U.S. patent application number 09/843719 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-23 for flooring assembly and fastener therefor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ballard International Distributing Co.. Invention is credited to Ballard, James S..
Application Number | 20010015042 09/843719 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22924872 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010015042 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ballard, James S. |
August 23, 2001 |
Flooring assembly and fastener therefor
Abstract
A flooring assembly and fastener therefor comprises flooring
planks, preferably made of recycled lumber, and a clip fastener
arranged between opposing longitudinal edges of the planks. The
planks, in one embodiment, use tongue and groove construction. The
clip is Z-shaped in cross section, one end portion of the clip
catching the groove of a plank with the other end portion acting as
a base for fastening to the joist. The clip fasteners are spaced
along each joint and adjacent joints to retain the planks on the
joists while permitting the planks to expand and contract at rates
different than the joists themselves.
Inventors: |
Ballard, James S.; (Santa
Clara, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARENT FOX KINTNER PLOTKIN & KAHN
1050 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 600
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
Ballard International Distributing
Co.
|
Family ID: |
22924872 |
Appl. No.: |
09/843719 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09843719 |
Apr 30, 2001 |
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09244983 |
Feb 4, 1999 |
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6237295 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/589.1 ;
52/391; 52/489.1; 52/489.2; 52/591.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 15/10 20130101;
E04F 2201/0511 20130101; E04F 2015/02094 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/589.1 ;
52/391; 52/591.5; 52/489.1; 52/489.2 |
International
Class: |
E04B 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flooring assembly comprising: a) a plurality of elongated
flooring planks, each plank having at least one of a
tongue-containing first longitudinal edge and a groove-containing
second longitudinal edge; b) a plurality of joist members, the
plurality of flooring planks arranged on the joist members so that
a tongue of one plank engages a groove of an adjacent plank; c) a
plurality of clips, each clip fastened to a respective joist and
arranged between adjacent flooring planks, a distal end portion of
each clip positioned between a lower face of the tongue of the one
plank and an upper face of the groove of an adjacent plank; d)
whereby the clips retain adjacent planks to the joist members while
permitting the planks to expand and contract longitudinally.
2. A flooring assembly comprising: a) a plurality of elongated
flooring planks, each plank having a tongue-containing first
longitudinal edge and a tongue-containing second longitudinal edge;
b) a plurality of joist members, the plurality of flooring planks
arranged on the joist members so that a tongue of one plank opposes
a tongue of an adjacent plank; c) a plurality of clips, each clip
fastened to a respective joist and arranged between adjacent
flooring planks, an end portion of each clip positioned in a groove
of the one plank and the groove of an adjacent plank; d) whereby
the clips retain adjacent planks together while permitting the
planks to expand and contract longitudinally.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each clip has a z-shape in
vertical cross section.
4. The assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein each flooring plank is
made of an extruded recycled plastic throughout.
5. The assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the clips fastened to each
joist are in a spaced apart relationship.
6. The assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the joists are made of
wood.
7. The assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein each clip further
comprises a pair of prongs extending from a base portion of the
clip, the prongs engaging the joist when the clips are fastened
thereto.
8. A clip for fastening planks to a support surface comprising a
base, at least one fastening means to secure the base to the
support surface, a leg extending from the base, and a free end
portion extending from the leg, the free end portion vertically
spaced from the base and sized to engage a groove of one of
adjacently positioned planks to retain the planks against the
support surface.
9. A method of installing the assembly of claim 1 or 2 comprising:
a) providing a plurality of floor planks; b) fastening the clips in
spaced apart relationship along joists arranged to support the
plurality of floor planks; c) arranging the floor planks on the
joists in side-by-side relationship to create a flooring, the clips
positioned between opposing longitudinal edges of adjacent planks
to retain the planks on the joists.
10. The method of claim 11, wherein the clips are fastened to
prevent rotation thereof.
11. The clip of claim 8, wherein the base includes means for
preventing the base to rotate when attached to the support surface.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to a flooring assembly and
fastener therefor and, in particular, to recycled plastic lumber
decking and clips to retain the decking on joists.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In the prior art, various fasteners have been proposed to
retain flooring or decking in place. U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,016 to
Erwin et al. discloses a foam-filled extruded decking plank and
decking attachment system. This system includes clamps or hold down
blocks which are secured onto a structure that supports the planks.
The blocks permit relative motion between the planks. U.S. Pat. No.
4,599,842 to Counihan discloses a fastening system for fastening
planar sections such as flooring boards to a base surface. The
system includes fastening strips that interlockingly engage in a
set of grooves cut in the ends of the boards. While the system of
Erwin et al. recognizes that joist and deckings fabricated from
different materials of construction may expand or contract at
differing rates, this system is rather complex and adapted for
especially extruded decking. In light of these complexities, a need
has developed to provide an improved and simple system for
assembling flooring or decking planks. In response to this need,
the present invention provides an assembly and a fastener therefor
which is simple but effective in retaining flooring planks to a
support structure such as joists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention
to provide an improved flooring assembly, particularly for recycled
plastic lumber.
[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved fastener to retain flooring or decking in place.
[0005] A still further object of the present invention is a
fastener for use with tongue and groove deck planks.
[0006] One other object of the present invention is a method of
installing flooring using interconnecting flooring and the
inventive flooring fastener.
[0007] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent as a description thereof proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Reference is now made to the drawings of the invention
wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the
inventive assembly in exploded form to show greater detail;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows the assembly of FIG. 1 in a partially assembled
state;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the
inventive fastener;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of
the inventive fastener;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the
inventive fastener; and
[0014] FIG. 6 shows a connection between adjacent planks; and
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] A first embodiment of the inventive assembly and fastener is
disclosed in FIG. 1 and is represented by the reference numeral 10.
The assembly includes floor or decking planks (hereinafter planks)
1 and a plurality of fastening clips 3 (one shown in FIG. 1). The
planks 1 are longitudinal or elongated in shape and rest on a
series of transversely-positioned joists 3.
[0016] A longitudinal side end of each plank has a tongue 7 with
the opposing side edge having a groove 9. The tongue is sized to
engage the groove 9 of an adjacent plank when the planks 1 are
placed in a side-by-side relationship.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, each clip 3 comprises a base 11
and a groove-engaging end portion 13. The base 11 is connected to
the groove-engaging end portion 13 by a leg portion 15.
[0018] In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the base 11 has a throughhole 17
sized to receive a screw 19. The screw 19 extends through the
throughhole 17 and is threadably attached to joist 5.
[0019] The FIG. 3 embodiment also shows a pair of protrusions 21
which extend from an underside of the base 11. The protrusions 21
extend into the joist 5 to further secure the clip thereto. The
protrusions 21 also function as an anti-rotation feature so that
the edge 23 of the groove-engaging portion 13 remains generally
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove 9. In this way, the
clip 3 does not rotate, and possibly disengage from the groove
9.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the leg member 15 can be
slightly curved in cross section to match a rounded edge 25 of a
plank 1. The leg member 15 can be configured in other shapes to
match the edges of a given plank.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 6 again, the end portion 13, when
installed, is positioned between a face 29 of the groove 9 and a
lower face 31 of the tongue 7. With the groove-engaging end portion
13 positioned as shown in FIG. 6, the planks 1 are in a tongue and
groove engagement and retained against the joist 5. With this
arrangement, no fasteners have to be driven through the planks 1.
This is a significant advantage when the planks 1 are made from
materials such as recycled and extruded plastic materials. Since
these materials expand and contract at differing rates than the
wood joist 5, the clips 3 allow for longitudinal expansion of the
planks 1 while still maintaining the planks adjacent the
joists.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary method of forming the inventive
flooring assembly. The fastening clips 3 can be installed using the
proper measurements based on the width of the planks 1 at one time
or in sequence after successive planks are laid on the joists. Once
planks 1a and clips 3a are installed, another plank 1b is laid on
the joists 5 with the leading edge 41 being positioned beneath the
end portion 13 of the clip 3a. The plank 1b is then moved in the
direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 2 so that the tongue 7 fully
engages the groove 9 and the end portion 13a is securely engaged
between the faces 31 and 29, see FIG. 6. This sequence of
installation can then be repeated until all planks are laid on the
transversely-arranged joists.
[0023] The plank 1b has its tongue removed so that it can flushly
engage a side wall 43, where the joists 5 extend therefrom.
[0024] The clips 3 can be made of any material but are preferably
made of high-strength material so that the end portion 13 is not
easily bent in a direction to as to release the planks from the
joists.
[0025] FIGS. 4 and 5 show alternative embodiments to the clip shown
in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, the base 11' is shown with two throughholes
17 for clip attachment to a joist. In this embodiment, by virtue of
the two attachment points via the screws 19, the protrusions 21
become optional.
[0026] FIG. 5 shows a clip 3b having four protrusions 21 in
substitution for the combination of a screw and protrusions or
multiple screws. In the FIG. 5, the base 11" lacks any
throughholes. In this embodiment, the protrusions or prongs 21 can
be driven into a joist using a hammer or the like.
[0027] As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of
preferred embodiments thereof which fulfills each and every one of
the objects of the present invention as set forth above and
provides new and improved flooring assembly and fastener
therefor.
[0028] Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations
from the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by
those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit
and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention only
be limited by the terms of the appended claims.
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