# US 10,119,228 B2 · Structural underlayment support system and panel for use with paving and flooring elements

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- Number: US 10,119,228 B2
- Document ID: US10119228B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/785,837
- Filed: 2017-10-17
- Published: 2018-02-08
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-01-19
- Assignees: JSP International LLC
- Applicants: Jsp International LLC
- Inventors: Daniel C. Sawyer; Richard R. Runkles
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119228B2

## CPC

- E01C 5/001: {on prefabricated supporting structures or prefabricated foundation elements except coverings made of layers of similar elements}
- E01C 3/003: {characterised by material or composition used, e.g. waste or recycled material (E01C3/006, E01C3/04 and E01C3/06 take precedence)}
- E01C 3/006: {made of prefabricated single units (E01C3/06 takes precedence)}
- E01C 3/06: Methods or arrangements for protecting foundations from destructive influences of moisture, frost or vibration {(heating devices E01C11/26; draining the subbase of roads E01F5/00)}
- E01C 5/003: {characterised by material or composition used for beds or joints; characterised by the way of laying}
- E01C 5/226: {having an upper layer of rubber, with or without inserts of other materials; with rubber inserts}
- E01C 11/225: {Paving specially adapted for through-the-surfacing drainage, e.g. perforated, porous; Preformed paving elements comprising, or adapted to form, passageways for carrying off drainage (E01C9/004, E01C9/008, E01C9/08, E01C9/10, E01C11/228, E01C13/00 take precedence)}
- E01C 11/24: Methods or arrangements for preventing slipperiness or protecting against influences of the weather {(measures taken in connection with the foundation E01C3/06; paving elements with anti-slip inlays E01C5/22; aggregates resisting to grinding E01C7/085, E01C7/142, E01C7/182; specially for surface layers E01C7/35; reinforcements extending up to the surface E01C11/16, E01C11/18, E01C11/185; drainage E01C11/22; windscreens E01F7/02; snow fences E01F7/02; combating fog E01H13/00)}
- E01C 13/02: Foundations, e.g. with drainage or heating arrangements {(E01C13/003, E01C13/083, E01C13/10 take precedence; drainage of soil E02B11/00)}
- E04F 15/02194: {Flooring consisting of a number of elements carried by a non-rollable common support plate or grid (E04F15/022 takes precedence)}
- E04F 15/105: {of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials}
- E04F 15/107: {composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels (layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04)}
- E01C 2201/10: having build-in shock absorbing devices
- E01C 2201/14: Puzzle-like connections
- E01C 2201/20: Drainage details
- E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H)
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)

## Abstract

A paving system for paving or flooring includes a top layer of a plurality of paving elements, and an underlayment support layer of a polymeric material configured into panels. The panels are suitable to support the paving elements, the panels having a generally planar support surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An underlayment support panel for supporting a plurality of paving elements, the underlayment support panel having a core, a top side, and a bottom side, the panel being made from one of an expanded polypropylene bead material or an expanded polyethylene bead material and configured as a water impervious layer of the paving system, the core defining a recovery characteristic such that a deformation from a concentrated compressive load applied for a short duration onto the top side returns the top side to a generally planar condition, the core further defining a first thickness, at least one of the top side and the bottom side including a plurality of projections, the projections having a height extending from the core and defining a second thickness, wherein the ratio of the second thickness to the first thickness is in a range of 5 percent to 25 percent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The underlayment support panel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of projections are spaced apart to define drainage channels having a width that in conjunction with the projection height provides water drainage from a first edge of the panel to a second edge of the panel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The underlayment support panel of claim 2 wherein the drainage channels intersect with a plurality of drainage holes that extend through the panel core.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The underlayment support panel of claim 3 wherein the other of the top side and the bottom side include projections that define water drainage channels, and wherein the drainage holes intersect the top side drainage channels and the bottom side drainage channels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The underlayment panel of claim 2 wherein one of the first and second panel edges defines an interlocking structure with an edge of an adjacent panel that is configured to be assembled with the underlayment panel to form a layer where the interlocking structure resists movement in one of a plane parallel to the top side or a plane perpendicular to the top side.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The underlayment panel of claim 2 wherein one of the first and second panel edges is configured to abut an adjacent panel configured similarly to the underlayment panel in a spaced apart relationship to provide fluid communication between the top side and the bottom side.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The underlayment panel of claim 5 wherein the one of the first and second panel edge interlocking structures is one of a dovetail projection, a dovetail recess, an overlapping hook portion, or an overlapping flange that mates with a complementary interlocking structure of the adjacent panel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The underlayment panel of claim 7 wherein at least one of the first and second panel edges includes at least one projection that abuts a portion of the adjacent panel edge to provide a space between the adjacent panels capable of accommodating at least one of thermal expansion and water flow.