Patent Description:
Construction panels come in many different sizes and shapes and may be used for various purposes, including roadways, sideways, and pre-cast structures, particularly buildings. Use of precast concrete panels for interior and exterior walls, ceilings and floors, for example, has become more prevalent. As precast panels are often aligned in generally abutting relationship, forming a lateral gap or joint between adjacent panels to allow for independent movement, such in response to ambient temperature variations within standard operating ranges, building settling or shrinkage and seismic activity. Moreover, these joints are subject to damage over time. Most damage is from vandalism, wear, environmental factors and when the joint movement is greater, the seal may become inflexible, fragile or experience adhesive or cohesive failure. As a result, "long lasting" in the industry refers to a joint likely to be usable for a period greater than the typical lifespan of five (<NUM>) years. Various seals have been created in the field.

Various seal systems and configurations have been developed for imposition between these panels to provide seals which provide one or more of fire protection, waterproofing, sound and air insulation. This typically is accomplished with a seal created by imposition of multiple constituents in the joint, such as silicone application, backer bars, and compressible foams.

Foam-based expansion joint seal systems are typically shipped in sticks, which often is a <NUM>-to-<NUM> (six-to-ten foot) straight segment, or in rolls wherein the external layer is adhered to a release tape to permit the wrapping around a reel. Providing the joint seal system in a stick permits the product, in particular joint seals having a final width greater than <NUM> (one inch), to be compressed at the factory, i.e. pre-compressed, laterally, so the installer on site may remove the packaging and install the expansion joint seal system before it expands beyond the gap of the expansion joint. Higher compression ratios, coupled with slower release time, facilitate the installation and function of such precompressed, stick-based expansion joint seal systems. Alternatively, the expansion joint seal may be provided on a roll, where successive layers are wrapped around a center, permitting immediate compression during wrapping.

Each shipping system has shortcomings. With the stick, the compressed product is typically encased in a shrink wrap sleeve, which shrinks when heated. Unfortunately, this is applied to each stick, which is limited in length due to shipping sizes, typically to <NUM> to <NUM> (six to ten foot) sections. As a result, during shipping, the stick may be subjected to bending forces, such as when loaded on a truck over other materials, which causes the shrink wrap to crack or fail along a seal, permitting the compressed product to expand through the resultant opening and rendering the product unusable. Because the packaging is sized for conventional shipment, the sticks are typically limited to not more than <NUM> (ten feet). Even with the size limitation the sticks are too long for easy handling which can result in damage in transit or added delivery fees. As a result, the resulting sections must be joined with a splice to fit within the actual expansion joint. Moreover, because each stick is individually packaged, when the packaging is opened, the entire stick begins to expand. That portion which exceeds the required length is often lost as it is cut off because it expands to size greater than the intended gap, therefore is discarded. With the roll, because any compression is generally radially as each successive layer is deposited, compression is possible in only one direction, but difficult to control over time due to the varying radius of the material and the potential for localized areas of higher or lower compression.

For example, <CIT> discloses a joint seal for use in joints that may be exposed to water comprising at least one layer of a compressible impregnated open cell foam.

<CIT> discloses heat retention tubes for heat-retaining pipes, such as water supply/drain pipes, hot water/molten metal supply pipes or air conditioning piping.

The present disclosure therefore meets the above needs and overcomes one or more deficiencies in the prior art by providing a packaging of systems for creating a durable seal between adjacent panels. In particular, the present disclosure provides a foam-based expansion joint seal system which can be of longer length, shipped conventionally, facilitates constant and equal compression throughout the system, and precludes loss of large segments of material.

The disclosure provides an expansion joint seal system which includes a longitudinal body of foam in compression; a water-resistant constituent, the water-resistant constituent adhered to the longitudinal body of foam on a first surface or contained within the longitudinal body of foam in compression; and a casing helically encircling the longitudinal body of foam in compression and the water-resistant constituent.

Additional aspects, advantages, and embodiments of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the various embodiments and related drawings.

So that the manner in which the described features, advantages, and objects of the disclosure, as well as others which will become apparent, are attained and can be understood in detail; more particular description of the disclosure briefly summarized above may be had by referring to the embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the drawings, which drawings form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical preferred embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope as the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

Referring to <FIG>, the packaging <NUM> of the present invention is illustrated. An expansion joint seal system <NUM>, composed of a longitudinal body of foam <NUM> in compression and a water-resistant constituent <NUM>, is surrounded by a casing <NUM> helically encircling the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, typically laterally compressed, and the water-resistant constituent <NUM>. The water-resistant constituent <NUM> may be adhered to the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> on a first surface or contained within the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, such as the elastomer coating depicted in <CIT> for Expansion Joint for Longitudinal Load Transfer, issued to Schul International Company, LLC. Because the casing <NUM> helically encircles the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> and can accommodate flexing by the overlapping casing <NUM>, the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> may be cut to length without fear of a shrink-wrap seam failing due to flexion.

The system is particularly beneficial in connection with foam-based expansion joint seal systems, which are often supplied pre-compressed. Pre-compression of such expansion joint seal systems is desirable as installation of the uncompressed expansion joint system can be problematic given the length, often in multiple meters, resulting in long sections above the expansion joint while working in sections on centimeter basis. As the expansion joint seal system may be compressed at installation between one-fifth to one-half the original width to a final density in excess of <NUM>/m<NUM>, such installation of uncompressed product can be difficult. It is therefore desirable in the industry to provide the expansion joint seal systems compressed to a size less than the nominal expansion joint size, so the expansion joint seal can be removed from the packaging and rapidly installed before the expansion joint seal system can being to relax and thereby contact the adjacent substrate walls. The present disclosure maintains, and may provides, such precompression with additional benefits.

To facilitate removal of the casing <NUM>, the casing may have a casing internal surface <NUM> which may have a low friction coefficient. The casing internal surface <NUM> may be a layer of the casing <NUM> or may be applied to the casing <NUM>. A casing internal surface <NUM> having a low coefficient of friction may be particularly beneficial when the associated expansion joint seal system <NUM> and its compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> includes an adhesive at expansion joint seal system first and second sidewalls <NUM>, <NUM>.

The casing <NUM> may be overlapped as little as <NUM>% of its width, or as great at <NUM>%, though more or less is possible. As the overlap approaches <NUM>%, the casing <NUM> provides beneficial tensioning and resilience against external damage.

To maintain the casing <NUM> in position, the casing may include an external surface with clinginess, such as a polyvinyl chloride or low density polyethylene, or adhesive, preferably an external adhesive surface, such that the successive layering of the casing <NUM> provides a bond to the prior layer, and, where desired, to the expansion joint seal system <NUM> or any boards or other materials abutting the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, which may also have adhesive surfaces. Such materials may be applied to only the exterior to-be-overlapped portion, such that the ultimate exposed surface has no such property while bonding to the successive overlap. The casing <NUM>, for example, may overlap <NUM>% of itself with each successive application, where the overlapped exterior surface has an adhesive to bond to the successive application and therefore further retard any propagation of a tear in the resultant packaging <NUM>.

Because the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> provides elasticity and compressibility in the packaging <NUM>, the casing <NUM> may be constructed of an inelastic material. Alternatively, the casing <NUM> may be constructed of a material which is elastic. Regardless of the material from which the casing <NUM> is constructed, the casing <NUM> is applied under tension to maintain, and to impart at the level desired, compression to the longitudinal body of foam <NUM>. Moreover, because the casing <NUM> includes multiple layers of the casing <NUM> along the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, the failure at any point of the casing <NUM> does not result in the expansion joint seal system <NUM> being permitted to expand significantly and reduces the potential for unusable material. This marks a substantial departure from the prior art, wherein the shrink wrap packaging would fail due to impact or flexing, often initially splitting along a seam, and then further failing as the now-permitted expansion of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> further split the packaging and rendered the product unusable due to the force needed to recompress to the necessary width. The casing <NUM> may be an inelastic paper of sufficient strength to resist tearing and may be coated externally with a water-resistant layer to ensure maintenance of the packaging <NUM> in case of precipitation. When desired, conventional bandings can be applied about the packaging <NUM>.

The casing <NUM> may be formed of a material of sufficient durability to withstand exposure to any additive such as a fire retardant, a hydrophobic additive, or a hydrophilic additive, which may be associated with the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, such as by a coating, infusion or impregnation. Such fire retardants, in amounts sufficient to obtain a desired fire endurance rating under any of the various tests, such as E-<NUM>, UL <NUM>, UL <NUM>, DIN <NUM>, etc., may otherwise adversely react with the casing <NUM>.

The interior surface of casing <NUM> may be selected to ensure other materials do not adhere, or may be impermeable to ensure no leakage of additives. Water and airflow resistant constituents <NUM>, may be additives <NUM> introduced before foaming such as by mixing into the isocyanate or polyol, or after such by infusion and/or impregnation, or may, instead be a layer <NUM> subsequently applied externally, such as an elastomer or may be internal membranes, force compensating and/or recovery spring members, or other systems known in the art. Notably, such water-resistant constituents <NUM> may have adhesive surfaces to which the casing <NUM> may apply pressure but to which the casing <NUM> should not adhere.

The casing <NUM> may further include compositions on some or all of its inner and outer surface which react when brought in contact, when the casing <NUM> is overlapped, and which may therefore provide a more durable chemical bond. The casing <NUM> may include a first chemically sensitive coating on a first surface and a second chemically sensitive coating on a second surface, where the first chemically sensitive coating is reactive to the second chemically sensitive coating. Likewise, the casing <NUM> may include heat reactive compositions on one or both surfaces or itself may be heat-reactive, such that the packaging <NUM> may be subjected to some degree of heating to increase the adhesion between layers of the casing <NUM>, to cause further constriction by shrinking, or to alter other properties, such as permeability or ductility. Similarly, the casing <NUM> may be an insulating material, precluding substantial heat transfer to the expansion joint system <NUM>. The casing <NUM> may therefore include cellulose, soy or carob oil derivatives.

Because the compression of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is maintained by, and may be provided by, the casing <NUM>, the packaging <NUM> permits the compression ratio of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> to be adjusted as needed, such as higher compression or lower compression, even in the same stick or coil. Similarly, because the compression around a transition, a change in direction of the material, varies according to the length of each successive section <NUM>, the tension maintained in the casing <NUM> during application may be reduced for those sections surrounding a transition. Beneficially, because the casing <NUM> is continually encapsulating, the expansion joint system <NUM> may include longitudinal bodies of foam <NUM> of different seal sizes, i. e, a continuation expansion joint <NUM> intended for use across a span which includes a section of narrower expansion joint width, avoiding the need for a field splice to accommodate the varying sizes. As a result, the casing <NUM> may be applied at varying radius, whether as a result of varying compression ratio upon application of the coating or due to the application of a common compression ratio as the expansion joint system <NUM> varies in dimension.

To ensure sufficient binding of the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, the casing <NUM> may be overlapped such that a successive section <NUM> overlaps a prior section <NUM> by a quarter, <NUM>%, of its width <NUM>. Increased overlaps ensure the casing <NUM> remains tight against the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> of the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, but consumes a substantially greater length of casing <NUM> and results in a thicker casing <NUM> which must be cut through prior to installation. The interior surface <NUM> of the casing <NUM> may include an adhesive edge <NUM>, or may adhere by virtue of an electrostatic charge, or by a high friction surface, preferably on the exterior of the casing <NUM>, or other systems known in the art to maintain the overlap.

The resulting packaging <NUM> permits dispatch of an expansion joint seal system <NUM> sized to, or above, the necessary length, avoiding the need for any field splice.

To aid cutting the expansion joint seal system <NUM> to the desired length, the casing <NUM> may include a distance indicator at regular intervals, such as feet, yards, or meters. The presence of the distance indicator outside the packaging <NUM> permits the packaging <NUM> to be cut to the needed length prior to cutting the casing <NUM> to open the packaging <NUM>. The use of the casing <NUM> and, where desired, the distance indicator, permits a packaging <NUM> where the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> may have a length greater than <NUM> (ten feet).

Referring to <FIG> and to <FIG>, an end view of the packaging <NUM>, consistent with pre-compressed foam-based expansion joint seals, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be positioned, while in - or prior to - compression against a board <NUM> or between a board <NUM> and a second board <NUM> prior to be encased within the casing <NUM>. The board <NUM> is positioned intermediate the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> and the casing <NUM> at the interior surface <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. Preferably the board <NUM> has a height <NUM> equivalent to a height <NUM> of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, the foam body height <NUM>. Alternatively, the board height <NUM> may be equivalent to the height <NUM> of the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, particularly where an external layer <NUM> of water-resistant constituent <NUM> is provided. Thus, the board <NUM> is positioned intermediate the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> and the casing <NUM> in contact with the casing internal surface <NUM>. A second board <NUM> may be positioned intermediate the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> and the casing internal surface <NUM>. Preferably the second board <NUM> also has a second board height <NUM> equivalent to the height <NUM> of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>. Use of one of more boards <NUM>, <NUM> permits the expansion joint seal system <NUM> to be laterally compressed so the expansion joint seal system width <NUM> is maintained in compression at a distance less than the width of the expansion joint into which the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is be imposed after removal from the casing <NUM>. Beneficially, because the casing <NUM> is provided as a single, continuous helical wrap around the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, the boards <NUM> and <NUM> need to be of great length of even co-terminal. Shorter board <NUM>, <NUM> might be used and positioned so the ends are not co-terminal, reducing the potential for deflection at any single point. Such boards <NUM>, <NUM> may even be spliced when appropriate, particularly when the expansion joint seal system <NUM> includes a transition, such as that the product is in more than one plane. The boards <NUM>, <NUM> may be of wood, or plastic, or high density paper, any may be constructed from recyclable materials. The boards <NUM>, <NUM> may be positioned on any surface of the expansion joint system <NUM>, and may be of any size, any may only provide a longitudinal strut to control flexing prior to use.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, while the first board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> are typically aligned in parallel planes, such that the distances between the tops <NUM>, <NUM> of the first board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> and bottoms <NUM>, <NUM> of each of the first board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> are equal, the first board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> may be skewed, such that the distance between the first board top <NUM> and the second board top <NUM> of the second board is greater than the the distance between the first board bottom <NUM> and the second board bottom <NUM>, such as illustrated in <FIG>. Such a skewed construction may be advantageous where the expansion joint seal system <NUM> incorporates a chamfered base. To ensure the compression introduced into the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> is maintained along the length of a stick of the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, one or both of the board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> may have a board first end <NUM> and a second board first end <NUM> to which the casing <NUM> reaches.

Beneficially, because the casing <NUM> may be applied after the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is in lateral compression, maintaining compression of the expansion joint system system <NUM> in other planes is possible. The expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be subjected to a longitudinal compression in a section immediately subject to the helical encircling by the casing <NUM>, such that the longitudinal compression is retained by the successive layering of the casing <NUM>. Longitudinal compression may be desirable to ensure that, upon release in the expansion joint, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is maintained in abutment with the end of the expansion joint and to ensure that any joint is maintained in position. Further, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be subjected to a vertical compression such that the expansion joint seal system height <NUM> is less than its operational height. Vertical compression may be desirable, particularly in connection with any surface cover over the expansion joint, such as a cover plate, to ensure the expansion joint seal system <NUM> abuts the cover plate after installation and, when desired, transfers any load from the cover plate to adjacent substrate. Further because the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is maintained in compression by the packaging <NUM>, the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> may be provided with different shapes and profiles, such as chamfering at the lower sides, to facilitate compression and installation.

Unlike any packaging <NUM> known in the art, use of the casing <NUM> helically encircling the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> permits the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> to itself be helically curved, such that the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> is bent or curved into a different plane, off a central axis <NUM>, and, while deflected or bent, helically bound with the casing <NUM>, such that each successive section <NUM> of casing <NUM> is bound and a constant radius is provided to result in the application of a coiling from a casing <NUM> provided at the constant radius about that central axis, as illustrated in <FIG>. The packaging <NUM> may therefore be directed and coiled in any direction - laterally, vertically or in any combination thereof. Eliminating the conventional stick format permits the storage and shipping of expansion joint seal systems <NUM> of lengths substantially greater than available in a stick form, potentially eliminates the need for internal field splices, and permits conventional shipping. On the job site, the coil <NUM> of the packaging <NUM> can be released by cutting the casing <NUM>, unrolling the coil <NUM>, and opening the packaging <NUM> and inserting the expansion joint seal system <NUM> in the expansion joint. Cutting the packaging <NUM> to the appropriate length using the distance indicators permits the packaging <NUM> to be maintained as the coil <NUM> until needed. Alternatively, the coil <NUM> may be constructed in a vertical plane, inducing the deflection and associated coiling in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral axes.

Additional components may be incorporated into the expansion joint seal system <NUM> and included in the coil <NUM>. One such component may include one or more longitudinal flexible members bonded to the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> at the longitudinal body of foam top <NUM> opposite the longitudinal body of foam bottom <NUM> and capable of transferring a load to the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, which would have sufficient flexibility in the horizontal plane to permit the coiling if desired. Another component may one or more membranes, which may be permeable or impermeable, which may extend from one side of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> to the other, or some portion thereof, which may be in the horizontal plane and which may permit coiling as well. Such membranes may be used to provide an air barrier, vapor permeability, hydrostatic head resistance, electromagnetic frequency/radio frequency interference insulators, or other functions known for association with expansion joint seal systems. Another component may be an elastomeric gland, wherein the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> may surround the gland, be incorporated in it, or some combination thereof. The packaging <NUM> provides the potential for lengths far in excess of conventional lengths and, where the gland permits coiling of the expansion joint seal system, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be coiled. Another component may be a combination of one or more flexible members, one or more cover plates, and one or more ribs, where the flexible member is attached to the cover plate and to the rib, such that the ribs extends into the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>. An increased number of cover plates, functional as a series of overlapping shields, may permit the expansion joint seal system <NUM> to be coiled vertically when packaged and facilitates constant and equal compression throughout the expansion joint seal system <NUM>. Beneficially, the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> may be offset with respect to these additional components, or extend past the end of the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, such that the additional component provides a mating surface for another expansion joint seal system <NUM>, to serve as a splice when desired. While a splice is ideally avoided in a run of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> by the present invention, should a second expansion joint seal system intersect the first, such as in a T or angled joint, such additional components may provide the splice.

Referring to <FIG>, to further aid in installation, internal tear strips <NUM> may be affixed to the casing <NUM> at regular intervals associated with the circumference of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> and any boards <NUM>, <NUM>, such that the tear strips are commonly positioned along the length of the packaging <NUM> and may tear the casing <NUM> for a desired distance, such as in <NUM> (two-foot) sections. Other tools may be used to separate the casing, such as box knives, particularly those with depth control and automatic retracing systems.

The expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be compressed prior to or during the application of the casing <NUM>. For example, the expansion joint system <NUM> may be processed through one or more sets of rollers, such as depicted in <FIG>, wherein each roller set <NUM>, <NUM> provides an increased compression during which any external layer <NUM> of water-resistant constituent <NUM> is applied by an applicator <NUM>, and after which the compressed longitudinal body of foam <NUM> is subsequently maintained by a final roller set <NUM> until the application of the casing <NUM>, which may be after the imposition of the board <NUM>, <NUM> about the expansion joint seal system <NUM>.

Alternatively, the boards <NUM>, <NUM> may be applied to the sides of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> prior to the imposition of compression, such as by the rollers <NUM>, <NUM> as previously described, or by a lateral press <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The boards <NUM>, <NUM> may facilitate the compression in both systems by resisting any problematic necking of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> when passing between rollers <NUM>, <NUM> or by providing a working surface for the application of force by a lateral press <NUM>. The roller system <NUM> depicted in <FIG> permits a longer run of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> as the board <NUM>, <NUM> limit the length which can be readily transported in packaging. The roller system <NUM> depicted in <FIG> facilitates the forming of the coil <NUM> at the final set of rollers <NUM>, such as by a guide offsetting the expansion joint seal system <NUM> after exit from the final set of rollers <NUM>, or by one roller 606a, 606b of the final set of rollers 606b introducing a greater amount of compression on one side than the other.

Alternatively, the casing <NUM> may itself be applied to introduce the compression of the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> in the expansion joint seal system <NUM> during encirclement. The casing <NUM> therefore provides a packaging <NUM> which may be provided without the structural support of boards <NUM>, <NUM>, which must be disposed after unpackaging. The casing <NUM> may be tensioned, such that once a first end of the casing <NUM> is affixed or bound to the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, the casing <NUM> under tension may be wrapped about the expansion joint seal system <NUM>, while the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is maintained in position, permitting the necessary amount of casing <NUM> to be released while the supply of the casing <NUM> revolves about the expansion joint seal system <NUM> or while the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is rotated about a central axis. Where the first board <NUM> and the second board <NUM> are used, the resultant compression would be limited to lateral compression. Where the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is directly encircled by the casing <NUM> with any board, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> may be compressed laterally and vertically (under compression between a longitudinal body of
foam top and a longitudinal body of foam bottom). Where the rate of advance of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is decreased immediately prior to the encirclement by the casing <NUM>, the expansion joint seal system <NUM> may also be compressed longitudinally. Alternatively, where the rate of advance of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> is increased, the opposite occurs.

Beneficially, the casing <NUM> may be used in connection with expansion joint seal systems <NUM> which incorporate other components beyond a longitudinal body of foam <NUM>, such as one or more membranes, such as disclosed in <CIT> and by <CIT>, both by Schul International Company, LLC, each of which teach a membrane extending to or beyond the sides of the foam, which may therefore be positioned against one or more of the external surfaces for packaging. The casing <NUM> may thus contact the winged membranes or extensions, which may serve as the bond breaker or support for the now-compressed expansion joint seal systems <NUM>, such that only the wrapping material is required reducing weight and waste.

A second layer of casing <NUM> may be applied about some or all of the expansion joint seal system <NUM> when encircled in the casing <NUM> to provide a second compression ratio in the applied area. When a second layer of casing <NUM> is used, the overlap may be reduced to less than <NUM>% and may be be entirely eliminated.

Claim 1:
An expansion joint seal system, comprising:
a longitudinal body of foam (<NUM>) in compression;
a water-resistant constituent (<NUM>), the water-resistant constituent (<NUM>) adhered to the longitudinal body of foam <NUM> on a first surface or contained within the longitudinal body of foam (<NUM>) in compression; and characterized in that the expansion joint seal system further comprises
a casing (<NUM>) in tension helically compressively encircling the longitudinal body of foam (<NUM>) in compression and the water-resistant constituent (<NUM>).