Deck Board with Concave Flanges for Water Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hollow deck boards with square or round bores are prone to waterlogging, which can lead to material damage and rot due to temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A deck board design featuring an elongate body with I-beam shaped sections, where the underside of the foot and head sections are concave, and the flanges are transversely extending, allowing for water drainage and improved load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If hollow deck boards with square or round bores are used, then material usage is reduced and weight is decreased, but waterlogging occurs leading to material damage and rot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing the hollow core with rounded contours instead of sharp edges. The curved surfaces prevent water from pooling in corners and facilitate water drainage along the rounded profiles, eliminating the waterlogging issue while maintaining material reduction benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful square or round bores that cause waterlogging and replaces them with a redesigned hollow core structure. The extraction of the problematic geometric features while retaining the weight-saving hollow structure resolves the contradiction between material reduction and water resistance
2Quantity of substance
If hollow deck boards are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced and weight is decreased, but strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the wall thickness and core geometry in specific regions. The rounded hollow core design concentrates material where structural strength is needed while maintaining hollow sections for weight reduction, achieving both strength and material efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining different densities and properties in the deck board structure. The optimized hollow core design with rounded contours creates a composite structure that maintains strength while reducing overall material usage and weight
3Strength
If solid core deck boards are used, then strength is maintained, but weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the deck board into a outer shell and an internal hollow core structure. This segmentation allows the board to maintain strength through the outer shell while reducing weight through the hollow interior, avoiding the need for solid core construction
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded contours of the hollow core create a structurally efficient shape that maintains strength with less material. The curved geometry distributes stresses effectively while minimizing weight, achieving strength without solid core mass
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a deck board and more particularly, to a reduced material deck board. In accordance with this invention there is provided a deck board comprising an operatively upper board section having at least one operatively downwardly depending support leg terminating in at least one flange, an underside of the flange having a concave surface.