1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a deck panel and, more particularly, to a deck panel having a removable rib portion.
2. Description of Related Art
The construction of convention centers, arenas, office buildings, and other major structures normally uses deck panels assembled in a side-by-side and/or end-to-end relationship to facilitate the construction of a structural deck.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an access port that does not disrupt the strength of the deck panel structure. It is further desirable that the access port be large enough to effectively access all materials above the deck panel necessary to complete repairs. It is also desirable that the access port be easily removable and does not adversely affect the ornamental appearance of the deck panels.
The present invention provides for a deck panel assembly that includes a deck panel having an upper surface and a bottom surface and includes a first rib section, a second rib section, and an intermediate rib section defined between the first section and the second section. Each rib section includes at least one longitudinal extending rib portion. A pair of spaced apart support members connects the first section, the intermediate section, and the second section to each other, wherein the intermediate section is adapted to be removed from between the first section and the second section of the deck panel and from between the spaced apart support members, thereby defining an access port therein.
Referring to
In general, a typical deck panel is usually a unitary piece of material having a plurality of longitudinal extending rib portions 22 therein, as shown in
In the present invention, this prior art unitary deck panel is divided into three separate rib sections (i.e., 36, 38, and 40), wherein a pair of spaced apart L-shaped support members 42 connects the first rib section 36, the intermediate rib section 40, and the second rib section 38 to each other, as shown in
With continued reference to
Referring to
The present deck panel assembly 30 then may be attached to adjacent prior art deck panels 10 with the lap joints to form a deck structure such as a roof deck or ceiling. As shown in
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. The presently preferred embodiments described herein are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
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