CN112888827A

CN112888827A - Combined anchor and fastener assembly for concrete structures and method of use thereof

Info

Publication number: CN112888827A
Application number: CN201980057990.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 兰斯·尼尔
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Ln1 Co ltd
Priority date: 2018-09-04
Filing date: 2019-09-04
Publication date: 2021-06-01
Also published as: KR20210053960A; JP2024059768A; EA202190553A1; MX2021002522A; IL281165A; CA3111321A1; SA521421398B1; AU2019335221A1; JP7442507B2; WO2020051218A1; JP2021535301A; EP3837402A4; CO2021004022A2; NO20210291A1; EP3837402A1; BR112021003957A2

Abstract

A combination anchor and fastener includes an anchor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one through-hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the substrate. An elongated strut is coupled to the anchor base plate, the elongated strut having a first end and a second end and an at least partially threaded internal cylindrical bore for receiving a mechanical fastener therein. The hole extends from the first end of the strut toward the second end of the strut and the strut interior hole is aligned and registered with the anchor substrate through hole. The post has a second end portion depending from the bottom surface of the anchor substrate. The bottom surface of the anchor substrate is configured to allow at least a portion of a concrete structure to abut and be substantially flush therewith, except for an area of the bottom surface of the anchor substrate that is covered by the posts. The present disclosure also provides other embodiments and a method of anchoring and securing an object to a concrete structure.

Description

Combined anchor and fastener assembly for concrete structures and method of use thereof

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims us provisional patent application serial No. 62/632,453 filed on 20/2/2018 and us provisional patent application serial No. 62/653,694 filed on 6/4/2018; US provisional patent application serial No. 62/724,891 filed on day 8/30 2018 and US provisional patent application serial No. 62/726,659 filed on day 9/4 2018, and is a partial continuation of US PCT application number PCT/US2019/026058 filed on day 5/4 2019, which US PCT application number PCT/US2019/026058 is in turn a partial continuation of u.s.pct/US2019/018592 filed on day 19/2 2019, which u.s.pct/US2019/018592 is in turn a partial continuation of US PCT application number PCT/US/2018/065465 filed on day 13 on day 12/2018, which US PCT application number PCT/US/2018/065465 is in turn a partial continuation of non-provisional patent application serial No. 15/852,733 filed on day 22 on day 12/2017, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Background

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of fasteners and anchors, and is particularly useful for the construction industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular anchor and fastener assembly and method of use thereof for anchoring an accessory structure or item to concrete and masonry support structures, such as fastening a threshold plate to a concrete foundation, to provide a secure joint, provide easy and quick assembly, and water tightness.

2.Brief description of the Prior Art

Various methods are known for mounting accessory items or structures and the like, such as threshold plates, to, for example, concrete foundation walls, partitions, roofs, and the like. In the construction industry, water infiltration at equipment or building attachment points presents a number of problems, particularly when no flashing is incorporated and/or only sealants are relied upon. Various cladding methods and combinations thereof are used as a moisture and moisture barrier for such accessory items, such as threshold panels, such as solar panels, satellite antennas, and HVAC equipment, that are typically installed and fastened to their doorsill after the poured cement or masonry foundation or wall has set completely. Today, glass walls and/or glass balustrades are very popular, especially for roof decks, balconies, terraces, etc., to avoid the observation of obstacles, such as often occurring in wood, cables or metal rails. These generally heavy structures must also be anchored to the roof structure, but because of the loads they generate and the manner in which they are installed (typically through the roof with anchor bolts), they create "conduits" for water to permeate through the roof, despite the fact that adhesives and glues are often used to seal the conduits in an attempt to prevent such water permeation. Indeed, over time, these heavier structures cause the applied adhesive or glue to crack and eventually cause roof leakage due to normal repetitive roof movement or deflection caused by, for example, settling, temperature changes, and/or strong winds. As a result, it is difficult for many assembly personnel to provide assurance or gain assurance against water or moisture damage caused by such conventional anchoring systems.

In applicant's U.S. application serial No. 15/852,733, applicant addressed this problem by providing a novel anchor and fastening assembly, intended in particular for mounting and waterproofing roofing equipment, accessory structures and the like (such as solar panels, HVAC equipment, and roof rails and the like) on roofs, roof decks, balconies and the like, comprising: an anchor substrate; a strut depending therefrom which may be received into or through a desired "anchored" structural support; and an at least partially threaded blind hole through the substrate and into the post. A fastener, such as a bolt, may be received in the blind hole for fastening the object to the assembly. As noted above, the assembly may be used to secure, for example, a solar panel, HVAC or other roofing device to a roof or other building structure. The present invention provides an improvement to this novel anchor and fastener assembly intended particularly for use with both cured and uncured concrete structures by constructing the stanchion as a one-piece screw or bolt anchor while still providing a secure and robust joint and watertight performance.

Furthermore, unlike so-called wedge anchors, which are used after the cement cures or for concrete blocks, cast-in-place anchors (which have threads on the end opposite the curved end), commonly known as J-bolts, are commonly used to attach the rocker panels to a poured foundation or the like, which requires the J-bolts to be manually and separately set in the still wet cement, which is then cured to provide better retention of the rocker panels. However, the J-bolt must be placed exactly perpendicular to the cement slab and at a certain height to align itself with the threshold plate to be mounted on it, and this is a time-consuming, cumbersome and difficult and expensive task.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing a novel anchoring and fastener system which avoids such problems in an advantageous and effective manner.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel anchor platform assembly, and in particular a combination anchor and fastener assembly, which can be used in a wide variety of applications and which is particularly intended for anchoring equipment and/or accessory structures to concrete structures, masonry, and the like, which can accommodate heavy loads, provide an externally secure joint, is easy and quick to assemble, and provides water protection at accessory attachment points when desired.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a novel anchor platform assembly which is relatively simple in design and construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a novel anchor platform assembly and method of use thereof which may be used with a variety of concrete and masonry structures including concrete foundations, walls, decks, outdoor balconies, terraces, heated concrete floors, and the like.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide such a novel anchor platform assembly that is more reliable than prior art systems in providing a waterproof connection at attachment and equipment attachment points.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a novel anchor platform that is universally applicable for anchoring, installing and/or waterproofing a wide variety of accessory structures, including, inter alia, doorsill plates, safety rails, lightning rods, antennas, solar panels, satellite antennas, safety rails, glass rails, HVAC heating and air conditioning equipment, decorative sculptures, holiday decorations, and the like.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the present invention, certain of the foregoing and related objects are achieved by providing an anchor platform assembly for anchoring an object to a concrete structure, the anchor platform assembly including a base plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one through-hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the base plate. An elongate strut is coupled to the anchor base plate and has first and second ends and an at least partially threaded internal cylindrical bore for receiving a mechanical fastener therein. The internal bore extends from the first end of the strut toward, at least toward, the second end of the strut and is aligned and registered with the anchor substrate through-hole. The post has a second end portion depending from the bottom surface of the anchor substrate. The bottom surface of the anchor substrate is configured to allow at least a portion of the concrete structure to abut and be substantially flush therewith, except for an area of the bottom surface of the substrate covered by the posts. Means for anchoring the anchor substrate to a concrete structure are also provided. In some embodiments, anchor platform systems and methods are disclosed.

In some embodiments, the strut aperture extends into the lower end portion of the strut. In some embodiments, the hole is a blind hole and has a closed bottom end in the lower end portion of the pillar. In some embodiments, the lower end portion of the strut serves as a means for anchoring. In some embodiments, the lower end portion is externally threaded. In some embodiments, the lower end portion has a bottom end portion disposed at an angle thereto. In some embodiments, the strut has a generally L-shaped profile. In some embodiments, the substrate hole is cylindrical and internally threaded and merges with the threaded post internal hole. In some embodiments, the post inner bore is cylindrical and is a through bore extending from the upper end to the bottom end of the post. The means for anchoring is preferably mounted on the post adjacent the bottom end of the post.

In some embodiments, the means for anchoring comprises a threaded bolt threadably receivable in the threaded post internal bore at the bottom end of the post. A washer is mounted on the post having a diameter greater than the post. In some embodiments, the strut has an upper end portion extending above the top surface of the anchor substrate. In some embodiments, the upper end of the strut is internally threaded. In some embodiments, the strut aperture is a blind aperture having a closed bottom end disposed adjacent to the aperture of the anchor substrate.

In some embodiments, the post comprises an at least partially threaded screw. In some embodiments, the anchor substrate comprises a flange. In some embodiments, the flange is a generally circular planar flange. In some embodiments, a polygonal nut having a through hole is attached to the top surface of the substrate, and the through hole of the nut is axially aligned and registered with the blind hole of the substrate. In some embodiments, the polygonal nut is a hexagonal nut. In some embodiments, the strut includes an elongated tubular neck portion having a through bore with an open top end and an open bottom end. The bottom open end of the neck portion is affixed to the top surface of the base plate, and the through-hole of the neck portion is axially aligned and registered with the blind hole of the base plate.

In some embodiments, the through-hole of the neck portion is at least partially threaded. In some embodiments, the through-hole has a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly further comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the through-hole. The means for rotating includes a port formed in the open top end adjacent to and within the elongated neck portion, the port being configured and dimensioned to receive a tool for rotating the anchor into a support structure. In some embodiments, the through-hole is a blind hole having a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly further comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the blind hole.

In some embodiments, the means for rotating comprises a port adjacent to and formed within the open top end of the blind hole. In some embodiments, the port is configured and dimensioned as a grub screw slot. In some embodiments, the port is configured and dimensioned as a hex key port.

In some embodiments, the combination anchor and fastening assembly includes means for fastening an object to the anchor substrate via the blind hole. In some embodiments, the means for fastening is a threaded bolt. In some embodiments, the combination anchor and fastening assembly comprises means for fastening the anchor substrate to the support structure, wherein the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is substantially flush with at least a portion of the support structure, except for the area of the bottom surface covered by the struts.

In some embodiments, the post comprises an at least partially threaded bolt. In some embodiments, the anchor substrate comprises a flange. In some embodiments, the flange is a generally circular planar flange. In some embodiments, a polygonal nut having a through hole is attached to the top surface of the substrate, and the through hole of the nut is axially aligned and registered with the blind hole of the substrate. In some embodiments, the polygonal nut is a hexagonal nut.

In some embodiments, the combination anchor and fastening assembly includes an elongate tubular neck portion having a through bore with an open top end and an open bottom end. The bottom open end of the neck portion is affixed to the top surface of the base plate, and the through-hole of the neck portion is axially aligned and registered with the blind hole of the base plate. The through bore of the neck portion is at least partially threaded. The neck portion through bore is advantageously a blind bore having a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly additionally comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the blind bore.

In some embodiments, the means for rotating comprises a port adjacent to and formed within the open end of the elongated neck portion, the port being configured and dimensioned to receive a tool for rotating the anchor into a support structure. In some embodiments, the through bore has a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly further comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the blind bore. In some embodiments, the means for rotating comprises a port adjacent to and formed within the open top end of the blind hole. In some embodiments, the port is configured and dimensioned as a grub screw slot. In some embodiments, the port is configured and dimensioned as a hex key port.

In some embodiments, the combination anchor and fastening assembly includes means for fastening an object to the anchor substrate via the blind hole. More desirably, the means for securing the object comprises a threaded bolt.

In some embodiments, the combination anchor and fastening assembly comprises means for fastening the anchor substrate to the support structure, wherein the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is substantially flush with at least a portion of the support structure, except for the area of the bottom surface covered by the struts. The means for tightening comprises a nut.

In some embodiments, the anchor platform assembly comprises: a first member having first and second generally planar surfaces and at least one through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface; and at least one elongate second member coupled to the first member and extending at least partially through the through-hole of the first member and projecting outwardly from the first surface of the first member, the second member having a first end and a second end and an internal cylindrical bore that is at least partially threaded, extending from the first end of the second member at least toward the second end, and wherein the first surface of the first member is configured to allow the concrete structure to be substantially flush therewith except for an area of the first surface covered by the second member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said means for fastening is a threaded bolt with a straight edge. Most advantageously, the post has a reduced diameter neck portion at least partially receivable in the aperture of the anchor base plate. Most desirably, the means for securing includes being threadably received on an externally threaded post.

In accordance with the present invention, certain of the foregoing and related objects are also achieved by providing an anchor platform assembly system for anchoring an object to a structure (such as a concrete structure, for example), comprising: a first member having first and second generally planar surfaces and at least one through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface, and at least one elongate second member coupled to the first member and extending at least partially through the through-hole of the first member and projecting outwardly from the first and second surfaces of the first member, the second member having first and second ends and an internal cylindrical through-hole formed therein extending from the first end to the second end of the second member, and wherein the first surface of the first member is configured to allow the structure to be generally flush therewith except for an area of the first surface covered by the second member; and a pair of hoses, one of the pair of hoses coupled to the first end of the first end, the other of the pair of hoses coupled to the end of the strut such that liquid can flow from one of the hoses to the other via the through hole of the anchor second member.

In some embodiments, an anchor platform assembly system is provided that includes a first member having first and second generally planar surfaces and at least one through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. At least one elongate second member is coupled to the first member and extends at least partially through the through-hole of the first member and projects outwardly from the first surface of the first member. The second member has a first end and a second end and an inner at least partially threaded cylindrical bore formed therein extending from the first end of the second member at least toward the second end of the second member. The first surface of the first member is configured to allow the concrete structure to be substantially flush therewith, except for the area of the first surface covered by the second member. A threaded bolt and an enlarged washer are receivable on the threaded bolt, the bolt being threadably receivable in the second end of the second member for anchoring the anchor platform in a concrete structure.

The invention also relates to a method of anchoring an object to a concrete structure using a modular anchor and fastener assembly of the type having: an anchor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one through-hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and an elongate strut coupled to the anchor base plate, the elongate strut having a first end and a second end and an at least partially threaded cylindrical inner bore for receiving a mechanical fastener therein, the bore extends from the first end of the strut to the second end of the strut and is aligned and registered with the anchor substrate through-hole, and wherein the strut has a second end portion depending from the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is configured to allow abutment and substantially flush with at least a portion of the concrete structure except for the area of the bottom surface of the anchor substrate covered by the post; and means for anchoring the anchor substrate to a concrete structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) placing the anchor and fastening assembly in concrete such that the anchor substrate is adjacent a top surface of the concrete; and (b) anchoring the assembly in the concrete.

More preferably, said step (a) is performed before said concrete is cured. Most advantageously, said step (b) is performed by inserting at least a portion of said post into said concrete, followed by curing said concrete.

Drawings

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which disclose several embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top and side perspective view of a first embodiment of an anchor base plate utilized in an anchor platform assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom and side perspective view of the anchor substrate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially pictorial perspective view of a first embodiment of an anchor platform assembly embodying the present invention employing a plurality of serially arranged anchor base plates mounted on a roof deck and anchoring the plurality of serially arranged anchor base plates to a plurality of spaced apart elongated rails having U-shaped channels or shoes in which a pair of glass rails are in turn mounted;

FIG. 4a is an exploded cross-sectional view of an anchor platform assembly including an anchor base plate and a gasket plate shown in FIG. 4a in positional relationship to the U-shoe and roof deck shown in FIG. 3, and further illustrating roof flashing associated therewith including an anchor base plate membrane and a roof membrane and fastening devices employed therewith;

fig. 4b is a plan view of the anchor base plate and optional spacer plate centered thereon for adjusting the height of the balustrade.

Fig. 4c is a cross-sectional view of the anchor platform assembly shown in fig. 4b, fully installed on a roof deck, with the glass balustrade anchored to the roof via its U-shaped boot, and also showing the use of flashing materials, fasteners and adhesives employed therewith.

FIG. 5a is an exploded cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the anchor platform assembly comparable to FIG. 4b, but showing the anchor base plate having an internally threaded post with a neck section of reduced width;

FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view comparable to FIG. 4c, of a second embodiment of the invention in the fully installed state, but showing the use of an internally threaded post having a reduced width neck section that seats within the central bore of the anchor base plate;

FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of an anchor platform assembly comparable to that shown in FIGS. 4b and 5a, but showing an anchor base plate having externally threaded struts;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the anchor platform assembly comparable to that of FIGS. 4 and 5b, in a fully installed state, but showing the outer threaded stanchions securing the anchor base plate to the roof deck from beneath the roof deck via nuts and washers;

FIG. 8a is a side elevational view of a combination countersunk head screw anchor and fastener assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8b is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the countersunk-head screw anchor assembly shown in FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 8c is a top plan view of the countersunk anchor flange assembly shown in FIGS. 8a and 8 b;

FIG. 8d is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view similar to FIG. 8b, but showing the optional provision of a flat head screwdriver port;

FIG. 8e is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8c but showing the optional provision of a flat head screwdriver port;

FIG. 8f is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view similar to FIGS. 8b and 8d, but showing the optional provision of a hex spoon port;

FIG. 8g is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8e but showing the optional provision of a hex key port;

FIG. 8h is a side elevational view of a combined hex head screw anchor and fastener assembly according to further embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 8i is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the hex head screw anchor assembly illustrated in FIG. 8 h;

FIG. 8j is a top plan view, partially in cross-section, of the hex head screw anchor assembly shown in FIG. 8 b;

FIG. 8k is a side elevational view of a combined long neck screw anchor and fastener assembly according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8l is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the long neck screw anchor assembly illustrated in FIG. 8 k;

FIG. 8m is a perspective view of the long neck screw anchor assembly shown in FIG. 8 l;

9a, 9b and 9c are partial cross-sectional side elevation views of bolt anchor assemblies utilizing a bolt with a central blind bore rather than a screw corresponding to the first, second and third embodiments, respectively;

FIG. 10a is a side elevation view, partially in section, of a further embodiment of a countersink anchor assembly;

FIG. 10b is a partially exploded, partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the anchor substrate embedded in the poured cement footing shown in FIG. 10a, and showing the rocker panel installed over the anchor substrate and the side wall and its associated bolt installed over the anchor substrate prior to fastening, with the anchor and its associated bolt installed in the cement footing below the anchor substrate;

FIG. 10c is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view similar to FIG. 10b, but showing the bolts fully tightened and received through the rocker panel and into the blind holes of the stanchion of the anchor base plate, and the anchor installed in the bottom end of the stanchion in the cement footing;

FIG. 11a is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a further embodiment of the counter anchor assembly shown in FIGS. 8 a-8 g, but with a J-bolt type anchor particularly intended for use in casting concrete structures;

FIG. 11b is a partially exploded, partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the counter anchor embedded in the poured cement footing shown in FIG. 11a, and showing the rocker panel, sidewall and its associated bolt positioned over the counter anchor prior to fastening;

FIG. 11c is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view similar to FIG. 11b, but showing the bolt fully tightened and received through the rocker plate and into the blind hole of the counter anchor;

fig. 12a is a side elevation view, partially in section, of a further embodiment of the long neck anchor base plate assembly shown in fig. 8 k-8 m with a J-bolt type anchor particularly intended for casting concrete structures;

FIG. 12b is a partially exploded, partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the long neck anchor embedded in a poured cement footing as shown in FIG. 12a, and showing the rocker panel, side wall and its associated bolt positioned above the long neck anchor and the J-shaped anchor of the anchor set thereunder in the concrete footing prior to tightening;

FIG. 12c is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view similar to FIG. 12b, but showing the bolt tightened and fully received through the rocker panel and into the blind hole of the anchor, and the J-shaped anchor of the anchor set thereunder in the concrete footing;

FIG. 13a is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view of a long neck anchor assembly for concrete having a modified thread;

FIG. 13b is a top plan view of the long neck anchor shown in FIG. 13 a;

FIG. 13c is an exploded partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the long neck anchor assembly of the present invention shown in FIGS. 13a and 13b but set in a concrete foundation with a threshold plate and object positioned above the long neck anchor assembly for securement thereto;

FIG. 13d is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the long neck anchor assembly of the present invention embedded in a poured concrete foundation as shown in FIG. 13c, and showing the rocker panel installed over the long neck anchor assembly and the side walls and associated bolts installed over the long neck anchor assembly;

FIG. 14a is an exploded partial cross-sectional side elevation view of a further embodiment of a countersunk anchor assembly intended for use in a radiant floor heating system embedded in a concrete flooring substrate above a wood subfloor; and is

Fig. 14b is a partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the anchor assembly illustrated in fig. 14a, shown in a fully installed condition.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Exemplary embodiments of anchor systems and related methods of use are discussed in terms of anchor platforms that are universally applicable for anchoring, installing, and/or waterproofing a wide variety of accessory structures, including, for example, doorsill plates, safety rails, lightning rods, antennas, solar panels, satellite antennas, safety rails, glass rails, HVAC heating and air conditioning equipment, decorative sculptures, and/or holiday decorations.

The anchor system of the present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this application is not limited to the particular devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or illustrated herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting. In addition, in some embodiments, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular referent. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" or "approximately" one particular value, and/or to "about" or "approximately" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It should also be understood that all spatial references (e.g., such as horizontal, vertical, top, up, down, bottom, left, and right) are for illustrative purposes only and may vary within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, references to "upper" and "lower" are relative and are used only in context with respect to the other, and not necessarily "upper" and "lower".

The following discussion includes a description of the anchor system and related components and methods of employing the anchor system in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Alternative embodiments are also disclosed. Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Turning to fig. 1-14 b, components of an anchor system 10 are shown in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, the anchor system 10 being for anchoring an object to a support structure, as more particularly described and illustrated in applicant's aforementioned U.S. patent application serial No. 15/852,733 and application No. PCT/US2019/018592, and particularly intended for a wide variety of anchoring applications that are universally applicable to many different fields of use.

With respect to fig. 1-4 c thereof, there is shown a first embodiment of a novel anchor platform assembly embodying the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, for anchoring an accessory structure to a support structure, particularly useful in construction field structures such as roofs, foundations, terraces, balconies, stairways, walls, and the like. The primary component of the anchor platform assembly is an anchor base plate (generally designated by reference numeral 11), which is preferably made of stainless steel (but may also be made of other metals such as aluminum, bronze, etc.), and is square or rectangular in shape, and has a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 13. The anchor substrate 11 has an internally threaded central through hole 14 and six spaced apart peripheral through holes 15, the peripheral through holes 15 being located radially outward from the central hole 14 and generally adjacent to the periphery of the substrate 11. In this embodiment, the anchor base plate 11 further includes a preferably cylindrical rod or post 16 having an axially extending internal threaded bore 17 (see fig. 4b) with a top open end 18 and a closed bottom 19 (fig. 2), the cylindrical rod or post 16 preferably being secured via welding to the anchor base plate 11 such that the top open end 18 of its bore 17 abuts and is in registry with the bottom open end of the central through bore 14 (fig. 4 a).

As shown in fig. 3, the anchor base plate 11 of the anchor platform assembly 10 is typically mounted to a roof structure (such as a roof deck, generally designated 21) via a mechanical fastening element 20, preferably in the form of a nail, bolt or lag screw, with the cylindrical leg 16 of the base plate extending through the roof deck 21 and having its closed end 19 projecting below the roof deck. Internally threaded and aligned

holes

14 and 17 serve as anchor points for mounting the object on roof deck 21. In this case the object is of the glass balustrade type having a glass panel 22 with a lower edge secured within an elongate U-shaped metal channel or shoe 24. Fig. 3 specifically depicts three serially arranged and spaced apart anchor substrates 11 to which two glass panels 22 and two shoes 24 are at least partially mounted. In use, the length of such glass rails may be several hundred feet. As can be appreciated, depending on the length of each glass balustrade 22, two or more anchor substrates 11 may be required for each glass balustrade 22, as shown in fig. 3.

As best seen in fig. 4a and 4c, the elongate U-shaped shoe 24 has a base wall 23, said base wall 23 having a plurality of spaced apart through holes 25 (one of which is shown). As will be discussed in more detail below, cylindrical mechanical fasteners having straight threads, such as threaded bolts 26, washers 27, are used, the bolts 26 being receivable through the through holes 25 of the U-shoe 24 and receivable within the internally threaded central bore 14 of the anchor base plate 11 and the internally threaded blind bores 17 (fig. 4a) of the cylindrical stanchions or rods 16 to anchor the anchor base plate 11 to the roof deck 21. The cylindrical pillar 16 with the closed bottom 19 serves two purposes: (1) it provides a relatively strong and rigid anchoring support point for the object to be mounted on the roof, and (2) it prevents water from penetrating into and below the roof deck 21 via the central bore 14 due to the blind bore 17 and the bottom end 19 of the cylindrical rod 16 being closed.

Fig. 4b shows the use of a square shim plate 28, the shim plate 28 having a central through hole 29 mounted atop the anchor base plate 11 such that the central through hole 29 is directly above and in registry with the internal blind hole 17 of the cylindrical post 16. The spacer plates 28 are used to adjust the height of the shoes 24 to ensure that adjacent shoes 24 and the glass balustrade or balustrades 22 they support are properly aligned due to variations in the height of the roof deck 21 or the like. Of course, additional shim plates 28 may be used to achieve the proper height alignment, if desired.

As shown in fig. 4a and 4c, the central through hole 25 of the U-shaped channel or shoe 24 contains a step that is sized and configured to receive and support the bolt head and washer 27 of the bolt 26 thereon such that the bolt head of the bolt 26 is disposed below the top surface 30 of the lower base wall 23 of the U-shaped shoe 24 so as not to abut and possibly crack or damage the bottom edge of the glass balustrade 22.

Fig. 4a and 4c show exploded and fully installed cross-sectional views, respectively, of an anchor platform assembly 10 for mounting a glass balustrade to a roof deck or terrace or the like, the anchor platform assembly 10 including a preferred flashing material, fasteners, adhesives and the like. As shown in fig. 4a, the anchor substrate 11 is positioned above a roof deck 21, which roof deck 21 may be of wood, metal or composite construction as standard or conventional in the industry. The cylindrical pillar 16 of the anchor base plate 11 is intended to be inserted through a through hole 31 in the roof deck 21, and a conventional rubber roof membrane 32, preferably made of neoprene, is preferably sandwiched between the anchor base plate 11 and the roof deck 21, said conventional rubber roof membrane 32 also having a through hole 33. Similarly, a conventional rubber roofing membrane 34, also preferably made of neoprene, is preferably positioned between the optional spacer plate 28 and the top surface 12 of the anchor base plate 11, and it is also provided with a central aperture 36 to allow the bolt 26 to pass through the membrane 34. Additionally, a sealant, cement, caulk or adhesive layer 38 is shown that would typically be applied to the bottom surface 13 of the anchor substrate 11 to adhesively join and seal the anchor substrate 11 to the roofing membrane 32.

As also shown in fig. 4c, an adhesive, caulk, cement or glue 40 (and/or optional clamps) is also applied to the inner surface of the U-shaped channel 24 so that it surrounds the lower end of the glass balustrade 22 that is received within the U-shaped metal channel 24. As also shown therein, the anchor substrate membrane 34 extends over the entire anchor substrate 11 and its ends are sealed against the roof membrane 32, thereby sealing the screw apertures and the rest of the anchor substrate 11. As can be appreciated, these flashing materials and adhesives serve to waterproof the assembly and protect the roof from leaks.

As previously mentioned, this is particularly important at the point of attachment of the object to the roof, in this case the point of attachment of the glass balustrade shoe 24 to the anchor base cylindrical post 16 via the bolt 26 and the threaded blind hole 17 in which the bolt 26 is received. Since the holes 17 are blind or small holes and the bottom ends 19 of the cylindrical posts 16 are closed, it is envisaged that any potential path of water that may penetrate between the glass panels 22 and the U-shaped channels 24 and enter the holes 17 of the cylindrical posts 16 is completely blocked from penetrating the roof deck 21.

Fig. 5a and 5b show a second embodiment of the anchor base plate assembly, and in a similar manner, an exploded cross-sectional view and a fully installed cross-sectional view, respectively, of this second anchor platform assembly embodiment.

The elements shown in this second embodiment are the same as those shown in figures 4b and 4c, except that the cylindrical post 16 ' is provided with a narrow neck portion 36 and the base plate 11 ' is provided with an unthreaded central bore 14 ', but both are otherwise the same as the base plate 11 and cylindrical post 16 shown in the previous embodiment. In fig. 4b and 4c, the top ends 18 of the cylindrical struts 16 will typically be soldered to the bottom surface 13 of the anchor substrate 11. However, in fig. 5a and 5b, the narrow neck section 36 is intended to be received within the unthreaded central bore 14 'of the anchor base plate 11', and a more robust and secure bond is achieved due to this configuration. The more secure bonding is due to the fact that: when the anchor plate 11 'and the stanchion 16' are welded together, the respective central hole 14 'and internal threaded hole 17' are maintained in proper and perfect alignment by abutting the reduced neck section 36 of the stanchion 16 'and receiving the neck section 36 in the central hole 14' prior to and during welding.

Fig. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the anchor base plate assembly 10 "and, in a similar manner, an exploded cross-sectional view and a fully installed cross-sectional view, respectively, of this third anchor platform assembly embodiment. The elements shown in this third embodiment are the same as those shown in fig. 5a and 5b, except that the lower portion 38 of the cylindrical post 16 "is externally threaded, but otherwise identical to the cylindrical post 16'. In this embodiment, the nut 39 and washer 41 are threaded onto the outer threaded surface 38 of the cylindrical post 16 "such that in the fully assembled state shown in fig. 7, the nut 39 and washer 41 are tightened against the lower surface of the metal roof deck 21 'to provide a more secure attachment point while preventing the roof from leaking at the attachment point via the blind hole 17' and closed end 19 of the cylindrical post 16".

Turning now in particular to fig. 8a to 8m, there are shown several embodiments of the novel screw anchor and fastener assembly (hereinafter generally referred to as "screw anchor" or "screw anchor assembly") according to the present invention, as shown and described in the continuation-in-part of the applicant's earlier filed PCT application number PCT/US 2019/018592. As shown in fig. 8 a-8 c, the anchor assembly 110 is a countersunk screw anchor and is particularly useful for a variety of applications in the construction industry. The countersunk screw anchor assembly 110 includes a preferably planar base plate, flange or washer 111 having an upper surface 112, an opposite lower surface 113, and an optional internally threaded central opening 114 extending therethrough. Additionally, the screw anchor assembly 110 also includes an externally threaded post, preferably in the form of a screw or lag screw 116, secured to the anchor base plate 111 and extending downwardly from the lower surface 113 of the base plate 111. As best shown in fig. 8b, the upper shaft of screw 116 includes an axially extending, internally threaded central bore 117 that merges with and is axially aligned with central opening 114 of base plate 111. Bore 117 has a diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the externally threaded upper shaft of screw 116.

The hole 117 in the screw 116 is a blind hole having an open top end defined by the hole 114 in the flange or base plate 111 and a closed bottom end 119 in the shaft of the screw 116. It is also preferred that the screw 116 and base plate 111 are integrally joined to form a one-piece combination anchor and fastener assembly or component. The screw 116 may be secured to the base plate 111 via welding, a press-fit connection, or by any other fastening means that will ensure that the screw 116 and the base plate 111 are securely and rigidly fastened together to provide a secure and robust anchor.

As will be shown and discussed below with respect to assembling and using the screw anchor of the present invention for this and other embodiments described herein, a fastener, generally in the form of a bolt 26, having an enlarged head and a threaded straight edge, and a washer 27, as shown in fig. 4a, 4c, 5a, 5b, 6 and 7, may be threadably received in the aperture 117 to retain and securely fasten the object to the anchor such that the object or a portion thereof or its associated accessory structure (with respect to the associated accessory structure, see, for example, the U-shoe 24 for supporting the glass panel 22 for a roof rail) is securely held tightly against the upper surface 112 of the anchor base plate 111. This is preferably achieved by providing a through hole 25 in the object or a part thereof or an accessory structure, through which through hole 25 the threaded shaft of the bolt 26 passes, after which it is screwed into the blind hole 117 of the screw anchor 110 and tightened to fasten the object firmly to the screw anchor.

Fig. 8d and 8e show a modified form of the countersunk anchor embodiment shown in fig. 8a to 8c, in which recessed grub screw slots or ports 143 are formed in the base plate 111 on opposite sides of its central bore 114, the recessed grub screw slots or ports 143 extending therebelow into an upper outer smooth and enlarged head portion 144 of the lag screw countersunk anchor 110 on the opposite side of its central bore 117 to allow insertion of a grub screwdriver or other tool (not shown) into the slots 143 to facilitate turning the outer threaded shaft of the screw 116 to screw the anchor 110 into or remove the anchor 110 threadedly from a desired support structure, for example in situations where it is desired to reposition the anchor in an architectural support structure.

Fig. 8f and 8g show another modified form of the screw anchor assembly shown in fig. 8a to 8c, in which instead of using a flat head screwdriver port 143, a hex key port 145 is provided. More particularly, a countersunk hexagonal head space is provided above the top end of the blind bore 117 in the upper outer smoothly expanding head portion 144 of the lag screw anchor 110 extending downwardly from the top surface 112 of the washer 111. The enlarged cylindrical head portion 144 of the lag screw anchor 110 has a hexagonal inner wall surface 146 defining a hex key port 145. The hex key port 145 is designed to receive a hex key (not shown) by which the countersunk screw anchor assembly 110 may be easily and threadingly screwed into and removed from the support structure, as described and illustrated in greater detail below.

In yet another embodiment of the screw anchor assembly of the present invention, as shown in fig. 8 h-8 j, a hex-head lag screw anchor 210 is provided having a hex-head cap nut 250 secured atop an upper surface 212 of a base plate 211. The hexagonal hex nut 250 serves the same purpose as a screwdriver slot, hex key port, etc., whereby a tool, such as a socket wrench (not shown), configured to grasp the hex head to facilitate its threaded engagement into or removal from the support may be used. The outer hex nut 250 is preferably integrally joined to the base plate 211, such as by welding, to form a one-piece component. As best shown in fig. 8i, the external hex nut 250 includes an internally threaded central through bore 252, the through bore 252 being axially aligned and in registry with the central bore 217 of the lag screw 216 and the bore 214 of the base plate 211. Although the anchor 210 is shown and described as having a hexagonal shaped nut 250, other polygonal or geometric shapes are possible and contemplated by the present invention and as further disclosed below.

Turning now to fig. 8 k-8 m, there is shown an additional embodiment of a novel, extended, elongated or "long neck" lag screw anchor assembly (generally designated by reference numeral 310) in accordance with the present invention. Anchor 310 includes a preferably radially extending disc-like annular base plate, flange or washer 311 having an upper planar surface 312 and an opposite lower planar surface 313, the lower planar surface 313 preferably also being welded to the tip of lag screw anchor 316. The so-called "extended" or "long neck" 350 comprises an elongated hollow tube or collar attached at its bottom end to the flange 311, preferably via welding. Alternatively, the long neck 350 may be made integral with the post 316 so long as the diameter of the opening 314 is large enough to allow the neck 350 to pass therethrough before being welded to the flange 311.

Neck 350 is preferably substantially cylindrical, but is not limited to any particular geometry, as discussed further below. As best shown in fig. 8m, the long neck 350 has a central bore defined by an inner surface 324 adjacent its open top end, the inner surface 324 preferably being hexagonal to define a hex-key port 325, and the lower end of the inner surface 324 merging with a threaded interior through bore 326 disposed therebelow. As in other embodiments, a hex key tool (not shown) may be inserted into the hex key port 324 to facilitate and effect the threaded engagement and removal thereof from the support structure.

Fig. 9a shows a countersunk-head bolt anchor assembly 110 'in which the threaded countersunk-head anchor screw 116 shown in fig. 8a to 8g is replaced by a threaded bolt 116' attached to the flange 111 and having a blind hole 117. The threaded bolts 116 'will be screwed into and through the support structure until the base plate 111 will abut and be flush on the top surface of the support structure and its lower end will pass through the through holes in the support structure to allow the washer 39 and nut 41 to be placed and screwed on the bolts 116' and fully tightened to sandwich and firmly anchor the support structure between the base plate 111 and the washer 39.

Fig. 9b shows a hex head bolt anchor assembly 210 'wherein the threaded screw 216 shown in fig. 8 h-8 j is replaced by a threaded bolt 216' having a blind hole 217 and a hex nut 250 attached to the flange 211. Here again, threaded bolts 216 'will be screwed into and through the support structure until its base plate 211 will abut and be flush on the top surface of the support structure, and bolts 216' will pass through the support structure to allow the washer 39 and nut 41 to be placed and screwed thereon so as to sandwich the support structure between the base plate 211 and washer 39.

Fig. 9c shows a long neck bolt anchor assembly 310 'in which the threaded screw 316 is replaced by a threaded bolt 316' having a long neck 350 attached to a flange 311 and a blind bore 317. The threaded bolt 316' will be screwed into and/or inserted through the support structure until its base plate 311 abuts and is flush on the top surface (or side) of the support structure. At the same time, the lower end of bolt 316 'will pass through the bottom (or other side) of the support structure to allow washer 39 and nut 41 to be placed and screwed thereon so as to securely anchor assembly 310' to the support structure, which in turn is sandwiched between base plate 311 and washer 30 and nut 42.

Turning now to fig. 10 to 13, there are shown four embodiments of the invention modified for use particularly in concrete and masonry facilities such as concrete foundations. As seen in fig. 10a, 10b and 10c, this embodiment of the anchor platform 10 "' embodiment is based on the anchor substrate assembly of fig. 1-7 and is more closely comparable to the anchor substrate of fig. 5a and 5b having an internally threaded, reduced width neck portion 35, although other embodiments thereof may also be applicable. As shown, the square base plate 11 "is substantially identical, but without the apertures 15, and the smooth cylindrical post 16 ' is provided with internally threaded through holes 17 ' at its top 18 and bottom 19 '. A washer 39 'having a diameter greater than that of the stud 16' is mounted on the threaded shaft of the bolt 26, the free threaded end of the bolt 26 being threadably received in the bottom open end 19 'of the threaded through bore 17' of the cylindrical stud 16 ', whereby the bolt 26 and washer 39' act as an anchor to secure the base plate 11 'and stud 16' in the cement upon curing. As can be appreciated, the base plate 11 ' and the stanchion 16 ' are placed in the cement prior to setting of the cement and positioned such that the top surface 12 ' of the anchor base plate is flush with the top face 52 of the cement footing or foundation 50. Once the cement has set completely, the anchor baseplate 11 ' and the cylindrical pillar 16 ' are firmly anchored in the foundation by means of the washer 39 '. As can be further appreciated, in this embodiment, the use of screw fasteners 20 or the like as shown in fig. 5a and 5b is not required, as the baseplate apertures (not shown), if optionally provided, are filled with cement to further anchor the baseplate to the surrounding cement.

Once the cement 50 is fully cured and set, the anchor substrate assembly 10 "' may be ready for fastening to an accessory, as best seen in fig. 10b and 10 c. In this illustrated example, a rocker plate 60, preferably made of wood and having a central and vertical through hole 62 aligned with the through hole 17 'of the anchor base plate assembly 10' ", is positioned on the base plate 11 ', and a tension bolt 26' with a washer 27 mounted thereon is then inserted into the through hole 62 extending through the rocker plate 60 so that the bolt 26 'is threadably received in the threaded through hole 17' of the stanchion 16 'and then tightened to securely attach the rocker plate 60 to the anchor base plate 11' and in turn to the cement foundation 50 (fig. 10 c). Preferably, the top of the rocker plate 60 has a recess 64 above its through hole 62 so that the head of the bolt 26' and the washer 27 are located in the recess 64 when fully inserted and tightened. This allows the accessory structure (in this case, the double-walled side walls 70, 72) to be flush-mounted on top of the rocker panel 60.

It should be noted that of course other anchor designs than anchor 10 "' may be used as long as it securely anchors base plate 11 ' and post 16 ' in cement 50. Furthermore, it is also possible to use the externally threaded post 16 "embodiment of fig. 6 and 7, in which case a nut 39 and enlarged washer 41 would be used, which nut 39 and enlarged washer 41 would be sized to be threadably received on the end of the externally threaded post 16" to also serve as an anchor for the anchor base plate assembly 10' "in a similar manner.

Turning now to fig. 11a to 11c, there is shown a small concrete countersunk anchor 400 similar to that of fig. 8a to 8g, except that instead of the threaded blind hole 117 in the screw-type stud 116, a generally J-bolt-like, L-shaped cylindrical stud 430 is used, said stud 430 having formed in its vertical top leg 431 a central internal threaded blind hole 417, said vertical top leg 431 actually serving as a cylindrical stud. Its bottom leg 432 is set at an angle alpha to act as an anchor and to more securely lock the anchor base 411 and curved strut 431 in the cement after the cement has set. In some embodiments, angle a is about 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the bottom legs 432 may be disposed in alternative orientations (e.g., transverse and/or other angular orientations (such as acute or obtuse angles), coaxial) with respect to the vertical top legs 431 and/or may be offset or staggered. As shown in fig. 11b and 11c, a countersunk anchor 400 may be used in a similar manner to the anchor base plate assembly 10 "'of fig. 10 a-10 c to attach the threshold plate 60 atop the base plate 11 using a threaded tension bolt 26' and washer 27. Here again, the threaded tension bolt 26' is inserted through the through hole 62 in the rocker panel 60 and, after the cement 50 has set completely, is threaded into the blind hole 417 in the vertical arm 431 of the L-shaped pillar 430 and then the double-

walled side walls

70, 72 are mounted on the rocker panel 60.

Fig. 12a, 12b and 12c show a specific embodiment of a long neck anchor assembly 500, except that instead of the struts 316 or 316', it also has an L-shaped or J-bolt like curved cylindrical strut 530, said strut 530 having formed in the upper long neck portion 550 of its vertical top leg 531 a central internal threaded blind bore 517 that opens to the top free end 514 of the long neck 550 and has a bottom closed end 519 flush with the bottom surface 513 of the anchor base plate or flange 11. Its bottom leg 532 is disposed at an angle to its vertical leg 531 (preferably 90 ° to the vertical leg 531) to more securely lock the anchor base plate 511 and curved strut 530 in the cement after the cement has set. As seen in fig. 12b and 12c, the long neck anchor 500 may be used in a similar manner as the counter anchor 400 to attach the rocker panel 60 atop the concrete foundation 50 using threaded tension bolts 26 'and washers 27, with the heads of the threaded bolts 26' received in the recesses 64 of the rocker panel 60 and also passing through the through holes 62 in the rocker panel 60, and threaded into the blind holes 517 of the long neck portion 550 of the vertical arm 531 of the L-shaped pillar 530 after the cement has fully set.

In this embodiment, the long neck extension 550 extends upwardly beyond the top surface of the cement footing 50, as shown in FIG. 12c, and protrudes at least partially upwardly through the enlarged section of the through-hole 62 of the rocker panel 60. The threaded bolt 26' and washer 27 will be received in the recess 64 of the rocker 60 and its threaded shank will be threadedly inserted into the blind hole 517 of the long neck 550 to lock the rocker in place. Again, accessories (such as double-walled sidewalls 70, 72) may then be installed and secured flush on top of the rocker panel 60.

Turning now to fig. 13a and 13b, there is shown another variation of a long neck anchor assembly (generally designated by reference numeral 610) having a modified thread 605 for concrete. The anchor 610 includes a preferably radially extending disc-like annular base plate, flange or washer 611 having an upper planar surface 612 and an opposite lower planar surface 613, the lower planar surface 613 preferably also being welded to the top end of a screw anchor post 616. The so-called "extension" or "long neck" 650 comprises an elongated hollow tube or collar attached at its bottom end to the upper surface 612 of the flange 611, preferably via welding. Here again, the long neck section 650 may be integrally formed with the post 616, so long as the hole 614 has a diameter large enough to allow the long neck section 650 to pass therethrough prior to welding.

The neck 650 is preferably substantially cylindrical, but is not limited to any particular geometry, as discussed further below. The long neck 650 has a threaded central bore 617 disposed below and adjacent to its open top end 624, the open top end 624 preferably being hexagonal to define a hex key port 625. The central bore 617 terminates at the bottom wall 613 of the base plate 611 and does not extend into the screw anchor 616. As in other embodiments, a hex key tool (not shown) may be inserted into the hex key port 625 to facilitate and effect the threaded engagement and removal thereof from the support structure.

The threads 605 are configured to engage concrete. In some embodiments, threads 605 include coarse or notched threads and diamond, nail type tips. For applications where the cement has set or cured, a hole will be provided in the concrete and a conventional lead screen body inserted and installed therein. The threaded post is then installed in the lead screen body and held thereby.

Fig. 13c is an exploded partial cross-sectional side elevational view of the long neck anchor assembly of the present invention shown in fig. 13a and 13b installed in concrete and having the desired frame disposed thereover. Fig. 13d is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the long neck anchor assembly of the present invention in an assembled position relative to a frame or wall structure to which it is attached, further illustrating the sheath through which the long neck anchor assembly extends, and further illustrating the long neck anchor assembly securing the attachment to the sheath in a flush manner.

More particularly, as shown in fig. 13c, after the concrete foundation or structure 50 is poured, the anchor assembly 610 is placed in the still uncured cement 50 such that its threaded shaft 616 fully extends perpendicular to its top surface 52 in the cement 50 with the aid of its anchor base plate which is positioned to assume an upright position with its top surface 612 lying flush with the top surface 52 of the concrete base or structure 50.

Once the cement 50 has fully cured and set, the anchor base plate assembly 610 is ready for fastening to an accessory, in this illustrated example a rocker panel 60 having a vertically extending through hole 62 through which a long neck 650 may pass. The bolt 26 with washer 27 is then inserted into the through hole 25 ' of the object or attachment structure 24 ' extending through the rocker plate 65 so that the bolt 26 can be threadably received in the through hole 617 and then tightened to securely attach the rocker plate 60 and the object 24 ' to the anchor base plate 611 and in turn to the cement foundation 50. Here again, the anchor assembly 610 may be used with concrete that has already cured or set, typically using a lead screen mounted in a pre-drilled hole in the concrete.

Fig. 14a and 14b disclose additional embodiments of an anchor substrate assembly 710, the anchor substrate assembly 710 configured for use with a fluid source via

hoses

706, 708 to allow fluid F to flow through the anchor substrate assembly 710, as described herein. The anchor substrate assembly 710 includes an anchor substrate 711 having a top surface 712 and a bottom surface 713. The cylindrical post 716 is provided with an internally threaded or unthreaded through bore 717, the through bore 717 opening at both a top end 720 and a bottom end 722 of the post 716. The post 716 includes an upper long neck portion 750 disposed above the base plate 711 and a preferably partially threaded lower portion 716 disposed below the base plate 711. In some embodiments, the through-hole 717 can include a threaded surface. In some embodiments, the through-holes 717 include smooth surfaces. In some embodiments, the post 716 includes a threaded surface. In some embodiments, the struts 716 comprise smooth surfaces.

The ends 720 and 722 are configured for connection to

hoses

706, 707, respectively. The

hoses

706, 707 can be coupled to the

ends

720, 722 by various means, such as, for example, clamping, threading, snap-fit, and/or friction-fit. As shown, the

ends

707, 709 of the

hoses

706, 708, respectively, are configured and dimensioned to allow the

ends

707, 709 to be mounted by a friction fit over the smooth end 720 of the long neck portion 750 and the smooth end 722 of the lower portion of the post 716, respectively. Ribs (not shown) may be provided on the end or post of the hose to enhance gripping. In some embodiments, the membrane and/or flange 730 is configured for deployment between the surface 712 of the anchor substrate 711 and the hose 706. The septum 730 is configured to provide a seal to resist and/or prevent fluid leakage from the hose 705. In some embodiments, the membrane and/or flange 732 and/or the caulk 734 are configured for deployment between the surface 713 of the anchor substrate 711 and the support structure 724. The diaphragm 732 is configured to provide a seal to resist and/or prevent fluid leakage from the hose 706.

In some embodiments, the

anchor hoses

706, 708 and struts 716 allow fluid (e.g., water) to pass through while providing a solid and secure joint, and the lower surface 713 of the base plate 711 is flush with the support structure 724. In some embodiments, this configuration may be utilized with a radiant heating system covered in poured cement 50 (as shown in fig. 14 b) or equivalent synthetic mortar, and connected at the opposite end with a wood or floor base 724 to access a hot water source. The anchor base 711 is attached to the floor 724 via its post 716 and washer 39 and threaded nut 41 received on the threaded upper section of the post 716. Alternatively, other anchors disclosed herein may also be modified to allow water flow to pass therethrough in a comparable manner via an internal through hole, whether smooth or threaded and whether it is an upright post or an "L" or "J" shaped post, so long as it extends through the post and has openings at both ends for connection to water or fluid hoses, pipes, and the like. It will also be appreciated that the anchor assemblies shown herein may also be installed upside down, laterally, or in any other desired orientation relative to the concrete and/or support structure, which may likewise take on a variety of orientations and shapes based on the needs of a particular application.

As mentioned above, the material of the anchor, its dimensions, thread configuration and size depend on the application and the surrounding building material (e.g., wood, concrete, steel, aluminum, etc.). In concrete, the anchor may be inserted into wet cement to lock in place as the cement sets. Alternatively, the small hole may be pre-drilled into the concrete, after which the anchor is screwed into it. In this case, a lead screen (not shown) is optionally placed in the concrete aperture and the anchor is screwed into the opening that grips the lead screen, or the anchor may be screwed directly into a slightly smaller pilot aperture in the concrete.

Similarly, it is contemplated that the type of fastener, membrane flashing material, and sealant will also be selected to be compatible with the support surface. In addition, elements of the various embodiments may be substituted for one another where appropriate. It is also possible to use the anchoring and fastening assembly for other construction tasks where firm anchoring, water-tight sealing is particularly important.

It is to be understood that the above-described drawings are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.

While the foregoing specifically describes and illustrates the use of the anchor substrate and screw anchor assembly shown in use with glass balustrades, lightning rods, ground cables, and L-shaped brackets for solar panels, they may also be used to anchor and support a wide variety of other objects to a support structure, such as a roof or other building accessory (e.g., an antenna, a television satellite antenna, an HVAC unit, etc.).

As briefly mentioned in discussing fig. 4a, it is important to use a cylindrical mechanical fastener with "straight" threads for mounting an object on a support structure via the internally threaded cylindrical blind bore of the various embodiments described herein. More specifically, this type of mechanical fastener has so-called "straight" threads — i.e., bolts having a head and a cylindrical threaded shaft and headless cylindrical rod-like studs. This is to be distinguished from "conical" screws having so-called "tapered" threads. The use of such cylindrical bolt or stud fasteners with straight threads ensures a secure joint and versatility to accommodate fasteners of varying length and width for various degrees of retention via threaded receipt in internally threaded cylindrical blind bores of struts which also have straight edges. Rather, the mechanical fasteners used to attach the anchor substrate to the support member via the secondary apertures 15 may generally be of any type, including screws having "tapered" threads.

As can also be appreciated from the foregoing, the shape and number of anchor substrates, the shape, type and number of struts (whether externally threaded or smooth), the use of unthreaded through holes, threaded blind holes and their layout may also be modified according to the specific details of a particular application, such as the nature, size and material (such as metal, wood or some other composite material) of a roof or other building support structure. For example, a preferred range of strut length or height may be anywhere from 0 inches (flush) to 18 inches. Similarly, it is contemplated that the type of fastener, membrane flashing material, and sealant will also be selected to be compatible with the roof or building structure. In addition, elements of the various embodiments may be substituted for one another where appropriate.

Further, while the anchor (in addition to a raised hex screw anchor) preferably employs a grub screw slot or hex key port to secure the anchor to the support structure or remove the anchor, other devices (such as star bits or the like) may alternatively be used to assist the user in threading and/or removing the anchor into and/or from the building support.

It should also be noted that the dimensions of the various parts and elements may be varied as desired or preferred. For example, the upper and lower struts of a cylindrical double strut generally have a diameter, and preferably range from 1/8 inches to 2 inches. For example, one strut may have a width of 1/2 inches and the other strut may have a width of 3/4 inches, or they may have the same width. Of course, the diameters of the upper and lower sections may be larger or smaller relative to each other, as desired. The nut is preferably between 1/2 inches and 3 inches, but a typical standard size may be 3/4 inches. The thickness of the substrate may vary as desired, for example, preferably between 1/16 inches and 1 inch, but preferably 1/4 inches. Bolts with attached nuts or bolts with separate nuts may be used and are used interchangeably herein. In a preferred embodiment, the struts have an outer diameter of 1/2 inches, while their inner bores have a diameter of 3/8 inches. The screw anchor may have a width or thickness of about 1/16 inches and a diameter of about 11/2 inches. However, as noted above, the size of the substrate flange and aperture, as well as the length of the strut and its internal aperture, may vary.

The material of the components of the anchor assembly, such as the base plate and the struts, may also be made from a variety of materials including, for example, metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, copper, plastics, or composite materials. It is also preferred that the base plate and its stanchion, as well as the screw anchor and its flange, are integrally formed as a one-piece component. However, it should be understood that the posts may be secured to the substrate via soldering or other means.

Similarly, it is contemplated that the type of fastener, membrane flashing material, and sealant will also be selected to be compatible with the support surface. In addition, elements of the various embodiments may be substituted for one another where appropriate. It is also possible to use the anchoring and mounting assembly for other construction tasks where solid anchoring, watertight sealing and/or accurate and easy fitting are particularly important for a wide variety of other plumbing applications other than casting concrete or heating floors, such as for both indoor and/or outdoor applications such as garden spouts and hoses, sinks, showers and other water supply systems.

Thus, while particular embodiments of the invention have been described, there is no intention to limit the disclosure thereto, since the scope of the invention is intended to be as broad as the art will allow and the specification is intended to be read in a manner consistent with the present disclosure. Accordingly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A combination anchor and fastener assembly for anchoring an object to a concrete structure, comprising:

an anchor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one through-hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and an elongate strut coupled to the anchor substrate, the elongate strut having a first end and a second end and an at least partially threaded cylindrical bore for receiving a mechanical fastener therein, the bore extending from the first end of the strut toward, at least toward, the second end of the strut and being aligned and in registry with the through-hole of the anchor substrate, and wherein the strut has a second end portion depending from the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is configured to allow at least a portion of the concrete structure to abut and be substantially flush therewith, (ii) the anchor substrate except for the area of the bottom surface covered by the struts; and

means for anchoring the anchor substrate to the concrete structure.

2. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the post hole extends into the second end portion of the post.

3. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 2, wherein the bore is a blind bore and has a closed bottom end in the second end portion of the strut.

4. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 3, wherein the strut second end portion serves as the means for anchoring.

5. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 4, wherein the second end portion is externally threaded.

6. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 4, wherein the second end portion has a bottom end portion disposed at an angle thereto.

7. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 6, wherein the post has a generally L-shaped profile.

8. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 6, wherein the substrate hole is cylindrical and internally threaded and merges with the threaded post internal hole.

9. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 2, wherein the post internal bore is cylindrical and is a through bore extending from the first end to the second end of the post, and wherein the means for anchoring is mounted on the post adjacent the bottom end of the post.

10. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 9 wherein the means for anchoring comprises a threaded bolt threadably received in the threaded stanchion internal bore at the bottom end of the stanchion; and a washer mounted on the post having a diameter greater than the post.

11. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the strut has a first end portion extending above the top surface of the anchor substrate.

12. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 4, wherein the post hole in the first end of the post is at least partially threaded.

13. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 12, wherein the post hole is a blind hole having a closed bottom end disposed adjacent the hole of the anchor base plate.

14. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the post is at least partially externally threaded.

15. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor base plate comprises a flange.

16. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 15, wherein the flange is a generally circular planar flange.

17. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 15, wherein a polygonal nut having a through hole is affixed to the top surface of the base plate, and the through hole of the nut is axially aligned and registered with the blind hole of the base plate.

18. The combination anchor and fastener assembly of claim 17, wherein the polygonal nut is a hexagonal nut.

19. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the post further comprises an elongated tubular neck portion having a through bore with an open top end and an open bottom end, and wherein the bottom open end of the elongated tubular neck portion is affixed to the top surface of the base plate and the through bore of the elongated tubular neck portion is axially aligned and registered with the blind bore of the base plate.

20. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 19, wherein the through bore of the neck portion is at least partially threaded.

21. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 7, wherein the blind bore has a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly further comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the blind bore.

22. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 21, wherein the means for rotating comprises a port formed adjacent and within the open top end of the elongated neck portion, the port being configured and dimensioned to receive a tool for rotating the anchor into a supporting structure.

23. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the bore is a blind bore having a longitudinally extending axis, and the assembly further comprises means for rotating the anchor about the axis of the blind bore.

24. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 23, wherein the means for rotating comprises a port formed in the open top end adjacent to and within the blind bore.

25. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 23, wherein the port is configured and dimensioned as a grub screw slot.

26. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 23, wherein the post is configured and dimensioned as a hex key port.

27. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, further comprising means for fastening an object to the anchor substrate via the blind hole.

28. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 15, wherein the means for fastening is a threaded bolt having straight edges.

29. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, further comprising means for fastening the anchor substrate to the support structure, wherein the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is substantially flush with at least a portion of the support structure except for the area of the bottom surface covered by the struts.

30. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the post has a reduced diameter neck portion at least partially receivable in the aperture of the anchor base plate.

31. The combination anchor and fastening assembly of claim 14, wherein the means for fastening comprises a nut threadably received on the post.

32. An anchor platform assembly for anchoring an object to a concrete structure, comprising:

a first member having first and second generally planar surfaces and at least one through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface; and at least one elongate second member coupled to the first member and extending at least partially through the through-hole of the first member and projecting outwardly from the first surface of the first member, the second member having a first end and a second end and an internal cylindrical bore that is at least partially threaded, extending from the first end of the second member at least toward the second end, and wherein the first surface of the first member is configured to allow the concrete structure to be substantially flush therewith except for an area of the first surface covered by the second member.

33. An anchor platform assembly system for anchoring an object to a structure, comprising:

a first member having first and second generally planar surfaces and at least one through-hole extending from the first surface to the second surface; and at least one elongate second member coupled to the first member and extending at least partially through the through-hole of the first member and projecting outwardly from at least the first surface of the first member, the second member having a first end and a second end and an internal cylindrical through-hole formed therein extending from the first end to the second end of the second member, and wherein the first surface of the first member is configured to allow the structure to be substantially flush therewith except for an area of the first surface covered by the second member.

34. The anchor platform assembly of claim 33, further comprising a pair of tubes, one of the pair of tubes coupled to the first end of the second member and the other coupled to the second end of the second member such that liquid can flow from one of the pair of tubes to the other via the through-hole of the anchor second member.

35. A method of anchoring an object to a concrete structure using a modular anchor and fastener assembly of the type having: an anchor substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one through-hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and an elongate strut coupled to the anchor substrate, the elongate strut having a first end and a second end and an at least partially threaded cylindrical bore for receiving a mechanical fastener therein, the bore extending from the first end of the strut toward, at least toward, the second end of the strut and being aligned and in registry with the through-hole of the anchor substrate, and wherein the strut has a second end portion depending from the bottom surface of the anchor substrate, and the bottom surface of the anchor substrate is configured to allow at least a portion of the concrete structure to abut therewith and be substantially flush, (ii) the anchor substrate except for the area of the bottom surface covered by the struts; and means for anchoring the anchor substrate to a concrete structure, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing the anchor and fastening assembly in concrete such that the anchor substrate is adjacent a top surface of the concrete; and

(b) anchoring the assembly in the concrete.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein step (a) is performed prior to curing the concrete.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said step (b) is performed by inserting at least a portion of a strut into said concrete, followed by curing said concrete.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein step (b) is performed by providing a strut having a lower portion depending from the anchor substrate, having a generally L-shaped configuration.