Cast-in Concrete Anchor with Profiled Legs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concrete lifting anchors face a failure mode where the leg can burst through the panel due to insufficient concrete strength on the outer side, necessitating long legs for load distribution, increasing material costs and complicating installation.
Innovation Solution
The anchor's legs are profiled with upwardly and inwardly inclined formations on the inner edge, locking tighter into the concrete as the load increases, reducing the lateral deflection force and allowing for shorter leg lengths, thereby reducing material costs and simplifying installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If long legs are used to distribute load and prevent bursting through, then reliability is improved, but material cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric profiling on the inner edge of the anchor legs, with upwardly and inwardly inclined formations concentrated at specific locations where lateral deflection forces are greatest. This localized structural modification provides enhanced concrete interlocking and load distribution precisely where needed, rather than uniformly increasing the entire leg length. The profiling creates mechanical interlock with the concrete that prevents bursting through while maintaining shorter overall leg dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by providing profiling formations only on the inner edge of the legs that face toward the panel center, while the outer edges remain straight or differently profiled. The upward and inward inclination of the formations creates an asymmetric geometry that generates favorable force components counteracting lateral deflection. This asymmetric design allows the anchor to achieve reliable load distribution and prevent bursting through with shorter legs, as the asymmetric profiling concentrates the load-bearing and load-distributing functions at the critical inner edge interface with the concrete.
2Reliability
If long legs are used to distribute load, then reliability is improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric profiling on the inner edge of the anchor legs, with upwardly and inwardly inclined formations concentrated at specific locations where lateral deflection forces are greatest. This localized structural modification provides enhanced concrete interlocking and load distribution precisely where needed, rather than uniformly increasing the entire leg length. The profiling creates mechanical interlock with the concrete that prevents bursting through while maintaining shorter overall leg dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the leg profiling by introducing upward and inward inclined formations with specific angles and spacing. These parameter changes transform the force interaction between the anchor leg and concrete, creating a more efficient load distribution mechanism that achieves the same or better reliability with reduced material quantity. The inclined formations convert vertical lifting loads into favorable lateral compression forces against the concrete, improving load distribution efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional profiling is used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but leg deflection and bursting through can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating asymmetric profiling on the inner edge of the anchor legs, with upwardly and inwardly inclined formations concentrated at specific locations where lateral deflection forces are greatest. This localized structural modification provides enhanced concrete interlocking and load distribution precisely where needed, rather than uniformly increasing the entire leg length. The profiling creates mechanical interlock with the concrete that prevents bursting through while maintaining shorter overall leg dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by providing profiling formations only on the inner edge of the legs that face toward the panel center, while the outer edges remain straight or differently profiled. The upward and inward inclination of the formations creates an asymmetric geometry that generates favorable force components counteracting lateral deflection. This asymmetric design allows the anchor to achieve reliable load distribution and prevent bursting through with shorter legs, as the asymmetric profiling concentrates the load-bearing and load-distributing functions at the critical inner edge interface with the concrete.
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor for embedment into a concrete component, has a head via which load is applied to the anchor in use and an anchoring formation provided by at least one leg extending from the head and profiled along an edge thereof so as to lock into the surrounding concrete. The profile is formed by a series of longitudinally spaced formations each of generally saw-toothed shape with a leading edge of each formation inclining towards the head such that on application of a pulling load to the head the leg will lock tighter into the concrete with increasing load.