Patent ID: 9163365
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: E01C,E04F

Abstract:
1. An anti-icing system for use by an associated typically sized human pedestrian having a weight and a foot with: (1) an associated walk-on surface that is an outdoor step positioned at least 4 inches above a neighboring ground surface and having a length and a tread depth; and, (2) an associated anti-icing agent, the anti-icing system comprising: a tray comprising: a bottom suitable to be positioned on the associated walk-on surface; and, a top that faces an associated source of frozen precipitation when the tray is positioned on the associated walk-on surface; a storage container having a cavity; wherein the top of the tray comprises: (1) an outer wall that forms a perimeter of a pool area and that has an overflow drain formed on an upper portion of the outer wall; wherein the outer wall has a minimum height H1 with respect to the bottom of the tray defined at the overflow drain; wherein the pool area has a length substantially equal to the length of the outdoor step and a width substantially equal to the tread depth of the outdoor step; (2) a first platform positioned within the pool area and having an upper surface defining a pedestrian reception area capable of supporting the weight of the associated pedestrian via the foot to the associated walk-on surface; wherein the first platform has a maximum height H2 with respect to the bottom of the tray that is less than height H1; (3) a second platform positioned within the pool area and having an upper surface defining a pedestrian reception area capable of supporting the weight of the associated pedestrian via the foot to the associated walk-on surface; wherein the second platform has a maximum height H3 with respect to the bottom of the tray that is less than height H1; and, (4) a first channel that separates the first and second platforms and that has a first side defined by the first platform, a second side defined by the second platform, and a bottom; wherein the bottom of the first channel has a minimum height with respect to the bottom of the tray that is less than height H2; wherein the storage container is positioned to communicate the cavity with the pool area; and, wherein the anti-icing system operates when the associated anti-icing agent is placed within the cavity and associated frozen precipitation enters the pool area to draw the anti-icing agent out of the storage container and into the pool area to melt the associated frozen precipitation to form a solution that continuously covers the pedestrian reception areas of the first and second platforms and that drains out of the pool area through the overflow drain as the associated frozen precipitation continues to enter the pool area.