DECK

PLATEFORME

English Abstract

A support structure having a horizontal surface such as a deck or stage, the
support
structure having first and second modules which are interconnected together,
the
interconnection comprising a connector assembly having a first member with a
vertically
extending recess formed within a bottom wall thereof, the recess being bounded
by first and
second interior walls which each have a protrusion extending inwardly within
the recess,
and a second member comprising a U-shaped element having a base, first and
second legs,
each of the legs having an interior and an exterior wall with one of the legs
having a recess
formed in each of the interior and exterior walls such that the first leg
sidingly fits within the
recess formed within the first member and the second leg extends upwardly
adjacent one of
the first and second side walls to receive and support an adjacent module.

French Abstract

Une structure de support possède une surface horizontale, comme une terrasse ou une scène, et des premier et deuxième modules interconnectés, linterconnexion comportant un ensemble de connexion ayant un premier élément comportant une cavité verticale formée dans une paroi inférieure de celui-ci, la cavité étant liée par une première et une deuxième paroi intérieure ayant chacun une saillie sétendant vers lintérieur dans la cavité, et un deuxième élément ayant une partie en U possédant une base, une première et une deuxième patte, chaque patte ayant une paroi intérieure et une paroi extérieure et une patte ayant une cavité formée dans lesdites parois, de sorte que la première patte sinsère dans la cavité formée dans le premier élément et la deuxième patte sétende vers le haut, de manière adjacente à lune de deux parois latérales pour recevoir et soutenir un module adjacent.

Claims

The embodiments of an invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is
claimed is defined as follows:
1. A connector assembly comprising:
a first member having a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall and a
bottom wall;
an opening in said bottom wall, said opening communicating with a vertically
extending
recess formed within said bottom wall, said recess being bounded by first and
second interior
walls, each of said first and second interior walls and having a protrusion
extending inwardly
within the recess towards an opposite interior wall; and
a second member comprising a U-shaped element, said U-shaped element having a
base,
first and second legs, each of said base and first and second legs having an
interior and an
exterior wall, said first leg having a recess formed in each of said interior
and exterior walls,
the arrangement being such that said first leg slidingly fits within said
recess within
said first member, whereby said protrusions on said interior walls engage
within said
recesses formed in the interior and exterior walls of said first leg, said
base of said second
member extending below said first member, said second leg of said second
element extending
upwardly from said base to be adjacent to and spaced from one of said first or
second side walls
to receive and support an adjacent module.
2. A support structure having a horizontal surface, said support structure
comprising first
and second modules, said first and second modules each having a rectangular
configuration
with each module having a side wall, one of said side walls having a connector
assembly
formed therein, said connector assembly comprising:
a first member having a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall and a
bottom wall;
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an opening in said bottom wall, said opening communicating with a vertically
extending
recess formed within said bottom wall, said recess being grounded by first and
second interior
walls, each of said first and second interior walls having a protrusion
extending inwardly within
the recess towards an opposite interior wall; and
a second member comprising a U-shaped element, said U-shaped element having a
base,
first and second legs, each of said base and first and second legs having an
interior and an
exterior wall, said first leg having a recess formed in each of said interior
and exterior walls, the
arrangement being such that said first leg slidingly fits within said recess
within said first
member, whereby said protrusions on said interior walls engage within said
recesses formed in
the interior and exterior walls of said first leg, said base of said second
member extending
below said first member, said second leg of said second element extending
upwardly from said
base to be adjacent to and spaced from one of said side walls to receive and
support a side wall
of said second module.
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Description

DECK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a horizontal structure which may be used to
support
various items and/or people, such horizontal support structures typically
being known as
stages, decks and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most support structures having a horizontal surface are essentially similar in
nature.
They carry different names depending upon the function which they are to
perform. Thus,
temporary stages which may be erected and later disassembled are well known in
the art.
They are typically used during performances by artists or the like. The
flooring of the stage
is generally at an elevated level and is supported by legs or a similar
structure.
A deck is also a support structure having a horizontal surface and is more
commonly
associated with a residence or the like. The deck may be either a single level
or constructed
to be multi levels. Again, the horizontal structure is supported at a desired
height by legs or
the like.
There are many proposals in the art for both decks and stages. These can range
from
assembling a single module or utilizing a multi modular approach which allows
the stage or
deck to be easily assembled and later disassembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
connector
assembly comprising a first member having a first side wall, a second side
wall, a top wall
and a bottom wall, an opening in the bottom wall, the opening communicating
with a
vertically extending recess formed within the bottom wall, the recess being
bounded by first
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and second interior walls, each of the first and second interior walls and
having a protrusion
extending inwardly within the recess towards an opposite interior wall, a
second member
comprising a U-shaped element, the U-shaped element having a base, first and
second legs,
each of the base and first and second legs having an interior and an exterior
wall, the first leg
having a recess formed in each of the interior and exterior walls, the
arrangement being such
that the first leg sidingly fits within the recess within the first member,
whereby the
protrusions on the interior walls engage within the recesses formed in the
interior and
exterior walls of the first leg, the second leg of the second element
extending upwardly
adjacent and spaced from one of the first or second side walls to receive and
support an
adjacent module.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
support
structure having a horizontal surface, the support structure comprising first
and second
modules, the first and second modules each having a rectangular configuration
with each
module having a side wall, one of the side walls having a connector assembly
formed
therein, the connector assembly comprising a first member having a first side
wall, a second
side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall, an opening in the bottom wall, the
opening
communicating with a vertically extending recess formed within the bottom
wall, the recess
being grounded by first and second interior walls, each of the first and
second interior walls
having a protrusion extending inwardly within the recess towards an opposite
interior wall, a
second member comprising a U-shaped element, the U-shaped element having a
base, first
and second legs, each of the base and first and second legs having an interior
and an exterior
wall, the first leg having a recess formed in each of the interior and
exterior walls, the
arrangement being such that the first leg sidingly fits within the recess
within the first
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member, whereby the protrusions on the interior walls engage within the
recesses formed in
the interior and exterior walls of the first leg, the second leg of the second
element extending
upwardly adjacent and spaced from one of the side walls to receive and support
a side wall
of the second module.
A basis for the horizontal support structure is a plurality of longitudinally
extending
members which are assembled together in a modular arrangement. The size of the
modules
may vary with typical sizes being 2 X 4; 4 X 4; 2 X 8; 4 X 8; etc.
Each of the modules will include at least one support truss. The support
trusses can
be made of any desired material, and in the prior art most comprise a wood
support truss.
However, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a metallic
support truss and preferably a support truss formed of an aluminum material.
In connection with the above, there will be provided adjustable legs which are
known
in the art. Bolts may be utilized to connect the adjustable legs.
In addition to the above, the modular arrangement may utilize positioning
pins,
screws, and the like, all of which are known in the att.
Typically, the units are assembled upside down using a truss which is attached
to the
other materials by screws and the like.
The surface material may be selected from many known materials. These can vary
from wood to various plastic and metallic materials. In one embodiment of the
present
invention, particularly when the structure is to be used as a deck in a
backyard, a material
having an imprinted wood finish is desirable. Alternatively, wood per se may
be utilized.
Some wood structures may include exotic woods including, for example, dragon
wood,
mora, amarillo, amargo, cumaru.
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The modules are held together along their sides or ends using a connector
assembly.
A preferred embodiment of a connector assembly is shown in the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a frame at a corner of the deck
component;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the frame corner from the inside thereof;
Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof;
Figure 4 is a perspective of a single unit which may form a portion of a deck;
Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the connection of one unit to an
adjacent unit;
Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating the side frame member; and
Figure 7 shows a further connecting device;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, there is
illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 a portion of frame 10. As illustrated, there is
a plurality of frame
members generally designated by reference numeral 12. A leg receptor generally
designated
by reference numeral 14 is formed on the interior of a corner. Leg receptor 14
includes a
pair of attachment plates 16 which are secured to the frame member 12 by means
of bolts 18.
As will be noted, there is an overlapping portion 20 which abuts the end of a
leg inserted in
leg receptor 14. Bolts 22 are used to secure a leg (not shown) in leg receptor
14. As shown
in Figure 4, a single unit 24 of a stage or deck will have a plurality of leg
receptors 14
situated at the corners and optionally along one or more sides thereof
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A connector assembly designated by reference numeral 26 is best seen in
Figures 5
and 6 and reference will now be made thereto. Connector assembly 26 forms a
portion of
frame member 12 which has an inner wall 28 and an outer wall 30. A top wall 32
is
provided upon which the finishing surface such as wood or a metallic sheet
material may be
placed with extension 31 retaining the sheet material in place.
Frame member 12 includes a pair of inner spaced walls 34 to thereby define a
recess 36. On one of the inner walls 34 there is provided a first protrusion
38 while on a
facing wall there is provided a second protrusion 40.
A connector element generally designated by reference numeral 42 has a first
leg 44,
a second leg 46 and a third leg 48. First leg 44 includes recesses 50 and 52
on opposite sides
thereof Recesses 50 and 52 are designed to engage protrusions 38 and 40. As
may be seen
in Figure 5, when connector element 42 is placed in position within recess 36,
it may slide
and is retained in position. Third leg 48, in conjunction with outer wall 30
defines a channel
54 or recess which is designed to receive an outer wall 30 of an adjacent
unit.
Referring to Figure 7, there is illustrated a corner connector which is
generally
designated by reference numeral 60. Corner connector 60 has a pair of double
walled
tongues generally designated by reference numeral 62. Each double walled
tongue 62 is
designed to engage with a frame member as will be discussed hereinbelow.
Corner connector 60 includes an interior corner portion generally designated
by
reference numeral 64. Interior corner 64 has a pair of interior walls 66 which
help define a
recess 68. Recess 68 is designed to receive one end of a leg. A plurality of
threaded
apertures 70 are provided to receive threaded members as previously shown.
Spaced from double walled tongues 62 are exterior or outer walls 72. Defined
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between outer walls 72 and double walled tongues 62 is a channel 74.
Corner connector 60 is used to connect frame members generally designated by
reference numeral 80. Each frame member 80 includes an outer side wall
structure 76 and
an inner side wall structure 78.
As may be seen, double walled tongues 62 engage interiorly of inner side wall
structure 78 while outer walls 72 engage within outer side wall structure 76.
As shown in the drawings, connector element 42 engages with the interior wall
of
outer side wall structure 76 in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6.
The deck or stage of the present invention has a number of advantages. Thus,
any
treatment can be done prior to installation and it would be possible to easily
disassemble the
structure for storage during the winter. Indeed, it would be possible for a
homeowner to
move the unit the same as furniture. The deck structure can be used in many
different
locations. As it is built of sturdy material, little maintenance is required.
It will be understood that the above described embodiment is for purposes of
illustration only and that changes and modifications may be made thereto
without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Representative Drawing