Joist Assemblies and Assembly Kits

Abstract

A joist assembly kit according to various embodiments comprises: (A) a first joist comprising: (1) a first casing; (2) a tenon that is disposed adjacent an end portion of the first casing; and (3) a first reinforcing member that extends: (a) longitudinally within the interior of both the casing and the tenon, (b) out of the tenon's interior, and (c) adjacent an end surface of the tenon; and (B) a second joist that comprises: (1) a second casing; and (2) a second reinforcing member that extends longitudinally within an the second casing's interior. In particular embodiments: (1) the second casing defines a mortise; (2) the tenon is adapted so that when the tenon is inserted into the second joist's mortise, the tenon matingly engages the second joist about a perimeter of the mortise. The joists may be attached together by fastening their respective reinforcing members together with a suitable fastener.

1 . A joist assembly kit comprising:
 a) a first joist comprising:
 a first elongated casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; 
 a tenon that is disposed adjacent an end portion of said first elongated casing; and 
 a first reinforcing member that: (1) extends longitudinally within an interior of said first elongated casing; and (2) extends longitudinally within an interior of said tenon, wherein: 
 a particular portion of said first reinforcing member extends out of said interior of said tenon and folds over a particular end surface of said tenon; and 
   b) a second joist comprising:
 a second elongated casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; and 
 a second reinforcing member that extends longitudinally within an interior of said second elongated casing, wherein:
 said second elongated casing defines at least one mortise; 
 said second reinforcing member defines a particular exterior surface of said second joist immediately adjacent said mortise; 
 said particular surface of said second joist at least partially defines said mortise; and 
 said tenon of said first joist is adapted and dimensioned so that when said tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise, said first joist's tenon matingly engages said second joist about a perimeter of said mortise. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second elongated casings are plastic casings. 
     
     
         3 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 1 , wherein said first reinforcing member is a metal reinforcing member. 
     
     
         4 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said second reinforcing member is a metal reinforcing member; and   said particular surface of said second joist is a particular metal surface.   
     
     
         5 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said first and second elongated casings are plastic casings.   
     
     
         6 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said first and second joists are adapted and dimensioned so that, when said first joist's tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise and said tenon matingly engages said second joist about a perimeter of said mortise, said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member.   
     
     
         7 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said particular metal surface is substantially planar;   said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member is substantially planar; and   when said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member, said particular metal surface and said first metal reinforcing member are substantially parallel to each other.   
     
     
         8 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said particular metal surface and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member are adapted so that, when said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member, a user may drive a fastener through said particular metal surface of said second joist and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member to facilitate attachment of said first joist to said second joist.   
     
     
         9 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 5 , wherein said first metal reinforcing member has a substantially Z-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         10 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 5 , wherein said second metal reinforcing member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 5 , wherein said first elongated plastic casing comprises a plurality of elongated plastic structures that are disposed circumferentially about said first metal reinforcing member. 
     
     
         12 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 11 , wherein said second elongated plastic casing comprises a plurality of elongated plastic structures that are disposed circumferentially about said second metal reinforcing member. 
     
     
         13 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said first and second joists are configured so that when said tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise, said first and second plastic casings at least substantially insulate both said particular metal surface of said second joist and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member from the atmosphere adjacent the exterior of said first and second joists.   
     
     
         14 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 1 , wherein a particular length of plastic material defines at least a portion of both said first elongated plastic casing and said tenon. 
     
     
         15 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said particular length of plastic material is a first particular length of material; and   said first joist comprises a second particular length of material that defines at least a portion of both said first elongated plastic casing and said tenon.   
     
     
         16 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 15 , wherein said first and second particular lengths of material are disposed on opposite sides of said first metal reinforcing member. 
     
     
         17 . A joist assembly kit comprising:
 a) a first joist comprising:
 a first elongated plastic casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; 
 a tenon that is disposed adjacent an end portion of said first elongated plastic casing; and 
 a first metal reinforcing member that: (1) extends longitudinally within an interior of said first elongated plastic casing; and (2) extends longitudinally within an interior of said tenon, wherein:
 a particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member extends out of said interior of said tenon adjacent a particular end surface of said tenon; and 
 
   b) a second joist comprising:
 a second elongated plastic casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; and 
 a second metal reinforcing member that extends longitudinally within an interior of said second elongated plastic casing, wherein:
 said second elongated plastic casing defines at least one mortise; 
 said tenon of said first joist is adapted and dimensioned so that when said tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise, said first joist's tenon matingly engages said second joist about a perimeter of said mortise; and 
 said first and second joists are adapted and dimensioned so that a particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member engages a particular portion of said second metal reinforcing member when said tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 17 , wherein said joist assembly kit further comprises at least one fastener that is adapted to fasten said first and second joists together by extending through both:
 a) said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member; and   b) said particular portion of said second metal reinforcing member.   
     
     
         19 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 18 , wherein said first metal reinforcing member has a substantially Z-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 18 , wherein said second metal reinforcing member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         21 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 20 , wherein:
 said first elongated plastic casing comprises a plurality of elongated plastic structures that are disposed circumferentially about said first metal reinforcing member; and   said second elongated plastic casing comprises a plurality of elongated plastic structures that are disposed circumferentially about said second metal reinforcing member.   
     
     
         22 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said first and second joists are configured so that, when said tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise said first and second plastic casings at least substantially insulate both said particular metal surface of said second joist and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member from the atmosphere.   
     
     
         23 . A joist assembly comprising:
 a) a first joist comprising:
 a first elongated casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; 
 a tenon that is disposed adjacent an end portion of said first elongated casing; and 
 a first reinforcing member that: (1) extends longitudinally within an interior of said first elongated casing; and (2) extends longitudinally within an interior of said tenon, wherein:
 a particular portion of said first reinforcing member extends out of said interior of said tenon and folds over a particular end surface of said tenon; and 
 
   c) a second joist comprising:
 a second elongated casing that is substantially in the form of a rectangular prism; and 
 a second reinforcing member that extends longitudinally within an interior of said second elongated casing, wherein:
 said second elongated casing defines at least one mortise; 
 said second reinforcing member defines a particular exterior, surface of said second joist immediately adjacent said mortise; 
 said particular surface of said second joist at least partially defines said mortise; and 
 said tenon of said first joist is disposed within said second joist's mortise, and said first joist's tenon matingly engages said second joist about a perimeter of said mortise. 
 
   
     
     
         24 . The joist assembly of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said first and second elongated casings are plastic casings;   said first reinforcing member is a metal reinforcing member;   said second reinforcing member is a metal reinforcing member; and   said particular surface of said second joist is particular metal surface.   
     
     
         25 . The joist assembly of  claim 24 , wherein:
 said first and second joists are adapted and dimensioned so that, when said first joist's tenon is inserted into said second joist's mortise and said tenon matingly engages said second joist about a perimeter of said mortise, said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member.   
     
     
         26 . The joist assembly of  claim 25 , wherein:
 said particular metal surface is substantially planar;   said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member is substantially planar, and   when said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member, said particular metal surface and said first metal reinforcing member are substantially parallel to each other.   
     
     
         27 . The joist assembly of  claim 26 , wherein:
 said particular metal surface and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member are adapted so that, when said particular metal surface of said second joist engages said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member, a user may drive a fastener through said particular metal surface of said second joist and said particular portion of said first metal reinforcing member to facilitate attachment of said first joist to said second joist.   
     
     
         28 . The joist assembly kit of  claim 27 , wherein:
 said first metal reinforcing member has a substantially Z-shaped cross-section;   said second metal reinforcing member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section.