Recessed Panel Connector Assembly for Hidden Precast Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of pre-cast concrete panels is labor-intensive and costly, requiring on-site welding or bolting, which is unsightly and prone to cracking, affecting the aesthetic appearance and increasing construction time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device with arm members that anchor into recesses formed by formwork assemblies in the panels, allowing the device to be received wholly within the voids, facilitating the assembly of two, three, or more panels without visible marks, and reducing labor and material use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cast-in plates are welded or bolted together on-site, then panels can be joined together, but the connection becomes unsightly and labor-intensive requiring cherry pickers
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device is pre-assembled with arm members positioned in recesses formed during panel manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex on-site welding or bolting operations, as the connection mechanism is already configured before panels are transported to the construction site.
Solution Approach 2:
A specially designed connecting device serves as an intermediary element between panels. This device includes arm members that fit into recesses on adjacent panels, providing a simple mechanical connection that replaces the need for welding or bolting, thereby simplifying the assembly process and improving ease of operation.
2Strength
If additional settable material is used to cover connections, then panels can be joined, but the material cracks and renders panels unsightly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the connection mechanism from the visible surface of panels by placing it within recesses. The arm members are positioned inside recesses formed during manufacturing, so the connection hardware is hidden from view, eliminating the unsightly appearance caused by both traditional connections and covering materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting device is nested within the recesses of adjacent panels. The arm members fit inside the recesses, and the connecting device body is positioned within the void formed by adjacent recesses, creating a clean, flush appearance that maintains panel aesthetics while providing secure connections.
3Reliability
If traditional welding or bolting methods are used, then panels can be connected, but construction time and costs increase due to labor requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device is designed to be self-aligning and self-installing. The arm members with means for anchoring into recesses automatically position themselves correctly when panels are brought together, eliminating the need for skilled workers to perform complex welding or bolting operations, thereby increasing construction speed and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the complex mechanical systems of welding or bolting with a simpler mechanical insertion system. The connecting device is simply inserted into the void formed by adjacent recesses, with arm members anchoring into the recesses, providing reliable connections through straightforward mechanical engagement rather than complex fastening procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is a connecting device for connecting an assembly of adjacent panels, wherein the connecting device has a body comprising at least two portions, each portion having means for anchoring the connecting device into a respective recess in one of the panels of the assembly, which, when the panels are so assembled, the connecting device is receivable in a void formed by the recesses of the panels thereby joining the panels together and wherein the connecting device is configured to selectively connect an assembly of two, three or more panels.