Modular retaining wall system and façade

• US 10,458,092 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horacio Correia
• Original Assignee: Horacio Correia
• Inventors: Correia, Horacio, Correia, Liborio, Jean, Simon, Santos, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Lagman, Frederick L
• Application Number:
  US16/001,892
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2300/002 Concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2600/20 comprising details of connection between elements
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/025 made up of similar modular elements stacked without mortar
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/0266 made up of preformed elements

Abstract

A retaining wall system comprises at least one rear supporting block, at least one façade block and at least one connector. The retaining wall system comprises top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral surface therebetween defining receiving slots on at least a portion thereof. The façade block comprises front and rear surfaces, top and bottom ends, and lateral side. The top and bottom ends define respective receiving slots. The connector comprises a rear portion for being fitted into the receiving slot of the rear supporting block and a front portion for being fitted into the receiving slot of the façade block. The connector provides for connecting the façade block to the rear supporting block.

Claims

1. A retaining wall system comprising:

at least one rear supporting block comprising top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral surface therebetween defining receiving slots on at least a portion thereof, each receiving slot being defined by a backing wall and interfacing side walls, the side walls defining an inner slot section that is wider than an outer slot section defining inner shoulders between the inner and outer slot sections;

at least one faç

ade block comprising front and rear surfaces, top and bottom ends, and lateral sides, the top and bottom ends;

at least one connector comprising;

a rear portion for being fitted into the receiving slot of the rear supporting block;

a front portion for being connected to the top or bottom end of the faç

ade block; and

a longitudinal body interposed between the front and rear portions,

wherein the front portion defines a tab element including apertures for receiving a pin member for being pinned to the faç

ade block thereby connecting the connector to the faç

ade block, the rear portion comprising a first section interposed between a second section thereof and the front portion, the second section being wider than the first section, the first and second sections comprising respective vertical flaps, the second section providing for being fitted within the inner slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls and the shoulders, the first section providing for being fitted within the outer wall slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls,

wherein the connector provides for connecting the faç

ade block to the rear supporting block.

2. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein the slots of the rear supporting block are defined by spaced apart finger portions.

3. A retaining wall system according to claim 2, further comprising at least a second one of the rear supporting block, wherein the slots of the at least one rear supporting block receive the finger portions of the second one of the rear supporting block and wherein the finger portions of the at least one rear supporting block are received by the slots of the second one of the rear supporting block.

4. A retaining wall system according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of the rear supporting block, wherein a given one of the plurality of the rear supporting block can be connected to another given one of the plurality of the rear supporting block along the respective peripheries thereof.

5. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein the periphery of the rear supporting block comprises front and rear end sides and opposite lateral sides.

6. A retaining wall system according to claim 5, wherein the front, rear and opposite lateral sides define spaced apart finger portions that define the slots of the at least one rear supporting block.

7. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the front portion and the rear portion is selectively adjustable in order to selectively adjust the distance between the faç

ade block and the rear supporting block.

8. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein the length of the longitudinal body is selectively adjustable in order to selectively adjust the distance between the faç

ade block and the rear supporting block.

9. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second one of the faç

ade block for being stacked at the bottom end thereof on the top end of the at least one faç

ade block thereby defining upper and lower faç

ade block, wherein the front end of the connector is connectable to the bottom end of the upper faç

ade block and the top end of the lowed faç

ade block.

10. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the top and bottom ends of the faç

ade block defines a slot, the front end of the connector being fitted within the slot of the faç

ade block.

11. A retaining wall system according to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the rear supporting block define respective grooves for receiving the connector, the system further comprising at least a second one of the rear supporting block stackable on the at least one rear supporting block thereby defining upper and lower rear supporting blocks, wherein the connector is interposable therebetween for providing an offset between the upper and lower rear supporting blocks.

12. A connector for connecting a front faç

ade block to a rear support block, the front faç

ade block having front and rear surfaces, top and bottom ends, and lateral sides, the rear support block having the top and bottom surfaces and a periphery therebetween, a plurality of finger portions protruding from at least a portion of the periphery, a given pair of adjacent fingers having respective interfacing walls that defining a slot therebetween, each receiving slot being defined by a backing wall and interfacing side walls, the side walls defining an inner slot section that is wider than an outer slot section defining inner shoulders between the inner and outer slot sections, the connector comprising;

a rear portion for being fitted within the slot of the rear support block;

a front portion for being mounted to the top or bottom end of the front faç

ade block; and

a longitudinal body between the front and the rear portions,

wherein the front portion defines a tab element including apertures for receiving a pin member for being pinned to the faç

ade block thereby connecting the connector to the faç

ade block, the rear portion comprising a first section interposed between a second section thereof and the front portion, the second section being wider than the first section, the first and second sections comprising respective vertical flaps, the second section providing for being fitted within the inner slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls and the shoulders, the first section providing for being fitted within the outer wall slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls,

wherein the connector provides for connecting the faç

ade block to the rear supporting block.

13. A connector according to claim 12, wherein the distance between the front portion and the rear portion is selectively adjustable.

14. A connector according to claim 12, wherein the length of the longitudinal body is selectively adjustable.

15. A method for providing a retaining wall, the method comprising:

providing at least one rear supporting block comprising top and bottom surfaces and a peripheral surface therebetween defining receiving slots on at least a portion thereof;

providing at least one faç

ade block comprising front and rear surfaces, top and bottom ends, and lateral sides, the top and bottom ends defining respective receiving slots, each receiving slot being defined by a backing wall and interfacing side walls, the side walls defining an inner slot section that is wider than an outer slot section defining inner shoulders between the inner and outer slot sections;

providing at least one connector comprising a rear end for being fitted into the receiving slot of the rear supporting block and a front end for being fitted into the receiving slot of the faç

ade block, wherein the front portion defines a tab element including apertures for receiving a pin member for being pinned to the faç

ade block thereby connecting the connector to the faç

ade block, the rear portion comprising a first section interposed between a second section thereof and the front portion, the second section being wider than the first section, the first and second sections comprising respective vertical flaps, the second section providing for being fitted within the inner slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls and the shoulders, the first section providing for being fitted within the outer wall slot section with the flaps thereof engaging the side walls;

positioning the at least one faç

ade block in front of the rear supporting block;

fitting the rear end of the connector into the receiving slot of the rear supporting block; and

connecting the front end to the upper or bottom end the faç

ade block thereby connecting the faç

ade block to the rear supporting block.