Telescoping Form Support Assembly for Precise Concrete Form Leveling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional concrete foundation formwork is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and generates significant waste due to the use of disposable lumber and plywood sheets, with challenges in leveling and stake placement, and requires multiple concrete pours, leading to high costs and material contamination.
Innovation Solution
A length-adjustable assembly featuring telescoping members with a male and female threaded system allows for precise adjustment and stabilization of form supports, enabling efficient setup and leveling of concrete forms, reducing the need for disposable materials and minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional disposable lumber and plywood sheets are used for formwork, then the setup process is simple, but labor intensity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The form support system is divided into separate modular components including adjustable support legs, mounting brackets, and form panels. This segmentation allows for rapid assembly and disassembly without requiring extensive labor, directly addressing the contradiction between simple setup and high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The form support system incorporates adjustable and movable components that can be dynamically reconfigured during construction. The adjustable support legs and removable mounting brackets enable quick adaptation to different formwork requirements, increasing construction speed while maintaining ease of setup.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional disposable formwork materials are used, then initial setup is straightforward, but material waste and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The form support system is designed for repeated use and recovery. The durable metal support legs and mounting brackets can be removed, cleaned, and reused across multiple construction projects, eliminating the need to discard materials after single use and significantly reducing waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The form support components are designed as universal, multi-functional elements that can be used with various types of formwork panels and configurations. This universality allows the same support system to serve multiple purposes across different construction applications, reducing the need for specialized disposable materials.
3Ease of operation
If stakes are driven into the ground for form support, then initial positioning is achieved, but stakes may sink or settle requiring re-leveling
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical stake-driven positioning system with an adjustable support leg system that uses threading mechanisms and locking features. This substitution eliminates the reliability issues of stakes sinking into soil while maintaining ease of initial positioning through simple assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The support legs incorporate adjustable length capabilities that allow for dynamic compensation of ground irregularities and settlement. If settling occurs, the adjustable mechanism enables easy re-leveling without requiring complete disassembly, maintaining both ease of operation and position stability.
4Strength
If footing forms are heavy, then structural stability is maintained, but lifting and positioning become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The formwork system is segmented into lighter individual components including separate support legs, mounting brackets, and form panels. This segmentation reduces the weight that must be lifted at any one time while maintaining overall structural stability through the coordinated assembly of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system utilizes composite construction combining metal support legs with mounting brackets and form panels. This composite approach creates a stable yet manageable weight structure that maintains strength while improving ease of handling and positioning during installation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the efficiency of concrete foundation construction by reducing labor and material waste, improving leveling accuracy, and minimizing the number of concrete pours, thereby lowering costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a male threaded member about which one or more of the telescoping members substantially extend. The male threaded member is rotatable relative to the end member with axial/longitudinal movement of the male threaded member relative to the end member being inhibited.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a form support, a form assembly and a length-adjustable assembly therefor, as well as a method of installing a form assembly. The length-adjustable assembly includes upper and lower telescoping members and an end member removably coupled to and extending radially relative to the upper telescoping member. The length-adjustable assembly includes a male threaded member about which the telescoping members substantially extend. The male threaded member is rotatable relative to the end member with axial movement of the male threaded member relative to the end member being inhibited. The male threaded member threadably couples to a lower telescoping member.The form support includes a mount coupled to and extending outwards from a lower end of and/or is adjacent the upper telescoping member according to one embodiment. The mount extends outwards from an upper end of the upper telescoping member in another embodiment. The mount may be L-shaped.