US2017211239A1PendingUtilityA1

Vehicle tracking control systems and methods

26
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 21, 2016Filed: Jan 21, 2016Published: Jul 27, 2017
Est. expiryJan 21, 2036(~9.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Daniel Watkins
E01C 9/02B60C 19/00B60B 39/12B60T 3/00E01C 5/005E01C 11/02E01C 9/086G01M 17/02
26
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Vehicle Tracking Control Systems and Methods are provided. In one embodiment a vehicle sediment tracking control device comprises: a flexible unibody mat that includes a base segment and a plurality of tread deformation stages, the plurality of tread deformation stages extending outward from the base segment to define a tracking control surface of the flexible unibody mat, and wherein each of the plurality deformation stages extend laterally from a first edge of the flexible unibody mat to a second edge of the flexible unibody mat; a plurality of through slats each comprising a void in the base segment of the flexible unibody mat that each penetrate from the tracking control surface through to an opposing back surface of the flexible unibody mat; and a plurality of embedded fastening devices positioned within the back surface of the flexible unibody mat.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle sediment tracking control device, the device comprising:
 a flexible unibody mat that includes a base segment and a plurality of tread deformation stages, the plurality of tread deformation stages extending outward from the base segment to define a tracking control surface of the flexible unibody mat, and wherein each of the plurality deformation stages extend laterally from a first edge of the flexible unibody mat to a second edge of the flexible unibody mat;   a plurality of through slats each comprising a void in the base segment of the flexible unibody mat that each penetrate from the tracking control surface through to an opposing back surface of the flexible unibody mat; and   a plurality of embedded fastening devices positioned within the back surface of the flexible unibody mat.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first tread deformation stage of the plurality of tread deformation stages comprises:
 a plateau region;   a first ramping surface extending upward from the base segment to a first edge of the plateau edge; and   a second ramping surface extending upward form the base segment to an opposing second edge of the plateau.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tread deformation stages are separated from each other by a region of the base segment that includes at least one of the plurality of through slats. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one anchor cleat coupled to the back surface of the flexibly unibody mat via the plurality of embedded fastening devices.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one anchor cleat comprises a spike adapted to couple to at least one of the embedded fastening devices. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of anchor cleats coupled to the back surface of the flexibly unibody mat via the plurality of embedded fastening devices, wherein at least a first of the anchor cleats is different in either shape or material than a second of the anchor cleats. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one shim device coupled to the back surface of the flexibly unibody via the plurality of embodied fastening devices. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tread deformation stages are uniformly distributed longitudinally across the flexible unibody mat from a first end to a second end. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one step-up feature comprising two or more of the plurality of deformation stages, wherein a first deformation stage of the step-up feature and a neighboring second deformation stage of the step-up feature are varied in height. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of through slats are positioned between neighboring tread deformation stages. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the plurality of through slats are positioned between each of plurality of tread deformation stages. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible unibody mat is fabricated from a urethane material. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first tread deformation stage of the plurality of tread deformation stages comprises an embedded lifting aid at the first edge and second edge of the flexibly unibody mat. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the embedded lifting aid comprises a cable extending out from the first edge and second edge of the flexibly unibody mat. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the cable forms a loop. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein a portion of the cable is embedded within the flexible unibody mat. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the lifting aid comprises a hollow sleeve extending from the first edge of the unibody mat to the second edge of the unibody mat, and wherein the cable is threaded through the sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the lifting aid comprises a first fastening device embedded within the first edge of the unibody mat and a second fastening device embedded within the second edge of the unibody mat. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , the lifting aid further comprising lifting hardware secured to the unibody mat by the first fastening device and the second fastening device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking control surface includes a texture molded into the plurality of tread deformation stages. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a friction enhancing grit material embedded into the plurality of tread deformation stages. 
     
     
         22 . A method for mitigating vehicular tracking of sediment, the method comprising:
 deploying a vehicle tracking control (VTC) device at an access point, wherein the VTC device comprises a flexible unibody mat which includes a base segment and a plurality of tread deformation stages defining a tracking control surface, one or more through slats are positioned between neighboring tread deformation stages; and   removing sedimentary particles from vehicle treads while a vehicle is driving over the tracking control surface of the VTC device, wherein removing sedimentary particles comprises deforming the vehicle treads with one or more of the tread deformations stages.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein removing sedimentary particles further comprises rumbling the vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a first tread deformation stage of the plurality of tread deformation stages comprises:
 a plateau region;   a first ramping surface extending upward from the base segment to a first edge of the plateau edge; and   a second ramping surface extending upward form the base segment to an opposing second edge of the plateau.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of tread deformation stages are separated from each other by a region of the base segment that includes at least one of the plurality of through slats. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 lifting the VTC device from the access point.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein deploying further comprises:
 utilizing at least one lifting aid embedded within the flexible unibody mat, lifting the VTC device from the access point.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the at least one lifting aid is embedded within a first tread deformation stage of the flexible unibody mat. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein deploying further comprises:
 installing at least one anchor cleat to the back surface of the flexible unibody mat via the plurality of embedded fastening devices.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22  wherein deploying further comprises:
 installing at least on shim to the back surface of the flexibly unibody mat via the plurality of embedded fastening devices.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2017211239A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.