Anchor bolt holder
A reusable anchor bolt holder includes an anchor bolt engagement section that defines a bore configured to receive an anchor bolt, such as those used in typical commercial or residential construction practices. The anchor bolt holder also includes an attachment section connected with the anchor bolt engagement section. The attachment section includes a first attachment section and a second attachment section, both of which are hingedly connected with the anchor bolt engagement section. Additionally, the anchor bolt holder includes a lock configured to releaseably couple the first attachment section with the second attachment section. Still further, the first attachment section and the second attachment section include at least one fastener bore that is configured to allow for standard mechanical fastening, such as screws for nails, of the anchor bolt holder a supporting structure.
This invention relates generally to construction materials and, more specifically to structures designed to maintain the alignment of anchor bolts within a foundation during the pouring and curing of concrete.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA common problem faced in both residential and commercial construction is maintaining proper alignment or position of anchor bolts during the pouring and curing of concrete foundation. Maintaining proper alignment or position of anchor bolts relative to a concrete foundation is important for a variety of reasons. Anchor bolts that inadvertently move may end up too close to the concrete foundation's outer wall and thus be prone to “breaking out” of the concrete foundation at a later time, thereby weakening the entire structure. Further, misaligned or improperly positioned anchor bolts create costly construction delays as the wall structures, such as shear panels or prefabricated wall framing, must be reconfigured or modified to accept the misaligned or improperly positioned anchor bolts. As such, there is a need to provide a low cost method of maintaining the proper position of an anchor bolt within a concrete from during the pouring and curing of concrete structures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a reusable anchor bolt holder that is cost efficient and overcomes the problems of anchor bolts shifting during the pouring and curing of concrete.
The reusable anchor bolt holder of the present invention includes an anchor bolt engagement section that defines a bore configured to receive an anchor bolt, such as those used in typical commercial or residential construction practices to transmit roof and wall loading into the foundation. The anchor bolt holder also includes an attachment section connected with the anchor bolt engagement section. The attachment section includes a first attachment section and a second attachment section, both of which are hingedly connected with the anchor bolt engagement section. Additionally, the anchor bolt holder includes a lock configured to releaseably couple the first attachment section with the second attachment section. Still further, the first attachment section and the second attachment section include at least one fastener bore that is configured to allow for standard mechanical fastening, such as screws for nails, of the anchor bolt holder to a supporting structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
The present invention provides a system for maintaining the proper position of an anchor bolt within and relative to a concrete form during the pouring and curing of concrete. By way of overview and with reference to
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the anchor bolt holder 20 is suitably constructed from any variety of materials. For example, a polymeric compound capable of being injection molded may be used. Suitable, non-limiting examples of such a material include high density polyethylene (HDPE), polycarbonate, and polystyrene. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that material choice will be dependent upon the material meeting certain mechanical and formability characteristics. For example, the material should be of medium to high strength and impact resistance. Additionally, the material should be relatively easy and inexpensive to form. Those skilled in the art may choose to use other materials meeting these general guidelines without exceeding the spirit and scope of this invention.
With regards to
Lands 40 may be disposed on an inner surface of the anchor bolt bore 28 to assist the anchor bolt engagement section 22 with engagement of the anchor bolt 52. The lands 40 may be may be vertically or horizontally arranged relative to and within the anchor bolt bore 28. Additionally, the lands 40 may be arranged in a spiral fashion within the anchor bolt bore 28, similar to threads within a pipe. Additionally, the anchor bolt bore 28 may be entirely or partially free of lands 40.
A hinge region 32a of the anchor bolt engagement section 22 may be achieved in any variety of manners known in the art. For example, an aspect of the present invention is depicted in
With specific reference to
The first engagement section 24 and the second engagement section 26 also include a buttress section 48. The buttress section 48 is generally that section of the first engagement section 24 and the second engagement section 26 that overlap one another. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the buttress section 48 is configured to provide stability between the first engagement section 24 and a second engagement section 26 when the anchor bolt holder 20 is in a closed position. As depicted in the FIGURES, the buttress section 48 may be either coplanar elements such as in
Disposed around a periphery of the first engagement section 24 and a second engagement section 26 are a plurality of fastener bores 36. The fastener bores 36 are configured to receive mechanical fasteners such as, nails, screws or staples. Additionally, the fastener bores 36 are also included in the buttress section 48. The fastener bore 36 in the buttress section 48 of the first engagement section 24 is arranged to align with fastener bore 36 in the buttress section 48 of the second engagement section 24 when the anchor bolt holder 20 is in a closed position such that a single fastener (not shown) may pass through both elements of the buttress section 48.
The first engagement section 24 and a second engagement section 26 also include a lock 44. The lock 44 functions to releasably hold the first engagement section 24 to the second engagement section 26. With regards to structure, any known lock 44 is considered within the scope of this invention.
The overall geometry of the anchor bolt holder 20 is variable, and largely dependent upon the overall dimensions of the application. Those skilled in the art will appreciated that the height “H” of the anchor bolt engagement section 22 is variable and largely dependent upon application. However, the height “H” should be at least great enough to create enough surface area contact between the anchor bolt bore 28 and the anchor bolt 52 such that any torsional moment between the two elements is adequately absorbed by the anchor bolt holder 20. Further, the overall length “L” of the anchor bolt holder 20 will also be selected to allow for proper positioning of the anchor bolt 52 relative to the concrete form wall (not shown). Still further, the overall width “W” of the attachment section 30 will be selected to provide the anchor bolt holder 20 with a sufficient base to resist any unwanted motion. Thus, the overall geometry of the anchor bolt holder 20 is not intended to be a limitation of the present invention.
Referring to
It will be appreciated that anchor bolt holder 20 may be positioned on the anchor bolt 52 such that anchor bolt holder 20 is positioned well above the concrete fill level. Thus, a user may finish the concrete around the anchor bolt holder 20 without having any structural impediments to work around. Conversely, the user may position the anchor bolt holder 20 such that anchor bolt holder 20 is positioned just above the concrete fill level, or anywhere in-between depending upon user preference.
The anchor bolt holder 20 may be used singly, or in combination with an anchor bolt spacer (not shown). A suitable anchor bolt spacer is described in a co-filed patent application entitled “ANCHOR BOLT SPACER” with attorney docket number 25601, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the discussed embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
Claims
1. An anchor bolt holder, comprising:
- an anchor bolt engagement section, said anchor bolt engagement section defining a bore;
- an attachment section hingedly connected with the anchor bolt engagement section, said attachment section including: a first attachment section; and a second attachment section; and, a lock configured to releaseably couple the first attachment section with the second attachment section.
2. The anchor bolt holder of claim 1, further comprising a fastener bore disposed on a periphery of the attachment section.
3. The anchor bolt holder of claim 1, further comprising lands within at least a portion of the bore.
4. The anchor bolt holder of claim 1, wherein the anchor bolt holder is constructed from an injection molded polymeric material.
5. An anchor bolt holder comprising:
- a single piece of injection moldable polymeric material shaped to form
- an anchor bolt engagement section, said anchor bolt engagement section defining a bore;
- a first attachment section hingedly attached to the anchor bolt engagement section;
- a second attachment section hingedly attached to the anchor bolt engagement section, opposite the first engagement section; and,
- a lock configured to releaseably couple the first attachment section with the second attachment section.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 30, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 6, 2006
Inventors: Lucas Fouch (Boise, ID), Terry Metzker (Oceanside, CA), Scott Soule (Boise, ID), Matthew Meyers (Boise, ID)
Application Number: 10/956,931
International Classification: E02D 5/74 (20060101);