Portable porous pavement system and methods

• US 7,544,010 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reynolds Presto Products Inc. (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA), The Rank Group
• Original Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Manzano, Mario Moreno, Restrepo, Ricardo Schmalbach, Bach, Gary M., Senf, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie; Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US12/017,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 14/73, 247/031, 247/041, 403/242, 403/280, 403/282
• US Class Current: 404/21
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/005 Individual couplings or spacer elements for joining the prefabricated units E01C5/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/08 Temporary pavings E01C9/008 takes precedence ; steel gratings E01C9/10

Abstract

A portable porous pavement system includes a plurality of porous pavement units and a plurality of clamping devices. Each porous pavement unit is connected to adjacent porous pavement units by at least one clamping device. Each clamping device includes a first and a second bracket. The second bracket is in intimate communication with a slot arrangement of the first bracket. The second bracket has a twisted arrangement to secure the second bracket and the first bracket together. Adjacent walls of adjacent porous pavement units are sandwiched between the first and second brackets to secure the adjacent porous pavement units together. A method for assembling a portable porous pavement system includes mounting a clamp over two adjacent walls of adjacent porous pavement units; mounting a locking bracket over the clamp; and twisting two arms together to secure the locking bracket and clamp around the adjacent porous pavement units.

Claims

1. A portable porous pavement system comprising:

(a) a plurality of porous pavement units;

each porous pavement unit including intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells; and

(b) a plurality of clamping devices;

each of the porous pavement units being connected to an adjacent porous pavement unit by at least one clamping device;

each clamping device including;

(i) a first bracket defining a slot arrangement;

(ii) a second bracket in intimate communication with the slot arrangement of the first bracket;

(A) the second bracket having a twisted arrangement to secure the second bracket and the first bracket together; and

(iii) two adjacent walls of two adjacent porous pavement units being sandwiched between the first bracket and the second bracket to secure the two adjacent porous pavement units together.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each of the first bracket and second bracket comprise steel.

3. A method for assembling a portable porous pavement system;

the method comprising;

(a) providing first and second porous pavement units;

each porous pavement unit including intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells;

each porous pavement unit defining a mounting side and a user side;

(b) mounting a C-shaped clamp member over two adjacent walls of the first and second porous pavement unit;

the C-shaped clamp member including first and second arms joined by a base member;

the two adjacent walls being between the first and second arms;

the base member being against the mounting side;

(c) orienting the first and second porous pavement units with the C-shaped clamp member on a surface with a free end of the first and second arms pointing away from the surface;

the mounting side of the first and second porous pavement units being against the surface;

(d) providing a locking bracket having a U-shaped section extending between first and second slotted wings;

(e) mounting the locking bracket over the C-shaped clamp member by orienting the U-shaped section over the two adjacent walls, the first arm through the first slotted wing, and the second arm through the second slotted wing; and

(f) twisting the first arm and the second arm to secure the locking bracket and the C-shaped clamp member around the first and second porous pavement units.

4. A method according to claim 3 further including:

(a) using a tool to twist the first arm and second arm.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein:

(a) the step of using a tool includes using a torsion wrench having a neck with a head and a bar extending from the neck;

the head defining a cavity shaped to receive the individual free ends of the first and second arms.

6. A method according to claim 3 further including:

(a) before the step of twisting, inserting a lifting lever between the surface and the base member of the C-shaped clamp member, the lifting lever extending from the base member of the C-shaped clamp member, through a cell of one of the porous pavement units, to the user side of the first and second porous pavement units.

7. A method according to claim 6 further including:

(a) after inserting a lifting lever, stepping on a section of the lifting lever that is on the user side of the first and second porous pavement units.

8. A portable porous pavement system comprising:

(a) a plurality of porous pavement units;

each porous pavement unit including intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells, wherein;

(i) each of the porous pavement units has a nominal coverage area of at least 0.25 m2;

a depth of at least 25 mm;

at least 30 cells; and

being made from a non-metal material having a crush strength of at least 2500 kPa and a flexural modulus of 200,000-300,000 kPa; and

(ii) the first bracket of each clamping device includes;

(A) a U-shaped section extending between first and second wings;

(1) the slot arrangement comprising a first slot defined by the first wing and a second slot defined by the second wing;

(iii) the second bracket of each clamping device includes a C-shaped member having first and second arms with a base member joining the first and second arms;

the twisted arrangement including a first twisted section defined by the first arm and a second twisted section defined by the second arm;

(A) the first arm extending through the first slot of the first wing;

the first twisted section and the base member being on opposite sides of the first wing; and

(B) the second arm extending through the second slot of the second wing;

the second twisted section and the base member being on opposite sides of the second wing; and

(b) a plurality of clamping devices;

each of the porous pavement units being connected to an adjacent porous pavement unit by at least one clamping device;

each clamping device including;

(i) a first bracket defining a slot arrangement;

(ii) a second bracket in intimate communication with the slot arrangement of the first bracket;

(A) the second bracket having a twisted arrangement to secure the second bracket and the first bracket together; and

(iii) two adjacent walls of two adjacent porous pavement units being sandwiched between the first bracket and the second bracket to secure the two adjacent porous pavement units together.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein:

(a) the first and second slots each has an aspect ratio of length to width that is greater than 1.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein:

(a) each of the first bracket and second bracket comprise steel.

10. A portable porous pavement system comprising:

(a) a plurality of porous pavement units;

each porous pavement unit including intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells, wherein;

(i) each of the porous pavement units has a nominal coverage area of 0.50 m2;

a depth of 50 mm;

70-80 cells;

weight of 4-5 kg; and

being made from a polyethylene material having a crush strength of at least 2900 kPa and a flexural modulus of 220,000-260,000 kPa; and

(b) a plurality of clamping devices;

each of the porous pavement units being connected to an adjacent porous pavement unit by at least one clamping device;

each clamping device including;

(i) a first bracket defining a slot arrangement;

(ii) a second bracket in intimate communication with the slot arrangement of the first bracket;

(A) the second bracket having a twisted arrangement to secure the second bracket and the first bracket together; and

(iii) two adjacent walls of two adjacent porous pavement units being sandwiched between the first bracket and the second bracket to secure the two adjacent porous pavement units together.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein:

(a) each of the first bracket and second bracket comprise steel.