Antivibration uniform-strength connector

Abstract

An antivibration uniform-strength connector including two mating connection plates and a bolt. The connection plates are made of steel material having tensile strength proximate to that of steel reinforcements. The connection plates are made in accordance with the specifications of the steel reinforcements. Each connection plate has a central hole and two lateral extension sections. Each extension section has an opposite contact face. Contact recesses are formed on the contact faces and spaced from the central hole by equal or unequal distances. With steel reinforcements respectively held in the contact recesses, the bolt is tightened in the central hole of one connection plate to fasten the connection plates and fix the steel reinforcements in a double-cross or parallel pattern. The antivibration uniform-strength connector is applicable to the major steel reinforcements of a beam, a column, a bridge, a bridgeboard, etc. to truly strongly fixedly combine the steel reinforcements into a reinforcement network or reinforcement cage. Accordingly, the reinforcement network or reinforcement cage can bear much greater stress, especially the dynamic cyclic shear strength. Therefore, the antivibration strength of a building can be highly enhanced.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a construction technique, and more particularly to an antivibration uniform-strength connector developed on principles of earthquake engineering. The antivibration uniform-strength connector combines vertical force and horizontal force and enables RC buildings to bear dynamic cyclic shear strength.

It is well known in construction field that the compression strength of steel reinforcements is ten-time higher than that of concrete. Moreover, the tensile strength of steel reinforcements is even one hundred-time higher than that of concrete. Therefore, the concrete is used in combination with the steel reinforcements to achieve higher strength and economic effect. However, up to now, the cross connection between the steel reinforcements is still accomplished by way of “tying of fine iron wires” and “welding”. According to these two measures, both the tensile strength and shear strength of the connected points are less than 3000 pounds/each point. This value is much lower than the solidification strength of the concrete, that is, about 5000 pounds/inch. The above connected points are reinforced by outer loops, inner supports, reverse arcs, etc. However, the connected points are still hard to truly securely fasten and must rely on the solidification of the concrete. It was seen in many earthquake disasters that some buildings collapsed and the concrete is crashed with the steel reinforcements scattering around. This proves that the longitudinal/latitudinal connected points must be reinforced to ensure safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an antivibration uniform-strength connector which is able to highly enhance the antivibration strength of a building. Therefore, even if the building tilts down, the building will not collapse and crash so that the safety of properties and lives can be ensured. The antivibration uniform-strength connector includes two mating connection plates and a bolt. The connection plates are made of steel material having tensile strength proximate to that of steel reinforcements. Each connection plate has a central hole and two lateral extension sections. Each extension section has an opposite contact face. Contact recesses are formed on the contact faces. With steel reinforcements respectively held in the contact recesses, the bolt is tightened in the central hole of one connection plate to fasten the connection plates and fix the steel reinforcements in a double-cross or parallel pattern.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above antivibration uniform-strength connector which serves to longitudinally and altitudinally fixedly connect multiple steel reinforcements to form a reinforcement network or reinforcement cage by a strength equal to or higher than the strength of the reinforcements. Therefore, the reinforcement network or reinforcement cage as a whole has uniform strength to “integrally resiliently” reinforce the concrete. Accordingly, the reinforcement network or reinforcement cage can bear much greater stress, especially the dynamic cyclic shear strength. Therefore, the antivibration strength of a building can be highly enhanced.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention, which is applicable to over No. 7 steel reinforcements;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that the antivibration uniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix the steel reinforcements in a double-cross pattern;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing that the antivibration uniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix the steel reinforcements in a parallel pattern;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing that the antivibration uniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix the steel reinforcements of a beam or a column in a multipoint connection pattern;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that the antivibration uniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix under No. 7 steel reinforcements.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention, in which several connection plates are integrated into one piece and applied to the steel reinforcements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 4. The antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention includes two mating connection plates made of steel material having tensile strength proximate to that of steel reinforcements. The connection plates are made with molds by means of forging in accordance with the specifications such as diameters, intervals, etc. of the steel reinforcements. Each connection plate is formed with a central hole 1 and two extension sections laterally extending from the central hole 1. Each extension section has an opposite contact face. Contact recesses 2 are formed on the contact faces and spaced from the central hole 1 by equal distances or unequal distances for holding and fixing the steel reinforcements 3. The cross-sectional area of the contact recess 2 can be larger than the cross-sectional area of the steel reinforcements 3, whereby the shearing force bearable by the contact recess is greater than that of the held steel reinforcements 3. The cross-sectional area is gradually enlarged from the forced point to the rim 4 of the central hole 1 (over 10%). This is reserved for offsetting the resilient loss of the forced material. For example, in the case that the connector is applied to larger diameter steel reinforcements such as over No. 7 steel reinforcements, the back of the contact face of the antivibration uniform-strength connector must swell. In addition, the rim 4 of the central hole of the connection plate needs to be flush with the contact face for shortening the length of the bolt. Furthermore, only one of the mating connection plates is tapped in cooperation with the bolt 6 to facilitate the work. In the case that the antivibration uniform-strength connector is applied to under No. 7 steel reinforcements (including subsidiary steel reinforcements 7 as shown in FIG. 5), the extension sections of the connection plate are formed with multiple continuous contact recesses 2. This enhances the mobility of use of the antivibration uniform-strength connector.

In use, referring to FIG. 2, the two mating connection plates are positioned in a cross pattern. The steel reinforcements 3 are respectively oppositely placed in the contact recesses 2 of the connection plates. Then the bolt 6 is passed through one of the connection plates and screwed into the other connection plate to fix the connection plates and hold the steel reinforcements 3 between the connection plates. Accordingly, the steel reinforcements 3 are fixed in a double-cross pattern. Moreover, referring to FIG. 3, two mating connection plates are positioned in parallel to each other. The steel reinforcements 3 are respectively oppositely placed in the contact recesses 2 of the connection plates. Then the bolt 6 is passed through one of the connection plates and screwed into the other connection plate to fix the connection plates and hold the steel reinforcements 3 between the connection plates. Accordingly, the steel reinforcements 3 are fixed in a parallel pattern.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which several connection plates are integrated into one piece. Each connection plate is still formed with a central hole 1. The integrated connection plates serve to more firmly fix the steel reinforcements.

The tensile strength of the antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention is compared with the tensile strength of the standard steel reinforcement specification of ASTM as Table 1 below:

ASTM	antivibration
reinforcement	uniform-strength
specification	connector
		cross-	tensile	cross-	tensile	standard bolt
		sectional	strength	sectional	strength	tap diameter ×	tensile
	diameter	area	metric	area	metric	thread	strength
No.	inch	inch	m/m2	ton	m/m2	ton	number	metric ton
4	0.500	0.2	129	10	150	12	14M1.5 × 10	12
5	0.625	0.31	200	16	230	18	18M1.5 × 10	20
6	0.750	0.44	283	23	340	27	20M1.5 × 10	27
7	0.875	0.60	387	31	400	32	22M1.5 × 10	33
8	1.000	0.79	510	41	530	43	27M2 × 10	48
9	1.125	1.00	645	52	660	53	30M2 × 10	62
10	1.270	1.27	819	65	850	68	33M2 × 10	76
11	1.410	1.56	1006	81	1100	88	36M2 × 10	90

As the Table 1 above, ASTM No. 8 steel reinforcement has a diameter of one inch and a cross-sectional area of 0.79 square inch. Converted into metric system, the tensile strength is 510 mm²×80 kg=41 metric tons. The cross-sectional area of the forced point of the antivibration uniform-strength connector is preferably 530 mm², that is, the tensile strength is 43 metric tons. The 27M2×10 standard bolt has a tensile strength of 48 metric tons and is used to fasten No. 8 steel reinforcements. Accordingly, multiple steel reinforcements longitudinally and altitudinally intersect each other to achieve multipoint connection and form a steel reinforcement network. In general, each face of the beam or column of an RC building employs at least 5 No. 8 steel reinforcements. Accordingly, six antivibration uniform-strength connectors are applied to each face as shown in FIG. 4. This achieves 228 metric tons×6=1728 metric tons of reinforcement cage stress. In practice, more steel reinforcements necessitate more antivibration uniform-strength connectors. In this case, the reinforcement cage will have greater strength against the stress.

The antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention is characterized in that the steel reinforcements can be truly fastened by the antivibration uniform-strength connectors to form a strong resilient reinforcement cage body for bearing dynamic cyclic shear strength in cooperation with the concrete. Therefore, the antivibration strength as a whole is enhanced to avoid crash of the concrete. Accordingly, even if the building tilts down, the building will not collapse and crash so that the safety of properties and lives can be ensured. The antivibration uniform-strength connector is also applicable to bridgeboards, bridges, etc. which are subject to frequent vibrations.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antivibration uniform-strength connector applicable to reinforced concrete, comprising two mating connection plates and a bolt, each connection plate being formed with a central hole and two extension sections laterally extending from the central hole, each extension section having an opposite contact face, contact recesses being formed on the contact faces and spaced from the central hole by certain distances, steel reinforcements being respectively held in the contact recesses of the connection plates and the bolt being tightened in the central hole of one connection plate to fasten the connection plates and fix the steel reinforcements between the connection plates in a double-cross pattern or a parallel pattern.

2. The antivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact face of each extension section of each connection plate is formed with multiple continuous contact recesses.

3. The antivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact recesses of the connection plate are spaced from the central hole by equal distances.

4. The antivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact recesses of the connection plate are spaced from the central hole by equal distances.

5. The antivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact recesses of the connection plate are spaced from the central hole by unequal distances.

6. The antivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact recesses of the connection plate are spaced from the central hole by unequal distances.