Deck Board Mounting Clip With Hook Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deck mounting systems are inefficient and not adaptable for various types of joists, requiring complex fastening processes and lacking adjustability, especially when used with extruded metal joists or manufactured deck boards with side-mounted grooves.
Innovation Solution
A mounting clip design featuring a hook portion that engages with an undercut joist portion, paired with retainer flanges that secure into deck board grooves or flat surfaces, allowing for quick and secure attachment without the need for additional fasteners, while accommodating fasteners for added security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mounting clips with lateral retainer flanges are used, then deck boards can be secured to joists, but the installation process becomes time-consuming and requires awkward manipulation of fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting clip is segmented into distinct functional portions: a hook portion for engaging the joist, retainer flanges for securing the deck board, and an intermediate body connecting them. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently and facilitates easier installation by enabling the clip to be pre-assembled or partially engaged before final securing.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate body acts as an intermediary element that connects the hook portion (engaging with the joist) and the retainer flanges (securing the deck board). This intermediary structure allows the clip to bridge the gap between the joist and deck board, enabling secure attachment while simplifying the installation process through its mediating geometry.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mounting clips are designed for conventional wooden joists, then they can secure deck boards, but they are not suited for extruded metal joists or other joist types
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting clip is designed with universal applicability through its hook portion that can engage with various joist types (wooden, extruded metal, etc.). The hook geometry is optimized to work with different materials and profiles, while the retainer flanges can accommodate various deck board configurations, making the single clip design suitable for multiple applications without requiring modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip design incorporates adjustable parameters such as the angle and dimensions of the hook portion, the spacing and geometry of the retainer flanges, and the overall size of the intermediate body. These parameter variations allow the same basic clip design to adapt to different joist types and deck board configurations, achieving versatility through parameter optimization rather than requiring entirely different clip designs.
3Reliability
If fasteners must be driven through clips into wooden joists, then secure attachment is achieved, but the process becomes complex and difficult to correct misalignments
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting clip is designed to be preliminarily engaged with the joist via the hook portion before final securing with fasteners. This preliminary engagement positions the retainer flanges in the correct location and orientation, making the subsequent fastening process simpler and allowing for easy adjustment of misalignments before the fasteners are fully driven home.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip design incorporates dynamic elements that allow for adjustment during installation. The intermediate body and retainer flanges are configured to permit movement and repositioning during the installation process, enabling workers to correct misalignments easily before final securing, while still achieving a strong, reliable connection once installed.
Data Source
AI summary
A deck board mounting clip mounts deck boards to joist members with respective undercut portions in a deck structure. The mounting clip has an intermediate body received between an adjacent deck boards, a first retainer flange protruding laterally into the side edge of one of the deck boards, a second retainer flange protruding laterally into the side edge of the next deck board, and a hook portion engageable with the undercut portion of the joist member such that the mounting clip cannot be lifted from the joist member.