Abstract:
A fastening device includes a receptor portion having an angled through hole extending from a first surface of the receptor portion to a second surface of the receptor portion, wherein the angled through hole has an angled axis. The fastening device further includes a top portion having at least a first flange and a second flange extending generally outwardly from the receptor portion. The flanges generally define a flange plane. The angled axis intersects the flange plane at an intersecting angle between 0 and 90 degrees.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application that claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/836,337 filed on Jun. 18, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a fastening device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a fastening device having an angled through hole. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In general, a deck commonly consists of horizontal floors raised above the ground and supported by an underlying structure. Typically, decks can be connected to adjacent residential, commercial, or industrial buildings, where deck boards are positioned adjacent to each other or side-by-side during construction of a deck. These positionings are typically arranged to cross structures associated therewith, such as joints at an angle perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the joist. Other structures that employ similar flooring operations can further be associated with marine structures, wheel chair access structures such as ramps, inclined surfaces, platforms, structures associated with enclosing recreational areas such as swimming pools and hot tubs. 
         [0004]    In general, decks can be constructed to tolerate harsh weather conditions and exposure to various atmospheric elements. Moreover, such deck structures can be fabricated from material such as: pressure treated wood, plastics, composite, synthetic substances and the like. Structure of decks typically includes joist and headers attached to posts. The deck boards are typically transversely fixed across joists associated therewith. The resulting substructure represents a generally parallel relationship of deck boards that are fastened via various fastening mechanism such as nails or screws, which can be driven through an upper surface of deck boards into underlying joist. 
         [0005]    Various fastening mechanisms such as nails or screws are typically employed to attach various deck boards and joists together. In this regard, when remedial operations to a deck are required (e.g., replacing a cracked deck board, a deck technician typically requires easy access to the fastening mechanisms that connect various deck boards and joists. Nonetheless, easy access to the fastening mechanism is hindered, when the deck technician as to displace adjacent boards, or first remove other parts of such deck. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, a fastening device includes a receptor portion having an angled through hole extending from a first surface of the receptor portion to a second surface of the receptor portion. The angled through hole defines a first opening and a second opening in the first surface and second surface, respectively. The angled through hole has an angled axis. The fastening device further includes a top portion having at least two flanges, including a first flange and a second flange, extending generally outwardly from the receptor portion. The flanges generally define a flange plane; wherein the first opening in the first surface of the receptor portion is distal from the first flange, second flange and top portion. The top portion extends above the receptor portion and has a convex upper surface. The angled axis intersects the flange plane at an intersecting angle between 19 and 71 degrees. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a fastening device includes a receptor portion having an angled through hole extending from a first surface of the receptor portion to a second surface of the receptor portion, wherein the angled through hole has an angled axis. The fastening device further includes a top portion having at least a first flange and a second flange extending generally outwardly from the receptor portion. The flanges generally define a flange plane. The angled axis intersects the flange plane at an intersecting angle between 0 and 90 degrees. 
         [0008]    In yet another embodiment, a fastening device includes a receptor portion having an angled through hole extending from a front surface of the receptor portion to a back surface of the receptor portion, wherein the angled through hole has an angled axis. The fastening device also includes a top portion having at least two flanges extending generally outwardly from the top portion. The flanges define a generally horizontal flange plane, and are generally perpendicular to the receptor portion. The angled axis intersects the flange plane at an intersecting angle between 0 and 90 degrees. Additionally, the top portion may have a convex surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    In the accompanying drawings, structures are illustrated that, together with the detailed description provided below, describe exemplary embodiments of the claimed invention. Like elements are identified with the same reference numerals. It should be understood that elements shown as a single component may be replaced with multiple components, and elements shown as multiple components may be replaced with a single component. The drawings are not to scale and the proportion of certain elements may be exaggerated for the purpose of illustration. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts an isometric view of a first embodiment of deck fastening device. A coordinate system is shown to be used as an aid in defining the relative relationships of the various components of deck fastening device. Any coordinate system could be used, and the directions are not intended to limit the scope of the deck fastening device in any way. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts an example of an installation of the deck fastening device shown in  FIG. 1 . The deck fastening device is shown in relation to a deck board having a slot and a joist, in a configuration that could be used during an installation. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts a side view of the deck fastening devices shown in  FIG. 1 , installed with respect to a joist and grooved deck boards. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts a side view of a second embodiment of deck fastening device, having a slanted rear surface. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a third embodiment of deck fastening device, with a fastening receptor angled with respect to a top portion of deck fastening device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. Both singular and plural forms of terms may be within the definitions. 
         [0016]    The various features of the deck fastening device will be described with reference to directions and planes as defined here. The orientation of the deck fastening device shown in  FIG. 1  is defined by the x, y, and z axes. The x, y, and z axes can correspond to any of the orthogonal directions in practice, but here the x axis will refer to a “side-side” axis, the y axis will refer to a “top-bottom” axis, and the z axis will refer to a “front-back” axis. The orientation shown in  FIG. 1  is used purely as an example to aid in defining the relative relationships between the deck fastening device&#39;s components. Thus, the terms “top”, “upper”, “above”, “upwardly”, or “bottom”, “lower”, “below”, “downwardly” will refer to relative locations along the y axis shown in  FIG. 1 . The terms “front”, “in front of” or “back”, “behind” will refer to relative locations along the z axis shown in  FIG. 1 . The term “side” will refer to relative locations along the x axis shown in  FIG. 1 . With respect to all three axes, the terms “inner”, “inwardly”, or “outer”, “outwardly” will refer to relative locations closer or farther from the origin. 
         [0017]    In light of the directions defined above, the “median plane” of the deck fastening device will be defined as a plane defined by the y and z axes shown in  FIG. 1 . The “flange plane” will be defined as a plane defined by the z and x axes shown in  FIG. 1 . The “rear plane” will be defined as a plane defined by the y and x axes shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0018]    The various aspects of the deck fastening device are now described with reference to the drawings. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates the deck fastening device  100  of the present subject application. In one aspect, the deck fastening device  100  includes a top portion  102  having a first flange  104  and a second flange  106  projecting from the longitudinal axis of the top portion  102 . The deck fastening device  100  also includes an angled fastening receptor  108 . When deck fastening device  100  is installed, the flanges  102 ,  104  fit into grooves formed or cut along longitudinal sides of deck boards. Alternatively, slots may be formed or cut into the longitudinal sides of the deck board to receive flanges  102 ,  104 . The flanges  102 ,  104  of each deck fastening device  100 , therefore, fit into adjacent deck boards. The boards and deck fastening device  100  are then held in place by installing a fastener, such as a screw, nail, bolt, or the like, through a through hole  109  in angled fastening receptor  108  of the deck fastening device  100 , and into a joist below. In one particular example, a 2¼ inch, stainless steel screw may be used. In another specific example, a 1½ inch screw may be used. Such examples are not limiting, and any type of fastener may be employed. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary deck fastening device  100  and related arrangement in accordance with an aspect of the subject disclosure. In the construction of a deck or similar structure, the supporting substructure is generally fabricated from weather resistant materials, often pressure treated lumber, including vertical posts secured to the ground, spaced parallel joists  120  extending between the posts, headers spanning the posts and connecting the ends of the joists  120  to one another, and deck boards  110  fixed transversely to the top of the joists  120  to form a platform. While the substructure is more commonly comprised of wood, the deck boards  110  may be formed from wood, plastic, exotic hard woods, composite, or other material. Instead of grooves, deck board longitudinal sides  114  may alternatively include slots  160  to receive flanges  102 ,  104 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates an installation of deck fastening devices  100 . Initially, deck boards  110  are placed transversely across parallel joists  120 . In accordance with one aspect of the subject disclosure, deck fastening devices  100  are inserted into the grooves  302  of the deck board. As the deck boards  110  are positioned, deck fastening devices  100  of the subject application are inserted into the grooves  302 . In the case where an un-grooved deck is used, slots  160  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) can be formed or cut into the longitudinal sides  114  of the deck boards  110  at the point where a deck board  110  crosses an underlying joist  120 . Slots  160  may be cut into the sides  114  of a deck board  110  using known woodworking tools such as a biscuit joiner or a router. 
         [0022]    When the deck fastening device  100  is installed on the deck board  110  and joist  120 , the angled fastening receptor  108  can receive a fastener, such that the angled fastening receptor is bisected by a meridian plane of the deck fastening device  100 . Alternatively, angled receptor  108  can be designed to vary within a range of ±45 degrees with respect to the meridian plane. Accordingly, the deck fastening device  100  can enable access to the fastener itself (e.g., a screw or nail, etc.) from a top surface of the deck without requiring burdensome operations, such as removal of the deck board. 
         [0023]    Furthermore, the angled fastening receptor  108  enables fastening a deck board  110  to a joist  120  without penetrating the deck board itself by the fastener (e.g., screw, nail, etc.). The through hole  109  may be threaded to receive a screw, or may have a non-threaded interior to receive a nail. Diameter of the through hole  109  can be varied to receive other types of fasteners. 
         [0024]    If a slot  160  is used instead of a groove  302 , the flanges  104 ,  106  may be shaped appropriately to form a secure fit. In order to fit within the semicircular profile of a slot  106  formed by a biscuit joiner or a router, the outer margins of the flanges  104  and  106  may be similarly curved. As another example, undersides of flanges  104  and  106  may include grooves  107  to securely fasten on a lip of a deck board  110 . 
         [0025]    The top portion  102  of deck fastening device  100  may employ a convex design to increase the weathering resistance of the deck fastening device  100 . However, the top portion  102  can alternatively be flat, concave, or any other geometry with various curvature radiuses in order to fit into the grooves/slots of the deck boards. Alternatively, top portion  102  may include no curvature, and instead be formed of straight lines. Alternatively, top portion  102  may include both curvature radiuses and straight lines. 
         [0026]    When in use, a first flange  104  of a deck fastening device  100  is inserted into a groove  302  (or slot  160 ) in the longitudinal side  114  of a deck board  110 . A second deck board  110  is then brought alongside the first so that the second flange  106  is moved into the groove  302  (or slot  160 ) of the second deck board.  FIG. 2  shows a deck fastening device  100  with an adjacent deck board positioned so that a flange  104  of the deck fastening device  100  are inserted into the slot  160  of the board  110 . A fastener such as a nail or screw (not shown) is then installed through the through hole  109  of angled fastening receptor  108  and into an underlying support structure such as a joist  120 . The deck fastening device  100  thereby secures the deck board  110  to underlying joist  120  via a downward force exerted by the top portion  102  onto the deck board  110 . The fastener may be installed through the deck fastening device  100  such that the fastener is bisected by a meridian plane. Therefore, as the deck fastening device  100  is secured to the joist  120 , the flanges  104  and  106  of the deck fastening device  100  likewise fasten the deck boards  110  to the joist  120 . 
         [0027]    The deck fastening device  100  may be formed of a resilient material such as plastic. The material chosen should be rigid enough so that the top portion  102  tends to resist flexion when a fastener is installed through the fastening receptor  108  into an underlying joist  120  or any other substructure. While the rigidity of the selected material should be sufficient to resist flexion of the top portion  102 , it should not be brittle. Rather, the deck fastening device  100  should be able to withstand impacts from tools such as hammers, as well as movement of the deck boards  110  themselves. For example, the fabrication materials can include a wide variety of materials including plastics, metals, glasses, elastomers, composites etc. Examples of such materials includes but is not limited to ABS, Liquid Silicone Rubber, PES, SAN, PSU, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, etc. 
         [0028]    Moreover, in a related aspect the top portion  102  can be separated from the fastening receptor  108  via a section of pliable material having a high elasticity and/or high molecular weight. Example materials include thermoplastics, such as polyvinyl alcohols, polycarbonates, plasticized acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, plasticized polyvinyl chloride, silicon polymers or thermosets such as cast elastomers and polyurethane. Such pliable materials enable rotation of the fastening receptor  108  with respect to top portion  102 . A rotatable fastening receptor  108  can further facilitate the installation operation, because the fastening receptor  108  can be moved to avoid defects, cracks, holes, or the like located in the joist  120 . 
         [0029]    The angled fastening receptor  108  enables accessibility to the fastener itself from a top surface of the deck. The fastener is accessible without requiring burdensome operations, such as removal of the deck board or accessing the deck from below. The angled design further improves the longevity of the resulting deck by repositioning the point of penetration to the side of the fastener, which is less prone to weathering. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  further demonstrates that deck fastening devices  100  can be used on both sides of the joist  120  to secure each decking board individually as illustrated. As further seen in  FIG. 3 , the deck fastening devices  100  may be located below a top surface of deck boards  110  when installed, thereby hiding the deck fastening devices  100  from view. Despite being hidden from view, the fasteners may still be accessible from above the deck, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0031]    The design of deck fastening device  100  permits its use with all types and brands of grooved boards. Because deck fastening device  100  may be installed into a side of substructure or joist  120 , it can accommodate any distance between the deck board grooves  302  and a bottom surface of deck board  110 . In other words, the same sized deck fastening device  100  may be used on any grooved board, because the deck fastening device may be installed higher or lower with respect to the substructure or joist  120  without affecting functionality. 
         [0032]    A description of an exemplary installation will now be set forth. This description is an example only, and is not intended to limit the ways in which deck fastening device  100  may be used. The deck boards  110  may be laid out perpendicular to the substructure or joists  120  of the deck. A first deck board  110  may be attached to the substructure or joists  120  using face screws to provide a solid start for the remainder of the deck boards  110 . A first flange  104  of the deck fastening device  110  may then be inserted into a groove  302  of the first deck board  110  and the screw may then be screwed through the through hole  109  and partially into the substructure or joist  120  below. This process may be repeated for all of the substructure or joists  120  along the length of the deck board  110 . The groove  302  of the next deck board may then be pushed onto the other flange  106  of the deck fastening device  100 . The above process may then be repeated for the other side of the deck board  110  that was just put into place. Once this is completed, the first set of screws can be fully installed. The entire process is then repeated until the deck is completed. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  demonstrates an alternative embodiment of the deck fastening device. The deck fastening device  400  may include an additional slanted structure  402  on the back of the deck fastening device  400  in case an angled installation of decking is desired. Slanted structure  402  can be made integral with deck fastening device  400 , or can be added to deck fastening device  400  via any known means. Slanted surface  402  allows deck fastening device  400  to be mounted in irregular substructures, to alter the angle of angled through hole  404  relative to a joist. In other embodiments, other types of structures can be added to the deck fastening device  400  to allow a conforming fit with irregular installation surfaces. Alternatively, deck fastening device  400  can be formed in irregular shapes. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the general shape of the deck fastening device  400  can be altered for adaption to all substructure shapes without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, the flanges of the top portion may be disposed at an acute angle with respect to the receptor portion of the device. Alternatively, the flanges may be in different planes. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative embodiment of deck fastening device  500 . In this embodiment, angled fastening receptor  502  is affixed to top portion  504  via a pliable material of high molecular weight and/or high elasticity. Example materials include thermoplastics, such as polyvinyl alcohols, polycarbonates, plasticized acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, plasticized polyvinyl chloride, silicon polymers or thermosets such as cast elastomers and polyurethane. This allows play between angled fastening receptor  502  and top portion  504 , and allows the deck fastening device  500  to be mounted in different, irregular or unsymmetrical configurations. Alternatively, angled fastening receptor  502  could be immovably fixed to top portion  502  to form an angle with a meridian plane of the deck fastening device  500 . In one embodiment, the angled fastening receptor  502  can be located ±45 degrees with respect to a meridian plane of the deck fastening device  500 . 
         [0035]    The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Similarly, examples are provided herein solely for purposes of clarity and understanding and are not meant to limit the subject innovation or portion thereof in any manner. It is to be appreciated that a myriad of additional or alternate examples could have been presented, but have been omitted for purposes of brevity. 
         [0036]    Furthermore, all or portions of the subject innovation can be implemented as a system, method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard engineering techniques to produce software, circuits to implement the disclosed innovation. 
         [0037]    What has been described above includes various exemplary aspects. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing these aspects, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further variations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the aspects described herein are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
         [0038]    To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). Also, to the extent that the terms “in” or “into” are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to additionally mean “on” or “onto.” Furthermore, to the extent the term “connect” is used in the specification or claims, it is intended to mean not only “directly connected to,” but also “indirectly connected to” such as connected through another component or components. 
         [0039]    It is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the application, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.