The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 01, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 20, 1996
Kent Widrick, Castorland, NY (US);
John Madsen, Glen Allon, VA (US);
Winston Sanders, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Darrin Bryant, Richmond, VA (US);
Leonard Pauley, Mech, VA (US);
AMF Bowling, Inc., Richmond, VA (US);
Abstract
A bowling alley bumper system includes a pair of elongated bumpers extending along the length of an alley for guarding the gutters of a bowling alley when the bumpers are in an extended or guarding position. Each of the bumpers also includes a string of lights within a clear plastic rail which is disposed along an upper portion of the bumper. A controller is provided for pulsing the lights along each of the bumpers to produce a 'chase' or other visual effect. For example, the controller may be used to illuminate the first, fourth, seventh, etc. lights in a string, followed by the illumination of the second, fifth, eighth, etc., lights, and then the third, sixth, ninth, etc., lights to give the appearance of moving down the alley. A controller may also be used to regulate the illumination of the lights across adjacent alleys.