US20180044924A1

US20180044924A1 - Decking System

Info

Publication number: US20180044924A1
Application number: US15/231,875
Authority: US
Inventors: Patrick O. Flynn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-08-09
Filing date: 2016-08-09
Publication date: 2018-02-15

Abstract

A decking system facilitates runoff by creation of lengthwise conduits in overlapping planks when assembled. The system includes a plurality of decking planks each having a main section elongated between a first end and a second end. A top connection flange has a proximal section coplanar with a top surface of the plank and a distal section extending perpendicularly from the proximal section defining a downwardly facing channel. A bottom connection flange has a first portion coplanar with the bottom surface of the plank and a second portion extending perpendicularly from the first portion defining an upwardly facing channel. A length of the proximal section is greater than a thickness of the second portion to define a conduit therebetween when a pair of the planks are adjacently positioned with the top connection flange overlapping the bottom connection flange.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to decking systems and more particularly pertains to a new decking system for facilitating runoff by creation of lengthwise conduits in overlapping planks when assembled to promote runoff.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of decking planks each having a main section elongated between a first end and a second end. A top connection flange has a proximal section coplanar with a top surface of the plank and a distal section extending perpendicularly from the proximal section defining a downwardly facing channel. A bottom connection flange has a first portion coplanar with the bottom surface of the plank and a second portion extending perpendicularly from the first portion defining an upwardly facing channel. A length of the proximal section is greater than a thickness of the second portion to define a conduit therebetween when a pair of the planks are adjacently positioned with the top connection flange overlapping the bottom connection flange.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top front side perspective view of a decking system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an end view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an exploded bottom rear side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new decking system embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the decking system 10 generally comprises a plurality of planks 12. A top surface 14 of each plank 12 is textured. The texture may be designed to resemble various forms of wood or another decorative design if so desired. Each plank 12 comprises a main section 16 having a first end 18 and a second end 20. The main section 16 is elongated between the first end 18 and the second end 20. The main section 16 of each of the planks 12 is solid between the top surface 14 and a bottom surface 22 of the plank 12. A top connection flange 24 has a proximal section 26 coplanar with the top surface 14 of the plank 12 and a distal section 28 extending perpendicularly from the proximal section 26 towards the bottom surface 22 of the plank 12. The distal section 28 of the top connection flange 24 of each plank 12 defines a downwardly facing channel 30. An outer surface 32 of a junction 34 between the proximal section 26 and the distal section 28 of the top connection flange 24 of each plank 12 is rounded. For each plank 12, a cross-sectional shape of the top connection flange 24 perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the plank 12 is L-shaped.
A bottom connection flange 36 has a first portion 38 coplanar with the bottom surface 22 of the plank 12 and a second portion 40 extending perpendicularly from the first portion 38 toward the top surface 14 of the plank 12. The second portion 40 of the bottom connection flange 36 of each plank 12 defines an upwardly facing channel 42. A cross-sectional shape of the bottom connection flange 36 perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the plank 12 is L-shaped such that the bottom connection flange 36 is essentially a mirror image of the top connection flange 24 except that there may be no rounding at a junction between the first portion 38 and the second portion 40.
A length of the proximal section 26 of the top connection flange 24 is greater than a thickness of the second portion 40 of the bottom connection flange 36 wherein the top connection flange 24 and the bottom connection flange 36 define a conduit 44 therebetween when a pair of the planks 12 are adjacently positioned with the top connection flange 24 overlapping the bottom connection flange 36.
Each of a plurality of guide holes 46 extends into the bottom surface 22 of each plank 12. The guide holes 46 are configured to facilitate securement of each of the planks 12 by fasteners, such as screws or the like, inserted into the bottom surface 22 of the plank 12. The guide holes 46 are linearly aligned and spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the plank 12. The guide holes 46 are positioned closer to the top connection flange 24 than the bottom connection flange 36.
In use, the planks 12 are installed overlapping the top connection flange 24 over the bottom connection flange 36 to form the conduits 44. Securement of the planks 12 from the bottom surface 22 allows the top connection flange 24 to clamp down on the bottom connection flange 36. Water, or other fluids, can enter the conduits 44 and drain away from the top surface 14 of the planks 12. The top connection flange 24 and bottom connection flange 36 along lateral sides of a completed deck may be trimmed away. An edge of the completed deck extending along aligned ends of the planks 12 may be left open to prevent obstruction of the conduits 44.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A decking system comprising:

a plurality of decking planks, each said plank comprising

a main section having a first end and a second end, said main section being elongated between said first end and said second end, said main section of each of said planks being continuously solid between opposing lateral sides of said main section and said top surface and said bottom surface,

a top connection flange having a proximal section coplanar with a top surface of said plank and a distal section extending perpendicularly from said proximal section towards a bottom surface of said plank, said distal section of said top connection flange of each said plank defining a downwardly facing channel,

a bottom connection flange having a first portion coplanar with said bottom surface of said plank and a second portion extending perpendicularly from said first portion toward said top surface of said plank, said second portion of said bottom connection flange of each said plank defining an upwardly facing channel, wherein said bottom connection flange is substantially a mirror image of said top connection flange, and

a length of said proximal section of said top connection flange being greater than a thickness of said second portion of said bottom connection flange wherein said top connection flange and said bottom connection flange define a conduit therebetween by cooperation of a pair of said planks when said pair of said planks are adjacently positioned with said top connection flange overlapping said bottom connection flange.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising said top surface of each said plank being textured.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide holes extending into said bottom surface of each said plank wherein said guide holes are configured to facilitate securement of each of said planks by fasteners being inserted into said bottom surface of said plank.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising said guide holes being linearly aligned and spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of said plank.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising said guide holes being positioned closer to said top connection flange than said bottom connection flange.

6. (canceled)

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an outer surface of a junction between said proximal section and said distal section of said top connection flange of each plank being rounded.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cross-sectional shape of said top connection flange perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said plank being L-shaped.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cross-sectional shape of said bottom connection flange perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said plank being L-shaped.

10. A decking system comprising:

a plurality of planks, said top surface of each said plank being textured, each said plank comprising

a top connection flange having a proximal section coplanar with a top surface of said plank and a distal section extending perpendicularly from said proximal section towards a bottom surface of said plank, said distal section of said top connection flange of each said plank defining a downwardly facing channel, an outer surface of a junction between said proximal section and said distal section of said top connection flange of each plank being rounded, a cross-sectional shape of said top connection flange perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said plank being L-shaped,

a bottom connection flange having a first portion coplanar with said bottom surface of said plank and a second portion extending perpendicularly from said first portion toward said top surface of said plank, said second portion of said bottom connection flange of each said plank defining an upwardly facing channel, a cross-sectional shape of said bottom connection flange perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said plank being L-shaped, wherein said bottom connection flange is substantially a mirror image of said top connection flange,

a length of said proximal section of said top connection flange being greater than a thickness of said second portion of said bottom connection flange wherein said top connection flange and said bottom connection flange define a conduit therebetween by cooperation of a pair of said planks when said pair of said planks are adjacently positioned with said top connection flange overlapping said bottom connection flange, and

a plurality of guide holes extending into said bottom surface of each said plank wherein said guide holes are configured to facilitate securement of each of said planks by fasteners being inserted into said bottom surface of said plank, said guide holes being linearly aligned and spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of said plank, said guide holes being positioned closer to said top connection flange than said bottom connection flange.