Safety Tile for Pedestrian Tactile Detection

Abstract

A safety tile for embedding into a pedestrian-accessible surface, and a method of its use, are disclosed. The safety tile comprises a substantially planar tile member that includes an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least one side surface. The upper surface includes a plurality of projections extending upwardly therefrom, and the lower surface may include a plurality of downwardly projecting ribs. A plurality of anchor bolts are included that traverse the tile member from the upper surface to the lower surface through an aperture therein. Preferably the projections are shaped and pattered so as to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. The rounded head of each anchor bolt is preferably shaped and patterned similarly to each of the plurality of projections and positioned on the upper surface so that the rounded head of each anchor bolt takes the place of one projection in the pattern. In use, after the tile is set into an uncured surface material, each anchor bolt is tapped down into the uncured material to be captured thereby. The rounded head of each anchor bolt may be unscrewed from its anchor nut, in one embodiment, to facilitate removal of the tile from the surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 306,556, filed on Jan. 2, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention relates to embedded sidewalk tiles, and more particularly to an embedded sidewalk tile for detection by visually impaired pedestrians. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART [0004] The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that certain walkway surfaces accessible by the public to be detected tactilely by visually impaired persons. Such tactilely detectable surfaces serve as warnings concerning hazards such as traffic crossings, stairways, curb ramps, loading docks, stages and other elevated platforms, and the like. As such, several prior art devices have been devised for adding a tactilely detectable pattern in existing pedestrian-accessible surfaces adjacent to poten...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The present invention is an inexpensive safety tile that fully expels trapped air from underneath the tile during installation. The present invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, and remains firmly in place with no buckling or bowing of the top surface even after an extended duration of exposure to weather elements. The present device may be easily fashioned in a variety of different shapes and colors as needed, and provides for protection against damage during installation. Further, the present device may be relatively easily removed and replaced if the safety tile is damaged or worn. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Problems solved by technology

Such a device has the drawback, however, of air becoming trapped under the tile during installation.

Over time air under such a tile causes a bottom surface of the tile to lift off of the cement embedment material and bow undesirably.

However, over extended use in the elements these caps frequently become removed, exposing the nail head to pedestrians.

Further, over time such mechanical concrete nail can become loose, particularly near transit thoroughfares where structural vibration is common.

Nevertheless, such a device still does not fully expel trapped air from under the tile during installation, and such trapped pockets of air, over time, cause the tile to buckle and bow undesirably.

Further, the V-shaped channels of such a device are optimally made of stainless steel, which increases the cost of manufacturing such a device.

However, such a device has the further drawback that the safety tile, once set into the cement surface, cannot easily be removed if the tile is damaged or worn.

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