Tool for forming a cavity in a modular pavement slab and method of fabricating pavement slabs
AssigneeIntegrated Roadways, LLC
InventorsTim Sylvester, Jeff Courtney, Brad Werth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular pavement slab including a paving material set around a plurality of forming tools and defining a side face and a top surface. Each of the forming tools includes an elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a sidewall exterior surface configured for removal of the elongate body through the side face. Each of the forming tools also includes a riser releasably coupled to the elongate body and extending in a direction noncollinear to the corresponding longitudinal axis.
Claims20
A forming tool for forming a cavity in a modular pavement slab fabricated using a form including a header, the forming tool comprising:
- an elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the elongate body being configured for releasable connection to the header;
- and
- a riser having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the riser being releasably connected to the elongate body and the riser extending from the elongate body in a direction noncollinear to the longitudinal axis,
- the elongate body including a sidewall exterior surface tapered from the proximal end of the elongate body toward the distal end of the elongate body.
A form for a modular pavement slab having pluralities of long and short cavities alternatingly formed around a periphery of the modular pavement slab, said form comprising:
- a header configured to define at least a portion of the periphery of the modular pavement slab during formation of the modular pavement slab;
- at least two short forming tools releasably coupled to the header, each short forming tool comprising:
- a short elongate body;
- a first riser coupled to the short elongate body;
- and
- at least two long forming tools releasably coupled to the header and disposed alternatingly with the at least two short forming tools, each long forming tool comprising:
- a long elongate body having a length that is longer than each of the at least two short elongate bodies;
- second and third risers coupled to the long elongate body.
A method of forming a modular pavement slab having a plurality of cavities formed around a periphery of the modular pavement slab, said method comprising:
- positioning a header of a form for receiving a paving material;
- coupling a plurality of forming tools to the header, each forming tool comprising an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and a riser releasably coupled to the elongate body and extending in a direction that is noncollinear to the longitudinal axis;
- pouring the paving material into the form and around the plurality of forming tools and allowing the paving material to set to define the modular pavement slab;
- removing each of the risers from the modular pavement slab;
- and
- removing each of the elongate bodies from the modular pavement slab.
A modular pavement slab comprising:
- a paving material set around a plurality of forming tools and defining a side face and a top surface, each of the plurality of forming tools including—
- an elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a sidewall exterior surface configured for removal of the elongate body through the side face,
- a riser releasably coupled to the elongate body and extending in a direction noncollinear to the corresponding longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.