Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device for connecting insulation panels of insulated concrete formwork. Each panel has opposing edges and male interconnecting means on a first edge and female interconnecting means on a second edge. The device is a block with opposing edges wherein each opposing edge of the block has similar interconnecting means that mate with the interconnecting means on one of the edges of each of the panels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Canadian Patent Application No. 2,574,694 entitled “DOUBLE ENDED CONNECTOR/UTILITY UNIT” filed Jan. 19, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a device intended for use with all insulated concrete formwork (ICF) systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    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 unidirectional 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 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. 
         [0006]    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. 
         [0007]    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. 
         [0008]    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 units have greater heights such that the outward pressure of the greater mass of concrete between the units is more significant. 
         [0009]    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. Pat. 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. 
         [0010]    An insulating foam panel having alternating projections and recesses on its top and bottom surfaces is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. 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. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. 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. 
         [0012]    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. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0013]    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. 
         [0014]    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. 
         [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 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. 
         [0016]    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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    In drawings which illustrate by way of example only preferred embodiments of the invention: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an insulation panel that has been severed into two portions; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2A  is an exploded perspective view of the portions of the insulation panel from  FIG. 1  and a double ended connector with female interconnecting means; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective view of the portions of the insulation panel from  FIG. 1  and a double ended connector with male interconnecting means; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of insulated concrete formwork incorporating two double ended connectors. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    An insulation panel  10  is shown in  FIG. 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. 
         [0023]    The top edge  18  of the insulation panel  10  shown in  FIG. 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 . 
         [0024]    The bottom edge  14  of the insulation panel  10  has a series of female interconnecting means  34 . The female interconnecting means  34  include 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 . 
         [0025]    The insulation panel  10  shown in  FIG. 1  has been cut into a first portion  50  and a second portion  54 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 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 . 
         [0027]    A block  60  is also shown in  FIG. 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. 
         [0028]    The like interconnecting means of the block  60  shown in  FIG. 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  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 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 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 . 
         [0030]    A block  94  is also shown in  FIG. 2   b . 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. 
         [0031]    The like interconnecting means of the block  94  shown in  FIG. 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 . 
         [0032]    Insulated concrete formwork  160  is shown in  FIG. 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 . Insulation panels  164  and  172  have been flipped such that their respective bottom surfaces  180  and  184  are facing upward. 
         [0033]    The insulated concrete formwork  160  shown in  FIG. 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 . 
         [0034]    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 . 
         [0035]    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. 
         [0036]    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  FIG. 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  FIGS. 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 . 
         [0037]    Numerous modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.