ADJUSTABLE MAT LOCKING PIN AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF
An adjustable locking pin useful for connecting at least first and second adjacent mats includes an elongated main body having a bore extending therethrough. An elongated rotor is configured to be disposed at least partially within the bore of the main body and extend downwardly therefrom. The rotor includes at least one foot disposed at its lower end and configured to releasably engage the second mat, The rotor is moveable relative to the main body to provide multiple locking positions of the locking pin relative to the first and second mats.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/780,350 filed on Feb. 28, 2013 and entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Connecting Mats”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/748,818, filed on Jan. 4, 2013 and entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Connecting Mats”, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure relates to connecting adjacent components of a modular load-supporting surface system.
BACKGROUNDTemporary or semi-permanent support surfaces have been used for roadways, remote jobsites, industrial staging areas and the like in an ever-increasing myriad of industries, such as construction, military, oilfield, transportation, disaster response, utilities and entertainment. These support surfaces are often made up of heavy duty, durable, all-weather, thermoplastic mats, which are reusable and interlock together to form the support surface. Traditionally, the mats include connecting holes that can be aligned on adjacent mats and through which removable locking pins are inserted for connecting the mats. However, many presently known locking pins are not adjustable to form a tight connection of adjacent mats in different circumstances.
In various known system, a plastic liner is placed below and around the mat assembly in an effort to capture liquids that are spilled, or otherwise introduced, onto the support surface before such liquids encounter the subgrade terrain. The use of liners with temporary or semi-permanent support surfaces may have one or more disadvantages. In many instances, once the need for the temporary support surface has lapsed, the interlocking mats are disassembled for later use. However, since the liners, unlike the mats, are not normally reusable, they must often be discarded. This can be problematic because landfill operators have expressed disinterest in accepting used liners on the basis that they are bulky and require excessive landfill space, or for other reasons. Thus, it can be difficult to find suitable cost-effective ways to dispose of the liners. For another example, the plastic liners are sometimes ineffective at preventing fluid leakage from the support surface or allowing effective clean-up, which can cause other problems and require significant time and effort. Thus, in some instances, there is a need for locking pins that can assist in forming a fluid tight seal between adjacent mats.
It should be understood that the above-described features, capabilities and disadvantages are provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope or subject matter of the appended claims or those of any related patent application or patent. Thus, none of the appended claims or claims of any related application or patent should be limited by the above discussion or construed to address, include or exclude each or any of the above-cited features, capabilities or disadvantages merely because of the mention thereof herein.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved systems, articles and methods useful for connecting components of a load-supporting surface having one or more of the attributes or capabilities described or shown in, or as may be apparent from, the other portions of this patent.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn some embodiments, the present disclosure involves an adjustable locking pin for connecting at least first and second overlapping mats placed upon the ground or another one or more surfaces. The first mat at least partially overlaps the second mat so that a connecting hole in the first mat is aligned over a connecting hole in the second mat. The apparatus includes an elongated main body having an upper end, a lower end and an at least partially threaded bore extending through the mats. The main body is configured to extend through the connecting hole of the first mat and into the connecting hole of the second mat and configured to prevent rotation therein. The main body also includes an elongated, at least partially threaded rotor threadably engaged in the bore of the main body and extending downwardly therefrom. The rotor has an upper end and a lower end and is configured to be rotatable through at least one 360 degree revolutions of rotation relative to the main body.
The rotor includes a foot disposed at its lower end and which is movable therewith relative to the main body. The foot is movable between multiple locking and multiple unlocked positions when the main body is disposed within the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats. In its unlocked positions, the foot is movable up through the connecting holes of the first and second mats. In its locking positions, the foot is non-movable up through the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats and is engageable with the second mat at least partially around the connecting hole thereof. The rotor is configured so that the rotation thereof in one direction relative to the main body draws the foot closer to the bottom of the main body and provides at least two different locking positions of the foot. In each successive locking position, the foot is configured to form a tighter connection of the first and second mats.
Accordingly, the present disclosure includes features and advantages which are believed to enable it to advance load-supporting surface technology. Characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure described above and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings.
The following figures are part of the present specification, included to demonstrate certain aspects of various embodiments of this disclosure and referenced in the detailed description herein:
Characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and referring to the accompanying figures. It should be understood that the description herein and appended drawings, being of example embodiments, are not intended to limit the claims of this patent or any patent or patent application claiming priority hereto. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the claims. Many changes may be made to the particular embodiments and details disclosed herein without departing from such spirit and scope.
In showing and describing preferred embodiments in the appended figures, common or similar elements are referenced with like or identical reference numerals or are apparent from the figures and/or the description herein. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
As used herein and throughout various portions (and headings) of this patent application, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof are not intended to mean every possible embodiment encompassed by this disclosure or any particular claim(s). Thus, the subject matter of each such reference should not be considered as necessary for, or part of, every embodiment hereof or of any particular claim(s) merely because of such reference. The terms “coupled”, “connected”, “engaged” and the like, and variations thereof, as used herein and in the appended claims are intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection or engagement. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices and connections.
Certain terms are used herein and in the appended claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. Also, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used herein and in the appended claims in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . . ” Further, reference herein and in the appended claims to components and aspects in a singular tense does not necessarily limit the present disclosure or appended claims to only one such component or aspect, but should be interpreted generally to mean one or more, as may be suitable and desirable in each particular instance.
Referring initially to
As shown in
Referring now to
If desired, excess material that is not necessary for operation and use of the locking pin 10 may be removed from the main body 30, such as to reduce the amount of material used, weight and/or cost of the locking pin 10 or any other desired purpose(s). In this embodiment, a series of weight reduction cut-outs 16 are formed in portions of the main body 30 where material is unnecessary. The weight reduction cut-outs 16 may have any form, configuration and location. For example, in
Referring again to
Referring to
In addition, the illustrated head 40 may be configured not to rotate within the indentation 22. For example, the head 40 and indentation 22 may each have non-circular or asymmetrical shapes so that when the head 40 is seated in the indentation 22, the head 40 (and the body 30) cannot rotate relative to the mats 12, 14. In this embodiment, the head 40 and indentation 22 have oblong shapes, respectively. However, the head 40 and/or indentation 22 may have different shapes or another suitable mechanism may be used to prevent rotation of the head 40 in the indentation 22.
Still referring to
Still referring to
The shaft 52 may have any suitable form and configuration. Referring to
Referring back to
The illustrated rotor 50 also includes at least one foot 66 disposed at its lower end 68. As shown in
The foot 66 may have any suitable form, configuration and operation. In the embodiment of
The exemplary foot 66 is rotatable between at least two positions relative to the main body 30 (and mats 12, 14) as the rotor 50 is rotated. In at least a first position, as shown in
In at least a second position, such as shown in
Referring now to
The illustrated locking pin 10 may be adjustable relative to the mats 12, 14 and provide a range of locking positions in any suitable manner. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, each 360° clockwise revolution of the rotor 50 relative to the main body 30 provides a total of two different locking positions of the foot 66 and associated gap 74 sizes, as well as two different unlocked positions of the foot 66. In some embodiment, the locking pin 10 may be configured to move through at least two 360° revolutions of rotation. If the rotor 50 has three threads (e.g.
In
In another independent aspect of the present disclosure, if desired, the locking pin 10 may be used as part of a sealing, or spill management system, for a series of mats. For example, the locking pin 10 may provide a tight fit between the mats 10, 12 to inhibit the ingress of fluid and/or debris into the interface 70 (e.g.
The sealing member(s) 80 may have any suitable form, configuration and operation. Referring to
In this embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
If desired, the locking pin 10 may also or instead include one or more sealing members (not shown) extending around the periphery of the foot 66 of the rotor 50. This sealing member may be similar in construction and general operation to the sealing member 80 described above, except for use applied to the foot 66 engaging the rim 26a of the indentation 26 of the lower mat 14.
Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure thus offer advantages over the prior art and are well adapted to carry out one or more of the objects of this disclosure. However, the present invention does not require each of the components and acts described above and is in no way limited to the above-described embodiments or methods of operation. Any one or more of the above components, features and processes may be employed in any suitable configuration without inclusion of other such components, features and processes. Moreover, the present invention includes additional features, capabilities, functions, methods, uses and applications that have not been specifically addressed herein but are, or will become, apparent from the description herein, the appended drawings and claims.
The methods that may be described above or claimed herein and any other methods which may fall within the scope of the appended claims can be performed in any desired suitable order and are not necessarily limited to any sequence described herein or as may be listed in the appended claims. Further, the methods of the present invention do not necessarily require use of the particular embodiments shown and described herein, but are equally applicable with any other suitable structure, form and configuration of components.
While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, many variations, modifications and/or changes of the system, apparatus and methods of the present invention, such as in the components, details of construction and operation, arrangement of parts and/or methods of use, are possible, contemplated by the patent applicant(s), within the scope of the appended claims, and may be made and used by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or teachings of the invention and scope of appended claims. Thus, all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative, and the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims should not be limited to the embodiments described and shown herein.
Claims
1. Adjustable locking pin useful for connecting at least first and second adjacent mats configured to be placed upon the ground or another one or more surfaces, the first mat being configured to at least partially overlap the second mat so that a connecting hole in the first mat aligns over a connecting hole in the second mat, the adjustable locking pin comprising:
- an elongated main body having an upper end, a lower end and an at least partially threaded bore extending through said main body, said main body being configured to extend through the connecting hole of the first mat and into the connecting hole of the second mat; and
- an elongated at least partially threaded rotor configured to threadably engage said bore of said main body and extend therefrom, said rotor having an upper end and a lower end and being configured to be rotatable through at least one 360 degree revolution of rotation relative to said main body,
- said rotor having at least one foot disposed at said lower end thereof and being movable therewith relative to said main body, each said foot being rotatably movable between multiple locking and multiple unlocked positions when said main body is disposed within the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats, wherein each said foot in each said unlocked position is configured to be movable up through the connecting holes of the first and second mats, further wherein each said foot in each said locking position is configured to be non-movable up through the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats, engage the second mat at least partially around the connecting hole thereof and anchor the locking pin to the first and second mats,
- wherein said rotor is configured so that the rotation thereof in one direction relative to said main body draws said foot closer to said bottom of said main body and provides at least two different said locking positions of said foot, said foot in each said successive locking position being configured to form a tighter connection of the first and second mats, whereby the rotational adjustability of said rotor allows the first and second mats to be tightly held together.
2. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said main body includes a head at said upper end thereof, said head being configured to assist in preventing the rotation of said main body in the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats.
3. The adjustable locking pin of claim 2 further including at least one elastomeric seal extending around the periphery of said head of said main body, said at least one seal being configured to form a fluid tight seal between said head of said main body and the first mat around the connecting hole thereof.
4. The adjustable locking pin of claim 3 wherein said at least one seal is configured to prevent the entry of liquid into the connecting hole of the first mat from above.
5. The adjustable locking pin of claim 3 wherein each said foot, in each successive locking position as it is rotated in one direction, is configured to form a tighter connection of the first and second mats and increase compression of said at least one seal between said head of said main body and the first mat.
6. The adjustable locking pin of claim 3 wherein the first mat includes an indentation formed in an upper surface thereof around the connecting hole thereof, the indentation having a rim extending around the connecting hole, the rim having a curved outer surface, further wherein said head of said main body at least partially seats within the indentation of the first mat and said at least one seal is configured to engage and be compressed against the rim of the indentation of the first mat.
7. The adjustable locking pin of claim 6 wherein said at least one seal includes an upper bulb portion and an elongated lip extending downwardly therefrom, said upper bulb portion and elongated lip both extending around said head of said main body, said lip having a length defined by inwardly-tapered inner and outer sides terminating at a rounded bottom portion, wherein as said at least one seal is compressed between said head and the rim of the indentation of the first mat, said rounded bottom portion of said lip is configured to engage said rim.
8. The adjustable locking pin of claim 3 wherein the outer peripheral edge of said head of said main body has an unbroken oblong shape, further including at least one recess formed in said head to receive an extraction tool useful for removing the adjustable locking pin from the first and second mats, said at least one recess being spaced away from said outer peripheral edge of said head to allow a fluid tight seal to be formed around said head and between said at least one seal and the first mat.
9. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said rotor has at least three threads formed therein.
10. The adjustable locking pin of claim 9 wherein each said foot has a flat upper surface.
11. The adjustable locking pin of claim 9 wherein the second mat includes an indentation formed in a lower surface thereof around the connecting hole thereof, further wherein each said foot in each said locking position engages the indentation of the second mat.
12. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said rotor includes at least 5 threads formed therein.
13. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said rotor is configured to allow the tight connection of at least first and second mats having different respective thicknesses or being disposed upon an uneven surface.
14. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said main body has a plurality of weight reduction cut-outs formed therein.
15. The adjustable locking pin of claim 14 wherein said plurality of weight reduction cut-outs includes a plurality of slots formed in said main body, a plurality of ribs formed in said main body or a combination thereof.
16. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said rotor is configured to be rotatable through at least two 360 degree revolutions of rotation relative to said main body and wherein the rotation of said rotor in one direction relative to said main body provides at least four different said locking positions of said at least one foot, each said foot in each successive locking position being configured to form a tighter connection of the first and second mats.
17. The adjustable locking pin of claim 1 wherein said bore of said main body includes an upper section and a ledge disposed at the lower end of said upper section, further wherein said rotor includes a rotor head configured to be axially moveable within said upper section of said bore and sealable on said ledge of said bore, further wherein said rotor head includes a receiver at its upper end configured to receive a tool useful to rotate said rotor relative to said main body.
18. A sealing locking pin releasably engageable with at least first and second adjacent mats placed upon the ground or another one or more surfaces and useful to connect the mats together, the first mat being configured to at least partially overlap the second mat so that a connecting hole in the first mat aligns over a connecting hole in the second mat, the connecting hole of each mat extending from an upper surface to a lower surface of its respective mat, the sealing locking pin comprising:
- an elongated main body having an upper end, a lower end and a bore extending through said main body, said main body being configured to extend through the connecting hole of the first mat and into the connecting hole of the second mat, said main body having a head at said upper end thereof configured to engage the upper surface of the first mat around the connecting hole thereof;
- at least one elastomeric seal configured to extend around the periphery of said head of said main body, said at least one seal being configured to form a fluid tight seal between said head and the upper surface of the first mat when the locking pin is engaged with the first and second mats; and
- an elongated rotor configured to be disposed at least partially within said bore of said main body and extend downwardly therefrom, said rotor having an upper end and a lower end and being configured to be movable upwardly and downwardly in said bore relative to said main body, said rotor having at least one foot disposed at said lower end thereof and being movable therewith relative to said main body, each said foot being movable between multiple successive locking and unlocked positions when said rotor is moved in at least one direction relative to said main body and said main body is disposed within the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats, wherein each said foot in each said unlocked position is configured to be movable up through the connecting holes of the first and second mats, and wherein each said foot in each said locking position is configured to be non-movable up through the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats, engage the lower surface of the second mat at least partially around the connecting hole thereof and anchor the locking pin to the first and second mats.
19. The sealing locking pin of claim 18 wherein when said rotor is moved upwardly relative to said main body, each said foot in each said successive locking position is configured to form a tighter connection of the first and second mats.
20. The sealing locking pin of claim 18 wherein said main body is configured to be non-rotatable when disposed in the respective connecting holes of the first and second mats.
21. A method of connecting at least first and second mats positionable on the ground or one or more other surfaces with the use of an adjustable locking pin, the first mat at least partially overlapping the second mat so that a connecting hole in the first mat aligns over a connecting hole in the second mat, the adjustable locking pin having a main body with a threaded bore extending therethrough, a threaded rotor threadably engaged in the bore and extending downwardly therefrom, having a foot at its lower end and being rotatable in each direction through at least one 360 degree revolution of rotation relative to the main body, the method comprising:
- inserting the main body through the connecting hole of the first mat and into the connecting hole of the second mat until the foot of the rotor is positioned below the second mat; and
- selectively rotating the rotor relative to the main body and the first and second mats in the direction that moves the foot of the rotor closer to the main body into one among at least two different locking positions of the foot relative to the mats until a head at the upper end of the main body tightly engages the first mat at least partially around the connecting hole thereof and the foot of the rotor tightly engages the second mat at least partially around the connecting hole thereof, preventing vertical movement of either mat relative to the other at the location of the locking pin.
22. The method of claim 21 further including compressing at least one elastomeric seal that extends around the periphery of the head of the main body against the first mat, the at least one seal forming a fluid tight seal between the head of the main body and the first mat around the connecting hole thereof.
23. The method of claim 22 further including, after the passage of time since the first and second mats are connected with the adjustable locking pin and at least one of the mats has deformed, deteriorated or shifted, again selectively rotating the rotor relative to the main body and the first and second mats in the direction that moves the foot of the rotor closer to the main body until the head of the main body tightly engages the first mat and the foot of the rotor tightly engages the second mat, preventing vertical movement of either mat relative to the other at the location of the locking pin.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 26, 2015
Publication Date: Jan 21, 2016
Inventors: James Kerwin McDowell (Lafayette, LA), Donald Scott Rogers (Lafayette, LA)
Application Number: 14/752,067