US 12,018,443 B1
Phase transforming cellular matrix (PXCM) based tile design for a lightweight runway mat
Pablo Daniel Zavattieri, West Lafayette, IN (US); Scott M Hartford, South Bend, IN (US); and Kristiaan William Hector, Shelby Township, MI (US)
Filed by Pablo Daniel Zavattieri, West Lafayette, IN (US); Scott M Hartford, South Bend, IN (US); and Kristiaan William Hector, Shelby Township, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/245,154.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/047,006, filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Int. Cl. E01C 9/00 (2006.01); B32B 3/12 (2006.01); B32B 15/01 (2006.01); B64F 1/36 (2017.01); E01C 5/22 (2006.01); E01C 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC E01C 9/00 (2013.01) [B32B 3/12 (2013.01); B32B 15/012 (2013.01); B64F 1/36 (2013.01); E01C 5/223 (2013.01); B32B 2307/54 (2013.01); B32B 2307/56 (2013.01); B32B 2471/04 (2013.01); E01C 9/083 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lightweight runway mat, comprising:
a base portion having a first plurality of spaced columns extending therefrom;
a loading platform portion having a second plurality of spaced columns extending therefrom;
wherein the base portion and loading platform portion are matably interconnectible;
wherein each respective column defines a plurality of operationally connected phase transforming cells;
wherein each respective spaced column is a steel hexagonal PXMC column;
wherein each respective cell has a first and a second stable geometry; and
wherein energy transfer is required to shift from one stable geometric configuration to the other.