# US 2016/0258115 A1 · Industrial mats having cost effective core structures

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- Number: US 2016/0258115 A1
- Document ID: US20160258115A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/155,685
- Filed: 2016-05-16
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-23
- Inventors: Joe PENLAND, JR.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258115A1

## CPC

- E01C 9/086: {made of concrete, wood, bitumen, rubber or synthetic material or a combination thereof}
- B32B 7/03: with respect to the orientation of features (direction of fibres or filaments B32B5/12)
- E01C 5/006: {Individual spacer elements}
- E01C 5/14: made of wooden units
- E01C 5/20: made of units of plastics, {e.g. concrete with plastics, linoleum}(E01C5/18 takes precedence; {of textiles made of synthetic fibres E01C5/008})
- E01C 5/22: made of units composed of a mixture of materials covered by two or more of groups {E01C5/008} , E01C5/02 - E01C5/20 {except embedded reinforcing materials}
- E01C 11/02: Arrangement or construction of joints {(for pavings consisting of prefabricated units E01C5/00)}; Methods of making joints {(machines therefor E01C23/02, E01C23/09; removable joint shutterings E01C23/021)}; Packing for joints (sealing joints not restricted to road or airfield paving E04B1/68)
- E01F 9/20: Use of light guides, e.g. fibre-optic devices
- B32B 3/085: {spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer}
- B32B 3/10: characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
- B32B 3/14: characterised by a face layer formed of separate pieces of material {which are juxtaposed side-by-side (B32B5/02 takes precedence)}
- B32B 3/18: characterised by an internal layer formed of separate pieces of material {which are juxtaposed side-by-side (B32B5/02 takes precedence)}
- B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)}
- B32B 15/095: comprising polyurethanes
- B32B 15/18: comprising iron or steel {(B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence)}
- B32B 15/20: comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)}
- B32B 21/042: {of wood (B32B21/13 takes precedence)}
- B32B 21/045: {of natural rubber or synthetic rubber}
- B32B 21/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 2264/101: Glass
- B32B 2264/105: Metal
- B32B 2264/107: Ceramic
- B32B 2272/00: Resin or rubber layer comprising scrap, waste or recycling material
- B32B 2307/202: Conductive
- B32B 2307/21: Anti-static
- B32B 2307/3065: Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
- B32B 2307/402: Coloured
- B32B 2307/4023: on the layer surface, e.g. ink
- B32B 2307/544: Torsion strength; Torsion stiffness
- B32B 2307/546: Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
- B32B 2307/548: Creep
- B32B 2307/558: Impact strength, toughness
- B32B 2307/56: Damping, energy absorption
- B32B 2307/71: Resistive to light or to UV
- B32B 2307/712: Weather resistant
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2307/744: Non-slip, anti-slip
- B32B 2471/00: Floor coverings (B32B2419/04 takes precedence)
- B32B 2471/04: Mats
- B32B 2519/00: Labels, badges
- B32B 2519/02: RFID tags
- E01C 2201/10: having build-in shock absorbing devices
- E01C 2201/12: vertically interlocking
- 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)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- E01F: ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE

## Abstract

A mat that includes first and second side beams, a core structure located between and connected to the side beams, with the support structure including longitudinal members and having a height that is less than that of the side beams, a plurality of joining rods that attach the side beams to the support structure, with the joining rods passing through the sides of the side beams and the sides of the longitudinal members of the support structure; one or more elongated members attached to the upper portion of the support structure to form with the beams the top surface of the mat, and one or more elongated members attached to the lower portion of the support structure to form with the beams the bottom surface of the mat. If desired, steel plates can be provided between the beams and longitudinal members to increase the strength and ruggedness of the mat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mat having substantially flat top and bottom surfaces and comprising:
first and second side beams having a height, width and length with a top surface, sides, and a bottom surface;
a core structure located between and connected to a side of first and second side beams, with the support structure having a height that is less than that of the side beams, a width and a length, with the support structure comprising first and second longitudinal members;
a plurality of joining rods that attach the side beams to the support structure, with the joining rods passing through the sides of the side beams and the sides of the longitudinal members of the support structure;
one or more first elongated members attached to the upper portion of the support structure, wherein the top surface of the mat is formed by the top surfaces of the beams and the first elongated member(s); and
one or more second elongated members attached to the lower portion of the support structure, wherein the bottom surface of the mat is formed by the bottom surfaces of the beams and the second elongated member(s).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 wherein the first and second longitudinal members are rectangular beams or members that provide flat side faces for contact with the side beams; the side beams are made of solid cut wood or engineered lumber; the first and second elongated members have the same thickness and are boards or sheets made of solid cut wood, engineered lumber, plastic or recycled materials; and the elongated members are bolted to the support structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The mat of claim 2 wherein the side beams are timbers of engineered lumber or oak or other hardwoods, or are solid or filled or unfilled hollow rectangular plastic members that optionally may be reinforced, the longitudinal members are timbers of pine or other softwoods, and the first and second elongated members are boards of uniform width which are spaced to provide water drainage between adjacent boards.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 wherein the side beams have width and height dimensions of between about 1×6 inches and about 24×24 inches and a length of between about 4 and 60 feet; the longitudinal members have width and height dimensions of between about 1×5 inches and about 24×22 inches, wherein the height and length of the longitudinal members is 0.5 to 2 inches less than that of the side beams on each peripheral side of the longitudinal members.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The mat of claim 4 wherein the beams have width and height dimensions of between about 8×8 inches and about 16×16 inches and lengths of between about 6 and 30 feet; and the longitudinal members have width and height dimensions of between about 8×6 inches and about 16×14 inches, wherein the height and length of the longitudinal members is about 1 to 2 inches less than that of the side beams on each peripheral side of the longitudinal members.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The mat of claim 3 wherein between 2 and 4 longitudinal members of pine or softwood timbers are present and the mat further comprises a metal plate located between each pair of adjacent beams or longitudinal members, wherein each metal plate has a thickness of between about ⅛ inch and about 1 inch, wherein the height and length of the plates are essentially the same as to 2 inches less than that of the longitudinal members on each peripheral side of the steel plates.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The mat of claim 6 wherein the plates are steel plates having a height and length of about ½ inch to 2 inches less than the height and length of the longitudinal members on each peripheral side of the plates.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 wherein the side beams have the same dimensions and are attached to the longitudinal members to locate their upper surfaces about 1 to about 3 inches above the longitudinal members and to locate their lower surfaces about 1 to about 3 inches below the longitudinal members, wherein the first and second plurality of elongated members each have a thickness of about 1 to about 3 inches to provide the substantially flat upper and lower surfaces of the mat.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 wherein some of the first and second plurality of elongated members and adjacent longitudinal members have one or more openings to provide access to one or more of the joining rods to facilitate lifting or manipulation of the mat.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 wherein the first side beam is sized to provide about one half the height of the mat, with the first side beam attached to an upper portion of the support structure such that the upper surface of the first side beam extends above the support structure by about 1 to about 3 inches; and wherein the elongated member or members adjacent the first side beam have a thickness of about 1 to about 3 inches.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The mat of claim 10 wherein the second side beam is sized to provide one half the height of the mat and is attached to the second side of the support structure in a lower position such that the lower surface of the second side beam extends below the support structure by about 1 to about 3 inches; wherein the first side beam of one mat sits upon the second side beam of an adjacent mat to form an interlocked structure of conjoined mats; and wherein the second plurality of elongated members adjacent the second side beam have a thickness of about 1 to about 3 inches.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1, wherein the first side beam is sized to provide about one half the height of the mat, with the first side beam attached to an upper portion of the support structure, or the second side beam is sized to provide one half the height of the mat and is attached to the second side of the support structure in a lower position, or both the first and second beams are sized as recited in this claim in order to facilitate and form an interlocked structure of conjoined adjacent mats.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The mat of claim 1 which includes lighting elements embedded in the elongated members to provide light to assist in the use of the mat during the night or on days that are dark due to poor weather conditions.

### Claim 14

An inventory of industrial mats having different core or internal constructions of wood, engineered wood, thermoplastics, elastomers, thermosetting plastics, metal, or of coated or encapsulated components, wherein each mat having a different core or internal construction includes identification means that indicates the core or internal construction of the mat.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The industrial mats of claim 14, wherein the identification means comprises an external color code, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, or an alphanumeric indicator applied to an outer surface of the mat or that is provided upon a plate that is applied to an outer surface of the mat.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The industrial mats of claim 14, wherein the identification means comprises an external color code that is placed in the same position on each mat for easy identification.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The industrial mats of claim 16, wherein the external color code is placed along a longitudinal side of each mat so that the color coding is visible when the mats are stacked upon each other.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The industrial mats of claim 14, wherein the identification means comprises a RFID tag that is attached to the mat and that can be scanned to identify the core or internal construction of the mat.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The industrial mats of claim 14, wherein the identification means comprises an external alphanumeric indicator that is applied to an outer surface of the mat or that is provided upon a plate that is applied to an outer surface of the mat.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The industrial mats of claim 14, wherein each mat has a color that indicates a potential use or non-use of the mat or that identifies a particular customer or used of the mat.