Concrete Cladding Elements With Pre-Embedded Anchors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cladding methods for building walls using industrialized concrete blocks face challenges in fixing the blocks stably to support walls due to limited flexibility in anchor location, number, and configuration, leading to difficulties in implementation and reduced strength, especially under environmental stress.

Innovation Solution

An integrated manufacturing system using a cladding block manufacturing machine and anchor feeding and embedding machine coordinates to produce concrete blocks with pre-determined anchor placement, allowing for greater flexibility and strength in fixing the blocks to support walls, using three-part anchors that can be bent and embedded within the blocks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current cladding methods drill holes at the sides of cladding blocks and introduce fastening anchors, then anchors can be connected to intermediate steel net, but the method suffers from difficulty in implementation onsite and requires significant workforce

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchor fixation strengthVSAvoidonsite implementation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-embedding anchors into the cladding blocks during manufacturing, rather than drilling holes and installing anchors onsite. The anchors are positioned in predetermined configurations before the blocks are installed, which eliminates the complex onsite operations of drilling, inserting, and bending anchors, while ensuring proper fixation strength through controlled placement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the anchor embedding process with the cladding block manufacturing process. Instead of treating anchor installation as a separate onsite operation, the anchors are integrated into the blocks during production, combining two previously separate operations (block manufacturing and anchor installation) into one unified process that improves both efficiency and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If current cladding methods use fastening anchors bent towards intermediate steel net, then anchors can be connected to support wall, but there is limited flexibility in determining location and number of anchors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchor location flexibilityVSAvoidanchor holding strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action to determine anchor locations, numbers, and configurations during the design and manufacturing phase rather than making decisions onsite. This allows for optimized anchor placement that adapts to specific structural requirements while maintaining high holding strength through predetermined strategic positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by allowing the anchor configuration to be adapted to different cladding block sizes, shapes, and installation requirements. The system can dynamically adjust the number, location, and arrangement of anchors based on specific project needs, rather than using a fixed standardized approach, thereby achieving both flexibility and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If integrated machinery is used for manufacturing cladding elements with advance embedded anchors, then productivity and precision are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecladding element manufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidintegrated machinery complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cladding block manufacturing process with the anchor embedding process into a single integrated machine system. This combination eliminates the need for separate operations and allows both processes to occur simultaneously, significantly improving productivity while the integration itself manages the complexity through coordinated automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the integrated machinery to adjust various parameters such as anchor position, number, and configuration based on programmed specifications. This flexibility enables the system to handle different block types and requirements without requiring completely different equipment, managing complexity through programmable adaptability rather than mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3748102B1Concrete building cladding elements with integrated anchors
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 ACKERSTEIN INDS
  • EP3748102B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3748102B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3748102B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

The present invention pertains to integrated machine for manufacturing anchor embedded cladding elements. Essentially, this machine comprises a cladding block manufacturing machine and anchor feeding and embedding machine, where the concrete block manufacturing machine and anchor feeding and embedding machine are configured for coordinated operation for producing anchors embedded cladding elements comprising concrete blocks and anchors embedded within said blocks. The flexibility and versatility of the machine is in determining the end location of the anchors in the final cladding elements before even manufacturing the cladding blocks. This provides greater degree of freedom, which in turn allows increasing the strength in fixing the cladding elements to a support wall on the one hand, and decreasing onsite or prefabrication workload and difficulties in the cladding process.