Patent Application
20240295083
The present invention relates generally concrete tools but more particularly a concrete quick snap apparatus for quickly cutting control joints.
Concrete expands and contracts with changes in temperature and moisture. If not properly controlled, cracks can begin to appear. Placement of concrete control joints and expansion joints are crucial when designing and pouring concrete slabs and sidewalks. The control joints provide a gap allowing each adjacent slab of concrete to move independently and freely from one another. As well known in the art, currently, you must wait for the concrete to harden enough to use knee boards or 2′×4′ boards to walk and physically cut the control joints by hand. This process is slow, and can lead to imperfections in the concrete before it sets. Consequently, a solution is needed.
The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
It is a main object of the present disclosure to provide a concrete quick snap for efficiently and easily cutting control joints in concrete without damaging or causing imperfections in the concrete while it sets or hardens.
In order to do so an apparatus is provided, comprising a housing; a string line holster having string (snap line); and extension pole.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for creating control joints in concrete is provided, comprising steps: (a) providing a cylindrical housing having a flat guide with a small hole at one end of the housing and an opening and an attachment hole at the other end of the housing; (b) attaching string to the small hole, wherein the string is wound on a string holster; (c) attaching the housing to one or more extension poles; (d) using the flat guide with the attached extension pole to reach and place the flat guide at one end of a desired control joint, and having the string holster such that the string is extended from the small hole to the user extending the extension pole; and (e) snapping the control joints, via the string, in freshly laid concrete.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a concrete quick snap apparatus.
It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as to mean “at least one”. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, not necessarily mechanically, and not permanent. The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time. As used herein, the terms “about”, “generally”, or “approximately” apply to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider near the stated amount by about 0%, 5%, or 10%, including increments therein. In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.
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It should be understood that the material selection of the apparatus may vary. In some embodiments, the housing, extension pole, and holster is constructed from aluminum. In other embodiments, the apparatus may be constructed from stainless steel. In yet other embodiments, a plastic material for the apparatus is used. In some embodiments, the string line (snap line) is nylon.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for creating control joints in concrete is provided, comprising steps: (a) providing a cylindrical housing having a flat guide with a small hole at one end of the housing and an opening and an attachment hole at the other end of the housing; (b) attaching string to the small hole, wherein the string is wound on a string holster; (c) attaching the housing to one or more extension poles; (d) using the flat guide with the attached extension pole to reach and place the guide at one end of a desired control joint, and having the string holster such that the string is extended from the small hole to the user extending the extension pole; and (e) snapping the control joints, via the string, in the freshly laid concrete.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object.
In addition, reference to “first,” “second,” “third,” and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/449,382 filed Mar. 2, 2023, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety at least by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63449382 | Mar 2023 | US |
