Patent Application
20080134591
The present invention relates generally to systems and pedestals for constructing a traffic-bearing surface elevated from an underlying surface, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a stackable pedestal, such as a fixed height pedestal, and deck system using same.
Decking systems can be used to construct terraces, pedestrian walkways, gardens, plaza decks, sun decks, balconies, patios or the like elevated from an underlying surface or structure. Such decking systems may be elevated for drainage or other purposes and can be constructed on horizontal as well as inclined underlying surfaces. For example, inclined roofs of many buildings are capable of supporting a traffic-bearing surface, or deck.
Examples of deck systems utilizing roof pavers, or ballast blocks, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,397; 5,377,468; 5,442,882; and 6,604,330 B2 issued to Repasky. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,397 issued to Creske; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,588,264 and 6,332,292 B1 issued to Buzon.
So-called “fixed-height” pedestals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,442,882 and 6,604,330 B2 issued to Repasky. For example, a fixed-height pedestal (reference numeral 30) is illustrated in the Repasky '882 patent, and a fixed-height pedestal (reference numeral 68) is illustrated in the Repasky '330 patent. The fixed height pedestals have upstanding walls that define quadrants on which the corner portions of pavers or the like are supported. The upstanding walls engage the edges of the pavers to hold the pavers in a desired position and create desired uniform lateral spacing between adjacent pavers so that drainage gaps are provided.
The above referenced fixed-height pedestals are stackable. For this to be possible, the upstanding walls on a lower pedestal are received within downwardly-opening recesses formed on an underside of an upper pedestal. Accordingly, if the upper and lower pedestals are identical and of identical thickness, the height of the upstanding walls is limited to a height slightly less then the thickness of the fixed height pedestal body.
Further, it is known to use relatively-thin, flat shims to refine the height of a pedestal assembly. Typically, the flat shims are of a thickness less than the thickness of the fixed height pedestal body and have openings permitting the shims to fit over the upstanding walls of the pedestal. As an example, if the height, or thickness, of a fixed-height pedestal is about 0.625 inch (1.6 cm), flat shims with a thickness of 0.125 inch (0.3 cm) or 0.0625 inch (0.16 cm) may be added onto the pedestal to make fine adjustments to the total height of the pedestal assembly. However, the addition of the shims effectively reduces the height to which the upstanding walls extend above the upper surface of the pedestal assembly. Reducing the height of the upstanding wall of the pedestal assembly causes problems in that the pavers can be easily jostled out of proper position and alignment.
While the deck systems disclosed in the above referenced patents may be satisfactory for their intended purposes, there is a need for a stable, stackable pedestal for use in such systems. The system should ensure that the pedestal assembly retains the pavers, tiles, or other like decking elements in a desired position within a deck and should permit the height of the pedestal to be adjusted by stacking like pedestals together and by the addition of shims to the top of the pedestal assembly. In addition, the pedestals should be capable of efficient manufacture and installation.
More specifically, the present invention provides a pedestal matingly engagable with a like companion pedestal in vertically stacked relation to support corner portions of pavers, tiles, or like decking elements in edgewise juxtaposition above an underlying surface. The pedestal has a base, plate, or body, having a plurality of corner support portions. The base, plate, or body has a topside and a bottom side that define a predetermined thickness, or height, of the base, plate, or body. An abutment, such as an upstanding wall, flange, post, or the like, projects upwardly from the topside a predetermined distance, or height, that is greater than or equal to the predetermined thickness of the base, plate, or body. An aperture, such as a slot or the like, extends transversely through the base, plate, or body and is offset from the abutment. Accordingly, a like abutment of a companion pedestal can extend through the aperture of an upper stacked pedestal thereby permitting the pedestals to be stacked together in a stable manner.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a deck system for forming an elevated surface is provided. The deck system includes a plurality of pavers, tiles, or separate decking elements disposed in edgewise juxtaposition to form a deck. Each of the pavers, tiles or decking elements has corner portions, and the deck includes intersection areas in which the corner portions of adjacent pavers, tiles or decking elements are supported by pedestals positioned directly beneath the intersection areas. The pedestals support the corner portions a spaced distance above an underlying surface and include one or more fixed height base plates having a topside and a bottom side defining a predetermined fixed height therebetween. The base plate has abutments projecting upwardly from the topside a predetermined distance that is greater than or equal to the predetermined fixed height of the base plate. In addition, the base plate has apertures extending transversely therethrough for receiving like abutments of an identical fixed height base plate when the base plates are stacked together.
The features and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
As best illustrated in
Each separate decking element 12 can be made of concrete, marble, granite, wood, rubber, plastic, composite materials, or like weight-bearing substance and is typically square, rectangle, or some other shape in plan that can be readily positioned in a substantially uniform pattern. Accordingly, each decking element 12 will typically have corner portions 16, and the deck 14 will include intersection areas 18 in which corner portions 16 of adjacent decking elements 12 are arranged in edgewise juxtaposition.
A separate pedestal assembly 10 underlies each intersection area 18 of the deck 14 and supports the corner portions 16 of adjacent decking elements 12, such as four corner portions of four adjacent decking elements. See
An example of a pedestal assembly 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in
The pedestal plate 20 is typically an integral, molded, plastic or rubber body. For example, the pedestal plate 20 may be molded of rubber or injection molded of polypropylene, polyethylene, or like thermoplastic material. As best illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the openwork structure of pedestal plate 20 has a pan-shaped configuration defined by a relatively thin base wall 34 from which the sidewall 32 projects. The sidewall 32 provides the pedestal plate 20 with an octagonal periphery in plan. See
The upper edges of the inner walls 38 and sidewall 32 form the topside 30 of the pedestal plate 20 and define a surface on which a like pedestal 22, shims 24 and 26, or decking elements 12 can be supported. The thickness, or fixed height, “T” of pedestal plate 20 is defined by the distance from the bottom side 28 to the topside 30. The thickness “T” of pedestal plates 20 and 22 are identical. The thickness “S” of the shims is less than the thickness “T” of the pedestal plate 20 and is intended to permit fine incremental adjustments to the overall height “H” of the pedestal assembly 10.
By way of example, and not by way of limitation, the pedestal plates 20 and 22 can be identical and each have a thickness “T” of about 0.625 inch (1.6 cm). The larger shim 24 can have a thickness “S” of 0.125 inch (0.3 cm), and the thickness of the thinner shim 26 can be 0.0625 inch (0.16 cm). Thus, the combination can provide an overall pedestal assembly height “H” of about 1.44 inches (3.65 cm). Of course, this is just an example and other pedestal plates and shims of greater or lesser thicknesses and different combinations of plates and/or shims can be utilized.
As best illustrated in
A first axis, or line of position, “X” and a second axis, or line of position “Y” are illustrated in
According to the present invention, at least one upstanding abutment 50 projects upwardly from the topside 30 of the pedestal plate 20. The abutment 50 extends within a first imaginary plane extending vertically through the pedestal plate 20 and axis “X” or within a second imaginary plane extending vertically through axis “Y”. Accordingly, the abutment 50 extends between the boundaries of adjacent quadrants. Preferably, at least one abutment 50 extends between each pair of adjacent quadrants. Thus, as illustrated in
The abutments 50 provide surfaces that engage edges of corner portions 16 of the decking elements 12 and define the location and proper position of each decking element 12 within the deck 14. Further, the width “W” of the abutments 50 determine lateral spacing between adjacent decking elements 12 thereby defining drainage gaps between the decking elements 12. The abutments 50 located on the top of the pedestal assembly 10 must extend to a height that affords a proper amount of engagement between the abutment 50 and the edges of the decking elements 12 sufficient to prevent decking elements from being readily jostled out of proper position past or over the abutments 50. However, the height of the abutment 50 should be less then the thickness of the decking element 12 to ensure that the abutment does not extend above the surface of the deck 14.
By way of example, and not by way of limitation, a pedestal plate 20 that has a thickness “T” of 0.652 inch (1.6 cm) can have an abutment 50 of a height “A” of about 0.652 inch (1.6 cm) to about 1.0 inch (2.54 cm) or more. Accordingly, the abutments 50 are preferably of a height “A” that is greater than or equal to the thickness “T” of the pedestal plate 20.
In the illustrated embodiments, the abutments 50 are provided as solid walls or flanges formed integrally with the pedestal plates 20 and 22. Alternatively, the abutments 50 can be provided by as a post, tab, or an array of like elements. The pedestal plate 20 and 22 include one abutment 50 between each of the quadrants for a total of four abutments 50 per plate. The illustrated arrangement of the abutments 50 include a first pair of abutments 52 on the “X” axis that is located close to a center “C” of the pedestal plate 20 and a second pair of abutments 54 on the “Y” axis that are spaced further from the center “C”. Thus, the spacing between the first pair of abutments 52 is different than the spacing between the second pair of abutments 54. The significance of this arrangement is discussed in greater detail below.
The pedestal plate 20 has one or more apertures 56 that extend transversely through the plate and that opens in both the topside 30 and bottom side 28. Each aperture 56 is sized to accommodate and receive at least one abutment 50 extending from a lower-positioned pedestal plate within a stack of pedestal plates. For example, the apertures 56 in pedestal plate 22 receive the abutments 50 extending from pedestal plate 20. Accordingly, the apertures 56 permit the bottom side 28 of the pedestal plate 22 to be seated flush on the top side 30 of the pedestal plate 20. See
The apertures 56 of pedestal plate 20 are located on the “X” and “Y” lines of position between the corner support portions, 42, 42, 46 and 48, and are offset from the abutments 50 that extend from pedestal plate 20. Accordingly, preferably an abutment 50 and an aperture 56 are located between each adjacent pair of corner support portions, 42, 42, 46 and 48. In
An advantage of this arrangement is that the abutments 50 extending from the upper pedestal plate 22 will always be of a significant height despite the addition of shims. As stated previously, the addition of shims, 24 and 26, reduces the height to which the abutments 50 of plate 22 extend above a top surface of the pedestal assembly 10. However, since abutments 50 are of height “A” greater than or equal to the thickness “T” of each pedestal plate, 20 and 22, any amount of shims can be used and the abutments 50 will still be of a sufficient height. Of course, when the total thickness of the shims, 24 and 26, matches the thickness “T” of a pedestal plate, the shims can be removed and replaced with a pedestal plate providing a new set of abutments 50.
As an example, a possible location of the deck 14 is on a sloped underlying surface provided by the roof of a building or other structure. Such surfaces may be provided at a slope for drainage or other purposes. In this case, levelers (not shown) can be used between the underlying surface and pedestal assemblies 10 to ensure that the pedestal assemblies 10 project substantially parallel to a vertical direction. As an example, the levelers can be those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,882 issued to Repasky, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
It may be desired in some installations that the decking elements 12 be mechanically secured to the pedestal assemblies 10. In this case, a corner cap (not shown) can extend over the corner portions 16 of the decking elements 12 within an intersection area 18 and be mechanically tied to the pedestal assembly 10 with a fastener or the like. As an example, the caps can be those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,330 B2 issued to Repasky, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
The above-described deck system and pedestal assembly according to the present invention provides a stable elevated traffic bearing surface for pedestrians and the like on an existing structure or surface. The pedestal assemblies and deck are easy to install and inexpensive to manufacture. The height of each pedestal assembly can be adjusted by adding further identical pedestal plates to the assembly or by adding shims for fine height adjustments. Each pedestal plate is identical and permits stacking when positioned one quarter turn relative to an underlying pedestal plate. Although fixed height pedestal plates have been described, the present invention can also be utilized on non-fixed height pedestals. In addition, preferably each pedestal plate can be broken in half for placement along walls and can be broken into quarters for placement in corners.
While preferred deck system and pedestal assemblies have been described in detail, various modifications, alterations, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the deck system and pedestal assembly according to the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
