Expansion joint system

Abstract

A bearing is provided for use in connection with expansion joint systems. The structure of the bearing permits improved motion of, and provides improved support for, the components of the expansion joint system that are supported on or engaged with the bearing. The bearing is particularly useful for expansion joint systems in roadway constructions, bridge constructions, and architectural structures.

1 . A bearing comprising: 
 a bearing substrate; and    an upper bearing portion disposed on said bearing substrate, said upper bearing portion including curved side walls and a curved upper bearing surface, concavely curved side walls and a flat seat region.    
   
   
       2 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said upper bearing portion further comprises a curved upper bearing surface with a flat seat region.  
   
   
       3 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said curved side walls of said upper bearing portion are concavely curved toward the center of said upper bearing portion.  
   
   
       4 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said bearing substrate is substantially cylindrical.  
   
   
       5 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said side walls of said upper bearing portion are bonded over at least a portion of said bearing substrate.  
   
   
       6 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a material that substantially resists a conformational change in response to the application of a load.  
   
   
       7 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises a material that is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a load to said bearing.  
   
   
       8 . The bearing of  claim 7 , wherein said upper bearing portion is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a maximum load to said bearing, whereby said side walls of said upper bearing portion change conformation from being concavely curved to a conformation that is substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said bearing substrate of said bearing.  
   
   
       9 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, composites, and metal alloys.  
   
   
       10 . The bearing of  claim 9 , wherein said composite comprises a fiber reinforced polymer.  
   
   
       11 . The bearing of  claim 9 , wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of urethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, phenolic, and nylon polymers.  
   
   
       12 . The bearing of  claim 11 , wherein said polymer is a phenolic polymer.  
   
   
       13 . The bearing of  claim 9 , wherein said metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of bronze and steel.  
   
   
       14 . The bearing of  claim 1 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       15 . The bearing of  claim 14 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polychloroprene, isoprene, styrene butadiene rubber, and natural rubber.  
   
   
       16 . The bearing of  claim 15 , wherein said elastomeric material is a urethane material.  
   
   
       17 . An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said expansion joint system comprising: 
 transversely extending, spaced-apart, vehicular load bearing members;    elongated support members having opposite ends positioned below said transversely extending load bearing members and extending longitudinally across said expansion joint;    first means for accepting ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members for controlling the movement of said ends of said support members within said first means for accepting longitudinally extending elongated support members;    second means for accepting opposite ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members for controlling the movement of said opposite ends of said support members within said second means for accepting longitudinally extending elongated support members; and    bearing means disposed between surfaces of said longitudinally extending elongated support members and inner surfaces of at least one of said first and second means for accepting ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members, said bearing means comprising a bearing substrate and an upper bearing portion disposed on said bearing substrate, said upper bearing portion including concavely curved side walls.    
   
   
       18 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said upper bearing portion further comprises a curved upper bearing surface with a flat seat region.  
   
   
       19 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , further comprising means for controlling the spacing of said transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members relative to one another.  
   
   
       20 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said longitudinally extending load bearing members extend across said expansion joint gap from said first roadway section to said second roadway section.  
   
   
       21 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said first and second means for accepting said ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members are structures selected from the group consisting of boxes, receptacles, chambers, housings, containers, enclosures, channels, tracks, slots, grooves, and passages.  
   
   
       22 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said first means for accepting said opposite ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members substantially restricts longitudinal movement of said longitudinally extending elongated support members within said first means for accepting, but permits transverse and vertical movement of said longitudinally extending elongated support members within said first means for accepting; and 
 wherein said second means for accepting ends of said longitudinally extending elongated support members substantially restricts transverse movement of said longitudinally extending elongated support members within said second means for accepting, but permits longitudinal movement of said longitudinally extending elongated support members within said second means for accepting.    
   
   
       23 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , further comprising means for movably engaging said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members.  
   
   
       24 . The expansion joint system of  claim 23 , wherein said means for movably engaging said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members comprises a yoke assembly.  
   
   
       25 . The expansion joint system of  claim 24 , wherein said yoke assembly comprises spaced-apart yoke side plates and a bent yoke plate spanning the gap between said spaced-apart yoke side plates.  
   
   
       26 . The expansion joint system of  claim 25 , wherein said yoke assembly slidably engages said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with at least one of said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members.  
   
   
       27 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said curved side walls of said upper bearing portion are concavely curved toward the center of said upper bearing portion.  
   
   
       28 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said bearing substrate is substantially cylindrical.  
   
   
       29 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said side walls of said upper bearing portion are bonded over at least a portion of said bearing substrate.  
   
   
       30 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises a material that substantially resists a conformational change in response to the application of a load.  
   
   
       31 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises a material that is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a load to said bearing.  
   
   
       32 . The expansion joint systems of  claim 31 , wherein said upper bearing portion is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a maximum load to said bearing, whereby said side walls of said upper bearing portion change conformation from being concavely curved to a conformation that is substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said upper bearing portion of said bearing.  
   
   
       33 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, composites, and metal alloys.  
   
   
       34 . The expansion joint system of  claim 33 , wherein said composite material comprises fiber reinforced polymers.  
   
   
       35 . The expansion joint system of  claim 33 , wherein said polymer is a polymer selected from the group consisting of urethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, phenolic, and nylon polymers.  
   
   
       36 . The expansion joint system of  claim 35 , wherein said polymer is a phenolic polymer.  
   
   
       37 . The expansion joint system of  claim 33 , wherein said metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of bronze and steel.  
   
   
       38 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       39 . The expansion joint system of  claim 38 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polychloroprene, isoprene, styrene butadiene rubber, and natural rubber.  
   
   
       40 . The expansion joint system of  claim 39 , wherein said elastomeric material is a polyurethane material.  
   
   
       41 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , comprising seals extending between said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members.  
   
   
       42 . The expansion joint system of  claim 17 , comprising seals extending between said transversely extending, spaced apart load bearing members, and between said transversely extending, spaced apart load bearing members and edge sections of said first and said second roadway sections.  
   
   
       43 . The expansion joint system of  claim 42 , wherein said seals are flexible and compressible.  
   
   
       44 . The expansion joint system of  claim 42 , wherein said seals comprise an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       45 . The expansion joint system of  claim 44 , wherein said seals are selected from strip seals, glandular seals, and membrane seals.  
   
   
       46 . The expansion joint system of  claim 45 , wherein said seals are strip seals.  
   
   
       47 . An expansion joint system for roadway construction wherein a gap is defined between adjacent first and second roadway sections, said expansion joint system extending across said gap to permit vehicular traffic, said expansion joint system comprising: 
 transversely extending, spaced-apart, vehicular load bearing members;    elongated support members having opposite ends positioned below said transversely extending load bearing members and extending longitudinally across said expansion joint;    means for movably engaging said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with at least one of said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members; and    bearing means disposed between surfaces of said longitudinally extending elongated support members and surfaces of said means for movably engaging at least one of said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members, said bearing means comprising a bearing substrate and an upper bearing portion disposed on at least a portion of said bearing substrate, said upper bearing portion including concavely curved side walls.    
   
   
       48 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said upper bearing portion further comprises a curved upper bearing surface with a flat seat region.  
   
   
       49 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said curved side walls of said upper bearing portion are concavely curved toward the center of said upper bearing portion.  
   
   
       50 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said bearing substrate is substantially cylindrical.  
   
   
       51 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said side walls of said upper bearing portion are bonded over at least a portion said bearing substrate.  
   
   
       52 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said substrate comprises a material that substantially resists a conformational change in response to the application of a load.  
   
   
       53 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises a material that is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a load to said bearing.  
   
   
       54 . The expansion joint system of  claim 53 , wherein said upper bearing portion is capable of undergoing a conformational change in response to the application of a maximum load to said bearing, whereby said side walls of said upper bearing portion change conformation from being concavely curved to a conformation that is substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said upper bearing portion of said bearing.  
   
   
       55 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said bearing substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, composites, and metal alloys.  
   
   
       56 . The expansion joint system of  claim 55 , wherein said composite material comprises fiber reinforced polymers.  
   
   
       57 . The expansion joint system of  claim 55 , wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of urethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, phenolic, and nylon polymers.  
   
   
       58 . The expansion joint system of  claim 57 , wherein said polymer is a phenolic polymer.  
   
   
       59 . The expansion joint system of  claim 55 , wherein said metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of bronze and steel.  
   
   
       60 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said upper bearing portion comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       61 . The expansion joint system of  claim 60 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polychloroprene, isoprene, styrene butadiene rubber, and natural rubber.  
   
   
       62 . The expansion joint system of  claim 61 , wherein said elastomeric material is a polyurethane material.  
   
   
       63 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , further comprising means for controlling the spacing of said transversely extending, spaced-apart, load bearing members relative to one another.  
   
   
       64 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , wherein said means for movably engaging said longitudinally extending, elongated support members with at least one of said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members comprises a yoke assembly.  
   
   
       65 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , comprising seals extending between said transversely extending, spaced-apart load bearing members.  
   
   
       66 . The expansion joint system of  claim 47 , comprising seals extending between said transversely extending, spaced apart load bearing members, and between said transversely extending, spaced apart load bearing members and edge sections of said first and said second roadway sections.  
   
   
       67 . The expansion joint system of  claim 66 , wherein said seals are selected from the group consisting of glandular seals, membrane seals, and strip seals.