Patent Publication Number: US-11047137-B1

Title: Modular attic walkway system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to attic walkway systems and more particularly pertains to a new attic walkway system for creating a walkway across attic joists. The modular attic walkway system allows a semi-permanent or permanent walkway to be placed across attic joists to allow safe traverse. Each of the modular panels interlock with adjacent ones thereof to secure and extend the walkway as needed. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to attic walkway systems. Some systems include pre-attached segments that can be rolled out or unhinged to extend across the attic joists. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of attic joists each has a top face. A plurality of platforms is removably attached to the top faces such that each of the platforms traverses an open space positioned between adjacent ones of the attic joists. Each of the platforms is releasably interlocked with an adjacent one of the platforms. Each of the platforms include a panel. The panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a perimeter surface which extends between the top surface and the bottom surface. The top surface is textured to improve traction. The perimeter surface includes a first mating edge, a second mating edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge. The first mating edge includes a tongue cutout which extends inwardly from the first mating edge toward the second mating edge. A tongue extension extends outwardly away from the second mating edge and releasably interlocks with an adjacent tongue cutout of an adjacently positioned one of the panels. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top front isometric view of a modular attic walkway system panel according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear bottom isometric view of a panel from an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear side view of a panel from an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a side section view of a panel from an embodiment of the disclosure if segmented about line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new attic walkway system embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the modular attic walkway system  10  generally comprises a plurality of attic joists  12 , wherein each of the attic joists  12  has a top face  14 . Each of the attic joists  12  are typically spaced from each other either 16.00 inches or 24.00 inches as is standard in attic construction. 
     A plurality of platforms  16  is removably attached to the top faces  14  such that each of the platforms  16  traverses an open space  18  positioned between adjacent ones of the attic joists  12 . Each of the platforms  16  is releasably interlocked with an adjacent one of the platforms  16 . Each of the platforms  16  includes a panel  20  which has a top surface  22 , a bottom surface  24 , and a perimeter surface  26  extending between the top surface  22  and the bottom surface  24 . The top surface  22  is textured to improve traction and prevent slipping when in use. The texture may be integral to the top surface  22 , a textured coating attached to the top surface  22 , or another layer applied to all or a portion of the top surface  22 . The perimeter surface  26  includes a first mating edge  28 , a second mating edge  30 , a first lateral edge  32 , and a second lateral edge  34 . The first mating edge  28  and the second mating edge  30  are positioned opposite each other between 17.0 inches and 27.00 inches apart. The first lateral edge  32  and the second lateral edge  34  are positioned opposite each other between 14.00 and 24.00 inches apart. The top surface  22  and the bottom surface  24  are typically separated between 0.50 inch and 1.50 inches apart. The plurality of platforms  16  is made of a structurally rigid material capable of withstanding the force of a person carrying a light load across the plurality of platforms. Suitable materials may include rigid plastics, wood, metals, and the like. 
     The first mating edge  28  includes a tongue cutout  36  which extends inwardly from the first mating edge  28  toward the second mating edge  30 . The tongue cutout  36  extends through the top surface  22  and the bottom surface  28 . The tongue cutout  36  is positioned between the first lateral edge  32  and the second lateral edge  34 . A pair of foot extensions  38  extends outwardly away from the first mating edge  28 . The first lateral edge  32  and the second lateral edge  34  each abut one of the foot extensions  38 . The first mating edge  28  includes a pair of foot notches  40  which extends inwardly from the first mating edge  28  toward the second mating edge  30 . Each of the foot notches  40  extends through the top surface  22  and the bottom surface  24 . Each of the foot notches  40  is positioned between the tongue cutout  36  and each of the foot extensions  38 . 
     A tongue extension  42  extends outwardly away from the second mating edge  30  and releasably interlocks with an adjacent tongue cutout  36  of an adjacently positioned one of the panels  20 . The tongue extension  42  releasably engages the adjacent tongue cutout  36  of the adjacent panel  20  such that the adjacently placed platform  16  is unable to laterally or longitudinally disengage from the second mating edge  30 . The tongue extension  42  is positioned between the first lateral edge  32  and second lateral edge  34 . A pair of foot protrusions  44  extends outwardly away from the second mating edge  30 . Each of the foot protrusions  44  is positioned to extend into the foot notches  40  on the adjacently positioned one of the panels  20 . 
     A plurality of legs  46  is attached to and extends downwardly from the bottom surface  24  and abuts a corresponding one of the top faces  14  of the attic joists  12 . Each of the plurality of legs  46  has a bottom face  48 . Each of the foot extensions  38  and each of the foot protrusions  48  has one of the plurality of legs  46  extending downwardly therefrom. Each of the plurality of legs  46  has a sufficient height to allow the platform  16  to span over any ducts, wiring, insulation, or other commonly found construction materials that may be found in the open space  18  between the attic joists  12 . The legs  46  should have a height minimally equal to 2.00 inches. A plurality of securing tacks  50  is attached to and extends downwardly from the bottom faces  48  of the legs  46 . Each of said plurality of legs  46  has at least one of said plurality of securing tacks  50 . Each of the securing tacks  50  extends into one of the top faces  14  to removably secure the platform  16  to the top faces  14  of the attic joists  12 . Each of the plurality of securing tacks  50  is positioned to align with a central axis  52  of an associated one of the attic joists  12 . The lateral distance between the securing tacks  50  positioned on the legs  46  adjacent to the first mating edge  28  and those securing tacks  50  positioned on the legs  46  adjacent to the second mating edge  30  is either 16.00 inches or 24.00 inches apart, depending on which attic joist  12  spacing is used. Each of the securing tacks  50  extends away from each of the bottom faces  48  a distance between 0.125 inch and 0.5 inch. 
     A plurality of mounting apertures  54  extends vertically through the panel  20 . Each of the mounting apertures  54  is configured to receive a fastener such that the fastener is extendable into one of the top faces  14  to secure the panel  20  to the attic joists  12 . Each of the foot extensions  38  and each the foot protrusions  44  have one of the mounting apertures  54  extending therethrough. Each of the mounting apertures  54  is aligned with the associated one of the central axes  52  found on the associated attic joists  12 . The fasteners used may include nails, screws, bolts, or any other conventionally used fasteners. 
     In use, the first of the plurality of platforms  16  is placed across the pair of attic joists  12  such that the securing tacks  50  are aligned with the central axis  52  of an associated one of the top faces  14  of the attic joists  12 . The platform  16  is then pressed downwardly to seat the securing tacks  50 . The fasteners may be inserted into each of the mounting apertures  54  and secured to permanently secure the first platform  16  to the attic joists  12  if desired. 
     The adjacently placed one of the plurality of platforms  16  is positioned adjacent to the first platform  16  orientated such that the adjacent tongue cutout  36  is interlockable with the tongue extension  42  of the first platform  16 . The adjacent platform  16  is pressed downwardly into place with the adjacent tongue cutout  36  engaged with the tongue extension  42  of the platform  16 . The adjacently placed one of the platforms  16  may then be permanently secured using the fasteners through the mounting apertures  54  of the adjacent platform. Additional platforms  16  may be added using the same process described for the adjacent platform  16  until the desired length of walkway has been placed and secured. When not in use, the plurality of panels  20  are stackable. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.