GB2409673A - Modular ramp - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular ramp comprises a series of interlinked sections which can either be of trapezoidal cross-section or solid. The sections can be made of plastic, rubber or concrete and have air pockets to reduce weight. The sections can be provided with a hand rail fixing or a strap or connector can hold them to the ground.

Description

! 2409673 MODULAR RAMP SYSTEM/DECKING SYSTEM THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A

SEMI PERMANEN'I' MODULAR RAMP SYSTEM - DECKING PLATFORM SYS'I'EM IT IS WELI, KNOWN THAT RAMPS ARE USED TO GAIN ENTRY OVER RAISED STEPS OR OBSTRUCTIONS. THERE ARE PRODUCTS MANlJFACTURED FROM FORMED S'l'EEL OR ALUMTNIUM SF,CT1ON.

THF,SE ARE OFFERED UP T() DOORWAYS BRIDGING Tl IE STEPS AND THEREFOR CREATIN(, A RAMP OR SET OF RAMPS TO GAIN ACCESS FOR Wl-IEELED VEICHI,F,S AND WIIEEL CHAIRS. THESE STEEL OR Al, U MI NION SECTION RAMPS SOME'I'IMES HAVE THE, OPTION OF I'F,I,ESCOPIC FUNC'I'ION FOR Wll)ER REACH OVER TWO OR MORE STEPS.

TIIESE RAMPS HAVE TO BE REMOVED AFTER USE SO AS NOT'1'0 CAUSE A l-IAZARD. THE ALTERNATIVE IS '1'0 PRODUCE A MORE PERMANENT RAMP BY BUILDING A CONCRF,TF, SOLID SECTION RAMP.

THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE THAT NORMALLY REQUIRES

PLANNING CONSENT PLUS A LO'I'OF MAN HOURS TO CONSTRUCT AND CANNOT BE USED UN'I'ILL, THE CONCRF,TE HAS COMPLETELY CURED.

THERE IS ALSO DISRUPTION TO TRADE WHERE THE RAMP IS

CONSTRUCTED AT COMMERCIAL PREMISES. THE NEW DISABILITY

DISCRIMINATION ACT STATES THAT RAMPS MUST BE FITTED TO ALL

PUBLIC PLACES

IT IS ALSO KNOW THA'r DECKING IS POPULAR IN IN MANY TIMBER AND STEEL CONSTRUCTIONS. IN PATICULAR DECKING IS PROVIDED ARROUND STATIC CARAVANS. CURRENTY THERE IS LEGISLATION IN PROGRESS THAT WILL DISALLOW THE UbE OF TIMBER (COMBUSTABLE) DECKING ARROUND CARAVANS. A MORE EXPENSIVE ALUMINIUM STRUCTURE IS NOW BEING OFFERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION THERE IS PROVIDED A RAMP

AND DECKING SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MODULES

WIIEREIN AT LEAS'I' ONE MODULE OF SAID PLURALITY OF MODULES

COMPRISES A SUBSTANTIALLY TRAPEZEIDAL CROSS SECTION OR AT

LEAST ONE MODULE HAS A SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID BULK VOLUMN.

A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION WILL NOW BE DESCRIBF,D BY WAY OF EXAMPLE WITH REFF,RENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS IN WHICH: FIG 1. SHOWS A WEDGE SHAPED MODULE FORMING A RAMP.

FIG 2. SHOWS A WEDGE SECTION MODULE WITH OPTIONAL SHEET MATERIAI,.

FIG 3. SHOWS A WEDGE SECTION MODULE COMBINE, D WITH A SERIES OF TRAPEZOIDAL CROSS SECTIONS.

FIG 4 SHOWS A MODULAR FLAT PLATFORM LINKED TO

MODULAR TRAPEZOIDAL CROSS SECTIONS

FI(J 5 SH()WS SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID RECrl'ANGULAR OR SQUARE MODULES FORMING ONE LAYF,R ()F DECKING FI(J 6 SHOWS SUBSTANTIAI,I,Y SOI,ID RECTANGULAR OR SQUARE MODUI,ES BUILT UP TO TWO LAYF,RS INTERLOCKING AND WITH OPTION OF SPIROTYPE PATF,NT API,TCATION NO 0301991.6 COMPLETION FIXING BOLTS OR

THREADED BANS TO SECURE LAYERS OF MODULES AND

PROVIDE FIXING POINT FOR IIAND RAIL.

REFFERING TO THE, DRAWINGS THE SECTIONAL RAMP COMPRISES ONE, OR MORE, MODULES AS DESCRIBF,T) WHF,REBY I SHOWS A WEDGE SIIAPED MODULE PREFERABLY MOULDED OF A RUBBER MATERIAL.

ALTERNATIVELY PLASTIC OR OTHER CONCRETE MAKE DENSE

MATERIAL COULD BE USED. THE SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID SECTION COULD PRF,FERABL, Y INCORPF,RATE VOIDS OF A L1GH'I'ER MATERIAL OR AIR POCKETS TO MINIMIZE WEIGIIT. THE PREFERED RUBBER COULD BE RECLAIMED RE CONSTITUTED AND RE170RMED FROM ENDLESS SUPPLIES CURRENTLY HARD TO DIPOSE OF (TYPES) 2 SHOWS A WEDGE SHAPED MODULE WITH OPTIONAL SHEET MATERIAL 3 WITH A TAPERED LEADING EDGE. THIS WOULD GAIN EXTRA HEIGHT. THIS SECTION 3 COULD INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THICKNESS TO CREATE A T-TTGHF,R OR TOWER RAMP.

4 SHOWS WEDGE SECTION MODULE WITH A SERIES OF TRAPEZOIDAL CROSS SECTIONS 5 6 7 8 WHEN MORE SECTIONS ARE ADDED INTO THE LENGTH THE RAMP GAINS HEIGHT. TO ACCOMAT)ATE HIGHER ACCESS PROBLEMS. ALTERNATIVELY LESS SECTIONS REDUCE THE HF,IGHT OF THE RAMP AS REQUIRED. EACI-I MODULE PREFERABLY HAS THE Al311,1'1'Y TO LOCK INTO THE NEXT 9

THE MODULES CAN BE HELD TOGETHER BY MEANS OF A MECHANICAL

STRAP 10 WHICH INTERLOCKS INTO JOINTS WTTH THE ABILITY TO BE BOLTED OR FIXED TO THE RECIEVING SURFACE 11 THIS CLAMP OR STRAP COULD ALSO INCORPORATE A DEVISE 12 INTO WHICH A HAND RAIL COULD BE FIXED FOR ADDED SAFETY. THE MODULAR RAMP CAN BE EASILY TRANSPORTED TO SITE QUICKI,Y ASSF, MBI,ED ANT) IN MOST

CASES POSSABLY WITHOUT THE NEED TO APPLY FOR PLANNING

CONSENT.

A MODULAR PLATFORM CAN BE PROVIDED FOR EXAMPLE TO ALI,OW THE USER TO TURN A WHEF,I, CHAIR ARROUND. THIS PLATFORM 13 14

CAN BE EXTENDED TO PROVIDE A MODULAR DECKING SYSTEM

COMBINES) WTTH MODULAR TRAPEZIODAL AND WEDGE SECTIONS 15 16 17. MODULAR PLATFORM SECTIONS 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CAN HAVE MORE LAYERS OR MODULAR SECTIONS TO INCREASE HEIGHT. THESE

SECTIONS OR MODULES COULD BE SECURED BY MEANS OF A STEEL

BAR 27 FITTED WITH A SPIRODY DEVICE PATENT APPLICATION No 0301991.6 OR THREADF,D BAR BOTH COULD PROVIDE A SOCKF,T FOR HAND RAIL, STEPS 28 COULD BE FORMF,D WITH O'l'HER LAYERS EACTI I,AYER OF MODULES COULD HAVE THE MEANS TO LOCK INTO I'l-IE NEXT BY MOUL,DED STUDS AND RECEPTICLES INTO WHICI-I THE STUDS INTERLOCK. TIIE SURFACE OF EACH MODULE COULD IIAVE PRINTED SURFACE MOULDED IN DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS IF, ro APPEAR AS DECKING BOARDS OK STONES, COBBLES COULD BE ANOTHER OPTION.

MODULAR

RAMPS COIJT,D BE [JSED FOR W1 1EELCHAIRS IN BOTH DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAI, PREMISES. THF,Y WOULD ALSO SERVE AS ACCESS F()R ELECTRIC SCOOTERS FOR TIIE DISABLED. THE PLATFORM WOULD Al,L,OW A TURNING POINT FOR BOTH CHAIRS AND SCOOTERS. THERE IS ALSO A NEED FOR THE RAMPS TO GAIN ACCESS TO CARAVANS.

MODULAR PLA'I'FORMS HAVE POSSIBLE USES FOR QUICK ASSEMBLE

STAGING THAT CAN BE DISASEMBLED AND BE USED AT EVENTS SUCH

AS N.E.C. EXI-IIBITIONS, CONCERTS DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL DECKING. DECKING CAN BE PROVIDED WITH STEPS OR STEPS AND RAMP. EACH CAN BE QUICKLY ASSEMBLEDWITH MINIMUM OF EFFORT AND DISASSF,MBLED QUICKLY. MODULAR RAMPS COULD HAVE A USE IN CREATING A TEMPORY RAMP TO SKIPS ON BUILDING SITES. RAMPS OF RUBBER WOULD NOT SUSTAIN DAMAGE EASILY.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS.

   A RAMP AND DECKING SYSTF,M COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MODULES WHEREIN AT LEAST ONE MOl)Ul,F, OF SAID PLURALITY OF

   MODULES COMPRISES A SUBSTANTIALLY TRAPEZOIDAL CROSS

   SECTION OR AT LEAST ONE MODULE HAS A SUBSTANTIALLY SOLID

   BULK VOLUMN.