Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/005,710, filed Dec. 7, 2007. Said U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/005,710 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The disclosure generally relates to the field of tilt-up concrete construction, and more particularly to temporary floor joint filler. 
   BACKGROUND 
   A smooth surface is the primary objective when producing concrete wall panels. To make concrete wall panels, construction workers use a method commonly referred to as “tilt-up” construction. When using this method, the concrete used to make the wall panel is placed over an already cured concrete floor slab. Oftentimes, this floor slab has joints which have been cut into the slab, creating deep cuts in the otherwise smooth and clean surface. A liquid applied bond breaker is usually placed atop the cured concrete to prevent the two pieces from sticking together. After the concrete has developed sufficient strength, the wall panel may be tilted vertically into the appropriate place, creating a wall. Because the wall panel was cast over the concrete floor slab, the wall panel may include large ridges running across the wall panel corresponding to where the wall panel concrete seeped into the pre-cut floor joints. Workers are then required to spend a substantial amount of time fixing the wall panel&#39;s imperfections created by pre-cut floor joints by grinding the ridges down until the wall panel is smooth. 
   Consequently, it is desirable to provide a filler which would be capable of covering pre-cut floor joints in concrete floor slabs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for covering and sealing pre-cut joints in concrete floor slabs. A temporary floor joint filler may be comprised of a flexible, reusable material, creating a support member for longitudinally inserting into pre-cut floor joints. The support member may include a plurality of longitudinally oriented fins for securing the support member within the floor joint. The support member may further include a cap for preventing wall panel concrete from seeping into the pre-cut joint, such as when the concrete shrinks during curing, increasing the size of the pre-cut floor joint. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a partial isometric view illustrating temporary floor joint filler; 
       FIG. 2  is an end view illustrating temporary floor joint filler, wherein the temporary floor joint filler comprises a cap and four fins oriented substantially perpendicular to the base member; 
       FIG. 3  is an end view illustrating temporary floor joint filler, wherein the temporary floor joint filler comprises a cap and two fins oriented at an angle from the base member; 
       FIG. 4  is an end view illustrating temporary floor joint filler, wherein the temporary floor joint filler comprises a cap and six ridged fins coupled to the base member; 
       FIG. 5  is an end view illustrating temporary floor joint filler, wherein the temporary floor joint filler comprises a cap and two elongated fins coupled to the base member; 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view illustrating insertion of a temporary floor joint filler into a sawcut joint; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view illustrating placement of liquid applied bond breaker over a concrete floor slab and temporary floor joint fillers; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional end elevation view illustrating a concrete floor slab, a sawcut floor joint and a temporary floor joint filler covered with bond breaker, and a wall panel; and 
       FIG. 9  is an isometric view illustrating a wall panel being moved to a vertical orientation from a concrete floor slab. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring generally to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a temporary, reusable floor joint filler  100  is described in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a cap  102 , a base member  104 , one or more fins  106 ,  108 ,  110  and  112 , a first set of opposing sides  114  and  116 , and a second set of opposing sides  118  and  120 . The cap  102  may be coupled to the first side  114  of the first set of opposing sides  114  and  116 . The first fin  106  may be coupled to the first side  118  of the second set of opposing sides  118  and  120 . The second fin  108  may be coupled to the second side of the second set of opposing sides  118  and  120 . In this embodiment, the cap  102  and one or more fins  106 ,  108 ,  110  and  112  are included for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 2  and  6  through  8 ). In another embodiment, a cap  102  and one or more fins  106 ,  108 ,  110  and  112  are included for sealing the joint  122  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 2  and  6  through  8 ). 
   In some embodiments, the temporary floor joint filler  100  may be constructed from a flexible (and possibly reusable) material, such as rubber. It is contemplated that any type of rubber may be employed for temporary floor joint filler  100 . In one specific embodiment, an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) rubber with a Shore A hardness of a range 20-100 may be utilized. For example, the temporary floor joint filler  100  may be constructed from a material selected to provide flexibility for inserting the temporary floor joint filler  100  into a pre-cut concrete joint  122 , while still providing adequate strength for supporting concrete. Further, it will be appreciated that certain materials may be selected according to other design considerations, including reusability and/or disposability. For instance, in one embodiment, silicon and/or another non-stick material may be selected for reusability; while in another embodiment, a biodegradable material may be selected for disposability. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , a temporary floor joint filler  100  is described in accordance with the present invention. For example, in one embodiment a temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a cap  102  and one or more fins  124  and  126  oriented at an angle from a base member  104  for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 6  through  8 ). In another embodiment, a temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a cap  102  and one or more ridged fins  128  and  130  coupled to the base member  104  for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6  through  8 ). In still a further embodiment, a temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a cap  102  and one or more elongated fins  132  and  134  coupled to the base member  104  for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  through  8 ). It will be appreciated that the orientation and design of the fins may be varied according to other design considerations, including flexibility and/or retention within a joint  122 . 
   In some embodiments, a temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a base member  104  coupled to the center of the cap  102  for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122 . In other embodiments, a temporary floor joint filler  100  may include a base member  104  coupled to the side of the cap  102  for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122 . It will be appreciated that the orientation and design of the cap and/or the base member may be varied according to other design considerations, including flexibility and/or retention within a joint  122 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a technique for inserting temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122  is shown. The temporary floor joint filler  100  may be pressed into a joint  122  using an individual&#39;s foot  136 . Installing the temporary floor joint filler  100  in this fashion may allow for simple and efficient preparation of a concrete slab  138  for subsequent construction activities. 
   In some embodiments, a tool may be used for inserting temporary floor joint filler  100  into a joint  122 . For example, in one embodiment, temporary floor joint filler  100  may be pressed into joint  122  using a hand-held roller. In another embodiment, temporary floor joint filler  100  may be extruded into joint  122  using an extruding device. In still a further embodiment, temporary floor joint filler  100  may be threaded through joint  122 . It is understood that a number of methods may be employed for inserting temporary floor joint filler  100  into joint  122  without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure. 
   In some embodiments, various techniques may be employed to ensure temporary floor joint filler  100  is secured in joint  122 . For example, in one embodiment, temporary floor joint filler  100  may be affixed into joint  122  with a temporary adhesive. In another embodiment, joint filler  100  may be anchored to at least one end of the concrete slab  138 . These examples are meant to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention and are not meant to be restrictive of the invention. Thus, it is understood that a number of methods may be employed for securing temporary floor joint filler  100  into joint  122  without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 through 9 , a method for creating a wall panel  142  is shown. For example, the temporary floor joint filler  100  may be installed into a joint  122 , bond breaker  140  may be applied over the temporary floor joint filler  100  and the concrete slab  138 . A wall panel  142  may be fashioned by pouring concrete over the concrete slab  138 . Once the wall panel  142  has developed sufficient strength, a crane  144  may be used to move the wall panel  142  into a vertical orientation from the concrete slab  138 . 
   In some embodiments, multiple wall panels  142  may be fashioned by placing concrete over the concrete floor slab  138 . For example, the temporary floor joint filler  100  may be installed into a sawcut joint  122 , bond breaker  140  may be applied over the temporary floor joint filler  100  and the concrete floor slab  138 . A wall panel  142  may be fashioned by placing concrete over the concrete floor slab  138 . Once the wall panel  142  has developed sufficient strength, a crane  144  may be used to move the wall panel  142  into a vertical orientation from the concrete floor slab  138 . The process may then repeat in order to produce the number of wall panels  142  desired. 
   It is believed that the temporary floor joint filler of the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.

Technology Category: 0