Construction Block Anchoring System with Vertical Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional block wall constructions anchored to building structures are prone to cracks and crumbling due to temperature fluctuations and moisture infiltration, and aesthetically unsatisfactory as visible anchor members disrupt the uniformity of veneer brick walls.
Innovation Solution
A system for anchoring construction blocks that includes inter-block elements and anchors with couplers, allowing vertical movement relative to the adjacent structure, eliminating the need for mortar and providing self-drainage and aesthetic benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid anchoring is used to secure block walls to wall support structures, then the wall achieves stable attachment, but cracks and structural failure occur due to temperature fluctuations and foundation movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing rigid anchoring with a flexible coupling mechanism. The coupler allows vertical movement between the block wall and wall support structure, enabling the system to adapt to temperature fluctuations and foundation movement while maintaining attachment stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the anchoring system from rigid to flexible. The coupler is designed with specific geometric parameters that allow controlled vertical movement while maintaining horizontal attachment, resolving the contradiction between stability and crack resistance.
2Strength
If traditional anchor members are embedded in block walls, then secure attachment is achieved, but aesthetic uniformity is compromised due to visible anchors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the visible anchor member from the wall surface by positioning it within the mortar joint. The coupler is hidden inside the wall structure, allowing secure attachment while maintaining the aesthetic uniformity of the veneer brick wall surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler is nested within the mortar joint and block wall structure. The anchoring portion is embedded in the wall support structure while the coupler remains hidden within the wall, achieving both secure attachment and aesthetic appearance.
3Strength
If mortar is used to bond construction blocks, then structural integrity is maintained, but water infiltration and freezing worsen crack gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of mortar joints (which allow water infiltration) into a beneficial drainage system. The coupler and mortar joint configuration allows water to flow through the wall structure, transforming the joint from a weakness into a drainage feature that prevents water accumulation and freezing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for anchoring a wall including superposed rows of construction blocks to an adjacent upstanding structure, each row including a plurality of the construction blocks, the system comprising: an inter-block element insertable between adjacent ones of the construction blocks and securable thereto; and an anchor including an anchoring portion securable to the upstanding structure and a coupler, the coupler securing the anchor and the inter-block element to each other with the anchoring portion at a predetermined distance from the inter-block element and such that with the anchoring portion operatively secured to the upstanding structure and the inter-block element operatively inserted between the adjacent ones of the construction blocks and secured thereto, the anchoring portion and the inter-block element are movable vertically relative to each other over a predetermined range of motion with the anchor remaining secured to the inter-block element. Also a wall including the system.