Interlocking modular sidewalk pavement system

Abstract

A modular sidewalk pavement system having a plurality of pavers configured for interlocking engagement with each other. In the preferred embodiment, the pavers have a plurality of spaced apart, outwardly extending wedge members and a plurality of spaced apart inwardly disposed wedge receptacles along each side and end of the paver that are cooperatively configured for interlocking engagement, such that the wedge members of one paver are received into the wedge receptacles of one or more adjacent pavers. A locking mechanism, preferably comprising a protrusion on one or more wedge members and a detent in one or more wedge receptacles, is utilized to provide a quick and easy lay-and-click installation. In a preferred embodiment, the pavers are made out of recycled materials, including crumb rubber and recycled plastic. A colorant is added to mask the carbon black and provide color.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/932,239 filed May 30, 2007.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention relates generally to apparatuses and systems for pavement, such as sidewalks and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to pavement systems that utilize a plurality interlocking pavement sections that combine together to forms a sidewalk or like surface. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such pavement systems that comprise pavement sections which are made out of recycled materials.

B. Background

Current, most sidewalk pavement systems are primarily made out of concrete or asphalt materials. One of the well known problems with such pavement systems is that sections of the concrete or asphalt pavement must be periodically be removed and replaced due to damage from tree roots and the like that grow under the pavement, resulting in a section of the pavement rising above the rest of the pavement and/or cracks in the pavement. Pavement repair work is both time consuming and expensive. Generally repair of a damage concrete or asphalt walkway, such as a sidewalk, requires removal of the uplifted and/or damaged section of the concrete/asphalt walkway, removal of the tree roots from the affected area and then reinstallation of the concrete or asphalt to reconnect the disconnected sidewalk sections. Unless the tree or other plant life is removed from the nearby area, repairing a section of uplifted or damaged section of the concrete/asphalt sidewalk does not prevent the problem from re-occurring in the future when the roots grow back. Because most municipalities and citizens enjoy having trees along their sidewalks throughout their neighborhood and town, there is a tendency to accept the damage caused to the sidewalks and the costs of periodically repairing sections of the sidewalk. Unfortunately, raised or damaged sidewalks can result in injuries to persons who trip and fall due to contact with the raised or broken portion of the sidewalk. In an attempt to avoid such injuries, and the likely lawsuits by an injured person seeking compensation for their injury, many municipalities will take the undesirable action of removing trees.

Another problem with traditional concrete and asphalt sidewalk systems is that the materials utilized for the sidewalk does not allow water to penetrate through the sidewalk and into the soil below. Because rainwater or other water cannot penetrate the sidewalk, any water that contacts the surface of the sidewalk will necessarily increase the amount of water that flows down the street, which must then be handled by the municipal water run-off system or will flow to a river, lake, ocean or other body of water where the dirty run-off water will mix with the body of water.

Various alternative materials and systems have been attempted over the years to address the problems with uplifted and/or damaged sidewalks and other walkways. Some of these systems utilized materials that, over time, were found not to be particularly suited for the intended use of the walkway, including materials that could not stand up to the foot, bicycle, scooter and other traffic on the sidewalk and which did not provide the longevity desired for sidewalks. Some systems utilized modular panels that required dowels or other connectors to join adjacent panels together to form the sidewalk. The materials utilized for the panels of some sidewalk systems result in a sidewalk that is too expensive for most uses. Other systems are difficult to install and/or require a number of different components, both of which drive up the cost of installation and also result in a sidewalk that is too expensive for most uses. The materials utilized in such systems generally do not solve or even address the issues with regard to decreasing water run-off to reduce storm water flow and handling issues.

In today's more environmentally conscious world, many people are looking for new uses of recyclable materials that would otherwise end up in a dump, landfill or like waste storage area for many years. Two materials which are commonly looked at are rubber and plastic. With regard to rubber, it is well known that the increase in vehicles on the road has resulted in an increase in the number of tires which are disposed after use on those vehicles. In fact, in one recent year approximately 270 million tires, which is equivalent to about five billion pounds of tires, were discarded. Often the tires accumulate at the land disposal sites in tire piles, which are well known to have numerous environmental and health hazards. For instance, these tire piles have the unfortunate tendency to catch fire, which can result in millions of dollars in costs to fight the fires and clean up the environmental mess left by thousands of melting tires spreading rubber and chemicals over the ground and into ground and surface waters. In addition, the burning tires pump significant quantities of pollutants into the air, directly affecting the health of those unfortunate enough to be living nearby or passing through the area.

Recognizing the problems associated with the disposal of used tires, a number of federal, state and local governmental agencies have committed resources towards finding alternatives to merely disposing of the tires into landfills and other storage areas. To date, the greatest potential to reduce the disposal problems associated with used tires is in the field of recycling. As is well known, however, some of the materials used for making tires safer and longer lasting, such as the embedded steel belts, polyester and other materials, make the recycling of tires more difficult. Perhaps the best potential for utilizing recycled tires is with a material commonly referred to as crumb rubber, in which the waste tires are formed into a granular material that can be used directly as it is or as in ingredient in the manufacturing other composite materials. For instance, crumb rubber is used alone as a ground covering material for playgrounds and the like. Crumb rubber is also used as a modifier in a mix with asphalt for asphalt paving materials. Crumb rubber has also been used for sport tracks and other surface applications.

Several uses of crumb rubber have been the subject of issued patents or published patent applications. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,440 to Edson describes the use of crumb rubber for Spanish and Italian replica roofing tiles. U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,016 to Riker describes the use of crumb rubber as the core of a post used for supporting roadway signs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,707 to Kulp, et al. describes the use of crumb rubber for the base of a vertical panel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,208 to Glick, et al. describes the use of crumb rubber for rubber paving blocks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,372 to Sullivan, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,215 to Shea describe the use of crumb rubber for railroad ties and the like. U.S. Publication No. 2006/0222458 to Grimes describes the use of crumb rubber for the components of an overside drain system.

Despite the existence of numerous crumb rubber products and various alternative materials for sidewalk systems, the basic problem of uplifted and/or damaged sidewalks has not been adequately addressed by the prior art. What is needed, therefore, is an improved sidewalk pavement system that does not rely on the placement of concrete and asphalt, yet provides a sidewalk that replicates traditional sidewalk paving. The new pavement system should be provide a safer walking surface and reduce or eliminate the need to remove trees from the area around the sidewalk. A preferred sidewalk pavement system would comprise a plurality of modular pavers that connect together to form the desired sidewalk, making it relatively easy and cost effective to install and repair. The pavement system should be configured such that the modular pavers can be made out of recycled materials and be configured so as to reduce its cost and provide better utilization of waste products. The preferred pavement system should allow water to pass through to the ground below to reduce run-off problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The interlocking modular sidewalk pavement system of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a sidewalk pavement system that is made out of recycled plastic and rubber materials and which can be utilized in place of concrete and asphalt pavement systems. The preferred embodiment of the present invention describes a sidewalk pavement system that is made out of recycled waste plastic and crumb rubber. The pavement system comprises a plurality of modular, interlocking sidewalk pavers that securely connect together without separate dowels or other connectors so as to quickly and relatively easily form the desired sidewalk, which then can be disconnected to allow replacement or repair of damaged sections of the sidewalk. As such, the present sidewalk pavement system reduces the need to remove trees from the area around the sidewalk and lowers the cost of replacing a damaged section of the sidewalk. The preferred embodiment of the present invention results in a sidewalk that provides a safe walking surface which replicates the feel of a traditional concrete or asphalt sidewalk surface. In a preferred configuration, water can penetrate through the sidewalk so as to reduce storm water run-off.

The present invention better solves the problems identified above due to its lower cost, the availability of increased design features, elimination of any virgin petroleum based materials in the end product, an end product which is more rigid, more durable and longer lasting, and built-in interlocking design that allows for relatively quick and easy lay-and-click installation of the sidewalk pavement. The lay-and-click interlocking connection closes seams while allowing full water penetration, thereby reducing or eliminating storm water run-off and contributing to health of tree roots. The base of present sidewalk pavement system has built in grooves that are designed to accommodate tree root growth, based on scientific studies of such growth, and recesses to accommodate silt and dirt build up. Previously available sidewalk pavement products utilized dowel-type of connection that left open seams in which the roots would grow and dirt build up. The sidewalk pavement system provides additional recycling for waste plastics and rubber that would otherwise end up in a landfill or like disposal site. In the preferred method of manufacturing the pavers of the present invention, a lower energy thermo-kinetic process is utilized instead of the higher energy use heated compression process. The preferred fabrication method ensures uniform size, shape and other properties. The interlocking design is easy to instal and provides a securely connected system. The plastic binding agent utilized with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, instead of the typically utilized polyurethane resin, results in a semi-rigid sidewalk product that more closely replicates traditional sidewalk paving (i.e., concrete or asphalt) and tolerates the molding of complex interlocking design features. Overall, the sidewalk pavement system of the present invention results in a lower cost product, both in initial installation and to accomplish repair or replacement of any damaged sections of the sidewalk that later results.

The interlocking design of the present invention allows full water penetration while at the same time closing the seam between adjacent pavers. The new sidewalk pavement design, with grooves and recesses in the base, is specifically configured to accommodate tree root growth (based on scientific data of how tree roots grow) and silt and dirt build-up. The sidewalk pavement is specially configured to prevent side-to-side movement between adjacent pavers. In one configuration, the pavers have three outwardly extending wedges on one side of the paver and two outwardly extending wedges on the mating side of the adjacent paver to achieve the desired interlocking. Another design feature is the latch groove on the center interlocking pair of wedge members in which a protrusion on the bottom wedge catches into a groove in the top piece, thereby preventing any up-and-down movement between any two adjacent pavers. The holes in the interlocking wedge-shaped members, in addition to allowing water flow, allow the pavers to be connected to the ground by means of a spike driven through the hole and into the ground at any interval desired by the installer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sidewalk pavement system comprises a plurality of interlocking pavers, wherein each paver has a paver unit with a bottom surface, a top surface, a first end, an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side, an engaging mechanism positioned along each of the first side, the second side, the first end and the second end for engaging the paver unit to one or more adjacent paver units and a locking mechanism at each of the first side, the second side, the first end and the second end for locking the paver unit to the one or more adjacent paver units. The engaging mechanism is configured for complimentary interlocking engagement of the paver unit with the one or more adjacent paver units. In a preferred embodiment, the engaging mechanism comprises a plurality of spaced apart wedge members disposed along each of the first end, the second end, the first side and the second side and a plurality of spaced apart wedge receptacles disposed along each of the first end, the second end, the first side and the second side in matingly arrangement with the plurality of wedge members. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism comprises a protrusion at the distal end of one or more of the wedge members and a detent at the distal end of one or more corresponding wedge receptacles, with the detent being sized and configured to receive the protrusion therein. In the preferred embodiment, the top surface is generally planar and the bottom surface is provided with a plurality of channels and recesses that are specially designed to accommodate tree root growth and silt and dirt build-up. One or more of the wedge members can be provided with an aperture configured to receive a spike or other securing mechanism therethrough to secure the paver to the ground. The unused apertures allow water to flow through the pavement system to the ground below so as to reduce run-off.

Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide an interlocking modular sidewalk pavement system that provides the benefits described above and solves the problems associated with presently available sidewalk pavement systems, including concrete and asphalt.

More specifically, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a sidewalk pavement system that comprises a plurality of interlocking pavers that can be made out of recycled materials, such as recycled plastic and crumb rubber, which is easy to assemble into a sidewalk and then disassemble a section thereof when it is necessary to repair or replace that section due to damage.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sidewalk pavement system that utilizes a plurality of interlocking pavers that are made out of materials that replicate the feel of traditional sidewalk materials, but which is easier and less expensive to install and repair.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sidewalk pavement system that utilizes interlocking pavers that provide a lay-and-click installation method which results in seams which are sufficiently closed to provide a secure, safe sidewalk.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sidewalk pavement system that comprises a plurality of interlocking pavers that are configured to allow water to penetrate through the sidewalk so as to reduce storm and other water run-off problems.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sidewalk pavement system that reduces the amount of waste plastic and rubber that will go to landfills and other disposal sites by utilizing such materials in the construction of the interlocking modular pavers that make up the sidewalk formed by the pavement system.

The above and other objectives of the present invention are explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of parts presently described and understood by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a sidewalk pavement system configured according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a paver utilized in the sidewalk pavement system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the paver of FIG. 2 shown with two rails affixed to the generally Z-shaped fence post;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the first end of the paver of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the first side of the paver of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the paver of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the paver of FIG. 6 taken through lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the paver of FIG. 6 taken through lines 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an isolated view of the second side of the first end of the paver of FIG. 7 shown encircled in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is an isolated view of the first side of the first end of the paver of FIG. 7 shown encircled in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. The enclosed text and drawings are merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment and represent one of several different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein. For instance, although the figures and description provided herein are directed primarily to a paver having three wedges on one end and one side and two wedges on the mating end and side, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this is set forth merely for purposes of simplifying the present disclosure and that the present invention is not so limited.

An sidewalk pavement system that is manufactured out of the materials and configured pursuant to one embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in FIG. 1. and is shown made up of four pavers 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d (collectively referred to as 12). Although only four pavers 12 are shown in the pavement system 10 of FIG. 1, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that this is only for purposes of describing the invention for the present disclosure and that any number of pavers 12 can be combined together, as set forth in more detail below, to form a sidewalk or other pavement surface of the desired length and width. The interlocking configuration of the pavers 10 of the present invention provides a pavement system 10 that is relatively easy and quick to install on top of the ground or other surface that has been prepared to receive the pavers 12. The pavers 12 are configured to allow a lay-and-click installation to define the pavement system 10. As is set forth below, once the ground is prepared for the pavement system 10 of the present invention all the user has to do is to lay one paver, such as 12a, on the surface and then engage the adjacent pavers, such as 12b and 12c, with paver 12a and then engage additional pavers, such as 12d, with pavers 12b and 12c, and so on to form a sidewalk with the attributes of the pavement system 10 of the present invention. Once the desired number of pavers 12 are set, the user then secures the plurality of pavers 12 in place utilizing one or more spikes, shown as 14 in FIG. 1, driven through certain components of the pavers 12 and into the ground.

Pavers 12 comprise a paver unit 15 having a top surface 16, best shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, and a bottom surface 18, best shown in FIGS. 6 through 8. Top surface 16 will be configured to allow safe walking, biking, skating and other movement across paver 12. Typically, top surface 16 will be generally planar across paver 12 and from one paver 12 to another so as to provide a generally planar sidewalk surface for safe movement along and across the sidewalk defined by pavement system 12 of the present invention. The bottom surface 18 of paver unit 15 can also be planar. In the preferred embodiment, however, bottom surface 18 is shaped and configured, as described in detail below, to achieve certain benefits with regard to use of the pavement system 10 of the present invention that are not heretofore available for prior art pavement systems, including those made out of standard materials, such as concrete and asphalt.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, paver 12 has a first end 20 and an opposing matingly configured second end 22 and a first side 24 and an opposing matingly configured second side 26. As generally shown in FIG. 1, the first end 20 of one paver, such as paver 12c, is configured to interlockingly engage the second end 22 of an adjacent paver, such as paver 12a and the first side 24 of one paver, such as paver 12a, is configured to interlockingly engage the second side 26 of an adjacent paver, such as paver 12b, to form the sidewalk desired by the user of the pavement system 10 of the present invention. To achieve the desired interlocking, the engagement mechanisms, shown generally as 28, on the opposing ends 20/22 and sides 24/26 must be cooperatively configured to engage the mating end or side of an adjacent paver 12. As set forth below, the pavers 12 on the ends or sides of the sidewalk are secured to the ground utilizing one or more securing mechanism, such as the spike 14 shown in FIG. 1. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, one or more other types of securing mechanisms can also be utilized.

Preferably, pavers 12 are made out of recycled materials. In the preferred embodiment, the pavers 12 are primarily manufactured out of crumb rubber and recycled plastic that is molded into the desired size and configuration for use in pavement system 10. Titanium oxide or iron oxide, as well as other colorants are utilized to mask the carbon black and provide color to the paver 12. As stated above, crumb rubber is obtained from recycled tires. Various sizes of crumb rubber particles can be utilized to for paver 12. Preferably, the size will range from 10-20 mesh. In addition to crumb rubber, other types of recycled rubber, such as industrial flash and the like, can be used with paver 12. The crumb rubber provides resilience and elongation for paver 12. The preferred plastic is a recycled plastic comprising a low-density plastic that has been ground into a small particulate. The recycled plastic is the bonding medium. As opposed to polyurethane resins, recycled plastic has been found to provide moderate rigidity, which stabilizes the paver 12 and the interlocking system used therewith (as described below). The colorant is essential to achieve a preferred product appearance for paver 12 and, consequently, pavement system 10. Presently, tires and plastic are major problems for landfills and other waste disposal sites and result in a variety of environmental problems. Use of crumb rubber and recycled plastic in the paver 12 of the present invention diverts these materials from the landfill. The various ingredients are combined together and then heated by frictional mixing in a closed chamber mixer until the components reach a temperature of approximately 340° F. The molten mixture is then immediately cast into a compression mold that is simultaneously cooled as it is compressed to mold paver 12 into the desired size and shape for with pavement system 10. For instance, paver 12 may have dimensions of 24″×30″×2″, 24″×24″×2″ and the like, as desired by the user of pavement system 10.

In the preferred embodiment, engagement mechanism 28 comprises a plurality of specially shaped, outwardly extending wedge members 30 and a plurality of cooperatively configured wedge receptacles 32 that are sized and configured to engagedly receive one of the wedge members 30 therein. Each of the wedge members 30 are in spaced apart relation to each other with a wedge receptacle 32 being disposed between adjacent wedge members 30, resulting in the wedge receptacles 32 being in spaced apart relation to each other and in corresponding relationship to the wedge members 30. As stated above, the ends 20/22 and sides 24/26 are matingly configured such that the number and positioning of wedge members 30 and wedge receptacles 32 on one end or side, such as two wedge members 30 and three wedge receptacles 32 on first end 20 and three wedge members 30 and four wedge receptacles 32 on first side 24, will correspond to the number and positioning of wedge members 30 and wedge receptacles 32 on the opposite end, second end 22, or side, second side 26. Preferably, the engagement mechanism 28 is configured such that the user merely lays a paver, such as paver 12a, on the ground and then engages the adjacent pavers, such as pavers 12b and 12c, with the first paver 12a to achieve the desired lay-and-click installation.

As stated above, in the preferred embodiment of paver 12 of the present invention each end 20/22 and side 24/26 are configured with a plurality of spaced apart wedge members 30 that extend outwardly from the peripherally disposed edge 34 around paver unit 15 at the respective end 20/22 or side 24/26. A matingly corresponding number of wedge receptacles 32 extend inward from edge 34 at the ends 20/22 and sides 24/26. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “proximal” refers to a position that is closest to the edge 34 of paver 12 and the term “distal” refers to a position that is farthest from the edge 34. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each wedge member 30, which extend outwardly from edge 34, has a wedge face 36 that is angled with a distally disposed downward slope. As best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each wedge receptacle 32, which extend inwardly from edge 34, has a receptacle face 38 that is angled with a distally disposed downward slope. The distally downward slope of wedge face 36 of the wedge members 30 is configured to abuttingly and frictionally engage the distally downward slope of receptacle face 38 when a wedge members 30 is received into its corresponding wedge receptacle 32. The width of each wedge member 30 and its corresponding wedge receptacle 30 are selected such that the sides 40 of wedge member 30 is frictionally engaged with the sides 42 of the wedge receptacle 32 when wedge member 30 is slid into wedge receptacle 32. To ease wedge member 30 fitting into wedge receptacle 32, the distal end of a preferred embodiment of wedge members 30 is narrower than the proximally disposed portion of wedge members 30. When the wedge members 30 of one paver, such as paver 12a, are fully received inside their corresponding wedge receptacles 32 of an adjacent paver, such as paver 12b, the facing edges 34 of the two adjacent pavers, such as 12a and 12b, are in abutting relation to form the generally planar top surface 16 of pavement system 10.

To obtain the desired lay-and-click installation and to prevent any up and down movement between any two adjacent pavers 12, one or more of the wedge members 30 and its corresponding wedge receptacle(s) 32 is provide with a locking mechanism 44 that locks two adjacent pavers 12 together. In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the center wedge member 30 and its corresponding wedge receptacle 32 are provided with the locking mechanism 44. In a preferred embodiment, locking mechanism 44 comprises an upwardly disposed protrusion 46 at or near the distal end of the wedge member 30, best shown in FIGS. 1-3, 5, 7 and 9, and a correspondingly configured detent 48 at or near the distal end of the wedge receptacle 32, best shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 10. The upwardly disposed protrusion 46 is sized and configured to be received into the detent 48 when the subject wedge member 30 is fully received into its respective wedge receptacle 32. FIG. 9 shows an isolated side view of the protrusion 46 at the distal end 50 of wedge member 30 and FIG. 10 shows an isolated side view of the detent 48 at the distal end 52 of wedge receptacle 32. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, protrusion 46 is sized and configured to slide along receptacle face 38 up to the detent 48 at it's the distal end 52 of wedge receptacle 32 until protrusion 46 is received into detent 48, with the wedge face 36 in abutting relation to receptacle face 38. Once engaged, the locking mechanism 44 will prevent vertical movement of one paver, such as paver 12a, relative to its adjacent paver, such as paver 12b.

To secure paver 12 to the ground with a spike 14 or like securing mechanism, the an aperture 54 is provided in the outwardly extending wedge member 30. The aperture 54 should be sized and configured to receive the securing mechanism 14 therein. In a preferred embodiment, each of the wedge members 30 are provided with an aperture 54. In an alternative embodiment, only selected wedge members 30 will have aperture 54 for receiving spike 14 therein. Typically, even if every wedge member 30 has an aperture, the user will not place a spike 14 through each wedge member 30. Instead, only selected wedge members 30 will receive a spike or other securing mechanism 14 through their aperture 54 (as shown in FIG. 1). In addition to providing access for spike 14 to the ground below, the apertures 54 allow water to flow through, thereby reducing or even eliminating the build-up of water and run-off of water to the street, where it typically flows to the municipality's storm water system or directly to another body of water, such as a river, stream, lake, ocean and the like.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 through 8, the bottom surface 18 of paver 12 is provided with a plurality of channels 56 and recesses 58 in paver unit 15 to improve the overall functionality of paver 12 and pavement system 10. The channels 56 and recesses 58 are specifically designed to accommodate tree root growth, based on scientific data of how tree roots grow, and silt and dirt. The channels 56 and recesses are included in the molding of paver 12. The bottom surface 18 also includes corner supports 60 at each of the corners of paver unit 15 to provide structural support for paver 12 when incorporated into the pavement system 10 of the present invention.

In use, the ground is prepared for the desired width and length of the sidewalk to be formed by the pavement system 10 of the present invention. This typically involves scraping away the upper layers of the soil and then compacted to the desired firmness. One paver, such as paver 12a, is placed on the ground in the area previously prepared. A second paver, such as paver 12b, is then positioned next to paver 12a and then the wedge members 30 along one side, such as second side 26, are inserted into the wedge receptacles 32 on the mating side, such as first side 24, of the paver 12a. The user pushes the second paver 12b into place until the pavers 12a and 12b are engaged, which will be indicated by a click (the lay-and-click). At such time, the first side 24 of paver 12a will be in abutting relation to the second side 26 of paver 12b and the top surface 16 of the two pavers 12a/12b will be generally planar. The lay-and-click process is repeated for pavers 12c and 12d, with the respective adjoining sides, and on until the desired length and width of the sidewalk is obtained. One or more of the wedge members 30 exposed on the outer flanks of the pavers 12 may be affixed to the ground utilizing a securing mechanism, such as spike 14. Once installed, the pavement system 10 is utilized the same as a sidewalk made out of conventional materials, such as concrete. If tree roots or other forces cause one or more of the pavers 12 to be uplifted or damaged or it becomes otherwise necessary to remove a portion of the sidewalk (i.e., utility services repairs or the like), however, the pavement system 10 is much easier, quicker and less expensive to repair than conventional sidewalks. Instead of having to break up concrete and then relay it, the user merely removes the spikes 14 from the affected section, unlocks the engagement mechanism 44 and then performs the necessary tasks, such as removing tree roots or repairing the utilities underneath. If the pavers 12 that were removed were not previously damaged, the user can merely reinstall them. Otherwise, the user can place new pavers 12 into the place vacated by the removed pavers 12. As such, the sidewalk pavement system 10 of the present invention provides a maintainable sidewalk system that reduces the overall cost of the sidewalk system.

While there are shown and described herein a specific form of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. For instance, there are numerous components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention.

Claims

1. A paver for use in a sidewalk paving system comprising a plurality of said pavers, said paver comprising:

a paver unit having a bottom surface, a top surface, a first end, an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side;

means at each of said first side, said second side, said first end and said second end for engaging said paver unit to one or more adjacent paver units, said engaging means configured for complimentary interlocking engagement of said paver unit with said one or more adjacent paver units; and

means at each of said first side, said second side, said first end and said second end for locking said paver unit to said one or more adjacent paver units.

2. The paver according to claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprises a plurality of spaced apart wedge members disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side and a plurality of spaced apart wedge receptacles disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side in matingly arrangement with said plurality of wedge members.

3. The paver according to claim 2, wherein said locking means comprises a protrusion on one or more of said wedge members and a detent on one or more corresponding wedge receptacles, said detent sized and configured to receive said protrusion therein.

4. The paver according to claim 3, wherein said protrusion is positioned at the distal end of said one or more wedge members and said detent is positioned at the distal end of said one or more corresponding wedge receptacles.

5. The paver according to claim 4, wherein said top surface is generally planar and said bottom surface comprises a plurality of channels and recesses.

6. The paver according to claim 2, wherein each of said wedge members have a wedge face and each of said wedge receptacles have a receptacle face, said wedge face and said receptacle face configured for abutting engagement when said wedge members are received in said wedge receptacles.

7. The paver according to claim 6, wherein each of said wedge face is has a distally disposed downward slope that is cooperatively configured with a said receptacle face having a distally disposed downward slope.

8. The paver according to claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a protrusion on one or more of said wedge members and a detent on one or more corresponding wedge receptacles, said detent sized and configured to receive said protrusion therein.

9. The paver according to claim 1, wherein said paver unit is manufactured out of one or more recycled materials, said recycled materials including crumb rubber and recycled plastic.

10. A paver for use in a sidewalk paving system comprising a plurality of said pavers, said paver comprising:

a paver unit having a bottom surface, a top surface, a first end, an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side;

a plurality of spaced apart wedge members disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side, each of said wedge members having a wedge face;

a plurality of spaced apart wedge receptacles disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side in matingly arrangement with said plurality of wedge members to engage said paver unit to one or more adjacent paver units, each of said wedge receptacles having a receptacle face configured for abutting engagement with said wedge face, said wedge members and said wedge receptacles configured for complimentary interlocking engagement of said paver unit with said one or more adjacent paver units; and

means at each of said first side, said second side, said first end and said second end for locking said paver unit to said one or more adjacent paver units.

11. The paver according to claim 10, wherein said locking means comprises a protrusion on one or more of said wedge members and a detent on one or more corresponding wedge receptacles, said detent sized and configured to receive said protrusion therein.

12. The paver according to claim 11, wherein said protrusion is positioned at the distal end of said one or more wedge members and said detent is positioned at the distal end of said one or more corresponding wedge receptacles.

13. The paver according to claim 10, wherein said top surface is generally planar and said bottom surface comprises a plurality of channels and recesses.

14. The paver according to claim 10, wherein said paver unit is manufactured out of one or more recycled materials, said recycled materials including crumb rubber and recycled plastic.

15. A paver for use in a sidewalk paving system comprising a plurality of said pavers, said paver comprising:

a paver unit having a bottom surface, a top surface, a first end, an opposing second end, a first side and an opposing second side;

means at each of said first side, said second side, said first end and said second end for engaging said paver unit to one or more adjacent paver units, said engaging means configured for complimentary interlocking engagement of said paver unit with said one or more adjacent paver units;

a protrusion on one or more of said wedge members; and

a detent on one or more corresponding wedge receptacles, said detent sized and configured to receive said protrusion therein to lock said paver unit to said one or more adjacent paver units.

16. The paver according to claim 15, wherein said engaging means comprises a plurality of spaced apart wedge members disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side and a plurality of spaced apart wedge receptacles disposed along each of said first end, said second end, said first side and said second side in matingly arrangement with said plurality of wedge members.

17. The paver according to claim 15, wherein said protrusion is positioned at the distal end of said one or more wedge members and said detent is positioned at the distal end of said one or more corresponding wedge receptacles.

18. The paver according to claim 15, wherein said top surface is generally planar and said bottom surface comprises a plurality of channels and recesses.

19. The paver according to claim 15, wherein each of said wedge members have a wedge face and each of said wedge receptacles have a receptacle face, said wedge face and said receptacle face configured for abutting engagement when said wedge members are received in said wedge receptacles.

20. The paver according to claim 15, wherein said paver unit is manufactured out of one or more recycled materials, said recycled materials including crumb rubber and recycled plastic.