IP Library Granted Patent US 11,692,314
Granted Patent B2
US 11,692,314 · App. 17/133,767 · Granted Jul 4, 2023

Vertical takeoff and landing pad and interlocking pavers to construct same

Inventors: Ivan Townsend (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Matthew Nugent (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Thomas Lippitt (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Robert Mueller (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Nathan Gelino (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Jason Schuler (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Jonathan Smith (Kennedy Space Center, FL); Andrew Nick (Kennedy Space Center, FL)
E01C9/008B64F1/00E01C5/00E01C5/006E01C2201/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,692,314
App. No.
17/133,767
Granted
Jul 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interlocking paver system including a polygon paver and a spacer paver is provided. The polygon paver may have a top level having a top level polygon paver perimeter and a bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level and having a bottom level polygon paver perimeter contained within the top level polygon paver perimeter. The spacer paver may have a top level having a top level spacer paver perimeter and a bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level and having a bottom level spacer paver perimeter extending beyond an entirety of the top level spacer paver perimeter. The spacer paver may be configured to selectively interlock with the polygon paver. The top level spacer paver perimeter, top level polygon paver perimeter, and bottom level spacer paver perimeter are different from one another.

Claims (48)

1. An interlocking paver system comprising:

a polygon paver having a longitudinal axis extending from a first side to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third side to a fourth side, wherein the polygon paver is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis and comprises:

a polygon paver top level having a top level polygon paver planar surface and a top level polygon paver perimeter,

a polygon paver bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level polygon paver planar surface and having a bottom level polygon paver perimeter contained within the top level polygon paver perimeter; and

a spacer paver having a longitudinal axis extending from a first side to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third side to a fourth side, wherein the spacer paver is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis and comprises:

a spacer paver top level having a top level spacer paver planar surface and a top level spacer paver perimeter, and

a spacer paver bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level spacer paver planar surface and having a bottom level spacer paver perimeter extending beyond an entirety of the top level spacer paver perimeter;

wherein the spacer paver is configured to selectively interlock with the polygon paver with either of the third or fourth side of the polygon paver bottom level adjacent either of the first or second side of the spacer paver bottom level and either of the first or second side of the polygon paver bottom level adjacent either of the third or fourth side of the spacer paver bottom level; and

wherein the top level spacer paver perimeter, top level polygon paver perimeter, and bottom level spacer paver perimeter are different from one another.

2. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the polygon paver is monolithic.

3. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the spacer paver is monolithic.

4. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the polygon paver and the spacer paver are formed from regolith.

5. The interlocking paver system of claim 4 wherein the polygon paver and the spacer paver are formed by heating regolith above ambient temperature.

6. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the top level polygon paver perimeter is an octagon.

7. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the bottom level polygon paver perimeter is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the polygon paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the polygon paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the polygon paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the polygon paver.

8. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the spacer paver top level comprises:

an elongate center portion having a first and opposing second end parallel to the first and second sides of the spacer paver;

a first isosceles trapezoid extension portion adjacent the first end of the elongate center portion; and

a second isosceles trapezoid extension portion adjacent the second end of the elongate center portion.

9. The interlocking paver system of claim 8 wherein the bottom level spacer paver perimeter is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the spacer paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the spacer paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the spacer paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the spacer paver.

10. The interlocking paver system of claim 1 wherein the bottom level polygon paver perimeter is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the polygon paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the polygon paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the polygon paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the polygon paver;

wherein the bottom level spacer paver perimeter is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the spacer paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the spacer paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the spacer paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the spacer paver;

wherein each recessed notch of the polygon paver is configured to receive either of the protrusions of the spacer paver; and

wherein each recessed notch of the spacer paver is configured to receive either of the protrusions of the polygon paver.

11. An interlocking paver system comprising:

a first polygon paver having a polygon paver perimeter;

a second polygon paver having the polygon paver perimeter;

a third polygon paver having the polygon paver perimeter;

a fourth polygon paver having the polygon paver perimeter; and

a spacer paver having a longitudinal axis extending from a first side to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third side to a fourth side, wherein the spacer paver is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis and comprises:

a spacer paver top level having a top level spacer paver planar surface and a top level spacer paver perimeter, and

a spacer paver bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level spacer paver planar surface and having a bottom level spacer paver perimeter extending beyond an entirety of the top level spacer paver perimeter;

wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth polygon pavers has a longitudinal axis extending from a first side to a second side, a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third side to a fourth side, and is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis;

wherein the bottom level spacer paver perimeter, top level spacer paver perimeter, and polygon paver perimeter are different from one another;

wherein the first side of the first polygon paver is configured to interlock with the third side of the spacer paver;

wherein the second side of the second polygon paver is configured to interlock with the fourth side of the spacer paver;

wherein the third side of the third polygon paver is configured to interlock with the first side of the spacer paver, and

wherein the fourth side of the fourth polygon paver is configured to interlock with the second side of the spacer paver.

12. The interlocking paver system of claim 11 wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth polygon pavers further comprises:

a polygon paver top level having a top level polygon paver planar surface and a top level polygon paver perimeter; and

a polygon paver bottom level secured to and protruding from the top level polygon paver planar surface and having a bottom level polygon paver perimeter contained within the top level polygon paver perimeter.

13. The interlocking paver system of claim 12 wherein the top level polygon paver perimeter is an octagon.

14. The interlocking paver system of claim 12 wherein the bottom level polygon paver perimeter of each of the first, second, third, and fourth polygon pavers is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the polygon paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the polygon paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the polygon paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the polygon paver.

15. The interlocking paver system of claim 11 wherein the spacer paver top level comprises;

an elongate center portion having a first and second end parallel to the first and second sides of the spacer paver;

a first isosceles trapezoid extension portion adjacent the first end of the elongate center portion; and

a second isosceles trapezoid extension portion adjacent the second end of the elongate center portion.

16. The interlocking paver system of claim 11 wherein the bottom level spacer paver perimeter is a rectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the spacer paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the spacer paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the spacer paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the spacer paver.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2021
From: CRAIG TECHNOLOGIES AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS, INC. D/B/A/ SIDUS SPACE
To: SIDUS SPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 057699/0222 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 19, 2021
From: CRAIG TECHNOLOGIES AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: CRAIG TECHNOLOGIES AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS, INC. D/B/A/ SIDUS SPACE
Reel/Frame 056908/0918 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2021
From: TOWNSEND, IVAN
To: CRAIG TECHNOLOGIES AEROSPACE SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 055059/0612 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16377856 · Apr 8, 2019
Provisional Application 62654833 · Apr 9, 2018
Related Publication 20210140123A1 · May 13, 2021