DOCK DECK FASTENING SYSTEM

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a dock deck fastening system.

BACKGROUND

Storms such as hurricanes may cause various problems on waterfront properties including docks and decks. Strong wave action may exert tremendous pressure underside the decks of the docks, which may lead to structural instability of the docks. The deck boards trap a significant portion of the vertical wave energy when a storm wave travels through the structure of the dock. This repeated dynamic wave uplift force may be seconds apart from each occurrence, which gets dispersed through the dock's structural components. The repeated loading and unloading of the structural components, degrades the structural integrity quickly. In some scenarios, the storms may rip off or dislodge the decking boards. It is preferrable to have the deck boards to be ripped off since the deck boards gather the most vertical forces on the dock. These vertical forces, that may be experienced during strong wave action, may cause other damages as well, which include lifting and moving the pilings out of position, misaligning joists, loosening of nails, screws, and bolts, etc. Replacing or repairing the dock is expensive, may require skilled labor and specialized equipment

Thus, there is a need for a system that increases the stability of decks during strong wave action, which may enable the decks to withstand the storms, and may be utilized on both new docks as well as existing docks.

It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 depicts an environment in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

FIG. 2 depicts a top view of an example connection of deck boards and joists, and a side view of a joist plate section, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a hinge assembly connected to a joist plate and a deck board and different views of the hinge assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts an example interference fit between a deck board and a joist plate, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 depicts an example pivotal movement of a deck board between a first position and a second position, in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

Waterfront properties such as docks may include a plurality of components such as posts, joists, deck boards, etc. The posts may be vertical elongated structures that may hold a deck frame off the ground. The joists may be horizontal beams that may form the deck frame. The horizontal beams may be positioned in parallel, and may be evenly spaced. The deck boards may be flat boards that may be positioned on the deck frame, and may create walking area on the dock. The deck boards may be positioned perpendicular to the joists to cover the joists.

The present disclosure is directed to a dock deck fastening system that may attach the deck boards to the joists such that the deck boards may withstand strong wave action during a storm, and may not rip off due to the uplift force. The deck boards are attached in such a way that a majority of uplift forces do not get distributed throughout the structure. Specifically, the dock deck fastening system may enable the deck boards to pop-up, pivotally rotate, and move from a first position to a second position to reduce the effective cross-sectional area of the deck board that receives the uplift force due to the strong wave action. By reducing the effective cross-sectional area of the deck board receiving the uplift force, the dock deck fastening system may increase the structural integrity of the deck boards and may enable the deck boards to withstand strong uplift force in an event of a storm. Then after the strong wave action, the deck boards are put back into place with minimal downward force to become a walkable deck again quickly after a strong wave action event.

In some aspects, the dock deck fastening system may include a joist plate and a hinge assembly. The joist plate may be positioned on each joist (e.g., on a joist upper surface), and may be attached to the joist by using fastener(s) such as screws. The deck boards may be positioned on the joist plate. In some aspects, the joist plate may be positioned between the joist and the deck boards. In some aspects, the joist plate may be a continuous plate having dimensions equivalent to the joist. Each joist plate may include a plurality of protrusions having an inverted U-shape. Each protrusion may be equally spaced from adjacent protrusions. The protrusions may form spacing for the deck boards to “fit-in” on the joist plate. The deck board may be positioned between adjacent protrusions, e.g., between a first protrusion and a second protrusion (that may be adjacent to the first protrusion).

The deck board may include a deck board proximal elongated edge (or deck board proximal edge) and a deck board distal elongated edge (or deck board distal edge). The deck board proximal edge may be pivotally connected to the first protrusion via the hinge assembly, and the deck board distal edge may be connected to the second protrusion via interference fit. The interference fit provides resistance to the deck board uplift to keep the deck board stationary until the deck board experience a large load/force. When the deck board experiences a large load/ force, the deck board may compress and pop open, causing the deck board to pivotally rotate via the deck board proximal edge/first protrusion. In other words, the hinge assembly is fixed in the y and z axis and is pinned in the x axis, allowing rotation about the x axis. By allowing rotation about the x axis, vertical forces can only develop on the proximal edge, thus the strong wave action cannot impart forces on a significant surface area (underside) of the deck boards.

In some aspects, the hinge assembly may include a hinge plate, a bushing, and a hinge pin. The hinge assembly may attach with the deck board proximal end, and engage with the first protrusion to pivotally connect the deck board with the joist. Specifically, the hinge plate may be attached to deck board proximal edge via a second fastener such as screws. The hinge pin may be attached to the hinge plate. The bushing may be inserted inside the first protrusion. When the bushing is inside the first protrusion, the hinge pin may engage with the bushing to lock the deck board proximal end with the joist plate. Specifically, the hinge pin may be inserted inside the bushing to lock the deck board.

The present disclosure discloses a dock deck fastening system that may enable the deck boards to withstand strong wave actions and maintain structural stability during storms. Specifically, the dock deck fastening system may reduce the effective cross-sectional area of the deck board that receives the uplift force due to strong wave action, thereby enabling the deck board to withstand strong wave/uplift force. The dock deck fastening system is easy to install, and may not require any skilled labor, specialized tools for installation or unique design considerations.

These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein.

ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown, and not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 1 depicts an environment 100 in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. FIG. 1 will be described in conjunction with FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The environment 100 may include a dock that may be located at a coastline or a location where a waterbody (such as lake, sea, ocean, etc.) meets the land. The dock may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, posts 102 (or pilings), joists 104, deck boards 106, piers (not shown), and/or the like. The posts 102 may be vertical elongated structures that may hold a deck frame off the ground. A post longitudinal axis may be perpendicular to the ground surface. The posts 102 may be made of any material and may be made of any size. For instance, the post dimensions may be 4″×4″ or 6″×6″, and may be made from weather and insect-resistant wood such as cedar or redwood.

The joists 104 may form the deck frame and may be positioned above the posts 102 to support the deck boards 106. The joists 104 may include a plurality of elongated structures (e.g., horizontal beams) that may be disposed in parallel to each other. The joists 104 may be positioned on the posts 102 such that a joist longitudinal axis may be perpendicular to a post longitudinal axis, and the joist longitudinal axis may be parallel to the ground surface. Each joist 104 may be disposed at an equivalent distance from adjacent joists. For instance, each joist 104 may be disposed 16-24 inches apart from adjacent joists. Stated another way, there may exist a gap of 16-24 inches between adjacent joists. In some aspects, the joists 104 may be made from weather and insect-resistant wood such as cedar or redwood. In some aspects, each joist 104 may be shaped like a solid elongated cuboid, on which an operator may place/attach the deck boards 106.

The deck boards 106 may be flat boards that may be disposed above/on the joists 104, to create a deck surface (or a dock's walking area). In some aspects, the deck boards 106 may be positioned perpendicular on the joists 104 such that the deck boards 106 may cover the gap between adjacent joists 104 to form the dock's walking area. In some aspects, a deck board longitudinal axis may be perpendicular the joist longitudinal axis, and be parallel to the ground surface.

A deck board lower surface may face towards a joist upper surface when the deck boards 106 are positioned above/on the joists 104. The deck boards 106 may be positioned adjacent to each other on the joist upper surface. The deck boards 106 may be made of any material, and may be made of any size. For instance, the deck boards 106 may be made of wood, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), aluminum, fiberglass, or composite materials.

The environment 100 may further include a dock deck fastening system (hereinafter referred to as fastening system) that may enable the operator to connect the deck boards 106 on the joists 104. The fastening system may facilitate pivotal or rotatable connection of the deck boards 106 with the joists 104. Such pivotal connection may enable the deck boards 106 to pivotally move/rotate about a connection point from a first position to a second position due to strong wave action, and prevent the deck boards 106 from ripping off from the deck frame (or detach from the joists 104 completely) and or prevent the accumulation of uplift forces on the structure of the dock. It may be appreciated that in a conventional deck frame where the deck boards are rigidly connected to the joists, a strong wave action (e.g., caused due to a storm) may exert tremendous pressure repeatedly underside the deck boards, which may cause the deck boards to rip off from the deck frame/joists. If they are not ripped off, the vertical uplift forces experienced during strong wave action begin to lift piles. This distorted shape accumulates more forces and eventually leads to complete structural failure. To prevent such a scenario from happening, the present disclosure describes a fastening system through which the deck boards 106 are pivotally/rotatably attached to the joists 104, which may enable the deck boards 106 to rotate relative to joists 104 when the strong wave action exerts pressure on underside of the deck boards 106, thereby preventing the deck boards 106 from getting completely detached from the joists 104 under the force of the wave action while distributing significantly less wave uplift forces throughout the structure.

In the first position of the deck boards 106, a deck board plane of each deck board 106 may be parallel to a joist plane or the ground surface, or the deck board lower surface may be completely positioned on the joists 104. In the second position, the deck board plane may not be parallel to the joist plane (e.g., may be inclined at any non-zero angle), however, the deck board 106 may still be attached to the respective joist 104. When the deck board 106 is in the second position and inclined at a non-zero angle relative to the ground surface, a cross-sectional area of the deck board 106 receiving the uplift force (due to the strong wave action) may reduce, which may retain the deck boards 106 on the joists as well as reduce forces distributed throughout the structure via the deck boards 106 in such scenarios and enable the deck boards 106 to withstand the storm and restore function of the dock without any specialized labor or tools. The details of the fastening system are described below.

In some aspects, the fastening system may include a joist plate 202 and a hinge assembly 204 (shown in a top view 200 of the deck frame in FIG. 2). The joist plate 202 may be mounted on each joist 104 (e.g., on a joist upper surface). The deck board 106 may be positioned on the joist plate 202. Thus, the deck board 106 may be mounted on the joist 104 via the joist plate 202. Stated another way, the joist plate 202 may be mounted between the joist 104 (i.e., the joist upper surface) and the deck board 106 (i.e., the deck board lower surface), and the deck board 106 may not contact the joist upper surface directly. The joist plate 202 may include a joist plate upper surface 206a and a joist plate lower surface 206b (as shown in a side view “A” of a portion of the joist plate 202 in FIG. 2). The joist plate lower surface 206b may contact the joist upper surface, when the joist plate 202 may be mounted on the respective joist 104. The joist plate upper surface 206a may contact a deck board lower surface, when the deck board 106 may be positioned on the joist plate 202.

The joist plate 202 may be made of any material (e.g., steel, aluminum, etc.), and may be of any shape. For instance, the joist plate 202 may be a rectangular plate having dimensions equivalent to the joist 104 (or the dimensions of the joist upper surface). In some aspects, a joist plate width may be equivalent to a joist width. Alternatively, the joist plate width may be less or more than the joist width. In further aspects, the joist plate 202 may be a continuous and single plate (as opposed to separate smaller plates that are attached together serially). Alternatively, the joist plate 202 may include a plurality of small plates that may be attached on the joist upper surface in series. In an exemplary embodiment, a joist plate length may be equivalent to a joist length. Thus, the joist plate 202 may completely overlap the joist upper surface. In some aspects, the joist plate 202 may be attached to the respective joist 104 via a first fastener (e.g., screws). In some aspects, the joist plate 202 may include a plurality of screw holes 208 that may be located in any pattern. A plurality of screws may engage with the screw holes 208 to attach the joist plate 202 to the respective joist 104. Stated another way, the joist plate 202 may be attached to the joist upper surface via screws.

In some aspects, the joist plate 202 may include a plurality of “U-shaped” protrusions 210a, 210b, 210c etc. (collectively referred to as protrusion 210) and a plurality of flat portions 212 (which may not include any protrusions or cavities). In an exemplary aspect, the protrusion 210 may include an inverted “U-shaped” protrusion, where a curved portion associated with the “U-shaped” structure may protrude away from the ground surface when the joist plate 202 is attached to the joist upper surface. Each protrusion 210 may be located at a predetermined distance from adjacent protrusions on the joist plate 202. The flat portion 212 may be located between adjacent protrusions 210. When the joist plate 202 is positioned on the joist 104, the bottom surface of the flat portion 212 may contact the joist 104 (specifically the joist upper surface) and the protrusions 210 may not contact the joist 104, and may form an opening 214 (or a gap) to engage with the hinge assembly 204, as described later in the description below. The flat portion 212 may include the screw holes 208 through which the joist plate 202 may attach to the joist 104.

In some aspects, a distance between a first protrusion 210a and a second protrusion 210b (or a protrusion adjacent to the first protrusion 210a) may be equivalent to a deck board width “W1”. Therefore, the flat portion 212 between adjacent protrusions 210 may have a length equivalent to “W1”. The distance between the first protrusion 210a and the second protrusion 210b may form a spacing or gap for a deck board 106 to “fit-in”. Stated another way, the deck board 106 may be positioned between the first protrusion 210a and the second protrusion 210b, as shown in the top view 200 of FIG. 2.

Each deck board 106 may include a deck board proximal edge 216 and a deck board distal edge 218. The deck board proximal edge 216 may face and be disposed in proximity to a deck board distal edge of an adjacent deck board, when the deck boards 106 may be disposed/ placed on the joist 104/joist plate 202. Similarly, the deck board distal edge 218 may face and be disposed in proximity to a deck board proximal edge of an adjacent deck board, when the deck boards 106 may be disposed/placed on the joist 104/joist plate 202. The deck board proximal edge 216 may contact the first protrusion 210a and the deck board distal edge 218 may contact the second protrusion 210b, when the deck board 106 may be positioned on the joist plate 202. The deck board 106 may be disposed at a predetermined distance from adjacent deck board 106. In some aspects, the predetermined distance may be equivalent to a width “W2” of the protrusion 210. In some aspects, when the deck board 106 is positioned on the joist plate 202, the deck board lower surface may completely rest on the flat portion 212, the deck board proximal edge 216 (or proximal elongated edge) may contact the first protrusion 210a and the deck board distal edge 218 (or distal elongated edge) may contact the second protrusion 210b.

In some aspects, the deck board proximal edge 216 may pivotally or rotatably attach to the first protrusion 210a via the hinge assembly 204 (as shown in a views B, C, D of FIG. 3), and the deck board distal edge 218 may connect to the second protrusion 210b via an interference fit 402 (as shown in FIG. 4). The hinge assembly 204 may attach with the deck board proximal edge 216, and engage with the first protrusion 210a to pivotally/rotatably connect the deck board 106 with the joist plate 202.

In some aspects, the hinge assembly 204 may include a hinge plate 302, a bushing 304, and a hinge pin 306 (as shown in a top view “B”, a front view “C” and a side view “D” of the hinge assembly 204 in FIG. 3). In some aspects, the hinge plate 302 may be made of any material and may be of any shape. In an exemplary aspect, the hinge plate 302 may be made of steel, aluminum, etc. The hinge plate 302 may be a rectangular plate so that the hinge plate 302 may completely overlap/contact a surface of the deck board proximal edge 216. In some aspects, a length and width of the hinge plate 302 may be less than a length and width of the deck board proximal edge 216. Alternatively, the length and/or width of the hinge plate 302 may be equivalent to the length and width of the deck board proximal edge 216.

The bushing 304 may be a made of any material and may be of any shape. In some aspects, the bushing 304 may be made of steel, aluminum, etc. In an exemplary aspect, the bushing 304 may be a cylindrical hollow body (or cuboidal hollow body) having dimensions that correspond to (or equivalent to) the opening 214 dimensions, to enable the opening 214 (or the first protrusion 210a associated with the joist plate 202) to receive the bushing 304. In some aspects, a bushing length “L1” (shown in the top view “B”) may be equivalent or less than a protrusion length “L2” (shown in the top view 200 of FIG. 2) so that the bushing 304 may be completely inserted inside the protrusion 210 (or the first protrusion 210a). In some aspects, the protrusion length “L2” may be equivalent to the joist plate width.

In some aspects, the hinge pin 306 may be a cylindrical body (or a cuboidal body). The hinge pin 306 may be attached to the hinge plate 302. In some aspects, the hinge pin 306 may be welded to a hinge plate end, and may extend from the hinge plate end. In an exemplary aspect, the hinge pin 306 may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may overlap with the hinge plate 302 and may be welded to the hinge plate 302. The second portion may extend out of the hinge plate end. The hinge pin 306 may be configured to be inserted inside the bushing 304 to lock the hinge assembly 204 with the joist plate 202 (when the bushing 304 is disposed inside the first protrusion 210a). In some aspects, the second portion associated with the hinge pin 306 may be completely inserted inside the bushing 304. Stated another way, a second portion length may be equivalent to the bushing length “L1” to effectively secure the hinge assembly 204 with the joist plate 202. In further aspects, an inner diameter associated with the bushing 304 may be slightly greater than a hinge pin diameter, to enable the bushing 304 to receive the hinge pin 306. The hinge assembly 204 may include more or less components, and the components described above should not be construed as limiting.

In some aspects, the hinge plate 302 may be attached to the deck board proximal edge 216. The hinge plate 302 may include one or more screw holes 308 that may receive screws to attach the hinge plate 302 to the deck board proximal edge 216. Stated another way, the hinge plate 302 may be attached to the deck board proximal edge 216 via the screws (or second fasteners).

The hinge assembly 204 may facilitate the deck board 106 to pivotally rotate about the first protrusion 210a, via the deck board proximal edge 216, during a storm to reduce the effective cross-sectional area of the deck board 106 that receives the strong upward pressure or force, as described above. The deck board 106 may move along with the hinge assembly 204 as a unit, when the deck board 106 pivotally rotates about the first protrusion 210a. Specifically, when the deck board 106 moves/rotates, the hinge plate 302 may move along with the deck board 106, which may cause the hinge pin 306 to move clockwise or counter-clockwise inside the bushing 304. The joist plate 202 may remain stationary when the deck board 106 pivotally rotates about the first protrusion 210a.

As described above, the deck board distal edge 218 may connect to the second protrusion 210b via the interference fit 402. It may be appreciated that an interference fit may be used to join two components via friction force. In some aspects, the width “W1” of the deck board 106 may be slightly greater than the distance between the first protrusion 210a and the second protrusion 210b, to facilitate a robust interference fit 402 between the deck board distal edge 218 and the second protrusion 210b. In such cases, the friction between the deck board distal edge 218 and the second protrusion 210b may secure the deck board distal edge 218 with the second protrusion 210b.

In some aspects, the interference fit 402 may secure the deck board distal edge 218 with the second protrusion 210b such that the deck board distal edge 218 may detach from (or not contact the) the second protrusion 210b when the deck board distal edge 218 receives a force greater than a threshold value that causes the deck board 106 to rotate about the first protrusion 210a. In an exemplary aspect, the interference fit 402 may provide resistance to the deck board uplift to keep the deck board 106 stationary, until the deck board 106 experiences a large load or force (such as an upward lift force due to a storm). When the deck board 106 experiences a large load/force, the deck board 106 may compress and pop open from the interference fit 402 and pivotally rotate about the first protrusion 210a. In an exemplary aspect, the deck board distal edge 218 may interfere with the second protrusion 210 b by around 0.005-0.010 inches.

In alternative or additional aspects, the deck board distal edge 218 may be secured to the joist plate 202 by using sacrificial fastener that may be placed in predetermined locations. The sacrificial fastener may enable the deck board distal edge 218 to pop open when the deck board distal edge 218 receives a force greater than the threshold value. When the deck board distal edge 218 is detached due to the large force, the deck board proximal edge 216 may pivotally rotate about the first protrusion 210a and may allow the deck board 106 to move from the first position to the second position. The first position of the deck board 106 is shown in a view 502 of FIG. 5, and the second position is shown in a view 504 of FIG. 5.

In the first position, the deck board plane may be parallel to the joist plane, and in the second position, the deck board plane may not be parallel to the joist plane, as shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, in the first position, the deck board lower surface may completely overlap/contact the joist plate 202. In the second position, the deck board lower surface may partially overlap or not overlap the flat portion 212 of the joist plate 202 (any may contact the protrusion 210 of the joist plate 202). For instance, in the second position, the deck board distal edge 218 may not contact the second protrusion 210b but the deck board proximal edge 216 may still be in contact with the first protrusion 210a.

In operation, to install the deck boards 106 on the joists 104, a user may first attach the joist plate 202 on the respective joist 104. The user may attach the joist plate 202 on the respective joist 104 (e.g., on the joist upper surface) by using fasteners such as screws. The user may then place a first deck board 106 on the joist plate 202 (e.g., place the first deck board 106 perpendicular to the joist plate 202) when the joist plate 202 may be attached to the joist 104. The user may then position the first deck board 106 between the first protrusion 210a and the second protrusion 210b. The user may then insert the hinge pin 306 into the bushing 304. The user then inserts the hinge assembly 204 into the protrusion 210a, and attach the hinge plate 302 to the deck board 106 such that the hinge plate 302 plane is perpendicular to the ground surface. The hinge plate 302 may be installed on a side of the deck board that is parallel to the shoreline. The user may attach the hinge plate 302 to the deck board proximal edge 216 via the second fastener or screws. The user may then attach the deck board 106 (e.g., deck board distal edge 218) to the second protrusion 210b via the interference fit 402, as described above.

In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.

With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.