MX2007009074A

MX2007009074A - Flexible grid and predominantly concrete mat employing same.

Info

Publication number: MX2007009074A
Application number: MX2007009074A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Jan Erik Jansson
Original assignee: Jan Erik Jansson
Priority date: 2006-11-21
Filing date: 2007-07-27
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Also published as: US20080118309A1

Abstract

A predominantly concrete mat comprises a concrete slab having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions, which include relatively thinner portions among the longitudinal and transverse edges, and a flexible grid embedded in the concrete slab. The flexible grid, which is polymeric, is molded so as to have longitudinally extending members and transversely extending members. End portions of specific ones but not all of the longitudinally extending members of the flexible grid extend into and nearly or completely through the relatively thinner portions along the transverse edges of the concrete slab. End portions of specific ones but not all of the transversely extending members of the flexible grid extend into and nearly or completely through the relatively thinner portions along the longitudinal edges of the concrete slab.

Description

FLEXIBLE GRILLE AND CONCRETE PLATE PREDOMINANTLY USING THE SAME TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a flexible grid, which is useful for connecting concrete blocks of a predominantly concrete slab and a predominantly concrete slab employing such a flexible slab . BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A polymeric, molded, flexible grid and a predominantly concrete slab employing the flexible grid are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,048,469 Bl, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed herein, the flexible grid has longitudinally extending members and transversely extending members and is embedded in a concrete slab having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions. The relatively thicker portions define blocks that are connected by the relatively thinner portions. The longitudinally and transversely extending members of the flexible grid connect the blocks to each other, when the concrete slab fractures along the relatively thinner portions, whereby the plate is articulated. predominantly concrete.

According to the disclosure in U.S. Patent No. 7,048,469 Bl, the concrete slab has relatively thinner portions along its longitudinal and transverse edges. Consequently, if the flexible plate is not placed approximately in the center when the concrete plate is made, one of the limiting members of the flexible material, along its longitudinal and transverse edges may be embedded within the relatively thinner portion. along the corresponding edge of the concrete slab and can weaken the same portion enough for the weakened edge to crumble. Similarly, the relatively thinner portions found in a corner of the concrete slab can also be weakened. In an earlier form, a predominantly articulated concrete slab is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,108,222, disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In an improved form, a predominantly articulated concrete slab is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,612,776 Bl, disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. According to what is disclosed in these patents, such a plate has numerous uses in delaying the erosion of the earth due to the wind, water, or both, and in the lining of a road, a parking area, or an emergency ramp. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a flexible grid adapted to be embedded in a concrete slab having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions including relatively thinner portions between the longitudinal edges and cross-sectional The flexible grid has longitudinally extending members and members that extend transversely. The members that extend longitudinally and transversely are in nodes. According to what is provided by this invention, some of the longitudinally extending, specific members have end portions that extend beyond the end portions of the other portions extending longitudinally and beyond. any of the members that extend transversally are almost extreme. In addition, some of the members that extend transversely, specifically, have end portions that extend beyond the end portions of the other portions that extend so transverse and beyond any of the members that extend longitudinally are extreme or last. In a contemplated embodiment of this invention, wherein all the longitudinally extending members have end portions extending beyond any of the transversely extending members are ends or ends, while the end portions of some of the members extending from longitudinal, specific, extend beyond some of the other members that extend longitudinally beyond any of the members that extend transversely, are the most extreme. In addition, all of the longitudinally extending members have end portions extending beyond any of the transversely extending members are almost extreme, while the end portions of some of the members extending transversely. , specific, extend beyond some of the other members that extend transversely beyond any of the members extending longitudinally are the most extreme or last. This invention also provides a predominantly concrete slab comprising a concrete slab having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions, which include relatively thinner portions between the longitudinal and transverse edges, and a flexible grid, as described above. The flexible grid is embedded in the concrete slab so that the end portions of some of the longitudinally extending, specific members of the flexible grid extend in and almost or completely through the relatively thinner portions of the grid. along the transverse edges of the concrete slab and so that the end portions of some of the transverse, specific, extending members of the flexible grid extend in and almost or completely through the relatively larger portions. thin along the longitudinal edges of the concrete slab. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an isometric, fragmentary view of a concrete slab, in which a concrete grid incorporating this invention is embedded and which defines flexible members that extend longitudinally and transversely. Figure 2, on a smaller scale, is a schematic, fragmentary plane of an injection mold, in which the flexible grid illustrated in Figure 1 is molded.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail, greatly enlarged, taken along line 3-3 of Figure 4, in a direction indicated by arrows. Figure 4, on a larger scale, is a fragmentary cross section of a casting mold, in which the concrete slab is being cast in an inverted orientation, as can be seen after a top portion of the casting mold is has lifted, a lower portion of the casting mold has been partially filled with a concrete mix, and the flexible grid has been placed over the concrete mix. Figure 5, on a similar scale, is an isometric, fragmentary view of a predominantly articulated concrete slab, which is made of the concrete slab that has the recessed grid, when the concrete slab that has the recessed grid is fracture along the thin areas in order to define concrete blocks, which are connected to each other by the flexible members of the flexible grid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED MODE As illustrated in Figure 1, an intermediate article 10 in the manufacture of a predominantly articulated concrete plate, which is similar to the predominantly articulated concrete slab, disclosed in the U.S. Patent.

United States No. 7,048,469 Bl, supra, comprises a concrete plate 20, rectangular, and a flexible grid 30, which is embedded in the concrete plate 20. As illustrated in Figure 4, when the concrete plate 20 is cast into a casting mold 60 having a lower portion 62 and an upper portion 62, the lower portion of the casting mold 60 is partially filled with a mixture M of concrete, on which the flexible grid 30 is placed. After this, the lower portion is filled completely with the concrete mixture M, whereby the flexible grid 30 is embedded in the concrete mixture M. After this, the portion is lowered in order to close the casting mold 60, in which the concrete mix M is cured. The concrete plate 20 is cast, in an inverted orientation relative to its illustrated orientation, so as to have relatively thin portions 22 extending longitudinally and transversely and in order to have relatively thicker portions 24 which they are separated from one another by the relatively thin portions 22. The relatively thinner portions 22 include relatively thinner portions along the longitudinal edges of the concrete plate 20 and portions thereof. relatively thinner along the transverse edges of the concrete plate 20. The concrete plate 20 can fracture along the relatively thinner portions 22, so that the relatively thicker portions become discrete concrete blocks 40, connected to each other by flexible members 32 of the flexible grid 30, which remains embedded in the respective blocks 40, by means of which, a plate 50 of predominantly articulated concrete. The flexible members 32 meet and unite at nodes 34. Preferably, the flexible members 32 have circular cross sections, but the flexible members 32 may have oval, rectangular or other cross sections. In order to facilitate the fracture of the concrete plate 20 along the relatively thinner portions 22, the concrete plate has spaced holes, which include holes having circular mouths and holes having square mouths, along the 22 relatively thinner portions. The relatively thinner portions 22 may be thin enough to enable the concrete plate 20 to fracture under its own weight if and when the concrete plate 20 is released from its edges. Alternatively, the concrete slab can be fracture also by a person handling a convenient tool, such as a hand adze. As exemplary dimensions, which are all approximate, the concrete plate 20 may have a width of 60.96 cm (24 inches) and a length of 121.92 cm (48 inches), the relatively thinner portions 22 may have a thickness of 96.52 cm (38 inches), the relatively thicker portions 24 can have a thickness of 2.54 cm (1 inch), the flexible geo-grid 30 can have openings of 5.08 cm2 (2 square inches), which are defined by the flexible members 32 and the respective blocks 40 can have 10.16 cm2 (four square inches). The flexible grid 30 can be injection molded, as shown schematically in Figure 2, in order to have longitudinally extending members 32 and members 34 that extend transversely. The members 32, 34, which extend transversely and longitudinally, are in the nodes 36, which are spaced precisely and uniformly (eg, by 5.08 cm (two inches)) from each other, both longitudinally and transversely. As illustrated in Figure 2 and in other views, all of the longitudinally extending members 32 have end portions 36 extending beyond any of the members 34 that extend transversely limit the flexible grid 30. In addition, some of the longitudinally extending, specific members have end portions 36a that extend beyond the end portions 36 of the other portions 32 extending longitudinally and beyond the extending members 34. transversally in the boundary areas of the flexible grid. As illustrated in Figure 2 and in other views, all of the transversely extending members 34 have end portions 38 extending beyond any of the longitudinally extending members 32 limits the flexible grid 30. In addition, some of the members 34 that extend transversely, specifically, have end portions 38a that extend beyond the end portions 38 of the other portions 34 that extend transverse and beyond the members 32 that are they extend longitudinally in the limits of the flexible grid. As illustrated in Figure 2 and other views, some of the longitudinally extending, specific members 32 having the end portions 36a that extend beyond, separate from each other and from the extending members 34. transversally within the limits of the flexible grid 30 by one or more of the members 32 extending longitudinally. In addition, some of the specifically extending transverse members 34, having the end portions 38a extending beyond, separate from one another and from the members 32 extending longitudinally in the boundaries of the grid. 30 flexible by one or more of the members 34 that extend transversely. As illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 5, the end portions 36a extending beyond, extend in and almost or completely through the relatively thinner portions along the longitudinal edges of the plate 20 of concrete. In addition, the end portions 38a that extend beyond extend in and almost or completely through the relatively thinner portions along the transverse edges of the concrete plate 20.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A flexible grid adapted to be embedded in a concrete slab, characterized by having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges, and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions, including relatively thinner portions between the longitudinal edges and transverse, the flexible grid having longitudinally extending members and transversely extending members, the members extending longitudinally and transversely are at nodes, wherein specific members of the extending members longitudinally, they have end portions extending beyond the end portions of the others of the longitudinally extending portions, and beyond any of the members that extend transversely, are the most extreme or last ones. , and where specific members of the members that are They extend transversely, have end portions extending beyond the end portions of the other portions extending transversely and beyond any of the longitudinally extending members are the most extreme or last.
2. The flexible grid of claim 1, characterized in that all the longitudinally extending members have end portions extending beyond any of the transversely extending members, are the most extreme, while the end portions of some of the longitudinally extending, specific members extend beyond some of the other members that extend longitudinally beyond any of the members that extend transversely, are the most extreme, and in wherein, all the longitudinally extending members have end portions extending beyond any of the transversely extending members are ends, while the end portions of some of the members that extend transversely, specific, they extend beyond some of the other members that extend so Transverse beyond any of the members that extend longitudinally are the most extreme.
3. The flexible grid of claim 1, characterized in that some of the longitudinally extending, specific members are separated from each other and any of the members that extend transversely are ends by one or more of the members. members that they extend longitudinally, and in which some of the members that extend in a specific, transverse manner, separate from each other and from any of the members that extend longitudinally are the most extreme by one or more of the members that they extend transversely.
4. The flexible grid of claim 2, characterized in that some of the longitudinally extending, specific members are separated from each other and any of the members that extend transversely are ends by one or more of the members. members that extend longitudinally, and wherein some of the members that extend transversely, specifically, are separated from each other and any of the members that extend longitudinally are the most extreme by one or more of the members that extend transversally. A predominantly concrete slab, characterized in that it comprises a concrete slab having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions, which include relatively thinner portions between the longitudinal and transverse edges , and a flexible grid according to the claims, wherein the flexible grid is embedded in the concrete slab so that the end portions of some of the members that are longitudinally extending, specific, flexible grid extends in the relatively thinner portions along the transverse edges of the concrete plate and so that the end portions of some of the members that extend transversely, specific, flexible grid extends in the relatively thinner portions along the longitudinal edges of the concrete slab. 6. A predominantly concrete slab, characterized in that it comprises a concrete slab having two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges and having relatively thicker portions and relatively thinner portions, which include relatively thinner portions between the longitudinal and transverse edges , and a flexible grid according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the flexible grid is embedded in the concrete slab so that the end portions of some of the longitudinally extending, specific members, of the flexible grid extend in and almost or completely through the relatively thinner portions along the transverse edges of the concrete slab and so that the end portions of some of the members that extend transversely, specific, the flexible grid extends in and almost or completely to through the relatively thinner portions to that of the longitudinal edges of the concrete slab.