EP4675061A1

EP4675061A1 - Connection system for support of terrace boards

Info

Publication number: EP4675061A1
Application number: EP25187647.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Filip Baranowski; Jozef Baranowski; Robert Brzezinski
Original assignee: "deck Dry Polska" Spolka Z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia
Current assignee: "deck Dry Polska" Spolka Z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia
Priority date: 2024-07-05
Filing date: 2025-07-04
Publication date: 2026-01-07
Also published as: US20260009238A1; PL449139A1

Abstract

A system for connecting the terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed comprises a support board (2), a connector (4) and a fastening element (5). The support board (2) has open recesses (3a, 3b) formed between the converging side walls (2a) transverse to their common edge (2a'), and the connector (4) is in the form of a mushroom containing a head (4a), a leg (4b) and a through hole (4c) for the fastening element (5). The support board (2) is fixed to the bottom surface of the terrace board (1), the head (4a) of the connector (4) is situated in a socket (3) formed by the recesses (3a, 3b) of the adjacent support boards (2), and the leg (4b) of the connector (4) is positioned in a gap (s) between the corners of the adjacent support boards (2), the terrace boards (1) being fixed to the base by the fastening element (5) positioned in the opening (4c) of the connector (4).

Description

The object of the invention is a system for connecting terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed. The invention is applicable to the terrace construction of terrace boards, the upper surface of which forms the usable surface of the terrace.
From document EP 3 112 551 B1 , the terrace system and the holding part for fastening the visible profiles are known. The holding part for fixing the visible profiles comprises a base plate having at least one fixing hole for the holding element for mounting the holding part, and two holding bridges detaching from the base plate, located side by side, which act opposite to each other in an interlocking manner in the recess on each visible profile.
From document EP 4 012 134 B1 , a terrace system with a fastening element for attaching the first and second visible profiles to the supporting structure is known. The fastening element has two opposing wide sides, long sides, a base plate and spring elements that protrude from the base plate. In addition, the base plate has a spacer which is positioned between the first and second spring elements and has a first mounting hole. The spring elements and the base plate spacer are located on the first wide side of the fastening element.
A stabilising system for the terrace brackets system is known from the US document 2009188189 A1 . Each bracket supports the corner sections of the adjacent terrace board blocks at a distance. At least one stabilising element in the form of a stabilising bar, elongated wires, wire rope, cable or rods is attached to the connection points of at least two brackets and extends between them.
The present invention solves the problem of insufficient mechanical stability of a terrace made of terrace boards laid freely on the base, especially on supports, of inspecting the condition of the base under the terrace and of replacing the terrace board.
The purpose of the present invention is to increase the mechanical stability of a terrace made of terrace boards, in particular to protect the terrace boards from wind uplift, and to provide the possibility of inspecting the condition of the base under the terrace and, if necessary, replacing the terrace boards without having to demolish other terrace boards that are not to be replaced.
This was achieved by developing a system for connecting the terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed, such as supports/stands, which prevents the individual terrace boards from being displaced, particularly under the influence of strong winds, and which enables the terrace boards to be replaced quickly and easily.
According to the invention, a system for connecting the terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed, wherein the upper surface of the terrace boards forms the usable surface of the terrace, with the terrace boards arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, is characterised in that it comprises a support board, a connector and a fastening element, said support board having open recesses formed between the converging side walls transverse to their common edge, the connector is in the form of a mushroom with a head, a leg and a through hole passing through the head and the leg, with a support shelf for the fastening element being formed on the wall of the leg hole, wherein the support boards are attached to the underside of the terrace boards, which are laid on the terrace base at a predetermined distance from one another in such a way that the aforementioned recesses of the adjacent support boards form a socket in which the head of the connector is placed and the leg of the connector is positioned between the adjacent support boards, while the fastening element is located in the hole of the connector and rests with one end on a support shelf in the hole, and with the other end is detachedly fastened to the base, on which the terrace is placed, wherein the recesses are shaped in such a way that the connector, in its free position, can be moved in the socket along the gaps between the side walls of the adjacent support boards until the position where the head of the connector leaves the specified recess of the socket of corresponding adjacent boards.
Preferably, the support board is openwork.
Preferably, the gap between the walls of the adjacent supporting boards of terrace is greater than or equal to the distance between the respective terrace boards.
The recesses can either be formed on the top surface of the support board or between the top and bottom surfaces of the support board.
Preferably, the fastening element has a length no greater than the height of the connector.
The solution according to the present invention increases the mechanical stability of the terrace, especially under difficult environmental conditions, such as strong winds, and ensures easy removal of selected terrace boards, e.g. damaged boards, and re-installation of the boards in place of the removed ones, without having to demolish the terrace boards that are not to be replaced.
The invention is illustrated in the embodiments in the drawing where:

Fig. 1, Fig. 1A show the connection between the support boards (without showing the terrace boards), in the first version, in the position mounted to the base, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 1B shows the connection between the support boards (with one terrace board visible), in the first version, in the base-mounted position, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 2 shows the connection between the support boards, as in Fig. 1, Fig. 1A in cross-section through the connector, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 3 shows the connection between the support boards with the terrace boards fixed to them, in the first version, in the in position mounted to the base, in cross-section through the connector;
Fig. 4 shows the connection between the load-bearing boards with the terrace boards attached to them, in the first version, with the fastening element non-screwed/unscrewed in the position prepared for installation/removal of the terrace board, in cross-section through the connector.
Fig. 5, 5A show the connection between the support boards (without showing the terrace boards) in the first version, in the position during installation/removal of the terrace board, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 5B shows the connection between the support boards (with one terrace board visible), in the first version, in the position during installation/removal of the terrace board, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 6 shows the connection between the support boards, as in Fig. 5, in cross-section through the connector, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 7 shows the connection as in Fig. 6 with the connector offset beyond the gap between the support boards;
Fig. 8, Fig. 8A show the connection between the support boards (without showing the terrace boards), in the second version, in the position mounted to the base, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 8B shows the connection between the support boards (with one terrace board visible), in the second version, in the position mounted to the base, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 9 shows the connection between the support boards, as in Fig. 8, in cross-section through the connector, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 10 shows the connection between the support boards with the terrace boards attached to them, in the second version, in the position mounted to the base, in the cross-section through the connector;
Fig. 11 shows the connection between the support boards (without showing the terrace boards) in the second version, in the position during installation/removal of the terrace board, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 12, 12A show the connection between the support boards as per
Fig. 11, in cross-section through the connector, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 12B shows the connection between the support boards (with one terrace board visible), in the second version, in the position during installation/removal of the terrace board, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 13 shows the connection between the support boards, in the second version, with the fastening element non-screwed/unscrewed in the position prepared for installation/removal of the terrace board, in cross-section through the connector.
Fig. 14 shows the connection as in Fig. 13 with the connector offset beyond the gap between the support boards;
Fig. 15 shows the support board in its first version, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 16, Fig. 17 show the support board in the second version, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 18 shows the connector in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 19 shows the connector as in Fig. 18 in cross-section;
Fig. 20 shows the connector with the fastening element, in cross-section, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 21 shows the connector in Fig. 20 in cross-section;
Fig. 22 shows a connector with a fastening element resting on a support shelf, in cross-section, in three-dimensional view;
Fig. 23 shows the connector as in Fig. 22 in cross-section.

According to an embodiment, a system for connecting the terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed, where the upper surface of the terrace boards 1 forms the usable surface of the terrace, wherein the terrace boards 1 are arranged at a preset distance s' from each other, comprises a support board 2, a connector 4 and a fastening element 5. Said support board 2, preferably openwork, has open recesses formed between the converging side walls 2a, transverse to their common edge 2a'. In one version of the invention, the recesses 3a are formed on the upper surface of the support board 2 at its corners as shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 7, Fig. 15, and in the second version of the invention, the recesses 3b are formed in the side walls of the support board 2, between the upper and lower surfaces of the support board 2 as shown in Fig. 8 to Fig. 14, Fig. 16, Fig. 17. The connector 4 is in the form of a mushroom which contains a head 4a, a leg 4b and a through hole 4c passing through said head 4a and leg 4b, as shown in Fig. 18, 19. On the wall of the aforementioned opening 4c of the leg 4b, a support shelf 4c' is formed for the fastening element 5, as shown in Fig. 19 to Fig. 23.
The supporting boards 2 are fixed to the lower surface of the terrace boards 1, for example with adhesive. The support boards 2 with the terrace boards 1 attached to them are laid on the terrace base at a pre-determined distance from each other and so that the recesses 3a, 3b of the adjacent sub-framework boards 2 form a socket 3 as shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5, Fig. 5B, Fig. 12, Fig. 12B, in which the head 4a of the connector 4 is positioned and the leg 4b of the connector 4 is positioned between adjacent support boards 2. The fastening element 5, for example a screw, is positioned in the hole 4c of the connector 4 and with one end rests against the support shelf 4c' in the hole 4c and with the other end is detachably fixed to the base on which the terrace is placed, for example screwed to the base, as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 9, Fig. 10. The recesses 3a, 3b are shaped in such a way that the connector 4 can be moved in the socket 3 along the gap s between the side walls of the adjacent support boards 2 to a position in which the head 4a of the fastening element 4 leaves the recess 3a, 3b of the socket 3 of the respective adjacent boards 2, as shown in Fig. 5, Fig. 5B, Fig. 12, Fig. 12B.
The fastening element 5, for example a screw, has a length n not greater than the height h of the fastening element 4, as shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 11, Fig. 13, Fig. 14, Fig. 20, Fig. 21, which allows it to be left free in hole 4c during installation and removal of terrace boards 1.
The base on which the terrace is placed can be, for example, adjustable supports, stands, etc.
An example of terrace installation is as follows.
Support boards 2 are attached to the underside of the terrace boards 1 using adhesive, for example, so that the support board 2 does not project beyond the terrace board 1. Subsequently, on the prepared base of, for example, brackets, which are positioned at the corners of the support boards 2 and adjusted in height according to the design, the first support board 2 is laid with the terrace board 1 attached to it and connectors 4 with fastening elements 5, for example, with screws, are inserted in the recesses 3a/3b, and then further support boards 2 with attached terrace boards 1 are laid in the corners of the first support board 1 by moving the connector 4 in the gaps s between the adjacent support boards 2. Once the support boards 2 have been laid with the terrace boards 1 attached, the leg 4b of the connector 4 is inserted into the gap formed between the corners of the adjacent support boards 2, the head 4a of the connector 4 rests in the socket 3 formed by the 3a/3b recesses of the adjacent support boards 2, and the fastening elements 5 are then screwed to the base, for example to the brackets. The screwed-on fastening element 5 rests with its upper end against the supporting shelf 4c' in the hole 4c of the connector 4.
Removal and replacement of terrace board 1 is done in reverse order of installation. First, the fastening elements 5 are unscrewed and left in the holes 4c, and then the connectors 4 are slid into the gaps s between the side walls of the adjacent support boards 2 so that the heads 4a of the connectors 4 leave the recesses 3a/3b of the dismantled terrace board 1. In place of the terrace board 1 that has been removed, a new terrace board 1 is inserted with the support board 2 attached to it, and then the connectors 4 are moved along the aforementioned gaps s to the sockets 3 and the fastening elements 5 are screwed to the base, for example to the brackets.

List of numerical references

1 - terrace board
2 - support board
2a - support board side wall
2a' - common edge of side walls of support board
3 - connector socket
3a - recess on the upper surface of the support board
3b - recess in the side walls of the support board transverse to their common
edge between the top and bottom surfaces of the support board
4 - connector
4a - connector head
4b - connector leg
4c - connector hole
4c' - support shelf on wall of connecting hole
5 - fastening element
h - connector height
n - length of the fastening element
s - gap between adjacent support boards
s' - distance between adjacent terrace boards

Claims

A system for connecting the terrace boards to each other and to the base on which the terrace is placed, where the top surface of the terrace boards forms the usable surface of the terrace, with the terrace boards arranged at a preset distance from each other, characterised in that it comprises a support board (2), a connector (4) and a fastening element (5), whereby said support board (2) has open recesses (3a, 3b) formed between converging side walls (2a) transverse to their common edge (2a'), the connector (4) is in the form of a mushroom containing a head (4a), a leg (4b) and a through hole (4c) passing through said head (4a) and leg (4b), and on the wall of said hole (4c) of the leg (4b) a support shelf (4c') is formed, wherein the support boards (2) are attached to the bottom surface of the terrace boards (1) and laid on the terrace base at a pre-determined distance from one another such that the aforementioned recesses (3a, 3b) of the adjacent support boards (2) form a socket (3) in which the head (4a) of the connector (4) is placed and the leg (4b) of the connector (4) is positioned between the adjacent support boards (2) and the fastening element (5) is positioned in the hole (4c) of the connector (4) and rests with one end against the support shelf (4c') in the hole (4c) and with the other end is detachably fastened to the base on which the terrace is placed, whereas the recesses (3a, 3b) are shaped in such a way that the connector (4) in the free position can be moved in the socket (3) along the gaps (s) between the side walls of the adjacent support boards (2) to a position where the head (4a) of the connector (4) leaves the recess (3a, 3b) of the socket (3) of the respective adjacent support boards (2).
The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the support board (2) is openwork.
The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gap (s) between the walls of the adjacent support boards (2) of the terrace is greater than or equal to the distance (s') between the respective terrace boards (1).
The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the recesses (3a) are formed on the upper surface of the support board (2).
The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the recesses (3b) are formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the support board (2).
The system according to claim 1, characterised in that the fastening element (5) has a length (n) not greater than the height (h) of the connector (4).