# Patent

## Title
Deck drainage systems

## Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments of deck drainage systems. In some embodiments, the deck drainage system includes a hanger. The hanger can include a first arm and a second arm. A fastener is configured to be inserted into an opening formed in the first arm. The second arm extends from the first arm, and the second arm forms a slot for an end section of a floor panel.

## Background
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to, co-pending U.S. Non-Provisional patent application entitled “DECK DRAINAGE SYSTEMS,” filed on Apr. 22, 2014, and assigned application Ser. No. 14/258,861, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.


BACKGROUND
An outdoor deck may comprise multiple floor members, such as wooden boards. The floor members may form a platform that is elevated above the ground. The deck may provide an outdoor space for entertaining guests or other purposes.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is a drawing of portions of a deck drainage system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a drawing of a hanger for the deck drainage system of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a drawing of a floor panel for the deck drainage system of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a drawing of multiple hangers of FIG. 2 supporting multiple floor panels of FIG. 3 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a drawing of a wall panel for the deck drainage system of FIG. 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a drawing of the wall panel of FIG. 5 attached to multiple floor panels of FIG. 3 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The platform of a deck may be formed of decking or multiple floor members, such as wooden boards, that are arranged in a substantially planar fashion. Spacings may exist between the floor members that form the platform. As such, if the deck is exposed to a liquid, such as but not limited to rain, a spilled drink, or water from a leaking hose, the liquid may pass through the deck via the spacings or other openings in the deck. The liquid may fall from the deck onto people or property that located beneath the deck. Additionally, the liquid that falls from the deck may drain and collect in an area and cause problems.
The present disclosure is directed towards deck drainage systems that may be positioned under the platform of the deck, or under the decking, joists and/or girders from which a deck is constructed. Such deck drainage systems may receive and channel liquid that has fallen from the deck to a predetermined location. As will be described in further detail below, various embodiments of the present disclosure employ panels that reduce or even eliminate leakage due to wicking that could otherwise occur between the panels. Additionally, the design of the panels facilitates replacement of individual panels, if needed. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present disclosure may reduce the amount of liquid that would otherwise splash out of the deck drainage system.
With reference to FIG. 1, shown is a deck drainage system 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, shown is the deck drainage system 100 attached to a deck 103. The deck 103 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a platform 106 that is elevated above the ground by supports 109. As discussed above, the platform 106 may be formed of multiple floor members, such as wooden boards or any other suitable floor members, that are arranged in a planar fashion.
The deck drainage system 100 may include one or more hangers 113, one or more floor panels 116, and/or other components. It is noted that only some of the hangers 113 and floor panels 116 illustrated in FIG. 1 are labeled for purposes of clarity. As will be discussed in more detail below, the hangers 113 may be suspended from the platform 106 of the deck 103, and the floor panels 116 may be attached to the hangers 113 and thus suspended below the platform 106.
When liquid falls through spacings or other openings of the platform 106, the liquid may fall onto the floor panels 116 instead of falling directly to the ground. Additionally, the floor panels 116 may be configured so that the liquid is channeled by the floor panels 116 in a particular direction. For example, the floor panels 116 may channel the liquid towards one or more gutters, downspouts or other suitable conduits for the liquid. Thus, the deck drainage system 100 may prevent liquid from falling from the deck 103 onto people or property located below the deck 103.
With reference to FIG. 2, shown is the hanger 113 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a side view of the hanger 113.
As mentioned above, one or more hangers 113 may be used to suspend one or more floor panels 116 below the platform 106 of the deck 103. The hanger 113 may be constructed of metal, plastic, any other suitable type of material, or any combination thereof. The hanger 113 may comprise a first arm 203, a second arm 206, an overhang support 209, a stop 213, and/or other components. Additionally, a slot 216 and a fastener opening 219 may be formed in the hanger 113.
As shown, the second arm 206 may extend from and be substantially perpendicular to the first arm 203. The overhang support 209 may be an extended section from the portion of the second arm 206 that forms the slot 216. As will be discussed in more detail below, a portion of the floor panel 116 may insert into and be retained in the slot 216. Additionally, a portion of one or more floor panels 116 may be disposed on the overhang support 209, as will also be described in further detail below.
A fastener (not shown) may be inserted into the fastener opening 219 and used to suspend the hanger 113 from the platform 106 or any other suitable structure. As will be described in further detail below, the hanger 113 may pivot about the fastener that is inserted into the fastener opening 219. As shown in FIG. 2, the stop 213 may extend from and be perpendicular to the first arm 203. The stop 213 may contact the fastener to thereby limit the extent to which the hanger 113 may pivot.
With reference to FIG. 3, shown is an example of the floor panel 116 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The floor panel 116 may be constructed of various materials, such as metal, plastic, fabric, any other suitable material, and/or any combination thereof. The floor panel 116 may include a floor 303, a first side 306, a second side 309, a first overhang 313, a second overhang 316, and/or other components.
As shown in FIG. 3, the floor 303 may form a substantially flat surface on which liquid that has fallen from the deck 103 may travel. The first side 306 and the second side 309 of the floor panel 116 may function as barriers for the liquid so that the liquid may be channeled in a desired direction along the floor 303. As shown in FIG. 3, the first side 306 and the second side 309 of the floor panel 116 may extend from and may be substantially perpendicular to the floor 303 in various embodiments.
As will be described in further detail below, the first overhang 313 may be disposed directly on the overhang support 209 of the hanger 113. To this end, the first overhang 313 may extend from the first side 306, and a distal edge 317 of the first overhang 313 relative to the first side 306 may extend towards the second side 309. In this configuration, the first overhang 313 extends over a portion of the floor 303. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the angle formed between the first overhang 313 and the first side 306 is approximately 45 degrees. The angle formed between the first overhang 313 and the first side 306 may have various values according to various embodiments.
Similarly, the second overhang 316 may extend from the second side 309. As will be described in more detail below, the second overhang 316 may be disposed directly on the first overhang 313 of another floor panel 116. The distal end 320 of the second overhang 316 relative to the second side 309 may extend away from the first side 306, as shown in FIG. 3. In this configuration, the second overhang 316 extends over a portion of the floor 303 of an adjacent floor panel 116 when the floor panel 116 is installed in the deck drainage system 100.
At the distal end 320 relative to the second side panel 309, the second overhang 316 forms an end section 319 that may be substantially parallel to the second side 309. When the floor panel 116 is installed in the deck drainage system 100, the end section 319 may be substantially vertical. As will be discussed in further detail below, the end section 319 may prevent liquid from being wicked into the region between two floor panels 116 and then dripping from the deck drainage system 100.
With reference to FIG. 4, shown are multiple hangers 113, referred to herein as the first hanger 113a and the second hanger 113b, suspending multiple floor panels 116, referred to herein as the first floor panel 116a, the second floor panel 116b, and the third floor panel 116c. 
As shown in FIG. 4, fasteners 403a-403b have been inserted into the respective fastener openings 219a-219b. The fasteners 403a-403b may be attached to the platform 106 of the deck 103 (e.g., decking of the deck) or any other suitable structure to thereby suspend the hangers 113a-113b beneath the platform 106 of the deck 103.
The first overhang 313b of the second floor panel 116b may be disposed directly on the overhang support 209a of the first hanger 113a. Thereafter, the second overhang 316a of the first floor panel 116a may be disposed directly on the first overhang 313b of the second floor panel 116b. Additionally, the end section 319a of the first floor panel 116a may be inserted into the slot 216a of the first hanger 113a, as shown in FIG. 4. In this way, the first hanger 113a may suspend at least a portion of the first floor panel 116a and the second floor panel 116b. 
Similarly, the first overhang 313c of the third floor panel 116c may be disposed directly on the overhang support 209b of the second hanger 113b. Thereafter, the second overhang 316b of the second floor panel 116b may be disposed directly on the first overhang 313c of the third floor panel 116c. Additionally, the end section 319b of the second floor panel 116b may be inserted into the slot 216b of the second hanger 113b, as shown in FIG. 4. In this way, the second hanger 113b may suspend at least a portion of the second floor panel 116b and the third floor panel 116c. 
When liquid falls through the platform 106 of the deck 103, the liquid may fall onto the floor panels 116a-116c and be channeled by the floor panels 116a-116c to a desired destination. For example, some of the liquid that falls through the platform 106 may fall directly onto the floors 303a-303c, and gravity may cause the liquid to travel across the floors 303a-303c towards one or more gutters, downspouts, and/or any other suitable type of conduit for the liquid.
Some of the liquid that falls from the platform 106 may fall directly onto the second overhangs 316a-316b of the floor panels 116a-116b. In such a case, gravity may cause the liquid to travel downward along the second overhangs 316a-316b towards the end sections 319a-319b. The liquid may then travel downward along the end sections 319a-319b of the second overhangs 316a-316b. Thereafter, the liquid may fall from the end sections 319a-319b directly onto the floors 303b-303c of the floor panels 116b-116c. After the liquid falls onto the floors 303b-303c, gravity may cause the liquid to travel across the floors 303b-303c towards one or more gutters, downspouts, and/or any other suitable type of conduit for the liquid.
Because the second overhangs 316a-316b may be disposed directly on the first overhangs 313b-313c, respectively, liquid could be wicked between the first overhangs 313b-313c and second overhangs 316a-316b. In this regard, capillary action could cause liquid to move into the relatively small space between the first overhangs 313b-313c and the second overhangs 316a-316b, respectively, and eventually fall from the deck drainage system 100. However, the end sections 319a-319b of the second overhangs 316a-316b may cover the distal edges 317b-317c of the first overhangs 313b-313c to thereby prevent water from being wicked between the first overhangs 313b-313c and the second overhangs 316a-316b. Specifically, because the end sections 319a-319b of the second overhangs 316a-316b cover the distal edges 317b-317c of the first overhangs 313b-313c, respectively, liquid may travel down the second overhangs 316a-316b and fall directly onto the floors 303b-303c before having the opportunity to be wicked between the floor panels 116a-116c. Thus, because the end sections 319a-319b cover the distal edges 317b-317c of the first overhangs 313b-313c, respectively, the end sections 319a-319b may prevent liquid from being wicked between the floor panels 116a-116c and then falling from the deck drainage system 100.
For various reasons, it may be desirable to remove and/or replace one or more of the floor panels 116a-116c from the deck drainage system 100. Various embodiments of the present disclosure may facilitate such removal and/or replacement as will now be described.
To begin the process of removing the second floor panel 116b, a user may move the second floor panel 116b vertically upward, so that the end section 319b of the second overhang 316b is removed from the slot 216b formed by the second hanger 113b. Additionally, the user may move the third floor panel 116c vertically upward, or toward the platform 106 of the deck 103. When the weight of the second floor panel 116b and the third floor panel 116c have been removed from the second hanger 113b, the second hanger 113b may pivot about the fastener 403b in the direction indicated by the arrow 406. In particular, the weight of the portion 409 of the first arm 203 may cause the second hanger 113b to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 406. Because the second hanger 113b may rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 406, the overhang support 209b of the second hanger 113b may move away from the second overhang 316b of the second floor panel 116b. As a result, the second side 309 and the second overhang 316b of the second floor panel 116b may be lowered without being obstructed by the second hanger 113b. The second overhang 316a of the first floor panel 116a and the first overhang 313b of the second floor panel 116b may be separated from the first hanger 113a using the process described above, and the second floor panel 116b may be lowered. Thereafter, the second floor panel 116b may be reinstalled or replaced.
With reference to FIG. 5, shown is a side view of a wall panel 503 for the deck drainage system 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The wall panel 503 may be installed along an edge of the deck drainage system 100. For example, one or more wall panels 503 may be installed along an edge of the deck drainage system 100 that abuts a building structure. As will be described in further detail below, the wall panel 503 may be configured to clamp itself onto one or more floor panels 116 of the deck drainage system 100.
The wall panel 503 may comprise a floor 506, a side 509, an overhang 513, and/or other components. As will be discussed in further detail below, the floor 506 of the wall panel 503 is configured to be disposed directly beneath the floor 303 of one or more floor panels 116. The floor 506 of the wall panel 503 may comprise a floor hem 516. The floor hem 516 may be a portion of the floor 506 that has been folded over onto itself. As shown, the floor hem 516 may form an edge of the wall panel 503.
As shown in FIG. 5, the side 509 of the wall panel 503 may extend from the floor 506. The angle formed between the side 509 and the floor 506 of the wall panel 503 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is greater than 90°. In alternative embodiments, the angle formed between the side 509 and the floor 506 may be varied.
As shown in FIG. 5, the overhang 513 may extend from the side 509 of the wall panel 503. The overhang 513 may form a surface on which liquid that has fallen from the deck 103 may travel. When installed in the deck drainage system 100, liquid may travel downward along the overhang 513. As such, the angle formed between the side 509 and the overhang 513 is less than 90°. However, the angle formed between the side 509 and the overhang 513 may have different values in alternative embodiments.
The overhang 513 of the wall panel 503 may comprise an overhang hem 519. The overhang hem 519 may be a portion of the overhang 513 that has been folded over onto itself. The overhang hem 519 may form an edge of the wall panel 503. The overhang hem 519 may prevent liquid from being wicked between the wall panel 503 and one or more floor panels 116 or other components in the deck drainage system 100.
With reference to FIG. 6, shown is the wall panel 503 attached to multiple floor panels 116 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. To install the wall panel 503 in the deck drainage system 100, the wall panel 503 may be slidably attached to one or more floor panels 116. In this regard, the floor 506 of the wall panel 503 may be disposed directly beneath the floor 303 of the floor panel 116, and the overhang hem 519 of the wall panel 503 may be disposed directly on the floor panels 116 as shown in FIG. 6. Thereafter, the wall panel 503 may be pushed so that the side 509 of the wall panel 503 contacts the floor panels 116. When the wall panel 503 is not installed in the deck drainage system 100, the vertical distance between the floor 506 and the lowest point of the overhang 513 may be less than the vertical height of the floor panel 116. As such, the act of sliding the wall panel 503 over one or more floor panels 116 may cause the wall panel 503 to clamp itself onto the one or more floor panels 116. In this way, the wall panel 503 may be attached to one or more floor panels 116.
When the wall panel 503 is installed in the deck drainage system 100, liquid may fall from the deck 103 directly onto the overhang 513. The liquid may then travel along the overhang 513 towards the overhang hem 519. The liquid may then fall from the overhang 513 directly onto the floor 303 of one or more floor panels 116, and the one or more floor panels 116 may channel the liquid to a desired destination.
The overhang hem 519 may prevent the liquid from being wicked between the wall panel 503, one or more floor panels 116, and/or other components in the deck drainage system 100. As such, the wall panel 503 may prevent liquid from leaking from the deck drainage system 100. Additionally, the distance along the overhang 513 between the overhang hem 519 and the side 509 of the wall panel 503 is relatively long. As such, it may be unlikely that liquid that falls from the overhang 513 onto the floor 303 is able to splash back over the side 509 of the wall panel 503.
The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of implementations to set forth a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

## Claims

1. A hanger for a floor panel of a deck drainage system, the hanger comprising:
a first arm, wherein a fastener is configured to be inserted into an opening formed in the first arm;
a second arm that extends from the first arm, wherein the second arm forms a slot for an end section of the floor panel;
a stop that extends from the first arm, the stop and the first arm being one piece, the stop being substantially perpendicular to the first arm, wherein the stop is configured to limit a pivot amount of the hanger; and
wherein the hanger is configured to be attached to a deck platform via the fastener and suspended beneath the deck platform.

2. The hanger of claim 1, further comprising an overhang support that extends from the second arm.

3. The hanger of claim 2, wherein an overhang of the floor panel is configured to be disposed over the overhang support of the hanger.

4. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the hanger is configured to pivot about the fastener when the fastener is inserted into the opening of the first arm.

5. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the hanger is configured to suspend a plurality of floor panels beneath the deck platform.

6. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the end section of the floor panel is substantially parallel to a side of the floor panel.

7. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the stop defines a first portion of the first arm and a second portion of the first arm.

8. A method, comprising:
suspending a hanger from a deck platform using at least a fastener inserted through an opening formed in a first arm of the hanger, the hanger comprising a stop that extends substantially perpendicular from the first arm, the hanger and the first arm being one piece, wherein the hanger is attached to the deck platform via the fastener and suspended beneath the deck platform;
positioning a first overhang that extends from a side of a first floor panel on an overhang support of a second arm of the hanger, the second arm extending from the first arm; and
inserting an end section of a second floor panel into a slot formed in the second arm of the hanger, wherein the end section extends from a second overhang of the second floor panel, the second overhang extending from a side of the second floor panel and being positioned on the first overhang of the first floor panel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the side of the first floor panel comprises a first side, and wherein the first floor panel further comprises:
a floor; and
the first side and a second side that extend from the floor.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising pivoting the hanger about the fastener.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising pivoting the hanger about the fastener in a horizontal plane.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the stop is configured to limit a pivot amount of the hanger.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
moving the second overhang of the second floor panel upward towards the deck platform to remove the end section of the second overhand from the slot of the hanger;
moving the first overhang of the first floor panel upward towards the deck platform;
pivoting the hanger about the fastener; and
lowering the side of the second floor panel vertically downward away from the deck platform.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the end section of the second floor panel is substantially parallel to the side of the second floor panel.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
moving the second overhang of the second floor panel upward towards the deck platform to remove the end section of the second overhang from the slot;
moving the first overhang of the first floor panel upward towards the deck platform, wherein a weight of the first arm causes the hanger to pivot about the fastener; and
lowering the side of the second floor panel downward away from the deck platform.