Thermal break for concrete slabs

Abstract

A thermal break system for cast-in-place concrete slabs is provided that includes a load-bearing structural foam barrier designed to separate an interior portion of concrete slab from an exterior portion of concrete slab. The thermal break system includes a plurality of reinforcing tension bars holes passing through the insulating barrier. In addition, reinforcing shear bars are inserted through the insulating foam at a non-horizontal angle and bent such that the shear bars are horizontal on either side of the insulating barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A thermal break system prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
 forming, from a load-bearing, thermally insulating structural foam material, an insulating body such that the insulating body is sized and configured to separate a first area for an interior concrete slab from a second area for an exterior concrete slab;   drilling a plurality of reinforcing tension rod holes through the insulating body;   drilling a plurality of reinforcing shear rod holes through the insulation body at a non-horizontal angle;   welding a washer to each of a plurality of reinforcing shear rods;   bending each of the plurality of reinforcing shear rods at a first point to form a plurality of bent reinforcing shear rods;   inserting the plurality of bent reinforcing shear rods through the plurality reinforcing shear rod holes in the insulating body such that the first point is aligned with a first side of the insulating body;   bending, while inserted in the insulating body, the plurality of reinforcing shear rods at a second point, the second point being aligned with a second side of the insulating body, such that portions of the plurality of reinforcing shear rods extending from the first side of the insulating body and extending from the second side of the insulating body are substantially horizontal; and   securing each of the washers to the insulating body.   
     
     
         6 . A thermal break system for separating concrete slabs prepared by the process of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         7 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for installing a thermally broken, cast-in-place concrete slab comprising:
 bending a plurality of reinforcing shear rods at a first point to form a plurality of bent reinforcing shear rods;   inserting the plurality of bent reinforcing shear rods through a plurality of angled reinforcing shear rod holes in a load-bearing, thermally insulating structural foam body configured to separate an interior concrete slab from an exterior concrete slab such that the first point angle is aligned with a first side of the insulating body;   bending, while inserted in the insulating body, the plurality of reinforcing shear rods at a second point, the second point being aligned with a second side of the insulating body, wherein a first portion of each of the plurality of reinforcing shear rods extends substantially horizontally from the first side of the insulating body and a second portion of each of the plurality of reinforcing shear rods extends substantially horizontally from the second side of the insulating body;   inserting a plurality of reinforcing tension rods through a plurality of reinforcing tension rod holes in the insulating body such that a first portion of each of the plurality of reinforcing tension rods extends substantially horizontally from the first side of the insulating body and a second portion of each of the plurality of reinforcing tension rods extends substantially horizontally from the second side of the insulating body; and   pouring concrete over the plurality of reinforcing tension rods and reinforcing shear rods on both the first side and the second side of the insulating body to form the exterior concrete slab and the interior concrete slab.   
     
     
         17 . The method for installing a thermally broken, cast-in-place concrete slab according to  claim 16 , further including placing on both the first side and the second side of the insulating body a plurality of cross tension rods substantially perpendicular to the plurality of reinforcing tension rods. 
     
     
         18 . The method for installing a thermally broken, cast-in-place concrete slab according to  claim 17 , further including securing each of the plurality of cross tension rods to one or more of the plurality of reinforcing tension rods. 
     
     
         19 . The method for installing a thermally broken, cast-in-place concrete slab according to  claim 17 , further including securing each of the plurality of cross tension rods to one or more of the plurality of shear rods. 
     
     
         20 . The method for installing a thermally broken, cast-in-place concrete slab according to  claim 17 , further including securing each of the plurality of cross tension rods to one or more of the plurality of reinforcing tension rods and to one or more of the plurality of shear rods. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 - 42 . (canceled)