DEPLOYABLE SIDEWALK AND METHOD FOR USING SAME

Abstract

A deployable sidewalk has a plurality of walking surfaces. Each walking surface is a plastic tube having a longitudinal axis, a first lateral end, a second lateral end, and a pair of axial holes therethrough. Each hole is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from the first lateral end and the second lateral end. A flexible tube extends through each hole for joining the walking surfaces together. A spacer fits over the flexible tube between adjacent walking surfaces. Also disclosed is method of providing a temporary sidewalk including: rolling out a deployable sidewalk, described above, and thereafter walking on the walking surface of the deployable sidewalk.

Claims

1. A deployable sidewalk comprising: a plurality of walking surfaces, each walking surface being a plastic tube having a longitudinal axis, a first lateral end, a second lateral end, and a pair of axial holes therethrough, each hole being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from the first lateral end and the second lateral end, a flexible tube extending through each hole for joining the walking surfaces together, and a spacer fit over the flexible tube between adjacent walking surfaces.

2. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 wherein the plastic tubes are ABS or PVC.

3. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 wherein the plastic tubes are about 3 feet wide.

4. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 wherein spaced away is about 6-9 inches.

5. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 wherein a space between plastic tubes is in a range of about 1-3 inches.

6. The deployable sidewalk of claim 5 wherein the space is about 1 inch.

7. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 wherein the flexible tube being a plastic tube or a fiber reinforced plastic tube.

8. The deployable sidewalk of claim 1 further comprising a cap at each terminal end of the flexible tube for securing the walking surfaces along the flexible tubing.

9. A method of providing a temporary sidewalk comprising the steps of: rolling out a deployable sidewalk including a plurality of walking surfaces, each walking surface being a plastic tube having a longitudinal axis, a first lateral end, a second lateral end, and a pair of axial holes therethrough, each hole being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from the first lateral end and the second lateral end, a flexible tube extending through each hole for joining the walking surfaces together, and a spacer fit over the flexible tube between adjacent walking surfaces, and thereafter walking on the walking surface of the deployable sidewalk.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the plastic tubes are ABS or PVC.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the plastic tubes are about 3 feet wide.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein spaced away is about 6-9 inches.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein a space between plastic tubes is in a range of about 1-3 inches.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the space is about 1 inch.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the flexible tube being a plastic tube or a fiber reinforced plastic tube.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the deployable sidewalk further comprises a cap at each terminal end of the flexible tube for securing the walking surfaces along the flexible tubing.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form that is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0007] FIG. 1 is an environmental illustration showing a possible use of an embodiment of the invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an embodiment of the invention.

[0009] FIG. 3 is an expanded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,

[0010] FIG. 4 is an illustration of another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In the attached drawings, like elements have like numerals Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a first and preferred embodiment of the deployable sidewalk 10 is described below.

[0012] The sidewalk (or walkway) 10 is deployable. Deployable, as used herein, means that the sidewalk may be used as and/or where needed. The sidewalk may be rolled up and stored, when not in use, but in use, the sidewalk is placed, where needed, and then unrolled. Thus, providing a solid walking surface over wet and/or muddy and/or soggy ground. When no longer needed, the sidewalk may be rolled up (and washed, e.g., by hosing off mud or the like) and stored for re-use. FIG. 1 shows the sidewalk 10 in use, at a home construction site, with straight and curved portions. Sidewalk 10 may be provided is sections of various length, e.g., 10-20 feet for long runs, but may also be provided in shorter lengths, e.g., less than 10 feet to create special sections, e.g., 90° turns, T-sections, Y-sections, and the like.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, sidewalk 10 generally includes: a plurality of walking surfaces 12, each walking surface may be a plastic tube having a longitudinal axis 13, a first lateral end 15, a second lateral end 17, and a pair of axial holes 19 therethrough, each hole 19 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from the first lateral end and the second lateral end; a flexible tube 16 extending through each hole for joining the walking surfaces together, and a spacer 14 fit over the flexible tube between adjacent walking surfaces 12. Optionally, terminal ends of the flexible tube may be capped with caps 20, whereby these caps secure the walking surfaces 12 on the flexible tube 16.

[0014] Each plastic tube 12 has dimensions (length and diameter) which are consistent, tube to tube. The plastic tube may have, for example, a 2 inch diameter. Each tube has two holes 19 therethrough, each of these holes is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 13 of the tube. These holes form channels through which the flexible tube 16 is threaded. The tubes 12 are plastic and may be made of any suitable material, such as ABS or PVC. While not being bound to the following dimensions, the plastic tubes may have a length of about 30-36 inches and the holes may be spaced away from each lateral end in a range of 6-9 inches. Tubes 12, when linked (or joined together), are spaced from one another by about 1-3 inches and in some embodiments the space may be about 1 inch.

[0015] Flexible tube 16 is threaded through each hole 19 and joins the plurality of walking surfaces 12 together. In some embodiments, the outside diameter of the flexible tube 16 is only slightly less than the diameter of the holes 19 (to facilitate threading). The flexible tube 16 may be made of any suitable material, including, for example, flexible plastic tubing or flexible plastic tubing with fiber reinforcement. The flexible tube 16 may be a vinyl tube. The flexible tube may have an ½″ ID. Terminal ends of the flexible tube 16 may be capped with a stop (or cap) 20 to fix the walking surfaces 12 along the flexible tubing 16. The flexible tube 16 allows the walkway 10 to be curved.

[0016] Spacers 14 fit over the flexible tube 16 and are located between walking surfaces 12. Spacers may be made of any suitable material, for example, plastic (ABS or PVC).

[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of sidewalk 50. Sidewalk 50 includes a plurality of planks 52 with a pair of holes 54 located at lateral ends of each plank and a rope 56, e.g. wire rope, threaded through the holes 54. The holes 54 are generally parallel to one another, extend through the plank, and parallel to the walking surface of the plank. The rope is a loop extending through the entire section of sidewalk 50. Sidewalk 50 may include a plurality gripper 58, e.g., nails with washers, to reduce slipperiness of the surface of planks. Like sidewalk 10, sidewalk 50 is curve-able, re-useable, storable, and comes in the previously described sections. Planks 50 may be commercially available wooden lumber (pressure treated and non-pressure treated) or plastic composite decking material (e.g., TREX® composite decking lumber).

[0018] The present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and the essential attributes thereof, and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicated the scope of the invention.