Set of decking boards provided with a connecting system

• US 11,149,444 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 10/19/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
• Original Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
• Inventors: Bergelin, Marcus, Engstrom, Nils-Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Herring, Brent W
• Application Number:
  US16/467,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20190309527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 52415, 52474, 524831, 524891, 524892, 5250601, 5250605, 52512
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/003 Balconies; Decks
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/388 Separate connecting elements Connecting devices specially adapted for embedding in concrete E04B1/41; Dowels, i.e. members adapted to penetrate the surfaces of two parts and to take the shear stresses E04B1/48
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02044 Separate elements for fastening to an underlayer E04F15/02133, E04F15/0215 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02183 for outdoor use, e.g. in decks, patios, terraces, verandas or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/04 only of wood or with a top layer of wood, e.g. with wooden or metal connecting members rollable parquet E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2015/02094 Engaging side grooves running along the whole length of the flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2015/02122 with fastening elements engaging holes or grooves in the side faces of the flooring elements E04F2015/02116 takes precedence

Abstract

A set of decking boards including a first and a second decking board and being provided with a connecting system including a connecting device. The first board is configured to be connected to a support element and the second board is configured to assume a vertically locked state with respect to the first board in which the connecting device cooperates with the first and second boards, there is a vertical gap between a portion of the second lip of the first decking board and a portion of the second lip of the second decking board, and there is a horizontal space between a first lip of the first board and the second lip of the second board. Also, other aspects of a set of decking boards and connecting devices as well as methods for demounting decking boards and replacing them with new decking boards.

Claims

1. A set of decking boards provided with a connecting system comprising a connecting device, the set of decking boards comprising:

a first decking board comprising a first side portion and a second decking board comprising a second side portion, each side portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the decking board, wherein each of said first and second side portions comprises;

a first lip and a second lip, wherein an extension of the second lip in a transverse direction of the decking board is larger than an extension of the first lip in said transverse direction of the decking board,

wherein the first decking board is configured to be connected to a support element, and

wherein the second decking board is configured to assume a vertically locked state with respect to the first decking board, wherein in said vertically locked state;

said connecting device cooperates with the first decking board and with the second decking board;

the first lip of the first decking board and the second lip of the second decking board are provided in a first horizontal plane, and the second lip of the first decking board and the first lip of the second decking board are provided in a second horizontal plane, said first and second horizontal planes each being parallel with a surface member of the first and/or the second decking board;

there is a vertical gap between a portion of the second lip of the first decking board and a portion of the second lip of the second decking board;

there is a first horizontal space between and fully separating the first lip of the first decking board and the second lip of the second decking board;

there is a second horizontal space located between the second lip of the first decking board and the first lip of the second decking board and configured such that the second side portion is displaceable in the horizontal transverse direction in the second horizontal plane in the vertically locked state, the connecting device occupying less than an entirety of the second horizontal space along the horizontal transverse direction in said vertically locked state; and

wherein said connecting device engages with the first lip of the second decking board in said vertically locked state.

2. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the first and the second decking boards is symmetric under a 180 degrees rotation around a longitudinal axis of the decking board.

3. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of the second lip of the first decking board is inclined with respect to the surface member of the first decking board or curved.

4. A set of decking boards according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting device is provided in a first groove of the first decking board in said vertically locked state, and/or

wherein the connecting device is provided in a second groove of the second decking board in said vertically locked state.

5. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device comprises a first and a second engagement portion configured to engage with the first and second decking board, respectively, in an installed state.

6. A set of decking boards according to claim 5, wherein said first and second engagement portions are configured to be provided at different vertical levels from the support member in an installed state.

7. A set of decking boards according to claim 1,

wherein a vertical thickness of the second lip is larger than a vertical thickness of the first lip.

8. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the second side portion is displaceable in the horizontal longitudinal direction in the vertically locked state.

9. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein said connecting device engages with the second lip of the first decking board in said vertically locked state.

10. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is further configured to engage with said support element in said vertically locked state.

11. A set of decking boards according to claim 10, wherein the connecting device is configured to be connected to the support element.

12. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device engages with the second lip of the first decking board and/or with the first lip of the second decking board with pretension in an installed state.

13. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device comprises a protrusion configured to be disposed in a notch of the second lip of the first decking board in an installed state.

14. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the connecting device is configured to be provided in a recess of the second lip of the first decking board in an installed state.

15. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein said portion of the second lip of the second decking board is provided above the portion of the second lip of the first decking board in said vertically locked state such that they form a horizontal overlap.

16. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device comprises:

a first engagement portion configured to engage with the second lip of the first decking board; and

a second engagement portion configured to engage with the first lip of the second decking board.

17. A set of decking boards according to claim 16, wherein the first engagement portion comprises a hole for connecting the connecting device to the support element with an attaching element through the hole and the second lip of the first decking board.

18. A set of decking boards according to claim 16, wherein the second engagement portion comprises an end section being curved or forming an angle with respect to an overall lengthwise extension of the second engagement portion.

20. A set of decking boards according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is configured to cooperate with the support element via an attaching element.

21. A set of decking boards according to claim 20, wherein the attaching element is provided through the second lip of the first decking board and a portion of the connecting device is arranged between the second lip of the first decking board and the support element in the vertically locked state.

22. A set of decking boards according to claim 21, wherein the attaching element is provided outside of the connecting device in the vertically locked state.

23. A set of decking boards according to claim 21, wherein the attaching element is provided through the connecting device in the vertically locked state.

24. A set of decking boards according to claim 21, further comprising the attaching element.

19. A set of decking boards provided with a connecting system comprising a connecting device, the set of decking boards comprising:

a first decking board comprising a first side portion and a second decking board comprising a second side portion, each side portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the decking board, wherein each of said first and second side portions comprises;

a first lip and a second lip, wherein an extension of the second lip in a transverse direction of the decking board is larger than an extension of the first lip in said transverse direction of the decking board,

wherein the first decking board is configured to be connected to a support element, and

wherein the second decking board is configured to assume a vertically locked state with respect to the first decking board, wherein in said vertically locked state;

said connecting device cooperates with the first decking board and with the second decking board;

the first lip of the first decking board and the second lip of the second decking board are provided in a first horizontal plane, and the second lip of the first decking board and the first lip of the second decking board are provided in a second horizontal plane, said first and second horizontal planes each being parallel with a surface member of the first and/or the second decking board;

there is a vertical gap between a portion of the second lip of the first decking board and a portion of the second lip of the second decking board; and

there is a horizontal space between and fully separating the first lip of the first decking board and the second lip of the second decking board,

wherein said connecting device engages with the first lip of the second decking board in said vertically locked state, and

wherein the connecting device comprises at least one tooth which is configured to engage with an upper portion of the second lip of the first decking board in the vertically locked state, and which extends from an upper portion of the connecting device onto the upper portion of the second lip in the vertically locked state.