Steel frame separator for construction
The ABS plastic separator with clamping parts stabilizes the steel mesh in reinforced concrete panels, addressing the issue of mesh movement and panel damage, achieving precise positioning and robust installation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- GB · GB
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XPANEL BUILDING TECH EUROPE SL
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-03
AI Technical Summary
The steel mesh in reinforced concrete sandwich panels tends to move during the concreting process, leading to imperfect positioning, and existing solutions like nailing to the polystyrene panel cause damage.
A plastic separator made of ABS material, comprising two parts that clamp onto the steel frame, ensuring the mesh's stability with holes for concrete passage and elastic tabs for fastening, preventing movement without damaging the polystyrene panel.
The separator effectively maintains the mesh's position during concreting, ensuring perfect alignment without damaging the polystyrene panel, facilitating easy installation and robustness.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a plastic separator that has been specially designed to ensure the correct position of frames or meshes in the production of expanded polystyrene sandwich panels with steel meshes, during the laying and concreting of said elements. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device that prevents the metal mesh from moving when concrete is applied so that said mesh is embedded in the concrete, either in the production of slabs or in the production of vertical panels. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the scope of practical application of the invention, when producing reinforced concrete sandwich panels insulated with polystyrene, a steel mesh is laid between the polystyrene panel and the formwork, with concrete being poured over said mesh in order to stiffen said layer. The problem is that said mesh tends to move during this process, which can result in the mesh not being perfectly centred in its intended position. In an attempt to avoid this problem, separator elements are known which are nailed to the polystyrene panel itself, which causes damage to said panel. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The separator that is recommended solves the aforementioned problem in a completely satisfactory manner, based on a simple but effective solution. For this purpose, the device of the invention is made up of two parts that are fastened together by clamping on the steel frame itself, parts that have different openings on all sides to allow the entry of the micro-concrete in the concreting phase and the fastening of the steel mesh. The parts are made of injected ABS plastic. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is an amorphous polymer resulting from the emulsion or bulk polymerisation of acrylonitrile and styrene in the presence of polybutadiene. The most important properties of ABS are impact resistance and hardness. More specifically, the first part has a configuration involving a flattened laminar base, with holes for the passage of the micro-concrete, and from which base a perimeter casing emerges perpendicularly, said casing also with windows for the passage of the micro-concrete. In this way, at points facing and perpendicular to each other in pairs, slots defining seats for the rods involved in the mesh and inserted in said slots until they are perfectly stabilised are established corresponding to the perimeter edge of the mouth of said casing. The second part, as mentioned above, is fastened by clamping on this first part once it has been installed in the mesh, in the area where two of its perpendicular rods meet, having elastic tabs for fastening to the previously described windows of the first part, as well as recesses for the passage of the micro-concrete, and having an equally open rear neck, the length of which determines the degree of separation between the mesh and the formwork. In this way, a device is achieved which is easy to install on the mesh itself without damaging the expanded polystyrene panel, resistant and which guarantees the perfect positioning of the steel mesh during the concreting process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As a complement to the description that will be provided herein, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, according to a preferred practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of drawings constituting an integral part thereof in which, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following is represented: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a steel frame separator for construction made according to the object of the present invention, in which the device is shown without the frame on which it is to be applied. Figure 2 shows an opposite perspective view of the device of the previous figure. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the first part involved in the separator in a coupled state on a steel mesh or frame. Figure 4 lastly shows a perspective view of the second part, intended to be installed by simple clamping on the assembly shown in figure 3. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In view of the figures shown, it can be seen that the separator of the invention is made up of two parts, a first part (1) and a second part (2), which are fastened together by clamping and with a pair of perpendicular rods of the steel frame or mesh (3) being stably interposed between said parts. More specifically, the first part (1) is made up of a flattened laminar body (4) which in the chosen exemplary embodiment has a circular configuration, although it could have other configurations such as a polygonal configuration without affecting the essence of the invention, a laminar body with a plurality of holes (5-5’) for the passage of the micro-concrete therethrough. A perimeter casing or skirt (6) with windows (7) emerges perpendicularly from said laminar body, said windows also allowing the passage of the micro-concrete therethrough and in turn determining the means for fastening to the second part, as will be seen later on. Four slots (8-8’) facing each other in pairs and perpendicular to each other are established corresponding to the free edge of the perimeter skirt (6), said slots intended to receive the rods involved in the steel mesh (3), the slots (8’) having a greater depth than the slots (8), given that the rods, due to their own thickness, are arranged in different parallel planes. In this way, and as shown in figure 3, the first part is coupled through the slots (8-8’) to the steel mesh (3) corresponding to the area where two of its perpendicular rods meet, so that once this manoeuvre has been carried out, the second part (2) is coupled on the opposite side by clamping the same on the first part (1). For this purpose, the second part (2) has a flattened base (9) with radial windows (10) for the passage of the micro-concrete therethrough, ending on the side facing the first part (1) in a ring (11) intended to lock the slots (8-8’), said ring having toothed tabs (12) that can be locked in the windows (7) of the first part (1), as can be clearly seen in the detail of figure 1. Lastly, it only remains to note that the flattened base (9) of the second part (2) ends in a hollow tubular neck (13) that determines the degree of separation between the formwork and the steel mesh (3).
Claims
1. A steel frame separator for construction, characterised in that it is made up of two parts that are fastened together by clamping and with the steel frame or mesh (3) to be stabilised being interposed between said parts:a) a first part (1) made up of a flattened laminar body (4) with a plurality of holes (5-5’) and from which a perimeter casing or skirt (6) with windows (7) emerges perpendicularly, as well as four slots (8-8’) facing each other in pairs and perpendicular to each other, intended to receive two of the rods involved in the steel mesh (3),b) a second part (2) involving a flattened base (9) with recesses and ending on the side facing the first part (1) in a locking ring (11) for locking the slots (8-8’) of said first part (1), said ring having toothed tabs (12) that can be locked in the windows (7) of the first part (1).
2. The steel frame separator for construction according to claim 1, characterised in that the second part (2) includes a hollow tubular neck (13) that determines the degree of separation between a formwork and the steel mesh (3).
3. The steel frame separator for construction according to claim 1, characterised in that the two parts (1-2) are made of injected ABS plastic.