초록 ▼

A flexible heating mat is provided. The mat comprises a plurality of sections, connected to each other by arch ribs. The arch ribs form a flexible, preferably raised, ceiling and a closed space above the precipitation-covered surface. Each section comprises a tube, capable of conducting a melting su

A flexible heating mat is provided. The mat comprises a plurality of sections, connected to each other by arch ribs. The arch ribs form a flexible, preferably raised, ceiling and a closed space above the precipitation-covered surface. Each section comprises a tube, capable of conducting a melting substance therethrough and dissipating it through at least one jet for melting of ice and/or drying of moisture. In other embodiments, the mat comprises at least one snow-mashing member. The mat may further comprise a pump for pumping out the melt and/or recycling the melting medium. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. The method of using the mat is also described and claimed.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A versatile flexible mat, comprising: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections comprises: a. a tube having a peripheral wall, capable of conducting at least one type of melting medium therethrough, said peripheral wall comprising at least one jet for re

I claim: 1. A versatile flexible mat, comprising: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections comprises: a. a tube having a peripheral wall, capable of conducting at least one type of melting medium therethrough, said peripheral wall comprising at least one jet for releasing the melting medium; b. at least one arch rib connected to the tube and extending from the tube, towards the arch rib of a neighboring section, said at least one arch rib comprising an upper surface of the arch rib and a lower surface of the arch rib, and wherein the arch ribs extending from the neighboring sections are flexibly connected to each other, thus forming a downwardly facing flexible ceiling and a closed space above the ground surface, and wherein the upper surfaces of the arch ribs, said ribs being flexibly connected to each other, form an upper surface of the mat and, wherein the lower surfaces of the arch ribs, said ribs being flexibly connected to each other, form a lower surface of the mat, and wherein at least some of the melting substance, released by the at least one jet is released into the closed space between the ceiling and the precipitation-covered surface, and wherein the arch ribs, extending from the neighboring sections, each extend from the tube towards the arch rib of a neighboring section at a wide upward-pointing angle, thus forming a centrally-raised flexible ceiling in the form of an arch over the precipitation-covered surface to facilitate the distribution of the melting medium in the closed space, and wherein the mat comprises at least one snow-mashing member, said at least one snow-mashing member connected to the flexible ceiling and extending vertically in the downward direction, and wherein said at least one snow-mashing member comprises substantially horizontal multiply-edged surface on it's lower end having a plurality of peaked protrusions. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the mat comprises a plurality of the snow-mashing members, and wherein each of the at least one arch ribs further comprises at least one snow-mashing member, the at least one snow-mashing member attached to the lower surface of the arch rib, and said at least one snow-mashing member extend downwards from the lower surface of the arch rib. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the melting medium is warm ater. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the melting medium is air. 5. The device of claim 2, wherein the melting medium is steam. 6. The device of claim 2, wherein the melting medium is the combination of liquid water and air. 7. The device of claim 2, wherein the melting medium is water, containing snow-melting additives. 8. The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible connection of the arch ribs is the hinged connection. 9. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one jet is a combination of multiple jets, wherein at least some of the jets of the combination of multiple jets are positioned, and oriented to dissipate the melting medium into the closed space under the ceiling. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein at least some of the jets of the combination of multiple jets are positioned below the height of the ceiling and oriented to dissipate some of the melting medium into the closed space under the ceiling, and some of the jets of the combination of multiple jets are positioned above the height of the ceiling to dissipate some of the melting medium over the upper surface of the mat. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the mat further comprises a drainage system for pumping out the melt from the closed space and the vicinity of the mat, said drainage system comprising a drainage pump, a drainage conduit and at least one suction drainage intake, wherein the drainage conduit connects the drainage intakes to the drainage pump. 12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a melting medium conduit, and wherein the drainage conduit channels at least some of the melt, collected by the at least one suction drainage intake, into the melting medium conduit for mixing in with the melting medium. 13. The device of claim 2, further comprising at least one abutment tooth 40, said tooth attached to the tube. 14. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one main pipe, attached to the tube, said pipe supplying the melting medium into the tube. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one main pipe comprises an extension port for attachment of additional, extension pieces of the main pipe. 16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of apertures, said apertures extending from the upper surface, through the flexible ceiling, and into the closed space. 17. The device of claim 1, further comprising a routing mechanism, for selecting and routing the selected type of the melting medium through the tube. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the routing mechanism is programmable to automatically switch the type of the melting medium routed through the tube. 19. A method of applying melting medium to the ground surface, comprising the steps of A. Obtaining the flexible heating mat, comprising a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections comprises: a. a tube having a peripheral wall, capable of conducting at least one type of melting medium therethrough, said peripheral wall comprising at least one jet for releasing the melting medium; b. at least one arch rib connected to the tube and extending from the tube, towards the arch rib of a neighboring section, said at least one arch rib comprising an upper surface of the arch rib and a lower surface of the arch rib, and wherein the arch ribs extending from the neighboring sections are flexibly connected to each other, thus forming a flexible ceiling and a closed space above the ground surface, and wherein the upper surfaces of the arch ribs, said ribs being flexibly connected to each other, form upper surface of the mat and, wherein the lower surfaces of the arch ribs, said ribs being flexibly connected to each other, form lower surface of the mat, and wherein at least some of the melting substance, released by the at least one jet is released into the closed space between the ceiling and the precipitation-covered surface; B. Positioning the mat over the ground surface, thus suspending the flexible ceiling and at least mashing member having a plurality of peaked protrusions hanging over the ground surface; C. Initiating the flow of the melting medium through the tubes.