Patent Application
20080127590
Disclosed is a protective cover assembly for placement over an opening between adjacent horizontal structures. The protective cover assembly spans a gap or opening between two spaced-apart adjacent horizontal concrete structures. The protective cover assembly permits a smooth transition of pedestrian or vehicular traffic across the gap between the adjacent horizontal concrete structures.
An expansion joint is a gap that is purposely provided between adjacent concrete structures for accommodating dimensional changes to the adjacent concrete structures occurring as expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, seismic cycling, and vibration. An expansion joint may be damaged by the ingress of water and debris, by abrasion, and by shear, tensile and compression forces generated by the passage of motorized vehicular traffic across the joint.
Elongated metal plates placed in an end-to-end relationship have been bolted to concrete structures in an attempt to protect the expansion joint from damage due to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Often, the metal plates become deformed and do not form a uniform seated engagement with concrete structures, particularly where the traffic bearing upper surfaces of the adjacent concrete structures are irregular or undulating and therefore fail to provide the necessary uniform planar support for the metal plates. Under these conditions, the metal plates are bent and distorted due to impact loading of traffic and acquire a state of looseness about their mounting bolts which degrades further when the mounting bolts bend or break. Even before the metal plates become disjointed from the mounting bolts, the metal plates generate an annoying noise with each deflection against the adjoining concrete structures.
Additionally, it is widely known that the surfaces of concrete structural members are not always entirely uniform, and are often not produced with square or smooth surfaces. These concrete structural members are usually rough, often have substantially irregular or undulating gaps, or are missing entire chunks of concrete. Furthermore, there is often a vertical offset between two structural members, due to the settlement of concrete.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an improved cover assembly to extend across gaps or openings between spaced-apart structural members to protect the expansion joint from degradation and to provide a smooth transition across the expansion joint opening.
Provided is a cover assembly for a gap between structural members comprising at least one base member affixed to said structural members, a coverplate comprising an elongated resilient cover having a load bearing surface opposite a support surface and a rigid plate member bridging said gap between said structural members and engaged with said elongated resilient cover; and a positioning assembly engaged with said coverplate and base member.
Also provided is an expansion joint for a building structure comprising two spaced structural members defining a gap therebetween, at least one base member affixed to said structural members, a coverplate comprising an elongated resilient cover having a load bearing surface opposite a support surface and a rigid plate member bridging said gap between said structural members engaged with said elongated resilient cover; and a positioning assembly engaged with said rigid plate and base member.
Provided is a cover assembly for bridging a gap or opening between structural members. The cover assembly has the resiliency to conform to the configuration of support sites provided by underlying structural members. In general, the cover assembly comprises one or more base members that are affixed to underlying horizontal structural members, a positioning member that is engaged with the one or more base members, an elongated resilient cover having a traffic bearing surface opposite a support surface, and at least one rigid plate member engaged with the cover and the positioning member. The cover assembly also includes one or more mechanical fasteners at spaced apart sites along the resilient cover for engaging the base member to the positioning member.
Also provided is an expansion joint for a building structure. The expansion joint includes spaced-apart adjacent structural members defining a gap or opening therebetween. A cover assembly is secured across the expansion joint to protect the expansion joint and to provide a smooth transition of pedestrian or vehicular traffic across the expansion joint. The cover assembly comprises one or more base members that are affixed to the underlying spaced-apart structural members. A positioning member is engaged with the one or more base members that are affixed to the structural members. The cover assembly comprises a coverplate including an elongated resilient cover having a traffic bearing surface opposite a support surface. The support surface includes marginal support areas along opposite lateral edges thereof. The cover assembly also includes at least one rigid plate member that is engaged with the elongated resilient cover for bridging the gap between the underlying base members. The cover assembly also includes one or more fasteners at spaced apart sites along the resilient cover for engaging the base member to the positioning member.
The rigid plate member of the coverplate has a width sufficient to bridge the gap between the two underlying structural members. According to certain embodiments, additional plate members may be engaged with the resilient cover and serve to urge the opposite lateral edges of the cover into supporting engagement with the base members.
The resilient cover has a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform for establishing supporting contact between the marginal support areas of the cover and the underlying base members. Without limitation, suitable elastomeric materials used to prepare the resilient cover include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber (BR), butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), polyisoprene rubber, polychloroprene rubber, various ethylene-alkene copolymer rubbers, silicon rubber, nitrile rubber, and combinations thereof.
According to certain embodiments, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) is utilized to prepare the resilient cover of the coverplate. A particularly suitable EPDM rubber composition that is useful to prepare the resilient cover is commercially available from Advanced Elastomer Systems, L.P. (Akron, Ohio) under the trade name SANTOPRENE®.
The base members of the cover assembly are fixedly or removably engaged with the upper surfaces of the underlying structural members along the peripheral margins (or edges) of the structural members, which define the boundaries of the gap between the structural members.
The cover assembly includes at least one rigid plate member that is engaged with the resilient elastomeric cover. The rigid plate member has a width sufficient to span the width of the expansion joint opening located between spaced-apart structural members. According to certain embodiments, the rigid plate is engaged with the resilient elastomeric cover by encapsulating the rigid plate within the elastomeric cover material. Alternatively, the rigid plate may be secured to the underside support surface of the resilient elastomeric cover by any suitable means, such as by mechanical fasteners or adhesives.
In addition to the rigid plate that spans the expansion joint opening between the spaced-apart structural members, the cover assembly may also include additional rigid plate members engaged with the resilient elastomeric cover that extend in a side-by-side relationship on opposite lateral sides of the rigid plate that spans the expansion joint opening. These additional rigid plate members may be engaged with the resilient elastomeric cover in the same manner as the rigid plate member that spans the expansion joint opening. The further inclusion of additional plate members located on opposite lateral sides of the rigid plate member allows for elastic deformation of the resilient cover and applies a biasing force in a direction to urge opposite lateral sides of the cover toward the horizontal structural members when resiliently deformed by traffic traversing said load bearing surface.
The cover assembly also includes a positioning assembly that is engaged with the base member(s) and the coverplate. The positioning assembly can be used to maintain a substantially centered position of the coverplate within the expansion joint gap between spaced-apart structural members, and to provide a smooth transition across the gap.
Fasteners are engaged with the coverplate at spaced apart sites along a portion thereof for anchoring the coverplate to the positioning assembly. The positioning member may be positioned between the peripheral margins of the expansion joint and engaged with a base member on each side of the gap between the structural members. Without limitation, the positioning member maintains the coverplate substantially centered over the opening of the expansion joint.
Also provided is a method for the installation of a cover assembly for a gap between two structural members. The method includes providing at least one base member and engaging the base member(s) with the upper surfaces of the spaced-apart structural members along the peripheral margins (or edges) of the structural members which define the boundaries of the gap. The method further includes locating the positioning member between the peripheral margins of the expansion joint opening and engaging it with the base member. The support surfaces of the elongated resilient cover of the coverplate, and having a rigid plate engaged therewith, is brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the underlying structural members. The coverplate is engaged with the positioning member by at least one fastener.
According to the illustrative embodiments shown in
Base members 18 and 20 provide an interface between the structural members 10 and 12 and other components of the cover assembly. The base members 18 and 20 engage the positioning member 60 and support the elongated coverplate 24. As shown in
The base members have strength to support elements placed upon them as well as the loads imparted to those elements by traffic. The base members may be comprised of a material of strength sufficient to the withstand forces which may be applied to the base members. These forces will depend upon the particular application and can be readily determined by the skilled artisan. Without limitation, suitable materials that may be used to manufacture the base members of the cover assembly include metals, metal alloys and polymers.
According to the embodiment shown in
Alternatively, the base members are attached to the structural members with mechanical fasteners. The mechanical fasteners may comprise anchors, bolts, nails, rivets, screws, tacks and the like. In certain embodiments, the base members are attached to the structural members with elastomeric concrete. In certain embodiments, the base members include alignment slots.
The base members include a suitable cavity, housing, notch, passage, recess, slot, track, rail, pin, groove, or other feature to which the positioning member may be engaged. In certain embodiments, the base members include a member to engage a cavity, housing, notch, passage, recess, slot, track, rail, pin, groove, or other feature to which a cavity, housing, notch, passage, recess, slot, track, rail, pin, groove, or other feature of the centering assembly may be engaged.
According to the embodiments shown in
The resilient coverplate positioning member 62 is an element which transmits forces between the base members 18 and 20 and one or more resistance elements 64. Member 62 is engaged with base elements 18 and 20. The engagement allows each end of member 62 to translate along a path defined by the base member retaining that particular end. The engagement substantially permits rotation of member 62. As of a result of this manner of engagement, member 62 end portions slide along the paths defined their respective base members in response to changes in the Width of the gap. The sliding of the end portions of member 62 end portions results in rotation of member 62.
During contraction of the gap 14, the distance between the end portions of member 62 is decreasing in the longitudinal direction but equilibrium is maintained by increasing the distance between end portions of member 62 in either the transverse direction, the vertical direction, or both, such that member 62 need not change in length. During expansion of the gap 14, the distance between the end portions of member 62 is increasing in the longitudinal direction but equilibrium is maintained by decreasing the distance between end portions of member 62 in either the transverse direction, the vertical direction, or both, such that member 62 need not change in length. The type of track, slot, track, rail, pin, groove, or other feature defines the path along which the end of member 62 will translate in response to changes in the width of the gap. In certain embodiments, the connection between the base members 18 and 20 and member 62 comprises a female track in the base member and a male shuttle at the end of member 62. Alternatively, the tracks in the base members are linear, parallel to one another, and parallel to the traffic bearing surface. In certain embodiments, the male shuttles at the ends of member 62 are substantially spherical or cylindrical, and are adapted to slide within a female track. An end of member 62 may be spherical and adapted to slide within a female track of circular cross-section in its associated base member, while the other end of member 62 may be of a different shape and adapted to slide within a female track of circular cross-section in its associated base member.
Resistance elements 64 are positioned between facing surfaces of member 62 and the retention element 68, or between member 62 and the retention element 68 and between member 62 and coverplate 24. As shown in
The retention element 68 retains the anchoring fastener 34 and provides a connection or engagement between the anchoring fastener 34 and the positioning member 60. The retention element 68 has means for engagement with the anchoring fastener 34. The means for engaging the retention element 68 with the fastener 34 may include threaded connections, adhesives, welds, solders, mechanical fasteners, press fits, hooks, and combinations thereof. The means for engagement with the anchoring fastener 34 may comprise a female threaded hole adapted to accept a male threaded anchoring fastener 34. The retention element 68 serves as an element against which the forces from the resistance elements 64 may act and through which forces may be transmitted to the anchoring fastener 34. The retention element may take a variety of forms including but not limited to a circular disk, a rectangular plate, a sphere, a cylinder, and a cone.
The positioning member 60 transmits forces which displace the resistance element or elements in response to displacement of the coverplate 24. The compression or extension of the resistance element 64 or elements creates restorative resistance forces, which act through the positioning member 60 to apply forces to the coverplate 24 in order to maintain or restore the contact between the underside of coverplate 24 and the top surfaces of the base elements 18 and 20.
The coverplate 24 of the cover assembly 22 includes an elongated resilient cover 24A placed to extend along opposite lateral sides of the gap 14 between the base members 18 and 20. The cover 24A has a predetermined length suitably selected to allow convenient handling and installation and a series of covers 24A may be arranged in an end-to-end relationship to protect the entire length of an extended gap. As shown by the contrast between
The cover 24A comprises a flexible, elastic strip-like member having an substantially upwardly directed load bearing face surface 26. The load bearing face surface 26 comprises spaced apart upstanding ribs 26A arranged to extend transversely to the direction of traffic for improved traction. Opposite the upwardly directed load bearing face surface 26, is the substantially downwardly directed support surface 27. The support surface 27 engages with a supporting surface on each base member. The opposite lateral terminal edges of the cover have tapered face surfaces 24B for providing inclined planes for smoothing the transition from the traffic bearing surface of one of the structural members 10 and 12 to the cover 22 and then from the cover 22 to the traffic bearing surface of one of the structural members 10 and 12.
As shown in
In certain embodiments, the elongated resilient cover 24A is constructed of elastomeric material containing fillers and a plasticizer to yield a rubber material having a Type A Shore Durometer of about 70 or greater. The term “elastomeric” refers to a material that possesses rubber-like properties, for example, an elastomeric material will substantially recover its original dimensions after compression and/or elongation. Any elastomeric material may be used to prepare the resilient cover 24A of coverplate 24, so long as the cover 24A can be prepared to a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform to establish supporting contact between the marginal support areas of the cover assembly and the underlying horizontal structural members to provide a smooth transition over the gap or opening for pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
The cover 24A comprises an elastic material, such that spaced apart fastener receptacle holes are uninhibited from elastic deformation to prevent dislodgment and breakage of the fasteners. The elastic construction of the cover permits elastic conformation into supporting contact with the underlying support structures, which can have irregular configurations without the loss of supporting contact. This insures stability to the cover which is enhanced by the weight represented by the mass of the plates 28, 30 and 32.
One or more fasteners 34 extend through suitable openings arranged at spaced apart locations along the resilient cover 24A and each fastener further extends into a positioning member 60. Fasteners 34 may include screws, bolts, rivets, and the like.
According to the embodiments shown in
Still referring to
The elongated resilient cover of coverplate 24 has a traffic bearing surface 26 opposite a support surface 27. The elongated resilient cover 24A includes marginal support areas along opposite lateral edges thereof, a first rigid plate member 30 for bridging a gap 14 between two base members 18 and 20, and two additional rigid plate members 28 and 32 that are engaged with the elongated resilient cover 24 to extend along opposite lateral sides of the first rigid plate member 30. The first rigid plate member 30 and the two additional rigid plate members 28 and 32 are shown encapsulated within the elongated resilient cover 24A. The support surface 27 of the elongated resilient cover 24A is shown in contact with and is supported by the base members 18 and 20. Also, the coverplate 24 is engaged with the positioning member 60 by the fastener 34. A moisture barrier and a drainage tube is installed across the gap 14 below the positioning member 60.
According to the embodiment shown in
As shown in
According to the embodiment shown in
It should be noted that the cover assembly can be used to bridge an opening or gap between any two structural members to promote a smooth traffic transition between the two structural members. The cover assembly is useful to bridge an opening or gap between horizontally offset members, vertically offset structural members, or members which are both horizontally and vertically offset (horizontally/vertically offset). By way of illustration, and without limitation, the cover assembly can be used to bridge structural members, such as concrete slabs, which are designed to be horizontally/vertically offset or that may become horizontally/vertically offset due to differential concrete settlement or other displacement.
In situations where there is a more severe vertical offset or slope between two opposing concrete members or slabs, the rigid plate member that bridges the gap between the opposing structural members can include a permanent bend. Providing a bend in the rigid plate member provides a more smooth transition between the opposing structural members having a severe vertical offset for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
As described hereinabove, it is known that surface of concrete structural members are often not entirely uniform, and are often not produced with square or smooth surfaces. These concrete structural members are often rough, often have substantially irregular or undulating gaps, and sometimes are missing entire chunks of concrete. Metal plates have been traditionally used in cover plate assemblies, but cannot conform to the contours of the concrete structural members and, therefore, a potential hazard exists for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. An embodiment of the cover assembly may prepared from an elastomeric resilient material than can be elastically deformed in response to a load applied to it to conform to the irregular or undulating contours present often found in structural members. The cover assembly may provide a means for a smooth the transition across the irregular surfaces of the structural members and to substantially eliminate the hazards associated with the irregular surface of structural members, such as concrete slabs.
In certain embodiments, the cover assembly can be used as a temporary expansion joint cover during construction of building structures to allow for a smooth passage of construction workers and equipment across the expansion joints in a building structure.
While the cover assembly has been described in connection with certain illustrative embodiments, as shown in the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. Furthermore, the various illustrative embodiments may be combined to produce the desired results. Therefore, the cover assembly should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.
The present application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 60/860,663, filed Nov. 22, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60860663 | Nov 2006 | US |
