WO2009087596A2

WO2009087596A2 - Modular heating big tile for preventing accumulation of snow and formation of ice on steps, in pedestrian and carriageable passages, paths and ramps, in cold climates.

Info

Publication number: WO2009087596A2
Application number: PCT/IB2009/050040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aldo Mango; Giampiero Marrocco
Original assignee: Aldo Mango; Giampiero Marrocco
Priority date: 2008-01-09
Filing date: 2009-01-07
Publication date: 2009-07-16
Also published as: ITFR20080001A1; WO2009087596A3

Abstract

The modular heating paving tile object of the present description aims at solving the problems of the currently marketed systems by means of the implementation of a particular module which is individually autonomous and may be coupled with many others in order to cover wide surfaces having any shape and subject to both pedestrian and carriageable passage. The invention is in the form of a composite paving tile generally equipped with or without finishing edge and with two power supply connections. Shape and size are a function of the various applications to be implemented and to the intended uses to be dealt with, therefore they do not limit at all the developments which may derive from the various applications which will be implemented from time to time.

Description

"Modular heating big tile to prevent accumulation of snow and formation of ice on steps, in pedestrian and carriageable passages, paths and ramps, in cold climates".

* * * * DESCRIPTION

In cold climates and where heavy snowfalls occur, human activity is undoubtedly slowed down if not really hindered by the presence of snow and ice on roads, paths leading to houses, offices, hospitals and the like. There may be considerable difficulties and great troubles especially for rescue vehicles and socio-sanitary structures which are not able to intervene with the required timeliness. Although these places are provided with operators appointed to remove the snow, waiting times may however be long before they reach the intervention scene. A system allowing to always keep at least the flights of stairs and the paths leading to houses and public structures, as well as road stretches such as ramps leading to garages and the like, free from snow and ice, is certainly very useful for human activity. First, because the snowplow work is reduced, second because fall and slipping risks which would lead to consequent damages to people and/or things and third parties are drastically reduced, but not less important, the human activity is not slowed down.

Considering the current state of the art, there are only two types of marketed systems to prevent ice and snow formation on steps, paths and ramps leading to garages. These systems are: 1- Rubber carpets having electric heating elements therein. These carpets are in the form of unitary elements of predetermined size and are always rectangular in shape. The dimensions are from 600 mm wide x 1000 mm long to 900 mm wide x 6000 mm long. The heating element is obviously proportioned to the carpet surface. 2- Electric heating elements placed underneath the road surface or the lean concrete, having various dimensions and power.

The former (the rubber carpets) may solely be placed on steps, passageways and pedestrian approach roads, as they are not able to sufficiently oppose the crush in order to allow car transit. Furthermore, they do not suit to approach roads and passageways having a curvilinear course.

Another drawback shown by these rubber carpets is that they need to be completely replaced in the event of faults in the internal heating element, resulting in fairly high costs. However, they may be purchased as any household appliance and placed without requiring specialized companies' intervention.

On the other hand, the latter (the elements embedded in concrete) may be installed where carpets prove to be poor and are adapted to be installed even in carriageable paths and ramps having a curvilinear course. However, their overall cost is higher as removing the road surface and then restoring it once the system has been installed is required. Because of this peculiarity, the system may not be purchased and individually placed, but applying to specialized companies is needed. In the event of a fault in the internal heating element embedded in concrete, removing the whole set is required, as it is not possible to determine where the fault occurred. Therefore, overall costs and fault risks of the system are definitely higher than those of the rubber carpet.

The modular heating paving tile object of the present disclosure aims at solving the problems described above, by providing a particular module which has all the advantages of the two currently marketed systems without having the drawbacks thereof.

Fig. 1 depicts an application provided by way of mere example for a better description of the invention, which is in the form of a composite paving tile generally equipped with or without finishing edge and with one or two power supply connections. Shape and size are a function of the various applications to be implemented and to the intended uses to be dealt with, therefore they do not limit at all the developments which may arise from the various applications which will be implemented from time to time; therefore these developments, modifications and/or additions are meant as included in the claims referred to the present invention. Fig. 4 depicts another application also provided by way of mere example for a better description of the invention, which is in the form of a paviour made of cement mortar and equipped with a resistive heating network, of a general shape, with or without finishing edge and with one or two power supply connections. Shape and size are a function of the various applications to be implemented and to the intended uses to be dealt with, therefore they do not limit at all the developments which may arise from the various applications which will be implemented from time to time; therefore developments, modifications and/or additions are meant as included in the claims referred to the present invention. Turning now to the description of the invention as depicted in Fig. 1 , the paving tile may have a length I of 600 mm and a width L of 250 mm, for example. These dimensions make it suitable for being placed even on the steps of leading stairs.

The paving tile comprises a first layer A, in contact with the floor, made of a slip-preventing material, such as rubber or other material suitable for the purpose and with the required thickness and geometry. A very thin aluminium sheet B is glued to the layer A or painted with aluminium paint, which serves the function of reflecting the heat radiated by the heating element C, so as to return that radiant heat upwards which otherwise would be normally dispersed into the underlying lean concrete, while achieving a greater energy efficiency and a smaller final consumption of electrical energy. A first layer made of either fiber glass or carbon, polymer or even vegetable fiber in the form of unwoven fabric or woven fabric, or even only cut fibers, is laid on the aluminium layer B. The thickness of this layer is a function of the strength to be given to the final product, therefore it is - A -

irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. The electric heating element C is placed on the first layer of fibers and may indiscriminately be made of self-adjusting cables or heating cables with integrated temperature control or self-adjusting or non self-adjusting heating surfaces, or made with a resistive network as depicted in Fig. 5, with an indefinite number of resistor elements having ohm value and power suitable for the use and for the surface of the paving tile or brick intended to be constructed. Cables, heating surfaces and electric resistor elements are already normally marketed with the most various electric powers, whereby they are irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. A second layer of fibers as previously described is laid on the electric heating element C. The thickness of this second layer is also a function of the strength to be given to the final product, therefore it is irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. A resin is then poured on the layers thus composed, aiming at incorporating the whole set in a mechanically strong and chemically impervious matrix D. The used resin will be a function of the mechanical, electrical and chemical features to be imparted to the final product. All the resins are usually available on the market and thus irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. A layer of variously coloured quartz sand O, or rubber or other material serving draining and/or aesthetic and/or slip-preventing functions may be applied to the upper surface of the resin-applied matrix D. A frame N serving an aesthetic and/or containing function may be mounted about the product. The final paving tile may be provided with floor fastening holes E, which may be either made once the product has been completed or arranged before casting the resin. It may also be provided with leds F or any other type of light, having any colour and acting as step markers or the like, which may be arranged before casting the resin. It may also be provided with micro-thermostats which cut off supply thereof when a maximum temperature of + 25° C or other desired value has been reached, in order to reduce the energy consumption when it is not snowing. The micro- thermostat is depicted in Fig. 5A. Power supply to the heating element incorporated in the paving tile is provided by means of sealed connectors of grade IP 67 or higher, of male type H or female type G, inserted onto the cable itself or with the aid of thermo-shrinking joints or any other type of joint suitable for the use, which are all usually available on the market and therefore irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. The paving tile thus made will have a finished thickness M which may be in the range of some millimetres to some centimetres. As mentioned, the final thickness is a function of the mechanical, aesthetic and functional features to be given to the final product and therefore it is irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention.

The single paving tile thus constructed may be mounted on steps, passageways and paths and on ramps leading to garages having any shape and size, achieving a connection as depicted in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. For slanting paths and ramps and/or steps, the single paving tiles will be fastened by means of expansion plugs placed into the holes E suitable for the purpose. There are no restrictions to the length and width of the path or ramp to be equipped with the paving tiles, as they may be coupled in all possible manners. A further advantage of the paving tile object of the present disclosure is the simplicity in identifying the possible damaged element. Indeed, it will be cold and its replacement will not result in the replacement of the whole passageway or approach road or ramp, but of the damaged element alone, with apparent money and time saving. If micro-thermostats and leds are inserted into the paving tile, the damaged element may be highlighted by the unsuccessful lighting of the led signalling the network presence (Fig. 5B) or the led signalling the resistive network supply (Fig. 5C). The paving tile will be complete and provided with all the elements required for its correct operation and use and which do not limit at all the developments which may derive from the various applications which will be implemented from time to time; therefore, these developments, modifications and/or additions are meant as here and now included in the claims referred to the present invention. The invention may finally be modified while keeping the basic inventive concept thereof, each detail being able to be replaced with other technically equal ones.

Turning instead to the description of the invention as depicted in Fig. 4, the paviour may be 200 mm long and 100 mm wide, for example. These dimensions make it suitable for forming any type of pave.

The paviour consists of one layer of cement mortar only, which incorporates the heating element therein, or more layers as previously described for the paving tile in Fig. 1. The final thickness of the paviour is a function of the strength to be given to the final product, therefore it is irrelevant to the descriptive purposes of the present invention. A layer of variously colored quartz sand may be applied to the upper treadable/carriageable surface of the paviour. Leds and micro-thermostats serving the functions already described for the paving tile may also be accommodated in this invention. The power supply may also be achieved according to one of the previously described manners.

There are no restrictions concerning the length and width of the path or ramp to be equipped with the paviours, as they may be coupled in all possible manners. A further advantage of the paviour object of the present disclosure is the simplicity in identifying the possible damaged element. Indeed, it will be cold and its replacement will not result in the replacement of the whole passageway or approach road or ramp, but of the damaged element alone, with apparent money and time saving. If micro-thermostats and leds are inserted into the paving tile, the damaged element may be highlighted by the unsuccessful lighting of the led signalling the network presence (Fig. 5B) or the led signalling the resistive network supply (Fig. 5C). The paving tile will be complete and provided with all the elements required for its correct operation and use and which do not limit at all the developments which may derive from the various applications which will be implemented from time to time; therefore, these developments, modifications and/or additions are meant as here and now included in the claims referred to the present invention. The invention may finally be modified while keeping the basic inventive concept thereof, each detail being able to be replaced with other technically equal ones.

Claims

1. A modular heating paving tile to prevent snow accumulation and ice formation on steps, in passageways, approach roads and ramps in cold climates.

2. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of several layers, each serving a specific function according to the intended use, having any desired thickness and with no restriction about the number of layers and materials employed.

3. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that its first layer consists of slip-preventing material, such as rubber or the like.

4. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that its second layer consists of one aluminium sheet or aluminium paint such that it forms a shielding from the downward heat radiation, thus increasing the energy efficiency and reducing the consumptions.

5. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that its third layer consists of a composite matrix made of any desired resin with fiber glass or carbon, polymer or even vegetable fiber in the form of unwoven fabric, woven fabric or simple cut fibers, or filled with mineral sand or even other materials, serving the function of also incorporating the heating element and providing the paving tile with the desired mechanical strength, as well as electrical and chemical strength, once the resin itself has been polymerized.

6. A paving tile according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electric heating element is incorporated in the matrix according to claim 5, of any desired type, shape and power and being usually available on the market.

7. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that either a quartz sand layer having any desired color or any other material may be present on the upper surface thereof or not, serving a draining and/or slip- preventing and/or aesthetic function.

8. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that a containing frame serving aesthetic functions may be present or not.

9. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a series of holes arranged on the sides thereof in order to facilitate its fastening in particular applications or in applications requiring a position stability.

10. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that a series of leds or any other type of colored lights incorporated in the matrix according to claim 5 arranged on the sides acting as step markers or else may be present or not.

11. A paving tile according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is able to connect each module to the following one or to the power supply network by means of appropriate, miscellaneous connectors adapted to the application which are usually already marketed.

12. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that it is able to be provided either with micro-thermostats to switch off the heating element upon reaching a preset temperature or elements proportionally modulating the power, for energy saving purposes.

13. A paving tile according to claim 1, characterized in that it is able to be also implemented as a mono- or multi-layer paviour made of cement mortar, having various shape and size, for pedestrian or carriageable use, incorporating the heating element and/or led elements and/or micro- thermostats according to the preceding claims.