Patent Publication Number: US-8522505-B2

Title: Connector for boardwalk system

Description:
The present invention is directed to a connector, and more particularly, to a connector for use with a boardwalk system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Modular decking systems often include a beam or set of beams which carry a set of treads thereon. The treads extend generally horizontally and provide a generally flat surface upon which a user can walk, ride small vehicles, etc. Treads and other components in existing modular decking systems are often vertically held in place, and prevented from uplifting merely by their weight. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the present invention takes the form of a connector which couples the treads or other components to the underlying components to help ensure that the treads remain in place in the presence of high winds, rising waters, or other forces. More particularly, in one embodiment the invention is a boardwalk system including a first component having a pre-formed recess and a second component having a pre-formed recess. The system further includes a connector configured to be positioned in the recesses of the first and second components to connect the first and second components such that the connector limits the movement of first component away from the second component. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a portion of a boardwalk system; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of one embodiment of a connector; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective detail view of part of the system of  FIG. 1 , with the connector shown in an exploded position; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a series of steps for coupling the connector of  FIG. 3  to the associated tread and beam; 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross section of the tread and beam of  FIG. 1 , with the connector shown in an exploded position; 
         FIGS. 7-9  illustrate a series of steps for coupling the connector of  FIG. 6  to the associated tread and beam; 
         FIG. 10  is a side cross section of another boardwalk system; and 
         FIG. 11  is an end view of an end cap of the system of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment the boardwalk system  10  includes a plurality of piles or supports  12 , each of which supports one or more horizontally-extending beams  14  thereon. Each support  12  may rest upon a ground surface and elevate the beams  14  to the desired position. In the illustrated embodiment, each support  12  is shown as being generally cylindrical or conical, although supports  12  can take any of a wide variety of shapes and configurations, as desired, such as a relatively flat supports  12  shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, each beam  14  extends between a pair of spaced supports  12 , although each beam  14  can extend across multiple supports  12 , and/or each support  12  may support multiple beams  14  thereon, etc. If desired, the beams  14  can be coupled to the associated support(s)  12  by any of a wide variety of coupling devices or systems. 
     Each beam  14  supports a plurality of generally horizontally extending treads or planks  16  therein. In the illustrated embodiment, each tread  16  is positioned generally perpendicular to the underlying beams  14 , and is supported by two parallel, spaced-apart beams  14  thereunder. However, this arrangement can be varied such that each tread  16  is supported by more than one beam  14 , or by only a single beam  14 , in which case the tread  16  may be supported at its other end by the earth or other structures. 
     In the illustrated embodiment each tread  16  is shaped as a generally rectangular prism having a flat upper surface. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, each upper surface is generally flat and planar, and positioned relatively close to the upper surface of an associated tread  16  such that upper surfaces together define a generally smooth surface (with gaps between the treads  16 , in some cases) which can be walked upon, ridden upon (by small vehicles), etc. If desired, each tread  16  may be coupled to an adjacent tread  16  by, for example, a laterally-extending tongue  15  ( FIG. 10 ) received in an associated groove  17  in the adjacent tread  16 . 
     The supports  12 , beams  14  and treads  16  can be made from any of a wide variety of materials, including, but not limited to, wood, wood composite materials or other composite materials, concrete, or materials made entirely or primarily of concrete. Modular decking systems having some features similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 10  and described herein are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,084 to Millington et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US2009/0301024 and US2010/0186338 to Rischmueller et al. The entire contents of the above-identified patent and patent applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , selected ones of the treads  16  include one or more pre-formed recess  18  located on the underside thereof, and at opposite ends thereof. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , only certain of the treads  16  include the pre-formed recess(es)  18  formed therein, and other of the treads  16  may lack any of the pre-formed recesses  18 . Alternately, if desired, each tread  16  may have the pre-formed recesses  18  formed therein. The recesses  18  may be pre-formed or cast, i.e. during the formation of the treads  16 , such that the recesses  18  are present without driving any fasteners into the threads  16 . 
     Each illustrated beam  14  includes a plurality of pre-formed recesses  20  formed therein, formed in the outer surface thereof. Each beam  14 , in the particular illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , includes four recesses  20  along its length, although the number and position of recesses  20  can vary as desired. Each beam recess  20  may be aligned with an associated tread recess  18  to together cooperate to form an opening  22  which can receive a connector  24  therein. In particular,  FIG. 1  illustrates a connector  24  positioned in each of the openings  22 /aligned recesses  18 / 20 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 2 , each connector  24  may be generally “I” or “H”-shaped or dog-boned shaped, having a central stem  26  and a pair of opposed protrusions  28  located at or adjacent to the end of the central stem  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, the central stem  26  is generally tubular and elongated, and terminates at the center of each protrusion  28 . Each protrusion  28  is also, in the illustrated embodiment, formed as a tubular body and oriented generally perpendicular to the central stem  26 , and having a length shorter than that of the central stem  26 . The central stem  26  and protrusions  28  may each be generally cylindrical and have a generally circular cross section, although the cross-sectional shape of the central stem  26  and protrusions  28  and the particular shape of the connector  24  can take any of a wide variety of configurations. 
     In one embodiment, each connector  24  may be made of a generally elastic material such that each connector  24  can be deformed and return to its original shape after the deforming forces are removed. In particular, in one case each connector  24  may be able to be stretched in the direction of the axis of the central stem  26  at least about 10% of its original length without breaking, or at least about 25% of its original length in another case without breaking, but may not be able to be stretched over about 150% in one case without breaking. Each connector  24  can be made of urethane or a urethane-based material, rubber, synthetic rubber, or other materials. In some cases, then, the connectors  24  can thus be entirely made of a non-ferrous material which resists corrosion, particularly in salt environments. 
     The opening  22  defined by the aligned recesses  18 ,  20  defines an entry path through which the connector  24  is passed to connect the associated tread  16  to the associated underlying beam  14  ( FIG. 3 ). In particular, the opening  22  includes a relatively wide, generally horizontally-extending first portion or mouth  30  and a relatively wide, generally vertically-extending second portion or mouth  32 , wherein the first  30  and second portions  32  are each sized to closely receive a protrusion  28  therein. The first  30  and second  32  portions of the opening  22  are connected by a vertically-extending, relatively narrow third portion  34  which is sized to closely receive the central stem  26  of the connector  24 , and is sufficiently narrow to prevent the protrusions  28  from being passed therethrough. 
     In order to insert the connector  24  into the opening  22 /aligned recesses  18 ,  20 , the upper protrusion  28  of the connector  26  is passed through the first portion  30  of the opening  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 7 . The connector  26  is then further inserted until the upper protrusion  28  is fully seated in an upper notch  38  ( FIG. 7 ) of the opening  22 /recess  18 . Next, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the connector  24  is pivoted such that the bottom protrusion  28  passes through the second portion  32  of the opening  22 . Next, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 , the connector  24  is further inserted/pivoted until the connector  24  is seated in the bottom notch  40  of the opening  22 /recess  20 . 
     In one case, in order for the connector  24  to be fully seated in the opening  22  (i.e. move from the position shown in  FIG. 8  to the position shown in  FIG. 9 ), the connector  24  needs to be stretched along its length. In particular, the opening  22  may have an area of maximum height H (see  FIG. 6 ) which is greater than a length dimension L of the connector  24  defined between the inner-most points of the protrusions  28 . Accordingly, in order for the connector  24  to fully seat in the opening  22 , the connector  24  is stretched, and then due to its elastic nature fully or partially returns to its un-deformed shape as shown in  FIG. 9 . Each recess  18 ,  20  may include a curved guide surface  42  adjacent to the associated notch  38 ,  40  to guide the protrusions  28  into the associated notches  38 ,  40  ( FIG. 6  or  7 ). In one embodiment, the connector  24  remains under tension when fully seated in the opening  22  to pull the tread  16  and beam  14  tight and secured together. Alternately, the connector  24  fully returns to its un-deformed shape when seated in the opening  22  but still secures the tread  16  and beam  14  and prevents them from being vertically separated. 
     In one embodiment, the system  10  is configured such that the connector  24  is first placed into the upper notch  38 , and then placed into the lower notch  40 . Since the upper guide surface  42  presents a higher “hump” than the lower guide surface  42  in the illustrated embodiment, the connector  24  will not need to be stretched as much when it is fit into the lower notch  40 , thereby providing ease of insertion. In addition, the lower opening  32  may provide greater ease of access to the lower notch  40  than the upper opening  30  provides to the upper notch  38 . However, if desired the connector  24  may be first placed into the lower notch  40  and then the upper notch  38 , and system  10  may be configured to aid mounting the connector  24  in this manner. The connector  24  is thus configured to be entered into the opening  22  is one direction (laterally, in the illustrated embodiment) and limit movement of the coupled components in another direction (i.e. vertically, or perpendicular to the entry direction, in the illustrated embodiment). 
     The connectors  24  can be used to couple various other components of the system  10 , besides treads  16  and beams  14 . For example,  FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment in which the beams  14  are coupled to a support  12  by the connectors  24 . In this case, each beam  14  may have a recess or opening on its bottom surface generally corresponding to the recesses  18  described above. Similarly, each support  12  may have a recess or opening on its side surface generally corresponding to the recesses  20  described above. The supports  12  and beam  14  can thereby be coupled in the manner described above and shown in  FIGS. 3-9  and described in the accompanying text. 
       FIG. 10  also illustrates a beam cap/abutment  44  positioned at an end of the treads  16 . The beam cap/abutment  44  is generally “L” shaped in the illustrated embodiment, and includes an end portion  46  and an underlying portion  48 . The end portion  46  of the beam cap  44  has a groove  17  positioned and configured to receive the tongue  15  of the end tread  16  to provide a finished appearance to the system  10  and retain the treads  16  in place. The underlying portion  48  of the end cap  44  is positioned below the associated beam  14 , and coupled to the beam  14  by a connector  24  in the same manner or similar as described above for the support  12 /beam  14  and beam  14 /tread  16 . 
       FIGS. 1-10  illustrate various embodiment in which the connector  24  is received in, and coupled to, generally perpendicular surfaces, and in a vertical configuration. However, the connector  24  can also be utilized to secure components at generally parallel or aligned surface, and/or in a horizontal configuration. For example,  FIG. 11  illustrates a connector  24  securing two lateral portions of the beam cap  44  together. In this embodiment, the opening  22  is formed by two generally aligned, cooperating openings  20 , both formed in the end outer surface of the beam cap  44   a ,  44   b . The connector  24  thereby enables modular supports beam caps  44  made of various support portions to be build up as desired. The connector  24  can also be used in various other positions throughout the boardwalk system  10 , or other structures. 
     Thus, the connector  24  and system  10  disclosed herein provides a quick, easy and inexpensive system for securely coupling first or upper components (treads, beams, or other components) to second, underlying or adjacent components (beams, supports, or other components). In addition, in one embodiment the system  10  described herein can be implemented manually or with hand tools, and without the use of any power tools. 
     Moreover, the system  10  is conveniently reversible when it is desired to disassemble, repair or replace the system, as each connector  24  may be able to be extracted out of the associated opening  22  by drilling through the connector  24  and pulling it out of the opening  22 /recesses  18 ,  20 . However, the connectors  24  may generally remain in place during the application of uplift forces, such as wind, water or hydraulic forces or other uplift, lateral or associated forces. In addition, the recesses  18  of each upper component may be positioned only on the underside of the associated component (tread  16 , beam  14  or other component) spaced away from the top surface. Thus the recess  18  and connectors  24  are concealed from the top surface of the treads  16 , beam  18  or other component to provide a pleasing continuous appearance, reduce accumulation of standing water, and reduce trip hazards to pedestrians and the like. Similarly, if desired, the recesses  20  of each lower component may be positioned on only one side, which can reduce exposure to the elements. 
     Having described the invention in detail and by reference to certain embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.