U.S. patent application number 11/352566 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-23 for truncated dome insert pins with flexible mylar layout grid.
Invention is credited to Kevin James Logan, Terra Marie Logan.
Application Number | 20070196169 11/352566 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38428334 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070196169 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Logan; Kevin James ; et
al. |
August 23, 2007 |
Truncated dome insert pins with flexible Mylar Layout Grid
Abstract
A plastic device, in the shape of a truncated dome, affixed to a
pedestrian sidewalk, crosswalk or platform by use of a flexible
Mylar layout grid and a drilled and glued insert location , placed
to provide a tactile and visual alert to disabled persons as to the
location and edge of a platform or walkway, where the sidewalk or
walkway transitions to a roadway or elevation change. The device
consist of a molded plastic "truncated dome", with an integrally
molded stem and a pre drilled Mylar mat positioning guide to ensure
the truncated domes are installed with in the guidelines of the
American's with Disabilities Act. The truncated domes will provide
the correct tactile alignment, slip resistant surface, as well as
the correct contrast in color between the truncated domes and
substrate as required in the American's with Disabilities Act.
Inventors: |
Logan; Kevin James;
(Pierceton, IN) ; Logan; Terra Marie; (Pierceton,
IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KEVIN JAMES LOGAN;TERRA MARIE LOGAN
7733 East 500 South
Pierceton
IN
46562
US
|
Family ID: |
38428334 |
Appl. No.: |
11/352566 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 23/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/009 |
International
Class: |
E01F 9/00 20060101
E01F009/00 |
Claims
1.) The flexible mylar layout grid allows for the correct placement
of the truncated dome insert pins on an existing substrate allowing
for the inevitable flexion and tension of the concrete surface
finish. The Mylar layout grid is pre-marked and drilled and is
transparent. The layout grid can either be butted together or
overlaid, for longer applications, such as a subway platform or
longer sidewalk to pavement transition, and still maintain the
correct center to center spacing of the insert pins as referenced
by The Americans With Disabilities Act. A Carpenter will be able to
use the layout grid without extensive additional training or
laborer personnel could be trained to do the installation in a
short period of time. Layout and installation can be accomplished
with tools and personnel already in a contractors standard
inventory. This layout and installation system does not interfere
with normal business activities and does not require the closing of
sidewalks and entrances for a long period of time. Sections as
small as four feet can be closed and installed in as little as 2
man hours.
2.) The polycarbonate insert pins are injection molded and have an
integral anti-slip surface molded into the 18 mm top surface. The
plastic is stabilized against normal ultraviolet solar radiation
and are molded in a high visibility color, such as red, orange or
blue. The size and shape, as well as the contrast between the
insert pins and underlying substrate, conform to the requirements
as stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
3.) The insert pins are all of the same shape and size and are
interchangeable with each other. The standard size allows for
replacement of an individual pin should one become broken or
missing due to maintenance or snow removal operations. This is far
preferable than having to remove a complete pre-molded clay tile to
replace one broken truncated dome surface. No concrete needs to be
removed for the placement of the plastic truncated dome insert
pins. Should one become missing, the contractor needs only to
re-drill the existing location point, by drilling out the remaining
stem piece, and then glue in a new truncated dome insert pin.
4.) Installation may be accomplished using tools already in the
contractor's inventory and with minimal additional training of
existing skilled or semi-skilled personnel. No rental or specialty
tools or equipment are required for normal installation. No special
tool platforms or machine jigs are required. Installation in new
concrete can be performed by using the layout grid during the
finishing process and inserting the pins into the pre-marked hole
locations in the fresh concrete.
5.) The high visibility color and high contrast with the underlying
substrate, allow the limited sighted individual to easily
distinguish between sidewalk and pavement areas. The 20 mm spacing
between dome structures allows for wheelchair wheels to easily
negotiate the tactile warning strip without having to roll over the
dome structures. The integrally molded anti-slip surface provides a
traction area when rain or snow is present.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the invention
[0002] The American's With Disabilities Act, Chapter Seven,
Communication Elements and Features, sections 705.1.1, 705.1.2 and
705.1.3 clearly define the truncated dome size, dome spacing and
contrast requirements for the design and installation of a tactile
and visual warning system to aid visually impaired individuals in
the location of edge of pavement/sidewalk transitions. Section
705.2 defines the surface section and location(s) where the tactile
warning system is to be installed. This invention provides for the
correct truncated dome size, spacing and contrast requirements of
the Act as well as providing for an accurate means of locating the
truncated domes as prescribed.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] Prior inventions consist of the use of pre-cast tiles or
panels, rubber sheets with the truncated domes integrally cast
within the tile material, and cast concrete pins inserted into
bored holes in the existing concrete substrate. The tiles, as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,743 and 5,302,049, mats, and cast
concrete pins, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,818, are of one
color which does not meet the requirements for the contrast between
the truncated domes and the underlying substrate. The
aforementioned devices also do not address the slip resistance
required for pedestrian safety. The American's With Disabilities
Act requires that all public use structures be retrofitted with the
required tactile surface (buildings built since the year 2001) and
all new public use construction from the year 2001 forward must use
the tactile warning surface as an aid to the visually impaired
person. The tiles, mats and concrete pins currently available, make
the retro-fit process extremely costly and time consuming, and
still do not meet all of the requirements of the Act.
[0005] Currently, the available alternative to the tiles, mats and
concrete pins, is a process using resinous materials that are cast
in place over an existing substrate, or the stamping of freshly
placed concrete, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,690 and
5,320,790.
[0006] This process is also time consuming and costly and does not
guaranty adhesion of the resinous domed structures to the
underlying substrate nor the correct size and placement of the
domed structures as required by the Act. The concrete truncated
domes, either formed in panels or mats, or the concrete insert
pins, or stamped in fresh concrete, are all subject to cracking and
spalling, requiring their replacement.
[0007] At this time, the installation of the tiles and mats in
existing sidewalks, requires the sawcutting and removal of an area
of the existing concrete, re-pouring the concrete to a lower level,
to accommodate the thickness of the tiles or mats, and then the
installation of the tiles or mats in the newly poured concrete.
This is labor intensive and requires the use of equipment not
normally carried in a contractor's tool inventory. This method also
requires a long period of time and would cause the sidewalk, etc.
to be closed to pedestrian traffic while construction is in
progress.
[0008] The methods and devices, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,971,818, are also time consuming and require the use of a special
"tool frame" that is currently not commercially available.
Reference is made to the use of a template, but the construction of
and materials for the template are not defined. The repetitive
boring of the concrete substrate, with the use of the tool frame
and wet concrete boring machine, is also time consuming and
requires tools not normally in a contractor's tool inventory.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is the object of this invention to provide contractors
with a less costly and more efficient means to install the tactile
surface required in less time and with the retro-fit ability to
install the tactile surface at existing structures. This invention
provides to the contractor a means to accurately locate the
truncated domes, with the flexible Mylar layout grid, and an ease
and speed of installation that requires the least amount of time
and the use of tools and manpower already in their inventory. The
truncated dome pieces can be installed with the use of a hammer
drill (for masonry based substrates) or standard drill motor for
wood substrates. The truncated dome insert pins are made of plastic
making the size, shape and color easily repeatable and uniform.
This also allows for the top of the truncated dome structure to be
made into a slip resistant texture as molded into the plastic
itself and molded in a high visibility color. The flexible mylar or
acetate layout grid, or template, is designed in such a way as to
take into account the unavoidable and inevitable variances in the
concrete substrate, and still maintain the correct dome to dome
spacing as required in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The use
of this invention also allows for the replacement of one single
truncated dome, should it become broken or missing, instead of the
need to replace a complete tile piece. This invention also allows
for the correct contrast, as required by the Act, between the
plastic truncated dome and the underlying substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Figure one is a side view of the invention. The bottom
dimension of the truncated dome disk is 30 mm in diameter with the
top of the disk being 18 mm in diameter, with an abrasive texture
molded into the 18 mm surface. The thickness of the disk is 5.1 mm.
The disk is molded into one piece with the 5 mm stem molded into
the center line of the 30 mm disk for a length of 50 mm. The
overall height of the truncated dome insert pin is 55.1 mm.
[0011] Figure two depicts the Mylar layout grid from an overhead
perspective. Each truncated dome location is 50 mm apart in either
the X or Y axis. The first row of truncated domes on the X axis
begins 15 mm from the edge of the template. The first row of the
truncated domes on the Y axis begins 25 mm from the edge. This
allows multiple templates being butted together on either the X or
Y axis allowing the correct spacing to be continued for longer
applications.
[0012] Figure three depicts the truncated dome insert pins
installed in a typical 4' concrete sidewalk substrate. The domes
are spaced 50 mm center to center with a 20 mm open area between
dome edges. The dome stems are inserted 50 mm into the concrete
substrate with the truncated dome disks being 5.1 mm above the
surface of the concrete.
[0013] Figure four depicts the preferred installation technique for
placing the truncated domes into a curb ramp area for the correct
tactile transition from a sidewalk to a pavement area. The box
layout is preferred as it allows for the wheels of a wheel chair to
easily transition the ramp without having to transverse the
truncated dome, dome surfaces. The wheels easily pass between the
dome surfaces in the 20 mm open spaces.
[0014] Figure five depicts the preferred truncated dome layout for
a sidewalk to pavement transition or the transition from a platform
to railcar. The truncated domes area arranged in a square layout
allowing for the smooth transition of wheelchairs across the
tactile surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The flexible Mylar Layout Grid is made of one piece of
transparent Mylar 12000 mm in length by 630 mm in width. The
truncated dome locations begin 15 mm from the edge of the Mylar, on
the X axis, and begin 25 mm from the edge of the Mylar on the Y
axis. The truncated domes are spaced 50 mm apart, on each of the X
and Y axis allowing for 20 mm of open space between each of the 30
mm dome disks. The Flexible Mylar Layout Grid allows for the minor
imperfections in the surface of the substrate allowing for correct
spacing of the domes to be maintained per The Americans With
Disabilities Act requirements. The layout grid is pre-marked and
drilled to allow the correct positioning and marking of the
substrate. The Mylar Layout Grid is flexible from -100 degrees F.
to +300 degrees F. and is resistant to oils, greases, water and
aromatics. It normally does not become brittle or yellow with age.
The Truncated Dome Insert Pins are made of a one piece, injection
molded, polycarbonate plastic, in a high visibility color such as
orange, red or blue. The insert pins are protected from ambient
ultraviolet solar radiation and will not distort in size in a
normal application heat range. Polycarbonate plastic is heat
resistant, tough, and shatter resistant. Each Truncated Dome Insert
Pin is 55.1 mm in total length, has a dome with a 30 mm base and an
18 mm top with a slip resistant surface molded into it during
fabrication, and a 5 mm stem, or insert piece, molded into it along
the centerline of the X axis, for a 50 mm length. The thickness of
the truncated dome section is 5.1 mm. By making the insert pins of
plastic, on an injection molding machine, each piece is exactly the
same size, and is interchangeable with any other piece.
[0016] The devices are installed to make the detectable warning
surface by 1.) cleaning the substrate that they are to be installed
on. 2.) Laying the Flexible Mylar Layout Grid onto the substrate
and aligning it correctly with the X and Y axis. 3.) The layout
grid is then affixed to the substrate by drilling the pin locations
on the four corners and anchoring in place with masonry screws and
washers. 4.) The remaining pin locations are then marked onto the
substrate with an indelible marker or paint. 5.) The Mylar Layout
Grid is then removed from the substrate by removing the masonry
screws and laying the layout grid aside. 6.) The points marked with
the indelible marker are then drilled out with a 6 mm bit affixed
to a standard hammer drill, to a depth of 55 mm. 7.) After drilling
the locator holes, the holes are vacuumed with the aid of a shop
vacuum to remove drilling spoils. 8.) A small quantity of adhesive
is then inserted into the 6 mm drill hole. 9.) The polycarbonate
insert pins are then inserted into the 6 mm pre-drilled and glued
holes, seating the 30 mm base to the substrate. 10.) Installation
is now complete.
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