Hidden Board Anchor for Decking Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anchoring systems for securing adjacent boards, such as decking planks, only allow partial penetration of fasteners through both the plank and joist, resulting in insecure attachment and visible fasteners, which are not fully hidden between boards.
Innovation Solution
An anchor with a partial polyhedron shape and complementary angled grooves in the boards allows a fastener to fully penetrate the board and secure it to a joist, while maintaining minimal gaps and hiding the anchor and fastener, using flat faces and straight edges with a fastener aperture for complete engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a key hole-shaped anchor with partial fastener penetration is used, then the anchor can be hidden between planks, but the fastening security is reduced and the fastener is not fully hidden
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into distinct functional segments: a head portion that sits in the groove between boards for hiding, a shaft portion that penetrates the board, and a fastener aperture that receives the fastener. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function - the head provides hiding while the shaft provides secure penetration and fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from partial penetration in the prior art to full penetration through the board and into the joist. By extending the fastener path through the entire thickness of the board and into the underlying structure, the fastening security is significantly improved while the anchor head remains hidden in the groove dimension.
2Reliability
If a fastener fully penetrates the board and secures to joist, then fastening security is improved, but the anchor and fastener may become visible between boards
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the anchor have different functional qualities: the head portion is designed with a profile that matches the groove geometry to provide hiding and aesthetic quality, while the shaft portion is designed for penetration and fastening strength. This local differentiation of qualities allows full fastener penetration for security while maintaining the hidden appearance of the anchor head in the groove.
3Shape
If minimal gaps are maintained between boards, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but anchor alignment and fastener penetration become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is pre-formed with a groove-matching head profile and a precisely positioned fastener aperture before installation. The head portion is designed to snap into the groove with the fastener aperture already aligned to receive the fastener. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex alignment operations during installation, allowing minimal gaps to be maintained while ensuring proper fastener alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A board anchor includes flat faces that are complementary to angled flat faces of grooves of boards between which the anchor is secured by a fastener that passes through a fastener aperture of the anchor and into an angled groove face of a board and into an underlying supporting structure beneath the board.