US6044598A — Elongated member of extruded plastic suitable for…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 151 words

An elongated member suitable for flooring, decking, or seating, and formed from plastics material by extrusion, comprising top plate means overlying a lower support and bridging gaps between parts of the support, both the top plate means and support being extruded; wherein said top plate means includes a main component and, protruding therefrom, ribs constituted by portions of parallel, spaced apart, elongated friction elements co-extruded with said main component, said friction elements being formed of plastic having distinctly greater softness or flexibility than that of said main component which lies between and underneath said friction elements, said friction elements having a hardness of between 50 and 92 Durometer on the Shore A scale and being suitable for providing a non-slip surface; and wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such as not to penetrate more than one half the top plate depth.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 151 words

An elongated member suitable for flooring, decking, or seating, and formed from plastics material by extrusion, comprising top plate means overlying a lower support and bridging gaps between parts of the support, both the top plate means and support being extruded; wherein said top plate means includes a main component and, protruding therefrom, ribs constituted by portions of parallel, spaced apart, elongated friction elements co-extruded with said main component, said friction elements being formed of plastic having distinctly greater softness or flexibility than that of said main component which lies between and underneath said friction elements, said friction elements having a hardness of between 50 and 92 Durometer on the Shore A scale and being suitable for providing a non-slip surface; and wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such as not to penetrate more than one half the top plate depth.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein the friction elements are such as not to penetrate more than 35% of the top plate depth.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein the friction elements have a hardness of between 75 and 85 Durometer on the Shore A scale.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein said main component of the top plate means has a hardness of at least 70 Durometer on the Shore D scale.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein said friction elements are rods.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein said lower support has an upstanding support portion extending longitudinally between two upstanding side walls, and wherein said top plate means is formed separately from the lower support and has intumed side edge elements, said side edge elements and said upstanding side walls having interengaging formations, said top plate means bridging gaps between the side walls and the support portion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein said lower support has two support portions extending longitudinally between two upstanding side walls and spaced apart on opposite sides of a centerline of the elongated member, and wherein said top plate means includes a pair of side-by-side top plates each having an outer edge element engageable with one of said upstanding side walls and an inner edge element engageable with an inner side of a support portion.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

A decking system comprising a plurality of elongated, extruded plastic members according to claim 6 arranged side-by-side, each member having protruding edge portions at both of their sides, said members being interconnected by a drainage part having a generally V form in cross-section with upstanding flanges dimensioned to fit underneath protruding edge portions of adjacent elongated members.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein the top plate means and said support are formed as an integral hollow extrusion.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 52 words

A hollow elongated member accord to claim 9 wherein said support includes a base plate, and sidewalls and webs integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the base plate, and wherein said base plate has side extensions which project beyond said side walls and which include recess means for receipt of fasteners.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 10, wherein one of said side extensions includes a formation for receiving and retaining the side extension of an identical adjacent elongated member.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 9, wherein the friction elements have a hardness of between 75 and 85 Durometer on the Shore A scale.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

An elongated member according to claim 1, wherein said friction elements are integral with a capstock layer overlying said main component of the top plate means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 47 words

A decking system comprising a plurality of elongated members according to claim 1, in which adjacent members are interconnected by a drainage part, said drainage part having a generally V form in cross-section with upstanding flanges dimensioned to fit underneath protruding edge portions of adjacent elongated members.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 172 words

An elongated hollow member suitable for flooring, decking, or seating, and formed from plastics material by extrusion, comprising: a lower support having a base plate and upstanding side walls and two upstanding support portions extending longitudinally between said side walls, said support portions being spaced on opposite sides of a centerline of the elongated member; a pair of side-by-side top plates each having an outer edge element engageable with one of said upstanding side walls and an inner edge element engageable with an inner edge of one of said support portions, wherein said top plates each include a main component and, protruding therefrom, ribs constituted by portions of parallel, spaced apart, elongated friction elements co-extruded with said main component, said friction elements being formed a plastic having distinctly greater softness or flexibility than that of said main component which lies between and underneath said friction elements, and wherein said friction elements having a hardness of less than 92 Durometer on the Shore A scale and are suitable for providing a non-slip surface.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 172 words

An elongated hollow member suitable for flooring, decking, or seating, and formed from plastics material by extrusion, comprising: a lower support having a base plate and upstanding side walls and two upstanding support portions extending longitudinally between said side walls, said support portions being spaced on opposite sides of a centerline of the elongated member; a pair of side-by-side top plates each having an outer edge element engageable with one of said upstanding side walls and an inner edge element engageable with an inner edge of one of said support portions, wherein said top plates each include a main component and, protruding therefrom, ribs constituted by portions of parallel, spaced apart, elongated friction elements co-extruded with said main component, said friction elements being formed a plastic having distinctly greater softness or flexibility than that of said main component which lies between and underneath said friction elements, and wherein said friction elements having a hardness of less than 92 Durometer on the Shore A scale and are suitable for providing a non-slip surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 13, wherein the friction elements have a hardness of between 75 and 85 Durometer on the Shore A scale.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 41 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said support includes side extensions of said base plate which project beyond said side walls, one of said extension having means for locating a complementary side extension of an adjacent identical member.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 38 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plates and are such as not to penetrate more than one half the depth of the top plates.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such as not to penetrate more than 35% the depth of the top plate means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 39 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such as not to penetrate more than 25% the depth of the top plate means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 42 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such that a thickness of top plate of at least 0.07 inches (1.8 mm) lies under the ribs.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 42 words

A hollow elongated member according to claim 15, wherein said friction elements have their lower portions embedded in the top plate means and are such that a thickness of top plate of at least 0.09 inches (2.3 mm) lies under the ribs.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-04-04	2003-10-04	2004-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-04-04	2007-10-04	2008-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-04-04	2011-10-04	2012-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Elongated member of extruded plastic suitable for flooring, decking, seating, and like uses

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