Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02574694 2007-12-21
TITLE OF INVENTION
DOUBLE ENDED CONNECTOR/UTILITY UNIT
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a device intended for use with all
insulated concrete formwork (ICF) systems.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Insulated concrete formwork is a well known system used for
setting concrete foundations. Typically, such formwork incorporates a series
of
insulation panels joined by a series of webs. The top and bottom surfaces of
the
insulation panels typically have interconnecting means to join the panels to
other
panels situated above or below. For many types of insulation panels, the top
surfaces will have one type of interconnecting means, such as male
interconnecting means. The bottom surface of each panel will have an
interconnecting means that connects to the interconnecting means from the top
surface. Where the top surface of each panel has male interconnecting means,
the bottom surface of other panels will have female interconnecting means for
receiving the male interconnecting means.
[0003] As such, ideally the nature of the interconnecting means on the
upper and lower surfaces of the formwork matches the interconnecting means on
the formwork of each individual ICF manufacturer. That is, separate devices
must be manufactured to be compatible with the ICF of each producer. The ICF
geometries typically comprise a male connector on the upper surface and a
female connector on the lower surface and can consist of one or more rows of
circular, rectangular or slotted shapes of matching male and female features.
[0004] Where two insulation panels each have a female interconnecting
bottom edge and a male interconnecting top edge, the panels can only be
connected in a uni-directional fashion. In cases where an obstruction such as
a
gable, a door frame or a window frame is encountered during the construction
of
insulated concrete formwork and one or more panels must be cut so that a
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portion of the panel fits against the obstruction, the off cut is typically
disposed
of because either the female interconnecting bottom edge or the male
interconnecting top edge has been cut away. It would be desirable to use the
portions of those cut panels rather than disposing of them. This could be
achieved if the remaining portion of the panel could be inverted and attached
to
another panel.
[0005] The present invention also can be used to utilize existing formwork
with non uniform width developed to provide support for brick veneer on one or
both faces of a wall. By inverting such formwork at the base of the wall such
that
a wider portion engages the ground, the greater width provided supports the
bearing of the wall on the ground. This could eliminate the cost and time
expended to prepare a separate concrete footing in advance of assembling a
wall
of insulated concrete formwork. Use of the present invention on the upper
narrower end of the inverted ledger unit enables the next course of ICF to be
placed with the top side uppermost, thus allowing the wall to be finished with
conventional ICF panels.
[0006] A further application of the present invention is demonstrated when
a concrete wall is poured. When pouring concrete into the assembled ICF units,
it is very difficult to avoid fouling of the upper side of the ICF unit with
concrete.
Cleaning the interconnecting means along this upper surface is a very time
consuming but necessary to achieve interlocking when the next course of ICF
units are placed for upward continuation of the wall construction. The unit
described herein can be positioned temporarily along the top of the wall to
protect the formwork on the upper side of the wall. After pouring the
concrete,
the unit can be removed for reuse and construction of additional wall height
can
be continued without delay.
[0007] Finally, the present invention can also be used to further stabilize
insulated concrete formwork systems. More particularly, two like units having
male or female interconnecting means may be connected together by a
stabilizing means such as a web. This application is particularly useful where
the
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units have greater heights such that the outward pressure of the greater mass
of
concrete between the units is more significant.
[0008] The desire to attach like surfaces of insulation panels is reflected in
the prior art. The prior art discloses panels with reversible connecting
means.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,428,933 (Philippe) discloses an insulating
construction member with a top and bottom surface each having alternating
projections and recesses as interconnecting members. The alternating
interconnecting means on the top and bottom surfaces are arranged
symmetrically so that they may be interconnected with a like member in a bi-
directional and/or reversible manner.
[0009] An insulating foam panel having alternating projections and
recesses on its top and bottom surfaces is also disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
6,401,419 (Beliveau). The alternating projections and recesses permit the
attachment of the top side and/or bottom side of a panel with either the top
side
or the bottom side of a like panel.
[0010] U.S. Patent No. 6,820,384 (Pfeiffer) discloses insulation panels with
alternating teeth and sockets along opposing edges of each panel. Thus, each
panel may engage either opposing vertical end of a horizontally adjacent block
panel.
[0011] The prior art reversible systems each disclose panels with
alternating male and female interconnecting means. However, insulated
concrete form systems incorporating panels with only male interconnecting
means or female interconnecting means on their top and bottom surfaces are
still
in use. There is a need for a means for making such systems reversible.
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SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0012] The invention here comprises a device of connecting insulation
panels of insulated concrete formwork. Each insulation panel has opposing
edges and male interconnecting means on a first edge and female
interconnecting means on a second edge. The devices includes a block with
opposing edges wherein each opposing edge of the block has only male
interconnecting means and said male interconnecting means can mate with said
female interconnecting means on said second edge of each of said panels.
[0013] A further embodiment of the invention comprises a device for
connecting insulation panels of insulated concrete formwork. Each insulation
panel has opposing edges and male interconnecting means on a first edge and
female interconnecting means on a second edge. The device includes a block
with opposing edges wherein each opposing edge of the block has only female
interconnecting means and said female interconnecting means can mate with
said male interconnecting means on said first edge of each of said panels.
[0014] A further embodiment of the invention comprises a system for
insulating concrete formwork. The system includes a plurality of insulation
panels wherein each panel has opposing edges and male interconnecting means
on a first said edge and female interconnecting means on a second said edge.
The system further comprises at least one block connecting two of said
insulation
panels wherein each opposing edge of said block has only male interconnecting
means that can mate with said female interconnecting on said second edge of
each of said panels.
[0015] A further embodiment of the invention comprises a system for
insulating concrete formwork. The system includes a plurality of insulation
panels wherein each panel has opposing edges and male interconnecting means
on a first said edge and female interconnecting means on a second said edge.
The system also includes at least one block connecting two of said insulation
panels wherein each opposing edge of said block has only female
interconnecting
means that can mate with said male interconnecting means on said first edge of
each of said panels.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only preferred
embodiments of the invention:
[0017] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an insulation panel that has been
severed into two portions;
[0018] FIGURE 2A is an exploded perspective view of the portions of the
insulation panel from Figure 1 and a double ended connector with female
interconnecting means;
[0019] Figure 2B is an exploded perspective view of the portions of the
insulation panel from Figure 1 and a double ended connector with male
interconnecting means;
[0020] Figure 3 is a perspective view of insulated concrete formwork
incorporating two double ended connectors.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] An insulation panel 10 is shown in Figure 1. The insulation panel 10
is formed from a malleable substance such as polystyrene or the like. The
insulation panel 10 has a bottom edge 14 and a top edge 18 which opposes the
bottom edge 14. The bottom edge 14 and the top edge 18 each have means for
connecting the insulation panel 10 to other insulation panels.
[0022] The top edge 18 of the insulation panel 10 shown in Figure 1 has a
series of male interconnecting means 22. The male interconnecting means 22
include projections 26 and bridges 30. It will be apparent to a person skilled
in
the art that the male interconnecting means may have variable shapes and sizes
and may or may not include bridges or portions connecting the projections. The
bridges 30 each connect adjacent projections 26.
[0023] The bottom edge 14 of the insulation panel 10 has a series of
female interconnecting means 34. The female interconnecting means 34 include
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recesses 38 and grooves 42. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art
that the female interconnecting means may have variable shapes and sizes and
may or may not include grooves or portions connecting the recesses. It will
also
be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the female interconnecting
means
are of a shape and size to receive the variably shaped and sized male
interconnecting means. The recesses 38 and the grooves 42 are each defined by
the insulation panel 10. The grooves 42 each connect adjacent recesses 38. The
female interconnecting means 34 are sized to receive male interconnecting
means having the dimensions of the male interconnecting means 22.
Specifically, the recesses 38 are sized to receive projections having the
dimensions of projections 26 and grooves 42 are sized to receive bridges
having
the dimensions of bridges 30.
[0024] The insulation panel 10 shown in Figure 1 has been cut into a first
portion 50 and a second portion 54.
[0025] Figure 2A shows insulated concrete formwork 58 incorporating the
first portion 50 of the insulation panel 10 and the second portion 54 of the
insulation panel 10. The second portion 54 of the insulation panel 10 has been
flipped and positioned above the first portion 50 in a manner to connect with
the
first portion 50 of the insulation panel 10.
[0026] A block 60 is also shown in Figure 2A. The block 60 is rectangularly
shaped and formed from a malleable substance such as polystyrene or the like.
The block 60 has a bottom surface 64 and a top surface 68 opposing the bottom
surface 64. The top surface 68 and the bottom surface 64 of the block 60 have
like interconnecting means.
[0027] The like interconnecting means of the block 60 shown in Figure 2A
are female interconnecting means 72. The female interconnecting means 72
extend along the entire length of the top surface 68 and the bottom surface 64
of
the block 60. The female interconnecting means 72 on the top surface 68 and
the bottom surface 64 are each aligned into two rows. The female
interconnecting means 72 include recesses 76 and grooves 80. The grooves 80
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each connect adjacent recesses 76. The female interconnecting means 72 are
sized so that they may receive the male interconnecting means 22 of the
insulation panel 10. Specifically, the recesses 76 may receive the projections
26
and the grooves 80 may receive the bridges 30.
[0028] Figure 2B shows insulated concrete formwork 90 incorporating the
first portion 50 of the insulation panel 10 and the second portion 54 of the
insulation panel 10. The second portion 54 of the insulation panel 10 has been
flipped and positioned below the first portion 50 in a manner to connect with
the
first portion 50 of the insulation panel 10.
[0029] A block 94 is also shown in Figure 2b. The block 94 is rectangularly
shaped and formed from a malleable substance such as polystyrene or the like.
The block 94 has a bottom surface 96 and a top surface 98 opposing the bottom
surface 96. The top surface 98 and the bottom surface 96 of the block 94 have
like interconnecting means.
[0030] The like interconnecting means of the block 94 shown in Figure 2B
are male interconnecting means 100. The male interconnecting means 100
extend along the entire length of the top surface 98 and the bottom surface 96
of
the block 94. The male interconnecting means 100 on the top surface 98 and
the bottom surface 96 are each aligned into two rows. The male interconnecting
means 100 include projections 104 and bridges 106. The bridges 106 each
connect adjacent projections 104. The male interconnecting means 100 are
sized so that they may be received by the female interconnecting means 34 of
the insulation panel 10. Specifically, the projections 104 may be received by
the
recesses 38 of the insulation panel 10 and the bridges 106 may be received by
the grooves 42 of the insulation panel 10.
[0031] Insulated concrete formwork 160 is shown in Figure 3. The
insulated concrete formwork 160 has been partially cut away to show the
components of the insulated concrete formwork 160. The insulated concrete
formwork 160 incorporates four insulation panels 164, 168, 172 and 176.
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Insulation panels 164 and 172 have been flipped such that their respective
bottom surfaces 180 and 184 are facing upward.
[0032] The insulated concrete formwork 160 shown in Figure 3 also
incorporates two blocks 94. A block 94 connects insulation panels 164 and 168
and a block 94 connects insulation panels 172 and 176.
[0033] Each of the insulation panels 164, 168, 172 and 176 has a series of
slots 196. Each of the blocks 94 also have a series of slots 200. The slots
196 of
the insulation panels 164, 168, 172 and 176 receive webs 204 of the insulated
concrete formwork 160.
[0034] The insulated concrete formwork 160 also incorporates a continuous
stirrup 208 for each set of two insulation panels and two reinforcing members
212 and 216 for each set of insulation panels. An adhesive substance 220 is
put
between the insulation panels 164, 168, 172 and 176 and the blocks 188 and
192. The adhesive substance 220 is a substance that may be poured and that
sets upon drawing, such as concrete, grout or the like.
[0035] In operation, the block is used when it becomes necessary to
connect surfaces of insulation panels and the surfaces have like
interconnecting
means. This may occur when a slanted gable (not shown) is encountered during
the construction of insulated concrete formwork. As seen in Figure 1, the
insulation panel 10 is cut at an angle to match the slope of the gable to form
first
portion 50 and second portion 54. If the second portion 54 of the insulation
panel 10 is to be set flush with the gable, it must be flipped over, as seen
in
Figures 2A and 2B. To then attach the second portion of the insulation panel
with the first portion 50 of the insulation panel 10, the block 60 or the
block 94 is
used. Thereafter, it may be necessary to cut the block 60 or the block 94 at
an
angle matching the slope of the gable such that the block may be laid flush
with
the gable. Further insulation panels or a portion of a further insulation
panel
may also be connected to the block 60 or block 94.
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[0036] Numerous modifications may be made to the embodiments
described above without departing from the scope of the invention, which is
defined by the claims.