Arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement and method of assembly

• US 9,770,383 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TWM IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Tuf-Tite Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyers, Theodore W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US15/059,902
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 404 34- 46, 404 73, 404 9, 404 12- 16
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/066 Installations on the floor, e.g. special surfaces, to guide blind persons
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 15/00 Pavings specially adapted for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/00 Special pavings specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds E01C13/00, for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks E01C15/00; Pavings for special parts of roads or airfields pavement lights E01C17/00; manholes or like covers or frames E02D29/14

Abstract

An arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement includes a connector tactile sidewalk tile including a wedge-shaped main body and one or more connector flanges that adjoin one or more longitudinal sides of the wedge-shaped main body. One or more rectilinear tactile sidewalk tiles overlap the one or more connector flanges. A plurality of truncated domes projects upwardly in a vertical direction from an upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body, as well as an upper surface of each one of the one or more rectilinear tactile sidewalk tiles. Also disclosed is a method of assembling an arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement.

Claims

1. An arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement comprising:

a connector tactile sidewalk tile including a wedge-shaped main body with first and second connector flanges adjoining opposite sides of the wedge-shaped main body;

a first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile overlapping the first connector flange such that at least a portion of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is positioned directly above the first connector flange in a vertical direction;

a second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile overlapping the second connector flange such that at least a portion of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is positioned directly above the second connector flange in the vertical direction;

a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in the vertical direction from an upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body, an upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile, and an upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile.

2. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

the first connector flange having a planar upper surface adjoining the wedge-shaped main body and being offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body by a first offset distance, the first offset distance being constant across an entire width of the first connector flange; and

the second connector flange having a planar upper surface adjoining the wedge-shaped main body and being offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body by a second offset distance, the second offset distance being constant across an entire width of the second connector flange.

3. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 2, further comprising:

the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile having a thickness equal to the first offset distance such that the upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is substantially level with the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body of the connector tactile sidewalk tile; and

the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile having a thickness equal to the second offset distance such that the upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is substantially level with the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body of the connector tactile sidewalk tile.

4. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 2, a thickness of the first connector flange being equal to a thickness of the second connector flange.

5. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 2, the first offset distance being equal to the second offset distance.

6. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

a first fastener passing through a hole in the first connector flange and a hole in first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to secure the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to the first connector flange; and

a second fastener passing through a hole in the second connector flange and a hole in the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to secure the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to the second connector flange.

7. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 4, the hole in the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile having a different shape and/or dimension than the hole in the first connector flange to allow the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to be adjusted relative to the first connector flange prior to securing the first fastener.

8. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a lower surface having a plurality of dome depressions, each of the dome depressions corresponding to one of the truncated domes of the upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile; and

the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a lower surface having a plurality of dome depressions, each of the dome depressions corresponding to one of the truncated domes of the upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile.

9. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first and second connector flanges extend outwardly in opposite horizontal directions from the wedge-shaped main body.

10. A connector tactile sidewalk tile comprising:

a wedge-shaped main body;

a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in a vertical direction from a vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body;

a first connector flange and a second connector flange adjoining opposite sides of the wedge-shaped main body;

the first connector flange being stepped down from the wedge-shaped main body such that a vertically upwardly facing surface of the first connector flange is offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body; and

the second connector flange being stepped down from the wedge-shaped main body such that a vertically upwardly facing surface of the second connector flange is offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body.

11. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, further comprising:

a first fastener-receiving hole passing through the first connector flange; and

a second fastener-receiving hole extending through the second connector flange.

12. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 11, the first fastener-receiving hole and the second fastener-receiving hole each being non-circular.

13. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, the wedge-shaped main body, the first connector flange, and the second connector flange being integrally formed in one piece.

14. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, the vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body having an arcuate outer edge and an arcuate inner edge, a radius of curvature of the outer arcuate edge being greater than a radius of curvature of the inner arcuate edge.

15. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, an outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body being wider than an inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body, the outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body having a greater number of the truncated domes per unit length than the inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body.

16. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 15, the truncated domes of the outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body being arranged in at least two rows, the truncated domes of the inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body being arranged in a single row.

17. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, at least some of the truncated domes being arranged in two or more non-parallel rows.

18. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, each of the plurality of truncated domes having a diameter of 0.9 inches and a height of 0.2 inches.

19. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 10, wherein the first and second connector flanges extend outwardly in opposite horizontal directions from the wedge-shaped main body.

20. A method of assembling an arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement, the method comprising:

providing a connector tactile sidewalk tile including a wedge-shaped main body, first and second connector flanges adjoining opposite sides of the wedge-shaped main body, and a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in a vertical direction from an upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body;

positioning a first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to overlap the first connector flange such that at least a portion of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is positioned directly above the first connector flange in the vertical direction, the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in the vertical direction from an upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile; and

positioning a second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to overlap the second connector flange such that at least a portion of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is positioned directly above the second connector flange in the vertical direction, the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in the vertical direction from an upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

securing the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to the first connector flange by inserting a first fastener through a hole in the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile and a hole in the first connector flange; and

securing the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile to the second connector flange by inserting a second fastener through a hole in the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile and a hole in the second connector flange.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

the first connector flange having a planar upper surface adjoining the wedge-shaped main body and being offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body by a first offset distance, the first offset distance being constant across an entire width of the first connector flange; and

the second connector flange having a planar upper surface adjoining the wedge-shaped main body and being offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body by a second offset distance, the second offset distance being constant across an entire width of the second connector flange.

23. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 22, further comprising:

the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile having a thickness equal to the first offset distance such that the upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is substantially level with the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body of the connector tactile sidewalk tile; and

the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile having a thickness equal to the second offset distance such that the upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile is substantially level with the upper surface of the wedge-shaped main body of the connector tactile sidewalk tile.

24. The arcuate tactile sidewalk tile arrangement of claim 20, further comprising:

the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a lower surface having a plurality of dome depressions, each of the dome depressions corresponding to one of the truncated domes of the upper surface of the first rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile; and

the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile including a lower surface having a plurality of dome depressions, each of the dome depressions corresponding to one of the truncated domes of the upper surface of the second rectilinear tactile sidewalk tile.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second connector flanges extend outwardly in opposite horizontal directions from the wedge-shaped main body.

26. A connector tactile sidewalk tile comprising:

a wedge-shaped main body;

a plurality of truncated domes projecting upwardly in a vertical direction from a vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body; and

a connector flange adjoining the wedge-shaped main body, the connector flange being stepped down from the wedge-shaped main body such that a vertically upwardly facing surface of the connector flange is offset downwardly in the vertical direction from the vertically upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body.

27. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of fastener-receiving holes passing through the connector flange.

28. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 27, each of the fastener-receiving holes being non-circular.

29. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, the wedge-shaped main body and the connector flange being integrally formed in one piece.

30. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 27, the upwardly facing surface of the wedge-shaped main body having an arcuate outer edge and an arcuate inner edge, a radius of curvature of the outer arcuate edge being greater than a radius of curvature of the inner arcuate edge.

31. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, an outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body being wider than an inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body, the outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body having a greater number of the truncated domes per unit length than the inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body.

32. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 31, the truncated domes of the outer portion of the wedge-shaped main body being arranged in at least two rows, the truncated domes of the inner portion of the wedge-shaped main body being arranged in a single row.

33. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, at least some of the truncated domes being arranged in two or more non-parallel rows.

34. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, each of the plurality of truncated domes having a diameter of 0.9 inches and a height of 0.2 inches.

35. The connector tactile sidewalk tile of claim 26, wherein the connector flange extends outwardly from the wedge-shaped main body in a horizontal direction such that the vertically upwardly facing surface of the connector flange is exposed.