Patent US4325546A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4325546A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular athletic playing surface with tuned compliance
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-01-09
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Granted: 1982-04-20
•
Expires: 2000-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A closely spaced array of modules forms an athletic playing surface characterized by a high degree of vertical compliance, an extreme resistance to lateral shear, and a high degree of uniformity of response. Each module has a laminated construction that includes a pair of stiffly resilient plates in a generally parallel, spaced relationship. One or more spacer plates and a plurality of resilient members are "sandwiched" between the plates. The lower plate is supported on a frame that allows it to flex in response to an applied force, typically the impact of a runner's foot on the upper plate. The spacer plate is configured, positioned, and secured to the upper and lower plates to mechanically couple them in a manner that, to a large degree, compensates for a non-uniformity of the deflection response of the module introduced by the frame support. The resilient members are selected and positioned to provide a substantially uniform deflection response at the upper plate. In the preferred form, the module has a set of hold-down bolts that extend between the upper and lower plates at points remote from the spacer plate or plates. The bolts limit the maximum vertical spacing between the plates and provide a convenient adjustment of both the vertical compliance of the module and the level of the upper plate. Also, the edges of adjacent upper plates preferably carry a set of control tabs, each secured to one plate and extending under the adjacent plate, to control the maximum vertical displacement between the adjacent edges.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. McMahon
- 👤 Peter R. Greene
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:11
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01C; E01C13/00; E01C13/04; E01C13/045; E01C13/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S273/00; Y10S273/07; Y10S273/29; Y10S482/00; Y10S482/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
An athletic playing surface that receives impacts on its upper surface comprises an array of modules in side by side, closely spaced relationship, each of said modules comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, said plates being stiffly resilient and in a generally parallel, spaced apart relationship, spacer means coupled between said upper and lower plates in a face abutting relationship, the abutting faces of said spacer means having an area that is substantially smaller than that of either of said plates, said spacer means having a flexural stiffness at least roughly comparable to the flexural stiffness of said plates, and a plurality of resilient members disposed between said upper and lower plates, said resilient members being substantially more resilient than said plates and spacer means, and spaced horizontally from and arranged in a pattern substantially circumscribing at least two sides of each said spacer means, said module having a large vertical compliance and presenting a low effective vertical mass to said impacts, and said spacer means and resilient members having their dimensions and their locations with respect to said plates selected to provide a compliance response to said impact that is substantially uniform over said upper plate and substantially independent of the area of the impact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
An athletic playing surface that receives impacts on its upper surface comprises an array of modules in side by side, closely spaced relationship, each of said modules comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, said plates being stiffly resilient and in a generally parallel, spaced apart relationship, spacer means coupled between said upper and lower plates in a face abutting relationship, the abutting faces of said spacer means having an area that is substantially smaller than that of either of said plates, said spacer means having a flexural stiffness at least roughly comparable to the flexural stiffness of said plates, and a plurality of resilient members disposed between said upper and lower plates, said resilient members being substantially more resilient than said plates and spacer means, and spaced horizontally from and arranged in a pattern substantially circumscribing at least two sides of each said spacer means, said module having a large vertical compliance and presenting a low effective vertical mass to said impacts, and said spacer means and resilient members having their dimensions and their locations with respect to said plates selected to provide a compliance response to said impact that is substantially uniform over said upper plate and substantially independent of the area of the impact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 further comprising means for supporting said lower plate to allow a vertical flexing movement of the plate in response to said impacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 2 wherein said supporting means supports said lower plate along its entire periphery and said spacer means comprises a plate member substantially centered on said upper and lower plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 2 wherein said plates are generally rectangular, said support means extends generally along two opposed edges of said lower plate and said spacer means comprises a pair of plate members each located adjacent the unsupported edges of said lower plate generally midway between said supported edges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 2 wherein a portion of said frame extends laterally beyond said lower plate and is spaced from said upper plate to limit the maximum downward deflection of said upper plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said resilient members are formed of a highly resilient material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 6 wherein said highly resilient material has a durometer value in the range of 15 to 80.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 further comprising means for securing said plates to one another at points removed from said spacer means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 8 wherein said securing means limits the maximum vertical spacing between said plates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 9 wherein said securing means are located at a plurality of generally symmetrical points around the periphery of said module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 9 wherein said securing means comprises a bolt and a nut threaded on the bolt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 11 further comprising means for securing said nut against rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 11 wherein said nuts are lock nuts with locking elastic inserts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said plates are plywood.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said plates are fiberglass encased plywood panels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said plates are a plastic sheet material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein the upper plates of adjacent pairs of said modules are generally co-planar when undeflected and further comprising means for controlling the relative vertical displacement of the adjacent edges of said adjacent upper plates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 17 wherein said control means comprises at least one first control tab secured to one of said adjacent upper plates and extending horizontally under the other adjacent upper plate and at least one second control tab secured to said other adjacent upper plate and extending horizontally under said one adjacent upper plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 18 wherein said first and second control tabs are secured alternately along said adjacent edges.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 18 wherein said control tabs are pivotally secured to said upper plates.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said resilient members are secured to said lower plate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said vertical compliance is in the range of 5,000 to 35,000 lbf/ft when expressed as a spring constant and applied over a rigid five inch diameter disk.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said effective vertical mass is no greater than 1/10 the mass of an athlete performing on the surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
An athletic playing surface according to claim 1 wherein said uniformity of vertical compliance varies less than ±15% over said upper plate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
286 words
An athletic playing surface that receives impacts on its upper surface comprises an array of modules in side by side, closely spaced relationship, each of said modules comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, said plates being stiffly resilient and in a generally parallel, spaced apart relationship, spacer means coupled between said upper and lower plates in a face abutting relationship, the abutting faces of said spacer means having an area that is substantially smaller than that of either of said plates, said spacer means having a flexural stiffness at least roughly comparable to the flexural stiffness of said plates, a plurality of resilient members disposed between said upper and lower plates, said resilient members being substantially more resilient than said plates and spacer means, and spaced horizontally from and arranged in a pattern substantially circumscribing at least two sides of each said spacer means, support means for said lower plate to allow a vertical flexing movement of the plate in response to said impacts, means for securing said plates to one another at points removed from said spacer means in a manner that limits the maximum vertical separation between said upper and lower plates, and means for controlling the vertical displacement of the edge of said upper plate relative to the edges of the upper plates of said closely spaced adjacent modules, and said module having a large vertical compliance and presenting a low effective vertical mass to said impacts, and said spacer means and resilient members having their dimensions and their location with respect to said plates selected to provide a compliance response to said impact that is substantially uniform over said upper plate and substantially independent of the area of the impact.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
286 words
An athletic playing surface that receives impacts on its upper surface comprises an array of modules in side by side, closely spaced relationship, each of said modules comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, said plates being stiffly resilient and in a generally parallel, spaced apart relationship, spacer means coupled between said upper and lower plates in a face abutting relationship, the abutting faces of said spacer means having an area that is substantially smaller than that of either of said plates, said spacer means having a flexural stiffness at least roughly comparable to the flexural stiffness of said plates, a plurality of resilient members disposed between said upper and lower plates, said resilient members being substantially more resilient than said plates and spacer means, and spaced horizontally from and arranged in a pattern substantially circumscribing at least two sides of each said spacer means, support means for said lower plate to allow a vertical flexing movement of the plate in response to said impacts, means for securing said plates to one another at points removed from said spacer means in a manner that limits the maximum vertical separation between said upper and lower plates, and means for controlling the vertical displacement of the edge of said upper plate relative to the edges of the upper plates of said closely spaced adjacent modules, and said module having a large vertical compliance and presenting a low effective vertical mass to said impacts, and said spacer means and resilient members having their dimensions and their location with respect to said plates selected to provide a compliance response to said impact that is substantially uniform over said upper plate and substantially independent of the area of the impact.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-04-19 | 1985-10-19 | 1986-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-04-19 | 1989-10-19 | 1990-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-04-19 | 1993-10-19 | 1994-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |