One-sided insulated formwork

• US 6,314,694 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airlite Plastics Co (Airlite Plastics)
• Original Assignee: Arxx Building Products Inc.
• Inventors: Sculthorpe, Robert Elias, Cooper, Bruce Reginald, Woolgar, Gary, Scott, G. Richie
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DORSEY, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/218,616
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 523/091.2, 524/26, 524/31, 524/32, 524/42, 525/65, 525/63, 527/450.9, 249/190, 249/40
• US Class Current: 52/309.12
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/8611 with spacers being embedded in at least one form leaf
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/8641 using dovetail-type connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/8682 Mixed technique using permanent and reusable forms
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 17/06 Tying means; Spacers ; Devices for extracting or inserting wall ties E04G17/047 takes precedence; permanent forms for walls, e.g. with ties E04B2/86

Abstract

One-sided, insulated formwork used in the construction of walls from pourable building material, such as concrete, including an insulating panel connectable to a removable panel by a connecting structure, which may include a permanent reinforcement embedded in the insulating panel. The connecting structure may have a tie removably attachable to the reinforcement, or the reinforcement and tie may constitute a monolithic structure. The tie may be asymmetric in shape to facilitate distribution of loads across the insulating panel, detachment of the removable panel, and enhance the structural integrity of the finished wall.

Claims

1. A one-sided insulated wall form for use with a removable panel defining with the insulated wall form a space for receiving pourable building material, said one-sided insulated wall form comprising:

a permanent panel having a first length defined as the distance between a first side and a second side of said permanent panel, and a surface defining at least a portion of an outer wall surface of a wall constructed with the form, said permanent panel being made from an insulating;

material configured to remain a permanent part of the wall; and

a connecting structure for maintaining a fixed, spaced relationship between said permanent panel and the removable panel, said connecting structure configured to remain a permanent part of a wall constructed with the formwork, said connecting structure including;

a longitudinally extending first portion connectable to said permanent panel, said first portion having a second length approximately equal to at least one half of the first length of said permanent panel, the second length being defined by a panel support for distributing building loads across a region of said permanent panel, the building loads being sufficiently distributed by said panel support to permit support of said permanent panel by said first portion during the wall building process, and

a second portion releasably engageable with the removable panel.

2. A formwork comprising the one-sided insulated wall form of claim 1 in combination with a removable panel made from a non-insulating material, said removable panel being releasably secured to the one-sided insulated form by engagement of said removable panel with said second portion.

3. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 1, wherein said first portion comprises a reinforcement member secured to said permanent panel and said second portion comprises a tie connected to said reinforcement member.

4. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 3, wherein said reinforcement member is embedded within said permanent panel by molding.

5. The insulated wall form of claim 3, wherein said reinforcement member and tie member are integrally formed.

6. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 3, wherein said reinforcement member is slidably received in said permanent panel.

7. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 6, wherein said permanent panel includes a slot and said reinforcement member includes a shank configured to be slidably received within said slot.

8. The insulated wall form of claim 1, wherein said first portion comprises a reinforcement member and said second portion comprises a tie member detachably securable to said reinforcement member.

9. The insulated wall form of claim 8, wherein said reinforcement member includes a first portion integrally formed therewith and said tie member includes a second portion integrally formed therewith, wherein said tie member is detachably securable to said reinforcement member by engaging said first and said second portions.

10. The insulated wall form of claim 9, wherein one of the first and second portions comprises a male connector and the other comprises a female connector adapted to positively engage said first and second portions together.

11. The insulated wall form of claim 9, wherein when the removable panel is engaged with said second portion and the pourable building material is disposed between said permanent panel and said first and second portions, the pourable building material assists in forming the connection between the tie member and the reinforcement member.

12. A one-sided insulated wall form for use with a removable panel defining with the insulated wall form a formwork for receiving pourable building material, said one-sided insulated wall form comprising:

a permanent insulating panel having a surface defining at least a portion of an outer wall surface of a wall constructed with the form, said permanent panel including a reinforcement member for distributing building loads across a region of said permanent panel, the building loads being sufficiently distributed by said reinforcement member to permit support of said permanent panel by said reinforcement member during the wall building process; and

a tie member having a first end releasably engageable with said reinforcement member and a second end having a panel connecting portion being couplable to the removable panel and de-couplable from the removable panel after the pouring of the building material.

13. A formwork including the one-sided insulated wall form of claim 12 in combination with a coupling for coupling and de-coupling said one-sided insulated form to the removable panel.

14. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 12 wherein said panel connecting portion is couplable to the removable panel using removable fasteners.

15. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 13 wherein said coupling is a waler and a removable fastener.

16. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 12, wherein said reinforcement member has an outer surface to which a finishing material can be attached.

17. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 16, wherein said outer surface of the reinforcement member extends substantially the full height of the insulating panel.

18. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 16, wherein said outer surface of the reinforcement member at least partially abuts the outer surface of said insulating panel.

19. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 16, wherein said outer surface of the reinforcement member is flush with the outer surface of said insulating panel.

20. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 16, wherein said outer surface of the reinforcement member is completely exposed on the outer surface of said insulating panel.

21. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 12, wherein said reinforcement member and said tie member are integrally formed.

22. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 12, wherein said tie member is releasably engageable with said reinforcement member at an inner bearing surface of said insulating panel.

36. The wall form of claim 13, wherein said coupling comprises a waler and a plurality of removable fasteners.

23. An asymmetric tie member for connecting and maintaining first and second panels of a formwork in a fixed, spaced relationship during the wall building process, the first and second panels each having respective inner and outer panel surfaces and a top and bottom, said asymmetric tie having a first end, second end and a length defined as the distance between the first and second ends, the length corresponding, approximately, to a wall thickness described by the space between the first and second panel inner wall surfaces when the first and second panels are connected by said asymmetric tie, said asymmetric tie member comprising:

a first portion located proximate the first end, said first portion being connected to the first panel and being located adjacent to the first panel inner wall surface;

a second portion located proximate the second end, said second portion being connected to the second panel and having a height substantially less than the height of said first portion; and

an intermediate portion extending between said first and second portions wherein said asymmetric tie member resists outwardly directed forces applied to the inner panel surfaces.

26. The asymmetric tie member of claim 23, wherein said intermediate portion tapers from said first portion to said second portion.

27. The asymmetric tie member of claim 23 wherein the first panel is an insulating panel and the second panel is a removable panel.

43. The asymmetric tie member of claim 26, wherein said asymmetric tie member is triangular in shape.

44. The asymmetric tie member of claim 27, wherein the removable panel is made from a non-insulating material.

45. The asymmetric tie member of claim 27, wherein a space for receiving pourable building material is defined by the distance between the inner wall surfaces of the insulating panel and the removable panel, wherein said asymmetric tie first and second portions are located between the inner wall surfaces.

46. The asymmetric tie member of claim 27, wherein the removable panel is made from an insulating material.

24. An asymmetric tie member for connecting and maintaining first and second panels of a formwork in a fixed, spaced relationship during the wall building process, the first and second panels each having respective inner and outer panel surfaces and a top and bottom, said asymmetric tie having a first end, second end and a length defined as the distance between the first and second ends, the length corresponding, approximately, to a wall thickness described by the space between the first and second panel inner wall surfaces when the first and second panels are connected by said asymmetric tie, said asymmetric tie member comprising:

a first portion located proximate the first end, said first portion being connectable to the first panel and being located adjacent to the first panel inner wall surface when said asymmetric tie member is connected to the first panel;

a second portion located proximate the second end, said second portion being connectable to the second panel and having a height substantially less than the height of said first portion; and

an intermediate portion extending between said first and second portions;

wherein said first portion is releasably engageable with the first panel.

25. An asymmetric tie member for connecting and maintaining first and second panels of a formwork in a fixed, spaced relationship during the wall building process, the first and second panels each having respective inner and outer panel surfaces and a top and bottom, said asymmetric tie having a first end, second end and a length defined as the distance between the first and second ends, the length corresponding, approximately, to a wall thickness described by the space between the first and second panel inner wall surfaces when the first and second panels are connected by said asymmetric tie, said asymmetric tie member comprising:

a first portion located proximate the first end, said first portion being connectable to the first panel and being located adjacent to the first panel inner wall surface when said asymmetric tie member is connected to the first panel;

a second portion located proximate the second end, said second portion being connectable to the second panel and having a height substantially less than the height of said first portion; and

an intermediate portion extending between said first and second portions;

wherein said second portion is adapted for releasable engagement with the second panel.

28. A method of making a wall from pourable building material, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a one-sided wall form, comprising the steps of;

providing an insulating panel having an inner and outer panel surface wherein the outer panel surface corresponds to at least a part of the outer wall surface of a wall constructed with the one-sided wall form, and

providing a connecting structure including a permanent reinforcement and a tie, the permanent reinforcement being secured to the insulating panel and including a support member for distributing building loads across a region of the insulating panel, the building loads being sufficiently distributed by the support member to permit support of the insulating panel by the support member during the wall building process, and the tie extending from the inner panel surface of the insulating panel to a terminal end of the tie;

attaching a removable panel to the one-sided form to thereby define a space for receiving building material, wherein the space for receiving building material is defined by a wall thickness approximately equal to the distance from the inner panel surface to the tie terminal end, comprising the steps of;

positioning the removable panel adjacent the tie terminal end, and

securing the removable panel to the tie terminal end;

pouring building material into the space; and

disconnecting the removable panel from the wall.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of attaching the removable panel comprises engaging a coupling with the tie terminal end and attaching the connecting structure to the removable panel by removably fastening the coupling to the removable panel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of removing the removable panel from the wall includes the step of removing the removable panel from the coupling.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the coupling is removably fastened to the removable panel using removable fasteners.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of providing a one-sided wall form comprises molding the connecting structure into the insulating panel.

33. A wall form for receiving pourable building material, comprising:

an insulating panel including a permanent reinforcement member fixed to said insulating panel, said reinforcement member including a panel support for distributing building loads across a region of said insulating panel, the building loads being sufficiently distributed by said panel support to permit support of said insulating panel by said reinforcement member during the wall building process;

a removable panel;

a connecting structure extending between said insulating and removable panels and defining a space therebetween for receiving the pourable building material; and

a coupling assembly, separate from said connecting structure, for mating said removable panel to said connecting structure;

wherein when said removable panel is mated to said connecting structure, said connecting structure and said reinforcement member maintain a fixed spaced relationship between said insulating and removable panels during the wall building process.

34. The wall form of claim 33, wherein said connecting structure comprises said permanent reinforcement and a tie member securable to said reinforcement.

35. The wall form of claim 34 wherein said reinforcement and tie member are integrally formed.

37. The wall form of claim 33, said insulating panel having a top, bottom and a center defined as a location approximately equidistant from the top and bottom, wherein the coupling is disposed at substantially the same level as the center of the insulating panel.

38. The wall form of claim 33, said insulating panel having a top, bottom and a center defined as a location approximately equidistant from the top and bottom, wherein the coupling is located substantially below or above the level of the center of the insulating panel.

39. The wall form of claim 33, wherein the connecting structure is substantially in the shape of an isosceles triangle.

40. The wall form of claim 33, wherein the connecting structure is substantially in the shape of a right triangle.

41. A one-sided insulated wall form for receiving pourable building material, comprising:

an insulating panel having a first thickness;

a removable panel having a second thickness, wherein said second thickness is substantially less than said first thickness;

a permanent reinforcement member fixed to said insulating panel, said reinforcement member including a panel support for distributing building loads across a region of said insulating panel, wherein the region of distributed building loads is such as to not require the application of external pressure supports to said permanent panel during the wall building process; and

a connecting structure for connecting said removable panel and said insulating panel, said connecting structure being coupled to said reinforcement member and extending between said insulating panel and said removable panels, wherein said insulating panel and said removable panel are maintained in a fixed, spaced relationship prior to the pouring of the building material when said connecting structure is connected to said removable panel and wherein said removable panel is removable from said connecting structure after the pouring of the pourable building material by disconnecting said removable panel from said connecting structure.

42. The one-sided insulated wall form of claim 41, wherein said removable panel is made from a non-insulating material.