Deck plank
US6035588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE04F2201/041
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A deck plank comprised of a wood replacement material. The deck plank includes a top surface, a first leg, and a second leg. The top surface has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first leg is attached to the first end portion, and the second leg is attached to the second end portion. The first leg extends downward from the top surface, and it has a tongue and an outer surface. The tongue has a first limb and a second limb which are joined together to define a recess. The outer surface defines a channel that extends along the tongue. The second leg also extends downward from the top surface, and it has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion and the lower portion define a groove, and the tongue is adapted to fit with a groove of an adjacent, substantially similar deck plank. When the tongue of the deck plank is placed in the groove of an adjacent deck plank, the channel of the deck plank is adapted to induce one of the limbs to fracture, if necessary, in response to expansion of the wood replacement material so that the joint between adjacent deck planks does not buckle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.