DECK INSTALLATION TRACK AND METHOD
A device, system and method for installing decking are described. A track for decking has a base element, a first snap-fit element coupled to the base element, and a second snap-fit element coupled to the base element, the second snap-fit element opposing the first snap-fit element. At least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element has an inward protrusion to engage a recess in a side of a decking board, whereby the first and second snap-fit elements are retain the decking board.
The present application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/221,463 entitled “DECK INSTALLATION TRACK AND METHOD,” filed Jul. 27, 2016, which claims priority from, and is a Continuation of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/480,172 entitled “DECK INSTALLATION TRACK AND METHOD,” FILED Sep. 8, 2014, which claims priority from, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/411,646, entitled “DECK INSTALLATION TRACK,” filed on Jan. 24, 2012, all of which are applications by Applicant Mark A. Claudin, and are incorporated herein by reference.
COPYRIGHTA portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to construction. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to systems and methods for installing decking.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDecking is a popular addition to many homes and businesses. Historically, decking has been installed by building a support beam foundation system topped by a joist system, and then attaching decking boards on top of the joist system. The decking boards are often made of composite materials. To attach the deck boards to the joist system, the most direct approach has been to nail or screw directly through from the top of the deck board through to the joist, as shown in
In other methods, a concealed gapping and fastening tool, such as that shown in
Although each of the above methods are functional, they are labor intensive and require a high degree of skill on the part of the deck installer, requiring, for example fairly precise locating skills on the part of the installer; that is, the installer must guess where the joist is located when installing according to
Accordingly, a system and method are needed to address the shortfalls of present technology and to provide other new and innovative features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn exemplary track for decking has a base element, a first snap-fit element coupled to the base element, and a second snap-fit element coupled to the base element, the second snap-fit element opposing the first snap-fit element. At least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element has an inward protrusion configured to engage a recess in a side of a decking board, whereby the first and second snap-fit elements retain the decking board.
An exemplary track for decking has a base element, a first resilient member coupled to the base element, and a second resilient member coupled to the base element, the second resilient member opposing the first resilient member. At least one of the first resilient member or the second resilient member has an inward protrusion to engage a recess in a side of a decking board, whereby the first and second resilient members retain the decking board.
An exemplary method of installing a decking board includes providing a track having a base element, a first snap-fit element coupled to the base element, and a second snap-fit element coupled to the base element, the second snap-fit element opposing the first snap-fit element, wherein at least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element has an inward protrusion configured to engage a recess in a side of a decking board. The exemplary method includes causing the first and second snap-fit elements to resiliently engage the recess, whereby the first and second snap-fit elements retain the decking board.
Various objects and advantages and a more complete understanding of the present invention are apparent and more readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, where like or similar elements are designated with identical reference numerals throughout the several views, and referring in particular to
As shown in
Although a through-hole is shown, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the attachment element 104 may comprise other means for attachment to a joist, such as, without limitation, a clip extending around the base element 102 and joist, and a slot for allowing a nail or screw to attach the base element 102 to the joist. It should also be understood that, even where a through-hole is used, it is not necessarily limited to a centered placement on the base element 102.
Continuing with
The first and/or second snap fit elements 106, 110 may be formed continuously with the base element 104 at a bend 112, as shown in
Turning now to
Returning now to
It should also be understood that the first and second end portions 108, 112 of the track 100 may be repeated, as shown in
Further, although shown in
Turning now to
The unitary snap-fit elements 206, 210 may have an open top 207 to allow for independent expansion/contraction of the associated decking board 114, or, as in the track 300 shown in
Turning now to the track 400 shown in
Turning now to the track 500 shown in
As seen in
Turning now to
As previously described, the track 700 may include an elevating element 718 to maintain the decking board 114, 115 elevated above the base element 702. The elevating element 718 may include a bend in the base element 702, the head of a screw or nail 118, or any other raised portion, such as, without limitation, a raised welded spot or seam. The welded seam 212, 312 seen in
Turning now to
Aligning 902 includes aligning a track according to at least one of the tracks 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 previously described in this disclosure such that the track runs along a joist 130, as shown in
Attaching 904 includes using one or more attachment devices 116 and attachment elements 104, which may be similar to the attachment devices and elements 116, 104 previously described, to temporarily or semi-permanently affix the track to the joist. In some embodiments, attaching 904 may include using a screw to attach the track, and setting the screw into the joist at approximately a ninety degree angle relative to a top of the joist, while maintaining a direct line of site between the installer and the attachment element, such as attachment element 104, while attaching the track.
Snapping 906 includes using a decking board 114 to apply enough downward pressure to cause the snap-fit elements of the track to deform, providing enough space between the snap-fit elements for the decking board to move down into the space between the snap-fit elements. Snapping 906 also includes releasing the decking board 114, and allowing inward protrusions of the snap-fit elements to partially fill a recess in a side of the decking board 114, as shown in
In some embodiments, the method 900 may include maintaining the decking board elevated relative to the attachment element using an elevating element.
The method 900 may include snapping a plurality of decking boards into position after attaching the track.
The method 900 may include using a plurality of snap-fit elements to maintain a consistent spacing between each of a plurality of decking boards.
The method 900 may include attaching a plurality of tracks, each comprising a plurality of snap-fit elements and a plurality of attachment elements.
The method 900 may include snapping an end portion of a first decking board into a spacing between the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element; and snapping an end portion of a second decking board into a spacing between a third snap-fit element at the first end portion of the base element and a fourth snap-fit element at the second end portion of the base element.
The method 900 may include causing the first decking board to fluctuate in size longitudinally and transversely; causing the second decking board to fluctuate in size longitudinally and transversely and independent of the first decking board; maintaining a snap-fit to the first decking board; and maintaining a snap-fit to the second decking board independent of the first decking board.
In conclusion, embodiments of the present invention provide, among other things, a device and method for installing decking. Those skilled in the art can readily recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made in the invention, its use and its configuration to achieve substantially the same results as achieved by the embodiments described herein. Likewise, a variety of combinations of the elements shown in the numerous embodiments may be made. Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations, modifications and alternative constructions fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention as expressed in the claims.
Claims
1. A track for decking; comprising:
- a base element;
- a first snap-fit element coupled to the base element; and
- a second snap-fit element coupled to the base element, the second snap-fit element opposing the first snap-fit element; wherein
- at least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element comprises an inward protrusion configured to engage a recess in a side of a decking board, whereby the first and second snap-fit elements are configured to retain the decking board.
2. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element are configured to retain a first end portion of a first decking board; and
- the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element are configured to retain a first end portion of a second decking board.
3. The track of claim 1, comprising:
- a third snap-fit element coupled to the first end portion of the base element; and
- a fourth snap-fit element coupled to the second end portion of the base element; wherein:
- the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element are configured to retain a first end portion of a first decking board; and
- the third snap-fit element and the fourth snap-fit element are configured to retain a first end portion of a second decking board.
4. The track of claim 1, further comprising:
- at least one attachment element for attaching the track to a joist.
5. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- at least a portion of the first and second snap-fit elements comprises a hardened steel.
6. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- at least one of the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element is configured to be displaced while a user snaps the decking board into a retained position.
7. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- the base element is configured to protect a substantial portion of the top of the joist from weather.
8. The track of claim 1, comprising:
- an elevating element configured to maintain the decking board elevated relative to the attachment element after the decking board is snapped into a retained position.
9. The track of claim 1, comprising:
- a plurality of central snap-fit elements attached to the base element between the first and second end portions of the base element; wherein
- the first snap-fit element, the second snap-fit element, and the plurality of central snap-fit elements are configured to maintain a consistent spacing between each of a plurality of decking boards.
10. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- the at least one of the first or second snap-fit elements has a first flange extending upwardly relative to the base, a second flange extending inwardly from the first flange, and a third flange extending outwardly from the second flange, the second flange and the third flange forming the inward protrusion.
11. The track of claim 10, wherein:
- the second flange is configured to abut a lower portion of the recess and the third flange is configured to abut an upper portion of the recess to removably retain the decking board.
12. The track of claim 1, further comprising:
- a composite material, a plastic, or a combination thereof.
13. The track of claim 1, wherein:
- at least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element is unitary with the base element.
14. A track for decking; comprising:
- a base element;
- a first resilient member coupled to the base element; and
- a second resilient member coupled to the base element, the second resilient member opposing the first resilient member; wherein
- at least one of the first resilient member or the second resilient member comprises an inward protrusion configured to engage a recess in a side of a decking board, whereby the first and second resilient members are configured to retain the decking board.
15. The track of claim 14, wherein:
- at least one of the resilient members comprises a plastic, a composite, or a combination thereof.
16. A method of installing a decking board, the method comprising:
- providing a track having a base element, a first snap-fit element coupled to the base element, and a second snap-fit element coupled to the base element, the second snap-fit element opposing the first snap-fit element, wherein at least one of the first snap-fit element or the second snap-fit element comprises an inward protrusion configured to engage a recess in a side of a decking board;
- causing the first and second snap-fit elements to resiliently engage the recess, whereby the first and second snap-fit elements retain the decking board.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
- pressing the decking board downward towards the base element;
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
- displacing at least one of the first snap-fit element and the second snap-fit element; and
- pressing or snapping the decking board into a retained position.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein:
- the providing a track comprises providing an elevating element configured to maintain the decking board elevated relative a joist after the decking board is installed.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein:
- the providing a track comprises providing a plurality of central snap-fit elements attached to the base element between the first and second snap-fit elements, wherein the first snap-fit element, the second snap-fit element, and the plurality of central snap-fit elements are configured to maintain a consistent spacing between each of a plurality of decking boards; and the method further comprises
- attaching a plurality of decking boards to the track by pressing the plurality of decking boards against the track.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 3, 2018
Publication Date: May 10, 2018
Inventor: Mark Claudin (Lakewood, CO)
Application Number: 15/861,058