CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet (either filed with the present application or subsequently amended) are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR § 1.57. For clarity, this Application claims priority to U S. Prov. Pat. App. Ser. No. 62/982,413 and U.S. Prov. Pat. App. Ser. No. 63/044,433, both of which are herein incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPRONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] None.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER LISTING

COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

[0003] None.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a post-tensioning anchorage system for reinforcing concrete and a wedge for use in the system.

BACKGROUND

[0005] Construction with concrete has been prevalent in both commercial and residential applications for more than a century. As construction methods have evolved, so has the composition and use of structural concrete. Concrete has enormous compressive strength, but historically has needed beam construction to support tensile and lateral strength. While simple and economical, a post- and-beam structure, designed to support floors and/or roofs made of concrete slabs, are unsightly, and unnecessarily reduce usable square footage within the square footage of the concrete slab by taking up valuable space. Accordingly, various methods have been created to increase the tensile strength of concrete. One method of increasing the tensile strength of concrete has been to add rebar, or steel rods, within the concrete. However, this method is only marginally successful at increasing the tensile strength.

[0006] Two of the simpler and more-effective slab-strengthening methods are known as pre tensioning and post-tensioning. Pre-tensioning occurs in a controlled shop environment where strands of wire, or tendon, are stretched from end-to-end of a form, and then concrete is poured around the pre-stretched tendons. When the concrete cures, it adheres to the tendons, which provide compressive force along the axis of the tendon, thus increasing the tensile strength of the concrete slab.

[0007] Post-tensioning is a more cost effective and efficient method of reinforcing concrete slabs as compared to pre-tensioning. In post-tensioning, a tendon is anchored at one end of a slab form — a fixed end — and is laid along an axis of the form in an unstressed state. The tendon is housed in a sheath, which allows the tendon to move freely within the sheath. In most cases, the tendon is surrounded by heavy grease to assist its longitudinal movement within the sheath. Concrete is then poured within the form surrounding the tendon. Once the concrete has been poured into the form at the construction site, the tendon is tensioned with a jack at an anchor or anchor plate at the opposite end of the tendon from the fixed end. This second anchor is known as the “live end.” The live-end anchor is generally attached to a form or form board via nails that are driven through holes in the anchor and into the form, securing the anchor to the form.

[0008] Tendons are generally placed in the formwork after reinforcing rebar is placed. There may be one or more intermediate anchors within the slab, depending on the span covered by the tendon.

Typically, strands of tendons are placed perpendicular to one another to tension the concrete slab along both a vertical and horizontal axis along the plane of the slab. The benefits to post-tensioning are numerous. First, post-tensioning allows the slab to be formed and poured on site, ensuring that the form is exactly correct in its dimensions. Second, because the slab is poured on site, transportation costs are reduced because finished pre-tensioned slabs require extremely large vehicles to move them from shop to site. Additionally, but not exhaustively, pre-tensioning is dangerous in a shop environment, because thousands of pounds of force are applied to a pre-tensioned tendon with nothing to prevent it from harming workers in the event it snaps before the concrete is poured. In post tensioning, the tendon is unstressed when the concrete is poured, so in the event of a tendon failure during tensioning, it is surrounded by a large amount of concrete, which prevents the tendon from whipping out of the form.

[0009] When the post-tensioning system is tensioned, a tail of tendon extends through the live- end anchor. Typically, a jack is affixed to the end of the tendon at a device called a pocket former. The pocket former ensures that once the concrete is poured, there is sufficient space to install the jack by preventing the ingress of concrete into the area where the tendon protrudes through the live-end anchor. Wedges are installed around the tail of the tendon, which will have no sheathing. The wedges typically have beveled “teeth” facing the tail end, such that when the tendon is released, the wedges in the anchor cavity seat, grab the tendon by biting into the metal cable strands, and prevent the tendon from retracting after tensioning. Once the desired tension is achieved, the tendon is cut as close to the anchor cavity as possible. An example of an existing post-tension anchorage system may be found in U.S. Patent No. 9,163,405, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0010] A significant problem with anchorage systems known in the art revolves around the fidelity of the coupling between the strand and the wedges of the anchorage systems. In current anchorage systems, slippage can occur between the strand and the wedge, leading to de-tensioning of the tendon and potentially compromising the structural integrity of the slab in which the tendon is installed. A very common cause for slippages in the field is that the wedge of the system can crack and break, allowing the strand to move in spite of the wedge. Additionally, the teeth of current wedges can lose grip on the strand, allowing the strand to ultimately slip through the wedges and anchor.

SUMMARY

[0011] In one embodiment, the present disclosure can include an anchor assembly. The assembly can include: an anchor plate including a central bore, and a wedge. The wedge can include a first wedge segment and a second wedge segment. The central bore can be configured to receive the wedge. The wedge can include an inner surface including a threaded portion, and the threaded portion can include rounded troughs.

[0012] In another embodiment, the present disclosure can include a wedge for a post-tensioning anchorage system. The wedge can include a first wedge segment; a second wedge segment; a top side; a bottom side; an inner surface including a plurality of teeth; a top taper portion proximate the top side; a flat portion proximate the top taper portion; a bottom taper portion proximate the bottom side; and a body taper portion.

[0013] In another embodiment, the present disclosure can include a method of post-tensioning. The method can include the steps of providing an anchor plate including a central bore; engaging a wedge within the central bore; and inserting a strand into the wedge. The wedge can include: a first wedge segment; a second wedge segment; and an inner surface that can include a threaded portion, wherein the threaded portion can include rounded troughs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The present disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the present disclosure. The drawings illustrate the design and utility of one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in which like elements are referred to by like reference numbers or symbols. The objects and elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, proportion, or precise positional relationship. Instead, emphasis is focused on illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a top view photograph of an anchor plate useful in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a front view photograph of the anchor plate shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a lateral side view photograph of the anchor plate shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a bottom view photograph of the anchor shown plate in FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view photograph of the anchor plate shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 6 is an interior side view photograph of a wedge segment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 7 is an exterior side view photograph of the wedge segment shown in FIG.6.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view photograph of the wedge segment shown in FIG. 6.

[0024] FIG. 9 is perspective view photograph of the wedge segment shown in FIG. 6. [0025] FIG. 10 is second perspective view photograph of the wedge segment shown in FIG.

6

[0026] FIG. 11 is a top view photograph of an anchor plate with two wedge segments according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 12 is a top view photograph of an anchor assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view photograph of the anchor assembly shown in FIG.

12

[0029] FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view photograph of the anchor assembly shown in FIG. 12.

[0030] FIG. 15 is a sectional view, a top view, and enlarged views of two wedge segments according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 16 is the section view shown in FIG. 15.

[0032] FIG. 17 is the enlarged view of portion B shown in FIG. 15.

[0033] FIG. 18 is the enlarged view of portion C shown in FIG. 15.

[0034] FIG. 19 is the top view of the two wedge segments shown in FIG. 15.

[0035] FIG. 20 is a partial sectional view, a top view, and enlarged views of two wedge segments according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 21 is the partial sectional view shown in FIG. 20.

[0037] FIG. 22 is the enlarged view of portion A shown in FIG. 20. [0038] FIG. 23 is a top view of the two wedge segments shown in FIG. 20.

[0039] FIG. 24 is the enlarged view of a thread profde shown in FIG. 20.

[0040] FIGS. 25A-25D illustrate a number of cross-sectional and perspective views of a wedge in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIGS. 26A-26D illustrate a number of cross-sectional and perspective views of a wedge in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The preferred version of the disclosure presented in the following written description and the various features and advantageous details thereof, are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting examples included in the accompanying drawings and as detailed in the description, which follows. Descriptions of well-known components have been omitted so to not unnecessarily obscure the principle features described herein. The examples used in the following description are intended to facilitate an understanding of the ways in which the disclosure can be implemented and practiced. Accordingly, these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0043] FIGS. 1-5 depicts an anchor plate 100 that can be used in the anchor assembly of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the anchor plate 100 can include a central bore 102 extending from the top side 104 (shown in FIG. 1) to the bottom side 106 (shown in FIG. 4) of the anchor plate 100. In another embodiment, the central bore 102 can have a bore taper, wherein the diameter of the central bore 102 can decrease from the top side 104 to the bottom side 106; in one embodiment, a bore taper can be illustrated by axes a and a'. For example, and according to one or more embodiments, a bore taper angle 0 can be measured from a longitudinal axis extending through the central bore 102 (depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 as axis b). In another embodiment, the angle 0 can be 7°, 6°30’ to 7°30’, or 6°45’ to 7°15’. In another embodiment, the anchor plate 100 can be configured to accept or engage or receive a wedge within the central bore 102. In another embodiment, additional holes 108 can be provided in the anchor plate 100, such as to facilitate attachment of the anchor plate 100 to a slab. FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 provide additional views of an anchor plate 100. Although the anchor plate shown in FIGS. 1-5 has a single central bore 102, the wedge of the present disclosure can be employed with anchor plates having a plurality of bores, such as in the case of a multi-strand anchorage. [0044] FIGS. 6-10 depict a wedge segment 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 6, the wedge segment 200 can have an interior 202 and an exterior 204. In another embodiment, an interior 202 of the wedge segment 200 can have a threaded portion along an inner surface of the wedge segment 200. The threaded portion can have a generally or substantially constant diameter along most or substantially all of the length of the wedge segment 200 and can be symmetrical along a longitudinal axis, such as longitudinal axis c. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sides of the wedge segment 200 can be tapered such that an outer diameter of the top 206 of the wedge segment 200 can be larger than an outer diameter of the bottom 208 of the wedge segment 200. FIGS. 8-10 provide additional views of the wedge segment 200. In one embodiment, the wedge segment can be configured to at least partially fit within a central bore of an anchor plate, such as central bore 102 of anchor plate 100.

[0045] FIGS. 11 depicts an anchor assembly 300 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, one or more wedge segments 304 (which can be similar to wedge segment 200) can fit within or engage the central bore of an anchor plate 302 (which can be similar to anchor plate 100). In another embodiment, the segments 304 can form a wedge 304, or a wedge 304 can include, for example, two wedge segments 304. Although two wedge segments 304 are shown in FIG. 11, the wedge 304 can be formed of a single body or include three or more segments.

[0046] With reference to FIGS. 12-14, an anchoring system or wedge and anchor assembly 400 can include an anchor plate 402, a wedge 404, and a strand 406 or tendon 406. In one embodiment, when installed in the central bore of the anchor plate 402, the wedge 404 (shown as two wedge segments) can be configured to accept a tendon 406 therethrough and to secure the tendon 406 to the anchor plate 402. Although a 7-wire tendon is depicted, the wedge and anchor assembly 400 of the present disclosure may be used with any tendon, such as a threaded bar or a single wire. [0047] FIGS. 25A-25D illustrate a number of cross-sectional and/or perspective views of another embodiment of the present disclosure. A wedge 500 can include two wedge segments 502, 504; in one embodiment, the segments 502, 504 can be identical. In one embodiment, the wedge 500 (or, alternatively, each of the wedge segments 502, 504) can include an interior (inner surface) 510 and an exterior (outer surface) 512. In another embodiment, the wedge 500 can include a top side 506 and a bottom side 508. Preferably, the interior 510 can include teeth 522 protruding radially therefrom; in another embodiment, the interior 510 can include a threaded portion 522; in another embodiment, the threaded portion 522 can include teeth 522, or otherwise be considered to form teeth 522 with threads of the threaded portion 522. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the interior 510 can be larger at the bottom side 508 of the wedge 500 than at the top side 506 of the wedge 500. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the interior 510 can be constant. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the interior 510 can be constant from the top side 506 along a length of the wedge 500 and dilate proximate the bottom side 508 of the wedge 500, such as can be seen in FIG. 25D. According to one or more embodiments, the wedge 500 can include a body taper portion wherein the outer surface of the wedge tapers between the top side and the bottom side.

[0048] According to one or more embodiments, the outer surface 512 of the wedge 500 can include a flat portion 514 that is parallel to the longitudinal axis proximate the top side 506, such that the outer diameter of the wedge 500 is constant at the flat portion 514. In another embodiment, the outer diameter of the wedge 500 may include a top taper portion 516 proximate the top side 506. In one or more embodiments, the top taper portion 516 may be closer to the top side 506 than the flat portion 514. In another embodiment, the outer diameter of the wedge 500 can include a bottom taper portion 518 proximate the bottom side 508 and having a bottom taper angle that is different from the body taper angle. In one or more embodiments, the bottom taper angle can be greater than the body taper angle. According to one or more embodiments, the body taper portion and the bottom taper portion 518 can be adjacent. In another embodiment, the wedge 500 can include a rounded end at the bottom side 508, such as rounded end 520, or a rounded end at the top side 506, such as between the top taper portion 516 and the top side 506. According to one or more embodiments, the angle of the outer surface 512 of the wedge 500 as described above can match a taper of the central bore of the anchor plate (e g., central bore 102 of anchor plate 100) more closely as compared with a wedge having a constant taper.

[0049] In another embodiment, the threaded portion 522 can include a plurality of teeth 522 projecting radially from the inner surface 510 of the wedge 500. The teeth 522 can be identical or can vary along a length of the wedge 500. In one embodiment, each of the teeth 522 can have a height 534, such as can be seen in FIG. 25C. In another embodiment, the height 534 of the teeth 522 can decrease toward the bottom side 508 of the wedge 500, such as can be seen in FIG. 25D. In one example, the teeth 522 can include a leading slope 528 between each peak 524 and the adjacent trough 526 toward the top side 506 of the wedge 500 and a trailing slope 530 between each peak 524 and the adjacent trough 526 toward the bottom side 508 of the wedge 500. According to one or more embodiments, the respective peaks 524 of the teeth 522 of the threaded portion can be non-radial (e.g. the peaks may have no radius, i.e., a zero radius). In one or more embodiments, the teeth 522 can be spaced by a pitch 532, measure between adjacent troughs 526. In one or more embodiments, the teeth 522 can have a height 534.

[0050] FIGS. 26A-26D depict another embodiment of the present disclosure. A wedge 600 can be similar to wedge 500. In one embodiment, the wedge 600 can have two wedge segments 602, 604, a top side 606, and a bottom side 608. In another embodiment, the wedge 600 and/or wedge segments 602, 604 can include a bottom taper portion 618 proximate the bottom side 608. In another embodiment, the wedge 600 can include a rounded end 620, such as at the bottom side 608 or top side 606In another embodiment, the wedge 600 can include a flat portion 614; for example, the flat portion 614 can be proximate a top taper portion 616. In one or more embodiments, the wedge 600 can include a threaded portion 622 or teeth 622 on an interior surface of the wedge 600. As shown in the FIG. 26D, in one embodiment, troughs 626 of the threaded portion 622 can be rounded.

[0051] Turning to FIGS. 15-24, details of a wedge are shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The wedge depicted in FIGS. 15-24 can be similar to wedge 500 and 600. The wedge can include two identical wedge segments spaced by a distance of A, as depicted in FIG. 19, wherein each wedge segment can be less than a full semicircle by an arc length equal to A. For example, the arc length of the outer surface of each wedge segment can be equal to p x (outer surface radius) - A. Accordingly, any diameters, radii, length, or other dimensions of the wedge disclosed herein can be appropriately attributed to the individual wedge segments. In one or more embodiments, the distance A can be 0.060, 0.050 to 0.070, 0.055 to 0.065, or 0.058 to 0.062 inches.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 21, according to one or more embodiments, a maximum outer diameter of the wedge can be about 1.000, 0.900 to 1.100, or 0.950 to 1.050 inches. A length of the wedge can be 1.200, 1.100 to 1.300, or 1.150 to 1.250 inches. A minimum outer diameter of the wedge can be 0.694, 0.645 to 0.755, or 0.670 to 0.710 inches. An inner diameter of the wedge prior to tapping the threads of the threaded portion can be 0.465, 0.415-0.515, 0.455 to 0.475, or 0.460 to 0.470 inches.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, after tapping the threads of the threaded portion, an inner diameter of the threaded portion proximate the top side of the wedge, measured from the peaks of the teeth of the threaded portion, can be 0.480, 0.470 to 0.490, or 0.482 to 0.478. In one or more embodiments, an inner diameter of the threaded portion proximate the top side of the wedge, measured from the troughs of the teeth of the threaded portion, can be 0.510, 0.500 to 0.520, or 0.508 to 0.512. In one or more embodiments, an inner diameter of the threaded portion at the bottom side of the wedge, can be 0.510, 0.450 to 0.560, 0.480 to 0.540, or 0.500 to 0.520. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the threaded portion can be larger at the bottom side of the wedge than at the top side of the wedge. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the threaded portion can be constant. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the threaded portion can be constant from the top side along a length of the wedge and dilate proximate the bottom side of the wedge. In one or more embodiments, the inner diameter of the threaded portion can dilate between a position 0.100, 0.090 to 0.110, or 0.095 to 0.105 inches from the bottom side of the wedge to the bottom side of the wedge. As shown in FIG. 17, the inner diameter of the threaded portion can have a dilation angle of 9°, 8°30’ to 9°30\ or 8°45’ to 9Ί5’.

[0054] According to one or more embodiments, the wedge can include a body taper portion wherein the outer surface of the wedge tapers between the top side and the bottom side. A body taper angle of the body taper portion from the longitudinal axis can be 7°5’, 6°35’ to 7°35’, or6°50’ to 7°20’.

[0055] According to one or more embodiments, the outer surface of the wedge can include a flat portion that is parallel to the longitudinal axis proximate the top side, such that the outer diameter of the wedge can be constant at the flat portion. The flat portion can measure, for example, 0.100, 0.050 to 0.150, or 0.075 to 0.125 inches in length. According to one or more embodiments, the outer diameter of the wedge can include a top taper portion proximate the top side. In one or more embodiments, the top taper portion can be closer to the top side than the flat portion. The top taper portion can taper at an angle of 45° or 40° to 50° from the longitudinal axis and can measure 0.030, 0.010 to 0.050, or 0.020 to 0.040 inches in length. [0056] According to one or more embodiments, the outer diameter of the wedge can include a bottom taper portion proximate the bottom side and having a bottom taper angle that is different from the body taper angle. In one or more embodiments, the bottom taper angle can be greater than the body taper angle. For example, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 22, the bottom taper angle can be 15°, 14°30’ to 15°30’, or 14°45’ to 15°15\ In one or more embodiments, the bottom taper portion can extend from the bottom side of the wedge to a position 0.125, 0.075 to 0.175, or 0.100 to 0.150 inches from the bottom side measured along the longitudinal axis. According to one or more embodiments, the body taper portion and the bottom taper portion can be adjacent, and an outer diameter of the wedge at an interface between the body taper portion and the bottom taper portion can be 0.761, 0.710 to 0.810, or 0.745 to 0.775 inches. With reference to FIGS. 17 and 22, according to one or more embodiments, the wedge can include a rounded end at the bottom side or the top side. A radius of curvature of the rounded end can be 0.040, 0.020 to 0.060, or 0.030 to 0.050 inches.

[0057] According to one or more embodiments, the angle of the outer surface of the wedge as described above can be able to match the taper of the central bore of an anchor plate more closely as compared with a wedge having a constant taper.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, in one or more embodiments, the threaded portion can include a plurality of teeth projecting radially from the inner surface of the wedge. The teeth can be identical or can vary along a length of the wedge. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the height of the teeth can decrease toward the bottom side of the wedge. The teeth can include a leading slope between each peak and the adjacent trough toward the top side of the wedge (left side slope shown in FIG. 18) and a trailing slope between each peak and the adjacent trough toward the bottom side of the wedge (right side slope shown in FIG. 18). In one or more embodiments, the leading slope can have an angle, measured from a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, of 30°, 20° to 40°, or 25° to 35°. In one or more embodiments, the trailing slope can have an angle, measured from the lateral axis, of 50°, 40° to 60°, or 45° to 55°. In one or more embodiments, the leading slope can be less than the trailing slope by at least 20°, at least 15°, at least 10°, or at least 5°. According to one or more embodiments, the respective peaks of the teeth of the threaded portion can be non-radial. That is, the peaks may have no radius, e.g., a zero radius.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the teeth can be spaced by a pitch, measure between adjacent troughs, of 0.027, 0.020 to 0.034, or 0.025 to 0.029 inches. In one or more embodiments, the teeth can have a height, measured in the transverse directed, of 0.030, 0.026 to 0.034, or 0.028 to 0.032 inches. In one or more embodiments, the troughs of the threaded portion or teeth can be rounded. The rounded troughs can have a radius of curvature of at most 0.008, at most 0.006, or at most 0.004 inches.

[0060] According to one or more embodiments, the thread profile of the threaded portion can have deep, curved valleys and sharp, non-radial teeth that allow the threaded portion to maintain an extremely high axial thrust. This can advantageously increase the shear modulus on the tendon to improve structural strength of the overall reinforced slab.

[0061] According to any embodiment, the wedge can have a hardness rating of HRA 83.4, HRA 81.4 to 85.4, or HRA 82.4 to 84.4; in another embodiment, the wedge can have a hardness rating of no more than HRA 85.4. In one or more embodiments, the wedge may be formed of, for example, SAE-AISI 5120 (SCr420, G51200, 20MnCr5 A) Chromium Steel, 26mm bar stock or an equivalent thereof. In one embodiment, this material can be pure and can be more consistent than conventional grades and designed specifically to perform well in multi-axial loading. In another embodiment, the small grain size can benefit in good ductility and fatigue strength. In line with the present disclosure, it has been discovered that a common cause for slippages in the field is that the current market wedge is too hard, which can cause cracks breaks, and the present disclosure is an improvement in that the hardness of the wedge can be comparatively decreased, mitigating such potential for cracking. Additionally, current wedges can have teeth that have a fine or small pitch, or can have too small a height, leading to inadequate gripping of a strand, which can cause the strand to ultimately slip through the wedges and anchor. According to embodiments disclosed herein, such slippage can be avoided by adjusting pitch of the teeth to be less fine or small.

[0062] Applications of the present disclosure can improve common high-rise construction — the wedges and anchor systems disclosed herein can increase the tension applied via a particular tendon (as well as increase fidelity in tensioning). For example, by adjusting the pitch of the teeth (and/or the height of the teeth), gripping of a strand within the wedge can be facilitated. In another example, providing troughs of teeth that are pointed or rounded can further increase grip of the wedge on a strand, as well as prevent slippage of the strand. In some embodiments, such improvements can enable builders to use less concrete because the floors can be thinner, thus increasing the number of floors that can fit into a building. In another embodiment, this can result in decreased costs and increased revenue. Builders can also be able to increase the span of a slab, eliminating the need for beams and increasing the sellable square footage of a building that would otherwise be used for structural loading.

[0063] The present disclosure introduces an apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0064] The present disclosure also introduces a method according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0065] The present disclosure also introduces a system according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0066] The present disclosure also introduces a kit according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. [0067] The present disclosure also introduces an assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0068] It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0069] In one or more embodiment, the elements and teachings of the various disclosed embodiments may be combined in whole or in part in some or all of the disclosed embodiments. In addition, one or more of the elements and teachings of the various disclosed embodiments may be omitted, at least in part, or combined, at least in part, with one or more of the other elements and teachings of the various disclosed embodiments.

[0070] Any spatial references such as, for example, “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “between,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “angular,” “upwards,” “downwards,” “side-to-side,” “left-to-right,” “left,” “right,” “right-to-left,” “top-to-bottom,” “bottom-to-top,” “top,” “bottom,” “bottom-up,” “top-down,” etc., are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above.

[0071] In one or more embodiments, while different steps, processes, and procedures are described as appearing as distinct acts, one or more of the steps, one or more of the processes, or one or more of the procedures may also be performed in different orders, simultaneously or sequentially. In one or more embodiment, the steps, processes or procedures may be merged into one or more steps, processes or procedures. In one or more embodiment, one or more of the operational steps in each embodiment may be omitted. Moreover, in some instances, some features of the present disclosure may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features.

[0072] Although several embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, the embodiments disclosed are not limiting, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many other modifications, changes, and substitutions are possible in the disclosed embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Moreover, it is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the word “means” together with an associated function.

[0073] The present disclosure achieves at least the following advantages:

[0074] 1. Preventing slippage of strands within a wedge;

[0075] 2. Providing an improved wedge capable of securing a strand with high fidelity;

[0076] 3. Fabricating a wedge with improved teeth to improve grip on a strand within the wedge;

[0077] 4. Providing a wedge with decreased hardness to mitigate the potential for cracking and breaking of the wedge;

[0078] 5. Improving wedge teeth to increase grip of the wedge on a strand; and

[0079] 6. Providing wedge teeth that can be operable to apply increased shear modulus to an engaged strand.

[0080] The description in this patent document should not be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function can be an essential or critical element that must be included in the claim scope. Also, none of the claims can be intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) with respect to any of the appended claims or claim elements unless the exact words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim, followed by a participle phrase identifying a function. Use of terms such as (but not limited to) “mechanism,” “module,” “device,” “unit,” “component,” “element,” “member,” “apparatus,” “machine,” “system,” “processor,” “processing device,” or “controller” within a claim can be understood and intended to refer to structures known to those skilled in the relevant art, as further modified or enhanced by the features of the claims themselves, and can be not intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).

[0081] The disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, each of the new structures described herein, may be modified to suit particular local variations or requirements while retaining their basic configurations or structural relationships with each other or while performing the same or similar functions described herein. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the scope of the inventions can be established by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. Further, the individual elements of the claims are not well-understood, routine, or conventional. Instead, the claims are directed to the unconventional inventive concept described in the specification.