Patent Publication Number: US-2019186093-A1

Title: Repositionable snow melt pad

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/607,551, filed on Dec. 19, 2017, entitled REPOSITIONABLE SNOW MELT PAD, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to preventative safety materials and, more particularly, to a material that prevents the buildup of snow and ice on sidewalks, steps, driveways, etc. which is contained to a desired area and is easily removed and repositioned. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It is known in the art to heat sidewalks, driveways and road surfaces to prevent formation of snow and ice. The heat is typically produced by electrical heating elements or hot water pipes embedded beneath the treated surface. These systems are typically expensive to install, operate and maintain. 
     It is also known to spread granular or liquid salt or other de-icing compositions over a surface to melt existing ice or snow or to prevent buildup. These compositions are typically spread by hand, use of mechanical lawn broadcast-type spreaders or by a spreader or spray truck. The effect of applying these compositions is generally short term as traffic over the treated area tends to crush the composition particles and push them to the sides of the treated surface. Water from the melted snow or ice containing the salt or deicing composition drains away from the treated surface into the surrounding soil or into streams, creeks and lakes. Additional salt or de-icing composition is applied and the cycle is repeated. The spray or granules may also be misapplied such that they miss the target surface entirely, landing instead along the side of the walkway, driveway or road. 
     These problems create an economic and safety burden on homeowners, business owners and other maintenance and safety departments in terms of time spent retreating surfaces and the expense of the additional material. These problems also create an environmental problem by directly damaging the environment surrounding the treated surface, and the collateral environment affected by the runoff. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a snow and ice-melt mat with a de-icing compound encapsulated in a pad that is secured to a substrate. The mat utilizes hook and loop fasteners that may be secured to the bottom of the mat and to a surface such as a step or sidewalk. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional illustration of the invention of  FIG. 1  along line  3 - 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning more particularly to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate snow melt pad  10  comprising a pouch  12  and a chemical de-icing composition  14  encapsulated within pouch  12  and secured to a substrate  16 . One or more anchor members such as hook and loop strips  18  may be attached to the back or underside of substrate  16 . It should be appreciated that  FIGS. 1-3  are illustrative of snow melt pad  10  only and are not intended to represent actual dimensions or proportions. 
     In the preferred embodiment, pouch  12  is a strong open mesh or loose weave material that allows water to flow into and out of the pouch. However, other materials may be used for pouch  12 . A fibrous, absorbent pouch  12  may be used to withstand heavy traffic without breaking down or tearing. A water resistant or proof substrate  16  may also be used to allow melting water to pass through the pouch  12  and flow from the edges  20  and not accumulate on the surface. 
     In the preferred embodiment, de-icing composition  14  may comprise a commercially available, granular chloride salt blend which may include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride hexahydrate and calcium chloride, such as Ice Melt®, for example. Composition  14  may also include abrasive or anti-slip materials such as sand, cinders and gravel, for example. Additionally, inclusion of a moisture absorbent such as calcined diatomaceous earth absorbents may be desirable to aid in the anti-slip properties of the composition  14 . The potential for the composition mix is unlimited to tailor the product to the specific end use. 
     Hook and loop strips  18  help keep snow melt pad  10  in place and from moving or slipping when walked or driven over, and allow the snow melt pad  10  to be repositionable and replaceable. The bottom half  22  of the hook and loop strips  18  are secured to a sidewalk, steps or other surface by adhesive strips  24 . In addition to hook and loop strips, it is foreseen that other types of anchor members that allow snow melt pad  10  to be removably secured to a surface may be used. 
     The snow melt pad  10  may be placed in front of a door of a house on the front porch, on steps and along the sidewalk, for example. Snow melt pad  10  may be produced in pre-cut sheets sized to fit the common width of a step and in rolls the width of a sidewalk. Snow melt pad  10  may easily be trimmed to fit any surface. 
     Snow melt pad  10  may be installed or placed by simply removing a wax pad backing  26  from adhesive strip  24  and pressing the adhesive strips  24  of pad  10  firmly on the sidewalk or other surface. Depending on the amount of snow or ice accumulation, snow melt pad may remain in place for days, weeks or months eliminating the need to shovel the sidewalks or driveway, thus reducing the likelihood of injury from falls on a slick surface or over exertion from removing the snow. Additionally, the snow and ice is removed automatically, 24 hours a day eliminating repeated need to re-shovel the sidewalks and driveway. When the threat of snow or ice has passed, or the effectiveness of the snow melt pad  10  has diminished, the pad may be rolled up and thrown away. 
     Snow melt pad  10  may also be used in commercial applications such as on sidewalks in front of retail stores, shopping centers, restaurants, and schools. In these applications, pouch  12  may be a fibrous wear and water-resistant material such as canvas or tarp material. A thicker layer of de-icing composition  14  may be used to compensate for the increased foot traffic. In this application, safe access to the business or school is ensured without the need to periodically remove additional accumulation of snow. Snow melt pad  10  may also be used on a flatbed truck or in the back of a pickup truck to eliminate the need to periodically remove the accumulated snow and ice. 
     In addition to the advantages described above, snow melt pad  10  reduces environmental damage from de-icers and salts spread on the vegetation surrounding the treated surface. The de-icing composition  14  enters the environment only to the extent that it is dislodged from snow melt pad  10  or is dissolved in the melted water. Any remaining de-icing composition  14  left after the threat of snow has passed and the snow melt pad  10  is no longer needed, is rolled up or otherwise gathered and may be disposed of properly. 
     The snow melt pad  10  also helps avoid weather-related injuries, safety concerns, and long term maintenance issues. The snow melt pad  10  eliminates the stress and strain of shoveling snow and slips and falls. The snow melt pad  10  reduces the amount of de-icer and salt that is in contact with hard surfaces. Ice melt chemicals cause pitting, cracking, and degradation of concrete, asphalt, brick, mortar, and other paving surfaces. The snow melt pad  10  reduces the amount and area of contact of these chemicals with vulnerable surfaces.