Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Hollow or container type article – Glass – ceramic – or sintered – fused – fired – or calcined metal...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-24
2001-11-27
Dye, Rena L. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Hollow or container type article
Glass, ceramic, or sintered, fused, fired, or calcined metal...
C428S035700, C428S036800, C428S036900, C428S903300, C052S749100, C052S749100, C052S749100, C052S749100, C052S749100, C052SDIG009
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322863
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1.—Field of Invention
This invention relates to the recycling of scrap automobile tires and ground plastic as a construction material in the production of a utility pole with a pipe column and reinforcing rod support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2.—Prior Art
Recycling of tires and plastic is not a new idea. In the early 1900's, many tire manufacturer's recycled scrap tires. However, as production costs declined, tire recycling almost disappeared, especially with the introduction of the steel belted radial. In the United States alone, there are over 250-300 million scrap tires accumulated annually, in addition to an existing supply of nearly 2 billion that are stockpiled, illegally dumped or privately stored. Waste scrap tires present landfill problems, are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rats, and do not disintegrate to reduce their volume in stockpiling.
Several means of disposal of scrap tires are used today. For example, cement kilns now burn used scrap tires as a source of energy. Because the scrap tires yield high amounts of energy, they are a viable source of energy. This burning creates incredible amounts of dangerous emissions which include lead, mercury, dioxins and furons (recognized carcinogenic), and the unnecessary waste of a viable resource (scrap tires and ground plastic) make this method impractical. Another popular method, mixing ground tire rubber in asphalt, has proven to be ineffective and in some cases, dangerous. As was evidenced in the ‘burning road” incident in Washington State, the steel remnants of tire buffing corrode and cause a reaction which will ignite the asphalt surface under high ambient temperatures. Rubber asphalt is costly, nearly double the cost as opposed to conventional asphalt. Finally, one popular method has been grinding the scrap tires into crumb rubber. Crumb rubber is derived from the chopping of the scrap tires through a grinder, then sifted through screens, and the scrap tires are reduced to a crumb, or mesh, with different grades and textures. The basis of this application addresses a new and improved use for the crumb rubber in molded recycling projects.
Plastics also create problems for disposal. Since the practice of landfilling plastics has practically disappeared in the United States, state and local governments have been placed with the burden of recycling. Plastics also present major problems in reclaiming projects. Because each type of plastic melts at different temperatures, and the process by which the plastic is made (injection molding, blow molding, etc.) will create imperfect end products if melted, the plastic industry has faced many obstacles in making reliable products. It has been the practice of plastic manufacturer's to mix the recycled material with virgin plastic and additives. However, tremendous amounts of toxins are produced when melting plastics. Millions of pounds of plastic each year are deemed unacceptable for use by recyclers in this country and end up being shipped overseas. As with used scrap tires, plastic can be ground into pellets through the use of grinders.
The new utility pole not only serves the purpose of disposing of the scrap tires and ground plastic, but also serves as savior for the old growth forests which are being destroyed. Currently in the United States, over 100,000,000 utility poles are in place and as the communication age demands more telephone lines, the demand for new poles will be at a constant demand for the foreseeable future. Utility poles have numerous problems both structurally and environmentally. They are treated with dangerous creosote or pentachlorophenol, which not only leeches into the groundwater but also prevents their use as landfill. Creosote, so long used to treat utility poles, has now been linked to problems caused to the lungs and central nervous system of animals and humans who are exposed to creosote for long periods of time. Preliminary studies are finding that each pole in itself is an extreme danger to the groundwater.
Many have recognized the shortcomings of the wooden utility poles and have made efforts to replace these poles with substitute materials. Concrete poles, which crack and are extremely heavy and hard to transport, have become prevalent in warmer climates as a substitute. Aluminum poles have also gained popularity but are now causing headaches in metropolitan areas due to increased risk of electrocution from wires that may be exposed from the base of the poles.
PRIOR ART
Previous patents have addressed the problem of scrap tire disposal, and more specifically, pole assemblies. Miller U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,754 (1993) and 5,472,750 (1995) teaches a utility pole comprised of scrap motor vehicle tires. Miller uses a process where the tire carcasses are cut, then are glued with a binder. No internal metal structure is for support is mentioned. Hammer U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,473 (1996) discloses a guardrail post having an internal metal structure surrounded by an outer plastic material. Farber U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,477 (1996) presents a telephone-like pole having an internal structure surrounded by premolded external segments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,809 (1995) to Frankel shows poles with external metal reinforcements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,921 (1995) to Tripp teaches an i-beam structure made of discarded tire belts, with no mention of a reinforcement. Borzakian U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,180,531 (1993) and 5,051,285 (1991) teaches of heating the plastic in a wet mix to make plastic pole reinforcement with no further explanation on how the pole will be used as a reinforcement for the utility pole. Borzakian does teach the plastic piling to be “typically 10 feet long”, which does not provide the necessary length required for utility poles.
The patents referenced above have several disadvantages:
A) Utility poles require structural integrity as the length of the pole increases. Factors such as wind and stress will greatly affect the stability of the pole. Previous patents have ignored the need for reinforcement to molded recycled rubber products.
B) Segmented poles, poles that are coupled and joined, do not provide the necessary structural integrity at joints for lengths above 20 feet.
C) The end product must be both useful and economical.
D) Pollution becomes an issue as the tires are heated, creating deadly toxins.
It is the intent of the new utility pole to make a more durable, ascetically pleasing and environmentally friendly pole through the use of ground tire rubber and ground plastic. Because of the composition of ground tire rubber and ground plastic which make them virtually indestructible, problems with decay due to insects, woodpeckers, salt and other environmental forces, which destroy the wooden poles, will not be present in the new utility pole. One skilled in the art will recognize that this new utility pole takes the ground remains of scrap tires and ground plastic, which are acquired by making several passes through grinders to remove the steel components and reduce tire volume (a different grinder is used for the plastic), and through the combination of a urethane binder and fire retardant, create a utility pole.
Reference Numerals in Drawings
12
Steel Plate Casing
14
Scrap Rubber Emulsion
16
Steel Angle Casing Support
18
Reinforcing Rods
20
Pipe Column
22
Optional Fill in Access in Horizontal Position
24
High Strength Bolt
26
Bar Chair
REFERENCES:
patent: 5051285 (1991-09-01), Borzakian
patent: 5094905 (1992-03-01), Murray
patent: 5180531 (1993-01-01), Borzakian
patent: 5246754 (1993-09-01), Miller
patent: 5412921 (1995-05-01), Tripp
patent: 5471809 (1995-12-01), Frankel
patent: 5472750 (1995-12-01), Miller
patent: 5507473 (1996-04-01), Hammer
patent: 5513477 (1996-05-01), Farber
patent: 5650224 (1997-07-01), March et al.
patent: 5658519 (1997-08-01), March et al.
patent: 5675956 (1997-10-01), Nevin
Dye Rena L.
Kubicky Paul J.
LandOfFree
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