or temporary parking lots. The preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a thin woven polymer-based material or film that is positioned where appropriate on the ground or floor. The polymer-based material is not adversely affected by moisture or sunlight making it suitable for outdoor use and is woven for added strength and durability. The material is of adequate width to be easily viewable, typically 1 inch to 4 inches, and comes on a roll or a reel for easy transportation and storage. A more permanent installation is for users that intend on leaving the material in place indefinitely in a semi-permanent installation. Either desired embodiment can be used to make lines and line segments to mark demarcation elements such as sidelines, goal lines, penalty boxes, yard markers, parking spaces or other elements desired by the user.

Description

[0001] This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 592,961, filed Jul. 29, 2004BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates in general to lining the floor or ground for a visual reference, and in particular to a method of defining and establishing temporary or semi-permanent field lines for sports fields, sports courts, and automobile parking lots. [0004] 2. Prior Art [0005] Traditional sports such baseball, softball, kickball, badminton, volleyball, bocce, croquet, football, flag football, flickerball, soccer, rugby, field hockey, ultimate frisbee and lacrosse continue to grow in popularity year after year. The limited options of suitable method to define areas for practice and play presents a problem. Coaches, physical education teachers and organizers typically define a playing area with cones or makeshift objects such as clothing, gym bags, leaving the actual lines to the users imagina...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a simple, economical, portable means of establishing field lines appropriate for the sport being played or other use for to be used as demarcations for such things base lines, foul lines, mid-field, goal boxes, penalty boxes, goal lines, yardage markers and other demarcations for playing fields or courts for sports such as baseball, softball, kickball, badminton, volleyball, bocce, croquet, football, flag football, flickerball, soccer, rugby, field hockey, ultimate frisbee and lacrosse with said demarcations being appropriate for the given sport. Disclosed is a method and apparatus to create lined areas on the ground or floor typically used for marking and delineating playing areas and demarcation elements for athletic events or other ground marking needs. The preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a thin woven polymer-based material or film that is positioned where appropriate on the ground and held in place by means further described in this disclosure. The polymer- based material is not adversely affected by moisture or sunlight making it suitable for outdoor use and is woven for added strength and durability. The material is of adequate width to be easily viewable, typically 1 inch to 4 inches, and comes on a roll or a reel for easy transportation and storage. Anchoring methodologies are disclosed with a means for anchoring any free end of the material to the ground and for attaching the material to the ground between the ends and at any corners desired by the user. Anchoring methodologies are provided for both temporary and semi-permanent installations. A temporary installation might be desired by a user for one use or event, with the intention of removing or retrieving the material at the conclusion of the event. A more permanent installation is for users that intend on leaving the material in place indefinitely in a semi-permanent installation. Either desired embodiment can be used to make lines and line segments to mark demarcation elements such as sidelines, goal lines, penalty boxes, yard markers, parking spaces or other elements desired by the user.

Problems solved by technology

The limited options of suitable method to define areas for practice and play presents a problem.

Indoor methods are also limited cones or adhesive tape to line the floor.

Conventional means of marking playing fields including chalk or paint are impractical, inconvenient, and expensive.

These methods are often disallowed for temporary use in public spaces such as parks.

Heretofore, there has been no simple, economical, portable means of establishing independent field lines for a visual reference for the practice or play of sports and other events that can be easily dispatched, retrieved and stored for subsequent future uses if desired.

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