Patent Publication Number: US-10774523-B2

Title: Brace insert device used in the construction of concrete panels

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/627,791, filed Feb. 8, 2018, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a brace insert used during the construction of tilt-up and precast concrete wall panels. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Concrete panels are used in concrete and precast wall construction, and are typically used to construct commercial buildings, such as warehouses and factories. A concrete panel is constructed with reinforcement and concrete. The construction involves building a rectangular concrete form on site in the case of tilt-up, and off site in the case of precast wall construction. Steel reinforced rebar or other reinforcement is mounted in the form, the form is filled with concrete, and after the concrete cures, the concrete panel is properly aligned creating a wall section. Numerous wall sections generally are fabricated and attached together to frame members of the building to construct complete walls. Utility conduits may be embedded within the wall sections as needed to provide electricity and plumbing. The forms into which the concrete is poured are typically fabricated from wood or metal and, for tilt-up panels, they are formed at a worksite on the ground adjacent to the location where the wall is constructed. 
     Brace inserts are commonly cast in tilt-up or precast concrete wall panels. The brace inserts are typically cast into the wall panels with a plastic plug, which is later removed during placement of the panel. Once the plug is removed from the insert cast into the wall panel, a metal brace coil bolt is then inserted for a shoe of a wall brace to be attached to the wall panel. With the wall brace attached to the brace insert, the wall brace is used to impart rigidity to the wall panel while the building is being constructed. Plastic plugs are often stripped or torn apart when removing the plug, which can hinder or prevent secure insertion of the bolt. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a brace insert device that is adapted to be cast in a concrete structure, such as a tilt-up or precast wall panel or a floor panel. The brace insert device is used as an anchor point for a wall brace that supports a concrete wall panel during a building construction. The brace insert device provides a fastener, such as a bolt, that is integrated with an anchor insert at the time of casting the brace insert device in liquid concrete. The integrated fastener is threadably engaged with a hub of the embedded anchor insert, such that the threaded engagement of the fastener is not disrupted by liquid concrete during forming of the concrete structure. The brace insert device may use a cap that is disposed over a head portion of the fastener, such that the cap may be removed from a cured concrete structure to expose and allow operable access to the head portion of the fastener for use in partially unscrewing the fastener from the anchor insert and thereby allowing a wall brace to attach to the brace insert device. Such integration of a fastener with the brace insert device during the time of casting the concrete structure prevents liquid concrete from interfering with the threads and corresponding threaded engagement of the fastener and the anchor insert. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a brace insert device that is configured to be cast in concrete includes an anchor insert that has a hub with a threaded inner surface and a plurality of legs extending from the hub. A fastener has a shank portion that is threadably engaged with the threaded inner surface of the hub, where a head portion of the fastener is couple to an end of the shank portion. A cap has an inner surface that is disposed over and conceals the head portion of the fastener. The cap is configured to be removed from a cured concrete structure to expose and allow operable access to the head portion of the fastener for use in attaching a wall brace. The inner surface of the cap may include a cavity that is configured, such as with a hexagonal shape, to receive the head portion of the fastener. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a brace insert device that is configured to be cast in concrete includes an anchor insert that has a coil with a threaded inner surface and a plurality of legs extending from the coil. The legs may extend at a generally equal length that is configured to position the coil at or near an exposed surface of a concrete structure. A fastener has a shank portion that is threadably engaged with the threaded inner surface of the coil and a head portion that is coupled to an end of the shank portion. A cap is disposed over the head portion of the fastener, where the cap is configured to act as a barrier from liquid concrete and to be removed from a cured concrete structure to allow operable access to the head portion of the fastener. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a brace insert device that is configured to be cast in concrete includes an anchor insert that has a hub and a plurality of legs extending from the hub. A fastener has a shank portion that is threadably engaged with an aperture of the hub. A cap is disposed over a head portion of the fastener, where the cap has at least one locating antenna that is configured to protrude from a cast concrete structure to locate the cap. Once located, the cap is configured to be removed from a cured concrete structure to expose and allow operable access to the head portion of the fastener for use in attaching a wall brace to the concrete structure. 
     These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the present disclosure will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of brace insert devices embedded in a wall panel and a floor panel to engage a wall brace; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a brace insert device embedded in a concrete structure; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another exploded perspective view of the brace insert device, taken from an opposing end from that shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 7 , showing a cap removed to expose a head of a bolt integrated in the brace insert device; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 8 , showing the bolt partially unscrewed to protrude from the concrete structure; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of the brace insert device shown in  FIG. 9 , showing a shoe of a wall brace engaged with the bolt; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an additional brace insert device; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of yet another brace insert device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a brace insert device  10  is embedded in a concrete structure to provide a secure attachment point for a wall brace  12  that is used to impart rigidity to an upright wall panel  14 , such as for use while constructing a building. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the brace insert device  10  may be cast in multiple locations and in various concrete structures, such as a tilt-up or precast wall panel  14  or a floor panel  16  that is formed adjacent to a wall panel  14 . In each placement location, the brace insert device  10  includes a fastener  18  that is integrated with and threadably engaged in an anchor insert  20  at the time of casting the brace insert device  10  in the liquid concrete that forms the corresponding concrete structure. 
     The anchor insert  20 , such as shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , has a hub  22  with a threaded inner surface  24  for engaging the fastener  18  and a plurality of legs  26  that extend from the hub  22 . The legs  26  may extend at a generally equal length or otherwise be configured to position the hub  22  at or near an exposed surface of the concrete structure, so as to allow the fastener  18  to be accessed from the exposed surface of the concrete structure. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the legs  26  extend downward from the hub  22  at a length and configuration that positions the hub  22  near the upper surface  28  of the concrete structure during formation and curing of the concrete. It is also conceivable that in another example of an anchor insert, the legs may initially extend upward from the hub before curving back downward, so as to position the hub near the lower surface of the concrete structure during formation and curing of a concrete panel, where the lower surface may be later exposed to access the hub when the panel is lifted and positioned. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , the anchor insert  20  may have four legs  26  that are oriented perpendicular to each other, and may thus extend radially outward from the hub  22  at a generally equal radial spacing from each other, such as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . However, it is contemplated that an anchor insert may include more or fewer legs and the legs of an anchor insert may have inconsistent spacing from each other. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the legs  26  are attached to an outer surface of the hub  22  and extend downward and radially outward from the hub  22  in a sinuous shape. The curved shape of the legs  26  may allow one or more of the legs to overlap a reinforcing bar  30 , such as shown in  FIG. 2 . The anchor insert  20  may also include feet  32  that are disposed at the distal ends of the legs  26  and depend downwardly to rest on the floor or base surface of the concrete form. The feet  32  may optionally include a protective tips or coating, such as a stainless steel dipped coating or polymer tip covers, such as to prevent rust or oxidation from occurring at the lower surface of the formed concrete panel, such as when it is lifted to for use as a wall panel. 
     The hub  22  of the anchor insert  20  may have a generally tubular shape with the threaded inner surface  24  extending along the central aperture of the tubular shape. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the hub  22  may be a coil that is made from a metal wire formed in a tightly wound helical shape, where the threaded inner surface  24  may correspond with the wound shape of the coil. The legs  26  are attached to the hub  22 , such as via welding to the outer surface of the coil. It is also understood that the hub may alternatively be a differently shaped receiver for the fastener, such as a ferrule or the like, with the treaded inner surface being machined or otherwise formed along the central aperture. Thus, the anchor insert may have various leg configurations and hub designs for the desired anchor location on the panel, corresponding panel dimensions, and desired load capabilities for the brace insert device. 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the fastener  18  that is integrated with the anchor insert  20  has a shank portion  34  that is threadably engaged with the threaded inner surface  24  of the hub  22 . A head portion  36  of the fastener  18  is disposed at an end of the shank portion  34 , so as to be operable for axially rotating the shank portion  34 . The fastener  18 , such as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , may be a bolt that is provided with an orthogonal shaped head portion  36  and a collar  38  disposed between the head portion  36  and the threaded shank portion  34 . In other words, the collar  38  may be a washer that is integrally formed at the head portion  36  of the bolt. The orthogonal shape head portion  36  is shown in  FIG. 3  as a hexagonal shape. Specifically, the fastener  18  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  is a metal brace coil bolt. 
     The integration of a fastener  18  with the brace insert device  10  during the time of casting the concrete structure prevents liquid concrete from interfering with the engaged threads of the fastener  18  and the anchor insert  20 . Further, a cap  40  has an inner surface  42  that is disposed over and conceals the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 . The cap  40  is configured to be removed from a cured concrete structure to expose and allow operable access to the head portion  36  of the fastener  18  for use in attaching a wall brace  12 . The inner surface  42  of the cap  40  may include a cavity  44  that is configured, such as with a hexagonal shape, to matably receive the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 . 
     The outer surface of the cap  40  may include a locating antenna  46  that is configured to protrude upward in a generally vertical orientation from an upper surface  28  of a concrete structure to locate the cap  40  and the fastener  18  when the concrete structure is cured, such as shown in  FIG. 2 . The antenna  46  may be integrally formed with the cap  40  and may comprise a flexible material that allows the antenna  46  to be flex, such as when contacted by a trowel or other tool when the upper surface of the concrete structure is screened or floated. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cap  40  includes two locating antennas  46 , although other examples of the cap may include more or fewer locating antenna. The cap  40  may comprise a plastic material, such as to allow for flexibility of the locating antenna  46  and molding of the shape of the cap  40 , such as the hexagonal cavity  44  in the inner surface  42  of the cap  40 . 
     Also, the cap  40  may have a tapered sidewall  48  extending between the inner and outer surfaces to prevent the cap  40  from being frictionally engaged in the concrete structure. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the sidewall  48  of the cap  40  circumscribes the circular outer edges of the inner and outer surfaces to provide a tapered cylindrical shape. The tapered sidewall  48  is angled outward from the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 , so that when the cap  40  is removed from the concrete structure, the cap  40  forms a cavity generally around the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 , such as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The cap  40  may optionally include a connection member  50  that snap-fits the cap  40  to the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 . As further shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the two connection members  50  are provide on opposing sides of the cap  40 . These connection members  50  each have a ramped surface that is configured to slide over the edge of the collar  38  to resiliently flex the connection members  50  radially outward and a shoulder engagement surface that snaps into engagement against the lower surface of the collar  38 . The connection members  50  function to hold the cap  40  in close contact with the head portion  36  of the fastener  18  during formation of the concrete structure, so as to prevent the cap  40  from dislodging from the fastener  18 , such as when the upper surface of the concrete structure is screed and floated. 
     When the fastener  18  is threaded into the anchor insert  20 , the collar  38  of the fastener  18  may be moved near or into contact with the upper surface of the hub  22 , such as shown in  FIG. 7 . Doing so may causes a distal end  52  of the shank portion  34  to protrude through the hub  22  and beyond the threaded inner surface  24  of the hub  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-10 , a sleeve  54  may encase the exposed distal end  52  of the shank portion  34  that protrudes through the hub  22 . The sleeve  54  is configured to protect the exposed surface of the shank portion  34  of the fastener  18  from being affixed to the cast concrete, so as to allow rotational operability of the fastener  18 . The sleeve  54 , such as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is has a tubular section and an enclosed end section, such as a rounded end, so as to cover all the exposed surfaces of the distal end  52  of the shank portion  34  of the fastener  18 . 
     In an additional example of a brace insert device  110 , such as shown in  FIG. 11 , the hub  122  may have a length that extends to entirely cover the threaded shank portion of the fastener  118  when the fastener  118  is fully threaded into the anchor insert  120 , such as when the collar  138  of the fastener  118  is moved into contact with the upper surface of the hub  122 . As such, the hub  122  may encase the entire shank portion of the fastener  118 , so as to protect the shank portion of the fastener  118  from being affixed to the cast concrete. 
     In yet a further example of a brace insert device  210 , such as shown in  FIG. 12 , a distal end  252  of the shank portion  234  protrudes through the hub  222  and beyond the threaded inner surface of the hub  222 . To prevent the distal end  252  of the shank portion  234  from being affixed to the cast concrete, a lubricating substance  254  may be disposed over the distal end  252  prior to being exposed to the liquid concrete. The lubricating substance  254  may be a grease or other oil-based structural bolt lubricant, like stick wax or liquid wax. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-10 , the operation and use of the brace insert device  10  will be described. Once the brace insert device  10  is cast in the concrete structure, the locating antenna  46  protrude from the upper surface  28  of the concrete structure, such as shown in  FIG. 7 . The locating antenna  46  may then be used to locate the brace insert device  10  and may be used to dislodge the cap  40  and pull the cap  40  out of concrete structure, such as shown in  FIG. 8 . Thus, during the erection process the cap  40  will be located, removed and discarded. The sleeve  54  remains within the panel. Once the cap  40  is removed, a cavity in the upper surface  28  of the concrete is provided around the head portion  36  of the fastener  18 . The cavity in the concrete structure that is formed by the cap  40  exposes the head portion  36  of the fastener  18  sufficiently to allow a tool to engage the head portion  36 . 
     The fastener  18  may then be partially unscrewed from the hub  22  to draw the head portion  36  out of the cavity in the surface of the concrete structure to allow for the attachment of a brace shoe  56 , such as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The fastener  18  is configured to have a length sufficient to remain securely engage with the threaded inner surface  24  of the hub  22  when the fastener  18  is partially unscrewed. The brace shoe  56  of the wall brace  12  may be moved between the head portion  36  of the fastener  18  and the upper surface  28  of the concrete, such as shown in  FIG. 10 . The fastener  18  may slide into a slot  58  in the brace shoe  56 , such that the fastener  18  may remain engaged with the hub  22  of the anchor insert  20  when attaching the brace shoe  56 . With the brace shoe  56  placed between the head portion  36  of the fastener  18  and the upper surface  28  of the concrete, the fastener  18  is then tightened down into the hub to secure the brace shoe  56  in place on the concrete structure. Once the Engineer of Record designates that the braces can be removed, the bolts can be fully removed from the panel and patched. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the brace insert device as oriented in  FIG. 2 . However, it is to be understood that the brace insert device may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in this specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
     Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.