Scaffold plank and method of making the same

Abstract

A scaffold plank comprising a rectangularly configured main body which defines opposed ends, and a pair of end caps secured to respective ones of the opposed ends of the main body. Both the main body and the end caps are preferably fabricated from a recycled/recyclable plastic material. Additionally, the main body may be provided with one or more internal steel reinforcement bars for purposes of selectively increasing the level of structural integrity/rigidity thereof.

1 . A scaffold plank comprising: 
 an elongate main body having: 
 a top wall;  
 an opposed pair of side walls attached to the top wall; and  
 a reinforcement structure attached to at least the top wall and extending between the side walls;  
   the main body being fabricated solely from a plastic material.    
     
     
         2 . The scaffold plank of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the top wall defines inner and outer surfaces;  
 each of the side walls is integrally connected to the top wall and defines an inner surface; and  
 the reinforcement structure is integrally connected to at least the inner surface of the top wall.  
 
     
     
         3 . The scaffold plank of  claim 2  wherein: 
 the top wall is generally rectangular and includes opposed pairs of longitudinal and lateral sides;  
 the side walls extend along respective ones of the longitudinal sides in generally parallel relation to each other; and  
 the reinforcement structure comprises: 
 a plurality of channel members extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the top wall;  
 a plurality of primary reinforcement webs extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the top wall, each of the primary reinforcement webs being disposed between a respective pair of the channel members; and  
 a plurality of secondary reinforcement webs extending between each of the primary reinforcement webs and respective ones of the channel members.  
 
 
     
     
         4 . The scaffold plank of  claim 3  wherein: 
 the channel members and the primary reinforcement webs extend in generally parallel relation to the side walls and each other; and  
 the secondary reinforcement webs extend angularly between each of the primary reinforcement webs and respective ones of the channel members.  
 
     
     
         5 . The scaffold plank of  claim 4  wherein: 
 each of the channel members defines a elongate slot; and  
 the scaffold plank further comprises a plurality of reinforcement bars disposed within respective ones of the slots.  
 
     
     
         6 . The scaffold plank of  claim 5  wherein each of the reinforcement bars is fabricated from steel.  
     
     
         7 . The scaffold plank of  claim 3  further comprising a pair of end caps attached to the main body and extending along respective ones of the lateral sides of the top wall.  
     
     
         8 . The scaffold plank of  claim 3  further comprising a cover member attached to the channel members, the primary reinforcement webs, and the secondary reinforcement webs of the reinforcement structure.  
     
     
         9 . The scaffold plank of  claim 3  wherein the reinforcement structure comprises: 
 four channel members spaced from each other in substantially equidistant intervals, with two of the channel members further being integrally connected to the inner surfaces of respective ones of the side walls; and  
 three primary reinforcement webs extending substantially intermediate a respective pair of the channel members.  
 
     
     
         10 . The scaffold plank of  claim 3  wherein the outer surface of the top wall is textured.  
     
     
         11 . The scaffold plank of  claim 1  wherein the plastic material is a glass-filled polypropylene/nylon blend.  
     
     
         12 . The scaffold plank of  claim 11  wherein the polypropylene/nylon blend is about ten percent to about fifty percent glass filled.  
     
     
         13 . A scaffold plank comprising: 
 an elongate main body having: 
 a top wall;  
 a bottom wall;  
 an opposed pair of side walls attached to and extending between the top and bottom walls; and  
 a reinforcement structure attached to the top and bottom walls and extending between the side walls;  
   the main body being fabricated solely from a plastic material.    
     
     
         14 . The scaffold plank of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the top wall defines inner and outer surfaces;  
 the bottom wall defines inner and outer surfaces;  
 each of the side walls is integrally connected to the top and bottom walls; and  
 the reinforcement structure is integrally connected to the inner surfaces of the top and bottom walls.  
 
     
     
         15 . The scaffold plank of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the top wall is generally rectangular and includes opposed pairs of longitudinal and lateral sides;  
 the bottom wall is generally rectangular and includes opposed pairs of longitudinal and lateral sides; and  
 the side walls extend along respective pairs of the longitudinal sides of the top and bottom walls in generally parallel relation to each other.  
 
     
     
         16 . The scaffold plank of  claim 15  further comprising a pair of end caps attached to the main body and extending along respective pairs of the lateral sides of the top and bottom walls.  
     
     
         17 . The scaffold plank of  claim 15  wherein at least the outer surface of the top wall is textured.  
     
     
         18 . The scaffold plank of  claim 13  wherein the plastic material is a glass-filled polypropylene/nylon blend.  
     
     
         19 . The scaffold plank of  claim 18  wherein the polypropylene/nylon blend is about ten percent to about fifty percent glass-filled.