Modular pavement system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for coupling a pavement slab to an adjacent receiving structure, the system comprising:
- a substantially horizontal first cavity in the slab terminating along a side of the slab;
a substantially horizontal second cavity in the receiving structure terminating along a side of the receiving structure, the side of the receiving structure being positioned adjacent to the side of the slab;
a coupling rod having a first portion received within the first cavity and a second portion received within the second cavity; and
a spacer including a seating surface configured to receive a lower surface of the coupling rod and an alignment surface for positioning in alignment with a landmark segment of the slab;
the alignment surface including a projection and the landmark segment of the slab including a portion of a top surface of the slab having a shape complementary to the projection.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prefabricated paving slab includes specialized combinations of substantially vertical passages and cavities to enable “drop in” installation. The paving slab may include retractable coupling rods aligned using spacers having seating surfaces and alignment surfaces. Cavities of the paving slab, each configured for receiving a coupling rod, preferably are arranged in orientation(s) and pattern(s) selected for receiving and transferring the stresses of loads travelling in a pre-determined direction.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for coupling a pavement slab to an adjacent receiving structure, the system comprising:
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a substantially horizontal first cavity in the slab terminating along a side of the slab; a substantially horizontal second cavity in the receiving structure terminating along a side of the receiving structure, the side of the receiving structure being positioned adjacent to the side of the slab; a coupling rod having a first portion received within the first cavity and a second portion received within the second cavity; and a spacer including a seating surface configured to receive a lower surface of the coupling rod and an alignment surface for positioning in alignment with a landmark segment of the slab; the alignment surface including a projection and the landmark segment of the slab including a portion of a top surface of the slab having a shape complementary to the projection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for coupling a pavement slab to an adjacent receiving structure, the system comprising:
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a substantially horizontal first cavity in the slab terminating along a side of the slab; a substantially horizontal second cavity in the receiving structure terminating along a side of the receiving structure, the side of the receiving structure being positioned adjacent to the side of the slab; a coupling rod having a first portion received within the first cavity and a second portion received within the second cavity; a spacer including a seating surface configured to receive a lower surface of the coupling rod and an alignment surface for positioning in alignment with a landmark segment of the slab, the spacer extending through a passage extending from a top of the first cavity and terminating at a top surface of the slab; and a second spacer for positioning in alignment with a second landmark segment of the receiving structure, the second spacer extending through a second passage extending from a top of the second cavity and terminating at a top surface of the receiving structure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for installing adjacent pavement slabs, the steps of the method comprising:
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aligning a cavity terminating in a side of a first slab with a matching cavity terminating in a side of a receiving structure; and adjusting the position of a coupling rod, the coupling rod being at least partially within the cavity and at least partially within the matching cavity; wherein the adjustment of the position of the coupling rod includes manipulating a spacer to achieve a pre-determined degree of separation from a surface of at least one of the cavity and the matching cavity, the spacer having;
(A) a seating surface including a curved projection configured to receive a correspondingly curved lower surface of the coupling rod, the adjusting including positioning the lower surface of the coupling rod on the curved projection; and
(B) an alignment surface configured for positioning in alignment with a landmark segment of one of the first slab and the receiving structure to achieve the pre-determined degree of separation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for installing adjacent pavement slabs, the steps of the method comprising:
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aligning a cavity terminating in a side of a first slab with a matching cavity terminating in a side of a receiving structure; and adjusting the position of a coupling rod, the coupling rod being at least partially within the cavity and at least partially within the matching cavity; wherein— the adjustment of the position of the coupling rod includes manipulating a spacer to achieve a pre-determined degree of separation from a surface of at least one of the cavity and the matching cavity, the alignment surface includes a projection and the landmark segment includes a portion of a top surface of one of the first slab and the receiving structure, the manipulating including aligning the projection with the landmark segment to achieve the pre-determined degree of separation. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification