L-shape slotted deck board and hidden fastener system

Abstract

An L-shape slotted deck board and hidden fastener system includes a decking board or plank and a hidden-type fastener device. The plank includes two generally L-shaped slots formed on a planar underside or bottom of the plank, which provide the construction member with two underside, inwards-facing shoulders or lips. The fastener is a clip-like member that includes a flat body portion and two “wing” portions on opposite edges of the body. Each wing includes a sidewall portion perpendicular to the body, as well as a lip portion attached to the sidewall and bent down inwards toward the body. The wings are complementary in shape to the slots, such that the lip and sidewall portions of the wing “hook around” the inwards-facing shoulder of the L-shaped slot. The fastener holds adjacent planks together by hooking around the planks' laterally adjacent, oppositely facing slots/shoulders.

1 . A system for securing construction members to an underlying support, said system comprising:
 an elongate construction member having an underside and a side wall, said underside including a generally planar bottom surface and an inwards facing shoulder, wherein the shoulder is defined by a slot formed in the underside of the construction member proximate to the side wall; and   a fastener for securing the construction member to an underlying support, said fastener comprising:
 a generally flat body portion having at least one connector aperture and left and right, generally parallel side edges; and 
 left and right wings attached to the left and right side edges of the body portion, respectively, each of said wings extending up from a top surface of the body portion and having a lip portion extending inwards towards a center of the body portion, wherein the wings are complementary in shape to the shoulder of the construction member for engagement therewith. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein for each of said wings, the lip portion is angled down towards the top surface of the body portion by a non zero-degree angle, said lip portion flexing upwards when the wing is engaged with the construction member shoulder and the construction member is placed against the underlying support. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fastener body portion is generally rectangular; and   each wing further comprises a generally rectangular, generally flat side wall attached to a respective one of said left and right edges of the body portion, said wing side wall lying generally perpendicular to the body portion and extending up from the top surface of the body portion, and said wing side wall having a top edge lying generally parallel to said left and right edges of the body portion, wherein the lip portion of the wing is attached to the top edge of the wing side wall.   
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the wing lip portions are generally flat and generally rectangular. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein for each of said wings, the wing lip portion is angled down towards the top surface of the body portion by a non zero-degree angle, said lip portion flexing upwards when the wing is engaged with the construction member shoulder and the construction member is placed against the underlying support. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the slot is generally L- or J-shaped in lateral cross section. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the slot comprises:
 a first, rounded slot side wall portion extending up from the bottom surface of the construction member;   a flat slot top surface portion extending from an end of the rounded side wall portion towards the side wall of the construction member, said slot top surface portion being generally parallel to the bottom surface of the construction member;   an extension groove extending from the slot top surface portion towards the construction member side wall, said extension groove being generally rectangular in lateral cross section and having top and bottom surfaces generally parallel to the construction member bottom surface and a side wall generally parallel to the construction member side wall; and   a second, generally flat slot side wall portion extending from an end of the bottom surface of the extension groove towards the bottom surface of the construction member, said second slot side wall portion being generally parallel to the construction member side wall.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein:
 the construction member bottom surface includes at least first and second generally planar sections, said first planar section of the construction member bottom extending from an end of the second, flat side wall portion of the slot to the side wall of the construction member, and said second planar section of the construction member bottom extending from an end of the first, rounded side wall portion of the slot towards an edge of the construction member opposite the side wall of the construction member; and   the first and second planar sections of the construction member bottom surface are generally parallel, and are spaced longitudinally apart from one another by a non-zero distance, said first planar section lying closer to a top surface of the construction member than the second planar section by said non-zero distance.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fastener body portion is generally rectangular, and each wing of the fastener further comprises a generally rectangular, generally flat side wall attached to a respective one of said left and right edges of the body portion, said wing side wall lying generally perpendicular to the body portion and extending up from the top surface of the body portion, and said wing side wall having a top edge lying generally parallel to said left and right edges of the body portion, wherein the lip portion of the wing is generally flat and rectangular and attached to the top edge of the wing side wall, said lip portion being angled down towards the top surface of the body portion by a non zero-degree angle;   the construction member slot is generally L- or J-shaped in cross section and comprises: a first, rounded slot side wall portion extending up from the bottom surface of the construction member; a flat slot top surface extending from an end of the rounded portion towards the side wall of the construction member, said slot top surface being generally parallel to the bottom surface of the construction member; an extension groove extending from the slot top surface towards the construction member side wall, said extension groove being generally rectangular in lateral cross section and having top and bottom surfaces generally parallel to the construction member bottom surface and an extension groove side wall oriented generally parallel to the construction member side wall; and a second, generally flat slot side wall portion extending from an end of the bottom surface of the extension groove towards the bottom surface of the construction member, said second side wall portion of the slot being generally parallel to the construction member side wall; and   each of said fastener wings, in conjunction with the fastener body portion, is configured to hook around the construction member shoulder for engagement therewith, with the wing lip portion extending into the slot extension groove, the wing side wall extending generally along and parallel to the second, generally flat side wall portion of the slot, and the fastener body portion extending along a bottom of the shoulder and generally outwards from and perpendicular to the construction member side wall.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the construction member bottom includes at least first and second generally planar sections, said first planar section of the construction member bottom extending from an end of the second, flat side wall portion of the slot to the side wall of the construction member, and said second planar section of the construction member bottom extending from an end of the first, rounded side wall portion of the slot towards an edge of the construction member opposite the side wall of the construction member; and   the first and second planar sections of the construction member bottom are generally parallel, and are spaced longitudinally apart from one another by a non-zero distance, said first planar section lying closer to a top surface of the construction member than the second planar section by said non-zero distance, wherein the non-zero distance corresponds to a thickness of the fastener body portion for said fastener body portion to lie between the construction member shoulder and the underlying support when the construction member is positioned against the underlying support with the second planar section of the construction member abutting the underlying support.   
   
   
       11 . A fastener comprising:
 a generally flat body portion having at least one connector aperture and left and right, generally parallel side edges; and   left and right wings attached to the left and right side edges of the body portion, respectively, each of said wings extending up from a top surface of the body portion and having a lip portion extending inwards toward a center of the body portion, wherein the wings are adapted in size and shape for engagement with an inwards-facing shoulder provided in the bottom surface of a construction member, for securing the construction member to a support member that underlies and abuts the construction member, by engaging one of said wings with the shoulder and driving a connector through the connector aperture into the underlying support member.   
   
   
       12 . The fastener of  claim 11  wherein the lip portions of the fastener wings are angled down towards the top surface of the body portion by a non zero-degree angle, said lip portions flexing upwards away from the body portion when the wings are engaged with the construction member shoulder and the construction member is placed against the underlying support. 
   
   
       13 . The fastener of  claim 11  wherein:
 the fastener body portion is generally rectangular; and   each wing further comprises a generally rectangular, generally flat side wall attached to one of said left and right edges of the body portion, said side wall lying generally perpendicular to the body portion and extending up from the top surface of the body portion, and said side wall having a top edge lying generally parallel to said left and right edges of the body portion, wherein the lip portion of the wing is attached to the top edge of the side wall.   
   
   
       14 . The fastener of  claim 13  wherein the wings are generally flat and generally rectangular. 
   
   
       15 . The fastener of  claim 13  wherein the lip portions of the fastener wings are angled down towards the top surface of the body portion by a non zero-degree angle, said lip portions flexing upwards when the wings are engaged with the construction member shoulder and the construction member is placed against the underlying support. 
   
   
       16 . A construction member fastening system comprising:
 fastener means; and   first and second elongate construction members each having an underside and a slot formed in the underside, said slot defining shoulder means for engaging the fastener means;   wherein the fastener means is complementary to the shoulder means for engaging the shoulder means of both construction members and for securing the construction members to each other and to a support member that underlies and abuts the construction members.   
   
   
       17 . A deck comprising:
 a support member;   first and second elongate deck boards each having a generally flat top surface, a generally flat bottom surface generally parallel to the top surface, and at least one slot formed in the bottom surface, said slot defining an inwards-facing shoulder, wherein the deck boards lie laterally adjacent to one another and against the support member, with at least a portion of the bottom surfaces of the deck boards abutting the support member and the inwards-facing shoulders of the deck boards lying laterally adjacent to one another but facing in opposite directions;   a hidden-type fastener securing the deck boards to each other and to the support member, said fastener comprising: a generally flat body portion having a connector aperture; and first and second wings attached to opposite edges of the body portion, each of said wings extending up from a top surface of the body portion and having a lip portion extending inwards towards a center of the body portion, wherein the wings are complementary in shape to the deck board shoulders for engagement therewith, with the first wing of the fastener engaging the shoulder of the first deck board and the second wing of the fastener engaging the shoulder of the second deck board; and   a connector extending down through the connector aperture and into the support member.   
   
   
       18 . The deck of  claim 17  wherein the fastener defines a non-zero lateral distance between the deck boards. 
   
   
       19 . The deck of  claim 17  wherein the lip portions of the fastener wings exert a downwards force against the shoulders, thereby pressing the deck boards against the support member. 
   
   
       20 . The deck of  claim 17  wherein:
 the fastener body portion is generally rectangular; and   each wing further comprises a generally rectangular, generally flat side wall attached to the body portion, said side wall lying generally perpendicular to the body portion and extending up from the top surface of the body portion, and said side wall having a top edge lying generally parallel to a side edge of the body portion where the side wall is attached, wherein the lip portion of the wing is attached to the top edge of the side wall.