Abstract:
A reinforcing band is embedded in one of said pair of foam walls of an ICF. This band extends between at least two of the connectors of the ICF. The band acts to reinforce the ICF so that it may better resist forces applied during concrete pouring.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     This invention relates to an insulated concrete form (ICF) and a method of making same.  
         [0002]     The construction of a wall of a high rise building formerly involved the erecting of a concrete form, pouring concrete into the form, removing the form to leave a wall, installing studs on the concrete wall, insulating the wall, and tacking wall boards to the studs.  
         [0003]     This construction technique was radically altered with the advent of the insulated concrete form (ICF). A typical ICF has a pair of opposed expanded foam walls connected by connectors, with the ends of each connector embedded in the opposed foam walls. Each end of each connector terminates in a plate. The top surface of the walls of an ICF may have an array of cylindrical protuberances and the bottom surface of the ICF, corresponding female receptors.  
         [0004]     With this arrangement, ICFs may be joined into stacks to form a building wall. Concrete may then be poured into the stacked ICFs. When the concrete dries, the building wall that is formed will already be insulated by the foam walls of the ICFs and the plates at the end of the connectors will act as studs to which wall board may be tacked. Thus, the use of ICFs results in a considerable saving in labour.  
         [0005]     However, a drawback with ICFs is that they are not inherently strong. Consequently, when a large number of ICFs are stacked to form a large wall, the pressure applied to the ICFs, and particularly those near the bottom of the wall, can be considerable. This can lead to failure of the ICFs. This invention seeks to ameliorate this problem.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     A reinforcing band is embedded in one of said pair of foam walls of an ICF. This band extends between at least two of the connectors of the ICF. The band acts to reinforce the ICF so that it may better resist forces applied during concrete pouring.  
         [0007]     According to the present invention, there is provided an insulated concrete form (ICF), comprising: a pair of opposed expanded foam walls; a plurality of connectors extending between said opposed walls having end portions embedded in said opposed walls; a reinforcing band embedded in one of said pair of foam walls, said band extending between at least two of said connectors.  
         [0008]     According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided, a method of fabricating an insulated concrete form comprising: placing connectors side-by-side; placing a band between adjacent connectors so as to extend into end portions of said adjacent connectors; expanding a pair of opposed foam walls around said end portions of said connectors and said band.  
         [0009]     Other features and advantages will become apparent from a review of the drawings and the accompanying description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     In the figures which illustrate example embodiments of the invention,  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a partially cut away top perspective view of a corner ICF made in accordance with this invention,  
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  is perspective view of a portion of the ICF of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the ICF of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a magnified partially cut away top perspective view of a portion of the ICF of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the ICF of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a partially cut away top perspective view of a straight wall section ICF made in accordance with this invention, and  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partially cut away top perspective view of a corner ICF made in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a corner insulated concrete form (ICF)  10  has a pair of opposed L-shaped expanded foam walls  12 ,  14 . The walls are held together by a series of connectors  16  that extend between the walls and have end portions embedded in the walls. More specifically, each of the connectors  16  may have a central bridge  18  terminating at either end in a support plate  20  from which radiate fingers  22 . The fingers  22  may, in turn, terminate in stud plate  24 . The fingers  22  and stud plate  24  may be the end portion of a connector that is embedded in a wall  12  or  14 .  
         [0019]     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the top of each of walls  12  and  14  are arrayed with cylindrical protuberances  26 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bottom of each of the walls  12  and  14  have female receptors  28  sized to receive protuberances  26 .  
         [0020]     Turning to  FIGS. 1, 1A  and  3 , a reinforcing band  30  is embedded in foam wall  12  and extends between the two connectors  16   a,    16   b  that are on either side of the corner  32  of the ICF  10 . Thus, the band  30  has a bend at corner  32 . With the ICF horizontally disposed, the band may also extend horizontally. As best seen in  FIG. 1A , stud plate  24  of connector  16   b  has a slot  40  extending between its side walls  36 ,  38 . Ari end of the band  30  extends into this slot. Stud plate  24  of connector  16   a  has a similar slot. Indeed, for ease of manufacturing, each stud plate  24  of each connector  16  may have such a slot.  
         [0021]     Band  30  may be fabricated out of metal, such as aluminum. Additionally, the band may have perforations  42 . Optionally, the band may also extend through the slots of the remaining connectors  16  of ICF  10 .  
         [0022]     In order to fabricate ICF  10 , four connectors  16  may be placed side-by-side in a jig (not shown). In this regard, the notches  46  ( FIG. 3 ) in the central bridges  18  of the connectors may be used to support each connector in the jig. A band  30  of appropriate length may be bent in the middle and its ends inserted into slots  40  of connectors  16   a,    16   b.  Next, foam walls  12  and  14  may be expanded around the end portions (fingers  22  and stud plates  24 ) of the connectors and the band. In this regard, the foam may expand through the perforations in the band thereby firmly embedding the band in the foam.  
         [0023]     Optionally, the corner ICFs  10  may be fabricated in two different lengths.  
         [0024]     With reference to  FIG. 5  wherein like parts have been given like reference numerals, a straight walled ICF  50  made in accordance with teachings of this invention has opposed straight expanded foam walls  52 ,  54  where, again, the end portions of connectors  16  are embedded in these walls. A straight perforated metal band  70   a  may extend through the slots  40  at one end of each of the connectors  16  of the ICF  50  in wall  52 . Additionally, a straight perforated metal band  70   b  may extend through the slots  40  at the opposite end of each of the connectors  16  of the ICF  50  in wall  54 .  
         [0025]     Fabrication of ICF  50  may proceed in the same fashion as described in conjunction with ICF  10 .  
         [0026]     Turning to  FIG. 6 , a modified corner ICF  10 ′ is identical to ICF  10  of  FIG. 1  (and like parts have been given like reference numerals) expect that connectors  16 ′ omit the slots  40  of ICF  10  and the end portions of band  30 ′ are trimmed down in size. With these modifications, the ends of band  30 ′ are inserted in the opening between two of the fingers  22  of each of connectors  16   a ′ and  16   b ′ behind stud plate  24  and in front of support plate  20  of these connectors.  
         [0027]     As a further option, instead of trimming the ends of the band and inserting these ends into openings in connectors  16   a,    16   b,  the untrimmed band may simply extend between these connectors adjacent the outside face of plate  24  of each connector. This option is also available for the straight walled ICFs  50 .  
         [0028]     Although not shown, in similar fashion to band  30  (or  30 ′) a metal band may also be embedded in the wall  14  of corner ICF  10  (or  10 ′).  
         [0029]     In use, a number of ICFs  10  (or  10 ′) and  50  may be interlocked using their male and female features  26 ,  28  to form building walls. In this regard, by staggering adjacent rows of the ICFs (with the two different length corner ICFs  10  facilitating this), one or more buildings walls may be integrally formed. Where only wall  12  of the corner ICFs are reinforced by band  30 , wall  12  should be directed to the outside of the building walls. After erecting the building walls, concrete may be poured into the walls. The bands  30 ,  30 ′, 70   a,    70   b  act to reinforce the ICFs assisting the ICFs in withstanding the pressure imparted by the wet concrete. This pressure is particularly acute near the bottom of the building walls.  
         [0030]     Corner ICFs are more susceptible to fail due to the pressure imparted by the wet concrete than are straight walled ICFs. Therefore, for some constructions it may be sufficient to only embed reinforcing bands in the corner ICFs. Further, the inside corner of wall  14  is less susceptible to fail than the outside corner of wall  12  of a corner ICF. Consequently, for some constructions, it may be sufficient to only embed reinforcing bands in the outside wall  12  of the corner ICFs. Further, while ICFs with reinforcing bands inserted into connectors may be stronger, for some wall constructions, bands that are embedded in the foams walls of the form so as to lie adjacent the outside face of the plates  24 ′ of the connectors may be sufficient.  
         [0031]     While the reinforcing bands  30 ,  30 ′,  70   a,    70   b  have been described as perforated metal bands, other band constructions could also be employed. For example, a molded plastic band, with or without perforations, could be used. In this regard, a molded plastic band could even be integrally molded with the connectors which support it.  
         [0032]     ICFs are constructed with a variety of different styles of connectors and it will be apparent that the teachings of this invention have applicability to all such different styles. In this regard, where it is desired to insert the reinforcing band into the end portions of the connectors, a connector style lacking a suitable opening to receive the reinforcing band may be modified to provide a suitable opening, such as a slot.  
         [0033]     Some ICFs lack male and female features to allow interlocking. With such ICFs, the forms may be interlocked with suitably configured brackets. Again, it will be apparent that the teachings of this invention have applicability to such ICFs.  
         [0034]     Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.