Anchorage Washer With Fill Indicator for Annular Gap Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to correctly fill the annular gap around fasteners with chemical anchor, leading to issues of underfilling or overfilling, which affects the shear load capacity and seismic performance of construction anchorage.
Innovation Solution
A washer with a port for filling the gap and an indicator port to determine when the gap is sufficiently filled, ensuring accurate application of chemical filler.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a filling washer with a single port is used to fill the annular gap with chemical anchor, then the gap can be filled, but it is impossible to determine when the gap has been sufficiently filled, leading to underfilling or overfilling
Solution Approach 1:
The single port is segmented into two separate ports: a filling port for injecting chemical anchor and an indicator port for monitoring filling status. This segmentation allows independent optimization of filling function and measurement function, enabling precise control of filling quantity while maintaining simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator port acts as an intermediary element that provides visual feedback about the filling status. By observing chemical anchor extruding from the indicator port, operators can determine when the annular gap is sufficiently filled, solving the measurement precision problem without complex instrumentation.
2Reliability
If chemical anchor is injected into the annular gap without proper control, then the gap can be filled, but the shear load capacity and seismic performance cannot be ensured due to underfilling or overfilling
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator port provides real-time visual feedback during the filling process. When chemical anchor begins to extrude from the indicator port, it signals that the annular gap is fully filled. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable anchorage performance by preventing both underfilling and overfilling, while keeping the operation simple and intuitive.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the chemical anchor itself as the indicator medium. The same material being injected serves dual purposes: filling the gap and indicating filling completion. This self-service approach ensures reliable performance without requiring separate indicator materials or complex monitoring systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A washer for filling of an annular gap around a fastener, wherein the washer has a port for filling said gap through the washer, and wherein the washer has an indicator for indicating when said gap has been sufficiently filled. A method of providing anchorage including the steps of: using an elongated fastener to anchor a first part to a second part; installing a washer as claimed in claim one; tightening the elongated fastener against the washer; feeding a chemical filler into the port of the washer to fill an annular gap around the elongated fastener; and using the indicator of the washer to determine when to stop feeding of the chemical filler.