Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
CORNER WEB MEMBER AND CORNER OF A FORM SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention encompasses a component that may be used to form a
corner panel used in a wall system.
Background Art
Concrete walls in building construction are often produced by first setting up
two parallel form walls and pouring concrete into the space between the forms.
After the concrete hardens, the builder then removes the forms, leaving the
cured
concrete wall.
This prior art technique has drawbacks. Formation of the concrete walls is
1 S inefficient because of the time required to erect the forms, wait until
the concrete
cures, and take down the forms. This prior art technique, therefore, is an
expensive,
labor-intensive process.
Accordingly, techniques have developed for forming concrete walls that use
a foarri insulating material. The modular form walls are set up parallel to
each other
and connecting components hold the two form walls in place relative to each
other
while concrete is poured therebetween. The form walls, however, remain in
place
after the concrete cures. That is, the modular walls, which are constructed of
foam
insulating material, are a permanent part of the building after the concrete
cures.
The concrete walls made using this technique can be stacked on top of each
other
many stories high to form all of a building's walls. In addition to the
efficiency
gained by retaining the form walls as part of the permanent structure, the
materials
of the form walls often provide adequate insulation for the building.
In prior art systems, however, the corners for form systems have proven to be
difficult to manufacture and construct. Often a specific side panel must be
manufactured and used, in which the side panels are non-linear to form an
angle
equal to that required for the building (i.e., ~90 degrees). These corner
panels
necessary to make a corner structure in the prior art concrete form systems
are
expensive and structurally weak.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a corner web member that may be used for
making corner structures in building form systems, particularly for systems
used to
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
construct concrete walls. The corner web member is preferably at least
partially
disposed within a side panel that forms a corner section, a.e., a corner side
panel.
The corner web member includes first and second mounting bodies and first
and second bridging members. The first mounting body is attached to the second
mounting body at a juncture, which is preferably a pivotal connection. The
first
bridging member is connected to the first mounting body at the edge opposite
the .
edge to which the second mounting body is attached. Likewise, the second
bridging
member is connected to the second mounting body at the corresponding edge.
The corner web member is disposed within the corner side panel and
advantageously provides structural strength thereto. Although not required,
the
presently preferred embodiment is designed so that the corner web member is at
least partially integrally formed within the corner side panel.
The corner side panel can by formed to have different angles. The most
common angles are substantially 90 and 135 degrees.
The present invention also includes a method of constructing a portion of a
form wall system having at least one corner panel described herein. The
present
invention further encompasses a method of using the corner web member to
manufacture the panel itself.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become
more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention
shown being used with an exemplary wall system.
Fig. 2 is a perspective side view of a Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2.
Fig. 2A is an alternative view of Fig. 2 showing concrete disposed between
the two opposed side panels.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of connector shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of one corner web member of
the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1 and that uses the corner web member
shown in Fig. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is more particularly described in the following
examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications
and
variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. As used in
the
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CA 02373769 2002-02-27
specification and in the claims, "a," "an," and "the" can mean one or more,
depending upon the context in which it is used. The preferred embodiment of
the
present invention is now described with reference to the figures, in which
like
numbers indicate like parts throughout the figures.
As shown in Figs. 1-5, the present invention comprises a corner web member
60 that is preferably used for constructing the corner wall or panel 10 of
buildings
and the like. Before describing illustrative embodiments of the present
invention,
however, exemplary components that are used to form the associated concrete
form
wall are addressed to provide context.
As best shown in Fig. 2, side panels 20 are used to form the wall, in which
each side panel 20 has a top end 24, a bottom end 26, a first end 28, a second
end 30,
an exterior surface 32, and an interior surface 34. The illustrated side panel
20 has a
thickness (separation between the interior surface 34 and exterior surface 32)
of
approximately two and a half (2%) inches, a height (separation between the
bottom
end 26 and the top end 24) of sixteen (16) inches; and a length (separation
between
the first end 28 and second end 30) of forty-eight (48) inches. The dimensions
may
be altered, if desired, for different building projects, such as increasing
the thickness
of the side panel 2Q for more insulation. Half sections of the side panels 20
can be
used for footings.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the interior surface 34 of one side panel 20
faces the interior surface 34 of another side panel 20 and the opposed
interior
surfaces 34 are laterally spaced apart from each other a desired separation
distance
so that a cavity 38 is formed therebetween. Concrete-in its fluid state-is
poured
into the cavity 38 and allowed to substantially cure (i.e., harden) therein to
form the
wall structure, as shown in Fig. 2A. The opposed interior surfaces 34 are
usually
parallel to each other. The volume of concrete received within the cavity 38
is
defined by the separation distance between the interior surfaces 34, the
height of the
side panels 20, and the length of the side panels 20.
The illustrated side panels 20 are constructed of expanded polystyrene
("EPS"), which provides thermal insulation and sufficient strength to hold the
poured concrete C until it substantially cures. The formed concrete wall using
expanded polystyrene with the poured concrete C has a high insulating value so
that
no additional insulation is usually required. In addition, the formed walls
have a
high impedance to sound transmission. However, other materials may be used to
form the side panels, including, but not limited to, other polystyrene
materials,
wood, plywood, combined steel frame and plywood center (commonly known as a
steel-ply panel), or any other solid material that can be coupled to either a
web
member 40 or a connector 50 and can withstand the forces exerted by the fluid
3
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
concrete when poured into the cavity 38 without substantial bowing, warping,
breaking, or other type of failure. The opposed side panels may be formed of
the
same material or different materials.
As shown~'in Fig. 2 and disclosed more completely in U.S. Patent Nos.
6,170,220 and 6,336,301 and in U.S. Patent Application Serial Number
09/848,398
(all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties), each side panel 20
has at
least one web member 40 formed into it. Each web member 40 formed within one
side panel 20 is usually separated a predetermined longitudinal distance from
other
web members 40, which is typically eight (8) inches. Based on the preferred
length
of the side panel 20 of forty-eight (48) inches, six web members 40 are formed
within each side panel 20. A portion of each web member 40 is shown integrally
formed within one side panel 20 and is to be cured within the concrete C so
that the
web member 4U strengthens the connection between the side panel 20 and the
concrete C. That is, since the web member 40 is an integral part of the side
panel 20,
it bonds the side panel 20 to the concrete C once the concrete is poured and
substantially cures within the cavity 38. However, other designs are
contemplated to
be used with the present invention, such as systems in which the web member is
not
integrally formed into the side panel and, for example, the web member is slid
into
slots precut into the side panel at the construction site. Still another
design with
which the present invention may be used includes systems having the web
members,
side panels, and connectors shipped to the construction site as an integral
unit. Such
exemplary designs are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,901,494, 5,390,459, and
5,497,592, which are also incorporated herein in by reference.
Referring still to Fig. 2, portions of each web member 40 that extend through
the interior surface 34 of the side panel 20 forms one or more attachment
points 44.
The attachment points 44 are disposed within the cavity 38 and are spaced
apart
from the interior surface 34 of the side panels 20. However, as one skilled in
the art
will appreciate, the attachment points 44 may take any of a number of
alternate
designs formed by or independently of the web members 40, including as
examples:
slots, channels, grooves, projections or recesses formed in the side panels;
hooks or
eyelets projecting from or formed into the side panels; twist, compression or
snap
couplings; or other coupling means for engaging cooperating ends of the
connectors.
The illustrated attachment points 44 of the web members 40 extend into the
cavity 38 and the attachment points 44 of each web member 40 formed within one
side panel 20 are spaced apart from the attachment points 44 of the web
members 40
fornned within the opposed side panel 20. Thus, the web members 40 in this
illustrative design do not directly contact each other; instead, each
attachment point
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CA 02373769 2002-02-27
44 independently engages the connector 50 that interconnects the web members
40
and, accordingly, the side panels 20.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the illustrated connector 50 has opposed ends 52 and
a length extending therebetween. The ends 52 of the connectors 50 are each of
a
shape to engage one attachment point 44 of two respective web members 40
within
opposed panels. In conjunction, each end 52 of the connector 50 has a track 54
into
which the attachment point 44 is complementarily and slidably received. Thus,
the
illustrated connectors 50 engage two attachment paints 44 on opposed web
members
40, which position the interior surfaces 34 of the side panels 20 at a desired
separation distance and support the side panels 20 when the fluid concrete is
poured
into the cavity 38. The connector 50 thus makes a two-point connection with
opposed web members 40 because each connector has two ends 52 that each couple
to one attachment point 44, although it is contemplated making a four-point
connection (i.e., each connector 50 engages four attachment points 44 instead
of two
as illustrated in the figures). As also noted above, however, the web members
and
connectors can be formed as an integral unit for use with the present
invention.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the connectors 50 also define an aperture 56
of a size to complementary receive a re-bar (not shown) therein. The re-bar
provides
reinforcing strength to the formed wall. The diameter of the re-bar can be one-
quarter (%.) inch or other dimension as required for the necessary
reinforcement,
which depends on the thickness of the concrete wall and the design engineering
requirements. The connectors 50 usually have two or more apertures 56 and re-
bar
can be positioned in any of the apertures 56 before the concrete is poured
into the
cavity 38. The apertures 56 can be designed so that the re-bar is securably
snapped
into place for ease of assembly.
To alter the width of the cavity 38 (i.e., the separation between the interior
surfaces 34 of the opposed side panels 20), different connectors 50 can have
varying
lengths. The width of the cavity 38 can be two (2), four (4), six (6), eight
(8) inches
or other separation. Different connectors 50 are sized accordingly to obtain
the
desired width of the cavity 38. Also, as one skilled in the art will
appreciate, the fire
rating, sound insulation, and thermal insulation increase as the width of the
cavity
38, which is filled with concrete, increases. One skilled in the art will
appreciate
that the cavity 38 may only be partially filled with concrete, but such an
embodiment
is usually not desired.
The web members 40 and connectors 50 are usually constructed of a
thermoplastic, but other materials may be used. Factors used in choosing the
material include the desired strength of the web member 40 and connector 50,
the
compatibility with the material used to form side panels 20 and with the
concrete,
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
and cost. Another consideration is that the end plates of the web members
(positioned adjacent the exterior surface of the side panel 20) should be
adapted to
receive and frictionally hold a metal fastener, such as a nail or screw,
therein, thus
providing the "strapping" for a wall system that provides an attachment point
for
gypsum board (not shown), interior or exterior wall cladding (not shown), or
other
interior or exterior siding (not shown).
Referring back to Figs. 1 and 2, one skilled in the art will appreciate that a
plurality of side panels 20 can be longitudinally aligned to form a
predetermined
length and be vertically stacked to form a predetermined height. For example,
the
first end 28 of one side panel 20 abuts the second end 30 of another side
panel 20
and the bottom end 26 of one side panel 20 is disposed on the top end 24 of
another
side panel 20. Thus, a series of side panels 20 can be aligned and stacked to
form
the concrete system into which concrete C is poured to complete the
construction of
the wall. One consideration, however, is that the side panels 20 are not
vertically
stacked too high and filled at once so that the pressure on the bottom side
panel 20 is
greater than the yield strength of the web members 40 or side panels 20.
Instead, the
stacked wall of panels 20 can be filled and cured in stages so that the static
and
dynamic pressures are not excessive on the lower side panels 20.
Still referring to Figs 1 and 2, the side panels 20 are optionally provided
with
a series of projections 35 and indentations 37 that complementarily receive
offset
projections 35 and indentations 37 from another side panel 20 (i.e., a tongue-
and-
groove-type system) to facilitate the stacking of the components. The
projections 35
and indentations 37 in the adjacent side panels 20 mate with each other to
form a
tight seal that prevents leakage of concrete C during wall formation and
prevents
loss of energy through the formed wall.
In the context of these exemplary components and referring now to Figs. 1,
4, and 5, the present invention is disclosed, which comprises a corner web
member
60 and a corner panel 10 formed using the corner web member. The corner web
member 60, shown best in Fig. 4, is illustrated in its preferred environment,
namely,
for use with a side panel 20 that forms a comer section 10, as illustrated in
Figs. 1
and S.
The corner web member 60 includes first and second mounting bodies 62, 63
and first and second bridging members 70, 71. The corner web member 60 may be
integrally formed or, alternatively, some or each of the components may be
manufactured or formed separately and subsequently joined together.
The first mounting body 62 is has an inner edge 64 and an outer edge 65 and,
likewise, the second mounting body 63 has an inner edge 64 and an outer edge
65.
It is preferred that the first and second mounting bodies 62, 63 are
substantially
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CA 02373769 2002-02-27
planar and also substantially stiff- as opposed to flimsy--between their
respective
edges 64, 65. The inner edges 64 of the first and second mounting bodies 62,
63 are
connected together at a juncture 66. The juncture 66 may either stationarily
position
the mounting bodies 62, 63 relative to each other or, alternatively,
constitute a
pivotal connection between the mounting bodies.
In conj unction, the first bridging member 70 has an exterior edge 72 and an
interior edge 74, which is connected to the outer edge 65 of the first
mounting body
62 at a first intersection 76. Similarly, the second bridging member 71 has an
exterior edge 72 and an interior edge 74, which is similarly connected to the
outer
edge 65 of the second mounting body 63 at a second intersection 77. As with
the
juncture 66, the respective intersections ?6, 77 may either stationarily
position the
components relative to each other or form a pivotal connection therebetween.
Likewise, it is preferred that the first and second bridging members 70, 71
are
substantially planar and substantially stiff between their respective edges
72, 74. Of
note, however, it is contemplated using mounting bodies 62, 63 and bridging
members 70, 71 that are arcuate instead of substantially planar, as
illustrated in Figs.
1, 4, and 5.
There may be one side panel 20 or two separate but abutting side panels 20
into which the corner web member 60 is disposed. Regardless of the design, the
side
panel 20 (or panels) forms a side panel comer 22, which is a non-linear angle
in a
portion of the exterior surface 32 of the corner panel 10 in plan view. For a
single,
integral side panel 20, the exterior surface 32 may have two linear portions
that
intersect at the side panel comer 22. For the two-side panel design, the first
side
panel is disposed abutting the second side panel to form the side panel corner
22.
For ease of reference, the remaining discussion addresses the single side
panel
design, although Figs. 1 and 5 may be construed as showing either design.
Although the comer web member 60 may be inserted into slots (not shown)
formed in a side panel 20, the comer web member 60 is preferably at least
partially
embedded within the comer side panel 10. To that end, at a manufacturing
facility,
the corner web member 60 is positioned into a mold (not shown) that is used to
form
the side panel 20. In conjunction, web members 40, if used, are also
positioned,
within that mold. Portions of those components that ultimately extend out of
the
side panel 20, such as the attachment points 44 of the web members 40 and
portions
of the bridging members 70, 71 (as discussed below), are located at the
applicable
position so as to avoid being embedded within the materials forming the side
panel
20. The material used to form the side panels 20-such as polystyrene-is
injected
or fed into the mold after it is closed via a pipe or other means to form the
side panel
20. Obviously, the components positioned within the interior of the mold
before
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CA 02373769 2002-02-27
injection are integrally formed into the side panel 20 when the injected
material
hardens or solidifies.
As one skilled in the art will appreciate, side panels 20 using different
angles
in the side panel corner 22 and having different dimensions are contemplated.
Nonetheless, it is preferred to use the same comer web member 60 for making
these
different side panel configurations. To achieve this objective, it is desired
that the
juncture 66, first intersection 76, and the second intersection 77 be
pivotally
connections. As such, the mounting bodies 62, 63 can be positioned at
different
angles relative to each other and to the respectively attached bridging
members 70,
71. The ability to change the angular relationship of the components allows a
corner
web member 60 of a predetermined dimension to be used in side panels of
varying
sizes.
Referring again to Figs. l and 5, one skilled in the art will appreciate that
although the side panel corner 22 of substantially 90 degrees (or a right
angle) is
shown to result in the corner side panel 10 having an "L" shaped exterior
surface in
plan view, other angular displacements or angles are contemplated, preferably
in the
range of 45 to 170 degrees and more preferably in the range of 75 to 135
degrees.
One skilled in the art will further appreciate that it is more feasible to use
the corner
web member 60 in forming angles greater than right angles, such as between 100
degrees and 150 degrees, than forming angles of less than 90 degrees.
Referring still to Fig. 5, the corner web member 60 straddles the side panel
corner 22, in which the first mounting body 62 and the first bridging member
70 are
on one side of the side panel corner 22 and the second mounting body 63 and
the
second bridging member 71 are on the opposite side. Preferably, the inner
edges 64
of the respective first and second mounting bodies 62, 63 are substantially
linear
along their height and form a corner panel edge 67 at the juncture 66 and that
comer
panel edge 67 is disposed within the side panel 20 adjacent the side panel
corner 22.
Thus, as one skilled in the art will appreciate by referring to Figs. 1 and 5,
the side
panel comer 22 and the comer panel edge 67 extend parallel to each other.
Additionally, the corner panel edge 67 forms an angle in plan view that
preferably is
substantially equal to the non-linear angle formed by the exterior surface 32
of the
corner side panel 10.
As illustrated best in Fig. 5, the corner panel edge 67 and the side panel
edge
22 are both right angles in plan view and disposed parallel to each other,
i.e., parallel
along their height dimension. As such, the first and second mounting bodies
62, 63
and the exterior surface 32 of the side panels 20 are also parallel to each
other.
Still referring to Fig. 5, the mounting bodies 62, 63 are located below the
exterior surface of, or recessed within, the side panel 20, preferably at a
distance of
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
approximately one-quarter ('/<) on an inch from the exterior surface.
Alternatively,
the mounting bodies 62, 63 may abut the exterior surface of the side panel 20.
In
either deign, the mounting bodies 62, 63 of the corner web member 60-similar
to
the end plate of the exemplary web member 40 described above-may be adapted to
S receive and frictionally hold a fastener, such as a nail. or screw, therein,
thus
providing "strapping" for a wall system that allows attachment of gypsum board
(not
shown), interior or exterior wall cladding (not shown), or other siding or
wall
treatment (not shown).
In addition to the juncture 66 being angled as discussed above, it is also
preferred that the first intersection 76 and the second intersection 77 also
form a
non-linear angle in plan view, which is illustrated in Fig. 4 and can be
appreciated
by Fig. S. It is alternatively contemplated, however, in an another design
that the
first and second intersections 76, 77 are linear. Since the corner web member
60 is
used in a non-linear side panel, it is preferred that at least one of the
juncture 66 and
1 S first and second intersections 76, 77 form a non-linear angle and more
preferably
that all three connections have non-linear angles as illustrated.
As noted above, it is preferred that portions of the corner web member 60 are
integrally formed into the side panel 20 (i.e., using the molding process
described
above and similar techniques). To assist in forming the bond between the side
panel
20 and the corner web member 60, it is preferred that apertures 80 are formed
into at
least one of the mounting bodies 62, 63 or the bridging members 70, 71, more
preferably into all bridging members and mounting bodies.
To form the apertures 80, the first and second mounting bodies 62, 63 each
comprise spaced-apart mounting members 68 interconnected by at least one
spacer
2S 69 so that the apertures 80 are formed intermediate the mounting members
68.
Similarly, the first and second bridging members 70, 71 comprise at least one
strut
78 extending from adjacent the respective first and second intersections 76,
77 to the
body 79 of the first and second bridging members 70, 71. As such, the
apertures 80
are formed intermediate the respective first and second intersections 76, 77
and the
bodies 79 of the first and second bridging members 70, 71. The spacing between
the
adjacent spacers 69 and between the adjacent struts 78 and their respective
lengths
define the dimensions of the apertures 80. The desired dimensions are
determinable
by one skilled in the art based on structural strength of the materials,
thickness of the
components, cost (i.e., larger the apertures 80, the less expensive), surface
area
3S desired, and the like. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that the
apertures 80
allow the material forming the side panels to circumscribe more completely the
embedded portions of the corner web members to anchor better the corner web
member 60 within the respective side panel 20.
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CA 02373769 2002-02-27
Referring bacl~ to Figs. l and 5, the illustrated embodiment of the corner web
member 60 has a portion of both the first bridging member 70 and the second
bridging member 71 extending through and out of the interior surface 34 of the
corner side panel 10. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, alternative
designs
involve only one of the bridging members extending out of the interior surface-
as
opposed to portions of both the first and second bridging members 70, 71 as
illustrated.
In the presently preferred embodiment, only a portion of the both the first
and second bridging members 70, 71 adj acent their respective exterior edges
72
extend out of the interior surface 34 of the corner side panel 10. This
portion of the
corner web member 60 that extends from the interior surface 34 of the corner
side
panel 10 enhances the bond between and with the concrete poured within the
cavity
38 and the side panel. That is, since the corner web member 60 is disposed
within
the side panel 20 and also a portion extends into the cavity 38, that portion
extending
into the cavity "locks" within the concrete once the concrete is poured and
substantially cures within the cavity 38 and that portion is akeady integrally
formed
into the panel 10.
The corner web member 60 is preferably formed from plastic, more
preferably high-density plastic such as high-density polyethylene or high-
density
polypropylene, although other suitable polymers may be used. Other
contemplated
plastics include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ("ABS") and glass-filled
polyethylene or polypropylene. Other materials that may be used are other
plastics
and thermoplastics (including polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.),
polytetrafluoethylene
(P.T.F.E.), polyamides such as nylon), metal, and natural and other synthetic
materials. Factors used in choosing the material include the desired strength
of the
corner web member 60, the compatibility with the material used to form corner
side
panels 10 and with the concrete C, and cost.
The present invention also encompasses a method of fabricating or building a
wall structure 10. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, two side panels
20 and
the corner side panel 10 are erected in a spaced-apart relationship to form
the cavity
38 into which the concrete is poured, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The two side
panels
20 may be abutting structures interconnected by a panel connector, as shown in
Figs.
1 and 5, or be integrally formed side panels, similar to the corner panel
member.
The side panels 20 are connected by means known in the art, including the
exemplary connectors 50 described above. The comer side panel 10 using the
corner
web member 60 forms the corner location. To assist interconnecting the comer
side
panels 10 to the opposed side panels 20, it is preferr~ that the portions of
the corner
web member 60 that extend out of the interior surface 34 of the side panel 20
define
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
at least one opening 82 therethrough. More preferably, as shown in Figs. 1 and
4,
there are two or more openings 82 in the first and second bridging members 70,
71
so that, when the corner web member 60 is disposed upright, the openings 82
are
vertically spaced apart from each other. Each opening 82 is of a size to
receive a
portion of a respective flexible linking member 90 therethrough.
As further disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/848,398 (which
is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety), flexible linking members
90
include, by way of example, a zip-tie, plastic tie strap, tie wire, or other
similar
component. Although not required, it is preferred that the flexible linking
member
90 be contiguous and connect to itself by forming a closed loop. Regardless of
the
design of the flexible linking member 90, that linking member 90 may establish
or
buttress a connection between the opposed side panel 20 and is particularly
valuable
for situations in which the respective interior surfaces 34 are not parallel
to each
other. If the opposed side panels 20 are parallel, then connectors 50 or the
like may
alternatively or supplementally be used.
Referring to the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 5, both connectors 50
and flexible linking members 90 are used. A portion of the interior surface 34
of the
comer side panel 10 faces a portion of the interior surface 34 of the opposed
side
panel 20 to form the cavity 38 therebetween. In this illustrated design, the
flexible
linking member 90 extends to interconnect the openings 82 of the two bridging
members 70, 71 and a connection point on both opposed side panels 20. That
connection point may include, for example, an extender (not shown) that is
connected to the attachment point 44. formed on side panels 20, a slot formed
into
the web member 40, or to a portion of the connector 50. As such, in this
illustrated
design, a portion of one flexible linking member 90 traverses through the two
openings 82 at a given vertical location in the corner web member 60 and also
traverses through the respective extender, slot, or other connection means
associated
with two web members that are formed with the two side panels 20 to
interconnect
all of the members together. In fact, there are two flexible linking members
90
illustrated in Figs. l and 5-one for each set of openings 82 at a given
vertical
position-so that the concrete form system is advantageously structurally
reinforced.
Returning to the method of the present invention, after the side panels 20 are
interconnected and stationarily positioned relative to each other, concrete is
poured
into the cavity 38 and allowed to cure. Accordingly, the wall structure is
formed
using the present invention, in which the corner sections 10 are seamlessly
formed
and are structurally strong.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific
details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details
should be
11
CA 02373769 2002-02-27
regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except as and to the
extent
that they are included in the accompanying claims. For example, as noted
above, the
present invention is described with reference to a system incorporating the
depicted
concrete form system, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
the present
invention is applicable to other types of concrete form systems utilizing one
or more
form panels or other concrete retaining and/or molding elements retained in
position
by one or more connectors or other relative position-fixing elements. In
another
variation, the side panels opposed to the corner panel including the corner
web
member may be formed of plywood or the like, which may optionally be removed
after concrete poured into the cavity 38 substantially cures. Additionally,
although
the present invention is described with reference to the corner web member
being
used in a system, method and components employed for use in the forming of
concrete building walls, the present invention may also fmd application in the
formation of various other types of products of concrete and/or other moldable
and
curable materials such as, for example, structural and non-structural building
components and consumer products of concrete, plastics, and other synthetic
and
natural materials.
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