Rod positioner and associated method

Abstract

A positioner is provided for maintaining a reinforcing rod in a certain position within a void of a building unit. The positioner is sized and shaped to be attached to a reinforcing rod before the rod is inserted into the void of one or more concrete blocks or other building units. The positioner has a slot portion that fits onto the rod as well as two biased support portions that extend from the slot portion to engage the rod in a clip-like manner. The support portions are designed to engage the sidewalls of the void and may be compressible towards the rod while maintaining engagement with the rod to allow the rod and positioner to be inserted into voids that have narrower widths due to excess grout or other restrictions within the void.

1 . A positioner for maintaining a reinforcing rod in a particular position within a void of a building unit defined by one or more sidewalls, the positioner comprising:
 a centrally-located slot portion configured to engage the rod and prevent movement of the positioner in the axial direction with respect to the rod;   a first support portion extending from the slot portion and being configured to engage a first portion of a sidewall defining the void; and   a second support portion extending from the slot portion and being configured to engage a second portion of a sidewall defining the void;   wherein the first and second support portions define first and second ends that are biased towards the rod and help secure the positioner to the rod so as to maintain the position of the rod within the void.   
   
   
       2 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends are configured to tangentially engage the rod. 
   
   
       3 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first support portion includes a first engagement section that is configured to engage the first portion of the sidewall, the second support portion includes a second engagement section that is configured to engage the second portion of the sidewall, and the first and second engagement sections do not lie substantially in one plane. 
   
   
       4 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the positioner is asymmetric about a central axis of the positioner. 
   
   
       5 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the positioner comprises a single piece of metal that is bent at a plurality of locations along the piece to form the slot portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion. 
   
   
       6 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the positioner comprises a wire. 
   
   
       7 . The positioner of  claim 6 , wherein the positioner comprises a spring wire. 
   
   
       8 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first support portion is configured to engage the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a first distance from a location at which the slot portion is configured to engage the rod, wherein the second support portion is configured to engage the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a second distance from the location at which the slot portion is configured to engage the rod, and wherein the first distance is different from the second distance. 
   
   
       9 . The positioner of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second support portions are configured to be compressible towards a central axis of the positioner. 
   
   
       10 . The positioner of  claim 9 , wherein, when the positioner is attached to the rod, the first and second ends are configured to move with respect to the rod while maintaining engagement of the first and second support portions with the rod. 
   
   
       11 . The positioner of  claim 9 , wherein, when the positioner is attached to the rod, the first and second support portions are configured to allow the rod to be inserted into the void past at least one restriction, the restriction resulting in a width of the void that is less than a width of the uncompressed positioner and more than a width of the fully compressed positioner. 
   
   
       12 . A positioner for maintaining a reinforcing rod in a particular position within a void of a building unit defined by one or more sidewalls, the positioner comprising:
 a centrally-located slot portion configured to engage the rod and prevent movement of the positioner in the axial direction with respect to the rod;   a first support portion extending from the slot portion and being configured to engage a first portion of a sidewall defining the void; and   a second support portion extending from the slot portion and being configured to engage a second portion of a sidewall defining the void;   wherein the first and second support portions define first and second ends and at least one of the first and second support portions is moveable towards the rod while maintaining engagement of the first and second ends with the rod.   
   
   
       13 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first support portion includes a first engagement section that is configured to engage the first portion of the sidewall, the second support portion includes a second engagement section that is configured to engage the second portion of the sidewall, and the first and second engagement sections do not lie substantially in one plane. 
   
   
       14 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the positioner is asymmetric about a central axis of the positioner. 
   
   
       15 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the positioner comprises a single piece of metal that is bent at a plurality of locations along the piece to form the slot portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion. 
   
   
       16 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the positioner comprises a wire. 
   
   
       17 . The positioner of  claim 16 , wherein the positioner comprises a spring wire. 
   
   
       18 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second ends are configured to be biased against the rod. 
   
   
       19 . The positioner of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second ends are configured to tangentially engage the rod. 
   
   
       20 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first support portion is configured to engage the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a first distance from a location at which the slot portion is configured to engage the rod, wherein the second support portion is configured to engage the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a second distance from the location at which the slot portion is configured to engage the rod, and wherein the first distance is different from the second distance. 
   
   
       21 . The positioner of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second support portions are compressible towards a central axis of the positioner. 
   
   
       22 . The positioner of  claim 21 , wherein, when the positioner is attached to the rod, the first and second support portions are configured to allow the rod to be inserted within the void past at least one restriction, the restriction resulting in a width of the void that is less than a width of the uncompressed positioner and more than the width of the fully compressed positioner. 
   
   
       23 . A method of positioning a reinforcing rod within a void of a building unit defined by one or more sidewalls, the method comprising:
 moving the rod into a slot portion of a positioner;   moving a first end of the positioner into biased engagement with the rod;   moving a second end of the positioner past the first end and past the rod into biased engagement with the rod; and   inserting the rod and positioner into the void.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising bending a single piece of metal at a plurality of locations along the piece to form the slot portion, a first support portion including the first end, and a second support portion including the second end. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein moving the first end comprises engaging the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a first distance from a location at which the slot portion engages the rod, and wherein moving the second end comprises engaging the rod at a location along the rod that is spaced a second distance from the location at which the slot portion engages the rod, the first distance being different from the second distance. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising moving the rod and positioner into engagement with at least one portion of a sidewall of the void. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein inserting the rod and positioner into the void comprises pushing the rod past at least one restriction, the restriction resulting in a width of the void that is less than a width of the uncompressed positioner and more than a width of the fully compressed positioner. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising removably attaching a plurality of positioners at a plurality of locations along the rod. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising rotating at least one of the positioners about a central axis of the rod such that the slot portions of the positioners are not aligned. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising filling the void with cementitious material after inserting the rod and positioner.