Extruded Deck Board With Insert Body For Railing Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufactured deck boards lack a secure means for anchoring and do not effectively contribute to increasing the upper deck surface area, and they fail to accommodate secure attachment of railings, with limited options for achieving optimal appearance and wear resistance.
Innovation Solution
A deck board design featuring an extruded main body with a recessed channel that receives an insert body of different material, allowing for selection based on strength and appearance, with interlocking elements and fastening features to secure the boards to joists and prevent uplift, and additional components like end and side finishing boards for enhanced stability and railing attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an extruded material is used for the entire deck board, then the board achieves structural strength and durability, but the finished appearance is limited to the types of material suitable for extrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The deck board is divided into two distinct segments: an extruded main body providing structural strength and an separate insert body providing the finished appearance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the extruded body for structural integrity and the insert body for aesthetic appearance and wear resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines two different materials into a composite structure - an extruded material (such as aluminum or plastic) for the main body and a different material (such as ceramic, stone, or wood-look material) for the insert body. This composite approach allows the deck board to achieve both structural strength from the extruded material and optimal appearance from the insert material.
2Ease of manufacture
If a simple extruded deck board is used, then the manufacturing process is straightforward, but there is no secure means for anchoring the edges and no contribution to increasing the upper deck surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The deck board system is segmented into multiple functional components including the main body, insert body, end finishing boards, and side finishing boards. Each component serves a specific purpose - the main body provides the base structure, the insert body provides the surface, and the finishing boards provide anchoring and edge protection, collectively achieving secure anchoring and increased surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The finishing boards serve multiple functions simultaneously: they anchor the edges of the deck boards to the substructure, they increase the upper deck surface area, they provide secure attachment points for railings, and they protect the edges of the deck boards. This multi-functionality addresses multiple requirements without requiring separate components for each function.
3Ease of operation
If traditional wooden deck boards are used, then the material is easy to work with and install, but they require regular maintenance by application of paint or stain
Solution Approach 1:
The insert body is designed as a replaceable component that can be easily removed and replaced when worn or damaged, similar to a disposable or short-living component. This allows for maintenance without replacing the entire deck board, reducing long-term maintenance effort while maintaining ease of installation through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter of the deck board surface from traditional wood to durable materials such as ceramic, stone, or high-performance plastics that do not require paint or stain. This parameter change maintains ease of installation through the modular insert design while dramatically extending the maintenance interval and duration of action.
4Shape
If the insert body is made from material optimized for appearance, then the finished appearance is optimal, but the bending strength of the insert body material is not essential and may be lower than the extruded body
Solution Approach 1:
The insert body is positioned in a specific location on the deck board where aesthetic appearance is the primary requirement - the visible surface area. The extruded main body provides the structural strength in the regions where it is needed for support and anchoring. This local quality assignment allows each component to be optimized for its specific functional requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines materials with different property profiles - the extruded body uses materials optimized for structural strength and durability, while the insert body uses materials optimized for appearance and surface wear resistance. The composite design allows the weaker insert material to be supported by the stronger extruded body, achieving overall system optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A plurality of intermediate deck boards span across joists in a decking system in which each deck board includes a lower frame portion extruded of a first material and an insert body inserted into the top side of the lower frame portion which is formed of a second material. Additional extruded members are used as starting and ending rows of the deck boards and as finishing boards across the ends of the intermediate deck boards, in which each of the deck boards defines a respective portion of an upper deck surface of the assembled deck structure. The perimeter extruded members include mounting channels for mounting a railing structure thereon.