Deck spacer device and system

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of spacers, and more particularly to methods and systems for deck spacers for use when constructing a deck.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Deck Spacers are often used when constructing a deck to ensure consistent and accurate gaps between adjacent deck planks.

Some deck spacers allow for different thicknesses with one tool, but in practice can be hard to use, as there is no easy means for distinguishing the correct width selection, which makes it difficult to look across a deck build and confirm that all the spacers are aligned using the same thickness.

As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved devices and methods for deck spacers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in aspects of this invention, enhancements are provided to the existing model of deck spacers.

In an aspect, a deck spacer system can include:

• • a) a deck in progress; and
  • b) a plurality of deck spacer devices;
  • wherein each corresponding deck spacer device in the plurality of deck spacer devices is configured to be mounted on the deck in progress between planks, to ensure consistent and uniform spacing between adjacent planks before the adjacent planks are fastened.

In an aspect, each deck spacer device can include:

• • a) a device body; and
  • b) a plurality of elongated rotatable members, each including:
    • i. a front spacer portion, which is configured with a specific width for use as a spacer that is configured to be positioned between adjacent planks of a deck in progress, to ensure a consistent and uniform spacing between the adjacent planks; and
    • ii. a rear indicator portion, which is configured with a visual indicator, which indicates the specific width of the front spacer portion;
    • wherein each corresponding elongated rotatable member is connected to the device body, such that the corresponding elongated rotatable member is independently rotatable between:
      • a folded-in configuration, wherein the corresponding elongated rotatable member is parallel with an elongated direction of the device body; and
      • a folded-out configuration, wherein the front spacer portion protrudes downward from the device body and the rear indicator portion protrudes upward from the device body;
      • such that the corresponding deck spacer device is configurable with a selected elongated rotatable member in the folded-out configuration, wherein remaining elongated rotatable members are in the folded-in configuration, such that a selected front spacer portion of the selected elongated rotatable member is positionable between the adjacent planks of a deck in progress, such that the selected width of the selected elongated rotatable member is visible via the visual indicator when the corresponding deck spacer device is positioned on the deck with the selected front spacer portion positioned between the adjacent planks.

In a related aspect, the visual indicator can include a symbolic marking, which can be in part a numeric marking, to indicate a corresponding width of the front spacer portion.

In a related aspect, the visual indicator can include a color marking, such that each of the elongated rotatable members can be configured with a distinct and unique color.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deck spacer system, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2A is a top front perspective view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2B is a bottom rear perspective view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2C is a left side view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2D is a right side view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2E is a top view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2F is a bottom view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2G is a front view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2H is a rear view of a deck spacer device with a selected elongated rotatable member in a folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A is a top front perspective view of a deck spacer device in a folded-in configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B is a bottom rear perspective view of a deck spacer device in a folded-in configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a top front perspective view of a deck spacer device in a partially folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is a bottom rear perspective view of a deck spacer device in a partially folded-out configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5A is a top front exploded perspective view of a deck spacer device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5B is a bottom rear exploded perspective view of a deck spacer device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing the invention in detail, it should be observed that the present invention resides primarily in a novel and non-obvious combination of elements and process steps. So as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art, certain conventional elements and steps have been presented with lesser detail, while the drawings and specification describe in greater detail other elements and steps pertinent to understanding the invention.

The following embodiments are not intended to define limits as to the structure or method of the invention, but only to provide exemplary constructions. The embodiments are permissive rather than mandatory and illustrative rather than exhaustive.

In the following, we describe the structure of an embodiment of a deck spacer system 100 with reference to FIG. 1, in such manner that like reference numerals refer to like components throughout; a convention that we shall employ for the remainder of this specification.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2H, a deck spacer system 100 can include:

• • a) a deck in progress 180, comprising a plurality of planks 182, 184, 186; and
  • b) a plurality of deck spacer devices 110;
  • wherein each corresponding deck spacer device 110 in the plurality of deck spacer devices 110 is configured to be mounted on the deck in progress 180 between adjacent planks 182, 184 to ensure uniform spacing 264 between the adjacent planks 182 before at least one of the adjacent planks 182, 184 is fastened with fasteners 188.

In a related embodiment, FIG. 1 shows a deck in progress 180 wherein a first plank 182 is fully fastened, a second plank 184 is partially fastened, and a third plank 186 is unfastened. The third plank 186 is already positioned with a uniform spacing relative to the second plank 184, using two deck space devices 110, and is ready for fastening.

In a related embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A-2H, and 5A-5B, each deck spacer device 110 can include:

• • a) a device body 210; and
  • b) a plurality 220 of elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228, each comprising:
    • i. a front spacer portion 232, which is configured with a specific width 262 for use as a spacer, wherein the front spacer portion 232 is configured to be positioned between adjacent planks 182, 184 of a deck in progress 180, to ensure a uniform spacing between the adjacent planks 182, 184; and
    • ii. a rear indicator portion 234, which is configured with a visual indicator 236a, 236b, which indicates the specific width 262 of the front spacer portion 232;
    • wherein each corresponding elongated rotatable member 222, 224, 226, 228 is rotatably connected to the device body 210, such that the corresponding elongated rotatable member 222, 224, 226, 228 is independently rotatable between:
      • a folded-in configuration 242, wherein the corresponding elongated rotatable member 226 is parallel with an elongated direction 258 of the device body 210; and
      • a folded-out configuration 244, wherein the front spacer portion 232 protrudes downward from the device body 210 and the rear indicator portion 234 protrudes upward from the device body 210;
      • such that the corresponding deck spacer device 110 is configurable with a selected elongated rotatable member 226 in the folded-out configuration 244, wherein remaining elongated rotatable members 222, 226, 228 are in the folded-in configuration 242, such that a selected front spacer 232 portion of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is positionable between the adjacent planks 182, 184 of a deck in progress 180;
      • such that the selected width 262 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is visible via the visual indicator 236a, 236b of the rear indicator portion 234 when the corresponding deck spacer device 110 is positioned on the deck in progress 180 with the selected front spacer portion 232 positioned between the adjacent planks 182, 184.

In a related embodiment, the visual indicator 236a can include a symbolic marking, which can be in part a numeric marking, wherein the symbolic marking is configured to indicate a corresponding width 262 of the front spacer portion 232, specified in for example inches or millimeters, wherein the symbolic marking can be printed, indented, molded, stamped, carved, and/or embossed.

In a related embodiment, the visual indicator 236b can include a color marking, such that each of the elongated rotatable members 226 can be configured with a distinct and unique color, such that each of the elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228 is configured with a different color to aid in confirming the selected width 262 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 when viewing the deck spacer device 110 of the deck spacer system 100 from a distance.

In a related embodiment, the plurality 220 of elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228 can include four elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228, wherein:

• • a) a first elongated rotatable member 222 can be configured with a corresponding width 262 of 1/16 inch and can be colored red;
  • b) a second elongated rotatable member 224 can be configured with a corresponding width 262 of ⅛ inch and can be colored blue;
  • c) a third elongated rotatable member 226 can be configured with a corresponding width 262 of 3/16 inch and can be colored green; and
  • d) a fourth elongated rotatable member 228 can be configured with a corresponding width 262 of ¼ inch and can be colored white.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A-2B, and 5A-5B, the device body 210 can include:

• • a) a right body side 212;
  • b) a left body side 214;
  • c) an axial pin 215, which is connected between center portions of the right body side 212 and the left body side 214, wherein the axial pin 215 can be configured as a screw or bolt with threading on an outer end;
  • d) an upper bridge 246, which is connected between front upper parts of the right body side 212 and the left body side 214; and
  • e) a lower bridge 248, which is connected between rear lower parts of the right body side 212 and the left body side 214;
  • such that an upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is configured to impact with the upper bridge 246 to stop an outward rotation 252 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 when the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is in the folded-out configuration;
  • such that a lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is configured to impact with the upper bridge 246 to stop an inward rotation 254 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 when the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is in the folded-in configuration;
  • such that the lower part of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is configured to impact with the lower bridge 248 to stop the outward rotation 252 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 when the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is in the folded-out configuration; and
  • such that the upper part of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is configured to impact with the lower bridge 248 to stop the inward rotation 254 of the selected elongated rotatable member 226 when the selected elongated rotatable member 226 is in the folded-in configuration.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2A-2B, and 5A-5B, the device body 210 can further include:

• • a) an axial pin 215, which can be configured as a screw or bolt with threading on an outer end;
  • wherein each of the elongated rotatable members 226 comprise:
    • a central aperture 527;
  • such that the axial pin 215 is mounted through the central aperture 527;
  • such that each of the elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228 are rotatably mounted on the axial pin 215.

In another related embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2G and 2H, outer side surfaces of the right and left body sides 212, 214, can each be convex relative to a vertical center plane 272, such that a width 274 of the corresponding deck spacer device increases toward a bottom of the deck spacer device 110, to ensure stability of the deck spacer device 110 when the deck spacer device 110 is positioned on the adjacent planks 182, 184.

In related embodiments, the elongated rotatable members 222, 224, 226, 228, the right and left body sides 212, 214, and the upper and lower bridges 246, 248 can be made from a plastic material and can be injection molded or 3D-printed.

Here has thus been described a multitude of embodiments of the deck spacer system 100 and the deck spacer device 110, and methods related thereto, which can be employed in numerous modes of usage.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Many such alternative configurations are readily apparent and should be considered fully included in this specification and the claims appended hereto. Accordingly, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, the invention is not limited to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and thus, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.