Anchoring system for concrete panels in a stabilized earth structure

Abstract

The concrete panel anchoring assembly including a concrete panel having a rear face and a connector member projecting from a rear face of the concrete panel. The connector member includes an attachment loop and a saddle element assembled together.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An anchoring system for concrete panels in a stabilized earth structure, comprising at least one connector member for projecting from a rear face of a panel, the connector member comprising an attachment member and a saddle element, the attachment member comprising a strip of material in the form of a loop closed within itself, the entirety of the saddle element being disposed within part of the loop. 
     
     
         2 . A connector member for an anchoring system in a stabilized earth structure comprising an attachment member and a saddle element, the attachment member comprising a loop closed within itself, the entirety of the saddle element being disposed within part of the loop. 
     
     
         3 . The connector member according to  claim 2 , wherein the loop is made of a rolled up polymer strip. 
     
     
         4 . The connector member according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymer strip is rolled up at least four times. 
     
     
         5 . The connector member according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymer strip is made of discrete bundles of high strength synthetic fibers enclosed in a polymeric sheath. 
     
     
         6 . The connector member according to  claim 2 , wherein the saddle element comprises a substantially arc-shaped supporting wall on which the attachment loop is supported. 
     
     
         7 . The connector member according to  claim 6 , wherein the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall includes a number of cavities therein. 
     
     
         8 . The connector member according to  claim 6 , wherein the saddle element comprises two lateral shoulders which are sidewardly spaced from one another, extend along the arc-shaped supporting wall and define a boundary of the arc-shaped supporting wall, the attachment loop being supported on the arc-shaped supporting wall between the two lateral shoulders and being retained on the arc-shaped supporting wall by the two lateral shoulders. 
     
     
         9 . The connector member according to  claim 6 , wherein the saddle element has a pair of terminal end portions disposed adjacent respective opposite ends of the arc-shaped supporting wall, and a plurality of ridges are provided on the respective terminal end portions of the saddle element. 
     
     
         10 . The connector member according to  claim 6 , wherein the saddle element is made of plastic. 
     
     
         11 . The connector member according to  claim 10 , wherein the saddle element is made of polypropylene. 
     
     
         12 . A concrete panel anchoring assembly comprising:
 a concrete panel having a rear face; and   a connector member projecting from the rear face of the concrete panel, the connector member including an attachment loop and a saddle element, the attachment loop having a first part embedded in a non-movable and fixed manner within the concrete panel and a second part projecting outwardly from the rear face of the concrete panel, the saddle element supportingly engaging the second part of the loop exteriorly of the concrete panel.   
     
     
         13 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the attachment loop is a rolled up polymer strip. 
     
     
         14 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the polymer strip is made of discrete bundles of high strength synthetic fibers enclosed in a polymeric sheath. 
     
     
         15 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the saddle element comprises a substantially arc-shaped supporting wall on which the second part of the loop is supported, a substantial portion of the supporting wall being disposed exteriorly of the concrete panel. 
     
     
         16 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the saddle element comprises two lateral shoulders sidewardly spaced from one another on opposite sides of the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall and defining a lateral boundary of the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall, the second part of the loop being supported on the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall between the two lateral shoulders, the two lateral shoulders laterally retaining the second part of the loop on the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall. 
     
     
         17 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall includes a number of cavities therein. 
     
     
         18 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the saddle element is made of polypropylene. 
     
     
         19 . The anchoring system according to  claim 1 , the system further including a concrete panel having a rear face on which the connector member is mounted and from which the connector member projects, the part of the loop in which the saddle element is disposed is a first exterior loop part and the loop has a second interior loop part embedded and non-movably fixed within the concrete panel, the first exterior loop part and a substantial portion of the saddle element both extending outwardly from the rear face of the concrete panel. 
     
     
         20 . The anchoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the loop comprises a rolled strip of material. 
     
     
         21 . The anchoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the loop comprises a closed ring. 
     
     
         22 . The anchoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein a substantial portion of the loop extends along and is supported by an exterior surface of the saddle element. 
     
     
         23 . The concrete panel anchoring system according to  claim 12 , wherein the loop comprises a closed and continuous rolled strip of material. 
     
     
         24 . The concrete panel anchoring assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the saddle element has a pair of terminal ends disposed adjacent opposite ends of the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall and portions of the terminal ends are embedded in a fixed manner within the concrete panel with the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall of the saddle element projecting outwardly from the rear face of the concrete panel. 
     
     
         25 . A concrete panel anchoring assembly comprising:
 a concrete panel having a rear face; and   a connector member projecting from the rear face of the concrete panel, the connector member including an attachment loop and a saddle element, the saddle element comprising a substantially arc-shaped supporting wall and two lateral shoulders to retain the attachment loop within a boundary of the arc-shaped supporting wall, the substantially arc-shaped supporting wall including a number of cavities.