Patent Publication Number: US-10774531-B2

Title: Panel of insulating material with attached reinforcement

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a reinforcing panel for the construction of reinforced concrete structures and a method for producing such a panel. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In the field of civil construction, the use of prefabricated reinforcing panels to make walls, floors and other similar reinforced concrete structures is known. These panels generally consist of a slab of expanded material, e.g. a polystyrene one, sandwiched between a pair of metal mesh sheets; the metal mesh sheets are usually made of electro-welded steel wires. Reinforcing panels are made in the form of modular elements to be assembled on site. In particular, the panels are designed to be integrated on site with concrete casting so as to make load-bearing structural elements made of reinforced concrete. 
     Patent EP 0 591 849 illustrates, for example, a panel for the construction of walls or floors consisting of a slab of expanded material, provided with thermal and acoustic insulation features, clamped between two metal mesh sheets which are mutually connected by transverse elements passing through the slab of insulating material. The slab of insulating material has parallel corrugations on the opposite faces and is crossed, on a middle plane, by a cavity wherein a metal cage is housed as a reinforcement. 
     To produce the aforesaid reinforcing panels, the assembly of the slabs of expanded material to the metal mesh sheets, on a welding bench, is usually carried out using transverse connection segments made of, in turn, steel wires. These transverse wires are pushed or guided through the slabs of expanded material and then are cut to size and welded at their ends to the metal meshes. 
     The assembly operations of the slabs of expanded material to the metal mesh sheets and the welding of the wires transversal to the aforesaid sheets are carried out using suitable equipment. The equipment used for this purpose is generally both structurally and functionally complex, and requires a wide operating space. 
     In addition, it is often claimed that the production of reinforcing panels is laborious and not easy to implement. It should be noted that the slab of expanded material and the metal mesh sheets must be properly aligned to form the required sandwich structure. 
     A further drawback that has been criticized in the relevant field is the fact that the transport of the traditional reinforcing panels to the installation area is not easy due to their size, notwithstanding their low weight, resulting in a manifest increase in building costs. 
     To overcome these drawbacks, patent application WO 2016/005917 proposed the use of a reinforcing panel comprising a honeycomb structure formed by a plurality of sticks obtained from a strip of band material, mutually associated on orthogonal geometric planes and shaping bilaterally an ordered series of first and second hooking means, protruding from the same honeycomb structure to engage and retain reinforcing metal wires. 
     Nevertheless, the production of the reinforcing panels thus designed has proved to be laborious, especially as regards the preparation of the aforementioned honeycomb structure. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     The aim of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems, by devising a reinforcing panel which allows the construction of reinforced concrete structures to be carried out quickly and easily, as well as a method for producing such reinforcing panels. 
     Within this aim, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforcing panel which can be easily produced without the use of complex equipment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing panel which allows to optimize production and installation costs. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing panel of simple constructional and functional conception, absolutely reliable in functioning, versatile in use and relatively cheap. 
     The aforementioned objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by the reinforcing panel for reinforced concrete structures according to claim  1 . 
     The reinforcing panel for reinforced concrete structures includes a panel of insulating material; a plurality of inserted sticks passing through said panel of insulating material so as to protrude at opposite ends from the same panel of insulating material; a plurality of reinforcing metal wires associated bilaterally with said sticks at said opposite ends so as to provide, on each side of said panel of insulating material, a network structure lying respectively on a plane parallel to said panel of insulating material. 
     Advantageously, said metal wires are associated with said sticks in correspondence of slots formed on said opposite ends of the sticks. 
     Advantageously, said sticks are right-angularly bent longitudinally along the medial axis, so as to define two wings perpendicular to each other, and have at each end a pair of said slots formed at said perpendicular wings, respectively. 
     Preferably, said slots forming each pair of slots are offset from each other in longitudinal direction with respect to said sticks, so as to arrange said metal wires associated thereto in perpendicular directions. 
     Preferably, said slots have a substantially circular shape substantially corresponding to the profile of said metal wires. 
     Preferably, said slots are open laterally at the edges of said perpendicular wings of the sticks. 
     Preferably said sticks are obtained from a strip of metallic material. 
     Preferably, said sticks have at least one opening in a central area suitable for facilitating the anchoring of the sticks themselves into said panel of insulating material. 
     The present invention also relates to a method for producing reinforcing panels, especially for the construction of reinforced concrete structures, which provides for the association of a plurality of sticks protruding at opposite ends from the same panel with a panel of insulating material, said sticks having bilaterally a plurality of reinforcing metal wires in correspondence of said opposite ends so as to provide, on each side of said panel of insulating material, a network structure lying on a plane parallel to said panel of insulating material, respectively. 
     Advantageously, the method provides for the arrangement of said sticks on a mould suitable for producing said panel of insulating material. 
     Advantageously, the method provides for the association of said sticks with a pair of opposed front walls of said mould, so as to protrude bilaterally at said opposite ends from the compartment defined by those front walls of said panel of insulating material. 
     Advantageously, said sticks are associated with said mould so as to be aligned with each other according to a series of rows and regularly spaced columns, along which said metal reinforcing wires are used so as to form said network structure. 
     Preferably, said front walls of the mould have through holes having calibrated dimensions for the through insertion of said sticks. 
     Preferably, the method provides for the introduction of said insulating material into said mould in the form of foam. 
     Advantageously, said sticks are inserted through said front walls of the mould using a feeding device equipped with a pusher member. 
     Preferably, said feeding device comprises a removable guide suitable for steering the insertion of the individual sticks through the said front walls of the mould. 
     Preferably, the guide is provided with adhesion means suitable for ensuring the adhesion of the individual sticks to the guide itself. 
     According to an embodiment of the method under consideration, protecting means suitable for ensuring adequate thermal insulation shall be inserted at the ends of said sticks protruding from at least one face of said panel of insulating material. 
     Preferably, said protection means have a shape which combine with said ends of said sticks. 
     Finally, the method under consideration provides for the casting of concrete at said opposite faces of the panel of insulating material for producing said reinforced concrete structure. 
     According to an embodiment of the method under consideration, it is provided that said mould is internally coated by a shell, before introducing said insulating material in the form of foam into said mould. 
     The insertion of said shell into the mould compartment facilitates the extraction of the panel of insulating material. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The details of the invention will become more evident from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the reinforcing panel for reinforced concrete structures, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic view of a reinforcing panel according to the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  show respective views of an enlarged area of the reinforcing panel under consideration; 
         FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7  show the next steps for the production of sticks used for producing the reinforcing panel; 
         FIG. 8  shows a view of a stick associated with metal reinforcing wires; 
         FIG. 9  shows a side view of a device for feeding said sticks into a mould designed to produce the reinforcing panel under consideration; 
         FIG. 10  shows a cross-sectional view of said mould wherein the next steps for the insertion of said sticks are shown; 
         FIG. 11  shows a schematic front view of the mould provided with a series of feeding devices. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     With particular reference to these figures, the whole reinforcing panel for the construction of reinforced concrete structures object of the invention is referred to as  1 . 
     The reinforcing panel  1  comprises a panel  12  of insulating material with which a plurality of sticks  2  regularly arranged on parallel and orthogonal planes to form a sort of network is associated. 
     The sticks  2  are obtained from a strip  3  of metallic material, preferably in the form of a band; alternatively, the sticks  2  can be obtained by moulding plastics, e.g. by thermoforming strips made of plastics. Preferably, the strip  3  of metallic material is made of steel. 
     The strip  3  is bent longitudinally, along the medial axis M, so as to define two wings perpendicular to each other. 
     Near their ends  20 , the sticks  2  are provided with corresponding pairs of slots  4 ,  5  opposed and offset from each other in a longitudinal direction with respect to the sticks  2  themselves. The slots  4 ,  5 , by means of appropriate cutting operations, are provided in a circular shape and are open laterally along the edges of the sticks  2 . The slots  4 ,  5  are designed to engage and retain metal reinforcing wires  6 , as better specified below. 
     It should be noted that, at each end  20  of the sticks  2 , the slots  4 ,  5  are formed on both the orthogonal wings of the same sticks  2 , respectively. Therefore, the slots  4 ,  5  are, in turn, arranged on orthogonal planes. 
     The ends  20  of the sticks  2  have rounded edges to facilitate the association of the sticks  2  with a mould, as specified below, as well as to increase the safety in use. 
     Preferably, the sticks  2  also have at least one opening  7  formed in a middle position between the pairs of slots  4 ,  5 . Preferably, the sticks  2  have a series of openings  7  suitably spaced apart from one another. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the openings  7  are regularly spaced apart along the longitudinal direction and aligned in substantially parallel rows. In addition to reducing the weight of the individual sticks  2 , the openings  7  serve the purpose of optimizing the anchoring of the sticks  2  to the insulating material. 
     The method for producing reinforcing panels according to the present invention is described below. 
     First of all, the sticks  2  shall be provided, in the necessary amount, starting from strips  3  of metallic material, preferably in the form of bands, e.g. made of steel of a suitable thickness or of plastics. The thickness of the strips  3  is preferably less than or equal to 0.5 mm. 
     Each strip  3  of metallic material is suitably shaped by shaping means such as, for example, punching members suitable for operating on slots  4 ,  5  on opposite sides of the strip  3 . 
     The slots  4 ,  5  are offset in the longitudinal direction and, in particular, the distance between the opposed slots is substantially equal to the cross-section of the reinforcing wires  6 . 
     In the middle position with respect to the pairs of slots  4 ,  5  the shaping means make the openings  7 . 
     The shaped strip  3  of metallic material is subsequently cut to size into a plurality of sticks  2  with predetermined size. 
     The sticks  2  are bent longitudinally to arrange the pairs of slots  4 ,  5  on orthogonal planes (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     In order to produce the reinforcing panels, a mould  8  is prepared consisting substantially of a case comprising a pair of opposed front walls  9  connected by perimeter connection means  10  suitable for spacing apart the walls  9  properly during the production of the panel  1 . 
     The perimeter connection means  10  and the opposed front walls  9  define a compartment  11  suitable for being filled with a suitable insulating material to obtain a panel  12  of insulating material. Preferably, the insulating material is in the form of foam. 
     Said perimeter connection means  10  have a substantially C-shaped profile. In particular, the connection means  10  comprise a pair of side walls  13  and, at their top, a cover  14 , giving the mould  8 , together with the opposed front walls  9 , the shape of a parallelepiped. 
     The cover  14  is movable, e.g. slidable along suitable guides, not shown, to allow insertion of the insulating material into the compartment  11 . 
     When an insulating material in the form of foam is used, the side walls  13  and the cover  14 , in addition to holding the opposed front walls  9  at a predetermined distance, also serve the purpose of preventing the expansion of the material outside the compartment  11 . 
     The side walls  13  are moved by actuator means, not seen in figures, so as to allow the decoupling of the front walls  9  after the formation of the panel  12  of insulating material. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, one of the walls  9  is fixed and the opposed wall is movable, suitable for being moved away from the fixed wall after the insertion of the insulating material. 
     On the surface of the front walls  9  a series of through holes  15 , regularly arranged, is formed to allow insertion of the sticks  2  through the walls  9  and to function as housings for the portions of the sticks  2  which have the slots  4 ,  5 . The holes  15  of a front wall  9  are aligned with the corresponding holes  15  of the opposed front wall  9 . 
     The size of the holes is calibrated as a function of the size of the sticks  2  to be inserted and in such a way to avoid the leakage of the insulating material from the mould  8 . 
     According to the aforesaid embodiment, the holes  15  formed on the fixed front wall  9  have a larger diameter than the holes  15  formed on the movable front wall  9 , since they are designed to let the sticks  2  pass together with a suitable feeding device  16 . 
     Once the mould  8  has been prepared, the sticks  2  are associated with the pair of walls  9  so that the slots  4 ,  5 , respectively, thus protrude bilaterally with respect to the inner compartment  11 . 
     More precisely, to facilitate insertion, a plurality of sticks  2  are fed onto feeding devices  16  equipped with suitable pusher members  17  (see  FIG. 9 ). In particular, feeding devices  16  are provided at the holes  15  of a front wall  9 , respectively. The sticks  2  are pushed individually by the pusher members  17  through the respective holes  15  of a front wall  9  and guided by the respective feeding devices  16  until they are inserted into the corresponding holes  15  of the opposed front wall  9 . 
     Each feeding device  16  comprises a guide  18 , for example a telescopic one, which can be extracted from the device  16  so as to steer the insertion of the individual sticks  2  through the front walls  9  of the mould  8 . The guide  18  is provided with adhesion means, not seen in figures, suitable for ensuring the adhesion of the individual sticks  2  to the guide  18  itself. Such adhesion means can be, for example, when sticks  2  are made of metallic material, magnetic means. 
     The step of pushing individually the sticks  2  by the pusher members  17  through the respective holes  15  of a front wall  9  and guiding them until they are inserted into the corresponding holes  15  of the opposed front wall  9  provides, in particular, for the extraction of the relative guides  18  from the feeding devices  16  until they are abutted against the opposed wall  9  and, subsequently, for actuating the pusher members  17  in order to make the sticks  2  slide on the respective guides  18  until they are inserted into the opposed holes  15 . Preferably, the pusher members  17  related to a row or a column of sticks  2  to be inserted through the mould  8  shall be actuated synchronously. 
     Once the sticks  2  have been inserted through the holes  15  with the slots  4 ,  5  protruding bilaterally from the inner compartment  11 , the guides  18  shall be withdrawn, while the pusher members  17  are held in contact with the respective sticks  2  so that they can keep on exerting respective thrust forces on the sticks  2  to counteract the force exerted by the adhesion means of the guides  18 , thus avoiding the removal of the sticks  2  from the holes  15  (see  FIG. 10 ). 
     The individual sticks  2  associated with the mould  8  have slots  4 ,  5  in the housings defined by the holes  15  of the facing front walls  9  and the middle portion provided with the openings  7  in the inner compartment  11 . 
     The next step provides for the insertion into the compartment  11  of an insulating material, in particular in the form of foam, to obtain a panel  12  of insulating material. It should be noted that the insulating material fills the openings  7  facilitating the adhesion of the sticks  2  to the material itself, and thus making the structure of the panel  1  more stable. 
     After the hardening of the insulating material in the form of foam, at least one wall  9  of the mould  8  shall be moved to extract the panel  12  of insulating material from the mould  8 . Then, a series of reinforcing metal wires  6  are connected to the slots  4 ,  5  of the sticks  2  protruding from the layer of insulating material to form a network. The offset arrangement of the slots  4 ,  5  of each pair allows to arrange the orthogonal metal wires  6  on planes which are separate from one another, so as to avoid interference between the metal wires  3  themselves. A metal mesh is thus created wherein the metal wires  6  are not welded. 
     The reinforcing panels thus produced are then joined together modularly, as per design. 
     It is possible to insert at the ends  20  of the sticks  2  protruding from at least one face of the panel of insulating material  12  protection means  19  having a shape combined with the aforesaid ends  20 , suitable for ensuring adequate thermal insulation. 
     The concrete shall then be cast at the opposite sides of the panel itself, according to the relevant known art, in order to produce the reinforced concrete structure, e.g. a wall or a floor. Metal wires  6  are thus embedded in the concrete. 
     An alternative embodiment of the method for producing reinforcing panels according to the present invention is described below. 
     A plurality of sticks  2 , in the necessary amount, having the characteristics described above shall be provided. 
     It is then provided the mould  8  having a pair of opposed front walls  9  connected by the perimeter connection means  10  for suitably spacing the walls  9 . 
     The next step provides for the coating of the opposed front walls  9 , the side walls  13 , and the cover  14  which define the compartment  11 , in particular the face of the walls  9 ,  13 ,  14  facing the inside of the mould  8 , with a removable shell, not seen in figures, so as to prevent the insulating material to be inserted into the compartment  11  from adhering to the aforesaid walls  9 ,  13 ,  14 . 
     The shell can be made, for example, of plastic material or of a suitable type of paper material. 
     The next step provides for the insertion into the compartment  11  of an insulating material, in particular in the form of foam, to obtain a panel  12  of insulating material. It should be noted that the shell prevents the insulating material from coming out of the holes  15  of the opposed walls  9 . 
     Following the hardening of the insulating material in the form of foam, the sticks  2  are then associated with the pair of front walls  9 , inserting them in the opposed holes  15  through the panel  12  of insulating material, so that the respective slots  4 ,  5 , respectively, thus protrude bilaterally with respect to the insulating material. This step provides for the use of the feeding devices  16  and the respective pusher members  17  as described above. 
     Then, at least one wall  9  of the mould  8  shall be moved to extract the panel of insulating material  12  from the mould  8 . An advantageous aspect of this method is that the shell considerably facilitates the extraction of the panel of insulating material  12 . 
     Then, a series of reinforcing metal wires  6  are connected to the slots  4 ,  5  of the sticks  2  protruding from the panel  12  of insulating material to form a network. The offset arrangement of the slots  4 ,  5  of each pair allows to arrange the orthogonal metal wires  6  on planes which are separate from one another, so as to avoid interference between the metal wires  6  themselves. 
     The reinforcing panels thus produced are then joined together modularly, as per design. 
     It is possible, here too, to insert at the ends  20  of the sticks  2  protruding from at least one face of the panel of insulating material protection means  19  having a shape combined with the aforesaid ends  20 , suitable for ensuring adequate thermal insulation. 
     The concrete shall then be cast at the opposite sides of the panel itself, according to the relevant known art, in order to produce the reinforced concrete structure, e.g. a wall or a floor. Metal wires  6  are thus embedded in the concrete. 
     The described method achieves the object of carrying out easily and quickly the production of reinforcing panels for the construction of reinforced concrete structures. 
     Indeed, to produce reinforcing panels is not necessary to turn to complex and bulky devices, but it is sufficient to produce sticks suitably bent to arrange the slots on planes orthogonal to each other and to associate them with the mould. The insertion of the sticks into the mould is facilitated by the use of the feeding devices which make the positioning operation of the sticks quick and accurate. Moreover, the hooking of the metal wires to the panel such as to form substantially a metal mesh on the two opposite sides of the panel is obtained by inserting the metal wires into the slots, without requiring welding operations and the like. 
     A prerogative of the method for producing reinforcing panels for the construction of reinforced concrete structures according to the present invention, as well as of the reinforcing panel thus produced, consists in that they can be made on site, i.e. at the construction site of the reinforced concrete structure. Therefore, it is sufficient to have the proper amount of shaped sticks, as well as the mould and the feeding devices. This avoids issues related to on-site transport of large-sized items, since the described sticks may be obviously collected in compact groups of very limited size. Furthermore, the use of insulating material in the form of foam capable of expanding after being inserted into the inner compartment of the mould further facilitates the on-site transport, since the material of this type is generally stored in containers with reduced size. 
     The production of the panel on site obviously leads to a significant reduction in construction costs, both because of the ease of production of reinforcing panels, which does not require the use of complex equipment, and because of the reduced transport costs. 
     In the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials used, as well as shape and dimensions, may be any according to requirements. 
     Where the technical features mentioned in any of the claims are followed by reference numerals, these reference numerals are included to improve the comprehension of the claims only, and consequently they have no limiting effect on the object of each element identified by way of example by these reference numerals.