US20240060265A1

US20240060265A1 - Adjustable step foundation

Info

Publication number: US20240060265A1
Application number: US17/820,219
Authority: US
Inventors: Sichen Li; Keguan Zou; Han Qin; Zhuangboyu Zhou; Jiuqi Wang; Jiayang Qin; Xunmin Jiang
Original assignee: A&C Futrue, Inc.
Current assignee: A&C Future Inc
Priority date: 2022-08-16
Filing date: 2022-08-16
Publication date: 2024-02-22

Abstract

A foundation with a variable load capacity includes a drive mechanism, an external load mechanism and an internal loading mechanism. The main body of the driving mechanism includes a support frame, a telescopic rod and a motor for driving the internal loading mechanism. The external loading mechanism includes a barrel-shaped body and an auxiliary spiral pattern, which can directly contact the soil and play the role of bearing the foundation. The internal loading mechanism is used to load the load-bearing plates and push the plates into the soil, in turn, to connect with the external load-bearing mechanism to enhance the bearing capacity of the foundation. The foundation can be factory prefabricated, motor-driven, auger soil penetrating, user adjustable via the number of load-bearing plates deployed, and requires no need for traditional building materials such as concrete.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to foundation structures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to an adjustable foundation having a variable load capacity.

2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information

The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
As the population grows, the demand for housing is increasing. To adapt to this change, solutions are sought out as to how to improve traditional construction methods by making the way houses are built modular and simple, thus increasing the speed of construction. In the traditional construction method, the foundation is time-consuming and laborious, but important, as it ensures the stability of the house.
Conventional foundation construction is mostly reinforced concrete structure. An independent foundation, as an example, has several main disadvantages as follows: (1) there is no uniform type of independent foundation, which means that each independent foundation needs to be specially made; (2) the land needs to be pre-treated, such as by digging pits, leveling, filling gravel, and the like, which often requires large tools such as excavators and height requirements for such equipment; (3) it takes a long time to lay reinforcement, where such tasks require on-site processing, which has a long processing cycle; (4) the concrete material has a big impact on the sanitary environment of the construction site, and it takes a long time to wait for the concrete to set after pouring; (5) the load-bearing structure cannot be changed again after the foundation is formed, and the bearing capacity is difficult to change.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved foundation system that addresses several of the foregoing issues with conventional foundations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a new type of adjustable foundation, which includes the following exemplary features: (1) factory prefabricated with no need to manufacture on site; (2) motor-driven, saving a lot of manual work; (3) auger instead of digging, saving time; (4) can be manufactured uniformly, where the end user can adjust the number of load-bearing plates according to the actual situation of different buildings, providing simple load-bearing adjustment; (5) no need for traditional building materials such as concrete, which is beneficial to improving the sanitary conditions of construction sites.
Embodiments of the present invention provides a foundation with a variable load capacity. As described in greater detail below, the foundation structure includes a drive mechanism, an external load mechanism and an internal loading mechanism. The main body of the driving mechanism includes a support frame, a telescopic rod and a motor for driving the internal loading mechanism. The external loading mechanism includes a barrel-shaped body and an auxiliary spiral pattern, which can directly contact the soil and play the role of bearing the foundation. The internal loading mechanism is used to load the load-bearing plates and push the plates into the soil, in turn, to connect with the external load-bearing mechanism to enhance the bearing capacity of the foundation.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a foundation comprising an external load mechanism having an open top end providing access to an at least partially hollow interior; one or more spiral blades on an exterior of the external load mechanism; a plurality of openings providing access between the at least partially hollow interior and an exterior of the external load mechanism; an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior; and one or more load bearing plates disposed in the internal loading mechanism, where the internal loading mechanism is operable to push the one or more load bearing plates out respective ones of the plurality of openings to cause the one or more load bearing plates to extend outward from the external load mechanism.
Embodiments of the present invention further provide a foundation comprising an external load mechanism having an open top end providing access to an at least partially hollow interior; one or more spiral blades on an exterior of the external load mechanism; a plurality of openings providing access between the at least partially hollow interior and an exterior of the external load mechanism; an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior; one or more load bearing plates disposed in an internal load bearing plate storage compartment of the internal loading mechanism; a load bearing plate loader operable to release one of the one or more load bearing plates from the internal load bearing plate into a loaded position; a push plate of the internal loading mechanism operable to contact the one of the one or more load bearing plates in the loaded position; and a push plate motor operable to move the push plate to push the one of the one or more load bearing plates in the loaded position out of one of the plurality of openings to cause the one of the one or more load bearing plates to extend outward from the external load mechanism.
Embodiments of the present invention also provide a foundation comprising an external load mechanism having an open top end providing access to an at least partially hollow interior; internal threads disposed on an interior surface of the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism; a plurality of openings providing access between the at least partially hollow interior and an exterior of the external load mechanism; an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior; an internal loading mechanism motor operable to move the internal loading mechanism within the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism; external threads disposed on an exterior of the internal loading mechanism, the external threads mating with the internal threads, wherein as the vertical position of the internal loading mechanism changes within the at least hollow interior, the internal loading mechanism also rotates; and one or more load bearing plates disposed in the internal loading mechanism, where the internal loading mechanism is operable to push the one or more load bearing plates out respective ones of the plurality of openings to cause the one or more load bearing plates to extend outward from the external load mechanism.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a foundation in a fully expanded state, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates is a perspective view of an external load mechanism with an internal loading mechanism inside, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of a drive mechanism, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 2B without the motor;

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 2B, without the motor, with the flange vertically extended;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an external load mechanism, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A illustrates a side view of an internal loading mechanism, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B illustrates a perspective view of the internal loading mechanism of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view of a transmission mechanism of the internal loading mechanism of FIG. 5A, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6B illustrates another perspective view of the transmission mechanism of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A illustrates a front view of the transmission mechanism of FIG. 6A, where one load-bearing board has been loaded;

FIG. 7B illustrates a front view of the transmission mechanism of FIG. 6A, where the loaded load-bearing board has been pushed out of the internal loading mechanism;

FIG. 8A illustrates a side view of the internal loading mechanism of FIG. 5A with one load-bearing board pushed out from the internal loading mechanism;

FIG. 8B illustrates a side view of the foundation of FIG. 1 with one load-bearing board pushed out by the internal loading mechanism;

FIG. 9A illustrates a side view of the transmission mechanism, showing how the pallets move away from each other to permit a load-bearing board to move downward into the insertion position;

FIG. 9B illustrates a side view of the transmission mechanism, showing how the pallets move back toward each other once the load-bearing board is present in the insertion position;

FIG. 9C illustrates a side view of the transmission mechanism, showing the load-bearing board ready to be extended outward from the external load mechanism;

FIG. 9D illustrates a perspective view of the transmission mechanism, where the arrow indicates movement of the bi-directional push plate to push the load-bearing board that has been previously loaded into the insertion position;

FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the foundation of FIG. 1 with two load-bearing boards pushed out from the internal loading mechanism;

FIG. 11A illustrates a top view of the foundation of FIG. 1 with a plurality of load-bearing boards pushed out from the internal loading mechanism;

FIG. 11B illustrates a side view of the foundation of FIG. 11A; and

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the foundation of FIG. 11A disposed in the earth with a plurality of the load-bearing boards pushed out from the internal loading mechanism.

Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The invention and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description wherein illustrated embodiments are described. It is to be expressly understood that the illustrated embodiments are set forth as examples and not by way of limitations on the invention as ultimately defined in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE OF INVENTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.
In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal configuration of a commercial implementation of any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may be configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a foundation with a variable load capacity. The foundation structure includes a drive mechanism, an external load mechanism and an internal loading mechanism. The main body of the driving mechanism includes a support frame, a telescopic rod and a motor for driving the internal loading mechanism. The external loading mechanism includes a barrel-shaped body and an auxiliary spiral pattern, which can directly contact the soil and play the role of bearing the foundation. The internal loading mechanism is used to load the load-bearing plates and push the plates into the soil, in turn, to connect with the external load-bearing mechanism to enhance the bearing capacity of the foundation.
Referring now to FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a foundation 100 is shown in the fully expanded state. As discussed in greater detail below, the foundation 100 includes a plurality of load-bearing plates 503 that can be selectively extended outward therefrom.
FIG. 2A illustrates the three main part of the foundation 100. The external load mechanism 202 a is the main load-bearing structure of the foundation 100, the mechanism 202 a can be at least partially in direct contact with the soil, when the foundation 100 is installed for use, and can protect the internal structures. The internal loading mechanism 201 a is the regulating mechanism of the foundation 100, which can load the load-bearing plate 503, as described below, and increase the load-bearing capacity by transferring the load-bearing plate 503 to the outside of the external load mechanism 202 a. FIG. 2B shows the driving mechanism of the foundation 100, which can mainly be used to drive the internal loading mechanism 201 a to move relative to the external load-bearing mechanism 202 a, thus transferring the load-bearing plate 503 into the soil from different outlets 403 (see FIG. 4 ). The driving mechanism includes a motor 201 b and a rotating telescopic mechanism 202 b driven by the motor 201 b.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show the rotating telescopic mechanism 202 b in a retracted state and in an expanded state, respectively. The bearing 302 can be connected to the motor 201 b and allows the sleeve 304 to rotate. The support frame 301 can be connected to the external load bearing mechanism to support the motor 201 b and the sleeve 304. A flange 303 can be connected to the internal loading mechanism 201 a so that the motor 201 b can drive its movement. Since the flange 303 is displaced vertically with the internal loading mechanism 201 a during operation of the motor 201 b, the sleeve 304 is configured to achieve its synchronized displacement.
FIG. 4 shows that the external load mechanism 202 a has features which include a spiral blade 401, an internal thread 402 and a load-bearing plate outlet 403. The external load mechanism 202 a can have an open top 203 providing access to an at least partially hollow interior 204 thereof. In some embodiments, the internal threads 402 may extend from at or near the open top 203 and extend downward along an interior wall of the hollow interior 204. The blade 401 facilitates the foundation 100 to drill into the ground from above the ground. The internal thread 402 can cooperate with the internal loading mechanism 201 a (not shown) to guide the trajectory of movement thereof. The outlet 403 can be connected and fixed with the launched load-bearing plate 503 (see FIG. 1 ), allowing the load-bearing plate 503 to become part of the exterior of the foundation 100, thus increasing the foundation bearing capacity.
FIGS. 5A and 5B show the internal loading mechanism 201 a. A cylindrical shell 501 can include three internal load-bearing plate storage compartments 502 and can be equipped internally with a number of load-bearing plates 503, which can be transferred from the outlet 505 to the exterior. An external thread 504 can fit into the external load mechanism 202 a and can move along the internal threads 402 of the external load mechanism 202 a.
FIGS. 6A and 6B show the drive mechanism of the internal loading mechanism 201 a. A bi-directional push plate 602 can be mounted on a threaded rod 603 and can be driven by a push plate motor 604 to push the load-bearing plate 503 to the outside. Two pallets 601 can control the vertical displacement of the load-bearing plate 503 in the internal loading mechanism. The pallets 601 can be mounted on two threaded rods 605 respectively, connected by gears in the middle and driven by a pallet drive motor 606. FIGS. 7A and 7B show how one load-bearing plate 503 is pushed by the bi-directional push plate 602. FIGS. 8A and 8B show an external view of a load-bearing plate being pushed out.
FIGS. 9A through 9D show how the pallets 601 control the vertical displacement of the load-bearing plates 503 after the current load-bearing plate loaded to the bi-directional push plate 602 has been pushed out. The pallet 601 in FIG. 9A moves in the direction of the arrow, and the upper load-bearing plate moves down along the arrow, thus becoming the state of FIG. 9B. The pallet 601 in FIG. 9B then moves in the direction of the arrow to reach the state of FIG. 9C, thereby limiting the load-bearing plate above the pallet 601. The process can then proceed to FIG. 9D, where the bi-directional push plate 602 pushes the currently loaded load-bearing plate 503 outward again in the opposite direction. FIG. 10 shows a front view of the two load-bearing plates being pushed out. In each cycle, two load-bearing plates can be pushed out. An exemplary final state is shown in FIG. 11 . FIG. 12 shows the final state of the foundation 100 when placed underground and fully expanded.
It should be understood that various parameters may be adjusted depending on the application. For example, different structures may require different load handling ability for its foundation. The amount of load that the foundation can handle can be varied by providing different numbers of load-bearing plates. Further, the length of the load-bearing plates may vary, as well as the overall dimensions of the foundation, where, for example, larger diameter foundations may provide for longer load-bearing plates.
All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.
Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of examples and that they should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different ones of the disclosed elements.
The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification the generic structure, material or acts of which they represent a single species.
The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to not only include the combination of elements which are literally set forth. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what incorporates the essential idea of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A foundation comprising:

an external load mechanism having an open top end providing access to an at least partially hollow interior;

one or more spiral blades on an exterior of the external load mechanism;

a plurality of openings providing access between the at least partially hollow interior and an exterior of the external load mechanism;

an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior; and

one or more load bearing plates disposed in the internal loading mechanism, where the internal loading mechanism is operable to push the one or more load bearing plates out respective ones of the plurality of openings to cause the one or more load bearing plates to extend outward from the external load mechanism.

2. The foundation of claim 1, further comprising an internal loading mechanism motor operable to move the internal loading mechanism within the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism.

3. The foundation of claim 2, wherein the motor connects to the internal loading mechanism through a sleeve.

4. The foundation of claim 1, wherein the at least partially hollow interior includes internal threads operable to mate with external threads disposed on an exterior of the internal loading mechanism, wherein as the vertical position of the internal loading mechanism changes within the at least hollow interior, the internal loading mechanism also rotates.

5. The foundation of claim 1, wherein the internal loading mechanism includes pallets movable to feed a single one of the one or more load bearing plates into a loaded position.

6. The foundation of claim 4, further comprising a pallet motor driving the pallets.

7. The foundation of claim 5, wherein the pallet motor drives first and second pallet threaded rods threadably engaged to first and second ones of the pallets to move the pallets.

8. The foundation of claim 4, further comprising a push plate of the internal loading mechanism operable to push the single one of the one or more load bearing plates in the loaded position out through one of the plurality of openings in the external load mechanism.

9. The foundation of claim 7, wherein the push plate is driven by a push plate motor.

10. The foundation of claim 8, wherein the push plate motor drives a push plate threaded rod threadably engaged with the push plate to move the push plate bi-directionally.

11. The foundation of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings is disposed at different vertical positions along the external load mechanism.

12. The foundation of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings is disposed in a spiral pattern about the external load mechanism.

13. The foundation of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings includes a plurality of pairs of openings, each opening of each of the pairs of openings are disposed opposite each other.

14. A foundation comprising:

one or more spiral blades on an exterior of the external load mechanism;

an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior;

one or more load bearing plates disposed in an internal load bearing plate storage compartment of the internal loading mechanism;

a load bearing plate loader operable to release one of the one or more load bearing plates from the internal load bearing plate into a loaded position;

a push plate of the internal loading mechanism operable to contact the one of the one or more load bearing plates in the loaded position; and

a push plate motor operable to move the push plate to push the one of the one or more load bearing plates in the loaded position out of one of the plurality of openings to cause the one of the one or more load bearing plates to extend outward from the external load mechanism.

15. The foundation of claim 14, further comprising an internal loading mechanism motor operable to move the internal loading mechanism within the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism.

16. The foundation of claim 14, wherein the at least partially hollow interior includes internal threads operable to mate with external threads disposed on an exterior of the internal loading mechanism, wherein as the vertical position of the internal loading mechanism changes within the at least hollow interior, the internal loading mechanism also rotates.

17. The foundation of claim 14, wherein the internal loading mechanism includes pallets movable to feed a single one of the one or more load bearing plates into a loaded position.

18. The foundation of claim 17, further comprising a pallet motor driving the pallets.

19. The foundation of claim 14, wherein the plurality of openings is disposed in a spiral pattern about the external load mechanism.

20. A foundation comprising:

internal threads disposed on an interior surface of the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism;

an internal loading mechanism fitting into the at least partially interior;

an internal loading mechanism motor operable to move the internal loading mechanism within the at least partially hollow interior of the external load mechanism;

external threads disposed on an exterior of the internal loading mechanism, the external threads mating with the internal threads, wherein as the vertical position of the internal loading mechanism changes within the at least hollow interior, the internal loading mechanism also rotates; and