Concrete Embedment Fixture with Sloping Brace Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prefabricated concrete slab embedment fixtures for protective railing posts lack sufficient anchoring and support, leading to weak concrete bonds and increased likelihood of cracking in thinner concrete slabs, especially when subjected to mounting forces.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated concrete slab embedment fixture featuring a tubular member with brace elements that extend outwardly and downwardly, providing anchoring and supporting portions with non-corrosive spacers and a post stop, which are uniformly spaced around the tubular member to enhance stability and resistance to forces, and includes a removable top cover and dowel for drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple tubular member is used as the fixture, then the device complexity is reduced, but the anchoring strength and resistance to forces deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The brace elements are pre-positioned and attached to the tubular member before concrete casting. This preliminary action ensures that when concrete is poured, the fixture is already in the optimal configuration for achieving strong anchoring, eliminating the need for complex post-casting adjustments while maintaining high bond strength
Solution Approach 2:
The brace elements extend in multiple spatial dimensions (radially outward and downward at angles) from the tubular member, creating a three-dimensional anchoring structure. This dimensional expansion distributes forces across multiple directions and increases surface area for concrete bonding, thereby strengthening the fixture without requiring a more complex overall design
2Device complexity
If the fixture lacks sufficient anchoring structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability against overturning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The brace elements are pre-positioned and attached to the tubular member before concrete casting. This preliminary action ensures that when concrete is poured, the fixture is already in the optimal configuration for achieving strong anchoring, eliminating the need for complex post-casting adjustments while maintaining high bond strength
Solution Approach 2:
The brace elements extend in multiple spatial dimensions (radially outward and downward at angles) from the tubular member, creating a three-dimensional anchoring structure. This dimensional expansion distributes forces across multiple directions and increases surface area for concrete bonding, thereby strengthening the fixture without requiring a more complex overall design
Data Source
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Figure 5~7
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AI summary
This invention relates to a concrete embedment fixture for mounting of protective railing. The fixture has a tubular member (3), at least one concrete inlet opening (11, 13) at a bottom end of the tubular member, and a plurality of brace elements (5) attached to an outer periphery of the tubular member. Each brace element has a sloping portion, which extends from an upper end towards a lower end thereof in a downwardly and outwardly sloping direction, wherein projections of at least two of the brace elements in a transversal plane of the tubular member extend in mutually different directions. Further, each brace element comprises, at the lower end thereof, an anchoring and supporting portion (5c) arranged to rest on a base and anchor the fixture in concrete.