Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR CREATING A WALL FROM A FLOWABLE
MATERIAL
Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of walls made from the
hardening of
flowable materials. More particularly, it relates to a wall form assembly for
receiving the
flowable material to create a wall, and to a method thereof.
Background of the invention
A number of different techniques currently exist for using insulating forms
for casting a
concrete wall. Often, these systems comprise pairs of opposed foam panels
generally
made of rigid foam like polystyrene which define concrete-receiving cavities
therebetween. Once the concrete is solidified, the foam panels remain in place
to insulate
the wall. These foam panels are typically fixed apart from each other before
the pouring
of concrete by means of spacers comprising a pair of parallel lateral
attachment flanges,
each flange being embedded or inserted in one of the two opposed foam panels,
and a
connecting web interconnecting the flanges.
The following US patent documents disclose examples of different prior art
walls and
methods: 7,082,732 B2; 7,024,833 Bl; 6,668,503; 6,609,340 B2; 6,401,419;
6,256,962;
4,889,310; 2006/0179135 Al; and 2009/0179135.
The following patent documents are also known: CA 2,256,261; CA 2,358,195; and
JP 2001317142.
It is sometimes desired or indeed necessary to remove a form wall or foam
panel, for
example the one facing toward the inside of a structure, from the concrete so
as to
expose the surface of the concrete wall. This can be the case with stair cases
in
buildings, for example, where the regulatory environment or building code
sometimes
requires that the interior concrete walls be free of any material so as to
improve the walls
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fire-resistant characteristics. These exposed concrete walls are desired for
other
structures as well, such as underground garages.
However, it is known that removing the foam panels from the concrete wall is
difficult.
Since the foam panels are often well integrated with the concrete wall, they
must be torn
from the wall, typically by hand, which can be extremely labour-intensive for
large wall
areas. Furthermore, such a removal operation creates significant waste because
the torn
panel is not reusable, and it may also result in additional disposal costs.
US 6,314,694 B1 discloses a one-sided, insulated formwork used in the
construction of
walls from pourable building material, such as concrete, including an
insulating panel
connectable to a removable panel by a connecting structure, which may include
a
permanent reinforcement embedded in the insulating panel. The connecting
structure
may have a tie removably attachable to the reinforcement, or the reinforcement
and tie
may constitute a monolithic structure. The tie may be asymmetric in shape to
facilitate
distribution of loads across the insulating panel, detachment of the removable
panel, and
enhancement of the structural integrity of the finished wall. One drawback of
such a
formwork is that, upon removal of the removable panel, a channel or fixture
may be left
integrated in the finished wall and visible to an observer of the wall. This
can be unsightly
or unnecessary, and it may be required to remove such a channel, further
adding to
labour and material costs.
A further drawback of such foam panels is that they are not often designed to
form a
smooth exposed wall surface, or one that is free of projecting objects such as
reinforcing
bars or fasteners which must be chiselled from the exposed wall. This can
result in a
visually unappealing exposed wall, or one that must be reworked or touched-up,
further
increasing labour and material costs.
The following references disclose other examples of systems to create concrete
walls:
US 6,681,539 B2; US 5,497,592; US 4,085,495; US 3,995,825; and JP 2007291758.
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There is thus a need for a wall form having panels which can be easily
arranged on site
so as to facilitate installation, and where at least one of the panels can
easily be removed
so as to leave a smooth exposed wall surface or one that is free of projecting
objects.
Summary of the invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a wall form that will satisfy
the above-
mentioned need, and more particularly to propose a wall form assembly and
method
therefor which aim to overcome the drawbacks of the presently available
methods and
apparatuses for making wall forms.
The present invention is directed towards a wall form assembly for receiving a
flowable
material that sets and hardens into a desired formation having an exposed
outer surface.
The assembly comprises:
a detachable panel provided with cavity shaping discrete protrusions
distributed in
rows on an inner face of the detachable panel, each of the rows extending in
a longitudinal direction and comprising at least two of the discrete
protrusions;
a foam panel;
a plurality of connectors for removably attaching together the detachable
panel
and the foam panel in opposed and parallel spaced relation along the
longitudinal direction so as to create a form for receiving the flowable
material, each of the connectors comprising:
a first elongated side member inserted longitudinally inside the foam panel;
and
a second elongated side member opposed to the first side member and
being devised to face one of the rows of the discrete protrusions when
the detachable panel and the foam panel are attached together; and
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a plurality of removable fasteners insertable through the discrete protrusions
and
the second elongated side members of the plurality of connectors to
removably attach the detachable panel to the connector;
whereby, once the flowable material has set and hardened, the detachable panel
is
removed by removing the removable fasteners; thereby leaving a plurality of
recessed
cavities within the exposed outer surface of the formation.
In one possible embodiment the cavity shaping discrete protrusions are
insertable pegs.
Each of these insertable pegs is receivable within a through hole in the
detachable panel,
and optionnaly press-fitted within the through hole, to protrude from the
inner face of the
detachable panel for forming one of the cavity shaping discrete protrusions.
In one other possible embodiment, the insertable pegs are hollowed to receive
one of the
removable fasteners therethrough, such as screws. In such embodiment, the
second side
member of each of the connectors may comprise an elongated support frame; and
at
least one screw-receiving sleeve extending transversally from the support
frame for
receiving one of the screws.
The at least one screw-receiving sleeve may have a free end for abutting
against one of
the cavity shaping discrete protrusions when the detachable panel and the foam
panel
are attached together.
The second side member may advantageously further comprise a reinforcing
structure to
reinforce the at least one screw-receiving sleeve against loads generated by
the flowable
material. Such reinforcing structure may expand between the free end of each
of the at
least one screw-receiving sleeve toward the elongated support frame so as to
form a
substantially triangular shape.
Also provided is a method for creating a wall formation from a flowable
material that sets
and hardens, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a foam panel;
b) providing a detachable panel provided with cavity shaping discrete
protrusions
distributed in rows on an inner face of the detachable panel, each of the rows
extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising at least two of the
discrete
5 protrusions;
c) providing a plurality of connectors for removably attaching together the
detachable panel and the foam panel in opposed and parallel spaced relation
along the longitudinal direction so as to create a form for receiving the
flowable
material, each of the connectors comprising:
a first elongated side member inserted longitudinally inside the foam panel;
and
a second elongated side member opposed to the first side member and
being devised to face one of the rows when the detachable panel and
the foam panel are removably attached together;
d) positioning the detachable panel and the foam panel face to face and
aligning
each row of the discrete protrusions with one of the first elongated side
members;
e) removably attaching the detachable panel and the foam panel using removable
fasteners insertable through the discrete protrusions and the second elongated
side members, thereby forming a form;
f) pouring the flowable material into the form;
g) allowing the flowable material to set and harden within the form so as to
create
the wall formation;
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h) removing the plurality of removable fasteners from the discrete protrusions
and
the second elongated side members; and
i) removing the detachable panel from the wall formation so as to expose the
outer surface and recessed cavities formed within the exposed outer surface of
the wall formation by the cavity shaping discrete protrusions.
Thanks to the easily detachable panel, the present invention allows for one of
the outer
surfaces of the wall, or a part thereof, to be exposed and thus accessible, if
need be. And
thanks to the cavity shaping discrete protrusions provided on the detachable
panel, which
leave cavities within the exposed outer surface of the formation when the
detachable
panel is removed, the invention helps to ensure that such an exposed outer
surface is
relatively smooth, and free of protrusions and nicks resulting from the
setting and
hardening of the flowable materials.
Other features and objects of the present invention will become more apparent
from the
description that follows of optional embodiments thereof, having reference to
the
appended drawings and given as examples only as to how the invention may be
put into
practice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wall form assembly provided with a
plurality of
connectors, according to an optional embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a foam panel, according to an optional
embodiment of
the present invention;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of wall form assemblies of
Figure 1 arranged
into a mold for creating a wall formation, according to an optional embodiment
of the
present invention;
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Figure 4 is the same view as Figure 3, showing the mold filled with a flowable
material
that has set and hardened to form the wall formation;
Figure 5 is also the same view as Figures 3 and 4, showing one of the
detachable panels
being removed so as to expose the outer surface of the wall formation;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a detachable panel provided with cavity
shaping discrete
protrusions distributed in rows on the inner face of the detachable panel,
according to an
optional embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary connector used for tying
together the
detachable panel of Figure 6 and a foam panel;
Figure 8 is a side view of the detachable panel of Figure 6 illustrating the
alignment of the
cavity shaping discrete protrusions of the detachable panel with the sleeves
of the
connector of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the
detachable panel of
Figure 6 removably connected to the connector of Figure 7 via the cavity
shaping discrete
protrusions with a mechanical fastener;
Figure 10 is another perspective view of the form assembly of Figure 1 shown
without the
foam panel;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the detachable panel of Figure 1 showing
mechanical
fasteners being used to removably connect the detachable panel to a plurality
of
connectors, according to an optional embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 12 is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the
detachable panel of
Figure 1 illustrating the insertion of a peg into a through hole of the
detachable panel in
accordance with an optional embodiment of the present invention;
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Figure 13 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a portion of the wall
formation with
the detachable panel being removed and thereby exposing a recessed cavity
formed in
the wall formation;
Figure 14 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion in Figure 5; and
Figure 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method for creating a wall formation
from a flowable
material that sets and hardens.
DESCRIPTION OF OPTIONAL EMBODIMENTS
The present invention can be employed to make a form, or plurality of forms,
for receiving
a pour of a flowable material, such as concrete, cement, or the like, into a
cavity or void
defined by the form. Once the flowable material sets or hardens into a
formation defined
by the form, the present invention allows for an outer surface of the
formation to be
exposed, thereby providing an exposed outer surface which can be smooth,
visually
appealing, free of protrusions and abrasions and which has recessed cavities
formed
within the finished formation which can be used as anchor points to allow for
the
mounting of appropriate fixtures or supports.
Now referring to Figure 1, according to an aspect of the present invention,
there is
provided a wall form assembly 10 which can receive the flowable material and
act as a
form in which the flowable material can set and harden so as to create the
desired
formation, such as a concrete wall. The wall form assembly 10 has a detachable
panel 12
and a foam panel 14, as well as a plurality of connectors 16, which will be
described
hereinbelow, for maintaining the panels 12, 14 together to create the form.
The detachable panel 12 can be of any suitable shape and size to create the
desired
form or wall formation, and it can be made of wood, plywood, plastic or
another suitable
material. The foam panel 14 can be made of polystyrene foam, or any other
suitable
insulating material and can also take any suitable form. For example, as shown
in
Figure 2, the foam panel 14 can have an "undulated" or "ridged" inner surface
18. In
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addition, the inner surface 18 of the foam panel 14 can have mounts 20
integrated therein
for mounting to the connectors 16 or a portion thereof. The foam panel 14 can
also have
joints 22 mounted on the top surface 24 and bottom surface 26 of the foam
panel 14 for
connecting vertically for example to other adjacent respective foam panels 14
(see Figure
3). Of note, the terms "top" and "bottom" are used to facilitate reading of
the description,
and persons skilled in the art of wall form assemblies know that, when in use,
the wall
form assembly 10 can be placed in different orientations such that the "top
surface 24"
and the "bottom surface 26" are reversible for example.
Now referring also to Figures 3, 4, 5, multiple wall form assemblies 10 can be
used to
create the wall formation 28, by stacking wall form assemblies 10 one atop
another as
illustratively shown, or side by side depending on the formation 28 to be
created. As can
be appreciated by referring to Figures 3 to 5, once the poured flowable
material has set
and hardened within the form defined by the multiple wall form assemblies 10,
the
detachable panels 12 can be removed as shown in Figure 5, thereby exposing an
outer
surface 30 of the concrete wall formation 28, for example, the concrete wall
formation 28
facing toward the interior of a structure. This interior can be the interior
of stair cases in
buildings, for example, where the regulatory environment or building code
sometimes
requires that the interior concrete walls of the stair cases be free of any
material so as to
improve the walls fire-resistant characteristics. These exposed concrete walls
are desired
for other structures as well, such as underground garages. While the outer
surface 30 of
the concrete wall formation 28 being formed has been illustrated with
reference to it
facing toward the interior of a structure, one skilled in the art will
understand that the
present invention could equally be used to create a concrete wall with an
outer surface 30
facing the exterior of the structure.
Now referring back to Figure 1, the connectors 16 are used to removably tie or
attach
together the detachable panel 12 and the foam panel 14 and to maintain the
panels 12,14
in opposed and parallel spaced relation. The expression "opposed and parallel
spaced
relation" refers to the orientation of the panels 12,14 when connected to the
connectors
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16. Such an orientation allows for the panels 12,14 to be distanced or
"spaced" from each
other so as to define a cavity or void 32 defining the form, and further
allows the panels
12,14 to be aligned parallel with each other. Although the orientation of the
panels 12,14
is shown in Figure 1 as being parallel and in a horizontal alignment, a person
skilled in
5 the art will understand that the panels 12,14 can also have other
alignments, such as
vertical, angled, or any combination in between. The connectors 16 connect the
panels
12,14 along a longitudinal direction of the panels 12, 14. The expression
"along a
longitudinal direction" refers to the placement of the connectors 16 when
connected to the
panels 12,14. An example of such an orientation is provided in Figure 1, which
is
10 illustratively an orientation perpendicular to the length of the panels
12,14. Alternatively,
such an orientation may be in a direction parallel to the length of the panels
12,14. As
shown in Figure 1, the connectors 16 are vertically positioned between both
panels
12,14. It can thus be appreciated that the tying or attaching together of the
panels 12,14
by the connectors 16 creates the wall form assembly 10 defining the void 32,
which can
receive the flowable material. The connectors 16 can optionally be abutting to
adjacent
connectors 16 in a vertical orientation when wall form assemblies 10 are
stacked one
atop another as in Figures 3, 4, 5, or side by side (not shown) so as to
combine multiple
wall form assemblies 10 for creating the form. Optionally, the connectors 16
can be
symmetrical for providing "reversibility" functionality, meaning that it can
be used
regardless of which side is up or down. Upon setting and hardening of the
flowable
material received in the void 32, the desired formation 28 will be created, as
further
explained herein below.
Now referring to Figure 6, in addition to Figures 1 and 5, the detachable
panel 12 is
provided with a plurality of cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34
distributed in rows on
an inner face 36 of the detachable panel 12 which will project into the void
32 when the
detachable panel 12 and the foam panel 14 are removably attached together.
Each of the
rows illustratively extends along the longitudinal direction of the detachable
panel 12 and
comprises at least two of the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34. While
the present
invention is illustrated herein with reference to cavity shaping discrete
protrusions 34
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distributed in rows extending along the longitudinal direction of the
detachable panel 12, a
person skilled in the art will understand that the cavity shaping discrete
protrusions 34
may be distributed along other orientations on the inner face 36 and not to
distributions
limited along vertical rows as illustrated in Figure 6. As will be explained
further
hereinbelow, thanks to these cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34, recessed
cavities will
be formed within the exposed outer surface 30 of the formation 28 when the
detachable
panel 12 is removed from the formation 28.
Now referring to Figures 7 and 8, in addition to Figures 1 and 2, the
connectors 16 will
now be further described. The connectors 16 each illustratively has a first
elongated side
member 38 (or simply "first member") and an opposed second elongated side
member 40
(or simply "second member"). The term "opposed", when used to describe the
relationship of the first and second members 38,40, refers to their position
on distinct, or
"opposite" sides of the connector 16. The first member 38 is typically
embedded along a
longitudinal direction within the foam panel 14, and forms an integral part
thereof, as
shown in Figure 1. Such integration of the first member 38 with the foam panel
14 can
occur during the manufacture or assembly of the foam panel 14, for example
during
which the first member 38 can be embedded along an orientation perpendicular
to the
length of the foam panel 14 (i.e. a "vertical" orientation). The embedding of
the first
member 38 can allow for the connector 16 to better support the loads generated
by the
flowable material as it is poured into the void 32, or as it settles or
hardens therein.
Alternatively, in another embodiment (not illustrated), the first member 38
can be
connected to the mount 20, or slid within an appropriately configured channel
provided
within the foam panel 14, as in the assembly described in for example, US Pat.
No. 5,065,561 to Mason or US Pat. No. 5,704,180 to Boeck
Still referring to Figures 7 and 8, the connector 16 optionally has a web
member 44 which
connects longitudinally (i.e. in a vertical orientation) the first member 38
with the second
member 40. The web member 44 also helps to support the connector 16 against
the
loads produced by the flowable material. As an example, the pouring of the
flowable
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material into the void 32 formed between the panels 12,14 can place
significant pressure
on the panels 12,14, forcing them to move or separate. In connecting the
panels 12,14
together, the web member 44 thus "anchors" the panels 12,14, and helps them
better
resist these loads. It is thus apparent that the web member 44 is not limited
to the shape
shown in Figures 7 and 8 and can have a different shape, size, or
configuration,
depending upon the following non-exhaustive list of factors: the anticipated
loads
produced by the flowable material, the size of the panels 12,14, the cost of
materials, etc.
Optionally, the web member 44 can have one or more retaining members 46 into
which
can be inserted and maintained a corresponding reinforcement bar (not shown),
disposed
horizontally.
Still referring to Figures 7 and 8, the second member 40 also includes an
elongated
support frame 48. The support frame 48 can extend along the entire length of
the second
member 40, or only along a portion thereof. The support frame 48
illustratively connects
with the web member 44, so as to provide a link between the second member 40
and the
first member 38. The support frame 48 can connect to the web member 44 using
many
different techniques. In one possible embodiment, the support frame 48 can
consist of an
elongated rod extending the length of the second member 40, which can be slid
into
corresponding grooves protruding from one side of the web member 44. In
another
possible embodiment, the support frame 48 and the web member 44 can interlock
with
each other, using a "click"-producing mechanism. In yet another possible
embodiment,
the support frame 48 is mounted like a hinge to the web member 44, which can
permit
the support frame 48 (and thus the second member 40) to pivot or rotate about
the web
member 44. This last configuration may be suitable for transportation and
storage
purposes, because it may allow the connector 16 to collapse onto itself.
Still referring to Figures 7 and 8, the second member 40 further includes at
least one
fastener-receiving sleeve 50 (or simply "sleeve"). The at least one sleeve 50
can be many
sleeves 50 distributed throughout the second member 40. Optionally, the
plurality of
sleeves 50 can be aligned vertically with each other. Each sleeve 50 can
extend
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transversally from the support frame 48. The expression "extend transversally"
refers to
the orientation of the sleeve 50, in that the sleeve 50 extends substantially
perpendicularly from the support frame 48. The sleeve 50 is "fastener-
receiving",
meaning that it can receive a fastener 42 such as a screw, nail, bolt or other
suitable
mechanical fastener which would permit the sleeve 50 to be removably secured
to the
detachable panel 12, and removed therefrom in a manner as will be described
hereinbelow. For example the sleeve 50 may be provided with threads (not
shown) there
along for engaging corresponding fastener threads provided on the fastener 42
when
received within sleeve 50, for example during rotation of the screw embodiment
of the
fastener 42 in the sleeve 50. The sleeve 50 in combination with the fastener
42 thus
allows the detachable panel 12 to be mounted to the second member 40 and also
allows
for the detachable panel 12 to be removed from the second member 40.
Now referring to Figure 9, in addition to Figures 7 and 8, the sleeve 50 has a
free end 52
located at one end of the sleeve 50 and away from the support frame 48. It is
therefore
"free" because it corresponds to the end of the sleeve 50 not joined to the
support frame
48. The free end 52 has an exterior face 54 facing away from the support frame
48, and
spaced from the interior face 56 of the detachable panel 12 when the second
member 40
is secured thereto via the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 such that
the exterior
face 54 abuts against an interior protrusion surface 58 of the cavity shaping
discrete
protrusion 34 when a row of cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 is aligned
with the
second member 40 as will be described hereinbelow.
Still referring to Figures 7 and 8, in addition to Figures 4 and 5, in some
optional
embodiments, the sleeve 50 has a main portion 51, which extends from the
support
frame 48. The main portion 51 can take on any suitable configuration or shape.
Optionally, the main portion 51 is a hollow tube. Such a hollow tube allows
for the
formation of an open passage in the exposed outer surface 30 of the formation
28.
Indeed, once the flowable material is poured into the void 32, the hollow tube
main
portion 51 prevents the flowable material from filling the volume enclosed by
the hollow
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tube, which results in this volume forming the open passage when the flowable
material
sets and hardens.
Still referring to Figures 7 and 8, in some optional embodiments, the second
member 40
includes a reinforcing structure 53. The reinforcing structure 53 reinforces
the sleeve 50
against the loads which may be generated by the flowable material. The
reinforcing
structure 53 can thus take any suitable form or configuration to achieve such
functionality.
In one possible configuration, an example of which is shown in Figure 8, the
reinforcing
structure 53 expands between the free end 52 of each sleeve 50 toward the
support
frame 48, thereby forming a shape that is substantially triangular. Such a
triangular
reinforcing structure 53 may better support the load or weight of the flowable
material,
and thus help to keep the panels 12,14 secured together. In another possible
configuration, the expanded reinforcing structure 53 can expand until just
short of the
support frame 48, and form a continuous link with the adjacent reinforcing
structure 53 via
a force link 55, which may help in distributing and resisting the loads
generated by the
flowable material. Optionally, the reinforcing structure 53 can have a
retaining member 57
into which a corresponding horizontal retaining bar (i.e. rebar) (not shown)
can be
inserted and retained, such as through press-fitting, as but one example. The
retention of
such a retaining bar in the retaining member 57 can help the connector 16 to
better resist
the loads, and also serve to support the formation 28 when the flowable
material sets and
hardens.
Now referring to Figures 10 and 11, in addition to Figures 1, 8 and 9, the
second member
40 is used in cooperation with the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 of
the
detachable panel 12 to removably secure or removably attach the detachable
panel 12 to
the foam panel 14. Indeed, and as illustrated in Figures 8 and 10, the second
member 40
is devised to face one of the rows of discrete protrusions 34 when the
detachable panel
12 and the foam panel 14 are in the process of being removably attached to one
another.
The expression "removably attaching" refers to the ability of the detachable
panel 12 to
be temporarily connected to the foam panel 14 which is illustratively shown by
removably
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,
securing the detachable panel 12 to the connectors 16 during the creation of
the form and
during the pouring of the flowable material. The expression "removably
attaching" also
refers to the ability of the detachable panel 12 to be relatively easily
removed from the
foam panel 14 which is illustratively done by removably unsecuring the
detachable panel
5 12 from the connectors 16 when desired, such as upon the flowable
material hardening,
for example. Each of the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 is adapted for
facilitating
the securing of the second member 40 to the detachable panel 12 in order to
support and
fix the detachable panel 12 to the second member 40 during the formation of
the wall
formation 28, for example by using removable fasteners 42 insertable through
the
10 discrete protrusions 34 and the sleeves 50 as will be further described
hereinbelow.
Now referring to Figure 12, in addition to Figures 5 and 9, each of the cavity
shaping
discrete protrusions 34 may illustratively be embodied as an insertable peg 60
having an
inner portion 62 of which is receivable within a countersunk or counterbored
panel recess
or through hole 64 provided in the detachable panel 12 and secured therein by
press-
15 fitting for example, as better shown in Figure 9, such that the outer
portion of the peg 60
protrudes from the inner face 56 to thus form the cavity shaping discrete
protrusion 34.
Alternatively, in another embodiment (not illustrated), the cavity shaping
discrete
protrusion 34 can be integrally embodied to the detachable panel 12. As for
example, if
the panel 12 is made of molded plastic, the protrusions 34 could be formed by
molding
process of the panel using a special mold. In some optional embodiments, the
cavity
shaping discrete protrusions 34 may be illustratively formed from a wider
annular
shoulder portion 66 connected to annular head portion 68 illustratively
countersunk or
counterbored in the detachable panel 12 and secured therein by press-fit into
the through
hole 64 for example, such that the annular shoulder portion 66 projects from
the interior
face 56 of the detachable panel 12 to thus form the cavity shaping discrete
protrusion 34.
Of note, while the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 have been
illustratively
described herein as cylindrical, other shapes of cavity shaping discrete
protrusions 34
may be provided to create correspondingly shaped recessed cavities in the
outer surface
of the concrete wall formation 28. In the embodiment illustrated, the securing
of the
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pegs 60 by press-fitting within a countersunk or counterbored panel recess or
through
hole 62 provided in detachable panel 12 permits the protrusions 34 embodied by
the
outer portion of the peg 60 to be removed from the wall formation 28 along
with the
removal of the detachable panel 12 after the flowable material has set and
hardened in
the void 32 as illustrated in Figure 5. Of note, in the following description,
the terms cavity
shaping discrete protrusion 34 or peg 60 are referred to interchangeably,
knowing that it
is only the outer portion of the peg 60, for example the annular shoulder
portion 66, that
equals the protrusions 34.
Still referring to Figures 9 and 12, in addition to Figure 11, in the
embodiment illustrated,
the peg 60 is "fastener-receiving", meaning that it can receive the fastener
42 or other
suitable mechanical fastener such as a screw which would permit the fastener
42 to pass
therethough and towards the sleeve 50. For example, as illustrated in Figure
12, the peg
60 is hollowed so as to form a hollow tube structure having an open passage 70
for
example, to receive a fastener 42 inserted thereth rough, and thus allow the
fastener 42 to
extend into the fastener-receiving sleeve 50 when the pegs 60 and the sleeves
50 are
aligned along an alignment path 72 which illustratively corresponds to the
axial centers of
the pegs 60 and the sleeves 50. The fastener 42 will matingly engage the
sleeve 50 after
having passed through the corresponding peg 60 to thereby removably attach the
detachable panel 12 together with the second member 40. Of note, the fastener-
receiving
peg 60 (or cavity shaping discrete protrusion 34) may be configured to allow
the fastener
42 to unabatingly pass through the open passage 70 and onwards towards and
within the
sleeve 50, or the open passage 70 may be provided with threads there along for
engaging corresponding fastener threads provided on the fastener 42 when
received
within open passage 70, for example during rotation of the screw embodiment of
the
fastener 42 in the open passage 70.
Still referring to Figure 9, in addition to Figures 5, 10 and 11, the
detachable panel 12 and
the foam panel 14 are removably attached by positioning second elongated side
40 of the
connector 16 to face one of the rows of the discrete protrusions 34 such that
the exterior
CA 02897323 2015-07-14
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face 54 of each sleeve 50 is aligned to abut the interior protrusion surface
58 of the
corresponding cavity shaping discrete protrusion 34 secured to the detachable
panel 12,
as previously described hereinabove. As shown in Figure 9, when the interior
protrusion
surfaces 58 of the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 are brought flush to
abut the
corresponding exterior faces 54 of the sleeves 50, fasteners 42 can be
received into each
sleeve 50 via the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34, thereby removably
securing the
detachable panel 12 to the second member 40, and thus the foam panel 14.
Alternatively,
the detachable panel 12 can be prefabricated with the connectors 16 attached
so that the
one or more cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 are pre-connected to
corresponding
sleeves 50. Once the panels 12,14 are tied or attached together via the
connector 16, the
wall form assembly 10 is ready to receive the flowable material which will set
and harden
into a desired formation 28.
Now referring to Figures 13 and 14, in addition to Figures 5 and 9, the
projecting
configuration of the cavity shaping discrete protrusions 34 from the interior
face 56 of the
detachable panel 12 into the void 32 allows for the creation of a plurality of
recessed
cavities 78 within the exposed outer surface 30 of the wall formation 28.
Indeed, once the
flowable material has set and hardened, the detachable panel 12 is removed by
removing
the removable fasteners 42, thereby leaving a plurality of recessed cavities
78 within the
exposed outer surface 30 of the formation 28, as best shown in Figures 13 and
14. The
detachable panel 12 can be removed by simply unscrewing the fastener 42 by
means of
a tool 80, such as a ratchet or screw driver. Once the fastener 42 has been
removed from
the sleeve 50, the detachable panel 12, along with the one or more cavity
shaping
discrete protrusions 34, may be pulled away from the formation 30 to expose
the
recessed cavities 78 formed on the outer surface 30 of the wall formation 28.
It can thus
be appreciated that the removal of the detachable panel 12 leaves a smooth and
protrusion-free exposed outer surface 30, which can include multiple locations
having
embedded sleeves 50 and exterior faces 54 which are recessed from the exposed
outer
surface 30. The recessed cavities 78 may act as anchor points to allow for the
mounting
CA 02897323 2015-07-14
18
of appropriate fixtures or supports to the exposed outer surface 30 once the
detachable
panel 12 has been removed. Alternatively, the recessed cavities 78 can be
filled in.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method 82 for
creating a desired formation from a flowable material. Examples of the steps
of the
method 82 are provided in Figures 1 to 15. The method 82 includes the steps of
providing
84 a foam panel, providing 86 a detachable panel provided with cavity shaping
discrete
protrusions distributed in rows on an inner face of the detachable panel, with
each of the
rows extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising at least two of the
discrete
protrusions. The method 82 further includes the step of providing 88 a
plurality of
connectors for removably attaching together the detachable panel and the foam
panel in
opposed and parallel spaced relation along the longitudinal direction so as to
create a
form for receiving the flowable material, with each of the connectors having a
first
elongated side member inserted longitudinally inside the foam panel, and a
second
elongated side member opposed to the first side member and being devised to
face one
of the rows when the detachable panel and the foam panel are removably
attached
together. The method 82 further includes the step of positioning 90 the
detachable panel
and the foam panel face to face and aligning each row of the discrete
protrusions with
one of the first elongated side members then removably attaching 92 the
detachable
panel and the foam panel using removable fasteners insertable through the
discrete
protrusions and the second elongated side members, thereby forming a form. The
method 82 further includes the step of pouring 94 the flowable material into
the form and
allowing 96 the flowable material to set and harden within the form so as to
create the
wall formation. The method 82 further includes the steps removing 98 the
plurality of
removable fasteners from the discrete protrusions and the second elongated
side
members, and removing 100 the detachable panel from the wall formation so as
to
expose the outer surface and recessed cavities formed within the exposed outer
surface
of the wall formation by the cavity shaping discrete protrusions.
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The method 82 further comprises the step of reinforcing the at least one screw-
receiving
sleeve against loads generated by the flowable material.
In light of the preceding, it can thus be appreciated that the present
invention allows for
the creation of a wall formation 28 from which an exposed outer surface 30
thereof can
be quickly and easily revealed, the exposed outer surface 30 providing a
smooth and
protrusion-free surface with formed recessed cavities 78 formed therein for
being used or
displayed as desired.
Although optional embodiments of the invention have been described in detail
herein and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the
invention is not
limited to those precise embodiments and that various changes and
modifications may be
effected therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
