Overview
This patented flooring and shipping apparatus transforms how modular outdoor structures are manufactured, packed, and delivered. Filed in January 2013 and granted in July 2015, the patent—assigned to Backyard Playsets of West Texas (Amarillo, TX)—protects an engineered flooring that doubles as a shipping pallet and an installation base. Inventors based in Amarillo, TX designed a platform with perimeter sockets sized to receive structure legs, tapered sockets and stiffener assemblies for secure seating, integrated drains to manage moisture, and optional cap and bracket systems for alternative installs. The flooring nests for efficient stacking, aligns with standard shipping footprints, and enables components (for example, slides) to be stored within the packaged structure to minimize volume and handling.
The result is a manufacturable system that reduces wasted pallet materials, simplifies final assembly for end users, and optimizes container loading to lower shipping costs. Our drafting highlighted practical installation gaps, drainage details, and modular variants (socketed and socketless) to secure broad and enforceable coverage.
Key Features
- Flooring that functions as both shipping pallet and installation base
- Perimeter tapered sockets with stiffeners and drainage
- Nestable design for compact storage and standard shipping footprints
- Variants with brackets for socketless attachment and end-user-friendly packaging
By combining shipping, installation, and material-handling considerations into a single platform, this invention addresses logistics and on-site labor challenges across playset, storage, and small-structure markets.
Granted: 2015-07-07
