Patent Application
20240318398
The present invention relates, in general, to foundation support systems and, more particularly, to a helical pier system including multiple interlocking segments.
Structures are sometimes built on bad soil, and certain types of soils react differently to loads and moisture content. When the soil fails or shrinks, the structure can settle unevenly so that the building leans or breaks apart. Helical piers are often employed as part of a foundation reinforcement system to support the structure. These piers are driven through the inadequate soil and into good load bearing strata or bedrock. A foundation pier reinforcement system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,268,253 B2, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The piers are segmented longitudinally so that they can be extended to adapt to a variety of depths. For example, a first pier segment is coupled to a second pier segment and so on until the pier penetrates sufficiently deep into the earth that the distal end can be supported on the good load bearing strata or bedrock. A difficulty with such system is that the second pier segment must be secured to the first pier segment, and each of the subsequent pier segments must be secured to the previous segment. The securing is conventionally performed by a bracket that is bolted to the respective mating ends where two pier segments come together. More specifically, one or more bolts are inserted through one or more bracket plates and laterally through the diameter of the pier adjacent to each respective pier segment end. This is difficult and time consuming in the field because the bracket and pier segments must be rotationally aligned in order to place the bolts through the brackets and respective bolt holes in the piers.
Attempts have been made, such as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 9,506,214 B1 to provide respective male and female coupling ends to the respective pier segments in an effort to make the joining process easier. However, these male/female coupling ends add cost, add complexity, and still must be secured to the respective pier ends prior to the process of mating two pier ends together.
As such, there is a need for a new and improved pier system to solve the problems inherent with current pier systems and methods.
The present invention, in certain embodiments, addresses the drawbacks and weaknesses of the prior art by providing a segmented helical pier assembly. In one example, a helical pier system includes a plurality of pier segments. Respective helical notches and projections of abutting helical pier segment ends are mated inside of a coupler. At least one of the pier segments is rotated about its longitudinal axis with respect to the other until respective stop surfaces to abut one another, at which point a plurality of holes through the coupler and at least one of the pier segments become automatically aligned. Thus, bolts can be easily and quickly inserted through the aligned holes to secure the helical pier segments together.
In another example, a helical pier system includes a first pier segment, a second pier segment and a coupler. The first pier segment comprises an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end, a first bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the proximal longitudinal end thereof, and a helical notch defined distally inward from the proximal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder. The helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface. The stop surface of the first pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder. The second pier segment comprises an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end, and a helical notch defined proximally inward from the distal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface. The stop surface of the second pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder. The coupler is secured to the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment. The coupler comprises a hollow cylinder with a first bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof. The coupler protrudes distally beyond the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment to define a female recess with an inner diameter sized to receive the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment. The helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that when the second pier segment is rotated with respect to the first pier segment that the respective stop surfaces to abut one another when the first bolt hole of the first pier segment is aligned with the first bolt hole of the coupler such that a first bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective first bolt holes.
The helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that less than one complete rotation of the second pier segment with respect to the first pier segment is required to cause the respective stop surfaces to abut one another.
The stop surface of the first pier segment is rotationally clocked 90 degrees offset from a center of the bolt hole of the first pier segment in one example. Other degrees of greater or lesser offset may be provided for in other embodiments.
The elongated cylinder of the first pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent, and wherein the elongated cylinder of the second pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent.
The proximal end of the second pier segment comprises a helical notch having the same configuration as the helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment.
The distal end of the first helical segment comprises a penetrating tip. The penetrating tip comprises four triangular segments arrayed about the longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder, wherein the four triangular segments are oriented such that they taper to a pointed tip at a distal-most end of the first pier segment.
The first helical segment comprises a seashell flight disposed about the elongated cylinder between the proximal and distal longitudinal ends thereof. The seashell flight defines a spiral body that terminates in a tapered leading edge.
The helical notch of the distal end of the second pier segment can consume about ¼ (one fourth) to ⅓ (one third) of a circumference of the distal end of the second pier segment. The helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment can consume about ¼ (one fourth) to ⅓ (one third) of a circumference of the proximal end of the first pier segment.
The first pier segment can further comprise a second bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the proximal longitudinal end thereof. The second bolt hole is longitudinally offset from the first bolt hole. The coupler further comprises a second bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof. When the respective stop surfaces abut one another the second bolt hole of the first pier segment is aligned with the second bolt hole of the coupler such that a second bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective second bolt holes.
In a further example, a helical pier system includes a first pier segment, a second pier segment and a coupler. The first pier segment comprises an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end, and a helical notch defined distally inward from the proximal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface. The stop surface of the first pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder. The second pier segment comprises an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end, a first bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the distal longitudinal end thereof, and a helical notch defined proximally inward from the distal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder. The helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface. The stop surface of the second pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder. The coupler is secured to the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment. The coupler comprises a hollow cylinder with a first bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof. The coupler protrudes proximally beyond the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment to define a female recess with an inner diameter sized to receive the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment. The helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that when the second pier segment is rotated with respect to the first pier segment that the respective stop surfaces abut one another when the first bolt hole of the second pier segment is aligned with the first bolt hole of the coupler such that a first bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective first bolt holes.
The helical notch of the distal end of the second pier segment can consume about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the distal end of the second pier segment and the helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment can consume about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the proximal end of the first pier segment.
The helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that less than one complete rotation of the second pier segment with respect to the first pier segment is required to cause the respective stop surfaces to abut one another.
The stop surface of the first pier segment is rotationally clocked 90 degrees offset from a center of the bolt hole of the first pier segment in an example embodiment. Other degrees of greater or lesser offset may be provided for in other embodiments.
The elongated cylinder of the first pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent, and wherein the elongated cylinder of the second pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent.
Also disclosed is a method of joining a first helical pier segment to a second helical pier segment. In one example, the method includes driving a first helical pier segment partially into the earth such that at least a proximal end portion thereof is exposed, attaching a coupler to a distal end of a second helical pier segment, inserting at least a portion of the proximal end portion of the first helical pier into a distal recess defined in the coupler until a proximal end of the first helical pier segment abuts a distal end of the second helical pier segment, and rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment about a longitudinal axis of the first helical pier segment until a stop surface defined in a helical notch defined in the distal end of the second helical pier segment abuts a stop surface defined in a helical notch defined in the proximal end of the first helical pier segment.
The step of rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment until the respective stop surfaces abut one another can also align a first bolt hole defined laterally through the proximal end portion of the first helical pier segment with a first bolt hole defined laterally through the coupler such that a first bolt can be simultaneously passed through both of the respective bolt holes.
The step of rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment until the respective stop surfaces abut one another can align a plurality of bolt holes defined laterally through the proximal end portion of the first helical pier segment with a plurality of bolt holes defined laterally through the coupler such that a respective bolt can be simultaneously passed through each of the respective plurality of bolt holes.
The above summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, or describe each embodiment, aspect, implementation, feature or advantage of the invention. The detailed technology and preferred embodiments for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various example embodiments; nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention. The invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The various features or aspects discussed herein can also be combined in additional combinations and embodiments, whether or not explicitly discussed herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Any dimensional information provided herein and/or indicated in the figures is for certain preferred embodiments. It should be recognized, however, that the dimensions, proportions, scale and configurations of components are merely example embodiments and can be varied unless specifically limited in a given claim. Thus, the dimensions, proportions, scale and configurations can be varied without departing from the scope of the invention except where explicitly limited by a given claim.
Exemplary embodiments of a helical pier system 100 are depicted in
Referring generally to
An earth-penetrating tip 108 can be disposed on the distal end of the lower-most pier segment (here the first segment designated with numeral 102). The penetrating tip 108 shown in the figures is cross-shaped when viewed from the distal longitudinal end due to the provision of four triangular segments 109 that extend distally from the distal end of the pier segment 102 while tapering radially inward to form a distal-most tip or point at the distal-most end of the distal-most pier segment (pier segment 102 in the figures). As the pier segment 102 is rotated about its longitudinal axis, and pushed distally into the earth, the penetrating tip 108 churns or breaks up the earth to allow the pier segment 102 to more easily pass through the earth.
A seashell flight 110 can also be provided about the outer circumference of the pier segment 102. This flight 110 cuts spirally through the earth due to the tapered leading edge 111 defining a cutting edge while pushing rocks and debris out of the way. More than one flight 110 can be provided to a given pier segment.
A plurality of bolt holes 112 are provided through the sidewall of the first pier segment about the proximal end thereof. The number and pattern of the bolt holes 112 of the pier segment 102 matches up to the pattern and number of bolt holes 114 in the coupler 106. In the depicted example, there is a vertical column of two bolt holes 112. More bolt holes and alternate patterns can be provided in alternative embodiments.
A helical notch 116 is formed inward from the proximal end of the first segment 102. The notch 116 tapers inward (distally) from the proximal end until it terminates with a stop surface 118. The stop surface 118 intersects the proximal end at a ninety degree angle. In other words, the stop surface 118 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pier segment 102. The notch 116 consumes about ¼ (one fourth) to ⅓ (one third) of the circumference of the pier segment. The stop surface 118 is rotationally clocked 90 degrees offset from the center of the bolt holes 112. Other degrees of greater or lesser degrees of offset may be provided for in other embodiments.
A helical projection 120 is formed outward from the distal end (lowermost end) of the second pier segment 104. The helical projection 120 has a complimentary size and shape to the helical notch 116 in the proximal end of the first segment 102 such that the distal end surface 105 of the second pier segment 104 fully contacts the proximal end surface 107 of the first pier segment 102, whereby the load forces are spread evenly through the full circumference of the respective abutting contacting surfaces 105, 107.
A stop surface 122 of the second pier segment 104 is oriented parallel to the stop surface 118 of the first pier segment 102. The stop surface 122 of the second pier segment 104 is rotationally clocked or located such that the respective stop surfaces 118 and 122 abut one another when the bolt holes 114 of the coupler 106, which is attached to the distal end of the second pier segment 104, are aligned with the bolt holes 112 in the proximal end of the first pier segment 102.
The outer and inner diameters of the first pier segment 102 and the second pier segment 104 are the same or very similar to one another.
The proximal end of the second pier segment 104 can include the same helical notch 116 as the proximal end of the first pier segment 102 and the same bolt holes 112. Thus, a third pier segment (and fourth, fifth, etc.) configured similar to the second pier segment 104 can be located sequentially proximally (above) of the second pier segment 104 and secured to the proximal end of the second pier segment 104. Further pier segments can be added and joined in a like manner to achieve the desired ground penetration depth of helical pier 100.
Referring in particular to
As can be seen in
In alternative embodiments, the coupler 106 can be secured to the proximal end of the first pier segment 102 instead of the distal end of the second pier segment 104. In such embodiment, the bolt holes 112 are provided to the distal end portion of the second pier segment 104.
In use, the first helical pier segment 102 is driven into the soil or earth, leaving at least a proximal portion exposed. A second helical pier segment 104 with the attached coupler is joined with the first helical pier segment 102 by inserting the proximal end of the first pier segment 102 into the female recess of the coupler 106. The longitudinal axes of the respective pier segments 102, 104 are thereby aligned. The second pier segment 104 is then rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the first segment 102 until the respective stop surfaces 118 and 122 abut one another.
Once the abutment is achieved, the bolt holes 112 of the first pier segment 102 will become rotationally aligned with the corresponding bolt holes 114 of the coupler 106. Then bolts 124 are placed laterally through the holes in the mated coupler 106 and first pier segment 102 to secure the pier segments 102, 104 together as an assembly. The first and second pier segments 102, 104 are now rotationally and longitudinally locked together and function as a single helical pier of increased length. Additional pier segments can be added proximally from the second segment 104 in a similar matter to extend the length of the helical pier assembly 100 as desired for a given application.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred example embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed example embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products.
For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/453,444 filed on Mar. 20, 2023, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63453444 | Mar 2023 | US |
