Patent Publication Number: US-2016230380-A1

Title: Concrete anchor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The following application hereby incorporates by reference and derives priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/114,725, filed on Feb. 11, 2015, now pending. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Concrete structures are formed by providing a work-piece or form structure that defines the outer boundaries of the concrete structure to be formed. Concrete is then poured into the form and stays in the form for the prescribed setting period of time. The form can outline a vertical structure such as a wall or a horizontal structure such as a floor or slab. The form is sometimes removed after concrete setting or can be left in the case of structures where it is intended to be a part of the finished structure. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is sometimes desirable after concrete setting and after the form or work-piece is removed to be able to securely connect certain other structures (e.g., a railing, a post, a threaded hanger, etc.) to the concrete structure. One well known method of achieving such a connection is to imbed an anchor having a connector in the concrete before it sets so that after setting the embedded connector can be used for easy secure connection and anchoring. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The anchor system of the present invention provides an innovative solution to the need for making secure connections to poured concrete structures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of an anchor system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows an elevation view of the anchor system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 1  positioned to be set to a form. 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 1  set in a form. 
         FIG. 6A  shows a cross-section of the anchor portion of the anchor system of  FIG. 1  set in concrete and aligned to receive a first diameter male threaded anchor fastener. 
         FIG. 6B  shows a cross-section of the anchor portion of the anchor system of  FIG. 1  set in concrete and aligned to receive a second diameter male threaded anchor fastener. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of second embodiment of an anchor system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows an elevation view of the anchor system of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 7  positioned to be set to a form. 
         FIG. 11  shows a cross-sectional view of the anchor system of  FIG. 7  set in a form. 
         FIG. 12A  shows a cross-section of the anchor portion of the anchor system of  FIG. 7  set in concrete and aligned to receive a first diameter male threaded anchor fastener. 
         FIG. 12B  shows a cross-section of the anchor portion of the anchor system of  FIG. 7  set in concrete and aligned to receive a second diameter male threaded anchor fastener. 
         FIG. 13  shows a top view of the support portion of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 14  shows an elevation view of the support portion of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 15  shows an elevation view of the support portion of  FIG. 7  highlighting certain aspects of the base. 
         FIG. 16  shows an enlarged view of the highlighted portions of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  shows an elevation view of an embodiment of the support portion of  FIG. 1  including a threaded sealing portion. 
         FIG. 18  shows a perspective view of the support portion of  FIG. 17 .  
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes an anchor system securable to a work-piece comprising an anchor portion and a support portion. The anchor portion may include a tubular member extending from an anchor head. The tubular member may include a wall and the wall may include a first interior surface. The tubular member may include a second interior surface having an enlarged diameter with respect to the first interior surface. 
     The support portion may include a base portion and a shaft portion extending from the base portion. The shaft portion may include a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface of a greater diameter than the first exterior surface. The base portion may further include a central portion and the support portion may include a through passage. 
     A distal end of the shaft portion is received in the interior surface of the wall. Furthermore, a fastener is disposed in the through passage and includes a drive end and a fastening end. The drive end extending from the distal end a predetermined distance. At least a portion of one of the first and second interior surfaces includes threads. In addition, the system includes a first pre-set configuration and a second set configuration and the anchor portion travels telescopically relative to the support potion along a central axis to transition from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
     A lower portion of the anchor head is able to contact the drive end to drive the fastener during the travel to extend the fastening end into the work-piece. Further, the telescopic travel includes sufficient interaction between the second interior and second exterior surfaces to prevent ingress of concrete to the second interior surface in the set configuration. 
     The anchor system of the present invention will now be described in detail in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-7 .  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an anchor system  10   of the present invention. Anchor System  10  includes an anchor portion  100  and a support portion  200 . 
     Anchor portion  100  includes a head portion  110  and a cylindrical or tubular portion  120  which is elongated and extends from head portion  110 . In other words, head portion  110  is connected to an upper portion of tubular portion  120  and can have a flanged arrangement relative to tubular portion  120 . In any case, head portion  110  is sized and shaped to receive an impact from a tool such as a hammer and is sized and shaped to transfer load on anchor portion  100  to the concrete. Its flanged arrangement is such that head portion  110  can extend radially past an outermost radial extremity of tubular portion  120 . Tubular portion  120  includes a cylindrical or tubular wall  124  having an internal or interior cylindrical surface  128  that defines a generally elongated internal volumetric space. 
     The cylindrical interior surface  128  can include multiple interior stepped surfaces  130 ,  132  of different diameter. Therefore, the thickness of cylindrical wall  124  may be reduced as the diameter of the stepped surfaces increases. The stepped surfaces  130 ,  132  can be directly adjacent one another or non-threaded space may exist between steps. Female threads  134 ,  136  respectively may be formed on at least a portion of at least one of stepped interior surfaces  130 ,  132  and may be formed on two or more interior surfaces. The threads may extend up to the entire length of one or all of the stepped surfaces or may extend just a small radial length thereof. The cylindrical surface  130 ,  132  and threaded portions can increase in diameter the farther away they are from head portion  110  or decrease the closer they are to head portion  110 . 
     Furthermore, the cylindrical stepped interior surfaces  130 ,  132  include at least an upper reduced diameter surface  130  that is reduced relative to a lower enlarged diameter surface  132 . 
     As mentioned above Anchor system  10  also includes a support portion  200 . Support portion  200  includes a shaft portion  240  connected to a base portion  220 . Shaft  portion  240  extends upward from base portion  220  as shown in  FIG. 3  and terminates in a distal end  252 . Shaft portion  240  includes a cylindrical or tubular wall  242 . Tubular wall  242  includes an exterior surface  243  that can have multiple stepped diameter surfaces in the longitudinal direction. The exterior surface  243  includes at least a lower increased diameter exterior surface portion  248  relative to an upper decreased diameter exterior surface portion  244 . Outer surface steps  244 ,  248  may decrease in diameter longitudinally as shaft portion  240  extends away from base portion  220 . Shaft wall  242  also includes an inner wall surface defining a longitudinal through passage  260 . 
     Base portion  220  can include a central portion  256  to which the shaft portion  240  is connected. Central portion  256  also includes a through passage. Through passage  260  extend entirely through a longitudinal centerline of support portion  200 . Base portion  220  can be molded to the shaft portion  240  as one continuous piece or can be attached as two pieces. 
     Central portion  256  includes a lowermost surface  257 . A skirt  262  may extend radially outward and downward from central portion  256 . Skirt  262  can be made of a flexible material and can extend downward longitudinally past lowermost surface  257 . Therefore, when lower surface  257  of base portion  220  is urged into contact with a work-piece  400  such as a wooden form (see  FIG. 4 ), it may first contact skirt  262  which flexibly relaxes and deforms until lowermost surface  257  also contacts work-piece  400 . Skirt  262  may therefore be biased against work-piece  400  when both are in contact with work-piece  400  to create an active seal against concrete getting between skirt  262  and work-piece  400 . Flexible skirt  262  may also deform to comply with minor inconsistencies in the surface of work-piece  400  to which anchor system  10  is fastened via nail or screw  300 . Longitudinal through passage  260  may receive a fastener  300  such as a nail or a screw. 
     To assemble anchor system  10 , distal end  252  is inserted into tubular portion  120  of anchor member  100 . First exterior surface  244  of shaft portion  240  is received by first interior surface  130 . Furthermore, second exterior surface  248  is received by second  interior surface  132  of tubular member  120 . Specifically, a diameter of first exterior surface  244  is slightly smaller than the thread tip diameter of first threads  134  of first interior surface  130  of tubular portion  120 . In addition, second exterior surface  248  is slightly smaller than the thread tip diameter of second thread  136  of second interior surface  132 . Three or more corresponding step portions on tubular portion  120  and correspondingly on shaft portion  240  may also be employed in a similar manner. 
     Each step  130 ,  132  of tubular portion  120  of anchor portion  100  therefore slides telescopically in contact with its corresponding stepped shaft portion  244 ,  248  so that a longitudinal center line of shaft portion  240  is aligned or collinear with a longitudinal centerline of tubular member  120 . 
     The lowermost increased diameter exterior surface  248  of shaft portion  240  contacts a corresponding lowermost interior surface  132  of tubular portion  120  in a sufficiently snug manner to prevent concrete from entering the tubular portion before the concrete sets. Specifically, each different shaft diameter  244 ,  248  slides telescopically into a corresponding tubular space of tubular member  120 . 
     There are two configurations of anchor system  10 . In the first pre-set configuration, (shown in  FIG. 3 ) a fastener  300  (e.g., a nail or screw) is received in the central or through passage  260  of shaft  240 . An extension portion of the nail proximate a drive end  310  of fastener  300  extends above a distal end  252  of shaft portion  240 . The extension portion is disposed within the tubular space in first interior surface  130  and with the head of fastener  300  in contact with a lower portion  112  of head portion  110 . 
     Also in the first pre-set configuration, as discussed above the first interior surface  130  telescopically receives first exterior surface  244 . In addition, second interior surface  132  may also receive a portion of second exterior surface  248  for increased alignment guidance. Furthermore, in a certain configuration just a portion of second exterior portion  248  of shaft portion  240  may be in telescopic contact with second interior surface  132  without initial telescopic contact between First exterior surface  244  and first interior  surface  130 . In other words in a certain configuration, second interior surface  132  may overlap second exterior surface  248  before distal end  252  enters first interior surface  130 . 
     Anchor system  10  is reconfigurable from the pre-set condition of  FIGS. 3 and 4  to the set configuration shown in  FIG. 5  by applying an impact force (e.g., by a hammer) to the top of head portion  110  of anchor portion  100 . The various interior threaded stepped portions of the anchor portion  130 ,  132  then telescopically slide longitudinally along the corresponding exterior surfaces of shaft portion  240 . Ultimately, distal end  252  of shaft potion  240  containing a drive end  310  of fastener  300  contacts a lower portion of head portion  110 . In any case, a sufficient length of second interior surface  132  must have telescopically slid over a sufficient portion of second exterior surface  248  that a seal against ingress of setting concrete is established. In one configuration, during impact relative telescopic movement between anchor portion  100  and support portion  200  stops when lower portion  112  of head portion  110  contacts distal end  252  (possibly via drive end  310 ). In other configurations, such relative movement may be stopped when stop step  138  of tubular portion  120  engages another stop step  246  of shaft portion  240 . 
     Furthermore, during impact fastener  300  is driven through support portion  200  extending from central portion  256  and into the form or work-piece  400  to set the anchor system  10 . Fastener  300  may either be smooth or profiled (e.g., ringed nail). Ring nails provide a strong grip to the work-piece and improves robustness prior to and during concrete placing. The telescopic repositioning during impact is such that second interior surface  132  relates to second exterior surface  248  sufficiently snuggly that concrete material cannot enter between second threads  136  and second exterior surface  248  of tubular portion  120  after concrete pouring and before concrete setting when set concrete surrounds anchor system  10 . In other words skirt  262  is capable of absorbing energy due to an inadvertent or accidental blow by a worker while maintaining the intended set configuration of the anchor  10 .  
     After setting, support portion  220  is removed to expose first and second threads  134 ,  136  on the interior of tubular portion  120  as shown in  FIG. 6A and 6B . To do so, an installer may grasp support portion  200  (e.g., by fastener  300 ), central portion  256 , skirt  262 , or by any other structure of support portion  200  exposed in the set concrete.  FIG. 6  also shows how multiple diameter threaded rods or bolts  600  and  610  may be aligned with first or second threads  134 ,  136  according to guide lines  602  and  612  respectively to be securely anchored to anchor portion  100 . After setting, flexible skirt  262  has at least one additional benefit. In the case where an anchor is hit from the side after installation, support member  200  via flexible skirt  262  is able to urge anchor member  100  back to an originally intended orthogonal, angled or otherwise aligned configuration with respect work-piece  400 . 
       FIGS. 7-16  show another embodiment of the anchor system of the present invention. Corresponding reference numbers from the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6  apply to the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-16 . In addition, base portion  220  includes a rim or ridge  259  thereon which defines a seat  258  into which a distal end  122  of tubular portion  120  rests and engages in the set configuration shown in  FIG. 11 . Ridge  259  projects upward from base portion  220  to engage an outer surface of tubular portion  120 . As with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the engagement between distal end  122  and seat  258  functions to prevent ingress of concrete to interior surface  128 . In addition, various materials (e.g., rubber or foam) may be provided at second threads  136 , at, inside, or within a lower end of tubular portion  120  and for interaction with second exterior surface  248  in order to prevent concrete from entering second thread  136 . The material can be in the form of a ring. Alternatively, a ring or threads of such material can be placed on second exterior surface  248  for frictional interaction with threads  136 .  FIGS. 17 and 18  show such a ring structure in a threaded form around an exterior surface  248  for frictional interaction with a female structure supported from a distal end of tubular portion  120 . Frictional interaction with the threaded and female portions deter ingress of concrete as discussed above.  
     The present system discusses a two step threaded member. However, three or more steps may be utilized. The disclosure above also applies to three or more steps where the upper and lower steps are described as above, but one or more steps are added between the above described upper and lower steps. Furthermore, for each threaded step there is a corresponding shaft step that is telescopically received in each threaded step. Moreover, horizontal cross sections of the present invention as shown are generally circular, but may be polygonal or of another shape.