GB2540731A

GB2540731A - Station platform floor panel

Info

Publication number: GB2540731A
Application number: GB1508112.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Bowman Thomas
Original assignee: Dura Composites Ltd
Current assignee: Dura Composites Ltd
Priority date: 2015-05-12
Filing date: 2015-05-12
Publication date: 2017-02-01
Also published as: GB201508112D0

Abstract

The panel 100 is pultruded and has heaters 135, 136 below its upper surface 102 for heating the upper surface. The panel may have lights for projecting light from the upper surface. The heaters may be within closed elongate channels 128. Webs 126 may connect the upper and lower 108 surfaces of the panel. The panel may be fibre reinforced plastic, and have uniform cross section. The heater may be an electrical resistance wire, and couple to heaters of adjacent panels. Also claimed is a panel comprising a light that projects light from the upper surface of the panel. The light may be flush with the upper surface and extend from one side of the panel to another. Also claimed is a kit comprising a plurality of the panels, a station platform floor constructed from the kit, and a method of constructing a station platform floor using the kit.

Description

STATION PLATFORM FLOOR PANEL

The present invention relates to a panel for a station platform floor. The invention also relates to a station platform floor kit, a station platform floor, a method of constructing a station platform floor and a method of manufacturing a panel for a station platform floor.

Railway station platform floors are commonly constructed by placing tarmacadam and concrete slabs on an underlying support structure. The concrete slabs are usually placed along the platform edge and are held in place with mortar. Since tarmacadam and concrete are extremely hardwearing, these arrangements are particularly suitable when the platform floor will be exposed to inclement weather.

It is standard practice to provide a line of textured or “tactile” concrete slabs close to, and running parallel to, the edge of the platform. The tactile surface for these concrete slabs is usually provided by an arrangement of isolated circular features on the surface of the slab. The tactile surface provides a non-visual indication that the platform edge is nearby. It is relatively easy to provide isolated features on concrete slabs by using an appropriate mould for the slab. Platform floors are also often painted with white lines so as to highlight the edge of the platform and/or yellow lines behind which the passengers on the platform are advised to stand. Paint for these lines is readily adhered to the surfaces of tarmacadam and concrete slabs.

Tarmacadam and concrete slabs therefore provide adequate station platform floors. However, concrete slabs can be extremely heavy and difficult to cut to size. Furthermore, applying tarmacadam, paint and mortar can be a messy and time-consuming process.

It is possible to use pultruded glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) slabs in place of tarmacadam and concrete slabs when constructing station platform floors. GRP slabs can be strong, lightweight and easy to cut to size. However, substantial gaps will be present between the surfaces of adjacent slabs if those slabs are placed at an angle relative to one another so as to provide a level platform edge and then a sloped surface downwards and away from the platform edge. Furthermore, since the pultrusion process produces components of uniform cross-section in planes orthogonal to the pultrusion direction, it is not straightforward to provide GRP slabs with appropriately textured surfaces having isolated features. Furthermore, since GRP is not particularly absorbent, some fillers, paints and mortars do not adhere well to GRP. A GRP station platform floor panel system is described in GB 14 03188.4 which belongs to the same applicant and it is a principal aim of this invention to provide certain advances complimentary with the invention disclosed therein that to provide new arrangements even better overcome the shortcomings of the known station platform floor arrangements.

Thus, according to an aspect of this invention there is provided a panel for a station platform floor, the panel being formed from pultruded material, having an upper surface, and heating means attached to the panel below that surface and adapted to heat that surface in use as part of a station platform floor.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a panel for a station platform floor, the panel being formed from pultruded material, having an upper surface, and lighting means that project light upwards from that upper surface.

Embodiments of the present invention may comprises both heating means attached to the panel below that surface and adapted to heat that surface in use as part of a station platform floor and lighting means that project light upwards from that upper surface.

The panel may be formed with an elongate closed channel beneath the upper surface. There may preferably be a plurality of elongate closed channels beneath the upper surface. The panel in cross-section may have a generally hollow cellular form with channels defined by interconnecting surfaces/walls and webs.

Heat means may heat all or part of the upper surface of the panel. The heating means may heat an area adjacent the upper surface or may heat of the panel up to the heating substantially the entire panel. Ideally the heating means are located within the channel. The same or additional heating means may be located in one or more other channels if present. The channels may extend across the panel in a length direction (ie in the direction of pultrusion). The heating means may likewise extend from one side to the other. Insulation may be provided to slow heat loss from the underside and or sides of the panel.

The panel may have a lower surface that may be generally parallel to the plane of the upper surface. The upper surface of the panel may be attached to a lower surface of the panel by one or more webs. The, or each, channel may be defined by the upper surface, the lower surface and one or more of the webs. The channels may be closed except at their ends.

The heating means is preferably electrically powered. Ideally the heating means comprise one or more electrical resistance wire. That resistance wire may be generally linear or may be in a form that increased the effective length of wire (to achieve a greater concentration of heating) such as a mesh or wire following a circuitous or coiled path. A matt or ribbon within which resistance wire is embedded may be used.

The panels are designed to be part of a modular system and be mounted in adjacent (often abutting) relationship to form a large platform. Whilst not all such panels may have heating and/or lighting, it is often the case than multiple panels will do so. Preferable the heating and/or lighting means of a panel are provided with a coupling to couple to the heating and/or lighting means of another like panel and/or to couple to power source and/or controller.

The lighting means are ideally fitted such that they sit flush with the upper surface of the panel. This ensures they neither present a trip hazard nor a recess to accumulate water or debris/dirt. The lighting means can be one or discrete light or series of lights. Ideally SMDs or LEDs are used.

The panel may have a substantially planar upper surface, a first side having a first elongate face, and an opposed second side having a second elongate face, wherein the first elongate face and the second elongate face are configured such that two of said panels can be placed adjacent to one another with the first elongate face of one of the panels being adjacent to the second elongate face of the other of the panels so as to provide a substantially continuous platform surface that spans the panels and with there being a reflex external angle between the upper surfaces of the panels. Such a design can be used to construct a platform floor without the presence of substantial gaps between the upper surfaces of adjacent panels regardless of whether the upper surfaces of those panels are substantially level with each other or whether the upper surfaces of those panels are at an angle relative to one another.

In some station platform floors, the angle between the upper surfaces of adjacent panels need only be very slight, for example just enough for rainwater to drain away. Thus, the reflex external angle may be in the range 181°-182°.

In some embodiments, the first and second faces are substantially planar. In these embodiments, there may be a first angle between the plane of the upper surface and the first elongate face and there may be a second angle between the plane of the upper surface and the second elongate face, wherein the sum of the first and second angles is greater than 180°. In these embodiments, the sum of the first and second angles may be in the range 181°-182°. For example, the first angle may be in the range 91°-92° and/or the second angle may be substantially 90°.

In preferred embodiments, the panel also has a substantially planar lower surface. The plane of the lower surface is preferably substantially parallel to the plane of the upper surface.

The panel may, in a substantially planar upper surface, have a tactile surface recess for receiving a tactile surface. It will be appreciated that the tactile surface recess its related embodiments are particularly advantageous in that it allows a separate tactile surface to be held in place laterally on the panel.

In preferred embodiments, the tactile surface recess extends along the entire length of the panel. Thus, when such panels are placed end to end lengthwise, a substantially continuous tactile surface can be provided across those panels (e.g. parallel to the platform edge).

The panel for a station platform floor preferably has one or more fixing recesses for respectively receiving one or more mechanical fixings, the one or more fixing recesses each having a stepped profile for supporting a cover plate over one or more mechanical fixings housed therein. These allow the panel to be held in place using mechanical fixings such as bolts.

One or more fixing recesses may extend along the entire length of the panel.

The panel may have a first side having a first elongate face, and an opposed second side having a second elongate face, the first elongate face having one or more locating projections and/or recesses, the second elongate face having one or more corresponding locating projections and/or recesses, the correspondence being such that two of said panels can be placed in engagement with one another with the locating projections and/or recesses of the first elongate face of one of the panels engaging with the locating projections and/or recesses of the second elongate face of the other of the panels.

It will be appreciated that the one or more projections and/or recesses of the panel of the above aspect and its related embodiments are particularly advantageous in that in they can help to hold together adjacent panels in correct alignment. This can, for example, reduce or remove the need to use adhesive or mortar to hold adjacent panels together and/or reduce the risk of adjacent panels becoming misaligned.

In a similar manner to the tactile surface recess and the one or more fixing recesses, in preferred embodiments, the one or more locating projections and/or recesses extend along the entire length of the panel. In preferred embodiments, one of the first and second faces has an elongate locating projection, and the other of the first and second faces has a corresponding elongate locating recess. The locating projection and/or recess are preferably rounded (e.g. semi-circular in cross-section). This can, for example, allow adjacent panels to be engaged with each other regardless of whether the upper surfaces of those panels are substantially level or whether the upper surfaces of those panels are at an angle relative to one another.

In some embodiments, the first and second faces are substantially planar and the one or more locating projections and/or recesses extend out of or into the plane of the faces. In preferred embodiments, the one or more locating projections and/or recesses each extend only partially across the depth of the elongate face in question. In other embodiments, the one or more locating projections and/or recesses may extend across the entire depth of the elongate face in question.

It will also be appreciated that the panel preferably has a uniform cross-section in planes orthogonal to the length direction (the direction of pultrusion). The panel may be formed from fibre reinforced plastic or polymer (FRP), such as glass (fibre) reinforced plastic or polymer (GRP). These materials are generally lighter and easier to cut than concrete.

The width of the panel is preferably in the range 550mm-750mm, for example is in the range 575mm-625mm (e.g. about 600mm) or in the range 675mm-725mm (e.g. about 700mm). The depth of the panel is preferably in the range 75mm-125mm (e.g. about 100mm).

In preferred embodiments, the upper surface of the panel is attached to a lower surface of the panel by one or more webs and/or the panel has a hollow structure. These features provide an extremely lightweight but strong structure.

The present invention also extends to kits and platform floors comprising the panels described above.

In this regard, according to another aspect of this invention there is provided a station platform floor kit comprising a plurality of panels as described above.

The above kits preferably comprise one or more tactile surfaces and/or one or more cover plates (e.g. of the same colour (e.g. black or grey) as the panels and/or of a different colour (e.g. yellow or white) to the panels) and/or one or more mechanical fixings (e.g. bolts) and/or one or more support structures and/or one or more controller for the heating means and/or one or more controller for the lighting means.

In a related aspect, there is also provided a station platform floor constructed from a kit as described above.

The present invention also extends to methods of constructing a platform floor using the kits described above.

In this regard, according to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of constructing a station platform floor using a kit as described above, the method comprising; placing the panels of the kit adjacent to one another on one or more support structures.

The method may include the step of inter-connecting the heating and/or lighting means on adjacent panels and/or connecting them to a power source.

The method may comprise fixing the panels to the one or more support structures with mechanical fixings (e.g. bolts). The method may comprise placing and/or fixing the panels such that the platform floor is substantially level at the platform edge and then slopes away from the platform edge. The method may comprise placing one or more tactile surfaces respectively into one or more tactile surface recesses and/or placing one or more cover plates respectively into one or more fixing recesses.

The present invention also extends to methods of manufacturing panels for station platform floors.

In this regard, according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a panel for a station platform floor, the method comprising: forming one or more panels as described above by pultrusion, and installing heating and/or lighting means into or onto the pultruded panel.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a first panel according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 shows a perspective view from above of a substantially similar panel with tactile and cover strips installed.

Figure 1, in cross-section, and Figure 2, in perspective, show a first panel 100 for a railway station platform floor. The cross-section is taken in a plane orthogonal to the length direction of the first panel 100. As will be discussed in more detail below, the first panel 100 is manufactured from glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) by pultrusion. The first panel 100 accordingly has the same cross-section (i.e. a constant cross-section) in planes orthogonal to the length direction (i.e. the pultrusion direction) of the first panel 100. In this embodiment, the width of the panel 100 is 700mm and the depth of the panel 100 is 100mm.

The first panel 100 has a substantially planar upper surface 102, a first side having a first substantially planar elongate face 104, an opposed second side having a second substantially planar elongate face 106, and a substantially planar lower surface 108. The plane 110 (shown by a dashed line) of the upper surface 102 is substantially parallel to the plane 112 (shown by a dashed line) of the lower surface 108. The upper surface 102 of the panel 100 is attached to the lower surface 108 of the panel 100 by several webs such as web 126 so as to give the panel 100 a hollow or “open” structure with several closed channels 128 that are open at each end.

There is a first angle Θ between the plane 110 of the upper surface 102 and the first elongate face 104, and a second angle φ between the plane 110 of the upper surface 102 and the second elongate face 106. In this embodiment, the first angle Θ is 91.43° and the second angle φ is 90°. Thus, the sum of the first angle Θ and the second angle φ is 181.43°.

Thus, the first elongate face 104 and the second elongate face 106 are configured such that two panels similar to the panel 100 shown in figure 1 can be placed adjacent to one another with the first elongate face 104 of one of the panels being adjacent to the second elongate face 106 of the other of the panels, and with the planes 110 of the upper surfaces 102 of those panels being at an angle relative to one another so as to provide a sloped surface for rainwater run-off without creating a substantial gap between the upper surfaces 102 of the adjacent panels 100. In this embodiment, the reflex external angle between the upper surfaces 102 of the adjacent panels 100 can be up to 181.43°.

The upper surface 102 of the panel 100 also has a tactile surface recess 114 for receiving a tactile surface (which is shown inserted in Figure 2 numbered 130). In this embodiment, the tactile surface recess 114 is 403mm wide and 4.5mm deep, and extends along the entire length of the panel.

The upper surface 102 of the panel 100 also has two fixing recesses 116 for respectively receiving mechanical fixings in the form of bolts (not shown). In this embodiment, each fixing recess 116 has a width of 100.5mm and a depth of 20mm, and extends along the entire length of the panel. The heads of the bolts can be housed in the fixing recess 116, with the threads of the bolts passing through a channel 120 below the fixing recess 116 and protruding out of the lower surface 108. The protruding part of the thread can be attached to a support structure (not shown), for example with rubber rivet nuts.

The fixing recesses 116 each have a stepped profile comprising steps 118 for supporting a cover plate 131 (shown in Figure 2) over the heads of the bolts housed therein. The depth of each step varies from 6mm at the edge of the step 118 to 8mm at the centre of the step 118. In this embodiment, the distance between the steps 118 of each fixing recess 116 is 50mm.

The first elongate face 104 has an elongate locating recess 122 and the second elongate face 106 has a corresponding elongate locating projection 124 (omitted in Figure 2 as this has been removed to form a neat platform edge). The locating recess 122 and locating projection 124 extend along the entire length of the panel. The correspondence between the locating recess 122 and the locating projection 124 is such that two panels similar to the panel 100 shown in Figure 1 can be placed in engagement with one another with the locating recess 122 of the first elongate face 104 of one of the panels engaging with the locating projection 124 of the second elongate face 106 of the other of the panels. In this embodiment, the locating recess 112 and projection 124 are rounded and have a semi-circular cross-section. This allows the two adjacent panels to be engaged with each other regardless of whether the upper surfaces 102 of those panels are substantially level or whether the upper surfaces 102 of those panels are at an angle relative to one another. As well as being fitted side by side to a desired platform width, the panels are connected end to end to achieve a desired platform length.

Heating elements in the form of resistance wires 135 and/or heating matt 136 (in which here is a mesh or circuitous path of wire) run through the hollow channels (or chambers) 128 from one open end of the panel to the other. When electrical current is passed through these they heat up and warm the air and GRP around them which ensures the upper surface is warmed to resist the settling of snow or the formation of frost or ice. The closed nature of the channels limits the flow of heated air and reduces energy losses.

The wires of one panel may be separate from each other or may be electrically linked or integral. If linked they may connect via a single plug to a power source or an adjacent panel, or may individually be linked. The panels may have one or more connector (not shown) that is designed during installation to connect to a matching connector(s) on adjacent panels or to a power supply/controller. Such a controller may be used to control the supply of power to switch the heating on an off to the appropriate levels at desired times. It could also be linked to sensors measuring atmospheric conditions such as temperature or operating parameters of the heating elements such as temperature inside a chamber.

The panel also has a strip 140 of SMD/LEDs 141 in the upper surface configured to cast light above the panel. This strip extends across the length of the panel and could align with the strip on an adjacent like panel to create a continuous line of lights. This may serve to further warn passenger of the edge of a platform. The strip contains a power bus than will interconnect with adjacent strips or power supplies. A station platform floor may be constructed from several of the first panels 100 described above. The panels are fixed to support structures, such as base posts (not shown), using bolts and rubber rivet nuts (not shown). Cover plates 131 have then been placed on all of the panels to cover the bolt heads. The first cover plate 131a after the tactile surface 300 when coming back from the platform edge is yellow to indicate to passengers where to stand. All of the other cover plates 131 are of a similar colour (e.g. grey or black) to the panels.

As will be appreciated from the above, a kit comprising panels such as the first panel 100 and a few additional components allows a complete station platform floor to be readily constructed therefrom.

As discussed above, the panels are formed by pultrusion from glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP). First, glass fibres are grouped together into rovings/mats. The rovings/mats are then pulled through a resin bath. The resin coated rovings/mats are then pulled through guides and into a chamber where the resin begins to cure. The curing panel is then pulled through a die which has an opening that is the same shape as the cross-section of the panel.

Claims

1. A panel for a station platform floor, the panel being formed from pultruded material, having an upper surface, and heating means attached to the panel below that surface and adapted to heat that surface in use as part of a station platform floor.

2. A panel for a station platform floor, the panel being formed from pultruded material, having an upper surface, and lighting means that project light upwards from that upper surface.

3. A panel for a station platform floor, as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which comprises both heating means attached to the panel below that surface and adapted to heat that surface in use as part of a station platform floor and lighting means that project light upwards from that upper surface.

4. A panel as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, having an elongate closed channel beneath the upper surface.

5. A panel as claimed in claim 4, with a plurality of elongate closed channels beneath the upper surface.

6. A panel as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which heating means are located within one or more of the channels.

7. A panel as claimed in claim 2, in which the lighting means are flush with the upper surface.

8. A panel as claimed in claim 2 or claim 7, in which the lighting means extend from one side of the panel to another.

9. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the panel having a lower surface that may be generally parallel to the plane of the upper surface.

10. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper surface of the panel is attached to a lower surface of the panel by one or more webs.

11. A panel a claimed in claim 10, in which the or each channel is formed by the upper surface, the lower surface and the one or more webs.

12. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the panel being formed from fibre reinforced plastic.

13. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel has a hollow structure.

14. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel has a uniform cross-section in planes orthogonal to the length direction.

15. A panel as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the heating means is electrically powered.

16. A panel as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the heating means comprise an electrical resistance wire.

17. A panel as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the heating means of a panel may be coupled to the heating means of another like panel.

18. A station platform floor kit comprising a plurality of panels as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

19. A station platform floor kit as claimed in claim 18 further comprising a controller for the heating and/or lighting means.

20. A station platform floor constructed from a kit as claimed in claim 18 or 19.

21. A method of constructing a station platform floor using the kit of claim 18 or 19 the method comprising; placing the panels of the kit adjacent to one another on one or more support structures.

22. A method of constructing a station platform as claimed in claim 21 which further comprises the step of inter-connecting the heating and/or lighting means on adjacent panels and/or connecting them to a power source.

23. A panel for a station platform floor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to one or more of Figures 1-2.