Deck Extension

Abstract

A deck extension includes an adjustable height mounting frame and a mounting support. The adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support, and the mounting support is configured to attach to a deck via fasteners vertically extending into a rim joist of a deck.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to decks and deck extensions.

BACKGROUND

Decks may be used at homes and business and may have patio furniture, grills, smokers, and space for people to enjoy the deck. Decks may have limited space, and could benefit from moving grills, smokers, or other objects to free up space for direct use by people.

SUMMARY

In general, this disclosure describes a deck extension configured to support an object such as a grill, a smoker, or any other suitable object, off of the primary surface area of a deck and still useable from the primary surface area of the deck. The deck extension comprises a mounting support and an adjustable height mounting frame. The adjustable height mounting frame comprises adjustable frame supports and adjustable support bolts and/or leveling bolts. The adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support, and the mounting support is configured to attach to a deck, e.g., outside of the surface area of the deck. The adjustable frame supports may be configured to support a shelf or other surface, and may be configured to fix the adjustable height mounting frame and/or shelf at a selected vertical height and a selected position or orientation, e.g., to level the shelf.

The mounting support may be configured to contact one or more of a horizontal surface of the deck (e.g., a horizontal surface of one or more deck boards), a vertical surface of one or more deck boards, and a vertical surface of a rim joist or other deck support structures. In some examples, the mounting support may be a 90-degree angle bracket. The mounting support may be configured to attach to the deck via fasteners at one or both of a horizontal surface of the deck and a vertical surface of the deck, e.g., via one or more fasteners which may be screws and/or bolts that extend vertically through the mounting support and a deck board into the rim joist. In some examples, additional screws and/or bolts may extend horizontally through the 90-degree angle bracket into a deck board or into a joist or other deck support structure to attach the mounting support to the deck.

In one example, this disclosure describes a deck extension including: an adjustable height mounting frame; and a mounting support, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support, and wherein the mounting support is configured to attach to a deck via a vertical fastener extending substantially vertically into a rim joist of the deck.

In another example, this disclosure describes a method of extending a deck, the method including: positioning a deck extension to extend outside an area of the deck, wherein the deck extension includes: an adjustable height mounting frame; and a mounting support, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support; and attaching the mounting support to the deck via a vertical fastener extending substantially vertically into a rim joist of the deck.

This summary is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter described in this disclosure. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the systems, devices, and methods described in detail within the accompanying drawings and description below. Further details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, claims, and from the statements provided below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example deck extension attached to a deck.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an example deck extension.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an example mounting support attached to adjustable frame supports.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an example adjustable support or leveling bolt.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example technique of extending a deck.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “over” and “under,” “front” and “rear,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate various views of an example deck system 100, deck extension 102, and deck extension 102 components, and are described concurrently below. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example deck system 100 including a deck 101 and a deck extension 102. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the example deck extension 102 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an example mounting support 104 attached to an adjustable height frame support 106. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an example leveling bolt 140, e.g., adjustable support bolt 140.

In the example shown, the deck 101 includes deck boards 130, rim joist 132, and railing 134. Deck extension 102 includes adjustable height mounting frame 106 and mounting support 104.

Mounting support 104 may be made of a metal such as steel or aluminum, composite decking or wood, a polymer, or any suitable material configured to attach adjustable height mounting frame 106 to deck 101. Mounting support 104 may comprise an angle bracket, such as a 90-degree angle bracket, comprising a vertical portion 112 and a horizontal portion 114. In some examples, mounting support 104 is configured to attach to deck 101 via vertical fasteners 136 extending substantially vertically into rim joist 132. For examples, horizontal portion 114 may be configured to contact a surface of deck boards 130 and may be attached to deck 101 via vertical fasteners 136. Vertical fasteners 136 may be configured to affix horizontal portion 114 to deck 101, e.g., to deck boards 130 and/or rim joist 132. For example, screws and/or bolts 136 may be vertically threaded or screwed into or through horizontal portion 114, e.g., via through holes (not shown) in horizontal portion 114, and through deck boards 130 and into rim joist 132. In some examples, vertical fasteners 136 may be configured to extend through mounting support 104, e.g., through horizontal portion 114, into just deck boards 130, and in other examples, vertical fasteners 136 may be configured to extend through mounting support 104 and deck boards 130 into rim joist 132. In some examples, mounting support 104 may be configured to be attached to deck 101 via vertical portion 112, e.g., via horizontal fasteners 144 e.g., screws and/or bolts 144 substantially horizontally threaded or screwed into or through vertical portion 112 and into rim joist 132 and/or deck boards 130.

Deck extension 102 and mounting support 104 may provide particular technical advantages. For example, if deck extension 102 is attached to deck 101 by only a vertical face of rim joist 132, the weight of deck extension 102 and an object (e.g., grill, smoker, or any object) on deck extension 102 may warp rim joist 132. For example, if deck extension 102 is simply bolted or screwed onto the vertical face of rim joist 132, deck extension 102 may act as a lever and pull against the bolt/screw points of contact, pulling out from the vertical face of rim joist 132 which may bending, warping, split, or break rim joist 132. Mounting support 104 is configured to provide extra support to prevent the lever force of deck extension 102 from warping rim joist 132. For example, the 90-degree angle bracket shape, e.g., vertical portion 112 and horizontal portion 114, are configured to distribute the lever pulling force and/or tension of deck extension 102 over a larger area of rim joist 132 and to distribute a portion of the force to deck boards 130. In some examples, attaching mounting support 104 via horizontal fasteners 144 into deck boards 130 (e.g., through mounting support 104 or frame supports 120) distributes the lever pulling force (e.g., tension) of deck extension 102 to deck boards 130. Additionally, attaching mounting support 104 via vertical fasters 136 (e.g., screws/bolts) distributes the lever pulling force (e.g., tension) of deck extension 102 to deck boards 130 and through the longer vertical dimension of rim joist 132, e.g., as opposed to the point attachment tension of bolts/screws attached horizontally to rim joist 132 at particular points of the vertical surface of rim joist 132.

In some examples, adjustable height mounting frame 106 is configured to have an adjustable height relative to a surface of the deck 101, e.g., relative to the top, horizontal surface of deck boards 130. In the example shown, adjustable height mounting frame 106 includes adjustable frame supports 120. In some examples, adjustable height mounting frame 106 includes shelf supports 122, weight supports 124, and cross support 126. Frame supports 120 may be configured to attach to mounting frame 104 at multiple vertical holes or slots via fasteners 138. For example, adjustable height mounting frame 106 may be adjusted vertically and then fasteners 138 may be tightened through a slot or hole in adjustable frame supports 120 to attached adjustable height mounting frame 106 to mounting support 104. Shelf supports 122 may be configured to provide a frame and structure for attaching a surface, such as a horizontal shelf surface.

In some examples, deck extension 102 includes leveling bolts 140. Leveling bolts 140 may be configured to adjust a level, orientation, and/or tilt of adjustable height mounting frame 106. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, adjustable frame supports 120 may include a threaded hole configured to receive leveling bolt 140. Leveling bolt 140 may include foot 142 configured to increase a surface area of an end of leveling bolt 140 to push against joist 132. Leveling bolt 140 may be rotated to move substantially horizontally within the threaded hole and cause foot 142 to push against joist 132 and rotate deck extension 102 about its attachment point(s), e.g., about mounting support 104. For example, adjustable height mounting frame 106 may be loosely fitted to, or attached to mounting support 104, leveling bolt 140 may be rotated to adjust the level of adjustable height mounting frame 106, and vertical fasteners 136 may then be tightened to firmly attach adjustable height mounting frame 106 to mounting support 104, e.g., such that adjustable height mounting frame 106 does not substantially move relative to mounting support 104.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example technique 500 of extending a deck. FIG. 5 is described with reference to deck system 100, deck 101, and deck extension 102 of FIGS. 1-4. However, the techniques of FIG. 5 may be utilized with any suitable deck extension and deck.

A user may position deck extension 102 to extend outside an area of deck 101 (502). For example, the user may assemble mounting support 104 and adjustable height mounting frame 106 via fasteners 138, and place mounting support 104 in contact with a vertical and/or horizontal surface of deck 101, e.g., deck boards 130, rim joist 132, or other support structures of deck 101, such that deck extension 102 extends outside of, or beyond, the area of deck 101, e.g., outside of railing 134 from deck 101. In some examples, the user may not assemble mounting support 104 and adjustable height mounting frame 106 before positioning deck extension 102, but rather position deck extension 102 by first positioning mounting support 104 such that, when assembled later, deck extension 102 will extend outside an area of deck 101.

The user may attach mounting support 104 to deck 101 via vertical fasteners 136 extending substantially vertically into rim joist 132 of deck 101 (504). In some examples, the user may extend vertical fasteners 136 into rim joist 132 through mounting support 104, e.g., through horizontal portion 114, and through deck boards 130. In some examples, the user may attach mounting support 104 to deck 101 via horizontal fasteners 144 extending substantially horizontally into deck boards 130 or rim joist 132 of deck 101. In some examples, the user may attach mounting support 104 to deck 101 via horizontal fasteners 144 extending substantially horizontally into deck boards 130 or rim joist 132 through mounting support 104, e.g., through vertical portion 112.

In some examples, as described above, adjustable height mounting frame 106 may be already attached to mounting support 104, and in other examples, the user may then, after attaching mounting support, attach adjustable height mounting frame 106 to mounting support 104, e.g., via fasteners 138. For example, the user may loosely attach adjustable height mounting frame 106 to mounting support 104 via fasteners 138, rotate leveling bolts 140 to adjust a level of adjustable height mounting frame 106, and then tighten fasteners 138 to firmly and/or substantially rigidly attach adjustable height mounting frame 106 to mounting support 104.

In some examples, the user may attach a shelf to adjustable height mounting frame 106. For example, the user may attach deck boards to shelf supports 122. The user may then position an object on the shelf, and/or attach the object to the shelf and/or adjustable height mounting frame 106. For example, the user may position a grill or a smoker on the shelf and fasten, e.g., via bolts, zip ties, or any suitable fastener, the grill or a smoker to the shelf, shelf supports 122, and/or adjustable height mounting frame 106.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present application is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the application, which is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A deck extension comprising: an adjustable height mounting frame; anda mounting support,wherein the adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support, andwherein the mounting support is configured to attach to a deck via a vertical fastener extending substantially vertically into a rim joist of the deck.

2. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame is configured to have an adjustable height relative to a surface of the deck.

3. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame comprises a leveling bolt configured to change a level of a horizontal surface of the adjustable height mounting frame.

4. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the mounting support comprises a 90-degree angle bracket.

5. The deck extension of claim 4, wherein the 90-degree angle bracket is configured to contact at least one of a horizontal surface of the deck board, a vertical surface of a deck board, and a vertical surface of the rim joist.

6. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the vertical fastener extends through a deck board of the deck into the rim joist.

7. The deck extension of claim 6, wherein the vertical fastener extends through a 90-degree angle bracket of the mounting support.

8. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the mounting support is configured to attach to the deck via a horizontal fastener extending substantially horizontally into a deck board of the deck.

9. The deck extension of claim 1, wherein the deck extension is configured to extend outside of an area of the deck.

10. A method of extending a deck, the method comprising: positioning a deck extension to extend outside an area of the deck, wherein the deck extension comprises: an adjustable height mounting frame; anda mounting support, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame is configured to attach to the mounting support; andattaching the mounting support to the deck via a vertical fastener extending substantially vertically into a rim joist of the deck.

11. The method of claim 10, adjusting a height of the adjustable height mounting frame relative to a surface of the deck.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustable height mounting frame comprises a leveling bolt, the method further comprising: changing a level of a horizontal surface of the adjustable height mounting frame by adjusting the leveling bolt.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the mounting support comprises a 90-degree angle bracket.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein positioning the deck extension to extend outside an area of the deck comprises placing the 90-degree angle bracket in contact with at least one of a horizontal surface of a deck board, a vertical surface of the deck board, or a vertical surface of the rim joist.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein attaching the mounting support to the deck comprises extending the vertical fastener through the 90-degree angle bracket and a deck board of the deck into the rim joist.

16. The method of claim 8, attaching the mounting support to the deck comprises extending a horizontal fastener in a substantially horizontal direction into a deck board of the deck.