Patent ID: 7406801

Claim:
Watertight decking, comprising: a first end panel, a second end panel, and at least one intermediate panel disposed between said first and said second end panel, each said panel being a rigid, load-bearing extrusion having a generally flat, planar upper wall with an upper surface and a bottom surface, a continuous lower wall opposite said upper wall, said lower wall having an upper surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of interconnecting elements therebetween; said upper wall, said lower wall, and said interconnecting elements defining a plurality of conduits; said first end panel and said intermediate panel each having: a first attachment edge; a channel support leg sloping from the bottom surface of said upper wall, set back from the first attachment edge and extending therebelow, said channel support leg having a lower edge; an adjacent panel fulcrum flange sloping upwardly from the lower edge of said channel support leg, said first attachment edge, said channel support leg, and said adjacent panel fulcrum flange defining an adjacent attachment edge groove; a channel first wall extending between the lower edge of said channel support leg and the upper surface of said lower wall, said channel first wall further having an upper edge and a lower edge opposite the upper edge thereof; a channel second wall extending upwardly from the upper surface of said lower wall and spaced apart from said channel first wall, said channel second wall having a lower edge and an upper edge opposite the lower edge thereof, the upper edge being spaced apart from said first attachment edge, and said channel first wall, said channel second wall, and the portion of said lower wall between the lower edge of said channel first wall and the lower edge of said channel second wall defining a channel therebetween; said second end panel and said at least one intermediate panel each further including: an offset second attachment edge tongue, engaging the adjacent attachment edge groove of said first end panel and said intermediate panel when assembled therewith; and a drip rail depending from said second end panel and said intermediate panel and spaced apart from said second attachment edge tongue thereof, extending into the channel of said first end panel and said intermediate panel and bearing against said channel second wall and wedging said second attachment edge tongue tightly within the adjacent attachment edge groove of the adjacent said panel, forming a tongue and groove assembly and preventing relative lateral movement between adjoining panels when at least two of said first end panel, said second end panel, and said at least one intermediate panel are assembled together.