Insert spacer

Abstract

A system including an insert including a body defining an inner cavity at a first end thereof. The insert includes an anchor having an opening formed therein, and the opening of the anchor is positioned in the inner cavity of the insert. The system further includes a spacer having a first end that is couplable to a second end of the insert to thereby adjust a height of the insert. The spacer is configured to be coupled to another spacer at a second end of the spacer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system including:
 an insert including a body defining an inner cavity at a first end thereof, wherein the insert includes an anchor having an opening formed therein, wherein the opening of the anchor is positioned in the inner cavity of the insert; and   a spacer having a first end that is couplable to a second end of the insert to thereby adjust a height of the insert, wherein the spacer is configured to be coupled to another spacer at a second end of the spacer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a distal end of the anchor is positioned outside the inner cavity of the insert and positioned adjacent to the second end of the insert. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein insert includes a cover that is removably coupleable to the body of the insert such that when the cover is coupled to the body the cover generally covers and seals the inner cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the insert includes a plurality of protrusions or sockets extending in an axial direction and positioned at the second end thereof, and wherein the spacer includes a plurality of the other one of protrusions or sockets at the first end thereof, wherein each protrusion or socket of the spacer is configured to be coupled to a corresponding protrusion or socket of the insert to thereby couple the spacer to the insert. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the spacer includes exactly the same number of protrusions or sockets as the number of corresponding protrusions or sockets of the insert. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the insert includes a center protrusion or socket positioned at a center of the insert and a plurality of outer protrusions or sockets evenly circumferentially spaced about the center protrusion or socket of the insert, and wherein the spacer includes a center protrusion or socket positioned at a center of the spacer and a plurality of outer protrusions or sockets evenly circumferentially spaced about the center protrusion or socket of the spacer. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the insert includes a center protrusion and exactly four outer protrusions, and wherein the spacer includes a center socket and exactly four outer sockets. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the insert includes a center protrusion and exactly three outer protrusions, and wherein the spacer includes a center socket and exactly three outer sockets. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the wherein the insert includes a plurality of protrusions or sockets circumferentially spaced about a center thereof, and wherein the spacer includes a plurality of protrusions or sockets circumferentially spaced about a center thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the spacer includes a plurality of protrusions or sockets extending in an axial direction positioned at a second end of the spacer, wherein each protrusion or socket at the second end of the spacer is configured to be coupled to another spacer such that the spacer can be coupled to the another spacer in a modular manner. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the anchor has a generally longitudinally extending anchor body, wherein the anchor body is oriented generally parallel to the plurality of protrusions or sockets of the insert, and wherein the anchor is made of a stronger material than the body. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 4  wherein each protrusion or socket has a length of at least about ¾ “and less than about 3”. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the spacer includes a plurality of generally radially-oriented legs, and wherein each of the plurality of protrusion or sockets of the insert is positioned at or adjacent to a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a supplemental spacer having the same size, shape and configuration as the spacer, wherein the spacer and the supplemental spacer are configured to be coupled together in a modular manner to thereby adjust the height of the insert. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a concrete structure having a generally planar outer surface, wherein the insert is embedded in the structure such that the inner cavity defines an opening in the concrete structure formed in the outer surface, and wherein the spacer is embedded in the structure. 
     
     
         16 . A system including a spacer configured to be coupled to an insert, the spacer including at least three coupling structures circumferentially spaced about a center of the insert, wherein each coupling structure is positioned and configured to be coupled to a corresponding coupling structure of an insert to thereby couple the spacer to the insert. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein each coupling structure of the insert include a protrusion and each coupling structure of the spacer includes a socket. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the spacer further includes at least three supplemental coupling structures, each of which is aligned with an associated coupling structures of the spacer, and wherein each supplemental coupling structure is positioned and configured to be coupled to a corresponding coupling structure of another spacer to thereby couple the spacer to the another spacer. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein each coupling structure of the spacer includes a socket and each supplemental coupling structure of the spacer includes a protrusion. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the spacer includes a center coupling structure positioned at a center of the spacer. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16  further including an insert including a body defining an inner cavity at a first end thereof, wherein the insert includes an anchor having an opening formed therein, wherein the opening of the anchor is positioned in the inner cavity of the insert, and wherein the spacer is configured to be coupled to the insert at a second, opposite end thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the spacer includes a plurality of generally radially-oriented legs, and wherein each coupling structure of the spacer is positioned at or adjacent to a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the spacer includes a plurality of legs extending between adjacent coupling structures. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the plurality of legs are arranged at ninety degree angles relative to each other to form a rectangular or square shape. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 accessing an insert including a body defining an inner cavity at a first end thereof;   coupling a first end of a spacer to a second end of the insert to thereby adjust a height of the insert, wherein the spacer is configured to be coupled to another spacer at a second end thereof;   positioning the insert and spacer in a form;   pouring concrete into the form to generally immerse the insert and spacer in concrete; and   allowing the concrete to cure into a structure such that the inner cavity defines an opening in the structure that is formed in or adjacent to an outer surface of the structure.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising accessing a supplemental spacer and, prior to the positioning step, coupling the supplemental spacer to the spacer to thereby further adjust the height of the insert, wherein the insert includes an anchor having an opening formed therein, and wherein the opening of the anchor is positioned in the inner cavity of the insert. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein, during the pouring step, a cover is coupled to the insert to generally fluidly seal the inner cavity from the concrete during the pouring step, and wherein the method further includes removing the cover after the pouring step to expose the inner cavity. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 a concrete structure having an outer surface;   an insert embedded in the concrete structure, the insert including a body defining an inner cavity at a first end thereof such that the inner cavity defines an opening in the concrete structure formed in the outer surface; and   a spacer having a first end that is coupled to a second end of the insert to thereby adjust at least one of a height or thickness of the insert.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the insert includes an anchor having an opening formed therein, wherein the opening of the anchor is positioned in the inner cavity of the insert, and wherein the spacer is configured to be coupled to another spacer at a second end thereof.