Threaded rebar hoop and method of forming and use thereof

Abstract

Threaded rebar with substantially continuous threads formed using a rolling process, wherein a majority of the circumference of the threaded rebar is covered by discontinuous threads, and wherein no additional steps are required to remove longitudinal ribs in the threaded rebar. The threaded rebar may be used to form threaded rebar hoops that utilize one or more threaded rebar sections and one or more couplings to mechanically couple the ends of the various threaded rebar sections. In such threaded rebar hoops, the external threads are able to engage a coupling, which has internal threads that engage the external threads on the threaded rebar. The mechanically coupled threaded rebar hoops are an improvement over the welded rebar hoops because the mechanically coupled threaded rebar hoops are easier and cheaper to manufacture, ship, and/or install on site, and/or may provide improved strength and/or manufacturability when compared to welded rebar hoops.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A threaded rebar hoop, the threaded rebar hoop comprising:
 a threaded rebar having a first end and a second end, wherein the threaded rebar is formed from a rolling process, wherein the threaded rebar is bent into a hoop shape, and wherein the threaded rebar is void of longitudinal ribs along at least the first end and the second end of the threaded rebar; and   a coupling operatively coupling the first end and the second end of the threaded rebar to form the threaded rebar hoop.   
     
     
         2 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a stop operatively coupled to the coupling, the first end of the threaded rebar, or the second end of the threaded rebar.   
     
     
         3 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 2 , wherein the coupling comprises a stop aperture, wherein the stop is operatively coupled to the stop aperture to reduce or prevent rotation of the coupling on the first end or the second end of the threaded rebar. 
     
     
         4 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling comprises an alignment feature, wherein the alignment feature is configured for aligning the first end and the second end within the coupling using the alignment feature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a first coupling end on the first end of the threaded rebar hoop is at least approximately the same length at the second coupling end on the second end of the threaded rebar hoop. 
     
     
         6 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the first end or the second end has at least a straight portion on which the coupling is operatively coupled. 
     
     
         7 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded rebar is formed without longitudinal ribs directly from the hot rolling process. 
     
     
         8 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 7 , wherein the hot rolling process comprises:
 providing a lead pass bar comprising a body extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein at least one portion of the body has a cross-section defining a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis, wherein a first part of the plane has a first width, a second part of the plane has a second width, and a third part of the plane has a third width, wherein the first width is less than the second width and the third width, wherein the first part of the plane is located adjacent to the longitudinal axis, and the second part of the plane and third part of the plane are located distal from the longitudinal axis on opposite ends of the first part of the plane, wherein the lead pass bar has a X-axis through the first part of the plane, the second part of the plane and the third part of the plane, and a Y-axis through only the first part of the plane, and wherein the lead pass bar is formed in a first orientation along the longitudinal axis of the lead pass bar in one or more lead pass bar roll sets in which the X-axis is substantially parallel to and the Y-axis is substantially perpendicular to lead pass rolls of the one or more lead pass bar roll sets; and   forming the threaded rebar having substantially continuous threads from the lead pass bar by hot rolling the lead pass bar in one or more threaded rebar roll sets, wherein forming the threaded rebar comprises forming the threaded rebar from the lead pass bar in a second orientation along the longitudinal axis that is different from the first orientation in which the X axis is substantially perpendicular to and the Y-axis is substantially parallel to threaded rolls of the one or more threaded rebar roll sets, and wherein the threaded rebar is formed without having to remove longitudinal ribs along at least a portion of the body.   
     
     
         9 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded rebar hoop is formed in a shape of a circular hoop, a square hoop, a rectangular hoop, an oval hoop, or a triangular hoop. 
     
     
         10 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded rebar is formed from two or more threaded rebar sections having at least one bend and two or more couplings, each of the two or more sections having the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of each section is operatively coupled the second end of each adjacent section through the coupling from the two or more couplings. 
     
     
         11 . The threaded rebar hoop of  claim 1 , wherein the rebar has substantially continuous threads. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a threaded rebar hoop, the method comprising:
 forming a threaded rebar from a rolling process;   bending the threaded rebar, wherein the threaded rebar has a first end and a second end;   threading a coupling onto the first end of the threaded rebar hoop;   drawing the second end of the threaded rebar hoop adjacent to the first end of the threaded rebar hoop; and   threading the coupling on the second end of the threaded rebar hoop.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 operatively coupling a stop to the coupling, the first end of the threaded rebar, or the second end of the threaded rebar.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling comprises a stop aperture, wherein the method further comprising:
 operatively coupling the stop within the stop aperture to reduce or prevent rotation of the coupling on the first end or the second end of the threaded rebar.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rebar hoop comprises an alignment feature, wherein the method further comprising:
 aligning the first end and the second end within the coupling using the alignment feature.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein threading the coupling on the second end of the threaded rebar hoop comprises threading the coupling until a first coupling end on the first end of the threaded rebar hoop is at least approximately the same length at the second coupling end on the second end of the threaded rebar hoop. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the threaded rebar is formed without longitudinal ribs directly from the hot rolling process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the threaded rebar is formed from two or more threaded rebar sections having at least one bend and two or more couplings, each of the two or more sections having the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of each section is operatively coupled the second end of each adjacent section through the coupling from the two or more couplings. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rebar has substantially continuous threads. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the threaded rebar comprises:
 providing a lead pass bar comprising a body extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein at least one portion of the body has a cross-section defining a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis, wherein a first part of the plane has a first width, a second part of the plane has a second width, and a third part of the plane has a third width, wherein the first width is less than the second width and the third width, wherein the first part of the plane is located adjacent to the longitudinal axis, and the second part of the plane and third part of the plane are located distal from the longitudinal axis on opposite ends of the first part of the plane, wherein the lead pass bar has a X-axis through the first part of the plane, the second part of the plane and the third part of the plane, and a Y-axis through only the first part of the plane, and wherein the lead pass bar is formed in a first orientation along the longitudinal axis of the lead pass bar in one or more lead pass bar roll sets in which the X-axis is substantially parallel to and the Y-axis is substantially perpendicular to lead pass rolls of the one or more lead pass bar roll sets; and   forming the threaded rebar having substantially continuous threads from the lead pass bar by hot rolling the lead pass bar in one or more threaded rebar roll sets, wherein forming the threaded rebar comprises forming the threaded rebar from the lead pass bar in a second orientation along the longitudinal axis that is different from the first orientation in which the X axis is substantially perpendicular to and the Y-axis is substantially parallel to threaded rolls of the one or more threaded rebar roll sets, and wherein the threaded rebar is formed without having to remove longitudinal ribs along at least a portion of the body.