# US 5,704,180 A · Insulating concrete form utilizing interlocking foam panels

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- Number: US 5,704,180 A
- Document ID: US5704180A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/717,754
- Filed: 1996-09-23
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1994-05-10
- Assignees: Wallsystems International Ltd.
- Inventors: Erwin Boeck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704180A

## CPC

- E04B 2/8652: {with ties located in the joints of the forms}
- E04B 1/41: Connecting devices specially adapted for embedding in concrete or masonry ({joist hangers E04B1/2612; shear dowels E04B1/483;} spacers {other than masonry wall ties} for cavity walls E04B2/30, E04B2/44; connectors for reinforcing elements E04C5/16; fastening frames to the border of openings E06B1/56)
- E04B 2002/867: {Corner details}
- E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001})

## Abstract

A concrete form system in which a plurality of foam panels are interlocked transversely, horizontally and vertically by a plurality of connectors. The panels have opposed upper and lower ends, with a plurality of coplanar passages extending into the upper ends at regularly spaced intervals. An equal plurality of coplanar passages extend into the panels' lower ends at the same regularly spaced intervals to vertically align each upper end passage with a corresponding lower end passage. Each connector has a first bar which interconnects transversely opposed first and second parallel, vertically extending planar segments; and, a second bar interconnecting identical transversely opposed third and fourth parallel, vertically extending planar segments. A latticework interconnects the two bars in spaced parallel relationship and maintains separate coplanar alignment of (i) the first and third planar segments, (ii) the second and fourth planar segments, and (iii) the two bars. The upper and lower end panel passages are sized and shaped to receive corresponding halves of one of the connector planar segments.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A foam panel for constructing a concrete form, said panel characterized by:
(a) opposed upper and lower ends;
(b) a plurality of coplanar upper end passages, each of said upper end passages contained within and extending a preselected depth into said upper end, said upper end passages displaced at regularly spaced intervals along said upper end;
(c) a plurality of coplanar lower end passages, each of said lower end passages contained within and extending a preselected depth into said lower end, said lower end passages displaced at regularly spaced intervals along said lower end, each of said upper end passages being aligned vertically and coplanar with a corresponding one of said lower end passages; and,
(d) for each of said upper and lower end passages, an angular passage perpendicularly intersecting said respective upper or lower end passage along said preselected depth and extending toward but not substantially through one longitudinal face of said panel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A foam panel as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
(a) a plurality of protrusions projecting upwardly from said upper end, between said upper end passages, at regularly spaced intervals along said upper end; and,
(b) a plurality of mating recesses in said lower end, located between said lower end passages and at regularly spaced intervals along said lower end; each of said protrusions being aligned vertically with a corresponding one of said recesses.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A foam panel as defined in claim 2, further comprising, for each vertically aligned pair of said upper and lower end passages, at least one score mark centred over said respective paired passages and extending vertically across a longitudinal face of said panel.

### Claim 4

A connector for interlocking two or more foam panels to construct a concrete form, said connector characterized by:
(a) a first bar (38) interconnecting transversely opposed first and second parallel, vertically extending planar segments (30, 32);
(b) a second bar (40) interconnecting transversely opposed third and fourth parallel, vertically extending planar segments (34, 36);
(c) a latticework (42) spaced inwardly from said planar segments (30, 32, 34, 36), formed unitary and coplanar with and interconnecting said first and second bars in spaced parallel relationship to maintain:
(i) coplanar alignment of said first and third planar segments (30, 34); and,
(ii) coplanar alignment of said second and fourth planar segments (32, 36).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said latticework further maintains coplanar alignment of said first and second bars.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A connector as defined in claim 5, wherein said first, second, third and fourth planar segments have equal vertical extension relative to said first and second bars.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said interconnections between said first and second bars and said respective planar segments comprise flared angular projections on said bars, said projections respectively extending upwardly or downwardly from points on said bars spaced inwardly from said segments to respective outer ends of said segments.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said first and second bars are notched for interlocking engagement of said first and second bars with respective first and second bars of another connector as defined in claim 4.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

A connector as defined in claim 4, wherein said first and second bars are notched to support one or more reinforcing rods laid transversely across said bars.

### Claim 10

A concrete form system, comprising a plurality of spaced foam panels and a plurality of connectors interconnecting said spaced foam panels, wherein:
(a) each of said connectors is characterized by:
(i) a first bar interconnecting transversely opposed first and second parallel, vertically extending planar segments;
(ii) a second bar interconnecting transversely opposed third and fourth parallel, vertically extending planar segments;
(iii) a latticework spaced inwardly from said planar segments, formed unitary and coplanar with and interconnecting said first and second bars in spaced parallel relationship to lie inside a space between said foam panels and maintain:
(A) coplanar alignment of said first and third planar segments;
(B) coplanar alignment of said second and fourth planar segments;
(C) a fixed displacement between said bars;
(b) each of said panels is characterized by:
(i) opposed upper and lower ends;
(ii) a plurality of coplanar passages extending into said upper end at regularly spaced intervals along said upper end; and,
(iii) a plurality of coplanar passages extending into said lower end at regularly spaced intervals along said lower end;
each of said upper end passages being aligned vertically and coplanar with a corresponding one of said lower end passages; and, each of said upper and lower end passages being sized and shaped to receive a corresponding half of one of said connector planar segments.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 10, wherein:
(a) said first, second, third and fourth planar segments have equal vertical extension relative to said first and second bars; and,
(b) said upper and lower end passages have a depth which slightly exceeds half of said vertical extension.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said upper and lower end passages have a width which slightly exceeds the width of said respective planar segments.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said intervals between said upper and lower end passages are displaced apart by a distance equal to said displacement between said bars.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, further comprising, for each of said upper and lower end panel passages, an angular passage perpendicularly intersecting said respective upper and lower end passages and extending toward but not substantially through a longitudinal face of said panel; and wherein said interconnections between said first and second connector bars and said respective planar segments comprise flared angular projections receivable within said angular passages, said projections respectively extending upwardly and downwardly from points on said bars spaced inwardly from said segments to respective outer ends of said segments.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said latticework further maintains coplanar alignment of said first and second connector bars.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said first and second connector bars are notched for interlocking engagement of said first and second bars with respective first and second bars of another connector as defined in claim 11.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said first and second connector bars are notched to support one or more reinforcing rods laid transversely across said bars.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

A concrete form system as defined in claim 11, wherein said panels each further comprise:
(a) a plurality of protrusions projecting upwardly from said upper ends, between said upper end passages, at regularly spaced intervals along said upper ends;
said form system further comprising a plurality of wall finishing material retention clips, each of said clips comprising:
(b) first and second legs joined substantially at right angles;
(c) an aperture in one of said legs near an end thereof away from said joint; and,
(d) a pair of notches in opposed sides of said one leg for fixing said clip in position between an adjacent pair of said protrusions with said leg aperture extending horizontally beyond one outer face of said panel and with said other leg projecting downwardly against an opposed outer face of said panel.