Structures having enhanced slip-resistant surfaces and associated methods

Abstract

A structure and associated methods are provided having enhanced slip-resistant surfaces formed on the projections, recesses or other surfaces of the structure to promote safe and stable movement of people and/or objects on the structure. These structures can include, for example, those materials commonly installed on vehicles such as emergency vehicles. The methods associated with the structure include roughening at least one smooth surface of the structure to provide an enhanced slip-resistant surface. In separate aspects of the method, for example, mechanical roughening processes are disclosed which employ a set of two rollers, a single roller or a punch die arrangement to roughen a smooth surface of a structure. The enhanced slip-resistant structure can then be installed on a vehicle or employed in a variety of other applications where safe and stable movement of people and/or objects is desirable.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structure having a frictional surface or surfaces thereon comprising, 
 at least one smooth surface provided with increased slip resistance by a means for creating a frictional surface on said smooth surface; and,    said smooth surface selected from the group consisting of a surface having at least one projection means extending therefrom, a substantially continuous surface, a surface having at least one recess means formed therein, a surface having a combination of at least one projection means extending therefrom and at least one recess means formed therein, and reasonable combinations thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said means for creating a frictional surface is selected from the group consisting of mechanical means, chemical means, electrical means, and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein said electrical means includes means selected from the group consisting of laser, electro-discharge texturing, and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said structure is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel, stainless steel, and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 4 , wherein said aluminum alloy is an alloy series selected from the group consisting of 2000, 3000, 5000, 6000, 7000 and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5 , wherein said aluminum alloy is an alloy series selected from the group consisting of 3003, 5086, 5052, 6061, 6013 and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said structure is a fire truck quality tread sheet composed of 3003 aluminum alloy having a temper of H2X, wherein “X” is an integer.  
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said structure is selected from the group consisting of extruded material, rolled material, tread plate material and reasonable combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the height of said projection means is about 0.025 to 0.100 inches.  
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the width of said projection means is about 0.25 to 0.375 inches.  
     
     
         11 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the length of said projection means is about 0.85 to 1.3 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the height of said projection means is at least about 10% of the width of said projection means.  
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the height of said projection means is at least about 20% of the thickness of said structure.  
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center spacing between any two individual projection means is about 1 to 1.5 inches.  
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 20% to 50% of the exterior surface of said structure has said projection means formed thereon.  
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a frictional surface on a structure to provide said structure with enhanced slip-resistance, comprising: 
 a. providing a structure having at least one smooth surface thereon, said smooth surface selected from the group consisting of a surface having at least one projection means extending therefrom, a substantially continuous surface, a surface having at least one recess means formed therein, and a surface having a combination of at least one projection means extending therefrom and at least one recess means formed therein, and reasonable combinations thereof; and,    b. roughening said smooth surface to provide said structure with a frictional surface having enhanced slip-resistance.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes passing said structure through a set of rollers having an embossing roller for roughening said smooth surface of said structure with said embossing roller.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes tensioning said structure against an embossing roller for roughening said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes pressing a punch die having an embossing surface against said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes employing chemicals to roughen said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes cladding said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes using laser means for roughening said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said roughening step includes using electro-discharge texturing to roughen said smooth surface of said structure.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further including the step of installing structure plate on a vehicle after performing said roughening step.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said vehicle is an emergency vehicle.  
     
     
         26 . A structure roughened in accordance with the method of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         27 . A structure, comprising: 
 first and second sides; and,    at least one button formed on said first side of said structure having a friction bearing surface produced thereon by roughening means to provide enhanced slip resistance to said structure.    
     
     
         28 . The structure of  claim 27 , wherein said structure is substantially flat.  
     
     
         29 . The structure of  claim 27 , wherein said second side of said structure is a substantially continuous smooth surface.  
     
     
         30 . The structure of  claim 27 , wherein said button is a recess extending below the exterior surface of said first side of said structure.