Edge boards and related assemblies

Abstract

An assembly comprises a supporting substructure and at least one longitudinally extending board member supported on the substructure. An edge member is mounted proximate an end portion of the board member and has a lower portion configured for attachment to the substructure, and an upstanding wall portion extending from the lower portion. The upper wall portion defines an open channel and provides an opening into the open channel. The edge member is attached to the substructure and the end portion of the board member is received through the opening of the edge member into the open channel. The channel can accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of the board member. The board member may be made of a natural fiber thermoplastic material. The assembly may be configured as a deck assembly.

1 . An edge member comprising: 
 (a) an enclosed lower channel defined by lower channel wall portions;    (b) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower channel wall portions, said upper wall portion defining an open channel and providing an opening into said open channel.    
   
   
       2 . An edge member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said upstanding wall portion comprises a vertically upstanding wall portion and a transverse web portion integrally formed at an upper edge of said upstanding wall portion.  
   
   
       3 . An edge member as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said opening is defined between an upper web portion of said lower channel wall portions and said transverse web portion.  
   
   
       4 . An edge member as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said transverse web portion has at least an end portion that is configured with an outer surface that is angled to narrow towards said end of said transverse web portion, to provide a wedge shaped outer surface.  
   
   
       5 . An assembly comprising: 
 (a) a supporting substructure;    (b) at least one longitudinally extending board member supported on said substructure, said board member having an end portion;    (c) an edge member mounted proximate said end portion of said board member, said edge member comprising: 
 (i) a lower portion configured for attachment to said substructure;  
 (ii) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower portion, said upper wall portion defining an open channel and providing an opening into said open channel;  
   said edge member being attached to said substructure and said end portion of said board member being received through said opening of said edge member into said open channel, wherein said channel can accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member such that said end portion remains substantially within said open channel of said edge member.    
   
   
       6 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 5  where in said at least one longitudinally extending board member comprises a plurality of board members arranged in side by side relation and supported on said substructure, said board members each having end portions received in side by side relation in said open channel.  
   
   
       7 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said lower portion of said edge member comprises an enclosed lower channel defined by lower channel wall portions.  
   
   
       8 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said upstanding wall portion of said edge member comprises a vertically upstanding wall portion and a transverse web portion integrally formed at an upper edge of said upstanding wall portion and wherein said opening of said edge member is defined between said an upper web portion of said lower channel wall portions and said transverse web portion.  
   
   
       9 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said transverse web portion has at least an end portion that is configured with an outer surface that is angled towards said end of said transverse web portion, to provide a wedge shaped outer surface.  
   
   
       10 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said board members are made of a material having a thermal coefficient of expansion of greater than 1 m/m/degrees celsius×10 minus 5.  
   
   
       11 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said board members are made of a material having a thermal coefficient of expansion less than 5 m/m/degrees celsius×10 minus 5.  
   
   
       12 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said substructure comprises a plurality of spaced joist members oriented generally transversely to said board members.  
   
   
       13 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said board members are mounted to said joist members with at least one clip member, said clip members permitting longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board members.  
   
   
       14 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said board members have a side from which a first lip outwardly extends, said first lip having an upper ramp surface extending upwardly away from said side of said first board and wherein said clip comprises a top portion; a downwardly extending tab extending downwardly from said top portion, said downwardly extending tab pressing on said ramp surface of said first lip of said board member securing said first board member to said substructure.  
   
   
       15 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said board members comprise first and second board members, each of said board members having a side from which a first lip outwardly extends, said first lip having an upper ramp surface extending upwardly away from said side of said first board, said first board member and said second board member extending on said supporting substructure with said first lip of said first board member and said first lip of said second board member each extending adjacent to each other; said clip comprising 
 a top portion;    two downwardly extending tabs extending downwardly from said top portion defining a medial region between said downwardly extending tabs, said downwardly extending tabs pressing on said ramp surface of said first lip of said first board member and said ramp surface of said first lip of said second board member, thereby pulling said first and second board members inwardly toward said medial region to secure said first and second board members to said substructure.    
   
   
       16 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said clip is formed from one of plastic, steel and aluminum.  
   
   
       17 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said board members are made from a reinforced fiber plastic composite.  
   
   
       18 . As an assembly as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said board members are made from a natural fiber thermoplastic composite material.  
   
   
       19 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said clips are formed from one of plastic, steel and aluminum.  
   
   
       20 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said edge board members are made from a natural fiber thermoplastic composite material.  
   
   
       21 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said end portion of said board member is a first end portion and said board member has a second end portion at an opposite longitudinal end to said first end portion; said assembly further comprising as second edge member mounted proximate said second end portion of said board member, said second edge member comprising: 
 (i) lower portion configured for attachment to said substructure;    (ii) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower portion, said upper wall portion defining an open channel and providing an opening into said open channel;    said second edge member being attached to said substructure and said second end portion of said board member being received through said opening of said second edge member into said second open channel, wherein said channels of said first and second edge members co-operate to accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member such that said end portions remain substantially in said open channel of said edge member.    
   
   
       22 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said board member is permanently affixed in a longitudinal direction at a medial position to said substructure, such that said longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member occurs in said open channels of both said first and second edge members.  
   
   
       23 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said board member is permanently affixed in a longitudinal direction at a medial position to said substructure, such that said longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member occurs in said open channels of both said first and second edge members.  
   
   
       24 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said plurality of board members comprises a first set of board members and said assembly further comprising a second set of board members comprising a plurality of board members; said board members of said second set of board members each having first ends and second ends at an opposite longitudinal end to said first end portion; 
 said assembly further comprising a second edge member mounted proximate said second end portion of each said board member of said second set of board members, said second edge member comprising: 
 (i) a lower portion configured for attachment to said substructure;  
 (ii) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower portion, said upper wall portion defining an open channel and providing an opening into said open channel;  
   said second edge member being attached to said substructure in an opposite direction to said second edge member, but in proximate relation thereto, and said first end portion of said board members of said second set being received through said opening of said second edge member into said open channel of said second edge member, wherein said channel of said second edge member co-operates to accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member such that said end portions remain substantially in said open channel of said first and second edge members.    
   
   
       25 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said board member has a longitudinally extending side portion, and wherein said assembly further comprises a third edge member that comprises: 
 (i) a lower portion configured for attachment to said substructure;    (ii) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower portion, said upper wall portion defining a third open channel and providing an opening into said third open channel;    said third edge member being attached to said substructure and said side edge portion of said board member being received through said opening of said third edge member into said third open channel, wherein said channel of said third edge member accommodates transverse expansion and contraction of said edge member such that said side edge portion remains substantially in said open channel of said third edge member.    
   
   
       26 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said end portion of said board member is a first end portion and said board member has a second end portion at an opposite longitudinal end to said first end portion, said second end portion being fixedly secured at an attachment location to said substructure proximate said second end portion, to resist substantial longitudinal movement of said second end portion relative to said substructure.  
   
   
       27 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said board member is also mounted to said substructure with at least one clip member spaced between said attachment location and said first end portion, said clip members permitting longitudinal expansion and contraction of said board member.  
   
   
       28 . An assembly comprising: 
 (a) a supporting substructure;    (b) first and second longitudinally extending board members supported on said substructure, said first and second board members each having an end portion;    (d) first and second edge members mounted in back to back relation to each other, said first edge member also mounted proximate said end portion of said first board member, said second edge member also mounted proximate said end portion of said second board member, said first and second edge members each comprising: 
 (i) a lower portion configured for attachment to said substructure;  
 (ii) an upstanding wall portion extending from said lower portion, said upper wall portion defining an open channel and providing an opening into said open channel;  
   said first and second edge members being attached to said substructure, and said end portion of said first board being received through said opening of said edge member into said open channel, said end portion of said second board member being received through said opening of said second edge member into said open channel, wherein said channels can accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of said first and second board members such that said end portions remains substantially in said open channels of said edge members.    
   
   
       29 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 28  where comprises a first plurality of board members arranged in side by side relation and supported on said substructure, said board members each having end portions received in side by side relation in said open channel of said first board member, and further comprising a second plurality of board members arranged in side by side relation and supported on said substructure, said board members each having end portions received in side by side relation in said open channel of said second board member.  
   
   
       30 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said lower portion of each of said edge members comprises an enclosed lower channel defined by lower channel wall portions.  
   
   
       31 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 30  wherein said upstanding wall portion of each of said edge members comprises a vertically upstanding wall portion and a transverse web portion integrally formed at an upper edge of said upstanding wall portion and wherein said opening of said edge member is defined between said an upper web portion of said lower channel wall portions and said transverse web portion.  
   
   
       32 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 31  wherein said transverse web portion of each of said first and second edge members has at least an end portion that is configured with an outer surface that is angled towards said end of said transverse web portion, to provide a wedge shaped outer surface.  
   
   
       33 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said board members are made of a material having a thermal coefficient of expansion of greater than 1 m/m/degrees celsius×10 minus 5.  
   
   
       34 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 33  wherein said board members are made of a material having a thermal coefficient of expansion less than 5 m/m/degrees Celsius×10 minus 5.  
   
   
       35 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said substructure comprises a plurality of spaced joist members oriented generally transversely to said board members.