Patent CA-3076971-A1 (CA)
Title: Connector for screw pile assembly, kit for assembling the screw pile assembly, and corresponding methods of manufacturing, assembling and operating associated thereto
Inventor: FLEURY ROBERT GLENN
IPC: E02D5/56
Filed: 2020-03-24
Abstract: A screw pile connector for connecting first and second screw pile stems of a screw pile assembly together. The screw pile connector includes an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis; a first portion operatively provided about the elongated body, and having an inner portion with a cross-sectional profile being positioned, shaped and shaped for receiving an outer portion of the first pile stem; and a second portion operatively provided about the elongated body, and having an outer portion with a cross-sectional profile being positioned, shaped and shaped for receiving an inner portion of the second pile stem. 31 CLAIMS: 1. A screw pile connector for connecting first and second screw pile stems of a screw pile assembly together, the screw pile connector comprising: an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis; a first portion operatively provided about the elongated body, and having an inner portion with a cross-sectional profile being positioned, shaped and shaped for receiving an outer portion of the first pile stem; and a second portion operatively provided about the elongated body, and having an outer portion with a cross-sectional profile being positioned, shaped and shaped for receiving an inner portion of the second pile stem. 2. A screw pile connector according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the screw pile connector extends internally within the elongated body along the longitudinal axis thereof, across a first given span of the elongated body. 3. A screw pile connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second portion of the screw pile connector extends externally within the elongated body along the longitudinal axis thereof, across a second given span of the elongated body. 4. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first span of the first portion of the screw pile connector extending internally about the elongated body overlaps longitudinally with the second span of the second portion of the screw pile connector extending externally about the elongated body, along a common segment of said elongated body. 5. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the screw pile connector comprises a transitional portion provided about an outer portion of the screw pile connector for ensuring a transitional profile between an Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 32 outer surface of the first pile stem and an outer surface of the second pile stem when both stems are connected together via the screw pile connector. 6. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transitional profile of the transitional portion of the screw pile connector is a substantially tapered profile having a slant extending at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 7. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the angle ranges between about 00 and about 90 . 8. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the slant of the transitional profile of the transitional portion extends from a distal end of the screw pile connector to an intersecting plane corresponding substantially to a beginning of the common segment. 9. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the transitional portion of the screw pile connector has a substantially frustoconical shape. 10. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the transitional portion of the screw pile connector defines an abutment rim for receiving and abutting against a distal end of the second pile stem. 11. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the abutment rim extends about the elongated body and substantially within the intersecting plane corresponding substantially to a beginning of the common segment. 12. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the abutment rim has a surface area being complementary to a surface area of the 2 5 distal end of the second pile stem. Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 33 13. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the abutment rim has a contour which is polygonal with n sides, n being an integer equal to or greater than 1. 14. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein .. the abutment rim is substantially annular. 15. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one hole extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the first pile stem. 16. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one pair of holes extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the first pile stem, the holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 17. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least two pair of holes extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the 2 0 elongated body, for receiving respectively corresponding first and second fasteners intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the first pile stem, each pair of holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 18. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein 2 5 the at least two pair of holes are aligned longitudinally with respect to another along the elongated body of the screw pile connector. Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 34 19. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one hole extending from an outer portion of the second portion to an inner portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the second pile stem. 20. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one pair of holes extending from an outer portion of the second portion to an inner portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the second pile stem, the holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 21. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least two pair of holes extending from an outer portion of the second portion to an inner portion of the elongated body, for receiving respectively corresponding first and second fasteners intended to fasten the screw pile connector to the second pile stem, each pair of holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 22. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the at least two pair of holes are aligned longitudinally with respect to another along the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 23. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one hole extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the second 2 5 portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 3 5 fasten the screw pile connector to both the first and second pile stems together, via the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 24. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least one pair of holes extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the second portion of the elongated body, for receiving a corresponding first fastener intended to fasten the screw pile connector to both the first and second pile stems together, via the elongated body of the screw pile connector, the holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 25. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the elongated body of the screw pile connector comprises at least two pair of holes extending from an inner portion of the first portion to an outer portion of the second portion of the elongated body, for receiving respectively corresponding first and second fasteners intended to fasten the screw pile connector to both the first and second pile stems together, each pair of holes extending transversally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 26. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the at least two pair of holes are aligned longitudinally with respect to another along 2 0 the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 27. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the elongated body comprises an abutment wall for abutting receiving and abutting against a distal end of the first pile stem. 28. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 27, wherein 2 5 the abutment wall is provided with at least one drainage hole. Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 3 6 29. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the abutment wall is provided with said at least one drainage hole extends along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body of the screw pile connector. 30. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the first and second portions of the screw pile connector are provided with different effective cross-sectional areas for allowing the connection of a pair of screw pile stems of different sizes. 31. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector is an open-ended cross-sectional profile or a closed-ended cross-sectional profile. 32. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector is polygonal with n sides, n being an integer equal to or greater than 1. 33. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector has 3 sides, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile 2 0 connector is substantially triangular. 34. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 33, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector has 4 sides, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile 2 5 connector is substantially rectangular. 35. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 34, wherein the 4 sides of the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 37 connector are substantially equal to one another, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector is substantially square. 36. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 35, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector is selected from the group consisting of pentagonal cross-sectional profile, hexagonal cross-sectional profile, heptagonal cross-sectional profile, octagonal cross-sectional profile, enneagonal cross-sectional profile, decagonal cross-sectional profile, etc. 37. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 36, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the first portion of the screw pile connector is a substantially circular cross-sectional profile. 38. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 37, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is an open-ended cross-sectional profile or a closed-ended cross-sectional profile. 39. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 38, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is polygonal with n sides, n being an integer equal to or greater than 1. 40. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 39, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector has 3 sides, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion connector of the screw pile is substantially triangular. 41. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 40, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector has 4 Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 38 sides, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is substantially rectangular. 42. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 41, wherein the 4 sides of the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile -- connector are substantially equal to one another, and thus, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is substantially square. 43. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 42, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is -- selected from the group consisting of pentagonal cross-sectional profile, hexagonal cross-sectional profile, heptagonal cross-sectional profile, octagonal cross-sectional profile, enneagonal cross-sectional profile, decagonal cross-sectional profile, etc. 44. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 43, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the second portion of the screw pile connector is a -- substantially circular cross-sectional profile. 45. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 44, wherein the cross-sectional profile of both the first and second portions of the screw pile connector are substantially circular. 46. A screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 45, wherein 2 0 -- both the first and second portions of the screw pile connector are substantially cylindrical. 47. A kit with components for assembling a screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 46. Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23 39 48. A kit for assembling a screw pile connector according to claim 47, wherein the kit comprises at least one elongated body, at least one first portion and at least one second portion. 49. A kit according to claim 48, wherein the kit further comprises at least one transitional portion. 50. A screw pile assembly comprising at least first and second pile stems being connected to one another via at least one screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 46. 51. A kit for assembling a screw pile assembly according to claim 50, wherein the kit comprises at least first and second pile stems, and at least one corresponding screw pile connector. 52. A kit according to claim 51, wherein the kit further comprises at least one corresponding fastener. 53. A method of assembling at least first and second pile stems of a screw pile assembly, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a screw pile connector according to any one of claims 1 to 46; b) inserting a distal end of the first stem pile into the first portion of the screw pile connector; and c) inserting a distal end of the second stem pile about the second portion of the screw pile connector. 54. A method of assembling according to claim 53, wherein the method further comprises the step of: Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-23