U.S. patent application number 12/171156 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-15 for multi-purpose panels with a modular edge.
This patent application is currently assigned to ACCUFORM CANADA INC.. Invention is credited to Richard Kulhawe, Anthony G. Warren.
Application Number | 20090016817 12/171156 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40253267 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090016817 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kulhawe; Richard ; et
al. |
January 15, 2009 |
MULTI-PURPOSE PANELS WITH A MODULAR EDGE
Abstract
A panel for use in constructing a mat or a road and method for
same is provided. The panel can include a wafer having at least
three sides operatively coupled to an edge having a complementary
profile for overlapping and attaching to another edge coupled to
another wafer. The edge can be attached to the wafer using a scarf
joint or a mortise and tenon joint. The complementary profile can
include a lap joint, a tapered lap joint, an S-shaped lap joint or
a modified lap joint for use with fasteners for attaching two edges
together.
Inventors: |
Kulhawe; Richard; (Sherwood
Park, CA) ; Warren; Anthony G.; (Edmonton,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNIS T. GRIGGS
17950 PRESTON ROAD, SUITE 1000
DALLAS
TX
75252
US
|
Assignee: |
ACCUFORM CANADA INC.
Sherwood Park
CA
|
Family ID: |
40253267 |
Appl. No.: |
12/171156 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/17 ; 404/35;
404/38 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2201/026 20130101;
E04F 15/105 20130101; E01C 2201/12 20130101; E04F 15/041 20130101;
E01C 9/08 20130101; E04F 15/082 20130101; E04F 15/06 20130101; E01C
5/00 20130101; E04F 15/02194 20130101; E04F 13/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/17 ; 404/38;
404/35 |
International
Class: |
E01C 5/00 20060101
E01C005/00; E04F 13/08 20060101 E04F013/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 13, 2007 |
CA |
2593600 |
Claims
1. A panel, comprising: a) a wafer including at least three sides
of which at least one side is configured to operatively couple to
an edge; b) an edge including a first end comprising a
complementary profile for overlapping and attaching to another edge
comprising the complementary profile, the edge comprising a second
end configured for operatively coupling to the at least one side of
the wafer; and c) attachment means for operatively coupling the
second end of the edge to the at least one side of the wafer.
2. The panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the complementary
profile is selected from the group consisting of a lap joint, a
tapered lap joint, an S-shaped lap joint and a modified lap joint
for use with at least one fastener.
3. The panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the attachment means
further comprises each of the at least one side of the wafer and
the second end of the edge being configured to form a scarf joint
when the edge and the wafer are attached together.
4. The panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the attachment means
further comprises a mortise and tenon joint.
5. The panel as set forth in claim 4 wherein the attachment means
further comprises mortises disposed at least partially along both
of the at least one side of the wafer and the second end of the
edge, and a tenon configured for insertion into the mortises
disposed on the edge and the wafer whereby the edge can be attached
to the wafer.
6. The panel as set forth in claim 4 wherein the attachment means
further comprises a mortise disposed at least partially along the
at least one side of the wafer and the second end of the edge
configured to form a tenon for insertion into the mortise whereby
the edge can be attached to the wafer.
7. A mat comprising two or more panels configured for attachment to
each other, each panel comprising: a) a wafer comprising at least
three sides of which at least one side is configured to operatively
couple to an edge; b) an edge comprising a first end further
comprising a complementary profile for overlapping and attaching to
another edge of a second panel comprising the complementary
profile, the edge comprising a second end for operatively coupling
to the at least one side of the wafer; and c) attachment means for
operatively coupling the second end of the edge to the at least one
side of the wafer.
8. The mat as set forth in claim 7 wherein the complementary
profile is selected from the group consisting of a lap joint, a
tapered lap joint, an S-shaped lap joint and a modified lap joint
for use with at least one fastener.
9. The mat as set forth in claim 7 wherein the attachment means
further comprises each of the at least one side of the wafer and
the second end of the edge being configured to form a scarf joint
when the edge and the wafer are attached together.
10. The mat as set forth in claim 7 wherein the attachment means
further comprises a mortise and tenon joint.
11. The mat as set forth in claim 10 wherein the attachment means
further comprises mortises disposed at least partially along both
of the at least one side of the wafer and the second end of the
edge, and a tenon configured for insertion into the mortises
disposed on the edge and the wafer whereby the edge can be attached
to the wafer.
12. The mat as set forth in claim 10 wherein the attachment means
further comprises a mortise disposed at least partially along the
at least one side of the wafer and the second end of the edge is
configured to form a tenon for insertion into the mortise whereby
the edge can be attached to the wafer.
13. A method for constructing a mat or a road comprising two or
more panels, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a
first panel and a second panel, each panel comprising: i) a wafer
comprising at least three sides of which at least one side in
configured to operatively couple to an edge, ii) an edge comprising
a first end further comprising a complementary profile for
overlapping and attaching to another edge comprising the
complementary profile, the edge comprising a second end configured
for operatively coupling to the at least one side of the wafer, and
iii) attachment means for operatively coupling the second end of
the edge to the at least one side of the wafer; and b) attaching
the second panel to the first panel by overlapping the
complementary profiles of the edges of the panels together whereby
the panels can be attached to each other.
14. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the step
of attaching the first and second panels together with attachment
means.
15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the attachment
means comprises one or more from the group consisting of nails,
screws, bolt and nuts, mortises and tenons, rivets, welding,
soldering, glue and hook and loop fasteners.
16. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the complementary
profile is selected from the group consisting of a lap joint, a
tapered lap joint, an S-shaped lap joint and a modified lap joint
for use with at least one fastener.
17. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the attachment
means further comprises each of the at least one side of the wafer
and the second end of the edge being configured to form a scarf
joint when the edge and the wafer are attached together.
18. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the attachment
means further comprises a mortise and tenon joint.
19. The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the attachment
means further comprises mortises disposed at least partially along
both of the at least one side of the wafer and the second end of
the edge, and a tenon configured for insertion into the mortises
disposed on the edge and the wafer whereby the edge can be attached
to the wafer.
20. The method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the attachment
means further comprises a mortise disposed at least partially along
the at least one side of the wafer and the second end of the edge
configured to form a tenon for insertion into the mortise whereby
the edge can be attached to the wafer.
21. The use of a panel for constructing a mat or a road, the panel
comprising: a) a wafer comprising at least three sides of which at
least one side in configured to operatively couple to an edge; b)
an edge comprising a first end further comprising a complementary
profile for overlapping and attaching to another edge comprising
the complementary profile, the edge comprising a second end
configured for operatively coupling to the at least one side of the
wafer; and c) attachment means for operatively coupling the second
end of the edge to the at least one side of the wafer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO FOREIGN PRIORITY APPLICATION
[0001] Priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 to Canadian
Application No. 2,593,600 entitled "Multi-Purpose Panels with a
Modular Edge," filed on Jul. 13, 2007, by Richard Kulhawe and
Anthony G. Warren.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to multi-purpose panels for
constructing a continuous surface and, in particular, panels
comprising of wafers having at least one modular edge.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Access into wilderness areas for the purposes of natural
resource discovery and exploitation requires that heavy equipment
traverse areas having sensitive soil types that are easily
compressed or damaged by the presence of workers, machinery and
vehicles. Some representative examples of such areas are desert,
muskeg, tundra, and farmland.
[0006] The fact that such environments are sensitive to the damage
by compression or erosion caused by workers, machinery and vehicles
has a two-fold impact. First, ongoing damage to such an
environmentally sensitive area may prevent the movement of workers,
machinery or vehicles over the surface of the area and cause the
area to be inaccessible. Second, the damaged caused by workers,
machinery and vehicles may take a decade or more to repair and thus
lead to long-term environmental damage to the area.
[0007] In order to allow access to environmentally sensitive areas
and to prevent environmental damage, it is known to lay temporary
work surfaces, roads and landing surfaces over environmentally
sensitive areas. These surfaces are designed to provide surface
protection to the area and distribute the load of the weight of the
objects over as wide an area as possible. Generally, more recent
versions of the surface are made up of a system of interconnecting
wafers that may be joined together at the edges of their sides.
[0008] The panels are designed to be as stiff as possible to
distribute any load over the total surface area of the wafer and
lightweight in order to allow easy transportation and placement and
recovery of the panels that create the surface.
[0009] The joint system used to attach each panel together to form
the surface is designed to be as strong and rigid as possible to
ensure that the panels stay joined together and do not move
relative to one another. Further, the joints are rigid, in order to
transmit load from one panel onto adjacent panels; further reducing
the damage that the load of heavy equipment may have on the
environmentally sensitive area.
[0010] The first of such systems consisted of roadways made of
planks, boards or logs laid out in various configurations and often
nailed, bolted or lashed together. These roadways used heavy
materials that were difficult to handle, put into place and joint
together. As the materials were hard to use these roadways could
not be recovered and became permanent structures that were
difficult to repair and maintain, and as such were abandoned over
time, thus preventing the natural recovery of the environmentally
sensitive area.
[0011] A second version of a surface system comprises a system of
interlocking wood planks that are fastened together to form a mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,336 issued in the name of Waller, Jr. and U.S.
Pat. No. 4,462,712 issued in the name of Penland, Sr. disclose
wooden mats that are arrangements of layers of closely spaced
wooden planks, the planks of each layer orientated substantially
parallel to the orientation of the wooden planks of the layer above
and below it. These prior art systems require the arrangement and
assembly of individual boards and are labour intensive to assemble
and disassemble. The joint system in these systems are an
arrangement of boards in a staggered pattern in so that alternating
boards extend onto an adjacent panels. As such, the joints between
the boards do not provide sufficient structure to provide a rigid
joint to transfer load between each of the mats. Further, as the
joints are of a fixed configuration, changing the shape or profile
of each joint on each mat is not possible.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,800 issued in the name of Hicks and U.S.
Pat. No. 4,973,193 issued in the name of Watson disclose wooden mat
systems using intermeshing wooden mats having over lapping edges.
As with the previous mat systems, the joints are of a fixed
configuration that does not provide sufficient structure to provide
a rigid joint to transfer load between each of the wafers.
[0013] Current panels by a variety of methods including molding,
pultrusion, assembly of component parts such as the upper wafer
skin, core and lower wafer skin amongst others. With current panel
systems, the edge of the panel is an integral part of the panel
that is unable to be removed, as it is formed during the creation
of the panel.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,358 issued in the name of Springston,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,388 issued in the name of Webster, and U.S.
Pat. No. 6,695,527 issued in the name of Scaux, all disclose a
system consisting of two offset overlapping wafers to form a panel.
The wafers are offset to expose upper and lower lips that
facilitate adjacent panels to be joined together by overlapping
edges using bolts, screws, nails, glue or other connecting means.
As such, theses prior art systems have panels that fit together in
a pre-determined and specific orientation, and do not allow
modification to the edges of the panels to facilitate different
types of connections or edge profiles.
[0015] United States Patent Application Publication No.
2006/0010830 in the name of Warren et al., discloses a wafer system
having an integral wedge shaped edge that forms a scarf joint that
allows adjacent panels to interlock together using bolts, screws,
nails, glue or other connecting means. As with the other prior art
systems, the edge once formed for each panel cannot be changed and
cannot be modified after the fabrication of the panel.
[0016] It is, therefore, desirable to provide a panel system that
overcomes the limitations of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] An apparatus to construct a continuous surface is provided.
In one embodiment, a panel is provided having a wafer and a modular
joint system that is designed to have a stiffness and weight to
satisfy the requirements for a variety of surfaces such as oil rig
sites, helicopter pads, temporary roads, housing sites amongst
other applications. Each wafer can have at least three sides. An
edge having the same or a different profile is attached to one of
the sides of the wafer to allow each wafer to be attached to an
adjacent wafer. The modular design of the joint system allows for
the manufacturer to use and modify existing wafers with different
edges to produce a panel that meets the needs of the end user
without compromising the strength or rigidity of the joint to
facilitate the transfer of load from one panel onto adjacent
panels.
[0018] In one embodiment, the wafer and the edge can be changed
with little modification to either piece to continually allow for
the development of wafers and edges that better fulfill the
requirements of industry and the environment or to reuse either the
edge or the wafer.
[0019] In another embodiment, the wafer can have a modular design
that allows it to be constructed to allow the edges to be
interchanged and to allow the selection of different edges on each
side of the wafer. As such, a surface can be made using a variety
of panels having a variety of edge designs in order to address
differences in the requirements of the panel depending on
variations on ground conditions or use.
[0020] In another embodiment, the wafer and the edge can have a
modular design that allows for the mass production of panel
components using highly automated manufacturing techniques, driving
the cost of production down and increasing the quality and
reliability of the end product.
[0021] In yet another embodiment, allows for the integration of the
best possible edge design for any given application and to provide
the correct joint system that is appropriate for a given task and
demands of the market place.
[0022] In yet another embodiment, the wafer can have a modular
design that allows for the integration of the best possible edge
design for any given application. There are a wide variety of needs
any mat system is required to fulfill, but making the edge and the
wafer into separate components that can be interchanged with one
another allows the current invention to meet the changing needs of
the market place.
[0023] While the apparatus can be described in conjunction with
illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the apparatus to such embodiments. On the
contrary, it is intended that all alternatives, modifications and
equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the present patent specification as a
whole. For example, it is contemplated that the apparatus can
encompass a variety of different edge profiles designed to achieve
a specific purpose desired by the end user. As by way of example
and without limitation, some edges may be designed to interlock
together, to provide a smooth transition from the surface of the
ground to the surface of the mat, to contain spills on the surface
of the mat or to act as a barrier to prevent objects from
collecting on the top surface of the mat. It is also contemplated
that different configurations and connections can be utilized to
attach the edge to the mat. Both permanent and detachable means can
be used so long as the edge is fastened to the wafer in the manner
that would allow the edge and the wafer to remain securely
fastened. Further, it will be understood that all dimensions and
sizes described herein, both relative and absolute, may be varied
within a broad range in order to meet the needs of the end-user. As
well, materials described herein are merely intended to be
illustrative and are subject to a range of alternatives.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] These and other advantages of the invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description with
reference to the drawings in which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is an exploded view depicting a panel with a modular
edge;
[0026] FIG. 2 is an elevation view depicting a panel having a
modular edge;
[0027] FIG. 3 is an isometric view depicting a wafer for the panel
of FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 4 is an elevation view depicting the wafer of FIG.
3;
[0029] FIG. 5 is an elevation view depicting an edge for the panel
of FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 6A is a cross-section view depicting Section I-I of the
panel of FIG. 2;
[0031] FIG. 6B is an exploded view depicting Section I-I of the
panel of FIG. 2;
[0032] FIG. 7A is an elevation view depicting a pair of edges
having a lap joint profile;
[0033] FIG. 7B is an elevation view depicting a pair of edges
having a tapered lap joint profile;
[0034] FIG. 7C is an elevation view depicting a pair of edges
having an S-shaped lap joint profile;
[0035] FIG. 7D is an elevation view depicting a pair of edges
having a modified lap joint profile for use with at least one
fastener;
[0036] FIG. 8A is an elevation view depicting a first embodiment of
an end close-out for a wafer;
[0037] FIG. 8B is an elevation view depicting a second embodiment
of an end close-out for a wafer;
[0038] FIG. 8C is an elevation view depicting a third embodiment of
an end close-out for a wafer;
[0039] FIG. 9 is an isometric view depicting three panels of FIG. 1
joined together at their edges;
[0040] FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric view depicting a
rectangular panel having edges on two adjacent sides of the
wafer;
[0041] FIG. 11 is an isometric view depicting a rectangular panel
having edges on all four sides of the wafer;
[0042] FIG. 12 is an exploded isometric view depicting a five-sided
wafer having edges on three sides;
[0043] FIG. 13 is an isometric view depicting an array of panels
connected together; and
[0044] FIG. 14 is an isometric view depicting an array of panels
connected together to form a continuous curved surface.
[0045] The present invention will now be described by way of a
non-limiting description of certain detailed embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] In the following description, similar features in the
drawings have been given identical reference numerals where
appropriate. All dimensions described herein are intended solely to
illustrate an embodiment. These dimensions are not intended to
limit the scope of the wafer described herein, which can depart
from these dimensions.
[0047] An embodiment is illustrated and described in context of
providing a modular edge system for temporary surface used to
distribute the load of workers, equipment and vehicles over a large
surface area. However, it is contemplated that the modular edge
system may be applied to any surface panel or wafer such as wall
panels, ceiling panels, roofing, flooring, walkways or the
like.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is illustrated a panel
100 according to one embodiment of the present invention having, a
wafer 1, an upper wafer skin 5 and an opposing bottom wafer skin
15. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the wafer has at least three
sides 10 with at least one of the sides adapted to accept an edge
20. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a four-sided
wafer is shown to have two opposing edges adapted to accept an edge
20. However it is contemplated that a wafer 1 may have three or
more sides and that a single side, two or more sides of the wafer 1
being spaced apart or adjacent to each other, or all sides could be
adapted to accept an edge 20.
[0049] Wafer skin 5 materials can include virtually any material
that has the desired material properties of strength, toughness,
weight, durability and others as may be required by the application
and the designer. Provided that such materials can be adhered to
the core so as to provide the desired properties, in such a fashion
that is both structurally sound and economically viable.
[0050] In some instances, core or skin materials may require that a
variety of surface treatment technologies known in the art be
applied. These include, but are not limited to; mechanical
abrading, chemical abrading, chemical etching, application of
bonding agents, coupling agents, or sizes of a variety of chemical
structures; other surface modification such as flame treating,
corona treatment, plasma treatment, exposure to UV radiation, and
exposure to chemical gases and liquids such as fluorine, chlorine,
chromic acid, and others known in the art. The object is to create
a surface that will facilitate the adhesion of the core to the skin
to ensure that the skin remains intact and in place.
[0051] There are a large number of techniques known to those
practiced in the art of attaching the skin materials to the core
materials. These include but are not limited to; welding of like
materials; hand lay-up of fiber-reinforced liquid thermoset resins
onto the core surface; hand lay-up of fiber-reinforced
thermoplastic resins onto the core and the subsequent addition of
heat sufficient to cause the thermoplastic resin to flow and cure
to the core, application of a vacuum bag to provide clamping forces
to such lay-ups; resin transfer moulding; vacuum assisted resin
transfer moulding; resin infusion moulding; vacuum assisted resin
infusion moulding; vacuum resin transfer moulding, compression
moulding, pultrusion, extrusion, and plate compression.
[0052] Wafer core materials can range from a long-list of
materials. These include but are not limited to; wood, end-grain
balsa wood; foams made of polyurethane, polyethylene, epoxy,
polymethacrylimide, and phenolic resins; foams of the materials
listed previously with various fillers such as hollow glass spheres
or hollow ceramic spheres; honeycomb core materials made of
aluminium, steel, stainless steel, titanium, or other metals;
honeycomb core materials made of; paper either resin coated or not,
produced from but not limited to, fiberglass, Nomex.RTM.,
Kevlar.RTM., wood-pulp, carbon, graphite; or other materials
including but not limited to; extruded or welded polypropylene,
polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyester, or other
thermoplastics; and pultruded, extruded, or welded I-beams
interlaced with any or all of the above mentioned materials that
are strong enough to provide support the objects that are to be
placed on the surface of the wafer.
[0053] Wafers 1 and edges 20 can be impermeable, or
semi-impermeable to restrict or prevent liquids or gasses from
seeping into or through the wafer. This reduces and may eliminate
the "pumping" action" associated with prior art panel systems that
cause environmental damage and facilitate the recovery of the
panels for reuse by preventing the panels from being embedded in
the ground on which the panel system is placed. The "pumping
action" occurs when the panels or joints between the panels flex
under the load moving over the surface of the panel system. As the
panels and joints flex, water and debris accumulate onto the
panels, by flowing over the sides of the panel, through the panel
itself, if it is not made of a water proof and/or mud proof
material, or through the joints between the panels of the panel
system. As the action is repeated, the panel sinks further into the
ground making the recovery of the panels difficult.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B,
FIG. 7C and FIG. 7D, there is illustrated an edge 20 according to
one embodiment of the wafer 1 having an upper edge skin 25, a joint
end 30 and an opposing connector end 35. The upper edge skin 25 may
consist of the same types of material as the upper 5 and the lower
wafer skins 15 of the wafer 1. The edge 20 may also have a lower
edge skin 45 as illustrated in the example embodiments of FIG. 6
and FIG. 7.
[0055] Additional processes could be used to attach a variety of
lifting rings and other lifting devices and well as the application
of a variety of coating materials to protect the wafer and edge
from damage caused by the environment and end-users. For example,
hand grabs and lifting rings may be found on either side of the
wafer 1 or edge 20 to allow better handling of the wafer 1.
[0056] The modular design also allows for the integration of the
best possible edge design for any given application. By way of
example, complementary interlocking edges may be attached to
adjacent panels to ensure that the panels remain secured, and to
provide a means to create a continuous surface.
[0057] An edge 20 of the wafer 1 can be made of any material that
meets these requirements. These materials include but are not
limited to; fiberglass reinforced plastic utilising both thermo-set
and thermoplastic resin formulations; carbon-fiber reinforced
plastics utilising both thermo-set and thermoplastic resin
formulation; other fiber reinforcements utilizing both thermo-set
and thermoplastic resin formulations; other engineered plastics,
aluminum, steel, and other metals; wood, ceramic, and any other
material that can be formed into the shape of the required
edge.
[0058] Manufacturing techniques known to those practiced in the art
that may produce the edge 20 and the wafer 1 include, but are not
limited to, compression moulding, extrusion, pultrusion, injection
moulding, blow-moulding, rotational moulding, machining, shaping,
routing, welding, bending and forming or any other technique that
is suitable for the shaping of the material that makes up the edge
20 and/or wafer 1. These same techniques can be used to shape the
sides of the wafer 10, the connecting end 35 of an edge 20 and the
joint end 30 of an edge 20. The length of the edge 20 may also vary
based on the requirements of the shape of the profile or the
application in which the temporary or permanent surface may be
placed.
[0059] The edge 20 may also be reinforced to protect the edge from
damage or to protect the edge from unnecessarily compressing. The
edge 20 may be reinforced with a variety of materials which
includes, but are not limited to, fiber reinforced materials, such
as pultruded fiberglass; polymetic rods, such as rods made of
various plastics, wood, steel, aluminum and other materials suited
to protect the edge from damage and compression. The reinforcing
materials may be integrated throughout the edge 20, placed at
either the connecting end 35 or the joint end 30, or provide an
inner or outer protective shell to the edge 20.
[0060] Referring to FIGS. 7A-7D, there is illustrated a joint end
30 according to one embodiment of the present invention that is
adapted to fit a complimentary joint end 31 of an adjacent wafer 2.
The profile and shape of a joint end 30 is dimensioned to be
complementary to the profile and shape of the joint end 31 of an
adjacent wafer 2 so that the joint ends 30 and 31, form a joint
system with sufficient strength and rigidity to hold the adjacent
wafers 1 and 2 together and to transfer load from one wafer onto
the adjacent wafer.
[0061] A joint end 30 can be a wide variety of shapes and designs
to meet the requirements of various applications. As illustrated in
the embodiments set out in FIGS. 7, 9 and 12, a joint end 30 of an
edge 20 of a panel 1 may be profiled to fit in mated or
interlocking attachment with the profile of a complementary joint
end 31 of the edge 20 of an adjacent wafer 2. It is known by a
person skilled in the art of panel construction and use that other
edge profiles would allow the joining of adjacent wafers 1 and
2.
[0062] Known profiles for joint ends 30 for an edge 20 are
illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7D in which the profile of the joint end 30
of an edge 20 is a lip or tab that is dimensioned to overlap with
the lip of a complementary joint end 31 of an edge 20 of an
adjacent wafer 2. As shown in FIG. 7A, the profile and shape of
joint ends 30, 31 can be a lap joint. As shown in FIG. 7B, the
profile and shape of joint ends 30, 31 can be a tapered lap joint.
As shown in FIG. 7C, the profile and shape of joint ends 30, 31 can
be an S-shaped lap joint. As shown in FIG. 7D, the profile and
shape of joint ends 30, 31 can be a modified lap joint for use with
at least one fastener, such as a bolt and nut or any other suitable
fastener as well known to those skilled in the art. The profile of
complementary edges need not be mirror images of each other; they
need only to fit together to form a sufficiently rigid joint with
or without an attachment means 36, so that load is transferred from
one wafer to the adjacent wafer to which it is attached. Suitable
attachment means of complementary joint ends 30 and 31 may be
achieved by any number of joint attachment means known in the art,
which includes but is not limited to frictional fit, nails, screws,
bolts and nuts, mortises and tenons, rivets, welding, soldering,
glue, hook and loop fasteners (such as Velcro.TM.), or any other
means that provides a secure attachment that allows the
complementary joint ends 30 and 31 to transfer load from one panel
to its adjacent panel. It is also contemplated that a number of
joint attachment means may be used alone or in combination with
other attachment means to attach complementary joint ends 30 and
31. Further, the attachment may be permanent or transient to allow
the creation of a permanent or a temporary surface that may be
disassembled.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, there are
illustrated embodiments having a connector end 35 of an edge 20 of
an embodiment of the present invention that is adapted to fit in
mated attachment with the side of a wafer 10 as illustrated in FIG.
9. The connector end 35 is dimensioned so that it may be meet the
edge 20 in mated or interlocking attachment. The attachment of the
edge 20 via its joint edge 35 to the side of the wafer 10 may be
achieved by any number of edge attachment means known in the art,
which includes but is not limited to frictional fit, nails, screws,
bolts and nuts, mortises and tenons, rivets, welding, soldering,
glue, hook and loop fasteners (for example, Velcro.TM. fasteners),
or any other means that provides a secure attachment that allows
the edge 20 to remain attached to the connector end 35 of the side
of the wafer 10. It is also contemplated that a number of edge
attachment means may be used alone or in combination with other
attachment means to attach a given edge 20 to a given side of a
wafer 10. Further, the attachment may be permanent or transient to
allow the modification of a given side of a wafer 10 with a
different edge 20.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 8A, an edge close out 50a may be applied
to an edge of a wafer (10) to allow the attachment of an edge 20 to
the wafer 1. Alternatively, an edge close out 50b (as shown in FIG.
8B) or 50c (as shown in FIG. 8C) may be applied to cover or protect
an edge of the wafer 10. The edge close out can take a large
variety of shapes and sizes and can be made from a similar list of
materials as the upper and lower wafer skins 5 and 15 and the edge
20 so long as the edge close out 50a will allow the necessary
amount of strength to maintain the integrity of the wafer 1 to be
maintained where the wafer 1 and edge 20 are connected or where the
wafer 1 is covered by the edge close out 50b and 50c.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, there are
illustrated embodiments of the present invention providing examples
of confirmations of edge attachment to a wafer having at least
three sides. Referring to FIG. 10, there is an embodiment
illustrating, modular edges 20 attached to adjacent sides of a
wafer 1. Referring to FIG. 11, there is an embodiment illustrating
modular edges 20 attached to all sides of a wafer 1. Referring to
FIG. 12, there is an embodiment illustrating attachment of modular
edges 20 to adjacent sides of a wafer 1 and to the opposite side of
the wafer 1.
[0066] The wafer may be made with a continuous wafer skin, and all
spaces between the edges and the wafers and between edges of
adjacent wafers may be sealed using a number of methods and
techniques known in the art that prevent the accumulation of water,
dirt, mud, ice or other debris in the spaces. Examples of suitable
techniques known in the art are, but not limited to welding,
soldering, coating, taping, or caulking.
[0067] The dimensions of the wafers of the present invention can
easily be varied with changes in production tooling. In one
embodiment, the wafers with edges may be approximately 1'' to 100''
in width, 1'' to 500'' in length and 1/16'' to 6'' in thickness.
The width and length of the wafer may vary so that the wafers may
be easily loaded and transported by standard vehicles and
containers. The thickness of the wafer and the edge may also vary
depending on the application, and the material used to construct
the wafer. The shapes and sizes of the wafers can vary in order to
meet the requirements of an application. For example, wafers of
different shapes can be assembled to form curves, slopes and other
shapes required to avoid obstacles in the environment.
[0068] The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-14 would allow the
fabrication of wafers 1 separate from edges 20 to allow the mass
production of wafers 1 that are able to connect to different edges
20 with different joint ends 30. This allows for lower production
costs and less time wasted in adjusting the manufacture machinery
to produce a panel with a specific profile to the joint end 30.
[0069] Further, the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-14 allow the
user to select an appropriate joint end 30 for a wafer 1 to match
up with the joint end 31 of the adjacent wafer 2. As such, the user
does not have to account for the orientation of the fixed edges
present in the prior art panel systems, to ensure that all the
panels are correctly position so that the appropriate joint end
will meet up with the complementary joint end of the adjacent
panel. The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-14 would allow the
user to start building a continuous surface made up of the panels
100 from multiple positions without consideration of the
orientation of the panel, as the user is able to select an edge 20
for a wafer 1, the edge 20 having a complementary joint end 30 to
the joint end 31 of the adjacent wafer 20.
[0070] Referring to FIG. 9, an embodiment of wafer 1 is illustrated
that provides a panel system forming a flat linear surface of
panels with parallel sides connected end-to-end to form a straight
roadway. However, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the curved surfaces
can be assembled by changing the shape of the panel to a
trapezoidal or substantially wedge shaped panel by varying the
length of opposing sides of the wafer 10a and 10b. As further
illustrated in FIG. 14, a number of panels of different shapes and
dimensions can be connected together to form a continuous curved
surface, so that the user may form the continuous surface of panels
to avoid objects in the user's path.
[0071] Referring to FIG. 13, an embodiment is illustrated that
provides for an array of panels stretching in two dimensions. The
array of panels may be placed in off-set rows in which each panel
is joined to at least two adjacent panels on at least one side of
the panel. In another embodiment, a panel may be connected to two
adjacent panels along at least two adjacent edges.
[0072] Further, the panel system may be used as a continuous
surface supported by scaffolding, frame or the like to provide
structures such as roofing, bridge decking, walkways, catwalks,
docks, gang planks, flooring for buildings and the like.
[0073] Although the present invention has been described by way of
a detailed description in which various embodiments and aspects of
the invention have been described, it will be seen by one skilled
in the art that the full scope of this invention is not limited to
the examples presented herein. The invention has a scope which is
commensurate with the claims of this patent specification including
any elements or aspects which would be seen to be equivalent to
those set out in the accompanying claims.
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