Cosmetic enhancement of overpass structure

Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Ornamental: color – thickness variation – or dissimilar...

Reexamination Certificate

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C052S749100, C052S746100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06308481

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed towards methods and materials useful in enhancing the cosmetic appearance of overpass structures, and a system and kit for accomplishing such.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Public funding for roadway improvements and infrastructure repairs and maintenance have fallen well below levels needed to keep up with the steadily deteriorating conditions of the public roadways in the United States. Roadway deterioration of structural components of overpass structures are most commonly treated with temporary or convenient repairs that shore-up the structural integrity of the overpass, but leaves much to be desired as to cosmetic appearance. Damage to roadway overpasses occurs both structurally and cosmetically where peeling paint and visible rusting create eyesores which are both aesthetically undesirable, and gives the public tax-payer negative feed-back as to the use of hard-earned tax dollars.
Similarly, many railroad bridges are in a state of disrepair and cosmetic deterioration, some crossing over roadways, or spanning barriers such that these cosmetic imperfections are viewable by observers in their vicinity.
This is most apparent to anyone who has driven on roadways and has seen the deterioration and dirt under roadway overpass structures. While cosmetic deterioration such as dirt, bird droppings, peeling and discolored paint, graffiti, and surface rust do not significantly effect the structural integrity of overpasses, such cosmetic blemishes cause psychological harm and assault aesthetic sensibilities. The basic construction of bridges and roads are described briefly in, for example, Lapinski, Michael A.,
Road and Bridge Construction Handbook,
Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, N.Y., 1978).
A simple and cost-effective method of cosmetically disguising peeling paint, surface rust spots, or structural repairs would be useful and help reduce the overall cost of cosmetic maintenance of roadway overpass structures.
For several years, plastic based siding has been commercially available for cladding homes. (See for example Alth, Max,
Do-it-yourself Roofing and Siding,
Hawthorne Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1977, Chps. 8 & 99; and Dietz, Albert G. H.,
Dwelling House Construction,
4th ed., The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1974, pp. 234-8). Typically plastic or vinyl siding is made of pvc, pva or other suitable polymer or copolymer, which can be obtained from virgin synthetic material or recycled plastics. Suitable plastics include, but are not limited to, thermoplastic resins such as ABS, acetals, acrylics, acrylonitrile-based resins, cellulosics, fluorocarbons, phenylene oxide based resins, polyallomers, polyamides, polyaryl ether, polyaryl sulfone, polybutylene, polycarbonates, polyester, polyethylene, polyimides, polyphenylene sulfide, polypropylenes, polystyrene, polysulfone, and vinyls, or thermosetting resins such as alkyds, allylics, epoxies, melamines, phenolics, polyesters, silicones, and ureas.
Plastics suitable for use in the present invention, and methods of manufacture and manipulation of such are known in the art, and can be found described in, for example,
Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.,
(4th ed., ed. Joel Frados, VanNostrand Reinhold Co., Chicago, 1976). Plastics have long become a large component of the home construction industry (see for example Dietz, Albert G. H.,
Dwelling House Construction,
4th ed., The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1974, Chapter 16), and are well suited for use in public works projects. Plastics can be enhanced with chemical additives to inhibit the adherence of paints, inks and the like to the surface of these plastics. This can serve as a useful deterrent to graffiti and other forms of vandalism or defacing. In addition to being a suitable material, the incorporation of recycled plastics from consumer packaging into the siding of the invention will provide added benefits to the environment as a whole.
The use of plastic cladding, adapted for attachment to roadway or railway overpass support structures, in a system of this invention is a useful and cost-effective means of cosmetically enhancing the appearance of public roadways.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention encompasses a method for cosmetically enhancing the appearance of overpass structures, said method comprising the steps of affixing a plastic sheet to the exposed surfaces of said overpass wherein said plastic sheet is molded to removable attach to said surface. The invention encompasses a system of covering an overpass structure comprising plastic sheet segments adapted for attachment to the overpass structure. The invention provides for kits comprising plastic sheets and attachment means, apparatus or devices such as adhesives, glues, staples, bolts, screws, nails, hooks, clamps, clips, or snaps and the like; and also for ancillary components such as bushings, washers, spacers, corner pieces, endpieces and the like, for practicing the method of the invention using the system of the invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plastic sheets are extruded and/or molded in segments which when fitted together form a relatively uniform continuous surface. It is preferred that the plastic sheets of the invention be adapted for attachment to overpass structures.
The plastic sheet segments of the invention can be reversibly affixed to overpass support structures using any number of attachment means, including nails, staples, screws, bolts, hooks, clips, clamps, snaps, buckles, straps, wires, glues, and other suitable adhesives.
In a preferred embodiment, the system of the invention provides multiple plastic sheets, adapted for attachment to overpass structures, which interlock with each other to form a flexible continuous covering segment over an exposed surface of an overpass. The system of the invention provides for suitable attachment means including anchors, such as for example bolts, screws, nails, or spikes, and optionally adhesives. In a preferred embodiment, the system of the invention provides plastic sheeting adapted for attachment to overpass structures by having suitably placed and suitably strengthened attachment points on the body of the sheets. Such attachment points may accept clips, adhesives, or used for securing bolts, screws, nails or the like with the plastic sheet to the overpass structure. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment points allow for fixing the sheets to the structure and allow for suitable accommodation of the thermal expansion and contraction of the plastic sheet.
In a preferred embodiment, a first anchor sheet can be semi-permanently attached to said overpass structure such that subsequent sheets, formed to interlock with each other, will become semi-permanently anchored to the previously attached sheet via suitably interlocking molded structures on the sheets themselves, followed by anchoring of the remaining free ends to the support overpass via clips, nails or screws that are semi-permanently or permanently attached to the overpass structure. The anchoring of the free end can occur prior to, or after positioning the next interlocking sheet in series.
The invention provides for plastic sheet and ancillary cladding components which have been adapted for attachment to overpass structures. This adaptation comprising integrated attachment points which allow for reversibly fixing siding sheets to structures using suitable attaching means such as including nails, staples, screws, bolts, hooks, clips, clamps, snaps, buckles, straps, wires, glues, and other suitable adhesives. In particular, the invention provides for plastic sheet extruded and/or molded to be fitted over and within the side of a typical steel I-beam. Such “fitted” plastic sheets are either “half” or “full” in that two “half” sheets would cover both sides and the bottom of an I-beam, the seam being a the bottom of the exposed I-beam, or “full” in that the plastic sheet is molded to slip over the entire exposed I-beam, with no seam on the bottom of the I-beam. This “f

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