Concrete slab modular reinforcing panels

Abstract

A series of modular reinforcing panels have a top wire mesh formed by two orthogonally interconnected series of parallel spaced reinforcing wire or rods that are welded together. The reinforcing wire or rods are supported at each welded intersection by a support leg embedded in a thick support portion of a base layer to form a rigid sandwich which is relatively light weight and easily carried and installed by a single worker. Wire ties from an edge reinforcing member of one modular reinforcing panel twist around an edge reinforcing member of an adjacent modular reinforcing panel form an interconnected reinforcing system for an entire poured concrete slab.

1 . A modular slab reinforcing panel system for reinforced poured concrete slabs, the system comprising:
 a series of modular reinforcing panels interconnected to form an entire reinforcing structure for a poured concrete slab, each of the modular reinforcing panels comprising a reinforcing mesh comprising a first series of spaced reinforcing members all in parallel alignment in a horizontal plane in one direction interconnected with at least one second series of spaced reinforcing members all in parallel alignment in the same horizontal plane in at least one other direction different from the first series, all of the spaced reinforcing members of the first series interconnected with all of the spaced reinforcing members of the at least one second series at interconnected intersection points spaced apart by less than one foot to form a grid pattern of reinforcing members to reinforce a poured concrete slab; a base layer positioned below the reinforcing mesh parallel to and spaced apart from the reinforcing mesh by half the thickness of the poured concrete slab, the base layer comprising a rectangular sheet of rigid waterproof material reinforced by a series of leg support structures at spaced intervals in a pattern aligned with and spaced apart from the interconnected intersection points of the reinforcing members; and a series of rows of support legs all of equal height each rigidly attached between each of the leg support structures and each of the interconnected intersection points of the reinforcing mesh directly above the leg support structures so that the series of support legs elevate the reinforcing mesh above the base layer so that the reinforcing mesh is positioned in a horizontal plane midway between a top and a bottom of the poured concrete slab to form a rigid modular reinforcing panel which may be lifted by a single person for positioning on a bottom of a recessed area in the ground for receiving a poured concrete slab reinforced by the series of rigid modular reinforcing panels positioned in an array covering an entire area of the reinforced concrete slab with each of the modular reinforcing panels contacting adjacent modular reinforcing panels; and   a means for interconnecting a reinforcing mesh of one modular reinforcing panel with the reinforcing mesh of an adjacent modular reinforcing panel, the means for interconnecting built into the reinforcing mesh.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each support leg further comprises ring shank barbs at the base of the support leg to provide a lock into the leg support structure that would be difficult to pull out even in rough installation and handling. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the mean for interconnecting a reinforcing mesh of one modular reinforcing panel with the reinforcing mesh of an adjacent modular reinforcing panel comprises a series of wire tie ends extending from an end reinforcing member of the wire mesh along each of two adjacent sides of each modular reinforcing panel, each of the wire tie ends encircling an end reinforcing member of a wire mesh on an adjacent modular reinforcing panel to interconnect the two modular reinforcing panels to form an interconnected series of modular reinforcing panels covering an entire area forming a poured concrete slab with concrete poured over the interconnected series of modular reinforcing panels with the depth of poured concrete twice the height of the modular reinforcing panels. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a means for interconnecting a base layer of one modular reinforcing panel with the base layer of an adjacent reinforcing panel, the means for interconnecting built into the base layer. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the means for interconnecting a base layer of one modular reinforcing panel with the base layer of an adjacent reinforcing panel comprises an edge extension of at least one edge of a base layer of a modular reinforcing panel to rest on the ground with an adhesive layer on the edge extension facing up and a peel off sheet removable from the adhesive layer so that an edge of a base layer of an adjacent modular reinforcing panel can overlap and adhere to the edge extension to interconnect the base layers between the two adjacent modular reinforcing panels. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base layer is cut across a width of the modular reinforcing panel between alternating rows of support legs and the cut edges of the base layer overlapped and the modular reinforcing panel is bent to conform to a curved sloping surface. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the overlapping edges of the base layer are sealed together. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base layer is cut across a width of the modular reinforcing panel at two bottom corners of a rectangular concrete footing and the panels are bend upward in two right angle bends to conform to the rectangular footing. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each modular reinforcing panel is fabricated of a size and weight to enable carrying and placing the modular reinforcing panel by a single worker. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein each modular reinforcing panel is four feet wide and eight feet long. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein a number of modular reinforcing panels are stacked together and wrapped with shrink wrap to store and transport the modular reinforcing panels together. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the modular reinforcing panel is one and a half inches in height to be used in a three inch deep poured concrete slab. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the modular reinforcing panel is three inches in height to be used in a six inch deep poured concrete slab. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base layer has a series of spaced openings therein to allow some of the poured concrete to come in contact with a ground surface underneath the modular reinforcing panel. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base layer is a solid sheet of water proof material forming a vapor barrier over a section of ground covered by the modular reinforcing panel. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising a means for interconnecting a base layer of one modular reinforcing panel with the base layer of an adjacent reinforcing panel, the means for interconnecting built into the base layer, wherein the means for interconnecting a base layer of one modular reinforcing panel with the base layer of an adjacent reinforcing panel comprises an edge extension of at least one edge of a base layer of a modular reinforcing panel to rest on the ground with an adhesive layer on the edge extension facing up and a peel off sheet removable from the adhesive layer so that an edge of a base layer of an adjacent modular reinforcing panel can overlap and adhere to the edge extension to form a continuous vapor seal between the base layers between the two adjacent modular reinforcing panels. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base layer is formed of recycled plastic formed into sheets of at least four mil thickness. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each series of reinforcing members comprises a spaced parallel series of at least eight gauge steel wires welded to the at least one other series of reinforcing members at intersecting points of the at least two series of reinforcing members. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the interconnected intersection points are spaced apart by at most four inches.