Pre-cast detectable warning tile system and method

Abstract

A pre-cast textured tile system and method for positioning on walkways, crosswalks and other areas of pedestrian traffic for providing direction and warning to visually handicapped persons. The tile may be made for embedding in fresh concrete on a walking surface and have a substantially planar piece with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface having a plurality of raised elements and the bottom surface being sterified. A number of the tiles may be aligned so as to easily adapt to a number of different shapes and purposes. The tiles are not interconnected, but rather abut one another with at least one edge being flush to the walking surface.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A pre-cast textured tile made for embedding in fresh concrete on a walking surface comprising a substantially planar piece with a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a plurality of raised elements and said bottom surface being sterified.  
     
     
         2 . A pre-cast textured tile as in  claim 1 , wherein said raised element is a truncated dome.  
     
     
         3 . A pre-cast textured tile as in  claim 1 , wherein said raised element is between 0.2 and 1 inches above the surface of the tile.  
     
     
         4 . A pre-cast textured tile as in  claim 1 , wherein said pre-cast textured tile has at least three edges and at least one edge of said pre-cast textured tile is flush with said walking surface.  
     
     
         5 . A pre-cast tile system for use on a walking surface for providing direction and warning to visually handicapped persons, said pre-cast tile system comprising: 
 a multitude of substantially rectangular planar pieces with a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a plurality of raised elements projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified;    a multitude of substantially angled planar cut pieces with a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a plurality of raised elements projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified; and    wherein said substantially angled planar cut pieces and said substantially rectangular planar pieces are placed together so as to form a walking surface which is flush to the edge of a surface.    
     
     
         6 . A textured tile system as in  claim 5 , wherein at least one edge of said substantially angled planar cut pieces is flush with said surface.  
     
     
         7 . A textured tile system as in  claim 5 , wherein at least one edge of said substantially rectangular planar pieces is flush with said surface.  
     
     
         8 . A textured tile system as in  claim 5 , wherein at least one edge of said substantially angled planar cut pieces abuts at least one edge of said substantially rectangular planar pieces.  
     
     
         9 . A textured tile system as in  claim 5 , wherein said multitude of substantially rectangular planar pieces each have two opposite side edges intended for alignment with corresponding side edges of other tiles, and front edge and rear edges at least one of which is a traffic facing edge, in which said raised elements adjacent each said traffic facing edge are lower in height than said raised element elsewhere on said tile, said tile thus having raised elements of a gradual height increase.  
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a textured warning surface of a sidewalk, said method comprising: 
 preparing a concrete mix suitable for pouring said concrete mix into a receiving form, wherein said receiving form has a raised pattern embedded therein;    adding coloring agent to form a concrete mix;    pouring said concrete mix into said form;    scarifying the bottom surface of said concrete mix;    allowing said concrete mix to cure forming said textured tile, wherein said textured tile has a plurality of raised elements formed on a top surface and said textured tile is scarified on a bottom surface; and    sealing said top surface.    
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of applying a hardener to said concrete mix.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of applying a release agent to said form.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein said form is a urethane pad.  
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein said step of pouring said concrete mix into said form provides a tile that is 0.6 to 3 inches in thickness.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein said raised pattern is a truncated dome.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming a multitude of textured tiles;    aligning said multitude of textured tiles wherein at least one edge of said multitude of textured tiles is flush to said surface.    
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the following steps; 
 providing a multitude of textured tiles wherein, at least one tile is a substantially rectangular planar pieces with a top surface, bottom surface, and at least three edges, said top surface having a plurality of raised elements projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified and at least one tile is a substantially angled planar cut pieces with a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least three edges said top surface having a plurality of raised element projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified; and    aligning at least one of said at least three edges of said substantially rectangular planar piece with at least one of said at least three edges of said substantially angled planar cut piece.    
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of: 
 aligning at least one edge of at least one tile so as to be flush with said surface.    
     
     
         20 . A method of producing a textured tile system for use as a warning surface, said method comprising: 
 preparing a concrete mix suitable for pouring said concrete mix into a receiving form, wherein said receiving form has a raised pattern embedded therein;    adding coloring agent to form a concrete mix;    pouring said concrete mix into said form;    scarifying the bottom surface of said concrete mix;    allowing said concrete mix to cure forming said textured tile, wherein said textured tile has a plurality of raised elements formed on a top surface and said textured tile is scarified on a bottom surface;    sealing said top surface of said textured tile;    pouring fresh concrete onto a surface;    priming said bottom surface of said textured tiles with a binding agent; and    placing said bottom surface of said textured tiles on said fresh concrete.    
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of applying a hardener to said concrete mix.  
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of applying a release agent to said form.  
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said form is a urethane pad.  
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said step of pouring said concrete mix into said form provides a tile that is 0.6 to 3 inches in thickness.  
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 20 , wherein said raised pattern is a truncated dome.  
     
     
         26 . A method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming a multitude of textured tiles;    aligning said multitude of textured tiles wherein at least one edge of said multitude of textured tiles is flush to said surface.    
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the following steps; 
 providing a multitude of textured tiles wherein, at least one tile is a substantially rectangular planar pieces with a top surface, bottom surface, and at least three edges, said top surface having a plurality of raised elements projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified and at least one tile is a substantially angled planar cut pieces with a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least three edges said top surface having a plurality of raised element projecting upward therefrom and being configured as a truncated dome structure and said bottom surface being sterified; and    aligning at least one of said at least three edges of said substantially rectangular planar piece with at least one of said at least three edges of said substantially angled planar cut piece.    
     
     
         28 . A method as in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of: 
 aligning at least one edge of at least one tile so as to be flush with said surface.    
     
     
         29 . A method of producing a textured tile system for use as a warning surface, said method comprising: 
 preparing a concrete mix suitable for pouring said concrete mix into a receiving urethane pad form, wherein said receiving urethane pad form has a raised pattern embedded therein;    applying a release agent to said receiving urethane pad form;    adding coloring agent to form a concrete mix;    pouring said concrete mix into a multitude of said receiving urethane pad form;    scarifying the bottom surface of said concrete mix;    applying a hardener to said concrete mix;    allowing said concrete mix to cure forming said textured tile, wherein said textured tile has a plurality of raised elements formed on a top surface and said textured tile is scarified on a bottom surface;    sealing said top surface of said textured tile;    applying a release agent to said upper surface of said concrete mix;    pouring fresh concrete onto a surface;    priming said bottom surface of said textured tiles with a binding agent;    placing said bottom surface of said textured tiles on said fresh concrete; and    aligning said multitude of textured tiles wherein at least one edge of said multitude of textured tiles is flush to said surface.