The present invention relates to a protective cover. In particular the present invention relates to protective covers for the free ends of construction-related rods including bolts and rebar.

Rebar (short for reinforcing bar) is a steel bar or mesh of steel wires used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen concrete under tension.

However, whilst construction is ongoing the free ends of rebar are often exposed, posing a significant health and safety risk.

Statistics compiled by a US body, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, indicate that around 60% of accidents on constructions sites relate to impalement on rebar.

Furthermore, with scaffolding the free ends of bolts are typically left exposed, again posing significant risk of injury.

The present invention seeks to address these issues.

According to the present invention there is provided a construction-related rod free end cover comprising a main body formed of a deformable thermoplastic elastomer, the main body comprising: at a first end an outer wall; at a second end an opening to a substantially central chamber, wherein at least part of the chamber is configured to deform to releasably attach the cover to a free end of a construction-related rod.

By providing a cover formed of a deformable thermoplastic elastomer with a central chamber to house a free end of a rod the cover may releasably retain itself on a free end of a rod. Beneficially a single cover may house a range of rod sizes meaning that user need not search for a particular cover in order to install a protective cap on a rod of a particular diameter. In some embodiments the main body comprises a plurality of conjoined walls extending at least partway between first and extend ends of the cover, the walls being reticulated in cross-section and arranged around the central chamber.

Provision of a plurality of reticulated walls arrange around the central chamber provides the cover with impact resistance such that the attachment of the cover to the rod is not disrupted thereby hindering the cover from being accidentally dislodged.

In some embodiments the chamber is configured to elastically deform to provide an interference fit with a free end of a rod.

In some embodiments the chamber comprises a plurality of deformable members arranged around its periphery and extending from an inner wall of the chamber towards its centre.

Provision of a plurality of elastically deformable members enables a cover to releasably grip a free end of a rod.

In some embodiments the deformable members are elongate fins.

In some embodiments a chamber is substantially polygonal in shape.

In some embodiments deformable members extend inwardly from corners of the polygon.

In some embodiments the chamber is substantially hexagonal in cross-section.

Provision of a hexagonal chamber provides protection against unintentional dislodging of a cover.

In some embodiments when a cover is not in use the length of each side of a hexagonal chamber is between 0.5cm and 3cm, or is less than 2.5cm, or is between 1cm and 2cm, or is less than around 1.5cm, or is around 1.2cm. In some embodiments a cover comprises a secondary polygonal chamber within the central chamber.

In some embodiments the secondary polygonal chamber is formed of walls that extend from the first end towards the second end no more than 50% of the length of central chamber, or no more than 40% of the length of the central chamber, or no more than 30% of the length of the central chamber.

In some embodiments the secondary polygonal chamber is substantially hexagonal.

In some embodiments walls of the secondary polygonal chamber intersect the deformable members.

In some embodiments the chamber is substantially cylindrical.

In some embodiments when a cover is not in use its chamber has a diameter of between 5 and 20mm, or of between 6 and 18mm, or of between 7 and 16mm, or of between 8mm and 14mm, or of between 9mm and 13mm, or of between 10mm and 12mm, or of around 11mm.

In some embodiments an inner wall of the chamber comprises a plurality of recesses spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the chamber.

In some embodiments recesses are substantially circular.

Circular recesses allow the chamber to readily grip the thread of a bolt, as sections of thread are housed in the recesses so as to provides protection against unintentional dislodging of a cover.

In some embodiments the cover comprises a hexagonal wall structure positioned between the chamber and an outer wall of the cover. In some embodiments when a cover is not in use the length of each side of a hexagonal wall structure is between 0.5cm and 3cm, or is less than 2.5cm, or is between 1cm and 2cm, or is less than around 1.5cm, or is around 1.2cm.

In some embodiments the thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness on the Shore A scale of between 20 and 80, or of between 30 and 70, or of between 40 and 60, or of around 50.

In some embodiments the construction-related rod is rebar.

In some embodiments the construction-related rod is a bolt.

In some embodiments the outer wall at the first end is curved.

In some embodiments the outer wall at the first end is substantially hemispherical.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bolt cover made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bolt cover of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the bolt cover of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-section of the bolt cover of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rebar cover made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the rebar cover of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side view of the rebar cover of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a cross-section of the rebar cover of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a bolt cover 1 comprises at a first end la a curved, substantially hemispherical, outer wall 2.

Cover 1 is formed of a resiliently flexible thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale. A substantially frustoconical outer wall 3 extends from hemispherical wall 2 to terminate at a second end lb of cover 1.

Second end lb of cover 1 is substantially circular and comprises an opening to a substantially central chamber 4 that is configured to releasably house a free end of a bolt (not shown).

Cover 1 is approximately 5cm in length between its first and second ends la, lb.

Substantially circular second end lb of cover 1 is approximately 4.5cm in diameter

Chamber 4 is substantially cylindrical and comprises a plurality of substantially circular recesses 5 spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of chamber 4. In the present embodiment six recesses 5 are provided.

Chamber 4 has a diameter of approximately 11.4mm and is configured to attach to bolts by means of an interference fit.

As cover 1 is formed of a flexible thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale chamber 4 is capable of stretching to accommodate bolts having a diameter of between 12mm and 20mm.

Scaffold bolts are typically 15mm in diameter, and it is therefore desirable for any cover intended for use with such bolts to have a chamber with a sufficiently smaller diameter such that an effective interference fit may be obtained.

Recesses 5 are intended in use to house portions of screw thread of a bolt and thereby enhance the attachment of cover 1 to a bolt.

A plurality of conjoined inner walls 6 are arranged around chamber 4 between chamber 4 and outer walls 2, 3.

Inner walls 6 extend from an internal face of wall 2 towards second end lb of cover 1. Inner walls 6 are reticulated in cross-section such that they form a plurality of elongate pockets 7 arranged around the periphery of cover 1. Pockets 7 extend from first end la of towards second end lb of cover 1.

Inner walls also define a hexagonal wall structure 6a positioned between chamber 4 and outer wall 3.

Walls 6 and pockets 7 act to protect chamber 4 and its interference fit with a bolt when cover 1 is in use. Hexagonal wall structure 6a provides a strong protective surround for chamber 4

Referring to Figures 5 to 8, a rebar cover 1 comprises at a first end 8a a curved, substantially hemispherical, outer wall 9.

Cover 8 is formed of a resiliently flexible thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale.

A substantially frustoconical outer wall 10 extends from hemispherical wall 9 to terminate at a second end 8b of cover 8.

Second end 8b of cover 8 is substantially circular and comprises an opening to a substantially central chamber 11 that is configured to releasably house a free end of a length of rebar (not shown).

Cover 8 is approximately 5.5cm in length between its first and second ends 8a, 8b. Substantially circular second end 8b of cover 8 is approximately 4.5cm in diameter

Chamber 11 is defined by chamber walls 11a. Chamber 11 is substantially hexagonal and comprises six elongate fins 12 extending inwardly from respective corners of the hexagon towards the centre of chamber 11.

Fins 12 are elongate in that they extend along the longitudinal axis of chamber 11 between ends 8a, 8b of cover 8. Fins 12 are tapered at their free ends adjacent second end 8b and the opening to chamber 11 so as to aid insertion of a length of rebar into chamber 11. The length of each side of hexagonal chamber 11 is approximately 1.2cm, and the gap between opposing fins 12 is approximately 0.5cm.

Inside chamber 11 and located adjacent the internal face of wall 9 is a diminutive secondary hexagonal chamber 15 formed of walls lib. Walls lib are each approximately 0.75cm in length and extend from inner face of wall 9 approximately 1.75cm.

Walls lib intersect fins 12 and around their lateral midpoints and thereby provide support to fins 12.

Secondary hexagonal chamber 15 may also receive the tip of a length of rebar when cover 1 is employed with rebar of low diameters, thereby assisting in retaining cover 1 in position.

As cover 1 is formed of a flexible thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale fins 12 and chamber 11 are capable of deforming so as to releasably attach to rebar having a diameter of approximately 8 to 20mm.

In other embodiments covers comprising differently sized chambers and fins may be provided so as to fit rebar having different dimensions. For example a cover may be sized so as to fit rebar of diameter 16mm to 32mm, or a cover may be sized to fit rebar of diameter 40mm to 50mm.

A plurality of conjoined inner walls 13 are arranged around chamber 11 between chamber 11 and outer walls 9, 10.

Inner walls 13 extend from an internal face of wall 9 towards second end 8b of cover 8.

Inner walls 13 are reticulated in cross-section such that they form a plurality of elongate pockets 14 arranged around the periphery of cover 8. Pockets 14 extend from first end 8a of towards second end 8b of cover 8.

Walls 13 and pockets 14 act to protect chamber 11 and its attachment to a length of rebar when cover 8 is in use. Whilst in the present embodiment a thermoplastic elastomer with a hardness of around 50 on the Shore A scale is employed in other embodiments any suitable material may be employed. It is preferable that any material is UV stable and resistant to temperature fluctuations of at least -10 to +40 degrees Celsis.

In some embodiments the thermoplastic elastomer used may be biodegradable.

In this specification an apparatus/method/product "comprising" certain features is intended to be interpreted as meaning that it includes those features, but that it does not exclude the presence of other features.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.