Plastic slab bolster upper

• US 6,722,097 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dayton Superior Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aztec Concrete Accessories Incorporated (Dayton Superior Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Ken, Haslem, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/904,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 526/77, 523/34, 523/960.2, 526/86, 526/87, 523/23, 523/25, 526/78, 526/34, 521/77, 521/81, 248/440, 404/47, 404/67, D 8/354
• US Class Current: 52/687
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/20 of material other than metal or with only additional metal parts, e.g. concrete or plastics spacers with metal binding wires E04C5/168 takes precedence

Abstract

A slab bolster upper for supporting rebar in a reinforced concrete structure while the concrete is poured and thereafter cures, is of molded plastic construction and is formed with horizontal and vertical voids that facilitate concrete placement and break up potential shear planes. Opposite ends of each unit are provided with complementary buckles to interconnect with like units to form a continuous support of desired length.

Claims

1. A slab bolster upper for supporting rebar in a reinforced concrete structure comprising:

an elongated base having upper and lower surfaces and spaced outer edges;

an elongated support section for engaging and supporting rebar connected to and projecting from said upper surface of said base from a location intermediate said outer edges;

said base and said support section being of plastic construction;

voids formed through said base and said support section with said voids comprising a major portion of said base and said support section and sized to facilitate free flow of concrete therethrough, whereby concrete, during placement thereof, may flow freely through and around said base and said support section; and

said base and said support section each extending along longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel.

2. The slab bolster upper of claim 1, wherein said base and said support section are formed as an integral unit.

3. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

gussets interconnecting said base and said support section and extending from said upper surface of said base in planes substantially perpendicular to said base.

4. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

ribs extending longitudinally of said base and projecting substantially perpendicularly from said upper surface thereof.

5. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

gussets interconnecting said base and said support section;

ribs extending longitudinally of said base; and

said gussets and said ribs extending substantially perpendicularly from said upper surface of said base.

6. The slab bolster of claim 1 wherein:

said support section includes a rebar-engaging portion; and

said rebar-engaging portion extends substantially parallel to said base.

7. The slab bolster upper of claim 6 wherein:

said rebar-engaging portion has transverse ridges projecting therefrom.

8. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

complementary buckles formed integrally with said slab bolster upper at opposite ends thereof for interconnecting successive units of said slab bolster upper.

9. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 wherein said plastic is fiber reinforced.

10. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 wherein said base and support section are of injection molded construction.

11. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 wherein said base and support section are extruded.

12. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 wherein:

said support section comprises a plurality of posts projecting from said upper surface of said base; and

a rebar-engaging cap attached to outer ends of said posts.

13. The slab bolster upper of claim 12 wherein:

said cap is mechanically attached to said posts by means of complementary joint elements molded integrally with said cap and said posts.

14. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 wherein:

said plastic of which said slab bolster upper is molded is from a group consisting of polycarbonate/ABS, polyproylene, and nylon.

15. The slab bolster upper of claim 14 wherein:

said plastic of which said slab bolster upper is molded is reinforced with fibers from a group consisting of fiberglass, carbon fiber, metal fibers, and Kelvar.

16. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

projections extending from said lower surface of said base.

17. The slab bolster upper of claim 1 further comprising:

complementary buckles formed in opposite ends of said slab bolster upper for interconnection with like units.

18. The slab bolster upper of claim 17 wherein:

said complementary buckles are formed on opposite ends of said base and said support section.

19. A slab bolster upper adapted to support rebar in a reinforced concrete structure comprising:

an elongated molded plastic base having upper and lower surfaces and spaced outer edges and a longitudinal axis;

a plurality of posts projecting substantially perpendicularly away from said upper surface of said base at regularly spaced intervals along said longitudinal axis from locations intermediate said outer edges; and

an elongated rebar-engaging cap connected to outer ends of said posts and extending substantially parallel to said base.

20. The slab bolster upper of claim 19 wherein:

said cap and said posts are molded as discrete units; and

joint elements on said cap and said posts mechanically interconnect said cap and said posts.

21. The slab bolster upper of claim 20 wherein:

said joint elements comprise complementary pins and sockets molded integrally with said cap and said outer ends of said posts.

22. The slab bolster upper of claim 19 further comprising:

transverse ridges projecting from an upper surface of said cap.

23. The slab bolster upper of claim 19 further comprising:

gussets interconnecting said base and said posts.

24. The stab bolster upper of claim 23 wherein:

said gussets project longitudinally and transversely of said elongated base at each juncture thereof with said posts.

25. The slab bolster upper of claim 23 further comprising:

ribs extending longitudinally of said base and projecting therefrom.

26. The slab bolster upper of claim 19 further comprising:

complementary buckles formed on opposite ends of said slab bolster upper for interconnecting with other units.

27. The slab bolster upper of claim 26 wherein:

said buckles are formed on opposite ends of said cap and said base.

28. The slab bolster upper of claim 19 further comprising:

projections extending from a lower surface of said base to space said base from an underlying support surface.

29. The slab bolster upper comprising:

an elongated substantially planar base;

elongated, substantially parallel ribs projecting from said base along opposite longitudinal edges thereof and substantially medially of said base;

a plurality of posts projecting from said base at substantially regularly spaced intervals therealong;

gussets extending transversely and longitudinally of said base at junctures thereof with said posts;

an elongated cap extending in substantially parallel relationship to said base;

complementary pin and socket joint elements mechanically interconnecting said cap and outer ends of said posts;

transversely extending ridges projecting from an upper surface of said cap; and

complementary buckles formed on opposite ends of said cap and said base for interconnecting said slab bolster upper with like units.