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United States Patent Application	20040069925
Kind Code	A1
Bartrum, Jerald Rodger	April 15, 2004

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Claims

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I claim:

1. A method for constructing a concrete forming panel comprising the steps of: attaching an outer peripheral frame to a sheet, and adhesively securing at least one cross brace to spaced apart portions of the frame.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and further comprising the step of adhesively securing said at least one cross brace to said sheet.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said adhesively securing step further comprises the step of adhesively securing a plurality of spaced apart cross braces to spaced apart portions of the frame.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame and said at least one cross brace are made of aluminum.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching step comprises the step of welding segments of said frame together and to said sheet.

6. A concrete forming panel comprising: a sheet having an outer peripheral edge, a frame extending around said outer peripheral edge of said sheet, said frame being secured to said sheet, at least one cross brace extending across said sheet between spaced apart portions of said frame, said at least one cross brace being adhesively attached to said spaced apart portions of said frame.

7. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said frame and said at least one cross brace are constructed of aluminum.

8. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said at least one cross brace comprises a plurality of spaced apart cross braces.

9. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said frame comprises a plurality of frame segments, each frame segment extending along a different side of said sheet, each end of each frame segment being secured to the ends of the adjacent frame segments by welding.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 and comprising a plurality of brace plates, one brace plate overlying each end of each frame segment, each brace plate being welded to the ends of its associated frame segments.

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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] I. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to concrete forming panels.

[0003] II. Description of Related Art

[0004] Concrete forming panels have long been used when pouring concrete walls and foundations. Typically, the concrete forming panels comprise both inner and outer rectangular panels which are secured together by ties so that the panels are spaced apart and generally parallel to each other. Concrete is then poured into the cavity formed between the facing panels and allowed to cure. After the concrete is cured, the panels are detached from the cured wall for later reuse.

[0005] Many previously known concrete forming panels have been constructed of wood. Typically, the panel comprises a sheet of plywood which is reinforced on one side by two by four lumber. The panels are then secured together so that the plywood sides of the forms face each other to form the concrete receiving cavity.

[0006] A primary disadvantage of these previously known wooden concrete pouring forms, however, is that the forms become damaged in use and/or transportation. Oftentimes the damaged panel is then simply discarded. Furthermore, these previously known wooden concrete forms are fairly heavy and bulky in construction. As such, these previously known wooden concrete forms required considerable labor costs in order to both assemble the forms prior to the concrete pour, as well as disassemble the forms from the cured concrete wall.

[0007] In order to overcome these shortcomings of the previously known wooden concrete forms, there have been previously known aluminum concrete forming panels. These previously known aluminum concrete forming panels typically comprise a rectangular sheet of aluminum. An aluminum frame is then disposed around the outer periphery of one side of the sheet and secured to the sheet by welding. Typically, the frame is made in four segments with one segment disposed along each side of the sheet. Each end of each frame segment is then secured to the end of the adjacent frame segment by welding a rectangular brace at each corner of the frame.

[0008] In order to rigidify the concrete forming panel, typically a plurality of parallel and spaced apart cross braces extend across the panel and between opposite sides of the frame. Oftentimes these cross braces extend vertically across one section of the panel and horizontally across other sections of the panel. In order to secure the cross braces to the panel as well as to the frame, the cross braces are welded to both the frame as well as the sheet.

[0009] These previously known aluminum concrete forming panels have proven satisfactory in both use and in durability. A primary disadvantage of these previously known aluminum concrete forming panels, however, is that such panels are expensive in manufacturing costs. Furthermore, a large part of the manufacturing cost of these previously known aluminum concrete forming panels resides in the cost of welding the cross braces to the sheet as well as to the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0010] The present invention provides an aluminum concrete forming panel which overcomes the disadvantages of the previously known aluminum concrete forming panels.

[0011] In brief, the aluminum concrete forming panel of the present invention comprises a sheet made of aluminum and which is typically rectangular in shape. As such, the sheet has four sides.

[0012] An aluminum frame is then secured around the outer periphery of the sheet by welding the frame to the sheet. The frame typically is constructed from four linear segments with one linear segment extending along each edge of the sheet. Consequently, the ends of each frame segment are positioned in the corners of the sheet. These ends of the frame segments are then secured together by welding a triangular brace across the ends of the frame segments at each corner of the sheet. Furthermore, the frame segments are preferably constructed of square tubing.

[0013] In order to rigidify the sheet against deflection during a concrete pour, a plurality of cross braces are disposed along the sheet such that the cross members are spaced apart and generally parallel to each other and so that the cross braces extend between the frame segments on opposed sides of the sheet.

[0014] Unlike the previously known aluminum concrete forming panels, however, the cross braces which form the bracing for the panel are adhesively secured to both the sheet as well as the frame. Preferably, an epoxy adhesive is used to secure the cross braces to both the frame and the sheet.

[0015] In practice, the use of adhesive to secure the cross braces to the forming panel is much less expensive in both labor and material costs than the previously known method of welding the cross braces to the forming panel. As such, the overall cost of the forming panel is less than the previously known aluminum concrete forming panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0016] A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and

[0019] FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0020] With reference now to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the concrete forming panel 10 of the present invention is shown and includes a rectangular sheet 12. The sheet 12 is made of aluminum and preferably has a thickness of about 0.125". Furthermore, the sheet 12 indicated in the drawing is dimensioned so that it is eight feet tall and three feet wide, i.e. a conventional dimension for a concrete forming panel. It will be understood, however, that the panel 10 of the present invention may be of other sizes and other shapes.

[0021] Still referring to the drawing, a frame 14 is disposed around the outer periphery of the panel 12. The frame 14 is preferably constructed from solid extruded aluminum and is made from four lineal segments so that two frame segments 16 and 18 extend vertically along the sides of the panel 12 while frame segments 20 and 22 extend along the bottom and top of the sheet 12, respectively.

[0022] The frame segments 14-22 are secured to the sheet 12 by welding. Additionally, a triangular corner brace 24 is disposed at each corner of the sheet 12 so that the corner brace abuts against the ends of the frame segments 16-22 at its associated corner. These corner braces 24 are welded to their associated frame segments 14-22 thus rigidifying the sheet 12.

[0023] As best shown in FIG. 2, the side frame segments 16 and 18 preferably include a plurality of spaced apart bushings 26 at spaced intervals along their length. Preferably, the bushings are spaced apart either approximately eight inches from each other or six inches from the panel ends and then spaced-apart approximately every twelve inches, and the bushings 26 in the frame member 18 are aligned with the bushing 26 in the other side frame segment 16.

[0024] Consequently, when the concrete forming panels 10 are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, pins inserted through the bushing 26 on one frame segment 18 extend into the bushings 26 on the side frame segment 16 on the adjacent concrete forming panel 10 to secure the concrete forming panels 10 together. These pins, of course, are removable from the bushing so that, once the concrete wall has been poured, upon removal of the pins the concrete panels can be separated from the formed concrete wall.

[0025] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of horizontally extending and vertically spaced cross braces 30 are disposed across the sheet 12 so that the ends of each cross brace 30 abut against the frame segments 16 and 18. These cross braces 30 are then secured to both the sheet 12 as well as to the frame segments 16 and 18 by an adhesive.

[0026] Similarly, a plurality of vertically extending and horizontally spaced apart cross braces 32 extend along the panel 26 between the lowermost cross brace 30 and the bottom frame segment 20. Similar cross braces 34 extend between the top frame segment 22 and the uppermost cross brace 30. Furthermore, as best shown in FIG. 3, the cross members, 30, 32 and 34 are preferably square aluminum tubing.

[0027] With reference now particularly to FIG. 3, the cross braces 30, 32 and 34 are adhesively secured to the sheet 12. Additionally, the ends of the cross members 30 are adhesively secured to the frame segments 16 and 18 of the frame 14 while, similarly, the cross braces 32 are adhesively secured at their ends to the lower frame member 20 and at their upper ends to the lowermost cross member 30. Similarly, the upper cross members 34 are adhesively secured at their upper end to the top frame segment 22 and at their lower end to the uppermost cross member 30.

[0028] Preferably, the adhesive used to secure the cross braces 30, 32 and 34 to the panel 10 comprises Extreme 5315HS from Extreme Adhesives in Seabrook, N.H. Other adhesives, however, may also be used.

[0029] In practice, it has been found that the adhesive bonding of the cross braces 30, 32 and 34 to the other components of the panel 10 sufficiently maintains the rigidity of the panel 10 during the concrete forming process. Furthermore, since the cross braces 30-34 can be rapidly and simply assembled to the other components of the panel 10, the labor costs associated with the manufacture of the panel 10 are greatly reduced over the previously known aluminum concrete forming panels.

[0030] Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

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