Road traction apparatus

• US 8,636,440 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cudak, Gary D., Hardee, Christopher J., Humes, Randall C., Roberts, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US13/717,746
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 404 11- 18, 404/71
• US Class Current: 404/19
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/245 for preventing ice formation or for loosening ice, e.g. special additives to the paving material, resilient coatings E01C11/26 takes precedence; built-in sanding or sprinkling devices E01H10/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/40 Arrangements responsive to adverse atmospheric conditions, e.g. to signal icy roads or to automatically illuminate in fog; Arrangements characterised by heating or drying means

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention disclose an apparatus for increasing roadway traction. An exemplary apparatus includes a housing and a shaft that engages a first end of the housing. A piston is adapted to move axially along a length of housing and includes an upper portion and lower portion. The upper portion includes a raised surface and a mating portion situated between the raised surface and lower portion. The lower portion includes an interior cavity that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the shaft. A spring that biases the piston toward the first end of the housing. A toothed surface engaged with the piston and a bimetal thermostat with a mating toothed surface. The toothed surface engaged with the lower portion facilitates engagement with the mating toothed surface situated at the distal end of the bimetal thermostat when the temperature is above a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. An apparatus for increasing road traction, comprising:

a housing with a first end and a second end, the first end closed and the second end open;

a shaft that engages the first end of the housing;

a piston that is adapted to move axially along a length of housing and includes an upper portion and lower portion, upper portion includes a raised surface adapted to provide improved traction for vehicles, a mating portion situated between the raised surface and lower portion and is adapted to mate with an inner surface of the housing such that the piston is reciprocally received therewithin, the lower portion including an interior cavity that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the shaft;

a spring that biases the piston towards the first end of the housing;

a toothed surface engaged with the piston; and

a bimetal thermostat with a mating toothed surface, the bimetal thermostat secured with the housing at a proximal end;

wherein the toothed surface engaged with the lower portion facilitates engagement with the mating toothed surface situated at a distal end of the bimetal thermostat when a temperature is above a predetermined threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more sealing members that engage an internal wall of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

a keyhole that protrudes through a portion of the housing;

a key member that is adapted to slide within the keyhole;

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

wherein when no contrary force is exerted against the piston, the spring biases the piston until the key member engages the step-like protruding member;

a moisture container attached to an outside wall of housing such that moisture body substantially surrounds keyhole, with an opening at a first end to allow moisture to accumulate within the moisture body;

a moisture arm pivotably connected with the moisture body and pivotably connected with the key member; and

a ball float positioned within the moisture body;

wherein as the moisture accumulates within the moisture body, the buoyancy of the ball float allows ball float to move upwards towards the first end of the moisture body and causes the ball float to engage and bias the moisture arm, which biases the key member such that a maximum height of the piston relative to roadway surface may increase by allowing more room for the travel of the step-like protruding member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the moisture body includes at least one drain positioned at a predetermined height and with a predetermined cross-sectional geometry and size to allow the moisture accumulated within the moisture body to drain at a predetermined rate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interior cavity of the lower portion includes a keyway and the shaft includes a corresponding key to prohibit rotational movement of the piston relative to the shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of mating portion includes a reflective substance adhered thereto.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two or more apparatuses are connected to some portion of a point to point physical connection that resides within recesses in a roadway surface between the two or more apparatuses.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the two or more road traction apparatuses each pull up some portion of the point to point connection, providing additional surface area for traction.

9. An apparatus for increasing road traction, comprising:

a housing with a first end and a second end, the first end closed and the second end open;

a shaft that engages the first end of the housing;

a piston that is adapted to move axially along a length of housing and includes an upper portion and lower portion, upper portion includes a raised surface adapted to provide improved traction for vehicles, a mating portion situated between the raised surface and lower portion and is adapted to mate with an inner surface of the housing such that the piston is reciprocally received therewithin, the lower portion including an interior cavity that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the shaft;

a spring that biases the piston towards the first end of the housing;

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

a keyhole that protrudes through a portion of the housing;

a key member that is adapted to slide within the keyhole;

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

a moisture container attached to an outside wall of housing such that moisture body substantially surrounds keyhole, with an opening at a first end to allow moisture to accumulate within the moisture body;

a moisture arm pivotably connected with the moisture body and pivotably connected with the key member; and

a ball float positioned within the moisture body;

wherein when no contrary force is exerted against the piston, the spring biases the piston until the key member engages the step-like protruding member;

wherein as the moisture accumulates within the moisture body, the buoyancy of the ball float allows ball float to move upwards towards the first end of the moisture body and causes the ball float to engage and bias the moisture arm, which biases the key member such that a maximum height of the piston relative to roadway surface may increase by allowing more room for the travel of the step-like protruding member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising

a toothed surface engaged with the piston;

and

a bimetal thermostat with a mating toothed surface, the bimetal thermostat secured with the housing at a proximal end;

wherein the toothed surface engaged with the lower portion facilitates engagement with the mating toothed surface situated at a distal end of the bimetal thermostat when a temperature is above a predetermined threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the moisture body includes at least one drain positioned at a predetermined height and with a predetermined cross-sectional geometry and size to allow the moisture accumulated within the moisture body to drain at a predetermined rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interior cavity of the lower portion includes a keyway and the shaft includes a corresponding key to prohibit rotational movement of the piston relative to the shaft.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of mating portion includes a reflective substance adhered thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein two or more apparatuses are connected to some portion of a point to point physical connection that resides within recesses in a roadway surface between the two or more apparatuses.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the two or more road traction apparatuses each pull up some portion of the point to point connection, providing additional surface area for traction.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising one or more sealing members that engage an internal wall of the housing.

17. An apparatus for increasing road traction, comprising:

a housing with a first end and a second end, the first end closed and the second end open;

a shaft that engages the first end of the housing;

a piston that is adapted to move axially along a length of housing and includes an upper portion and lower portion, upper portion includes a raised surface adapted to provide improved traction for vehicles, a mating portion situated between the raised surface and lower portion and is adapted to mate with an inner surface of the housing such that the piston is reciprocally received therewithin, the lower portion including an interior cavity that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the shaft;

a spring that biases the piston towards the first end of the housing;

a toothed surface engaged with the piston; and

a bimetal thermostat with a mating toothed surface, the bimetal thermostat secured with the housing at a proximal end;

one or more sealing members that engage an internal wall of the housing;

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

a keyhole that protrudes through a portion of the housing;

a key member that is adapted to slide within the keyhole;

a step-like protruding member attached to the lower portion of the piston;

a moisture container attached to an outside wall of housing such that moisture body substantially surrounds keyhole, with an opening at a first end to allow moisture to accumulate within the moisture body;

a moisture arm pivotably connected with the moisture body and pivotably connected with the key member; and

a ball float positioned within the moisture body;

wherein when no contrary force is exerted against the piston, the spring biases the piston until the key member engages the step-like protruding member;

wherein as the moisture accumulates within the moisture body, the buoyancy of the ball float allows ball float to move upwards towards the first end of the moisture body and causes the ball float to engage and bias the moisture arm, which biases the key member such that a maximum height of the piston relative to roadway surface may increase by allowing more room for the travel of the step-like protruding member;

wherein the toothed surface engaged with the lower portion facilitates engagement with the mating toothed surface situated at a distal end of the bimetal thermostat when a temperature is above a predetermined threshold.