Methods for reinforcing a multi-panel support mat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10828660-B2
Application number	US-201715658665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2017
Priority date	Jul 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A method of reinforcing a support mat includes at least one extruder applying at least a first stream of weld-forming material over at least one seam formed between upper and lower, interconnected, at least partially overlapping, panels on the top of the mat and at least one automated extruder applying at least a second stream of weld-forming material over at least one seam formed between the panels on the bottom of the mat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of reinforcing a support mat over or proximate to at least one top-side seam and at least one bottom-side seam formed between upper and lower interconnected panels of the mat, the mat having a top and a bottom, the panels having similar or dissimilar shapes and dimensions, each panel having an outer face, an inner face and at least two side edges, the panels at least partially overlapping one another so that the inner faces of the upper and lower panels at least partially face and/or abut one another, the at least one top-side seam being formed between the upper and lower panels on the top of the mat and the at least one bottom-side seam being formed between the upper and lower panels on the bottom of the mat, the method comprising:
at least one extruder applying at least a first stream of weld-forming material over the at least one top-side seam to form a first weld atop the at least one top-side seam on the top of the mat;
at least one extruder applying at least a second stream of weld-forming material over the at least one bottom-side seam to form a second weld atop the at least one bottom-side seam on the bottom of the mat;
the at least one extruder forming the first and second welds to have respective first ends proximate to one another and respective second ends proximate to one another;
while the at least one extruder is applying the respective first and second streams of weld-forming material over the top-side and bottom-side seams, repeatedly measuring, via at least one force sensor associated with the at least one extruder, at least one among back-pressure resistance caused by at least one of the extruders, push and pull on at least one of the extruders, the position of at least one of the extruders relative to the mat, and one or more one characteristics of the weld-forming material applied to the mat by at least one of the extruders, wherein the at least one force sensor is configured to measure one or more forces placed upon or caused by the at least one extruder; and
in response to measurements taken, an automated robot changing position of at least one of the extruders, the speed of movement at least one of the extruders relative to the mat, the speed of movement of the mat relative to at least one of the extruders, the rate of application of weld-forming material from at least one of the extruders to the mat, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the at least one extruder moving relative to the mat while applying the weld-forming material thereto.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the mat moving relative to the at least one extruder while the at least one extruder applies the weld-forming material to the mat.

4. The method of claim 1 further including:
at least one extruder applying weld-forming material on a side edge of at least one among the upper and lower panels proximate to the first end of each of the first and second welds to form at least part of a first transition weld that will extend between and joins together the first and second welds at the respective first ends thereof, and
at least one extruder applying weld-forming material on a side edge of at least one among the upper and lower panels proximate to the second end of each of the first and second welds to form at least part of a second transition weld that will extend between and joins together the first and second welds at the respective second ends thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 further including:
at least one of the extruders at least partially forming the first transition weld prior to applying the first stream of weld-forming material onto the at least one top-side seam,
after at least partially forming the first transition weld, the at least one extruder applying the first stream of weld-forming material onto the at least one top-side seam and fluidly coupling together the first transition weld and the first stream of weld-forming material.

6. The method of claim 5 further including:
after applying the first stream of weld-forming material onto the at least one top-side seam to form the first weld, the at least one extruder at least partially forming the second transition weld and fluidly coupling together the second transition weld and the first stream of weld-forming material.

7. The method of claim 4 further including:
prior to applying the second stream of weld-forming material onto the at least one bottom-side seam, the at least one extruder completing the first transition weld and fluidly coupling together the first transition weld and the second stream of weld-forming material, and
after applying the second stream of weld-forming material onto the at least one bottom-side seam to form the second weld, the least one extruder completing the second transition weld and fluidly coupling together the second transition weld and the second stream of weld-forming material.

8. An automated method of reinforcing a support mat over or proximate to at least four seams formed between upper and lower interconnected panels of the mat, the mat having a top, a bottom and at least four sides, the panels having similar or dissimilar shapes and dimensions, each panel having an outer face, an inner face and at least four side edges, the panels at least partially overlapping one another so that the inner faces of the upper and lower panels at least partially face and/or abut one another and the first and second side edges of the lower panel and the third and fourth side edges of the upper panel extend beyond the corresponding adjacent side edges of the other panel, respectively, in each instance forming a distinct protruding lip that includes part of one panel bordered by a side edge of the other panel along each side of the mat, a seam being formed along the intersection of the respective side edge of each panel that forms the border of each protruding lip and the inner face of the other panel, wherein first and second seams are formed between at least part of the first and second side edges of the upper panel and the inner face of the lower panel, respectively, and third and fourth seams are formed between at least part of the fourth and third side edges of the lower panel and the inner face of the upper panel, respectively, the automated method comprising:
at least one automated extruder applying at least a first stream of weld-forming material over the first and second seams to form a first linear weld atop the first and second seams;
at least one automated extruder applying at least a second stream of weld-forming material over the third and fourth seams to form a second linear weld atop the third and fourth seams, the first and second linear welds each having a first end and a second end, respectively;
at least one automated extruder applying weld-forming material on the fourth side edge of the lower panel and/or the first side edge of the upper panel adjacent to the intersection of the fourth side edge of the lower panel and the first side edge of the upper panel to form at least part of a first transition weld that will extend between and joins together the first and second linear welds at the respective first ends thereof; and
at least one automated extruder applying weld-forming material on the third side edge of the lower panel and/or the second side edge of the upper panel adjacent to the intersection of the third side edge of the lower panel and the second side edge of the upper panel to form at least part of a second transition weld that will extend between and joins together the first and second linear welds at the respective second ends thereof
while the at least one automated extruder is applying the respective first and second streams of weld-forming material over the top-side a

Assignees

• Newpark Mats & Integrated Services Llc

Inventors

• Hugghins Joel
• Dugas Aaron
• Holtkamp Christian Peter
• Pupovac Rade
• Hoeksma Peter Filice
• Davidson Shawn Joseph
• Hickson Bryan Arthur Joseph

Classifications

• E01C5/005

  Individual couplings or spacer elements for joining the prefabricated units (E01C5/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C11/1005

  responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material already applied to the surface, e.g. coating thickness, weight or pattern · CPC title

• B29C66/932

  by measuring the speed · CPC title

• B29C65/7841

  Holding or clamping means for handling purposes (clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04) · CPC title

• B29C66/836

  Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table (B29C66/65 takes precedence) · CPC title