Attachment element for use with concrete wall and method employing same

Abstract

An attachment element for use with a concrete wall construction that includes a layer of concrete and a layer of an insulative material that is held against a face of the layer of concrete. The attachment element includes an elongated body member having a first portion that is adapted and arranged for embedment in the layer of concrete as the latter hardens and a second portion that is positioned longitudinally of the body member from the first portion. The second portion is adapted and arranged so as to extend outwardly from the face of the concrete and through a closed slot formed in the layer of insulative material. The attachment element also includes an elongated face plate that is attached to the second portion of the body member adjacent an outer end of the latter. The face plate is positioned so as to extend transversely of the body member and the same is adapted and arranged at the outer surface of the layer of insulative material in a position to extend laterally outwardly away from the body member and across the outer surface beyond the periphery of the slot. The entirety of the attachment element other than the face plate is small enough in size to permit insertion thereof through the slot during use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. The Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to insulated concrete wall structures, and more particularly to attachment elements which are useful in connection with such wall structures both for attaching materials such as decorative materials thereto and for holding the insulative material in place against the concrete wall during further construction activities.

[0003] 2. The State of the Prior Art

[0004] Prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,830 (hereinafter, “the '830 patent”), describes an insulated concrete wall structure that comprises a layer of concrete and a layer of an insulative material. Such structures may be formed using conventional aluminum forms. In particular the wall structure may be formed using a tie assembly for holding the forms and the layer of insulative material in place while concrete is poured and allowed to harden. The tie assembly may include an attached face plate that is held in position against the outer face of the layer of insulative material. This face plate may be formed of a suitable synthetic resin material capable of receiving threaded screws or the like such that the face plate may then be used as an attachment site for attaching decorative and/or finishing materials or the like to the wall structure. A problem with this prior art arrangement is that the location of the attachment sites is determined more by the needs of the form assembly than by the needs of the finishing operation. Thus, the attachment sites are not always positioned correctly for optimization of the finishing operation. Moreover, the prior art ties are made of a plurality of parts which must be assembled at the job site. The entirety of the '830 patent is hereby incorporated herein by this specific reference thereto, for purposes of supplementing the following disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In its broadest aspects the invention provides solutions for and/or relief from the prior art problems discussed above. Moreover, the invention provides a simple device which simplifies the construction of concrete wall structures and facilitates the attachment of finishing and/or decorative materials to a concrete wall structure. In accordance with the concepts and principles of the invention, an attachment element is provided for use with a concrete wall structure that includes a layer of concrete and a layer of an insulative material that is held against a face of the layer of concrete. The layer of insulative material has an inner surface which is in contact with the concrete face and an outer surface which is spaced from the concrete face. The concrete is of course characterized by having been initially fluid and having hardened with the face thereof in the contact with the inner surface of the layer of insulative material.

[0006] In further accordance with the concepts and principles of the invention, the attachment element may include an elongated body member having a first portion that is adapted and arranged for embedment in the layer of concrete as the latter hardens and a second portion positioned longitudinally of the body member from the first portion. The second portion may be adapted and arranged so as to extend outwardly from the face of the concrete layer and through a closed slot formed in the layer of insulative material. Generally speaking, such a slot will have an outer periphery at the outer face of the insulative layer. The attachment element may also include an elongated face plate attached to the second portion adjacent an outer end of the latter. Such face plate may desirably be positioned so as to extend transversely of the body member and adapted and arranged at the outer surface of the layer of insulative material in a position to extend laterally outwardly away from the body member and across the outer surface beyond the periphery of the slot. Thus, the face plate may be operable for holding the layer of insulative material against the layer of concrete. For ease of assembly, the entirety of the attachment element other than the face plate should be small enough in size to permit insertion thereof through the slot during use. Desirably the body member and the face plate may be integrally connected. The portions of the body member may also be integrally connected. Ideally, the attachment element may be monolithic. The attachment element may also ideally have a generally T-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration.

[0007] Desirably, the second portion of the body member may be in the form of a sheet having opposed surfaces, and ideally the sheet may be generally planar in configuration. For improved functionality, the attachment element may have one or more ribs which protrude laterally outwardly from one or both surfaces of the sheet, and ideally the ribs may have generally rounded outer surfaces. In addition, in a highly preferred form of the invention, the second portion may include an anchor segment located at the face of the concrete layer, and such anchor segment may be adapted and configured to retain the second portion of the body member and thereby the attachment element in the concrete. Desirably, the anchor segment may include a wing which extends laterally outwardly from a surface of the sheet. Ideally, the wing may include a beveled surface at an outer edge thereof which defines a dovetail permitting the wing to be embedded in the layer of concrete during construction.

[0008] In further accordance with the concepts and principles of the invention, the face plate may desirably be formed from a material that is adapted for receiving and retaining a fastener. Thus, the face plate may provide a site for attachment of finishing and/or decorative material to the wall structure. Such material may preferably be a synthetic resin material. Ideally, for ease of manufacture, the material from which the attachment element is formed may be an extrudable thermoplastic material.

[0009] In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, the same provides a concrete wall structure which includes a layer of concrete having a face and a layer of an insulative material which is retained against the layer of concrete. In accordance with this form of the invention, the layer of insulative material may desirably have an inner surface which faces the face of the layer of concrete and an outer surface that is spaced from the concrete layer. In further accord with the concepts and principles of the invention, there may be at least one closed slot that extends through the thickness of the layer of insulative material from the inner surface to the outer surface, and such slot may have an outer periphery at the outer surface of the insulative layer. The concrete wall structure further may include an attachment element as described above. Thus, the first portion of the body member is embedded in the layer of concrete, the second portion of the body member protrudes outwardly of the layer of concrete from the face and through the slot, and the elongated face plate extends transversely of the body member across the outer surface of the layer of insulative material. Desirably, depending upon the thickness of the insulative layer and the positioning of the attachment element, the latter may assist in holding the insulative layer against the layer of hardened concrete. Preferably, the layer of insulative material may consist of at least one insulative panel that has opposed side edges and opposed top and bottom edges, and the slot is positioned somewhere in the central portion of the panel in spaced relationship relative to said edges.

[0010] Ideally, the concrete wall structure of the invention may include a decorative and/or finishing material or the like applied against the outer face of the panel of insulative material and secured thereto at least in part by a fastener extending into the face plate.

[0011] In another important form of the invention, a method is provided for constructing an insulated concrete wall structure. In accordance with the broad concepts and principles of the invention, the method may include the steps of providing an attachment element as set forth above, forming at least one slot in a panel of insulative material having opposed first and second surfaces, the slot extending through the panel between the surfaces, inserting the body member of the element through the slot so that the first portion extends outwardly a preselected distance from the first surface of the panel of insulative material and the face place is against the second surface of the panel of insulative material, applying a layer of fluid concrete against the first surface in a position where the first portion of body member is surrounded by the fluid concrete, and allowing the concrete to set to thereby form an insulated concrete wall structure in which the first surface of the panel of insulative material is against the hardened concrete, the first portion of the body member of the attachment element is embedded in the hardened concrete, the second portion of the body member of the attachment element extends through the slot, and the face plate of the attachment element extends across the second surface of the panel of insulative material.

[0012] The method of the invention may desirably include a step of securing a piece of decorative and/or finishing material or the like to the wall structure by extending a fastener through the decorative and/or finishing material and into the face plate of the attachment element. Ideally the insulative material may be heat deformable and the forming of the slot may include applying heat to the insulative material. Thus, a hot knife or the like may be used to cut a slot in a panel of plastic foam material. In some preferred forms of the invention, a plurality of slots may be provided in the insulative material and there may be a respective attachment element placed in each of the slots prior to the application of the layer of fluid concrete.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevation view, taken in vertical section, of an insulated concrete wall in which an attachment element of the present invention is partially embedded;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the attachment element shown in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the attachment element;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, taken in horizontal section, of an insulated concrete wall complete with a finishing panel attached to the attachment element;

[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view to illustrate the manner in which the attachment element is inserted into a layer of insulation during construction;

[0019] FIG. 6 is a top plan view to illustrate a method for constructing the insulated concrete wall of FIG. 1; and

[0020] FIG. 7 is a schematic elevational view illustrating a layer of insulation useful in connection with the concrete wall of FIG. 1 and including an arrangement of several panels of insulation and a plurality of attachment elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, an insulated wall 20 which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, the wall 20 includes a layer of concrete 22 and a layer of an insulative material 24 that is held against a face 26 of the layer of concrete. The layer of insulative material 24 has an inner surface 28 which is in contact with the face 26 and an outer surface 30 which is spaced from the face. The concrete, of course, is characterized by having been initially fluid and having hardened with the face 26 thereof in the contact with the inner surface 28 of the layer of insulative material 24.

[0022] The layer of concrete 22 may preferably be formed by pouring the fluid concrete into a space 23 formed between the layer of insulative 24 and a form 32 (see FIG. 6), or the like, which may be made of aluminum. The layer 22 may comprise a conventional cement of the sort which is well known to the routineers in the art. The layer 24 of insulative material may generally be in the form of pre-formed panels 25 (see FIG. 7) of expanded polystyrene or the like, and each panel 25 may desirably be rectangular in shape with dimensions, for example, of 4 feet by 8 feet, and the same may have a uniform thickness, for example, of one to two inches. Such panels are conventional and well known in the field of insulated concrete walls. Typically, each panel 25 has opposing, generally parallel side edges and opposing, generally parallel upper and lower edges, all of which present generally planar edge surfaces whereby the panels may be placed flush with opposing panels, as shown in FIG. 7, to form a substantially continuous layer of insulative material which may be coextensive in size with the concrete layer of the insulated wall. Although an expanded or foamed polystyrene is a preferred material for the layer 24, other types of insulative panels or layers may be used, so long as the material chosen is capable of being supported by some sort of tie assembly which provides support during the construction of the wall. Tie assemblies of the sort illustrated in the '830 patent mentioned above may desirably be used for this purpose.

[0023] The wall 20 also includes an attachment element 34 as shown in FIG. 1. Although only a single attachment element 34 is shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that an insulated wall, such as the wall 20, may desirably include a plurality of attachment elements 34 positioned strategically so that a piece of decorative and/or finishing material may be attached to the wall 20. For example, siding, brick ties, additional insulation, pressboard and/or soffits may be attached to the wall 20 using the attachment elements 34.

[0024] Withe reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that each attachment element 34 includes an elongated body member 36 and an elongated face plate 38. The face plate 38 and the body member 36 may desirably be in respective non-parallel planes which are transverse to one another and ideally perpendicular as shown. The body member 36 may preferably be integrally attached to the face plate 38 at a central location on the latter, as shown, such that the attachment element 34 is monolithic and has a uniform, regular, continuous T-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration. This shape facilitates forming of the attachment element 34 by a conventional extrusion process. For example, a 12 foot length may be extruded and thereafter cut into 2 inch lengths to present the individual attachment elements 34. To accommodate the extrusion process, the attachment elements may desirably be formed from a synthetic resin, preferably an extrudable thermoplastic material, and ideally a UV resistant plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). For purposes of the present invention, the material simply needs to have appropriate properties for receiving and retaining a fastener such as a screw.

[0025] The elongated body member 36 has a first portion 40 and a second portion 42. The portions 40 and 42 are preferably integrally connected to one another and the same are positioned longitudinally of one another along the length of the member 36 as shown. The face plate 38 is attached to the end 44 of the second portion 42. As can be seen viewing FIG. 3, first portion 40 of body member 36, is desirably in the form of a generally planar sheet 44 which has opposed surfaces 46 and 48. Portion 40 preferably has a plurality of ideally parallel ribs or flutes 50 which extend laterally outwardly from each surface 46, 48, and these ribs or flutes 50 desirably are provided with rounded outer surfaces 52 so as to reduce localized stresses in the concrete layer 22 when portion 40 is embedded in concrete as will be explained hereinafter. Portion 40 also has an anchor segment 54 which includes opposed wings 56. Anchor segment 54 is desirably located at a distance from face plate 38 which is essentially the same as the thickness of the insulation layer 24, and the same is provided with beveled surfaces 58 at the distal ends of the wings 56 so as to present a dovetail configuration.

[0026] With reference again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that portion 40 of body member 36 is embedded in concrete layer 22 with segment 54 positioned at face 26. Portion 42 extends outwardly away from face 26 and through a closed slot 60 which extends completely through the thickness of insulation layer 24. Face plate 38 is essentially in the same plane as outer surface 30 of insulation layer 24.

[0027] As mentioned above, insulative layer 24 is desirably made up of a plurality of panels 25 (see FIG. 7) formed from an expanded polystyrene material and such material ideally is heat deformable. Thus, the slot 60 may be formed in the center of the insulative layer 24 using a heated knife or the like. The relative dimensions of the slot 60 and the body member 36 must be such that the entirety of the body member 36 may be pushed through the slot 60 during construction of the wall 20. Desirably the width of slot 60, when it is first formed, may be less than the overall width of the portion 42, whereby the ribs 50 and the wings 56 may crush the foam structure of the layer 24 inside the slot as the body member is pushed therethrough. This will facilitate the provision of a tight fit between the inside of the slot 60 and portion 42 of body member 36 after the installation of the attachment element 34 in layer 24.

[0028] The relative dimensions of the outer periphery 62 of the slot 60 at the outer surface 30 should ideally be such that further movement of the body member 36 through slot 60 is prevented when faceplate 38 reaches the plane of surface 30. That is to say, the faceplate 38 desirably extends laterally outwardly from the outer end 44 of the second portion 42 of body member 36 across outer surface 30 and beyond the outer periphery 62 of the slot 60. In this regard, it is to be noted that face plate 38 is provided with beveled surfaces 64 at its outboard edges 66. These beveled surfaces 64 permit the face plate 38 to be forced into the expanded polystyrene material at outer surface 30 during assembly so that the outer surface 68 of the face plate 38 is essentially co-planar with outer surface 30.

[0029] A method of constructing an insulated concrete wall structure such as the structure 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The method utilizes an attachment element such as the element 34 and involves the forming of one or more slots 60 in a panel 25 of insulative material such that the slots 60 each extend through the entire thickness of the panel 25 between the outer surface 30 of the panel 25 and the inner surface 28 thereof. In accordance with the preferred aspects of the invention, the insulative material of the layer 24 may be heat formable and each slot 60 therein may be formed by hand or by a machine using a heated knife.

[0030] The body member 36 of the attachment element 34 is inserted into a corresponding slot 60 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and same is pushed entirely through the slot 60 until the attachment element assumes the position shown in FIG. 6 with the first portion 40 extending outwardly a preselected distance from the inner surface 28 of the panel 25 of insulative material and with the face place 38 against the outer surface 30 of the panel 25. Preferably, an aluminum form 32 (shown schematically in FIG. 6) may be positioned in spaced relationship to the inner surface 28 of the panel 25 leaving a space 23 therebetween. The space 23 may then be filled with fluid concrete in such a way that the first portion 40 of the body member 36 is completely surrounded by the fluid concrete. The concrete is then allowed to set to thereby form an insulated concrete wall structure 20 in which the inner surface 28 of the panel 25 of insulative material is against the hardened concrete, the first portion 40 of the body member 36 of the attachment element 34 is embedded in the hardened concrete, the second portion 42 of the body member 36 extends through the slot 60, and the face plate 38 of the attachment element 34 extends across the outer surface 30 of the panel 25 of insulative material. It should also be noted that the anchor segment 54 is configured so that the first portion 40 is retained in the hardened concrete. To this end, the beveled surfaces 58 at the distal ends of wings 56 provide triangular voids 73 which fill with fluid concrete when the space 23 is filled.

[0031] It should be noted, with reference to FIG. 6, that a second aluminum form 74 may be used if desired to hold the panel 25 in position during the application of the fluid concrete to space 23. After the concrete filling space 23 has hardened, the forms 32 and 74 may be removed in a conventional manner, and a piece of a finishing and/or decorative material 76 may be secured to wall structure 20 (see FIG. 4) by extending a fastener, such as a screw 78, through the finishing and/or decorative material 76 and into the face plate 38 of the attachment element 34.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, the layer 24 comprises a plurality of panels 25. The panels may each have one or more slots 60 (not seen in FIG. 7 because they are behind the face plates 38) formed therein at various locations, as might be dictated by the exigencies of a given application, and a respective attachment element 34 may be positioned in each of the slots 60 as shown. Of course, the attachment elements 34 may all be positioned in their respective slots 60 prior to the application of the fluid concrete which hardens to present the layer of concrete 22.

[0033] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects herein above set forth together with the other advantages which are inherent to the structure.

[0034] It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

[0035] Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. An attachment element for use with a concrete wall construction that includes a layer of concrete and a layer of an insulative material that is held against a face of said layer of concrete, said layer of insulative material having an inner surface which is in contact with said face and an outer surface which is spaced from said face, the concrete of said layer thereof being characterized by having been initially fluid and having hardened with said face thereof in said contact with said inner surface of the layer of insulative material, said attachment element comprising:

an elongated body member having a first portion that is adapted and arranged for embedment in said layer of concrete as the latter hardens and a second portion positioned longitudinally of the body member from said first portion, said second portion being adapted and arranged so as to extend outwardly from said face and through a closed slot formed in said layer of insulative material, said slot having an outer periphery at said outer surface; and

an elongated face plate attached to said second portion adjacent an outer end of the latter, said face plate being positioned so as to extend transversely of said body member and being adapted and arranged at said outer surface of said layer of insulative material in a position to extend laterally outwardly away from said body member and across said outer surface beyond said periphery of said slot, the entirety of said attachment element other than said face plate being small enough in size to permit insertion thereof through said slot during use.

2. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said member and said plate are integrally connected.

3. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said portions of the body member are integrally connected.

4. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said element is monolithic.

5. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said element has a generally T-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration.

6. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said face plate is formed from a material that is adapted for receiving and retaining a fastener.

7. An attachment element as set forth in claim 6, wherein said material is a synthetic resin material.

8. An attachment element as set forth in claim 4, wherein said element is formed from a material that is adapted for receiving and retaining a fastener.

9. An attachment element as set forth in claim 8, wherein said material is a synthetic resin material.

10. An attachment element as set forth in claim 9, wherein said material is an extendable thermoplastic material.

11. An attachment element as set forth in claim 7, wherein said material is an extrudable thermoplastic material.

12. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second portion of the body member is in the form of a sheet having opposed surfaces.

13. An attachment element as set forth in claim 12, wherein said sheet is generally planar in configuration.

14. An attachment element as set forth in claim 12, wherein is included one or more ribs which protrude laterally outwardly from a surface of said sheet.

15. An attachment element as set forth in claim 14, wherein said ribs have generally rounded outer surfaces.

16. An attachment element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second portion includes an anchor segment located at the face of the concrete layer, said anchor segment being adapted and configured to retain said second portion in said concrete.

17. An attachment element as set forth in claim 12, wherein said second portion includes an anchor segment located at the face of the concrete layer, said anchor segment being adapted and configured to retain said second portion in said concrete.

18. An attachment element as set forth in claim 17, wherein said anchor segment includes a wing which extends laterally outwardly from a surface of the sheet.

19. An attachment element as set forth in claim 18, wherein said wing includes a beveled surface at an outer edge thereof which defines a dovetail permitting the wing to be embedded in the layer of concrete during construction.

20. An attachment element as set forth in claim 14, wherein said second portion includes an anchor segment located at the face of the concrete layer, said anchor segment being adapted and configured to retain said second portion in said concrete.

21. An attachment element as set forth in claim 20, wherein said anchor segment includes a wing which extends laterally outwardly from a surface of the sheet.

22. An attachment element as set forth in claim 21, wherein said wing includes a beveled surface at an outer edge thereof which defines a dovetail permitting the wing to be embedded in the layer of concrete during construction.

23. A concrete wall structure comprising:

a layer of concrete having a face;

a layer of an insulative material that is retained against the layer of concrete, said layer of insulative material having an inner surface which faces the face of said layer of concrete and an outer surface that is spaced from the concrete layer, there being at least one closed slot extending through the thickness of the layer of insulative material from the inner surface to the outer surface, said slot having an outer periphery at said outer surface; and

an attachment element as set forth in claim 1, said first portion of the body member being embedded in said layer of concrete, said second portion of the body member protruding outwardly of the layer of concrete from said face and through said slot, and said elongated face plate extending transversely of said body member across the outer surface of the layer of insulative material.

24. A concrete wall structure as set forth in claim 23, wherein said layer of insulative material comprises at least one panel having opposed side edges and opposed top and bottom edges, and said slot is positioned in spaced relationship relative to said edges.

25. A concrete wall structure as set forth in claim 24, including a material applied against said outer face of the panel of insulative material and secured thereto at least in part by a fastener extending into the face plate.

26. A method of constructing an insulated concrete wall structure comprising:

providing an attachment element as set forth in claim 1;

forming at least one slot in a panel of insulative material having opposed first and second surfaces, said slot extending through said panel between said surfaces;

inserting the body member of the element through said slot so that the first portion extends outwardly a preselected distance from the first surface of the panel of insulative material and the face place is against the second surface of the panel of insulative material;

applying a layer of fluid concrete against said first surface in a position where the first portion of body member is surrounded by the fluid concrete;

allowing the concrete to set to thereby form an insulated concrete wall structure in which the first surface of the panel of insulative material is against the concrete, the first portion of the body member of the attachment element is embedded in the hardened concrete, the second portion of the body member of the attachment element extends through the slot, and the face plate of the attachment element extends across the second face of the panel of insulative material.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26, including securing a finishing and/or decorative material to said wall structure by extending a fastener through said finishing and/or decorative material and into the face plate of the attachment element.

28. A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein the insulative material is heat formable and said forming the slot comprises applying heat to the insulative material.

29. A method as set forth in claim 26, including forming a plurality of said slots in said panel and positioning one of said attachment elements in each of said slots prior to the application of said layer of fluid concrete.