Patent Application
20250207405
Stairways require skill and expertise to assemble. Many variables factor into a particular stairway. For example, stairways may have different total rise and total run dimensions. These dimensions determine the angle of the stairway. Trays for supporting a stair tread typically have a fixed depth, and therefore the stair parameters need to be determined to accommodate this fixed depth. In the alternative, the overall stairway parameters may be determined, and a fixed depth stair tray may be fabricated on site or purchased. Employing an adjustable depth stair tray permits flexibility in determining multiple parameters of a stairway. Moreover, a manufacturer may provide one adjustable depth stair tray, as opposed to multiple fixed depth stair trays, to reduce SKUs held by a distributor or retailer. The present disclosure provides a stair system that may be easier to construct and may be more versatile in allowing stairway construction with multiple stair tray depths with the same components.
Fortress Building Products Freestanding Frame and Stair Kit Instructions for its Evolution Steel Deck Framing product discloses an adjustable stair tray for use with an adjustable stair step support bracket and stair calculator. The stair calculator is used to determine the number of steps and the angle of the stairway along with the rise and run of each individual step. The adjustable stair tray allows adjustment of the run of each step as the depth of the adjustable stair tray. The adjustable stair tray spans four feet with a stair stringer supporting each adjustable stair tray on each side. This span may result in undesired deflection of the adjustable stair tray if a certain load is applied proximate the center of the adjustable stair tray. One solution is to add a stair stringer to support the middle of the adjustable stair tray. This solution adds additional expense to the deck frame along with the time and effort to construct the third stair stringer. An alternative solution to this unintended deflection issue is disclosed herein.
According to a first aspect, a reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly includes a first angle bar, and a plurality of track channels coupled to the first angle bar with each defining a cavity. A plurality of U-channels is coupled to a second angle bar, and each one of the plurality of U-channels is received in a respective cavity of each of the plurality of track channels. The plurality of U-channels is telescopically adjustable within the plurality of track channels to adjust a tray depth of the adjustable stair tray assembly. The adjustable stair tray is reinforced with a reinforcing flange that extends downwardly from a vertical wall of a second angle bar disposed at the rear of the adjustable stair tray. According to an embodiment, the reinforcing flange increases strength and resistance to yielding of the adjustable stair tray, particularly when the reinforced adjustable stair tray is used with one stair stringer supporting each side of the tray, and the tray spans approximately four feet.
According to a second aspect, an adjustable stair system includes a stringer comprising a lateral wall and an upper wall, the stringer is configured to support a plurality of stair tray support brackets. The adjustable stair system further includes a reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly configured to be supported by a subset of the plurality of stair tray support brackets. The reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly has a rear angle bar formed of a vertical wall and a horizontal wall. The rear angle bar also includes a reinforcing flange that may be formed by a flat hem such that the reinforcing flange extends downwardly from the vertical wall. A plurality of U-channels is connected to a bottom surface of the horizontal wall of the rear angle bar. The reinforced adjustable stair assembly further includes a front angle bar formed of a vertical wall and a horizontal wall, which a plurality of track channels connected to a bottom surface of the horizontal wall of the front angle bar. Each of the plurality of track channels has a top wall, a pair of sidewalls extending from the top wall, and a bottom wall laterally extending from each respective sidewall toward the other sidewall. The plurality of track channels receives the plurality of U-channels to allow for depth adjustability to multiple stair tray depths.
According to other embodiments, the multiple stair tray depths include a range of 8-14 inches. According to another embodiment, the multiple stair tray depths include a range of 10 to 12 inches.
In some embodiments, the track channels are hollow rectangular tubes.
In other embodiments, at least one of the plurality of track channels is welded to a portion of the front angle bar.
According to some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of track channels includes a through hole configured to facilitate welding to the angle bar.
According to yet another embodiment, the adjustable stair system further includes a self-drilling fastener extending through the one of the angle bars and into an upper surface of a stair tray support bracket.
In some embodiments, the top wall of each of the plurality of track channels is disposed flush with a top surface of the lateral portion of the front angle bar.
According to other embodiments, a top surface of the horizontal wall of the front angle bar is co-planar with a top surface of the horizontal wall of the rear angle bar.
The disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, in which:
Homeowners enjoy outdoor living spaces, such as outdoor decks. Deck frames may be constructed of wood or metal, for example light gauge steel. Stairways may be constructed to allow access to elevated outdoor deck areas. Stairways are constructed with a variety of rise angles and run dimensions. The rise angles may also be referred to as incline angles, pitch angles, stair angles or similar terms. The run dimension refers to the depth of the stair treads. A typical stairway may have an incline angle measured from the horizontal of 30-50 degrees and a run dimension between 7 inches and 11 inches. Building codes and other regulations may govern stairways to ensure that they are constructed to be safely and comfortably ascended and descended. As an example, it is common to have a stair rise of approximately 7-8 inches and a stair tread depth of approximately 9-11 inches.
The width of a stairway is another parameter that may be governed by one or more building codes or other regulations. As an example, it is advisable that the horizontal space between railings of a stairway is at least 36 inches. This horizontal space is the un-obstructed horizontal distance or space through which an upper body of an individual ascending or descending the stairway passes. If wider stairway space is desired, additional stair stringers may be necessary to support the wider stair treads. Posts to support a railing panel may be mounted directly to the stair tread surface. However, if increased horizontal space is desired, the railing panel support posts may be mounted directly to the stringers that support the stair treads. According to some embodiments, the stairs may lead from a ground surface to an elevated deck surface of an outdoor deck.
In constructing a stairway, it is desirable to use similarly designed rail panels, posts, and stair stringers to construct safe and comfortable stairways at multiple different stair tread depths. This is particularly true if the stairway is to be constructed of metal and the construction does not include custom welding at the job site.
Reference is now made to
A plurality of stair tray support brackets 26 mounted to a stair stringer 24 may be referred to as a stair stringer assembly. The stair tray support brackets 26 are configured to be connected to or otherwise secured to the stair stringers 24 by inserting self-drilling screws 25 into through holes 27 in the sidewalls 31 of the stair tray support bracket 26 and through a corresponding sidewall 33 of the stair stringer 24. In another embodiment, the stair tray support bracket 26 can be secured to the stair stringer 24 by welding the stair tray support bracket 26 directly to the stair stringer 24. Such welding can utilize metal inert gas (“MIG”) welding, arc welding, tungsten inert gas (“TIG”) welding, also known as gas tungsten arc welding (“GTAW”), or any other suitable form or technique of welding.
According to an embodiment, the stair tray support bracket 26 may be a rise adjustable stair tray support bracket 26 according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 11,085,191, titled “Stair Assembly with Rise Adjustable Step Support Brackets,” assigned to Fortress Iron, LP, and incorporated herein by reference. An installer may use set pins 35 received through set pin holes 37 to position an upper wall 29 of the stair tray support brackets 26 level for multiple different incline angles of the stair stringer 24. In this manner, the flexibility of the stair system parameters may be increased while using the same components to construct stair systems having different parameters.
The reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100 is positioned on the stair tray support brackets 26 and fasteners 5 are inserted through the adjustable stair tray assembly 100 and into the upper wall 29 of the brackets 26, as explained in more detail below. The reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100 supports stair treads 108 formed of a suitable material, for example a composite polymeric material used in constructing outdoor decks. The stair treads 108 provides the walking surface for the adjustable stair system 200. The stair system may also include stair risers 110.
The reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100 is positioned on the stair tray support brackets 26 such that the upper wall 29 of the stair tray support bracket 26 contacts the lower surfaces of the horizontal wall 13 of the front angle bar 10 and the horizontal wall 15 of the rear reinforced angle bar 12. The inner surface of the vertical wall 11 of the front angle bar 10 is disposed to abut the front wall 31 of the stair tray support bracket 26. The rear reinforced angle bar 12 is positioned to abut an adjacent stair tray support bracket 26. The spacing of the tray support brackets 26 and the corresponding depth of the reinforced adjustable stair tray assemblies 100 provide a constant and easily repeatable stair tread depth according to the teaching of the present disclosure. Fasteners 5, for example self-drilling screws, are inserted through the horizontal wall 13 and the horizontal wall 15 and into the upper wall 29 of the stair tray support bracket 26.
Reference is now made to
A reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100 according to the teachings of the present disclosure expands and retracts to accommodate both distances 39, 43. More specifically, the telescoping adjustability of the reinforced adjustable stair trays 100 allows the adjustable stair tray to accommodate both distance 39 and distance 41 by expanding or collapsing the adjustable stair tray 100. According to an embodiment, the reinforced adjustable stair tray 100 may adjust from a retracted depth dimension 47 of ten inches (see
According to an embodiment, certain dimensions of the adjustable stair system 200 may be determined by a stair calculator. A contractor or stair installer may input certain parameters of a desired stair system 200 into a software tool programed to output dimensions to aid the contractor in constructing the stair system 200. For example, a contractor may input a desired total rise dimension of the stairway, a tray depth dimension, and a tread thickness dimension into the stair calculator. The stair calculator returns dimensions for the rise of each step, the incline angle, the bracket spacing dimension, the stair stringer length, and pin hole locations in the stair tray support bracket 26 that correspond to the determined incline angle.
The stair calculator accounts for various factors such as the number of steps required, the rise and run of each step, and the total rise of the stair system 200. According to one embodiment, a user enters a total rise dimension of nine feet, a tray depth dimension of eleven inches, a total run dimension of 146 15/32 inches, and stair tread thickness dimension of one inch. The stair calculator provides a number of steps corresponding to the total rise and total run values, calculates the desired inputs with known dimensions of the stair tray support bracket 26 and returns values of 7 23/32 inches step rise, an incline angle of 36 degrees, a stair stringer length of 179 27/32 inches, and a bracket spacing value of 10 15/32 inches. The bracket spacing dimension may be measured from the front of a front bracket 26 a distance of 10 15/32 inches toward an upper bracket and a mark is made on the stair stringer 24. The next bracket 26 may be secured to the stair stringer 24 with the front wall of that bracket 26 aligned with the mark on the stair stringer 24.
The adjustable stair system calculator provides a fast and accurate way to determine the dimensions of the adjustable stair system 200, making it a useful tool for architects, builders, and contractors. By inputting the required information into the calculator, users can quickly generate a set of dimensions that can be used to design and construct the stair system. The use of an adjustable stair system calculator can also help ensure that the stair system meets building codes and safety standards. Moreover, each of the stair stringers 24 may be measured and cut to the measured dimension, and the stair tray support brackets 26 may be positioned and secured to the stringers 24. The combined stringers 24 and stair tray support brackets 26 may then be secured to an upper outdoor deck and a lower landing. Once the combined stringers 24 and brackets 26 are in place, then the reinforced adjustable stair tray assemblies 100 may be secured to the brackets 26, as discussed in more detail with respect to
The front weldment may be formed by positioning the horizontal wall 13 of the front angle bar 10 in depressions 19 of multiple track channels 14. Spot welds may be formed using the weld holes 18 to permanently join the front angle bar 10 to the track channels 14. The depressions 19 facilitate a discontinuous level surface across the reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100 to support the tread that will be secured to the reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100.
According to an embodiment, the track channels 14 are generally C-shaped in cross section and include an upper wall 32, a pair of opposed lateral walls 28, and a pair of spaced-apart floor walls 30 which collectively define a cavity 20. The track channel 14 includes an opening on each end. The opening of the end opposite of the front angle bar 10 receives the U-channel 16, as discussed in more detail below. The open bottom portion of the track channel 14 provides access to the weld holes 18 from the underside of the track channels 14 to facilitate spot welding of the angle bar 10 to each track channel 14. Alternatively, the track channel 14 may be in the form of a tube with a rectangular cross-section where the underside is closed by a continuous wall. The term U-channel is not limited to only U-shaped components. Any suitable shape that may be received by the cavity 20 of the track channel 14 is contemplated by this disclosure.
Each U-channel 16 includes an upper wall 51 and a pair of opposed lateral walls 53 extending from the upper wall 51. One or more weld holes 55 may be formed in the upper wall 51 to facilitate securing the U-channels 16 to the rear reinforced angle bar 12. The U-channels 16 are secured to the rear reinforced angle bar 12, for example by welding. According to an embodiment, the horizontal wall 15 of the rear reinforced angle bar 12 is placed on the upper surfaces 51 of the U-channels 16. A welder may access the weld holes 55 from the underside of the U-channels 16 to weld the U-channels 16 to the horizontal wall 15 of the rear reinforced angle bar 12. The U-channels 16 may include a tapered end of the upper wall 51 to facilitate insertion into the respective track channel 14.
Other methods of securing the track channels 14 and the U-channels 16 to the angle bars 10, 12 are contemplated by this disclosure, including securing with fasteners or adhesive.
Each of the angle bars 10, 12, track channels 14, and U-channels 16 may be formed of a metal, such as aluminum or light gauge steel, for example ASTM A36 steel, which may be roll formed into the illustrated shapes. Alternatively, each of the angle bars 10, 12, track channels 14, and U-channels 16 may be formed of Q235 plain carbon structural steel. According to one embodiment, the angle bars 10, 12, track channels 14, and U-channels 16 are each formed of steel with a thickness of approximately 3/16 inches, but may be thinner for lighter stairways, or may be thicker for heavier stairways. For example, the thickness of the steel of angle bars 10, 12, track channels 14, and U-channels 16 may be in a range of 0.1 to 0.5 inches. The roll forming may create a rounded transition at the junction of the walls. For example, a rounded transition may be formed at the junction of the track channel upper wall 32 and the respective lateral wall 28 and/or at the transition of the floor wall 30 to the respective lateral walls 28.
In some embodiments, the upper wall 32 of the track channel 14 also includes a through hole 22. The upper wall 51 of the U-channel 16 may also include a through hole 22. The through holes 22 may allow the track channel 14 and the U-channel 16 to be hung for powder galvanization and/or powder coating or other surface treatment during manufacturing. Alternatively, any of the through holes 22 may receive a fastener to set a desired stair tray depth of the reinforced adjustable stair tray assembly 100.
With reference to
According to an embodiment, a four-foot-long reinforced adjustable stair tray 100 including the reinforced angle bar 12 can span the full four-foot length supported by only two stair stringers 24, one on each side of the reinforced adjustable stair tray 100. The reinforced angle bar 12 is manufactured by using known sheet metal forming processes to bend and form a sheet of Q235 plain carbon structural steel into the configuration shown and described. Other suitable materials, such as ASTM A36 steel, are contemplated by this disclosure. According to alternate embodiments, the reinforced adjustable stair tray 100 may be any suitable length, such as lengths of five-feet, six-feet, ten-feet, or twelve-feet.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a reinforced adjustable stair tray 100 including the reinforced rear angle bar 12 supported by only a pair of stair stringers 24 disposed at each end of the reinforced adjustable stair tray 100 supports a load of approximately 300 pounds applied at an area including the mid-point of the length of the reinforced angle bar 12 without yielding. Such support may comply with certain code requirements for stair structures.
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
The U-channels 16 are configured to be received by the cavity 20 in the track channels 14. As the U-channels 16 are inserted into the track channels 14, lower surfaces of the lateral walls of the U-channels 16 slide across the upper surfaces of the respective floor walls 30 of the track channels 14. In this manner, the U-channels 16 can be telescopically adjusted further into the track channels 14 or further out of the track channels 14 to adjust to the adjustable stair tray assembly 100 to the desired stair tray depth. As the U-channel 16 is adjusted farther into the track channel 14, the overall stair tray depth becomes shorter. As the U-channels 16 are adjusted farther out of the track channels 14, the overall stair tray depth becomes greater.
Reference is now made to
The rear reinforced angle bar 12 is positioned with the bracket abutting portion 122 of the vertical wall 17 contacting the stair tray support bracket 26 immediately above it on the stringer 24. A fastener 5, such as a self-drilling screw, is inserted through the horizontal wall 15 of the rear reinforced angle bar 12 and into the upper wall 29 of the stair tray support bracket 26. A second fastener 5 is secured to the corresponding stair tray support bracket 26 supported by the stringer 24 on the opposite side of the stair system 200.
Next, the installer may use a rubber mallet to urge the front angle bar 10 to retract toward the rear reinforced angle bar 12 and thereby retract the assembly and reduce the stair tray depth. Upon contact with the vertical wall 11 of the front angle bar 10 to the stair tray support bracket 26, as shown in
Stair treads 108 (See
According to some embodiments, the stair system 200 is configured to have a width that only requires a pair of stringers 24 to support the reinforced adjustable stair tray assemblies 100. According to other embodiments, the stair system 200 may have a width that may be supported by a third stair stringer assembly disposed between two outer stair stringer assemblies or four stair stringers.
Reference is made to
The punch outs 220 may be formed using a metal punch press. According to an embodiment, the punch press forms the punch outs 220 in the sheet metal before the sheet is brake formed, or otherwise bent, into the final configuration of the rear reinforced angle bar 212 shown in
An alternative embodiment, the punch outs 220 on either side are used to make simplified cuts into the reinforcing flange 204 to form the notches 222 that provide clearance to accommodate two central stringers (not shown) for stairways supported by four stair stringers as opposed to two stair stringers or three stair stringers. The reinforced adjustable stair trays 202 are secured to the third or third and fourth stair stringer assembly as described above with respect to the reinforce adjustable stair trays 100 shown in
Even though the notches 222 may reduce the strength to oppose yielding of the reinforced adjustable star tray 202, the additional stair stringers accommodated by the notches 222 provide sufficient strength of the overall stairway system to meet certain codes or to be constructed with minimal unintended flexibility of the individual steps. Thus, the reinforcing flange 204 may not be necessary if the stairway is constructed with more than two stair stringers.
As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “or,” as used herein, is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood to convey that an element may be either X, Y, Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z). Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present, unless otherwise indicated.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the figures. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the assemblies as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that can be incorporated or utilized in another embodiment has been described above, it should be appreciated that other elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated or utilized with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.
