NZ533652A - A paving system - Google Patents

Abstract

A paving system having a portable receptacle or receptacles placed on a surface wherein the receptacle or receptacles are filled with payers to provide a surface which can be walked on, and wherein the payers are able to be removed from the receptacle or receptacles when desired; the receptacle or receptacles having ground engaging feet able to assist in stabilizing the receptacle or receptacles in the face of some areas of uneven underlying ground.

Description

Patents Form No. 5 5336 5 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A PAVING SYSTEM I, DARRYLL LAWRENCE HEAVEN, a New Zealand citizen, of 524 Swanson Road, Ranui, Auckland, hereby declare this invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 2 1 JUN 2004 RECEIVED Title This invention relates to a paving system.

Background It is known to lay pavers outdoors to provide a firm walking surface, and in some cases to provide a parking surface, driveway, or road for vehicles. The laying of pavers can be a reasonably expensive exercise, particularly if one wishes to prepare a good foundation so that the pavers sit flat and firm when laid. It is an object of at least one form of the present invention to provide a paving system which can be readily assembled in a non-permanent manner, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a paving system having a portable receptacle or receptacles placed on a surface wherein the receptacle or receptacles are filled with pavers to provide a surface which can be walked on, and wherein the pavers are able to be removed from the receptacle or receptacles when desired; the receptacle or receptacles having ground engaging feet able to assist in stabilizing the receptacle or receptacles in the face of some areas of uneven underlying ground.

Optionally the receptacle or receptacles collectively, provide stability to the surface which can be walked on.

Optionally the surface which can be walked on can also be driven on by a vehicle (eg an average car) without damage to the receptacle or receptacles and the pavers. :"j/;cruAL OFFICE Cr N.Z. 2 2005 Optionally the receptacle or receptacles provide a substantially flat base for the pavers.

Optionally the receptacle or receptacles have peripheral sides which are beneath the upper surfaces of the pavers when the pavers are installed within the receptacle or receptacles.

Optionally the base of the receptacle or of each receptacle is an open framework.

Optionally the receptacle or receptacles are in each case substantially in the shape of a tray.

Optionally there is a plurality of the receptacles and wherein each receptacle is attached to an adjacent receptacle or receptacles by way of attachment means, each attachment means forming part of each receptacle.

Optionally the attachment means is in each case a plurality of connectors.

Optionally the attachment means involves hooked portions.

Optionally each hooked portion is a rolled over edge of each receptacle.

Optionally the pavers are cobblestones, and/or bricks, and/or paving stones, and/or tiles. * ~~~r ;^ GFFiCL Cr N.2.. ;2 8 N8V 2005 ;Optionally sand is placed between the pavers. ! _ ;! E E €■ E kV ;Optionally sand is placed between pavers and peripheral parts of the receptacle or ;3 ;» ;receptacles. ;Optionally sand is placed between adjacent receptacles. ;According to a further aspect of the invention there is a provided a receptacle suitable for use as part of the paving system described above, the receptacle having a base portion in the form of an open framework, sides defining peripheral portions of the receptacle, pavers over the base portion and within the periphery such that an upper surface of the pavers is more elevated than the sides, and connection means to enable the receptacle to interlock with other similar receptacles. ;Optionally the connection means involves hooked portions. ;Optionally the hooked portions are rolled over portions of at least some parts of the sides. ;Description of the Drawings ;Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to accompanying drawings, of which: ;Figure 1 is a perspective view exemplifying a paver receptacle in accordance with one form of the invention. ;Figure 2 is a plan view of a similar receptacle shown in more detail, ;Figure 3 is a short side elevation view of the receptacle of figure 2, ;r — — - ;l J.M5=u*cruAL ?ko? OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 s t W 2005 Figure 4 is long side elevation view of the receptacle of figure 2, and Figure 5 is a partial view of two receptacles of the type shown at figure 2 the Detailed Description A preferred form of the invention is a paving system having a series of interlocking receptacles each loaded with pavers to provide a walking surface such as a path or a driveway. Figure 1 shows one such receptacle 1, having four sides 2 and being generally in the form of a rectangular tray with an open framework base 3. The receptacle's sides 2 are of a height slightly lower than the upper surface 5 of a series of pavers 4 (eg paving blocks) contained within the receptacle. Sand can be brushed over the upper surfaces 5 of the pavers to fill spaces between these, and also to fill spaces between the pavers and the sides 2 of the receptacle. It will be appreciated that the lower profile of the sides 2 means that they are hidden by sand brushed over the pavers - ie the sand also fills spaces between and over the sides of interlocked receptacles.

Some of the sides 2 of the receptacles may have at least part of some of their upper edges rolled over to form a hooked portion 6 . In each case the hooked portion 6 is for engaging an upper edge of the side of an adjacent receptacle. For each receptacle hooked portions 6 may thus engage non-hooked portions of adjacent receptacles. It will of-course be appreciated that alternative or optional means of engaging the receptacles with one another may also be employed.

The use of receptacles for the pavers 4 means that the pavers can be readily set in place in a substantially level fashion without having to do too much smoothing of an underlying ground surface beforehand. The ground surface demonstrating a manner of attachment between these. minimal preparation and or a shallow bed of sand. The receptacles 1 have sufficient rigidity to accommodate or forgive a less than flat ground surface The receptacles may thus take up the weight of a person walking on the pavers so that a slightly uneven ground surface does not make the pavers wobble when walked on. This stability of the pavers is further enhanced by the fact that a number of the receptacles interlock - ie forces due to a weight applied on the pavers is spread to more than one receptacle.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show a receptacle substantially the same as that of figure 1, but depicted in more detail. The numbering of parts used in describing the figure 1 receptacle has been used for equivalent parts in figures 2, 3 and 4. Referring to figure 1, it can be seen that the receptacle is rectangular in plan view. Two of the receptacle's sides have rolled over edges/hook portions 6 and two do not. This enables ready interlocking between adjacent receptacles. The engagement of a hooked portion 6 with the non-hooked portion 7 of an adjacent receptacle is demonstrated at figure 5.

The receptacles are of a portable nature and may for example be formed from a suitable lightweight but strong plastics material. By employing the invention one can readily lay a path, driveway, trade show display, etc, and can relatively easily disassemble these when desired. The invention thus allows for a convenient temporary paved area, but may equally be used for a permanent paved area if that is desired.

The term paver as used in this document should be interpreted broadly, and may extend to encompass paving stones, cobblestones, tiles, blocks, gravel, etc.

As shown in figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, the base of the receptacle has web-ltko feet to ———-•« 6 OFrlCL C? N./T. | 2 8 t JV 253 I Riscetrfia more easily accommodate an uneven underlying ground surface - ie as opposed to a planar base. However, in some embodiments of the invention a planar base may be employed.

The receptacles may be formed in any suitable shape and size, and may have curved and/or straight edges as desired. Small pavers may be laid around at least part of some of the receptacles to fill out odd spaces, for example those not large enough to take a complete receptacle, or simply to give a decorative effect.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

WHAT I CLAIM IS

1. A paving system having a portable receptacle or receptacles placed on a surface wherein the receptacle or receptacles are filled with pavers to provide a surface which can be walked on, and wherein the pavers are able to be removed from the receptacle or receptacles when desired; the receptacle or receptacles having ground engaging feet able to assist in stabilizing the receptacle or receptacles in the face of some areas of uneven underlying ground.

2. A paving system according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle or receptacles collectively, provide stability to the surface which can be walked on.

3. A paving system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface which can be walked on can also be driven on by a motor vehicle without damage to the receptacle or receptacles and the pavers.

4. A paving system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the receptacle or receptacles provide a substantially flat base for the pavers.

5. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle or receptacles have peripheral sides which are beneath upper surfaces of the pavers when the pavers are installed within the receptacle or receptacles.

6. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle or each receptacle has an open framework base.

7. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle or receptacles are in each case substantially in the shape of a tray. 8 j GFfic:: c;" k ! 2 S NOV 2i

8. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a plurality of the receptacles, and wherein each receptacle is attached to an adjacent receptacle or receptacles by way of attachment means, each attachment means forming part of each receptacle.

9. A paving system according to claim 8, wherein the attachment means is in each case a plurality of connectors.

10. A paving system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the attachment means involves hooked portions.

11. A paving system according to claim 10, wherein each hooked portion is a rolled over edge of each receptacle.

12. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pavers are cobblestones, and/or bricks, and/or paving stones, and/or tiles.

13. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein sand has been placed between the pavers.

14. A paving system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein sand has been placed between pavers and peripheral parts of the receptacle or receptacles.

15. A paving system according to claim 8, and any one claims 9 to 14 when read back on claim 8, wherein sand is placed between adjacent receptacles. | 2 fc 7M I i i t PPT - ^ '

16. A receptacle suitable for use as part of the paving system according to claim 1, the receptacle having a base portion in the form of an open framework, sides defining peripheral portions of the receptacle, pavers over the base portion and within the periphery such that an upper surface of the pavers is more elevated than the sides, and connection means to enable the receptacle to interlock with other similar receptacles.

17. A receptacle according to claim 16, wherein the connection means involves hooked portions.

18. A receptacle according to claim 17, wherein the hooked portions are rolled over portions of at least some parts of the sides.

19. A paving system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A receptacle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Darryll Lawrence Heaven By His Attorney A.J. Pietras & Associates of-nu;-. c.: n.; 10 211 2505