Patent Application
20230250646
Not Applicable
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The disclosure relates to cover devices and more particularly pertains to a new cover device for protecting deck boards from precipitation. The device includes a plurality of covers that is each positionable over a respective deck board of a deck. Each of the covers includes gripping elements that grips the respective deck board for retaining the covers on the deck board and an adhesive layer that adheres to the deck board. Additionally, each of the deck boards has a pebbled texture to enhance traction for walking on the covers.
The prior art relates to cover devices including a deck covering device that includes a plurality of elongate strips being comprised of a fibrous layer and a moldable layer. The prior art discloses a deck plank cover which each has a top wall and a pair of lateral walls that are biased to engage a deck plank. The prior art discloses a flooring finish system that includes a plurality of synthetic wood strips and a glue that is applied to the synthetic wood strips for securing the synthetic wood strips to a floor. The prior art discloses a deck covering device that includes a panel that has a textured top surface to resemble wood grain and an adhesive layer which adhesively engages a deck plank. The prior art discloses a deck covering that comprises a central portion and a pair of side portions that are pivotable on the central portion for engaging a deck plank.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of deck board covers. Each of the deck board covers is positionable over a respective one of a plurality of deck boards of a deck. Each of the deck board covers is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to protect the deck boards from precipitation. Each of the deck board covers has a plurality of gripping elements each is integrated into the deck board covers for retaining the deck board covers on the respective deck boards. A plurality of adhesive strips is each bonded to a respective one of the deck board covers. Each of the adhesive strips adhesively engages the respective deck board upon which the deck board covers are positioned for retaining the deck board covers on the respective deck board.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
Each of the deck board covers 12 has a plurality of gripping elements 20 each being integrated into the deck board covers 12. Each of the gripping elements 20 engages the respective deck 16 board upon which each of the deck board covers 12 is placed for retaining the deck board covers 12 on the respective deck boards 14. Each of the deck board covers 12 has a top wall 22 and a pair of lateral walls 24 each extending downwardly from a respective first lateral edge 26 and a second lateral edge 28 of the top wall 22. Additionally, the top wall 22 has a front edge 30 and a back edge 32, and the top wall 22 is elongated between the front edge 30 and the back edge 32. Each of the lateral walls 24 extends between the front edge 30 and the back edge 32.
The top wall 22 has a top surface 34 and a bottom surface 36, and the pebbled texture 18 is integrated into the top surface 34 such that the pebbled texture 18 is exposed when the deck board covers 12 are positioned on the deck boards 14. Each of the first lateral edge 26 and the second lateral edge 28 slope toward a center of the deck board covers 12 between the lateral walls 24 and the top wall 22. In this way the plurality of deck board covers 12 facilitate moisture to run downwardly between the deck board covers 12 when the deck board covers 12 are positioned on the deck boards 14.
Each of the lateral walls 24 has a first surface 38 that is directed toward each other and a distal edge 40 with respect to the top wall 22. The plurality of gripping elements 20 comprises a plurality of sets of barbs 42 and each of the sets of barbs 42 extends away from the first surface 38 of a respective one of the lateral walls 24. Each of the sets of barbs 42 is positioned adjacent to the distal edge 40 of the respective lateral wall 24. Additionally, each of the sets of barbs 42 is angled upwardly toward the top wall 22 such that each of the sets of barbs 42 inhibits the deck board covers 12 from being lifted upwardly from the respective deck 16 board. The plurality of sets of barbs 42 is spaced apart from each other and is distributed along a full length of the respective lateral wall 24. Each of the sets of barbs 42 including a lower barb 44 that is aligned with the distal edge 40 of the respective lateral wall 42 and an upper barb 46 that is positioned above the lower barb 44.
A plurality of adhesive strips 48 is provided and each of the adhesive strips 48 is bonded to a respective one of the deck board covers 12. Each of the adhesive strips 48 adhesively engages the respective deck 16 board upon which the deck board covers 12 are positioned for retaining the deck board covers 12 on the respective deck 16 board. Each of the adhesive strips 48 is positioned on the bottom surface 36 of the top wall 22 of the respective deck 16 board cover and each of the adhesive strips 48 completely covers 12 the bottom surface 36. The front edge 30 of each of the top wall 22 deck board covers 12 may have a recess extending into the front edge 30. Additionally, the back edge 32 of the top wall 22 of each of the deck board covers 12 may have a tab that can engage the recess in an adjacent one of the deck board covers 12.
In an alternative embodiment 50 as is most clearly shown in
In an alternative embodiment 60 as is most clearly shown in
In an alternative embodiment 68 as is most clearly shown in
Continuing in the alternative embodiment 68 in
In use, the plurality of deck board covers 12 is each positioned on the respective deck 16 board to protect the respective deck 16 board from precipitation. Additionally, the deck board covers 12 eliminate the need to paint or stain the deck boards 14 for the purposes of maintenance. In this way the deck board covers 12 extend the service life of the deck boards 14 without requiring regular maintenance to be performed on the deck boards 14. Each of the deck board covers 12 described in the alternative embodiment 50 shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
