Inlay system for concrete

• US 20080229703A1
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EZ Set Tile, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EZ Set Tile, Inc.
• Inventors: Driscoll, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/747.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/00 Pavings made of prefabricated single units specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds E01C13/04, for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks E01C15/00; making artificial stones C04B; building stones E04C; flooring E04F
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/001 on prefabricated supporting structures or prefabricated foundation elements except coverings made of layers of similar elements

Abstract

The present invention discloses a tactile warning panel inlay system and method. Such system is comprised of a panel formed with an exposed surface having a plurality of tactile warning protrusions and a support surface configured to contact a substrate matrix. The panel includes a plurality of apertures extending from the exposed surface to the support surface. Further, a plurality of fasteners are configured to extend individually through an aperture included in the plurality of panel apertures to secure the panel to the substrate matrix. Each fastener includes a head conformed to the shape of the tactile warning protrusion and a body for extending the fastener through the panel and into the substrate matrix.

Claims

1. A method of placing a tactile warning device onto a substrate matrix, comprising:

providing a tactile warning panel having an upper surface and a lower surface with the upper surface having a plurality of spaced-apart tactile warning protrusions extending upwardly therefrom and a plurality of apertures formed therein between the protrusions;

placing the panel on the substrate matrix;

providing a plurality of fasteners with each of the protrusions having a head portion and a body portion extending downwardly therefrom, each of the head portions of the fasteners having a diameter greater than the diameters of the apertures and with each of the head portions having substantially the same configuration as the tactile warning protrusions;

extending the body portions of the fasteners downwardly through the apertures into the substrate matrix to anchor the panel to the substrate matrix and so that the head portions of the fasteners also function as tactile warning protrusions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the panel is at least partially recessed into the substrate matrix.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the tactile warning protrusions include truncated dome structures.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the body of each of the fasteners includes at least one laterally extending anchor portion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the panel is covered with a protective plastic sheeting.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising removal of the protective plastic sheeting after fastening the panel into the matrix with the fasteners.