Abstract:
The present invention is a safety cap that may be used with exposed construction rebar, studs, anchor bolts, stakes or shafts of various sizes and shapes to minimize potential impalement injuries suffered by any individual falling upon the exposed shaft. The invention includes a specially shaped collar for receiving differently sized shafts so that the same device may be used on a variety of different shafts. The collar includes inwardly extending deformable flanges that temporarily but securely attach the safety cap to the shaft. Embodiments of the invention may be brightly colored for visibility and reinforced to insure that the invention does not deform or break when downward pressure is asserted upon it.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to safety devices for the construction industry, and more particularly to new and improved safety caps for use in building construction where rebar, studs, flat or round stakes and/or anchor bolts of varying sizes and shapes are used or installed, and related methods of use. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Metal reinforcement bars (rebar) are commonly used in concrete construction to provide added stability to concrete structures. In typical construction, a frame or web of metal reinforcement bars is typically constructed, and then concrete is poured around and over the frame. This provides internal strength and stability to the frame. However, it is common for such rebar frames to be very large, taking days or even weeks to assemble before any concrete is poured. During this time, the ends of individual bars often protrude outward where they can be a tripping or impalement hazard to workers on the job site. Then, even after the concrete is poured, in many situations some rebar or studs may still protrude outward from the concrete, posing the same tripping and impalement hazard. 
         [0005]    Metallic anchor bolts are commonly used in the construction industry to secure building structures to concrete or other foundations. Such bolts are especially used in environments susceptible to geographic instabilities or natural disasters (such as earthquakes, floods or mudslides), or where the structures are to be constructed on steep or uneven land grades. 
         [0006]    The anchor bolts themselves may be of varying sizes and shapes, depending upon the particular requirements of the construction project and the characteristics of the materials used. For example, larger anchor bolts (both in terms of length and diameter) may be used to secure the exterior frame of a multi-story building structure, while smaller bolts may be used to secure the internal walls of the same structure, or the exterior frame of a single-story structure. Anchor bolts may also come in different shapes with different cross sections such as circular; oval, square, rectangular, polygonal and the like. 
         [0007]    Regardless of their particular sizes or shapes, the installation of metallic anchor bolts is a straightforward process. In concrete foundations, the bolts are vertically set at pre-determined locations throughout the foundation site before the concrete is poured. As the concrete is poured, substantial lengths of the bolts are left exposed in order to provide attachment bases for the building structures. Once the concrete has set, the structures are framed and constructed around the bolts, allowing the bolts to secure the structures to the foundation. Anchor bolts may also be used with wood frame foundations. 
         [0008]    In the building industry, wooden boards are generally used to create the frames for concrete foundations. These frames are generally held in place using stakes that are pounded into the ground and nailed or otherwise attached to the wooden frame boards to hold them in place. These upwardly extending stakes remain present to hold the wooden frame boards during the pouring and setting of the concrete foundation. 
         [0009]    Unfortunately, exposed rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes give rise to numerous safety concerns and can lead to construction site injuries. In many cases, anchor bolts are manufactured to be short and narrow in order to minimize the cost and weight of the construction materials. It is common for only a short portion of an anchor bolt to protrude up from the foundation, although these portions may be lengthy depending on the requirements of the particular building. The exposed rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes become tripping hazards at the construction site, and also pose a risk of impalement to any individual who may happen to fall onto one of them. These hazards are compounded by the constant movement of materials and personnel, and the limited fields of view, at the construction site. 
         [0010]    To address these safety concerns, many companies and government entities have regulations requiring exposed rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes to be covered with colorful or otherwise easily identifiable safety caps. Other regulations may govern the size and/or pliability of the caps in order to minimize impalement injuries, or impose any number of additional restrictions. Safety caps such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,235 have been developed for this purpose. Unfortunately, such inventions suffer from the limitation of only being useable on round rebar or anchor bolts, and cannot be used on rectangular shafts such as those used as framing stakes. This is problematic in that a single construction site may utilize numerous rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes of varying sizes, dimensions and shapes, depending upon the particular function of each. Such a variety requires a significant amount of time-consuming effort to locate and install a different type of safety cap on each exposed item. Furthermore, if there is a shortage of the correct caps, additional caps must be located and installed before the work can commence or continue, all of which may result in substantial delays to the project and/or increase the amount of necessary labor. 
         [0011]    It is therefore desirable to provide a single safety cap that may be securely attached to any of a variety of rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing, stakes of varying sizes, dimensions and/or shapes (flat or round). It is further desirable that such safety caps be easily attached and removed, as necessary. It is desirable that the safety caps be sufficiently identifiable and strong to minimize construction site injuries. Finally, it is desirable to be able to provide safety caps for use with rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes that may be re-used. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides safety caps and related methods of use that may be employed with a variety of rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or framing stakes commonly used in the construction industry having different sizes, dimensions and/or shapes. The safety caps of the present invention include a collar that fits around a rebar, stud, anchor bolt or framing stake, an upper surface that covers the top end of the rebar, stud, bolt and/or stake, and a plurality of deformable interior flanges that press against the rebar, stud, anchor bolt and/or stake to hold the cap in place. In some embodiments, the upper surface is reinforced with a metallic or other sturdy rigid material to prevent the cap itself from breaking if someone or something falls on it after installation on a rebar, stud, anchor bolt and/or stake. 
         [0013]    The collars of the present invention are provided in a form that allows the same cap to be used on a variety of different rebar rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes having different cross sectional shapes. In the preferred embodiments, the walls of the collar have a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, with outwardly protruding convex or arcuate walls along the longer opposing sides. These curves in the walls allow the collar to receive rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes having a round, oval, square, hexagonal or other bulging shape. The generally rectangular form of the collar walls also allows each collar to receive rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. Different embodiments of the present invention are therefore capable of alternative uses with rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes having rectangular, round, square, oval, hexagonal or other cross-sectional shapes. It is to be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be provided in different sizes so as to be sufficiently large to receive numerous sizes of rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes commonly used in the construction industry. 
         [0014]    The collars of the present invention also include sturdy but deformable inwardly protruding flanges. These flanges are attached to the inside surfaces of the walls of the collar, and protrude inwardly toward the center or central axis of the collar. The flanges are designed and positioned so as to come into contact with a rebar, stud, anchor bolt and/or stake that is inserted into the collar. The flanges are bent aside or deformed by the inserted rebar, stud, anchor bolt and/or stake, and press against it as long as it remains inside the collar. As discussed in greater detail below, these deformable flanges allow the present invention to be used with rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes of different sizes and shapes by gripping said rebar/stud/bolt/stake and holding it in place without necessitating any direct contact with the walls of the collar itself. A sufficient number of flanges are provided around the central opening of the collar to provide a firm grip of the rebar/stud/bolt/stake inserted into the collar. In preferred embodiments, the flanges may extend in a generally radial direction toward a central axis of the collar, however in other embodiments, the flanges may have different positions or orientations for engagement with different or selected places on a rebar/stud/bolt/stake inserted into the collar. The illustrated exemplary embodiment shows six flanges, but as few as four or as many as a dozen (or more) flanges may be used to provide the desired grip. 
         [0015]    The exterior safety surface of the caps of the present invention may be of any shape and/or size. In preferred embodiments, the upper portion of a cap of the present invention is provided in the form of a widened, flattened disc attached to a collar below, with support ribs extending between the exterior of the collar and the underside of the disc. The support ribs help insure that the safety surface does not deform or shatter when downward force (such as the weight of a human body) is asserted upon the present invention. Other shapes (e.g. a dome or head) may be used in other embodiments, so long as the safety surface is of a sufficient shape and size to minimize impalement injuries. The coloring of the exterior of the caps of the present invention is preferably bright so as to make the caps readily recognizable on the construction site. 
         [0016]    Installing the caps of the present invention is relatively simple. If the rebar, stud, anchor bolt, or stake over which the cap is to be placed has a symmetrical cross sectional shape (e.g. circular, oval, square, hexagonal, or the like), the cap is placed over the rebar/bolt/stake/stud such that it extends into the collar along the central axis thereof. The deformable interior flanges engage the sides of the rebar/bolt/stake/stud and hold the cap in place over it. It is not necessary that the rebar/bolt/stud/stake be positioned exactly along the central axis of the collar, but it should be close enough to center for the cap to slide down over it. In most embodiments, the pressure from the deformable flanges ordinarily tends to center the cap over the rebar/bolt/stud/stake. 
         [0017]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal safety cap that may be securely engaged over rebar, studs, anchor bolts or stakes of varying sizes and shapes. 
         [0018]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide safety caps for engagement over protruding rebar, studs, anchor bolts or stakes that may be easily attached and removed, as desired. 
         [0019]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for improving safety at building construction sites by providing easily attached, brightly colored and sturdy coverings for upstanding rebar, studs, anchor bolts and/or stakes in order to help prevent persons from tripping over them or impaling themselves on them. 
         [0020]    Additional objects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptions and claims provided below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective environmental view of several exemplary safety caps of the present invention attached over cylindrical concrete anchor bolts and over rectangular framing stakes. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention engaged over a cylindrical anchor bolt. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention attached over a stake having a rectangular cross-section. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a bottom sectional view along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a bottom sectional view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a side sectional view along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a bottom sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention engaged over a cylindrical bolt having a larger diameter than that of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a side sectional view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a side sectional view along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Referring to the exemplary embodiments of the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , it is seen that the present invention includes a top portion or cap  11  that is attached to a specially shaped collar  12  having a hollow interior. In some embodiments, a reinforcing ring  13  may be provided underneath cap  11 , and reinforcing ribs  14  may be provided between cap  11  and collar  12 . In the illustrated embodiments, cap  11  is provided in the form of a disk, although it may have other shapes (such as a dome). Cap  11  may also be reinforced with an under plate  15  made of metal or other sturdy rigid material. The support structures  13 ,  14  and  15  help strengthen the invention in the event that someone falls onto it while it is attached to an anchor bolt  21  or stake  22 . 
         [0033]    Collar  12  is hollow, and is shaped so that it may receive a rod or shaft having a symmetrical and/or oblong cross-sectional shape. In particular, collar  12  is designed to receive rebar, studs, anchor bolts or the like having such symmetrical cross-sectional shapes as without limitation round, square, hexagonal, etc. In addition, collar  12  is designed to also receive shafts or stakes having oblong cross-sectional shapes such as without limitation rectangular, oval or other polygonal shapes. 
         [0034]    In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, collar  12  includes a pair of end walls  31  attached to side walls  32  defining a generally rectangular shape with a hollow interior. In these embodiments, a central section  35  of each sidewall  32  is convex or arcuate such that it bulges out from the plane defined by the adjacent side wall  32 . In the preferred embodiment, the convex central sections  35  are provided in both of the elongated parallel sidewalls  32 . However, in other embodiments, a convex central section  35  may be provided on only one of the sidewalls  32 , and/or on one or both of the end walls  31 , and/or on any suitable combination of sidewall(s)  32  and/or endwall(s)  31 . For example, only one convex wall  35  may be needed for a stud having a triangular cross-sectional shape. In other embodiments, bulging walls  35  may be eliminated entirely. Walls  31 ,  32  and  35  should have sufficient length to slide down over, for example, about an inch, more or less, of the top of a rebar, stud, anchor bolt, shaft, or stake so that sideward or upward pressure on the collar  12  does not easily dislodge it. 
         [0035]    Referring to the cross-sectional views of the exemplary embodiments of  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  8 , it is seen that convex walls  35  may define portions of a central circular region that may be concentric with the shape of the cap  11  and support  13 . Regardless of the exact shape, the central region defined by the bulging walls  35  allows the collar  12  to receive a round, square, hexagonal or other symmetrical shaft, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 8 . Walls  31  and  32  define a more rectangular shape, allowing collar  12  to also receive a shaft having a rectangular or oblong shape, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . It is to be appreciated that the location of the bulging section defined by walls  35  is not limited to the center of walls  31  or  32 . In some embodiments, the bulging section may be offset from the central axis of the rectangular form defined by walls  31  and  32 . 
         [0036]    Certain construction industries and projects may only utilize small anchor bolts and/or rebar  21 , while other industries and projects may require larger anchor bolts and/or rebar  21   a , or anchor bolts and stakes  22  of different shapes. The shape of the collar  12 , and the protruding flanges  24  described below, allows the same device of the present invention to be utilized in each of those situations, allowing use over a wide range of different sizes and shapes. In addition, so long as the flanges  24  have not been damaged, the caps of the present invention may be removed and re-used multiple times. 
         [0037]    The form of walls  31 ,  32  need not necessarily be rectangular, and may be varied so as to accommodate reception of rebar, studs, bolts, shafts, and/or stakes of various sizes and shapes in order to accommodate different construction industries and projects. Collar  12  is not limited to only rectangular and/or partially circular forms. It may be provided in other forms (e.g., hexagonal or any other polygonal) as well. Furthermore, additional forms may be included in addition to the preferred forms merely by revising the orientation and/or position of the existing forms vis-à-vis one another. 
         [0038]    In most embodiments, cap  11 , supports  13 ,  14  and walls  31 ,  32  and  35  should be constructed of sturdy, rigid materials. However, semi-deformable materials may be used for some or all of these structures in some circumstances to allow the invention to further accommodate shafts  21 ,  22  of irregular sizes and/or shapes, such as polygonal shafts, or shafts subject to manufacturing defects or deformities. 
         [0039]    Referring to the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  10 , it is seen that the interior of collar  12  is provided with a plurality of deformable flanges  24  that protrude inward. Flanges  24  are provided on the insides of walls  31 ,  32  and/or  35  and are designed to be pushed aside (deformed) by an incoming shaft  21 ,  22  so that they press firmly against the sides of the shaft as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  8 . This pressure holds the cap firmly in place on top of a shaft  21 ,  22  such as a rebar, stud, anchor bolt, or stake. In some embodiments, flanges  24  may protrude radially inwardly. In other embodiments, flanges  24  may protrude inward in a uniform or non uniform manner. One end of each flange is affixed to the interior of one of walls  31 ,  32  or  35 , with the other end extending freely into the central space defined by collar  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the flanges  24  deform as the shaft  21 ,  22  is inserted into collar  12  in order to conform to the size and shape of the shaft. Such securement may be effected either by the flanges  24  lodging within the threads of an anchor bolt  21 , or by the flanges  24  contacting the surfaces of the bolt  21  or stake  22  and frictionally securing it within the collar  12 . The surfaces of flanges  24  may be rough in order to provide additional frictional securement, or smooth to allow for easier installation and removal. In either event, flanges  24  eliminate the necessity for any extraneous attachment means such as cotter pins, securing bolts or nuts. The illustrated embodiments utilize six flanges  24 , three on each side, which is preferred for round shafts, stakes or anchor bolts. However, any suitable number of flanges  24  may be used (e.g. from three to twelve or more) so long as space allows, including an odd number. 
         [0040]    The shape and extent of the deformation undergone by flanges  24  will generally depend upon the particular shape and size of the shaft over which the cap is attached. For example, in  FIG. 4 , the illustrated anchor bolt  21  has a round cross-section, and has a smaller diameter than the one shown in  FIG. 8 . The flanges  24  extend inward and contact the surface of the shaft over which the cap is attached, usually without any direct contact between the shaft and the interior surface of the walls of collar  12 . In many embodiments, when an object having a round cross section is inserted, flanges  24  form a wall around it. The firm contact between the flanges  24  and the shaft  21 ,  22  is superior to a traditional safety cap having an annular column with no interior flanges. Such a traditional safety cap would be too large for the bolt  21 , and would not allow the safety cap to remain securely attached to it, resulting in an increased risk of dislodgment, tripping and/or impalement injury. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which the flanges  24  are engaged against a stake (shaft)  22  having a rectangular cross-section. In this illustration, it is seen that the elongated stake  22  extends into the generally rectangular portion of the collar defined by walls  31  and  32 , but not into the central arcuate areas defined by walls  35 . The versatility of the invention allows the same device to receive either a round shaft ( FIG. 4 ) or a rectangular shaft ( FIG. 5 ), and still be held tightly in place by flanges  24 . It is apparent that flanges  24  allow the present invention to be used with irregularly or unusually shaped rebar, studs, anchor bolts, stakes or shafts ( 21 ,  22 , etc.), in that each flange  24  is independently deformable vis-à-vis the corresponding surface area of the inserted shaft. Thus, it is largely irrelevant that the collar  12  itself may be larger than the diameter of the rebar, stud, anchor bolt  21  or stake  22  over which it is attached, so long as the inwardly extending flanges make secure contact with it. Some construction industries or projects may regulate the ability of the safety cap to withstand a minimum amount of dislodgment force, which may be accommodated by using stronger, weaker, longer and/or shorter flanges  24 . 
         [0042]    It should further be appreciated that the flanges  24  may take on different positions and forms. For example, the edges of the flanges  24  may be curved to permit easier insertion over the shaft. Flanges  24  may also have different tiers of protrusion, which represent stepped “lips” for anchor shafts of different dimensions. This allows the flanges  24  to better conform to the particular dimensions of each anchor bolt  21  or stake  22 , and further improves the securement of the safety cap. Flanges may be provided in numerous forms other than those illustrated that may be utilized for the same purpose, including, but not limited to, teeth, prongs, grooves, clips, or any other engagement member that makes secure contact with the surface of the shaft/bolt/stud/stake over which the safety cap of the present invention is to be attached. 
         [0043]    In some embodiments of the present invention, disk or dome  11  may be made of a stronger material such as metal or high-strength plastic to prevent breakage (potentially leading to impalement) in the event a person falls onto a shaft to which the invention has been attached. In other embodiments, a metallic or other rigid interior piece  15  may be installed in or underneath disk  11  for the same purpose, as shown, for example, in the cross sectional views of  FIGS. 7 and 9 . Such a piece  15  may be small, extending only around collar  12 ; it may be large, extending to the diameter of disk  11 ; or it may be sized to extend part way between the edge of collar  12  and disk  11 . The surface of disk  11  should be readily recognizable on a construction site, to minimize impalement injuries, and avoid tripping injuries. Among other things, the preferred embodiments of the disks  11  of the present invention are brightly colored and have diameters that are much larger than the shafts/rebar/bolts/studs/stakes over which they are placed. 
         [0044]    Alternative embodiments of the present invention allow for the upper disc  11  to be removable from collar  12 . Other embodiments include a wall support bracket and/or a top end of the collar  12  that permits attachment of any number of objects, such as customized interchangeable safety surfaces, flags, or audio alert devices. A further alternative embodiment provides a single safety surface  11  for use over several upwardly protruding shafts/rebar/bolts/studs/stakes that are in close proximity to one another, either with or without adjustable positions for each collar  12  (via rails or any other adjustment mechanism), whereby the safety surface  11  covers a larger area (see, e.g., United States Patent Application No. 2007/0215784) or may be used for other purposes, such as a temporary work-bench. 
         [0045]    In embodiments of the present invention utilizing a safety surface  11  that is substantially larger than collar  12 , there is a risk that downward pressure exerted upon the safety surface  11  may cause the surface  11  to deform or break. Such risk may be minimized by utilizing one or more support brackets  14  with the collar  12 . Said support brackets  14  are positioned to contact the bottom side of the safety surface  11 , and to support the downward pressure upon said surface. However, it should be appreciated that support brackets  14  are not essential elements of the present invention, and that the downward pressure may be absorbed via any number of other devices, including, but not limited to, sturdier safety surfaces or safety surfaces supported by multiple collars  12  (see, e.g., United States Patent Application No. 2007/0215784). It is to be understood that different embodiments of the present invention may be made from different combinations of the features described above, and that other variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is further to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification.