US-12617723-B2 - Surface crack filler compound

Abstract

Disclosed herein are concrete and asphalt crack filler compounds and methods for utilizing them. According to some embodiments, a method of utilizing one of the compounds can include the steps of (1) obtaining a surface crack filler compound, (2) depositing the surface crack filler compound into a surface crack (e.g., concrete, asphalt, etc.), and (3) depositing water onto the surface crack filler compound to cause the surface crack filler compound to solidify and fill the surface crack. Additionally, and according to some embodiments, the method can further include, prior to depositing the surface crack filler compound into the surface crack: removing debris from the surface crack using at least one of a brush, pressurized air, or pressurized water.

Inventors

• Randy BALLOU
• Elden PETERSON

Assignees

• Logical Resource, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240328

Claims (12)

1. 1 . A concrete crack filler compound, comprising: ethylene vinyl acetate, rubber, fiber mesh, silica sand, 0.5%-1% black color cement additive, and cement.
2. 2 . The concrete crack filler compound of claim 1 , wherein ratios of the ethylene vinyl acetate, rubber, fiber mesh, silica sand, and cement in the concrete crack filler compound can range from: 2% to 10% ethylene vinyl acetate, 2% to 15% rubber, 0.001% to 1% fiber mesh, 84% to 94% silica sand, and 1% to 6% cement.
3. 3 . The concrete crack filler compound of claim 1 , wherein the silica sand is sized in accordance with a ninety-grit rating.
4. 4 . The concrete crack filler compound of claim 1 , wherein the concrete crack filler compound, when deposited into a concrete crack and activated with water, solidifies and fills the concrete crack.
5. 5 . The concrete crack filler compound of claim 1 , wherein the rubber comprises sixty (60) mesh crumb rubber.
6. 6 . The concrete crack filler compound of claim 1 , wherein the fiber mesh comprises monofilament microfiber that is manufactured from virgin homopolymer polypropylene resins.
7. 7 . An asphalt crack filler compound, comprising: ethylene vinyl acetate, rubber, fiber mesh, black silica sand, black color cement additive, 0.5%-1% black color cement additive, and cement.
8. 8 . The asphalt crack filler compound of claim 7 , wherein ratios of ethylene vinyl acetate, rubber, fiber mesh, black silica sand, black color cement additive, and cement can range from: 2% to 10% ethylene vinyl acetate, 2% to 15% rubber, 0.001% to 1% fiber mesh, 84% to 93% black silica sand, 0.5%-1% black color cement additive, and 2% to 12% cement.
9. 9 . The asphalt crack filler compound of claim 7 , wherein the black silica sand is sized in accordance with a ninety-grit rating.
10. 10 . The asphalt crack filler compound of claim 7 , wherein the asphalt crack filler compound, when deposited into an asphalt crack and activated with water, solidifies and fills the asphalt crack.
11. 11 . The asphalt crack filler compound of claim 7 , wherein the rubber comprises sixty (60) mesh crumb rubber.
12. 12 . The asphalt crack filler compound of claim 7 , wherein the fiber mesh comprises monofilament microfiber that is manufactured from virgin homopolymer polypropylene resins.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/804,077, entitled “SURFACE CRACK FILLER COMPOUND,” filed May 25, 2022, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. FIELD OF INVENTION The described embodiments relate generally to a solution for filling cracks that commonly form throughout surface installations (e.g., concrete and asphalt). More specifically, the described embodiments relate to a surface crack filler compound that, when deposited within a surface crack—and subsequently activated with water—solidifies and thereby fills the surface crack. BACKGROUND Concrete and asphalt are commonly used to form durable surfaces that are useful to homeowners, businesses, and the like. Examples of surfaces include driveways, patios, sidewalks, and so on. Although concrete and asphalt are highly durable materials, most installations are still susceptible to situations that cause cracks to be introduced that are aesthetically displeasing. Such cracks can form, for example, in surface installations disposed in environments where extreme variations in temperature, humidity, etc., occur between day and night, thereby causing the surface to expand and contract and form cracks. Other contributing factors include the lack of an internal structure within a given surface installation, voids resulting from uneven ground under the surface, and so on, thereby exhibiting uneven pressure on the surface and causing cracks to form. It is impractical to cut out and replace areas of surfaces in which cracks have formed as this is an intensive and expensive process. Accordingly, what is needed is an efficient and low-cost approach for filling cracks that commonly form throughout surface installations. SUMMARY Representative embodiments described herein set forth a method for filling a concrete crack that has formed in a concrete installation. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) obtaining a concrete crack filler compound, (2) depositing the concrete crack filler compound into the concrete crack, and (3) depositing water onto the concrete crack filler compound to cause the concrete crack filler compound to solidify and fill the concrete crack. Additionally, and according to some embodiments, the method can further include, prior to depositing the concrete crack filler compound into the concrete crack: removing debris from the concrete crack using at least one of a brush, pressurized air, or pressurized water. According to some embodiments, a concrete crack filler compound can be composed of (1) ethylene vinyl acetate, (2) rubber, (3) fiber mesh, (4) silica sand, and (5) cement. According to some embodiments, ratios of the foregoing components can range from: 2% to 10% ethylene vinyl acetate, 2% to 15% rubber, 0.001% to 1% fiber mesh, 84% to 94% silica sand, and 1% to 6% cement. It is noted that the concrete crack filler compound can be composed using any variations of the foregoing ratios without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is also noted that any of the foregoing components can be omitted from the concrete crack filler compound without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is further noted that additional components can be added to the concrete crack filler compound—such as color cement additives—without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is additionally noted that the foregoing components can take various forms, including, but not limited to those described herein, such as different compositions, textures, sizes, granularities, colors, and the like, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Representative embodiments described herein also set forth a method for filling an asphalt crack that has formed in an asphalt installation. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) obtaining an asphalt crack filler compound, (2) depositing the asphalt crack filler compound into the asphalt crack, and (3) depositing water onto the asphalt crack filler compound to cause the asphalt crack filler compound to solidify and fill the asphalt crack. Additionally, and according to some embodiments, the method can further include, prior to depositing the asphalt crack filler compound into the asphalt crack: removing debris from the asphalt crack using at least one of a brush, pressurized air, or pressurized water. According to some embodiments, an asphalt crack filler compound can be composed of (1) ethylene vinyl acetate, (2) rubber, (3) fiber mesh, (4) black silica sand, (5) black color cement additive, and (5) cement. According to some embodiments, ratios of the foregoing components can range from: 2% to 10% ethylene vinyl acetate, 2% to 15% rubber, 0.001% to 1% fiber mesh, 84% to 93% black silica sand, 0.5%-1% black color cement additive, and 2% to 12% cement. It is noted that the asphalt crack filler compound can be c