Bidirectional roadway for wheeled vehicles

• US 5,499,888 A
• Filed: 03/29/1995
• Issued: 03/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bike Track, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hawkes E. Gerry
• Inventors: Hawkes, E. Gerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/413,167
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 152/209 B, 152/209 D, 238/14, 404/17, 404/18, 404/19, 404/35, 404/36, 404/42, 404/27, 404/28
• US Class Current: 404/19
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/24 Methods or arrangements for preventing slipperiness or protecting against influences of the weather measures taken in connection with the foundation E01C3/06; paving elements with anti-slip inlays E01C5/22; aggregates resisting to grinding E01C7/085, E01C7/142, E01C7/182; specially for surface layers E01C7/35; reinforcements extending up to the surface E01C11/16, E01C11/18, E01C11/185; drainage E01C11/22; windscreens E01F7/02; snow fences E01F7/02; combating fog E01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 15/00 Pavings specially adapted for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/22 made of units composed of a mixture of materials covered by two or more of groups E01C5/008 , E01C5/02 - E01C5/20 except embedded reinforcing materials

Abstract

A roadway for bicycle and other tired wheel vehicles formed of a plurality of end-to-end abutting tiles, preferably of a structural foam plastic such as polyethylene includes a generally rigid base having opposed top and bottom surfaces, with the top surface being flat and carrying integrally longitudinally and laterally spaced arcuate ridges. The arcuate ridges form alternating, laterally aligned rows of longitudinally spaced, oppositely facing arcuate ridges, with the arcuate ridges of a given row being offset laterally from corresponding arcuate ridges of adjacent longitudinally spaced rows by one half the length of an arcuate ridge. Further, the arcuate ridges of each lateral row are spaced from each other a distance such that the ends of the arcuate ridges of a given row lie within the concave curve of arcuate ridges of the adjacent, oppositely facing lateral row. As such, a bidirectional roadway is created, minimizing vehicle wheel vibration, permitting easy rolling of the vehicle wheels, while providing slip resistance to the vehicle wheels in all directions. Preferably, a narrow rib extends longitudinally of each arcuate ridge along the center thereof and drainage holes are preferably provided between the ends of the arcuate ridges of each row centered within the concave curve of the arcuate ridges of an adjacent facing row.

Claims

1. In a roadway for bicycle and other tired wheel vehicles comprising a molded modular, self-supporting track extending longitudinally in the direction of vehicle travel and including a generally rigid roadway base having opposed top and bottom surfaces, a plurality of transversely arranged, arcuate ridges carried by said base and projecting upwardly therefrom above said top surface for engagement with a tire tread, individual arcuate ridges being spaced from each other longitudinally and laterally, the improvement wherein;

said arcuate ridges form alternating lateral rows of longitudinally spaced, oppositely facing arcuate ridges,

said arcuate ridges of a given row being offset laterally from corresponding arcuate ridges of adjacent longitudinally spaced rows by one half the length of an arcuate ridge, and

said arcuate ridges of each lateral row being spaced from each other a distance such that the ends of the arcuate ridges of a given row lie within the concave curve of the arcuate ridges of an adjacent, oppositely facing lateral row, whereby;

a pattern of interlocking traction arcuate ridges minimize vehicle wheel vibration, allow easy rolling of the vehicle and provide slip resistance to the vehicle wheels in all directions, while facilitating bidirectional travel of the vehicles longitudinally over the roadway.

2. The roadway as claimed in claim 1, further comprising narrow centerline ribs projecting outwardly of tops of said arcuate ridges and extending longitudinally of said arcuate ridges over at least a major portion of each arcuate ridge to facilitate slip resistance to the vehicle wheels in all directions during movement of the vehicle longitudinally of the sheet stock material roadway.

3. The roadway as claimed in claim 2, further comprising drainage holes extending through said base from said top surface to said bottom surface and being positioned between the ends of adjacent arcuate ridges of each row and centered within concave curves of said arcuate ridges of the adjacent oppositely facing row of arcuate ridges.

4. The roadway as claimed in claim 1, further comprising drainage holes extending through said base from said top surface to said bottom surface and being positioned between the ends of adjacent arcuate ridges of each row and centered within concave curves of said arcuate ridges of the adjacent oppositely facing row of arcuate ridges.

5. The roadway as claimed in claim 1, further comprising small diameter fastener mounting holes within said roadway base from said top surface to said bottom surface and being positioned intermediate of said arcuate ridges of adjacent rows for facilitating fixing of said base to an underlying support member.

6. The roadway as claimed in claim 1, wherein said track material comprises a molded structural foam plastic base and integral arcuate ridges.

7. The roadway as claimed in claim 6, wherein said structural foam plastic base comprises structural foam polyethylene (SFP).

8. The roadway as claimed in claim 7, wherein said structural foam plastic base comprises recycled polyethylene plastic.