SUPPORT RING FOR LIFTING ANCHOR

An apparatus for strengthening a lifting anchor includes a ring configured to be disposed within concrete around a concrete anchor. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, a lower lip protruding from the outer wall, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall.

FIELD

This invention relates to supports for lifting apparatuses and more particularly relates to support rings for lifting anchors.

BACKGROUND

Lifting anchors can provide attachment points to lift and move elements within which the lifting anchor is at least partially embedded. For example, concrete lifting anchors can be at least partially embedded within concrete and used to safely lift and move precast concrete elements.

SUMMARY

An apparatus for strengthening a lifting anchor includes a ring configured to be disposed within concrete around a concrete anchor. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, a lower lip protruding from the outer wall, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall.

A system for strengthening a lifting anchor a concrete anchor configured to be positioned within concrete and a ring configured to be disposed within the concrete around the concrete anchor. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, a lower lip protruding from the outer wall, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall.

A system for strengthening a lifting anchor includes a concrete anchor configured to be positioned within concrete. The concrete anchor includes a base and a stem extending away from the base toward a top of the concrete. The stem includes a top configured to be attached to a lifting apparatus. The system includes a ring configured to be disposed within the concrete around the concrete anchor such that the concrete anchor is substantially centered with respect to the ring. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, lower lip protruding from the outer wall and positioned at a bottom of the ring, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall and positioned at a top of the ring. The ring has a diameter, in a virtual plane substantially perpendicular to a length of the concrete anchor, of not less than a maximum width of the concrete anchor in the virtual plane and not greater than six times an effective height of the anchor. The ring is oriented with the upper lip towards the top of the concrete and the lower lip away from the top of the concrete.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set forth hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method, and/or apparatus.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system for strengthening a lifting anchor. The system includes a concrete anchor configured to be positioned within concrete and a ring configured to be disposed within the concrete around the concrete anchor. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor and an outer wall opposite to the inner wall. The ring includes a lower lip protruding from the outer wall and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall.

In some embodiments, the ring has a diameter, in a virtual plane substantially perpendicular to a length of the concrete anchor, of not less than a maximum width of the concrete anchor in the virtual plane and not greater than six times an effective height of the concrete anchor. In some embodiments, the diameter is not greater than four times the effective height of the concrete anchor.

In some embodiments, the concrete anchor includes a base and a stem extending away from the base toward a top of the concrete. The ring is oriented with the upper lip towards the top of the concrete and the lower lip away from the top of the concrete. A top of the stem is configured to be attached to a lifting apparatus.

In some embodiments, the ring is configured to be disposed around the concrete anchor such that the concrete anchor is substantially centered with respect to the ring.

In some embodiments, the ring is cylindrical and oriented with a length of the cylinder positioned substantially parallel to a length of the concrete anchor. In some embodiments, the ring includes at least one of: a hollow, open cylinder; a hollow, open rectangular prism; a hollow, open triangular prism; an open prismoid; an open, oblong prism; and an open, oval prism. In some embodiments, a length of the ring is substantially equal to a length of the concrete anchor.

In some embodiments, the ring is configured to be disposed around the concrete anchor to maintain an inner volume of the concrete between the inner wall and the concrete anchor.

In some embodiments, the inner wall and the outer wall have a length substantially parallel to a length of the concrete anchor. In some embodiments, a length of the lower lip, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall length, is not greater than one fourth of the wall length and/or a length of the upper lip, in the direction substantially perpendicular to the wall length, is not greater than one fourth of the wall length.

In some embodiments, the system includes a recess plug removably attached to the concrete anchor and configured to create a recess around a top of the concrete anchor when the recess plug is removed to facilitate connection to the top of the concrete anchor.

In some embodiments, the system includes an interlocking member connecting the concrete anchor to the ring. The interlocking member is configured to maintain a position of the concrete anchor with respect to the ring while the concrete is poured around the concrete anchor and the ring.

In some embodiments, the concrete anchor includes a base and a stem extending from the base. The base includes a lip extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the stem.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an apparatus for strengthening a lifting anchor. The apparatus includes a ring configured to be disposed within concrete around a concrete anchor. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, a lower lip protruding from the outer wall, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall.

In some embodiments, the ring has a diameter, in a virtual plane substantially perpendicular to a length of the concrete anchor, of not less than a maximum width of the concrete anchor in the virtual plane and not greater than six times an effective height of the anchor. In some embodiments, the diameter is not greater than four times the effective height of the concrete anchor. In some embodiments, the ring is configured to be disposed around the concrete anchor such that the concrete anchor is substantially centered with respect to the ring.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system. The system includes a concrete anchor configured to be positioned within concrete. The concrete anchor includes a base and a stem extending away from the base toward a top of the concrete. The stem includes a top configured to be attached to a lifting apparatus. The system includes a ring configured to be disposed within the concrete around the concrete anchor such that the concrete anchor is substantially centered with respect to the ring. The ring includes an inner wall facing the concrete anchor, an outer wall opposite to the inner wall, a lower lip protruding from the outer wall and positioned at a bottom of the ring, and an upper lip protruding from the inner wall and positioned at a top of the ring. The ring has a diameter, in a virtual plane substantially perpendicular to a length of the concrete anchor, of not less than a maximum width of the concrete anchor in the virtual plane and not greater than six times an effective height of the anchor. The ring is oriented with the upper lip towards the top of the concrete and the lower lip away from the top of the concrete.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a prior art concrete lifting system. The system 100 includes a concrete lifting anchor 102 at least partially embedded within concrete 104. The concrete lifting anchor 102 includes a base 116 and a stem 118 extending away from the base 116. The stem 118 terminates at the base 116 at an end 101 of the stem 118. A distance between the end 101 of the stem 118 and a top 120 of the concrete 104 when the concrete lifting anchor 102 is positioned within the concrete 104 is referred to herein as the effective height (“h”) of the concrete lifting anchor 102.

The concrete lifting anchor 102 is positioned within the concrete 104 and used to lift the concrete 104. The concrete lifting anchor 102 is at least partially embedded within concrete 104. The concrete lifting anchor 102 can be subject to failure via concrete breakout or anchor rupture. For example, the force exerted on the anchor 102 may cause a break in the concrete 104 that extends in a substantial conical manner from the end 101 of the stem 118 to the top 120 of the concrete, separating a portion 103 of the concrete 104 to create a “cone of failure.”

The force applied to the concrete from the lip around the base 116 can be described where he radius r of the separated cone 103 is proportional to the effective height h. In some embodiments, a typical force on the concrete is the radius r that is approximately 1.5 times the effective height h. The concrete lifting anchor 102 can be embedded deeper within the concrete 104 to increase capacity, help to prevent a concrete failure or anchor rupture failure, and/or widen the cone area 103. However, increasing the area of the concrete lifting anchor 102 or increasing the effective height h of the concrete lifting anchor 102 can be complicated and/or ineffective, particularly if the concrete 104 is part of a lighter, thinner concrete element, such as a thin wall, slab, or concrete sandwich wall panel (“SWP”).

Embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatuses and systems for further supporting a concrete lifting anchor by confining a particular portion of the concrete in which it is embedded. Embodiments of the present disclosure help to protect the area of concrete immediately within the original cone of failure and transfer the load back down in a direction opposite to the lifting direction, creating a new and much larger failure cone, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, which is stronger than a single concrete anchor. Embodiments of the present disclosure can help to support lifting without changing the way normal concrete panels are fabricated.

Although terms such as “concrete lifting system” and “concrete lifting anchor” are used herein, those of skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present can be applied to other thin member anchoring problems and can have even broader applications in concrete lifting anchor design.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a reinforced lifting system 200. The system 200 includes an anchor 102 configured to be positioned within concrete 104 and a ring 206 configured to be disposed within the concrete 104 around the anchor 102. In some embodiments, the ring 206 includes an inner wall 208 facing the anchor 102 and an outer wall 210 opposite to the inner wall 208. In some embodiments, the ring 206 includes a lower lip 212 protruding from the outer wall 210 and an upper lip 214 protruding from the inner wall 208.

As shown in FIG. 2A, supporting the anchor 102 with the ring 206 can help to widen the potential breakout area 103 of the concrete 104. In some embodiments, the re-distribution of force causes the breakout area 103 to extend from the lower lip 212 of the ring 206 towards the top 120 of the concrete 104 instead of from the base 116 of the anchor 102 towards the top 120 of the concrete 104.

In some embodiments, the ring 206 is disposed around the anchor 102 to maintain an inner volume 228 of concrete 104 between the inner wall 208 and the anchor 102. In some embodiments, the ring 206 and the anchor 202 are configured to be received by a mold. When concrete is poured into the mold, a portion 228 of the concrete 104 is poured between the inner wall 208 and the anchor 102. In some embodiments, the ring 206 and the anchor 202 are configured to be positioned within concrete 104 after the concrete 104 is poured but before it has hardened or set.

In some examples, the ring 206 is substantially cylindrical. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, embodiments of the present disclosure also include rectangular and/or oval-shaped rings 506 and 606. In some embodiments, the ring 206 includes at least one of: a hollow, open cylinder; a hollow, open rectangular prims; a hollow, open triangular prism; an open prismoid; an open, oblong prism; an open, oval prism, and the like. In some embodiments, the ring 206 is shaped to correspond with a shape of the concrete anchor 102 concrete anchor 102.

In some embodiments, the ring 206 is oriented with a length L1 of the ring 206 extending substantially parallel to a length L2 of the anchor 102. As used herein, “substantially parallel” includes extending in a direction angled up to 10 degrees with respect to the length L2 of the anchor 102.

In some embodiments, the length L1 of the ring 206 is substantially equal to the length L2 of the anchor 202. As used herein, “substantially equal to” includes a ring length L1 that is not less than 90 percent and not greater than 110 percent of the anchor 202 length L2. In some embodiments, the inner wall 208 and/or the outer wall 210 also extends substantially parallel to the length L2 of the anchor 202. In some embodiments, the inner wall 208 and/or the outer wall 210 have a length substantially equal to the length L1 of the ring 206 and/or to the length L2 of the anchor 202. In some embodiments, the length L1 of the ring is not less than 50 percent and not greater than 150 percent of the anchor 202 length L2. In embodiments, the length L1 of the ring is not less than 50 percent and not greater than 90 percent of the anchor 202 length L2.

In some embodiments, the concrete lifting anchor 102 includes a cast-in-place anchor, a precast anchor, a post installed anchor, a stud, a headed stud, a dog bone anchor, a coil rod insert, a plate type anchor, a lifting pin, a wire loop anchor, a threaded insert, a ferrule loop anchor, a shear lug anchor, a weld plate anchor, a reinforcing bar anchor, a deformed bar anchor, a foundation bolt anchor, a T-head anchor, a lifting socket, a recess former anchor, a magnetic anchor, a rubber anchor, a void former anchor, a concrete screw anchor, a drop-in anchor, a helical anchor, or the like, or any combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2B, in some examples, the concrete anchor 202 includes a base 216 and a stem 218 extending away from the base 216 towards the top 120 of the concrete 104. In some embodiments, the top 120 of the concrete 104 is a top surface of the concrete. In some embodiments, the stem 218 extends beyond the top 120 of the concrete 104 such that a top 224 of the stem 218 protrudes from the concrete 104. In some embodiments, a top 224 of the stem 218 is substantially flush with the top 120 of the concrete 104.

In some embodiments, a length L3 of the lower lip 212 and/or upper lip 214, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length L1 of the ring 206 and/or a length of the outer wall 210 and/or inner wall 208, is not greater than one fourth of the length L1 of the ring 206, outer wall 210, and/or inner wall 208. In some embodiments, the length L3 of the lower lip 212 and/or upper lip 214 is less than one inch or less than one quarter of an inch. In some embodiments, the ring 206 is made of a metallic material, such as steel.

FIG. 2B is a top plan view further illustrating the lifting system 200 of FIG. 2A in a virtual plane ‘A’ substantially perpendicular to a length of the concrete anchor 202 (i.e., length L2 shown in FIG. 2C). As shown in FIG. 2B, in some examples, the ring 206 has a diameter w/, in the virtual plane ‘A’, of not less than a maximum width w2 of the concrete anchor 102. Although the term “diameter” is used herein with reset to the ring 206, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to rings 206 of cylindrical shapes. As used herein, the term “diameter” refers to the maximum width w1 of the ring 206 in the virtual plane ‘A.’ In some embodiments, the diameter w1 of the ring 206 is not greater than six times an effective height h of the concrete anchor 102. In some embodiments, the diameter w1 is not greater than four times the effective height h. In some examples, the diameter w2 is not greater than three times the effective height h.

In some embodiments, the ring 206 is configured to be disposed around the anchor 102 such that the anchor 102 is substantially centered with respect to the ring 206. As used herein, the term “substantially centered” indicates that the anchor 102 is a distance away from a center point of the ring 206, in the virtual plane ‘A’, that is not greater than 10 percent of the ring 206′s diameter w1.

FIG. 2C is another cross-sectional view further illustrating the lifting system 200 of FIG. 2A. In some embodiments, the ring 206 is oriented with the upper lip 214 towards the top 120 of the concrete 104 and the lower lip 212 away from the top 120 of the concrete 104. In some embodiments, the upper lip 214 is closer to the top 120 of the concrete 104 than the lower lip 212 is to the top 120 of the concrete. In some embodiments, the upper lip 214 extends towards the concrete anchor 202, while the lower lip 212 extends away from the concrete anchor 202.

FIG. 2C demonstrates forces applied by an upward force 250 on the concrete anchor 202. The base 216 then applies a force on the concrete similar to the cone 103 of FIG. 1. The upper lip 214 of the ring 206 resists the force on the concrete so that the force is then transferred to the ring 206. The bottom lip 212 of the ring 206 then applies a force outside of the ring 206 to create the expanded cone depicted in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a lifting system 300 having a recess plug 330. The lifting system 300 is an embodiment of the system 200 of FIGS. 2A-C. In some embodiments, the lifting system 300 includes an anchor 302 and ring 306, which are analogous to the anchor 202 and ring 206 of the system 200. The anchor 302 and ring 306 are embedded in concrete 304 to confine a volume 328 of concrete between the ring 306 and the anchor 302. In some embodiments, the ring 306 includes an upper lip 314, a lower lip 312, an inner wall 308, and an outer wall 310.

In some embodiments, the system 300 includes a recess plug 330. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to be removably attached to the anchor 302. In one or more embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to be removably attached to a stem 318 of the anchor 302. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to be removably attached to a top of the stem 318 of the anchor 302. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to fit around the stem 318. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to fit around the stem 318 and to create a void in the concrete to allow access to the top of the stem 318 for lifting the concrete. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is removed after the concrete is set to provide access to the stem 318. In other embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to remain in place exposing the top of the stem 318.

In some embodiments, the system 300 includes an interlocking member 334 connecting the anchor 302 to the ring 306. In some embodiments, the interlocking member 334 is configured to maintain a position of the anchor 302 with respect to the ring 306 while the concrete 304 is poured around the anchor 302 and the ring 306. In some embodiments, the interlocking member 334 is configured to fit around the anchor 302 and contact the inner wall 308 of the ring 306. In some embodiments, the interlocking member 334 is removable from the anchor 302 after the concrete 304 is poured. In some embodiments, the interlocking member 334 is configured to be positioned within a recess of the concrete 304 and/or proximate to the top 324 of the anchor 302 to help facilitate removal.

As shown in FIG. 3A, in some embodiments, the anchor 302 includes a base 316 and a stem 318 extending from the base 316. In some embodiments, the base 316 includes a lip 335 extending in a direction d1 substantially perpendicular to a direction d2 of the stem 318.

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view further illustrating the lifting system 300 of FIG. 3A, with a lifting apparatus 326 connected to the anchor 302. In some embodiments, the recess plug 330 is configured to be removed from the stem 318 of the anchor 302 to leave a recess 332 in the concrete 104 around the stem 318, providing access to the top 324 of the stem 318.

In some embodiments, a top 324 of the stem 318 is configured to be attached to the lifting apparatus 326. The lifting apparatus 326 includes any apparatus 326 configured to move the concrete 104 by applying a force to the concrete anchor 302. In some embodiments, the lifting apparatus 326 includes a lifting clutch, a crane, a hoist, a lifting beam, a lifting machine and/or a forklift.

FIG. 4 includes cross-sectional views of various embodiments of a lifting anchor 402. The lifting anchor 402 is an embodiment of the lifting anchor 202 and/or 302. As shown in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the anchor 402 includes a recess plug 434. In one or more embodiments, to help enable attachment to a lifting apparatus, the anchor 402 includes one or more of a button head 442 in FIG. 4(a), where a corresponding anchor may attach to the button head 442. FIG. 4(b) includes a cylindrical attachment aperture 444 where a pin may be inserted through the cylindrical attachment aperture 444 and the pin may be connected to a cable or other lifting device. FIG. 4(c) includes a threaded portion 446 where a threaded coupler may be attached for lifting. FIG. 4(d) includes a rectangular aperture 448 which may be used with a rectangular bar inserted through the rectangular aperture 448 for lifting. The lifting anchor 402 may include any top suitable for connection and lifting.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view illustrating one embodiment of a lifting system 500 including multiple lifting anchors 502. The lifting system 500 is an embodiment of the system 200. In some embodiments, the lifting system 500 includes more than one anchor 502 and a ring 506 disposed within concrete 104 about the more than one anchors 502. In some embodiments, the shape of the perimeter of the anchor 502 corresponds to a formation made by the multiple anchors 502. In some embodiments, the system 500 includes two adjacent anchors 502 and a rectangular ring 506. In some embodiments, the formation of the multiple anchors 502 is substantially centered with respect to the ring 506. In one or more embodiments, the anchor 502 is shaped as an open rectangular prism. In one or more embodiments, the shape of the ring 506 corresponds to a shape of the anchor 502. In some embodiments, the anchor 502 is shaped as a rectangle in the virtual plane ‘A.’

FIG. 6 is a top plan view illustrating one embodiment of a lifting system 600 including an oval-shaped lifting anchor 602. The system 600 is an embodiment of the system 200. In some embodiments, the lifting anchor 602 includes a top 624 shaped as an oval in the virtual plane ‘A.’ In some embodiments, the system 600 includes a ring 606 disposed about the anchor 602. In various embodiments, the ring 606 is shaped as an open, ovular prism. In some embodiments, the ring 606 is substantially concentric with the anchor 602.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a prior art corbel system 700. In some embodiments, the system 700 includes a corbel 752 attached to a wall panel 754. In some embodiments, the corbel 752 is a small ledge that floor or roof members attach to on the wall panel 754. At the corbel 752, a solid concrete section can be specified to transfer the loads. Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems for transferring the load without penetrating insulation 756 within the wall panel 754 with conductive steel or concrete. The system typically includes rebar 758 to strengthen the concrete. However, the rebar 758 typically has the same issues as the concrete anchor 102 of FIG. 1 with regard to forces on the concrete. However, the system 700 can create design constraints that leave little room to develop reinforcement in accordance with building codes.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a system 800 for supporting a corbel 852. In some embodiments, the corbel 852 includes rebar 858 in some locations. The system 800 includes a ring 806. The ring 806 is an embodiment of the ring 206 of FIGS. 2A-2C and includes an upper lip and a lower lip. In some embodiments, the ring 806 helps to confine reinforcement to help shift the failure mode to a stronger and likely more ductile failure, such as a global or reinforcement tensile rupture. In some embodiments, the corbel 852 includes a bar 860 that extends through a wall panel 854, potentially penetrating an insulation layer 856 of the wall panel 854. In some embodiments, the bar 860 includes a base 816 forming a lip. In some embodiments, the bar 860 is oriented with respect to the ring 806 in a manner like the positioning and orientation of the anchor 202 with respect to the ring 206 of FIGS. 2A-2C. In some embodiments, the ring 806 does not penetrate the insulation layer 856. In some embodiments, the wall panel includes two rings 806 with one ring 806 in each concrete section.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a system 900 for supporting a corbel 952 via multiple anchors 902. The system 900 is an embodiment of the system 800. In some embodiments, the system 900 includes multiple anchors 902 and a ring 906 embedded within a wall panel 954. In some embodiments, the anchors 902 are attached to the corbel 952. In some embodiments, the corbel 952 supports a floor or roof member 962. The anchors 902 and ring 906, in some embodiments, function similar to the bar 860 and ring 806 of FIG. 8.