Portable Runway

Abstract

A portable runway includes a sheet of thermoplastic composite materials that is rolled out to form the runway track and then heat cured in place to form a rigid. Suitable composite materials are glass, carbon or aramid fibers are co-mingled with thermoplastic fibers such as polyamides, polyolefins, polyesters, polyacrylates and polyimides so that the pliable co-mingled materials is in either fiber bundle (tow), yarn, braid, fabric or non-woven forms are layed down on the pregraded earth by unrolling, unstacking, unfolding, dispesing or spraying. Once in place the composite materials are consolidated and hardened by application of heat. The width of the surface of said portable runway may range from 1 meter to 25 meters. Anchoring pegs may be inserted along the edges of said portable runway prior to curing with the thickness of the surface ranging from 1 cm to 50 cm and the areal weight of the surface ranging from 50 grams per square meter (GSM) to 2,000 GSM.

Claims

1. A portable runway comprising a sheet of thermoplastic composite materials which is rolled out to form the runway track and then heat cured in place to form a rigid wherein suitable composite materials are glass, carbon or aramid fibers are co-mingled with thermoplastic fibers such as polyamides, polyolefins, polyesters, polyacrylates and polyimides so that said pliable co-mingled materials is in either fiber bundle (tow), yarn, braid, fabric or non-woven forms are laid down on the pre-graded earth by unrolling, un-stacking, unfolding, dispensing or spraying whereby once in place said composite materials are consolidated and hardened by application of heat.

2. A portable runway according to claim 1 wherein the width of the surface of said portable runway may range from 1 meter to 25 meters and wherein anchoring pegs may be inserted along the edges of said portable runway prior to curing with the thickness of the surface ranging from 1 cm to 50 cm and the areal weight of the surface ranging from 50 grams per square meter (GSM) to 2,000 GSM.

3. A portable runway according to claim 2 wherein several layers of material may be stacked in order to obtain enhanced strength.

4. A portable runway according to claim 1 wherein the target terrain is leveled using suitable earth moving equipment and subsequently, the runway surface is deployed and anchored so that deployment can be done either manually or using mechanized deployment equipment.

5. A portable runway according to claim 1 wherein said portable runway, once usage has been completed, can be refolded by reheating it, collapsing it and collecting it.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable runway which is based on thermoplastic composite materials and which is rolled out to form the runway track according to the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a photograph of a travelling heat applicator that uses convective, radiant or conductive heating.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1 before deployment a portable runway is a roll which is made out of thermoplastic composite materials and which is rolled out to form the runway track. The thermoplastic composite materials are then heat cured in place to form the rigid surface required. Curing may be accomplished by a mechanized heat application unit that travels along the runway path.

[0034] Suitable composite materials are glass, carbon or aramid fibers co-mingled with thermoplastic fibers such as polyamides, polyolefins, polyesters, polyacrylates and polyimides. The pliable co-mingled materials in either fiber bundle (tow), yarn, braid, fabric or non-woven forms are layed down on the pre-graded earth by unrolling, un-stacking, unfolding, dispensing or spraying. Once in place, the composite materials are consolidated and hardened (cured) by application of heat by a travelling heat applicator that uses convective, radiant or conductive heating. Solar energy may be also used as a heat source for curing. The width of the surface may range from 1 meter to 25 meters. Anchoring pegs may be inserted along the runway edges prior to curing. The thickness of the surface may range from 1 cm to 50 cm. The areal weight of the surface can range from 50 grams per square meter (GSM) to 2,000 GSM. Several layers of material may be stacked in order to obtain enhanced strength. The target terrain is leveled using suitable earth moving equipment and subsequently, the runway surface is deployed and anchored. Deployment can be done manually or using mechanized deployment equipment. Once usage had been completed, the portable runway can be refolded. Refolding the portable runway involves reheating it, then collapsing it and finally collecting it.

[0035] From the foregoing it can be seen that a portable runway that is based on thermoplastic composite materials and more particularly to a portable runway and that is rolled out to form the runway track and then heat cured in place to form the rigid surface that is required has been described. It should be noted that the sketches are not drawn to scale and that distances of and between the figures are not to be considered significant.

[0036] Accordingly it is intended that the foregoing disclosure and showing made in the drawing shall be considered only as an illustration of the principle of the present invention.