Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040151550
Timestamp: 2018-04-24 14:12:05
Document Index: 94765171

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 12', 'arts 12', 'arts 12', 'art 12', 'arts 12', 'art 52', 'arts 52', 'arts 52', 'art 52', 'arts 52']

US20040151550A1 - Block with multifaceted bottom surface - Google Patents
US20040151550A1
US20040151550A1 US10762645 US76264504A US2004151550A1 US 20040151550 A1 US20040151550 A1 US 20040151550A1 US 10762645 US10762645 US 10762645 US 76264504 A US76264504 A US 76264504A US 2004151550 A1 US2004151550 A1 US 2004151550A1
US7090438B2 (en )
This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/033,460, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/811,119 filed Mar. 17, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/377,094 filed on Sep. 19, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,850.
[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a block of the present invention, looking up at the bottom to reveal the details of the bottom surface;
[0023]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present invention taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0024]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present invention taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 and shown with other blocks in phantom, stacked, as in a retaining wall;
[0025]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the block of FIG. 1;
[0026]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the block shown in FIG. 1 in a stacked relationship with other blocks, as in a wall, and showing debris resting on a lower course of blocks and accommodated for by the concave area of the bottom surface of the block of the present invention;
[0027]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, looking up at the bottom to show the detail of the bottom surface;
[0028]FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;
[0029]FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of a block of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, in stacked relation, as in a wall, with other blocks shown in phantom;
[0030]FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a block of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;
[0031]FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a block of the present invention;
[0032]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the block of FIG. 10 taken along cutting lines 11-11 in FIG. 10;
[0033]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the block of FIG. 10 taken along cutting lines 12-12 in FIG. 10;
[0034]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the block of FIG. 10;
[0035]FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the block of FIG. 10;
[0036]FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a first side of the block of FIG. 10;
[0037]FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of a second side of the block of FIG. 10;
[0038]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the block shown in FIG. 1 in a stacked relationship with other blocks, as in a wall, and showing debris resting on a lower course of blocks and accommodated for by the non-planar area of the bottom surface of the block of the present invention and also showing a curved front surface;
[0039]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, looking up at the bottom to show the detail of the bottom surface;
[0040]FIG. 19 is a bottom plan view of a block of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18;
[0041]FIG. 20 is a bottom plan view of an alternative embodiment of the block of the present invention in which the front surface is curved;
[0042]FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the block of FIG. 20;
[0043]FIG. 22 is a front elevation view of the block of FIG. 20; and, FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of a series of blocks of FIG. 20 as they would appear in a stacked relation.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, front surface 12 comprises three parts, 12 a, 12 b, and 12 c. Part 12 c is generally parallel to rear surface 16 and lies between parts 12 a and 12 b. Parts 12 a and 12 b are angled such that they extend from part 12 c and diverge rearwardly to meet side surfaces 14 a and 14 b, respectively. Parts 12 a, 12 b, and 12 c are shown as split faces as opposed to formed or finished faces. Creating a face with a rock splitter results in an irregular, more natural appearing surface. Also shown in the Figures is a rear surface 16 that has a smaller width than front surface 12 such that side surface 14 a and 14 b must converge rearwardly in order to be integral with rear surface 16. This shape allows the construction of straight, concave, convex, or serpentine walls without interrupting the relatively uniform appearance created by the front surfaces 12 of a plurality of blocks 10 forming a wall.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-16, front surface 52 comprises three parts, 52 a, 52 b, and 52 c. In general, these parts will referred to as the front surface parts or as the face of the block 50. Part 52 c is generally parallel to rear surface 56 and lies between parts 52 a and 52 b. Parts 52 a and 52 b are angled such that they extend from part 52 c and diverge rearwardly to meet side surfaces 54 a and 54 b, respectively. Parts 52 a, 52 b, and 52 c are in FIGS. 10-16 shown as formed or smooth faces as opposed to split faces. Block 50 may preferably be formed by splitting as described above in conjunction with FIGS. 1-9. Creating a face with a rock splitter results in an irregular, more natural appearing surface. As can be seen in the Figures, rear surface 56 has a smaller width than front surface 52. Side surfaces 54 a and 54 b converge rearwardly toward the rear surface 56 at obtuse angle to the rear surface 56. This shape allows the construction of straight, concave, convex, or serpentine walls without interrupting the relatively uniform appearance created by the front surfaces 52 of a plurality of blocks 10 forming a wall.
Block 50 has a heel portion 70 that comprises the rear surface 56, a projection 72, and a gutter 74. As can be seen most clearly in FIGS. 10 and 13, sides 54 a and 54 b incorporate shoulders 76 a and 76 b, respectively. Shoulders 76 may also be seen as a forward boundary of the heel portion 70 of the block 50. Note that shoulders 76 form an obtuse angle with respect to sides 54. Heel portion side walls 78 a and 78 b extend rearwardly from respective shoulders 76 a and 76 b and intersect with rear surface 56 of block 50. Heel portion side walls 78 a and 78 b are preferably formed perpendicular to shoulders 76 a and 76 b and to rear surface 56 of block 50. The resulting sides 54 comprise multiple facets and provide a number of benefits. Formation of side walls 78 a and 78 b as illustrated in the Figures results in a lighter block 50 as the block 50 will have a smaller volume. As a corollary benefit, less concrete material is used in the formation of block 50 where side walls 78 a and 78 b are formed as indicated.
Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, another embodiment shows a block 110 that includes a front surface 112 that comprises an outwardly curved, or curvilinear surface, which is free from vertices that extend substantially from the top surface to the bottom surface. The front surface 112 of this embodiment is also depicted as having a roughened texture that approximates a split-face look, but it is understood that other textures are possible. As with the embodiment as depicted in FIGS. 6-9, the block of this embodiment includes a non-planar portion 122 that is substantially concave or ovate in shape, and a plurality of upwardly extending “V” shaped grooves 128 having convergent surfaces 130, 132.
side surfaces spaced apart from each other, with each side surface extending vertically between said top and bottom surfaces and horizontally between said front and rear surfaces, and with each side surface comprising a plurality of facets;
wherein the facets of the side surfaces that are closest to said rear surface of said block are in substantially parallel planes.
3. The block of claim 1, wherein said bottom surface further comprises a projection extending downwardly therefrom, the projection having an abutting surface configured and arranged to contact the rear surface of a lower course of blocks when said block is placed thereon, the abutting surface operating to position said block in a predetermined relation relative to the lower course of blocks on which it is placed.
4. The block of claim 3, wherein said abutting surface extends substantially between said side surfaces.
5. A block for constructing a retaining wall, the block comprising:
wherein one facet of one of the side surfaces is substantially co-planar with one facet of the other side surface.
6. The block of claim 5, wherein the lateral extent of said front surface is greater than the lateral extent of said rear surface.
7. The block of claim 5, wherein said bottom surface further comprises a projection extending downwardly therefrom, the projection having an abutting surface configured and arranged to contact the rear surface of a lower course of blocks when said block is placed thereon, the abutting surface operating to position said block in a predetermined relation relative to the lower course of blocks on which it is placed.
8. The block of claim 7, wherein said abutting surface extends substantially between said side surfaces.
9. The block of claim 1, wherein the facets of the side surfaces closest to said rear surface of said block are substantially perpendicular to the rear surface of said block.
10. The block of claim 1, wherein at least one of the facets of at least one of the side surfaces is substantially parallel to the rear surface.
11. The block of claim 1, wherein one facet of one of the side surfaces is substantially co-planar with one facet of the other side surface.
12. The block of claim 1, wherein the facets of at least one of the side surfaces forms a shoulder defining an inwardly inset sidewall.
13. The block of claim 1, wherein the front surface is free from vertices that extend substantially from the top surface to the bottom surface.
14. The block of claim 1, wherein the front surface is substantially curvilinear.
15. The block of claim 5, wherein a forward facet of one of the side surfaces extends at an obtuse angle towards the rear surface the block and intersects one end of one of the co-planar facets, and wherein a rearward facet of one of the side surfaces extends from its intersection with the other end of the co-planar facet towards the rear surface in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto.
16. The block of claim 5, wherein the substantially co-planar facets of the side surfaces are substantially parallel to the rear surface of the block.
17. The block of claim 5, wherein at least one of the side surfaces further comprises a facet oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the rear surface.
18. The block of claim 5, wherein the facets on at least one of the side surfaces form a shoulder extending inwardly of the block towards the other side surface and comprising one of the coplanar facets.
US20040151550A1 true true US20040151550A1 (en) 2004-08-05
US7090438B2 US7090438B2 (en) 2006-08-15
US7090438B2 (en) 2006-08-15 grant
USD424212S (en) 2000-05-02 Paving brick