Dowel Bracket for Early Rebar Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing concrete construction process is time-consuming and material-intensive, particularly due to the need to wait for concrete to cure before installing horizontal reinforcement bars and the subsequent waste of wood materials from defects and laborious nail removal processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of L-shaped or planar dowel brackets that can be mounted on spreader bars to support horizontal reinforcing bars before concrete pouring, allowing for early installation of reinforcement and reducing the need for additional wood forms, thereby streamlining the construction process and minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wood forms and spreader bars are used to support dowels, then the dowels can be held in position during concrete pouring, but the process requires waiting for concrete to cure before installing horizontal reinforcement bars, resulting in time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by installing horizontal reinforcement bars on the dowel brackets before the concrete is poured. The brackets are designed to hold both the vertical dowels and horizontal reinforcement bars simultaneously, allowing the reinforcement to be positioned and secured in advance rather than waiting for concrete curing. This preliminary installation of reinforcement eliminates the time delay while maintaining proper dowel positioning during the pour.
2Reliability
If additional wood forms and spreader bars are used to support dowels, then the construction process can proceed, but significant wood material is wasted due to defects from concrete exposure and nail removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dowel support function from the conventional wood formwork system and concentrates it into specialized dowel brackets. These brackets are attached only to the spreader bars where needed to support dowels and horizontal reinforcement, rather than requiring additional wood forms throughout the entire structure. This extraction of the specific support function reduces unnecessary wood material usage and associated waste from defects and demolition.
Solution Approach 2:
The dowel brackets serve multiple functions: they attach to spreader bars, hold vertical dowels in position during concrete pouring, and support horizontal reinforcement bars. This multi-functionality consolidates what would traditionally require separate wood formwork elements into a single component, reducing overall wood material consumption and waste.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wood forms with nails are used for construction, then the forms can be assembled and demolished, but the process is labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the formwork system into distinct functional components: the primary wood forms, the spreader bars, and the detachable dowel brackets. The brackets are separate elements that attach to spreader bars using fasteners, allowing them to be independently installed and removed. This segmentation enables quicker assembly and demolition compared to traditional nailed wood forms, as the brackets can be rapidly attached and detached without extensive nailing and prying operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The dowel brackets incorporate dynamic attachment mechanisms using fasteners that allow for quick connection and disconnection. Unlike permanent nailed connections, these fasteners enable the brackets to be easily attached during construction and rapidly removed during demolition, significantly reducing the labor and time required for formwork assembly and breakdown operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A dowel bracket is used for concrete wall or masonry wall construction. A rebar support bracket includes an elongated vertical member. The elongated vertical member has a first edge and an opposing second edge, where the first edge defines recesses. The rebar support bracket further includes a horizontal member projecting perpendicularly at a lower end of the elongated vertical member making an angled portion. The horizontal member has a planar surface that defines at least one mounting aperture provided to mount the rebar support bracket.