Concrete Insert Nut Box Resilient Layer Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current concrete inserts with foam nut box inserts lack sufficient pressure to keep the nut in a preselected position during concrete panel attachment to a building, and are prone to deformation or displacement during the forming process, allowing wet concrete to enter the nut box and preventing adjustability.
Innovation Solution
A concrete insert design featuring a housing with an elongate center portion and longitudinal flanges, incorporating a compression plate with a resilient layer to bias the nut against the bottom of the nut box, preventing rotation and ensuring the nut remains under the access slot, while also preventing wet cement from entering during casting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is used to bias the nut against the bottom of the nut box, then the nut is held under pressure in a selected location, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the reusable spring mechanism with a disposable foam material that is compressed during concrete pouring and permanently maintains pressure on the nut. The foam is consumed in the process, transforming from a reusable mechanical system to a single-use material solution that achieves the same positioning function more simply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the biasing element from a metallic spring with elastic properties to foam material with compressible properties. This parameter change allows the material to be compressed during concrete pouring and maintain continuous pressure on the nut without requiring a mechanical spring structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If Styrofoam foam is used as the nut box insert to replace the spring, then the cost decreases and simplicity increases, but the foam does not exert sufficient pressure against the nut and may be deformed or displaced during the forming process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining foam material with a fabric or mesh reinforcement layer. This composite construction maintains the cost advantages and simplicity of foam while adding structural integrity to prevent deformation and displacement during the concrete forming process, ensuring reliable nut positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a fabric or mesh film embedded within the foam material to provide reinforcement. This thin film structure distributes loads and prevents the foam from deforming or displacing under the weight and pressure of wet concrete, while maintaining the overall flexibility and compressibility needed for nut biasing.
3Ease of manufacture
If the nut box insert is made solely from foam material, then the simplicity and cost-effectiveness increase, but the insert may be deformed or displaced allowing wet concrete to enter the nut box
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines foam material with a fabric or mesh reinforcement to create a composite insert that resists deformation and displacement. This composite structure maintains the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of foam construction while adding the structural strength needed to prevent wet concrete from penetrating into the nut box during the forming process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively maintains the nut in a preselected position, ensuring secure attachment of concrete panels to buildings while preventing cement intrusion into the nut box, thus enhancing adjustability and structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The nut box insert comprises at least one resilient layer carried by a compression plate... The compression plate is for compressing the at least one resilient layer against the bottom of the nut for holding the nut under pressure in a selected location
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete insert for casting in a concrete wall panel, having a housing having an elongate center portion and two opposing longitudinal sides, and two opposing longitudinal flanges. The elongate center portion is bounded by opposing outer longitudinal bend lines, the elongate center portion defining a longitudinally oriented nut access slot. The opposing longitudinal sides depend inwardly from the opposing outer longitudinal bend lines to opposing inner longitudinal bend lines. The opposing longitudinal flanges depend from opposing inner longitudinal bend lines transversely to the opposing longitudinal sides and extend in mutually divergent relation. The housing and the nut box insert comprise a nut box. The nut box insert comprises at least one resilient layer having resilient end walls compressed against the housing by the compression plate for substantially preventing wet cement from entering the nut box. In another approach, end walls substantially prevent wet cement from entering the nut box.