Concrete Anchor Point Spacer for Shear Cone Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concrete anchor points, such as ferrule loop inserts, face challenges in securely embedding and orienting within concrete structures, leading to issues with structural rigidity and fall protection, as they often have small shear cones and require plug removal before form removal, which can result in instability during concrete curing.
Innovation Solution
A concrete anchor point system comprising an internally threaded member and a spacer, where the spacer creates a through-hole in the concrete, spacing the open end away from the exposed face, and a method involving a foundation sub-assembly with sealing members to ensure structural rigidity and secure embedding within the concrete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the internally threaded member is embedded directly against the exposed face of concrete, then the installation is simpler, but the shear cone size is small reducing structural rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer acts as an intermediary element between the internally threaded member and the concrete exposed face. It maintains a specific distance (e.g., 1/2 inch) that allows the concrete to develop a larger shear cone around the anchor point, thereby increasing structural rigidity while still being part of the same assembly system
2Ease of operation
If the plug is removed before form removal, then the threads are accessible for connection, but the anchor point becomes unstable during curing
Solution Approach 1:
The system is prepared in advance with the plug already installed in the internally threaded member before concrete pouring. The plug remains in place during concrete curing to maintain stability, and only after the concrete has fully cured is the plug removed to provide thread accessibility for final connections
3Strength
If the internally threaded member is positioned deep in concrete, then the shear cone size increases improving rigidity, but the threading access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer serves as a mediator that positions the internally threaded member at an optimal depth within the concrete. It ensures the member is embedded sufficiently deep to develop an adequate shear cone for structural rigidity, while simultaneously maintaining the open end close enough to the exposed face for easy threading access after plug removal
4Ease of manufacture
If the anchor point orientation is not fixed during curing, then the installation process is more flexible, but the final orientation may be incorrect reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The desired orientation is established in advance by positioning the spacer and internally threaded member assembly correctly before concrete pouring. The spacer's geometry and the assembly's configuration ensure that once embedded, the anchor point maintains the correct orientation relative to the concrete surface, combining installation flexibility with orientation precision
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete anchor point includes an internally threaded member and a spacer. The internally threaded member and the spacer are cast in a volume of concrete. The internally threaded member terminates in an open end. The spacer has a hole extending therethrough which provides a through-hole in the volume of concrete extending from the opening in the exposed face to the open end. The spacer functions to space the open end away from the exposed face at a non-zero depth within the volume of concrete.