Horizontal Beam With Hinged Hooks for Safer Formwork Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing formwork systems for concrete ceilings pose safety risks during assembly and disassembly due to the need for assembly from elevated positions, and they are inefficient in terms of material usage and dismantling times, with existing pivoting mechanisms compromising stability and requiring non-reusable components.
Innovation Solution
A horizontal beam with folding hooks allows for assembly and disassembly from below, enabling early striking and efficient reuse of materials, while maintaining stability through secure attachment of formwork panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If formwork systems are assembled from elevated positions (scaffold or lifting platform), then the formwork can be installed at required height, but safety risks increase due to risk of falling and hazards from falling parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional assembly approach by enabling formwork panels to be assembled from below ground level rather than from elevated positions. The horizontal beam with folding hooks allows installers to work safely at ground level while still achieving the required formwork height through the pivoting mechanism that lifts panels into position.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding hook mechanism acts as an intermediary between the ground-level assembly position and the elevated formwork position. This mediator enables the transfer of formwork panels from the safe ground level to the required height without exposing workers to fall hazards.
2Ease of operation
If pivoting mechanisms are fixed to slab props, then assembly from below is enabled, but the components cannot be removed prematurely and installed at new locations, reducing material efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the formwork system into separable components: the horizontal beam with folding hooks can be detached from the slab props, and the formwork panels can be independently removed. This segmentation enables premature dismantling of formwork components and their reuse at new locations, improving material efficiency while maintaining the assembly-from-below capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding hook mechanism provides dynamic adaptability - it can be in a folded position during assembly from below, then unfolded and locked to support the formwork panel. The entire assembly can subsequently be dynamically repositioned or dismantled for reuse, combining the benefits of safe assembly with material reusability.
3Productivity
If modular formwork systems use early striking, then material usage efficiency increases, but the formwork must be dismantled before concrete fully hardens requiring additional support considerations
Solution Approach 1:
The modular design with separable horizontal beams, folding hooks, and formwork panels enables selective and premature dismantling of formwork components. This segmentation allows early striking where formwork can be removed from areas where concrete has sufficient strength, while leaving support in areas that still require it, optimizing both productivity and structural reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a horizontal beam (1) for securing at least one formwork panel (2) for at least partially forming a concrete slab. According to the invention, at least one hinged hook (4) for securing the formwork panel (2) is formed on at least one first longitudinal side (1a) of the horizontal beam (1). The invention also relates to methods for at least partially forming and stripping a concrete slab.