Concrete slab joint system including a load plate sleeve

• US 7,748,928 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greenstreak Group Incorporated (Sika Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Greenstreak Group Incorporated (Sika Corporation)
• Inventors: Estes, Michael, Vemmer, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie; Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US11/830,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20090035063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 404 51- 60
• US Class Current: 404/58
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/14 Dowel assembly ; Design or construction of reinforcements in the area of joints coupling devices for prefabricated units E01C5/005; combined with characteristic packings E01C11/08 - E01C11/12; removable holders E01C23/045

Abstract

A load plate sleeve assembly for maintaining a load plate in position between adjacent concrete slabs and facilitating controlled lateral movement of the load plate includes a housing and an insert clip coupled to the housing. The housing includes a top wall, a bottom wall, opposing side walls extending between the top and bottom walls, and an end wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and between the side walls. The walls define an internal cavity, and the housing includes a cavity access opening. The insert clip includes a opposing side walls having a first end and a second end. The insert clip also includes an end wall extending between the side walls, a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from the side walls, and a collapsible diamond shaped center support extending from the end wall. The insert clip is positioned inside the internal cavity of the housing.

Claims

1. A load plate sleeve assembly for maintaining a load plate in position between adjacent concrete slabs and facilitating controlled lateral movement of the load plate, said sleeve assembly comprising:

a housing; and

an insert clip coupled to said housing;

said housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second opposing side wall extending between said top and bottom walls, and an end wall extending between said top and bottom wall, and between said first and second side walls, said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposing side walls, and said end wall defining an internal cavity, said housing further comprising a cavity access opening located opposite said end wall;

said insert clip comprising;

a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each said side wall having a first end and a second end;

an end wall extending between said first ends of said first and second side walls;

a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said first side wall, and a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said second side wall; and

a collapsible diamond shaped center support extending from said end wall, said insert clip positioned inside said internal cavity so that said first and second side walls of said insert clip are adjacent to and in contact with an inner surface of said first and second side walls of said housing, and said end wall of said insert clip is adjacent and in contact with said end wall of said housing, said collapsible diamond shape center support comprising a first member attached to said end wall of said insert clip, a second member attached to said first member, a third member attached to said second member, and a fourth member attached to said third member and to said end wall of said insert clip, said first, second, third, and fourth members attached end to end forming said diamond shaped center support;

said end wall of said housing comprising a plurality of attachment openings extending therethrough, and said end wall of said insert clip comprising a plurality of attachment nubs, said attachment nubs extending through said attachment openings of said end wall of said housing.

2. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said centering fingers extend at an angle from said first and second side walls of said insert clip toward said end wall of said insert clip.

3. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises a flange extending from a periphery of said cavity access opening.

4. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said insert clip further comprising a first attachment member extending from said second end of said first side wall of said insert clip, and a second attachment member extending from said second end of said second side wall of said insert clip, each said attachment member comprising a means for attaching said insert clip to said housing flange.

5. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said housing comprises a first and a second attachment cavity and said means for attaching said insert clip to said housing comprises an attachment nub extending from a first end of each said first and said second attachment members, each said attachment nub positioned in one of said attachment cavities in a press-fit relationship.

6. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said flange comprises a plurality of fastener openings sized to receive a fastener for attaching said load plate sleeve to a concrete slab edge form.

7. A load plate sleeve assembly in accordance with claim 3 further comprising a cover facing attached to said flange covering said cavity access opening.

8. An insert clip insertable into a load plate sleeve housing, the sleeve housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second opposing side wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and an end wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and between the first and second side walls, the top wall, bottom wall, opposing side walls, and end wall defining an internal cavity, the housing further comprising a cavity access opening and a flange extending from a periphery of the cavity access opening, said insert clip comprising:

a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each said side wall having a first end and a second end;

an end wall extending between said first ends of said first and second side walls;

a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said first side wall, and a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said second side wall; and

a collapsible diamond shaped center support extending from said end wall, said insert clip sized to be received inside the internal cavity of the sleeve housing, said collapsible diamond shape center support comprising a first member attached to said end wall of said insert clip, a second member attached to said first member, a third member attached to said second member, and a fourth member attached to said third member and to said end wall of said insert clip, said first, second, third, and fourth members attached end to end forming said diamond shaped center support;

said end wall comprising a plurality of attachment nubs, said attachment nubs sized and positioned to extend through attachment openings of the end wall of the housing.

9. An insert clip in accordance with claim 8 wherein said centering fingers extend at an angle from said first and second side walls of said insert clip toward said end wall of said insert clip.

10. An insert clip in accordance with claim 8 wherein said insert clip further comprising a first attachment member extending from said second end of said first side wall of said insert clip, and a second attachment member extending from said second end of said second side wall of said insert clip, each said attachment member comprising a means for attaching said insert clip to the housing flange.

11. An insert clip in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means for attaching said insert clip to the housing flange comprises an attachment nub extending from a first end of each said first and said second attachment members.

12. An insert clip in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means for attaching said insert clip to the housing flange comprises at least one of an adhesive and a sonic welding seam.

13. A concrete slab joint system comprising:

a first cast-in-place concrete slab;

a second cast-in-place concrete slab;

a joint separating the first and second concrete slabs, at least a portion of the joint being initially defined by an inner surface of an edge form;

a plurality of rectangular load plates spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of said joint and protruding into both said first concrete slab and said second concrete slab; and

a plurality of load plate sleeve assemblies protruding into said first concrete slab, each said load plate inserted into a corresponding sleeve assembly, each said load plate sleeve assembly comprising;

a housing; and

an insert clip coupled to said housing;

said housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second opposing side wall extending between said top and bottom walls, and an end wall extending between said top and bottom wall, and between said first and second side walls, said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposing side walls, and said end wall defining an internal cavity, said housing further comprising a cavity access opening located opposite said end wall;

said insert clip comprising;

a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, each said side wall having a first end and a second end;

an end wall extending between said first ends of said first and second side walls;

a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said first side wall, and a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from said second side wall; and

a collapsible diamond shaped center support extending from said end wall, said insert clip positioned inside said internal cavity so that said first and second side walls of said insert clip are adjacent to and in contact with an inner surface of said first and second side walls of said housing, and said end wall of said insert clip is adjacent and in contact with said end wall of said housing, said collapsible diamond shape center support comprising a first member attached to said end wall of said insert clip, a second member attached to said first member, a third member attached to said second member, and a fourth member attached to said third member and to said end wall of said insert clip, said first, second, third, and fourth members attached end to end forming said diamond shaped center support;

said end wall of said housing comprising a plurality of attachment openings extending therethrough, and said end wall of said insert clip comprising a plurality of attachment nubs, said attachment nubs extending through said attachment openings of said end wall of said housing.

14. A concrete slab joint system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said centering fingers extend at an angle from said first and second side walls of said insert clip toward said end wall of said insert clip.

15. A concrete slab joint system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said housing further comprises a flange extending from a periphery of said cavity access opening.

16. A concrete slab joint system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said insert clip further comprising a first attachment member extending from said second end of said first side wall of said insert clip, and a second attachment member extending from said second end of said second side wall of said insert clip, each said attachment member comprising a means for attaching said insert clip to said housing flange.

17. A concrete slab joint system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said housing comprises a first and a second attachment cavity and said means for attaching said insert clip to said housing comprises an attachment nub extending from a first end of each said first and said second attachment members, each said attachment nub positioned in one of said attachment cavities in a press-fit relationship.

18. A concrete slab joint system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said flange comprises a plurality of fastener openings sized to receive a fastener for attaching said load plate sleeve to a concrete slab edge form.