MODULAR CONCRETE UNIT AND AN ASSEMBLY THEREOF

Abstract

A modular concrete unit for load-bearing surfaces, and a concrete assembly having at least two modular concrete units connected by a hinging attachment. The modular unit has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The side walls of each modular unit include at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring modular unit. The concrete assembly made from at least two modular units further includes at least one hinge pin connecting the engagement means of a first concrete unit and the engagement means of a second concrete unit.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a modular concrete unit, and more particularly to a concrete unit for use in paved load-bearing surfaces, such as roads, parking lots, driveways, walkways, roundabouts, and the like. The present disclosure also relates to a concrete assembly made from the modular concrete units.

BACKGROUND

The continuous paving with concrete or asphalt is a well known method of producing hard surfaces for use in the transportation industry, as well as for parking lots and the like, where high loads are anticipated. Many local and arterial roads, including freeways, as well as sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and bridge decks are built with concrete or asphalt pavement.

Despite its versatility, contiguous concrete paving presents some challenges. For example, typically concrete installation and finishing requires a number of on-site operations with a multitude of specialized pieces of equipment and corresponding labour, these might include form-working, mixture preparation, pavement pouring or laying, curing and smoothing or texturing. Similarly, for continuous asphalt paving, there are challenges. For example typically asphalt installation and finishing requires a number of on-site operations with a multitude of specialized pieces of equipment and corresponding labour, these might include old pavement removal and recycling, mixture preparation, pavement pouring or laying and compacting. The time required for completing the construction is directly translated to road closure and shutting-off of water, gas and other utilities, thereby adding inconvenience to the drivers and surrounding property owners. Furthermore, in the event of damage to the pavement, or the need to access some sub-surface utility, the destruction-then-reconstruction procedure may unnecessarily affect the portion of the pavement which is still in good condition.

Furthermore, continuous paved surfaces are susceptible to deterioration, such as cracking, due to high loads and/or adverse weather and/or salt. Small failures tend to rapidly become large failures causing the lifetime of the road to decrease.

Considering the challenges inherent in current concrete and asphalt paving practice, one alternative would be providing factory-manufactured, precast modular concrete slabs.

Precast concrete slabs have been widely used as a common structural element in modern buildings. The slabs have also been used for load-bearing surfaces and provide certain advantages over poured in place concrete. For example, precast concrete slabs provide advantages in terms of cost and installation. The time to develop high strength concrete is typically 28 days, so poured-in-place systems cannot be put into service until that time has elapsed.

Usually, the use of precast concrete in load-bearing surfaces has been limited to small areas, such as a patios and sidewalks. Installation of slabs in such an application commonly involves using jointing material (e.g., fine sand) which is poured in all the gaps between the installed slabs. The jointing material effectively locks the slabs together to reduce shifting and protects the slabs from edge chipping or cracking.

However, it has been recognized in the art that installation of precast concrete slabs must take into account relative movement, as well as expansion and contraction of the slabs caused by various internal and external forces. For this reason, efforts have been made to place the slabs loosely adjacent one another to permit movement, or by grouting the clearance between the slabs with a material which will readily expand or contract.

Others have made attempts to permit the natural relative movement of slabs by embedding hooked rods within a slab, which are received by cavities formed in an adjacent slab, thereby providing a scissor action between the slabs (U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,562). Although these efforts are aimed at addressing the movement between the slabs, more improvements are desired to produce a structure which is simpler in design and which provides more convenience in installation and replacement.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved concrete structure.

SUMMARY

Modular concrete units and concrete assemblies are disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, a modular concrete unit is provided which has a top surface; a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The side walls include at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit.

The engagement means may comprise a projection extending outwardly from the side wall, the projection having an elongate passage configured for receiving a hinge pin.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the engagement means may further comprise a recess adjacent to the projection, the recess being a female interlocking member configured for receiving a male interlocking member of the neighboring concrete unit. In one example, the projection may be a male interlocking member configured to be received in a female interlocking member of the adjacent concrete unit. In an alternative example, the projection may be configured to be substantially in an abutting relation with a side wall of the adjacent concrete unit.

In another embodiment, a concrete assembly is provided, which has at least first and second modular concrete units connected by hinging attachment. Each unit in the assembly has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The side walls include at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit. The concrete assembly also includes at least one hinge pin connecting the engagement means of the first concrete unit and the engagement means of the second concrete unit.

In this embodiment, each engagement means of the at least first and second modular concrete units may comprise a projection extending outwardly from the side wall of each concrete unit. The projection may have an elongate passage configured for receiving the hinge pin, and at least a portion of the projection on the first concrete unit may be aligned with at least a portion of the engagement means on the second concrete unit.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the engagement means of the first concrete unit may further comprise a recess adjacent to the projection extending from the first concrete unit, and the projection extending from the second concrete unit is configured for interlocking with the recess of the first concrete unit. In one example, the engagement means of the second concrete unit may further comprise a recess adjacent to the projection extending from the second concrete unit, and the projection extending from the first concrete unit is configured for interlocking with said recess of the second concrete unit. In an alternative example, the projection may extend from the first concrete unit and be configured to be substantially in an abutting relation with the side wall of the second concrete unit.

The hinge pin connecting the concrete units may comprise at least one section made of bendable material.

In the concrete assembly, the first and second concrete units may be spaced from each other by an interstice defined by the alignment of the projection of the first concrete unit with the projection of the second concrete unit.

According to one aspect of the concrete assembly disclosed herein, one of the concrete units may be thinner than the other concrete unit. In this embodiment, the projection extending from the thinner concrete unit has a shorter length than the projection of the thicker concrete unit. Preferably, the elongate passages in the projections of the thicker and thinner units are located substantially the same distance from the top surface of each concrete unit.

In the concrete assembly disclosed herein, each concrete unit may have a shape selected from the group consisting of triangles, rectangles and hexagons. In this embodiment, the first and second concrete units may be a combination of shapes and sizes, said combination being one of triangle/triangle of the same size, triangle/triangle of different sizes, rectangle/rectangle of the same size, rectangle/rectangle of different sizes, hexagon/hexagon of the same size, hexagon/hexagon of different sizes, triangle/rectangle, triangle/hexagon, and rectangle/hexagon. The triangles are one of equilateral triangles, right triangles and isosceles triangle, and the rectangles are one of squares and non-squares.

The concrete assembly may comprise a plurality of concrete units. In this embodiment, at least three of the plurality of units may be comprised of two right triangles and one equilateral triangle, and the three units are connected to each other to define a square shape.

In another embodiment, the concrete assembly has a plurality of concrete units, with at least four of the plurality of units being equilateral triangles of the same size, which are connected to each other to define a bigger equilateral triangle shape.

In another embodiment, the concrete assembly has a plurality of concrete units, wherein at least six of the plurality of concrete units are equilateral triangles of the same size, and these six units are connected to each other to define a hexagonal shape.

In the embodiments disclosed herein, the projection may extend vertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and the elongate passage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal to the vertical axis of the projection.

In a preferred embodiment, the elongate passage is in upper portions of the projection.

The top surface of the modular concrete unit may include an aperture located at the center of gravity. According to one aspect, the aperture is configured for receiving attachment features, for example, a lifting device and a road sign.

The top surface of the modular concrete unit may also include surface features, such as embossed markings, patterns and a combination thereof. The embossed markings and patterns may be configured to provide advertisements, road markings, warnings and a combination thereof.

The modular concrete unit may also include a near field communication device incorporated therein.

A further understanding of the functional and advantageous aspects of the disclosure can be realized by reference to the following detailed description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the modular concrete unit according to the present disclosure, having an equilateral triangle shape;

FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of two modular concrete units, each having a right triangle shape;

FIG. 2(b) is a top view showing the connection portion of the two modular concrete units of FIG. 2(a) as connected;

FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the modular concrete unit, showing an alternative engagement mechanism;

FIG. 3(b) is a top view showing the connection portion of the modular concrete unit of FIG. 3(a), as connected with another modular concrete unit;

FIG. 4(a) is a top view of two modular concrete units, showing another alternative engagement mechanism;

FIG. 4(b) is an enlarged top view showing the connection portion of the two modular concrete units of FIG. 4(a) as connected;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two modular concrete units, each having different sizes and different thicknesses;

FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are perspective views of a concrete assembly, shown from opposite sides;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the concrete assembly shown in FIG. 6(b);

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a complex concrete assembly showing the interoperability of the scalable modular unit geometries;

FIG. 9(a) is an enlarged perspective view of projections, showing hinging attachment;

FIG. 9(b) is an enlarged top view of projections, showing hinging attachment;

FIG. 10(a) is an enlarged perspective view of one example of a hinge pin, showing a straight front end section and an upwardly extended rear end section;

FIG. 10(b) is a an enlarged perspective view of the hinge pin of FIG. 10(a), where the front end section has been bent for secure attachment;

FIG. 11 (a) is an enlarged perspective view of another example of a hinge pin having a bushing;

FIG. 11(b) is a side view of FIG. 11(a);

FIG. 12(a) to (e) show perspective views of portions of the two modular concrete units showing the hinging attachment and a gap between surfaces of the modular concrete units, wherein FIG. 12(a) shows adjacent units hinged upward 4 degrees of angle, FIG. 12(b) shows adjacent units having no hinging angle with the hinge pin removed, and the concrete units are generally parallel to one another, FIG. 12(c) shows adjacent units hinged downward 4 degrees of angle; FIG. 12(d) shows one modular unit removed, but including hinging attachment and FIG. 12(e) shows one modular unit completely removed;

FIGS. 13(a), (b) and (c) are side views of the hinged structure shown in FIG. 12 respectively;

FIG. 14 (a) to (c) depicts a hinge pin installation procedure where FIG. 14 (a) shows perspective views of the hinge tool and the hinge portion of a pair of modular units prior to engaging the hinge pin; FIG. 14 (b) is a partially broken-away sectional view, showing the rear end of the hinge pin inserted in the hinge tool, and the front end section having passed through the projections of both the modular units, thereby forming a hinged structure; and FIG. 14 (c) is a partial view of the hinged structure showing only one modular unit, and the front end section of the hinge pin bent by the hinge tool for more secure attachment;

FIG. 15(a) to (c) are side views of FIG. 14(a) to (c), respectively;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the modular concrete unit shown with a concrete lifter;

FIG. 17 is a view showing the modular concrete unit being dropped in by the concrete lifter;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit, having a post placed on a support plate attached thereto;

FIG. 20(a) is a side view of FIG. 19, and FIG. 20(b) is a view of the post placed on the support plate seen from the underside thereof, also showing an extension bar protruding downwardly;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit, having embossment surface features;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having a handicapped sign on its top surface;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having a commercial logo marked on its top surface;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly with its top surface having a convex configuration;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly with its top surface having a concave configuration;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly and showing smaller equilateral triangular units which replace a larger triangular unit; and

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having a hexagonal shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and aspects of the disclosure will be described with reference to details discussed below. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the disclosure and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of embodiments of the present disclosure.

As used herein, the terms, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed as being inclusive and open ended, and not exclusive. Specifically, when used in the specification and claims, the terms, “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean the specified features, steps or components are included. These terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other configurations disclosed herein.

The selected embodiments as described below are directed to a range of modular concrete units that can be hinged to neighboring concrete units. The hinging attachment prevents undue movements of the concrete units. At the same time, it allows the concrete system to maintain sufficient surface flexibility to accommodate the pounding and loading from traffic on the concrete pavement or movement due to substrate instability. For example, the modular concrete units of the present disclosure that are connected by the hinging mechanism allow for relative movement that follow the natural contours of the underlying base or foundation of the roads.

The hinged structure is also designed to have a gap between adjacent modular units. This has environmental benefits because it allows water to seep in through the interstices and replenish the water-table. The system becomes what is known in the industry as a pervious pavement. In addition, there will also be a reduced load on the storm water drains and natural water courses. In contrast, continuously paved roads channel water into the storm sewers and inhibit it from percolating into the ground, which can result in heavy loads on the storm water sewers and creates other environmental concerns downstream.

The modular units and a system made of such units are relatively easy to install, reduce the onsite time for installation, and provide opportunities for maintaining and servicing specific areas with minimal disruption. The removable modular concrete assembly of the present disclosure also reduces urban heat island effect. A further advantage includes allowing for the utility heads to remain beneath the system, rather than have to be smoothly integrated into the surface as is the case for manhole covers, drains, utility valves, etc. The structure of the modular units of the present disclosure enables a concrete assembly to be readily scalable, as it can accommodate different shapes and size, as well as different thicknesses of the units. Such a structure would allow designing a concrete system that can fit not only in relatively small area, but also any spaces of various sizes and shapes, and also conform to various contours of the underlying road structure.

Moreover, the present disclosure provides various additional features that can enhance and/or add functions of the concrete pavement.

These and other aspects of the present disclosure are discussed herebelow with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the modular concrete unit is shown at 10. In this embodiment, the modular unit 10 is of an equilateral triangle shape having three equal side walls 12. Each side wall 12 has at least one engagement means 14 configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring modular concrete unit.

The engagement means 14 comprises at least one projection 16 which extends outwardly from the side wall. An elongate passage 15, which is internally formed in the projection 16, extends generally horizontally to the plane of the side wall 12. The elongate passage 15 is configured to receive a hinge pin 90 (shown, for example, in FIG. 10), such that the hinge pin 90 passes through the elongate passage 15, and then through an elongate passage formed in a neighboring concrete unit's projection, thereby connecting the two neighboring concrete units together.

The concrete unit may include an aperture 120 around the centre of gravity. The aperture 120 is configured for accommodating various road and traffic signs, and other attachment features, as will be discussed in detail later.

FIG. 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the engagement means 14 which further include a recess 18 located adjacent to the projection 15. The recess 18 serves as a female member for interlocking with a projection extending outwardly from an adjacent concrete unit.

The alternative interlocking feature shown in FIG. 1 will be discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. It is to be noted, however, that the present disclosure is not restricted to the engagement means having the interlocking feature, but is also directed to an alternative engagement means, an example of which is shown in FIG. 3. In another alternative embodiment, the present disclosure also includes hinging attachment mechanism having a modified version of interlocking feature, which will be discussed with reference to another exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 2(a), two modular units having a right triangle shape are shown at 20a and 20b. The modular unit 20a includes a recess 18a extending inwardly from the side wall 22a. The recess 18a is configured for interlocking with a projection of a neighboring modular unit, for example, the projection 16b extending from the side wall 22b of a modular unit 20b. As such, the projection 16b of the neighboring unit 20b serves as a male member for interlocking with the recess 18a of the concrete unit 20a.

In this embodiment, the neighboring unit 20b may also include a recess, such that a pair of the recess/projection on the unit 20a interlocks with a pair of the projection/recess on the unit 20b, as shown in FIG. 2(b).

The projections 16a and 16b each have elongate passages 15a and 15b, respectively, which extend orthogonal to the plane of their respective side walls. The elongate passages 15a and 15b are configured for receiving a hinge pin 90 (shown, for example, in FIG. 9).

During installation, the projections 16a and 16b interlock with the recesses 18b and 18a, respectively, while the hinge pin which passes through the elongate passages 15a and 15b of the projections 16a and 16b, thereby securing and connecting the two units 20a and 20b together. The top view of the modular units 20a and 20b connected together are shown in FIG. 2(b).

Although the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 include interlocking feature, the present disclosure can be embodied by using various alternative engagement means. One example of such alternative embodiments is shown in FIG. 3 where the engagement means does not include an interlocking means.

Referring to FIG. 3, the concrete unit 30 of the alternative embodiment has a projection 34 with an elongate passage 35 formed therein. During installation, concrete units having the structure of the modular unit 30 are brought together in such a manner as to position the elongate passage 35 of the projection 34 in alignment with an elongate passage 35 of the neighboring unit's projection 34, thereby allowing the hinge pin 90 (shown in, for example, FIG. 10) to pass through the two elongate passages 34 and connect the two neighboring units 30 together. In this alternative embodiment, the projections are configured such that they can be substantially in abutment relation with the projection of the neighboring concrete unit. The top view of two of the connection portion of the modular unit 30 connected together are shown in FIG. 3(b).

Another alternative engagement mechanism is shown in FIG. 4, which incorporates a combination of the above-mentioned two alternative embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, a first modular concrete unit 40 has an engagement means comprised of a projection 44 alone, and a second modular concrete unit 50 has a set of engagement means comprised of a projection 54 and a recess 56 formed on the side wall 52. The projection 44 of the first unit is 40 is configured for interlocking with the recess 56 of the second unit 50, whereas the projection 54 of the second unit 50 is configured for abutment with the side wall 42 of the first unit 40. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the projection 54 of the second unit 50 has a smaller depth than the projection 44 of the first unit 40, but still share hinging mechanism with the longer projection 44 of the first unit 40 through a hinge pin that passes through elongate passages (not shown in FIG. 4) formed in the projections 44 and 54 of the first and second units 40 and 50, respectively. The top view of the modular units 40 and 50 connected together are shown in FIG. 4(b).

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is preferred that the elongate passage is located towards the top surface of the unit, rather than at its mid thickness. For example, the elongate passage is located in the upper portion of the projection. This design allows greater flexibility in incorporating different thicknesses in a concrete assembly. Specifically, since the point of hinging attachment is in the upper portion of the projections, a modular unit of a smaller thickness can be attached to a thicker modular unit, while still enjoying the same hinge benefits. FIGS. 5 and 6 show examples of this aspect of the present disclosure. In all the preferred embodiments, the elongate passage in the projections of the thicker and thinner units are located substantially the same distance from the top surface of each concrete unit.

Referring to FIG. 5, the modular unit 60 has a thickness smaller than that of the neighboring modular unit 10. Accordingly, the projection 64 extending outwardly from, and parallel to the side wall 62 of the modular unit 60, has a shorter length than that of the projection 14 extending outwardly from, and parallel to the side wall 12 of the modular unit 10. Except for the length, the projection 64 has the same dimension as the projection 14 of the modular unit 10. Likewise, the recess 68 has the same dimension as the recess 18, except for its length. Despite the difference in the length of each projection, the location of the elongate passage 65 and 15 is the same distance from the top surface of the respective unit. Therefore, the shorter projection 64 in the thinner modular unit 60 still allows for hinging attachments with the other units of different thicknesses.

The present disclosure also enables flexibility in incorporating not only different thicknesses, but also different shapes and sizes in a concrete assembly. Referring to FIGS. 6(a), 6(b) and 7, a concrete assembly shown at 70 incorporates a modular unit 60 of a smaller thickness than the other units. The assembly 70 also incorporates units having different shapes, such as a rectangle 72, equilateral triangle 10 and right triangles 20a and 20b. The shapes and dimensions of modular units, and the pattern in which the units are arranged as shown in the assembly 70 are only exemplary, and any other shapes and combinations thereof are included in the present disclosures. For example, the rectangles may include squares and non-square rectangles. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 27, a modular unit 180 having a hexagon shape can be included in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Due to the flexibility, the modular units according to the present disclosure enable easy and convenient scaling of the system. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the equilateral triangle 10 and the two right triangles 20a and 20b can be arranged and attached to each other to form a rectangle shape (specifically, a square). These units, with hinging mechanisms positioned accordingly, can replace one modular unit 72.

In another example as shown in FIG. 26, smaller equilateral triangles 11 can be produced with each side wall having half the length of the side wall of the larger triangle 10. The smaller triangles 11 are designed with hinges positioned such that four of such units 11 can replace one larger triangle 10. Likewise, other combination of shapes and sizes can be easily created by using the modular units of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, a more complex assembly is shown at 80. The assembly 80 incorporates a number of different modular units (equilateral triangles 10, smaller equilateral triangles 74, right triangles 20a and 20b, and rectangles 72). The assembly 80 also incorporates various arrangements of the modular units in a number of different patterns.

The modular units according to the present disclosure enable easy scaling of the system. In one example, the small equilateral triangles 11 can be designed such that each side wall has half the length of the side wall of the larger triangle 10, with hinges positioned such that four small units 11 can replace one large unit 10. This principal can be applied to all the unit shapes.

The modular units are attached to their neighboring concrete units by the hinging mechanisms. Referring to FIGS. 9(a) and (b), the hinging attachment is exemplified, showing two projections 86a and 86b, each from neighboring concrete units (not shown), connected together by a hinge pin 90 passing through the elongate passages 85a and 85b formed in the projections 86a and 86b, respectively.

Examples of a hinge pin that can be used in the present embodiment is shown at 90 in FIGS. 10 and 11. Referring to FIG. 10(a) the hinge pin 90 is comprised of an elongate rod section 92, a front end section 94 and a rear end section 96. Preferably, the rear end section 96 extends upwardly from the distal end of the elongate rod section 92, thereby forming a generally L-shaped pin. The vertical rear end section 96 allows the hinge pin 90 to gain easy access to, and removal from, the elongate passages. In a preferred embodiment, the front end section 94 is made of bendable material, such that, upon installment, the front end section 94 is bent as shown in FIG. 10(b) to form a bend 95, thereby providing more secure attachment. The hinge pin may be made from stainless steel for its corrosion resistant and strength properties. Referring to FIGS. 11(a) and (b), in one specific embodiment, the hinge pin may further include a bushing 98 to provide improved durability and impact resistance. For these purposes, bushing 98 may be made from materials having a low compression set properties, such as a high durometer rubber or polyurethane.

The hinged structure formed by the modular units of the present disclosure is designed to have a gap between the surfaces of adjacent modular units. The gap provides a number of environmental benefits, for example, allowing water to drain between the pavers and then percolate through the substrate and eventually replenish the water-table. Furthermore, the gap allows for the relative movement between the adjacent modular units.

This aspect of the present disclosure is exemplified in FIGS. 12 and 13, showing the hinged structure 100 (a)-(c) between two modular units 102a and 102b. Due to the hinging attachment through the hinge pin 90 connecting the two projections 85a and 85b, two adjacent units 102a and 102b can accommodate movement relative to each other. The movement can create a larger gap 104 at the bottom portion of the hinged structure, as shown at 100a in FIG. 12(a). Alternatively, the movement can create a larger gap 104 at the top portion of the hinged structure as shown at 100c in FIG. 129(c). In the drawing, the gap is shown as about 4.0 degrees. However, depending on the engagement mechanism and other specifications in each module, the degree of the gap may vary.

The movement allows the concrete assembly made from the modular units to follow the natural contours of the underlying base or foundation of the roads. For example, when the movement or natural contours create the gap 104 at the top portion of the adjacent modular units, the concrete assembly 160 made therefrom may form a convex configuration as shown in FIG. 24. Alternatively, when the movement or natural contours create the gap 104 at the bottom portion of the modular units, the concrete assembly 170 made therefrom may form a convex configuration as shown in FIG. 25.

During installment, a tool may be used to facilitate the process. One example of such a tool is shown at 110 in FIGS. 14 and 15. The hinge tool 110 is configured for the hinge pin 90 to connect the projections 85a and 85b of the modular units 102a and 102b, in order to produce the hinged structure 100. The hinge tool 110 comprises a recess 112 to hold the rear end section 96 of the L-shaped hinge pin 90. The slight bend 95 provides a slight friction fit to prevent the hinge pin 90 falling out when being brought into the installation position. The horizontal wings 114 on the tool 110 provide the exact datum from the surface of the modular units to the axis of the hinge pin 90, thereby simplifying pin installation.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a typical hinge pin installation procedure may include steps that (i) insert the vertically extended rear end section 96 of the pin 90 into the recess 112 in the tool 110, (ii) slide the skeg 116 of the tool down between adjacently placed units 102a and 102b such that front end section 94 of the pin 110 is aligned into the elongate passage 85a (shown in FIG. 9) of the projection 86a, (iii) tap the back edge 118 of the tool with a hammer or work boot until the pin 110 has passed through the elongate passages 85a and 85b (shown in FIG. 9) and fully engaged both adjacent projections 86a and 86b, and (iv) lift the tool 110 vertically so as to disengage it from the pin 90. In one optional embodiment, the installation procedure further includes a step of placing the tool skeg 116 above the front end section 94 of the pin 90 and pressing down, such that the front end section is bent downward, thereby forming a bend 95 to prevent the pin from disengaging the two projections 86a and 86b. The removal of the pin is the reverse of the above except that a greater horizontal removal force is necessary to force the pin out despite the bend at its tip. The hinge tool may be fabricated from steel.

The modular units of the present disclosure may further include an aperture around the centre of gravity, configured for accommodating various attachment features. Referring to FIG. 16, the modular unit 10 is shown with an aperture 120 configured for attachment to a concrete lifter 122. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the aperture helps facilitate easy dropping in, replacement and removal of modular units.

The aperture 120 may also be used for various other attachment features. Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, the modular unit 10 is shown with a post 124 placed on a support plate 126. The support plate is connected to the modular unit 10 by way of a number of bolts 128. The post 124 may be used for a variety of traffic signs, warning devices (e.g. traffic cones or cats eyes) and/or advertisements. In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 20(b), the post 124 is also provided with an extension bar 125 that protrudes downwardly into the aperture, to provide improved structural integrity.

The surface of the modular units may also be custom-designed to include various functional and/or aesthetic features. Referring to FIG. 21, the modular unit 130 has an aperture 120 on the top surface 132, as well as embossment features comprised of a number of different sizes of triangles 134, 136, 138. The embossed surface not only provides aesthetic feature, but also results in anti-skid effect.

The top surface of the modular units may also be custom-designed to mark road signs (e.g., no parking, no standing, man hole location, etc.) or various logos.

As one example, FIG. 22 shows a modular unit at 140, bearing a handicapped sign 142. Therefore, the modular unit at 140 can be conveniently used in a parking lot.

Another example of the modular unit is shown at 150 in FIG. 23, which bear a commercial logo 152.

The present disclosure also includes an embodiment where a modular concrete unit has an NFC (near field communication device) incorporated or embedded therein. An example of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 22 at 144. The NFC 144 is a passive device that can be programmed to send communications to an outside receiver. For example, each modular unit may have a unique NFC that has its history (date of manufacture, concrete composition, serial number, etc.), or the NFC could count vehicles passing overhead and measure their loads. As another example, the NFC may be programmed to monitor whether a parking spot is occupied.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A modular concrete unit for load-bearing surfaces, comprising:

a top surface;

a bottom surface, and

at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces, said side walls including at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit.

2. The concrete unit according to claim 1, wherein the engagement means comprises a projection extending outwardly from the side wall, the projection having an elongate passage configured for receiving a hinge pin.

3. The concrete unit according to claim 2 wherein the engagement means further comprises a recess adjacent to the projection, the recess being a female interlocking member configured for receiving a male interlocking member of the neighboring concrete unit.

4. The concrete unit according to claim 3 wherein the projection is configured to be substantially in an abutting relation with a side wall of the adjacent concrete unit.

5. The concrete unit according to claim 3 wherein the projection is a male interlocking member configured to be received in a female interlocking member of the adjacent concrete unit.

6. The concrete unit according to claim 2 wherein the projection extends vertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and the elongate passage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal to the vertical axis of the projection.

7. The concrete unit according to claim 6 wherein the elongate passage is in upper portions of the projection.

8. The concrete unit according to claim 1 wherein the top surface includes an aperture located at the center of gravity.

9. The concrete unit according to claim 5 wherein the aperture is configured for receiving attachment features selected from the group consisting of a lifting device and a road sign.

10. The concrete unit according to claim 1 wherein the top surface includes surface features selected from the group consisting of embossed markings, patterns and a combination thereof.

11. The concrete unit according to claim 10 wherein the embossed markings and patterns are configured to provide advertisements, road markings, warnings and a combination thereof.

12. The concrete unit according to claim 1, further including a near field communication device incorporated therein.

13. A concrete assembly comprising:

(i) at least first and second modular concrete units connected by hinging attachment, each unit comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces, said side walls including at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit; and

(ii) at least one hinge pin connecting the engagement means of the first concrete unit and the engagement means of the second concrete unit.

14. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein each engagement means of the at least first and second modular concrete units comprises a projection extending outwardly from the side wall of each concrete unit, the projection having an elongate passage configured for receiving the hinge pin, and at least a portion of the projection on the first concrete unit is aligned with at least a portion of the engagement means on the second concrete unit.

15. The concrete assembly according to claim 14, wherein:

the engagement means of the first concrete unit further comprises a recess adjacent to the projection extending from the first concrete unit, and

the projection extending from the second concrete unit is configured for interlocking with the recess of the first concrete unit.

16. The concrete assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

the engagement means of the second concrete unit further comprises a recess adjacent to the projection extending from the second concrete unit, and

the projection extending from the first concrete unit is configured for interlocking with said recess of the second concrete unit.

17. The concrete assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

the projection extending from the first concrete unit is configured to be substantially in an abutting relation with the side wall of the second concrete unit.

18. The concrete unit according to claim 14 wherein the projection extends vertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and the elongate passage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal to the vertical axis of the projection.

19. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein the hinge pin comprises at least one section made of bendable material.

20. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein the first and second concrete units are spaced from each other by an interstice defined by the alignment of the projection of the first concrete unit with the projection of the second concrete unit.

21. The concrete assembly according to 13, wherein one of the concrete units is thinner than the other concrete unit.

22. The concrete assembly according to 21, wherein the projection extending from the thinner concrete unit has a shorter length than the projection of the thicker concrete unit.

23. The concrete assembly according to 22 wherein the elongate passages in the projections of the thicker and thinner units are located substantially the same distance from the top surface of each concrete unit.

24. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein each concrete unit has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangles, rectangles and hexagons.

25. The concrete assembly according to claim 24, wherein the first and second concrete units have a combination of shapes and sizes, said combination being one of triangle/triangle of the same size, triangle/triangle of different sizes, rectangle/rectangle of the same size, rectangle/rectangle of different sizes, hexagon/hexagon of the same size, hexagon/hexagon of different sizes, triangle/rectangle, triangle/hexagon, and rectangle/hexagon.

26. The concrete assembly according to claim 25, wherein the triangles are one of equilateral triangles, right triangles and isosceles triangle, and the rectangles are one of squares and non-squares.

27. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least two concrete units are a plurality of concrete units and wherein at least three of said plurality of units are comprised of two right triangles and one equilateral triangle, said three units being connected to each other to define a rectangular shape.

28. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least two concrete units are a plurality of concrete units, and wherein at least four of said plurality of units are equilateral triangles of the same size, said four units being connected to each other to define a bigger equilateral triangle shape.

29. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least two concrete units are a plurality of concrete units, and wherein at least six of the plurality of concrete units are equilateral triangles of the same size, said six units being connected to each other to define a hexagonal shape.