Inlay system for concrete

• US 7,955,024 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EZ Set Tile, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EZ Set Tile, Inc.
• Inventors: Driscoll, Joe, Gernstein, Dan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, PHI DIEU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US12/217,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 521/77, 521/81, 523/92, 523/91, 527/471.1, 523/15, 521/80, 404/15, 404/9, 404/19, 404/28, 404/32, 404/33, 404/35, 404/36, 411/455, 411/456, 411/913, 411/923
• US Class Current: 404/19
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/16 made of metallic units with a filling or ground plate of other material E01C5/22; for temporary pavings E01C9/083; steel gratings E01C9/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/913 Self-expanding anchor

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 two-piece 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 threaded shank for extending through the panel and which has an anchor member threadably secured thereto.

Claims

1. A tactile warning panel inlay system, comprising:

a panel having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a plurality of spaced-apart tactile warning protrusions extending upwardly from said upper surface of said panel;

a plurality of fastener apertures formed in said panel between said protrusions with the upper surface of said panel being continuous and devoid of any other openings except for said fastener apertures;

a bolt positioned in each of said fastener apertures;

each of said bolts having a head portion and a threaded shank portion extending downwardly therefrom;

said threaded shank portion of each of said bolts having a diameter which is less than the diameter of said head portion thereof;

each of said head portions of said bolts having an upper end and a lower end;

said lower end of said head portion of each of said bolts having a diameter greater than the associated aperture so that said lower end of said head portion rests on said upper surface of said panel;

said threaded portions of said bolts extending downwardly through said fastener apertures;

an internally threaded anchor member, having upper and lower ends, threadably mounted on each of said threaded shank portions of said bolts below said lower surface of said panel to anchor said panel to a substrate matrix;

said head portions of said bolts having substantially the same configuration as said tactile warning protrusions so that said head portions of said bolts also function as tactile warning protrusions;

each of said anchor members including an internally threaded tubular portion having an upper end and a lower end;

each of said anchor members having a laterally extending flange which extends from the lower end of said tubular portion which has a width greater than the diameter of said tubular portion.

2. The tactile warning panel of claim 1 wherein at least one laterally extending and vertically disposed web extends between said tubular portion and said flange.