Patent Application
20250137255
It is known to use steel, in the form of steel wire sheets, to reinforce concrete.
It is well known that steel is heavy. Steel is also subject to rust, and can leave rust spots in the concrete.
A method of making and using concrete with fiberglass wire sheets to reinforce the concrete instead of steel wire sheets.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to clearly describe the embodiments disclosed herein. However, one skilled in the art will understand that some well known features have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.
In the following description, like reference numbers are used to identify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of every implementation and are not drawn to scale.
As illustrated in
Because the wet concrete is poured into a mold with the mesh in the mold already, the resulting structure is simply a layer of fiberglass mesh (1) surrounded by concrete (2), with the fiberglass mesh acting as tensile reinforcement. The resulting structure can be used anywhere steel mesh or steel wire reinforced concrete would otherwise be used, but includes no metal.
In the exemplary embodiment, the fiberglass mesh concrete panels would be substituted for standard 5 foot by 10 foot concrete panels reinforced with 10 to 16 gauge steel wire mesh.
Fiberglass weighs approximatel 1/7 of what steel weighs for the same area of mesh. Therefore, the resulting concrete panels weigh much less than steel mesh reinforced concrete. Additionally, fiberglass does not rust, and therefore does not stain the surrounding concrete.
Steel is commonly used to reinforce concrete because concrete that has not been reinforced is only strong in compression; it resists compression very well, but is not good at resisting tension. When the steel is used for reinforcing concrete, it is slightly stretched, usually by being heated; as it contracts from cooling, it then places the concrete into continuous compression.
The inventive panels use fiberglass instead of steel, but provide the same level of structural reinforcement by ensuring the concrete is in compression. The fiberglass will bond to the concrete to a similar extent as the metal in previously known panels, resulting in a superior product which can be used in place of standard concrete panels that use metal for reinforcement.
While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternative embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a” and “an” indicate a single element, while “the” may refer back to single or plural referents. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains.
The above detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for the purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is intended to be exemplary but not exhaustive, and is not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use of implementation. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no such limitation should be implied therefrom. Applicant has made this disclosure with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration those advancements in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated. No claim element herein is intended to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f), unless the element is expressly recited using the exact phrase “means for . . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. section 112(f) unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the exact phrase “step(s) for . . . ”.
