connector

Abstract

A rebar protection connector is configured to connect a free end of a rebar rod to a protective cover. The connector comprises a housing to retain a rebar cap, a support surface that is positioned adjacent an end of the housing and first and second flaps extending from opposing sides of the support surface. The first and second flaps being hingedly connected to the support surface.

Description

[0001] Connector

[0002] The present invention relates to a connector. In particular the present invention relates to a rebar protection connector.

[0003] Rebar (short for reinforcing bar) is a steel bar or mesh of steel wires used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen concrete under tension.

[0004] However, whilst construction is ongoing the free ends of rebar are often exposed, posing a significant health and safety risk.

[0005] Statistics compiled by a US body, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, indicate that around 60% of accidents on constructions sites relate to impalement on rebar.

[0006] Given the scale of the problem various efforts have been made to prevent or mitigate the likelihood of rebar accidents. For example, W02023067320A1 discloses a rebar cap having a main body formed of a deformable thermoplastic elastomer, the main body having a chamber configured to releasably attach the cover to a free end of a rebar rod.

[0007] However, in some circumstances such rebar caps may not provide sufficient protection from the danger posed by a length of rebar, particular for example, if the rebar is in the region of a fall hazard.

[0008] The present invention seeks to address this problem and to improve and build upon the prior art.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a rebar protection connector configured to connect a free end of a rebar rod to a protective cover, the connector comprising:

[0010] a housing to retain a rebar cap;

[0011] a support surface that is positioned adjacent an end of the housing;

[0012] first and second flaps extending from opposing sides of the support surface, the first and second flaps being hingedly connected to the support surface.In some embodiments the housing comprises a chamber to house a rebar cap.

[0013] In some embodiment the housing comprises an opening to the chamber at a first end.

[0014] In some embodiments the support surface is positioned adjacent a second opposing end.

[0015] In some embodiments the opening is substantially circular.

[0016] In some embodiments the opening comprises a peripheral annular flange.

[0017] In some embodiments the connector comprises a plurality of support members that extend between the housing and an underside of the support surface.

[0018] In some embodiments the support surface is substantially planar.

[0019] In some embodiments the support surface is substantially rectangular.

[0020] In some embodiments the first and second flaps are each substantially rectangular.

[0021] In some embodiments the first and second flaps are each connected to the support surface by means of a living hinge.

[0022] In some embodiments the support surface comprises at least one preformed fixing holes.

[0023] In some embodiments the support surface comprises a plurality of preformed fixing holes.

[0024] In some embodiments the first and second flaps each comprise at least one preformed fixing holes.

[0025] In some embodiments the first and second flaps each comprise a plurality of preformed fixing holes.

[0026] In some embodiments a connector includes a deformable rebar cap.According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of covering a free end of a rebar rod comprising the steps of providing a rebar protection connector made in accordance with any preceding statement of invention.

[0027] In some embodiments the method further comprises:

[0028] i) providing a rebar cap;

[0029] ii) retaining the rebar cap in the housing of the connector;

[0030] iii) attaching a protective cover to the connector.

[0031] In some embodiments the protective cover is attached to the support surface of the connector.

[0032] In some embodiments the protective cover is attached to the first and second flaps of the connector.

[0033] In some embodiments the protective cover is formed of timber.

[0034] In some embodiments the method comprises providing a plurality of connectors and rebar caps and covering a plurality of free ends of rebar rods with a protective cover extending between the connectors.

[0035] In some embodiments the number of rebar rods covered by the protective cover is greater than the number of connectors.

[0036] In order that the present invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which:

[0037] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rebar protection connector of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the connector of Figure 1;

[0038] Figure 3 is a side view of the connector of Figure 1 with its flaps folded in a first

[0039] configuration;Figure 4 is a side view of the connector of Figure 1 with its flaps folded in a second configuration;

[0040] Figure 5 is a side view of the connector of Figure 1 with its flaps folded in a third configuration;

[0041] Figure 6 is a cross-section through the connector of Figure 1 on a plane that does not intersect the flaps of the connector;

[0042] Figure 7 is a cross-section through the connector of Figure 1 illustrating how a deformable rebar cap is inserted into the chamber of the housing;

[0043] Figure 8 illustrates the rebar cap retained in the housing;

[0044] Figure 9 is an exploded side view of the connector of the present invention being used to connect a rebar cap to a length of timber;

[0045] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the connector of the present invention being used to connect a rebar cap to a length of timber;

[0046] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention being used to connect a rebar cap to a length of timber;

[0047] Figure 12 is an exploded side view of the connector of the present invention being used to connect a rebar cap to a square of timber;

[0048] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention being used to connect a rebar cap to a square of timber;

[0049] Figure 14 is a side view of a rebar cap of rebar cap suitable for use with the connector of the present invention; and

[0050] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the rebar cap of Figure 14.

[0051] Referring to the drawings, a connector 1 comprises a housing 1, a support surface 3 and first and second flaps 4a, 4b.

[0052] First and second flaps 4a, 4b are attached to support surface 3 by means of respective living hinges 5a, 5b.

[0053] Housing 2 comprises a chamber 6 that is shaped so as to snugly house and retain a rebar cap 10 of the type Illustrated in Figures 5 to 8 of PCT patent application W02023067320A1 and in Figures 14 and 15 of the present application.At a first end housing 2 comprises a circular opening 7 to chamber 6. Annular flange 8 extends circumferentially around opening 7.

[0054] As illustrated in Figure 7 , rebar cap 10, which is made of a deformable thermoplastic elastomer may be inserted into chamber 6 through opening 7 , where it is retained by annular flange 8.

[0055] At a second end of housing 2 connector 1 comprises six support members 9 that are radially spaced around housing 2 and extend between housing 2 and an underside of support surface 3.

[0056] Support surface 3 is substantially rectangular and is approximately 12cm width between living hinges 5, 5b that connect to flaps 4a, 4b, and is approximately 10cm in length.

[0057] Flaps 4a, 4b are each approximately 3cm in width and 10cm in length.

[0058] Support surface 3 comprises four spaced-apart fixing holes 11 in a rectangular configuration with a hole in the region of each corner of support surface 3.

[0059] Each of flaps 4a, 4b comprise two spaced apart fixing holes 12.

[0060] Fixing holes 11, 12 are provided in order for a user to insert fixings such as screws or nails therethrough.

[0061] Turning to Figures 9 to 11 and connector 1 in a first mode of use where a user wishes to provide a plurality of rebar rods with a protective cover, a length of timber 13 may be used to cover a plurality of lengths of rebar 14 by using two or more connectors 1 with a corresponding number of rebar caps 10.

[0062] A user may attach a connector 1 to the free end of a length of rebar 14 by inserting a rebar cap 10 into chamber 6 and positioning the rebar cap 10 over a free end of a length of rebarThe user may attach a plurality of connectors 1 to a plurality of free ends of rebar 14 in this manner.

[0063] A user may then attach a length of timber 13 to a plurality of connectors 1 by positioning timber 13 at support surface 3, folding each of flaps 4a, 4b such that they are positioned at either side of timber 13, and screwing flaps 4a, 4b to opposing sides of timber 13 using screws 15 inserted through fixing holes 12.

[0064] Beneficially, as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 a length of timber 13 may be employed to cover a plurality of rebar rods that are positioned between rebar rods that have connectors 1 thereon.

[0065] Turning to Figures 12 and 13 and connector 1 in a second mode of use where a user wishes to provide a single rebar rod 14 with a protective cover, a user may attach a square of timber 16 to a support surface of connector 3 by means of screws 15 and fixing holes 11.

[0066] In this configuration flaps 4a, 4b may either hang at the side of connector 1 or as shown in figure 13 may be folded under connector 1 and retained in a folded position by any suitable means, such as glue or other features (not shown) of a connector such as a snap fit or magnets.

[0067] Turning to Figures 14 and 15 and a rebar cap suitable for use with connector 1, a rebar cap 10 comprises at a first end 17a a curved, substantially hemispherical, outer wall 10a.

[0068] Rebar cap 10 is formed of a resiliently flexible thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale.

[0069] A substantially frustoconical outer wall 10b extends from hemispherical wall 10a to terminate at a second end 17b of rebar cap 10.

[0070] Second end 17b of rebar cap 10 is substantially circular and comprises an opening to a substantially central chamber 18 that is configured to releasably house a free end of a length of rebar 14.In the present embodiment a connector 1 and rebar cap 10 are provided separately for assembly by a user. However, in other embodiments a connector may be provided with a deformable rebar cap in its housing.

[0071] In this specification an apparatus / method / product "comprising" certain features is intended to be interpreted as meaning that it includes those features, but that it does not exclude the presence of other features.

[0072] Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1. A rebar protection connector configured to connect a free end of a rebar rod to a protective cover, the connector comprising:a housing to retain a rebar cap;a support surface that is positioned adjacent an end of the housing;first and second flaps extending from opposing sides of the support surface, the first and second flaps being hingedly connected to the support surface.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a chamber to house a rebar cap.

3. The connector of claim 2 wherein the housing comprises an opening to the chamber at a first end.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein the support surface is positioned adjacent a second end of the housing.

5. The connector of claim 3 or 4 wherein the opening is substantially circular.

6. The connector of claims 3 to 5 wherein the opening comprises a peripheral annular flange.

7. The connector of any preceding claim comprising a plurality of support members that extend between the housing and an underside of the support surface.

8. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the support surface is substantially planar.

9. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the support surface is substantially rectangular.

10. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the first and second flaps are each substantially rectangular.

11. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the first and second flaps are each connected to the support surface by means of a living hinge.

12. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the support surface comprises at least one preformed fixing holes.

13. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the support surface comprises a plurality of preformed fixing holes.

14. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the first and second flaps each comprise at least one preformed fixing holes.

15. The connector of any preceding claim wherein the first and second flaps each comprise a plurality of preformed fixing holes.

16. The connector of any preceding claim wherein a connector includes a deformable rebar cap.

17. A method of covering a free end of a rebar rod comprising the steps of providing a rebar protection connector made in accordance with any preceding claim.

18. The method of claim 18 further comprising:a. providing a rebar cap;b. retaining the rebar cap in the housing of the connector;c. attaching a protective cover to the connector.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the protective cover is attached to the support surface of the connector.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the protective cover is attached to the first and second flaps of the connector.

21. The method of any of claims 18 to 20 wherein the protective cover is formed of timber.

22. The method of any of claims 18 to 20 comprising providing a plurality of connectors and rebar caps and covering a plurality of free ends of rebar rods with a protective cover extending between the connectors.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the number of rebar rods covered by the protective cover is greater than the number of connectors.

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