Rail top attachment clip and method

1. A railing attachment clip to couple a guardrail to a rail topper, the clip comprising:

a left portion comprising:

a first mating surface contoured to match a first portion of the guardrail;

a second mating surface contoured to match a first portion of the rail topper; and

an attachment area configured to facilitate attachment of the left portion to the guardrail;

a central portion laterally coupled to the left portion;

a right portion laterally coupled to the central portion, the right portion comprising:

a first mating surface contoured to match a second portion of the guardrail;

a second mating surface contoured to match a second portion of the rail topper; and

an attachment area configured to facilitate attachment of the right portion to the guardrail,

wherein the central portion separates the left portion from the right portion by a fixed distance, and

wherein the central portion is detachably coupled to both the left portion and the right portion.

2. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the fixed distance is selected so that the first mating surface of the left portion is coupled to the first portion of the guardrail when the first mating surface of the right portion is coupled to the second portion of the guardrail, and so that the second mating surface of the left portion is coupled to the first portion of the rail topper when the second mating surface of the right portion is coupled to the second portion of the rail topper.

3. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the central portion comprises a mating surface contoured to match a third portion of the rail topper.

4. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the central portion comprises a detachable body having a shape that matches a central ridge of the rail topper.

5. The railing attachment clip of claim 4 , wherein the central ridge of the rail topper comprises a surface contoured to match a third portion of the guardrail.

6. The railing attachment clip of claim 5 wherein, when the rail topper is coupled to the guardrail, the central ridge is in contact with the left portion and the right portion of the railing attachment clip.

7. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the first mating surface of the left portion and the first mating surface of the right portion comprise respective non-planar surfaces.

8. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the second mating surface of the left portion and the second mating surface of the right portion comprise respective snap-fit surfaces.

9. The railing attachment clip of claim 1 , wherein the second mating surface of the left portion and the second mating surface of the right portion comprise respective planar surfaces.

10. A method to couple a guardrail to a rail topper, the method comprising:

providing an attachment clip comprising a left portion, a central portion laterally coupled to the left portion, and a right portion laterally coupled to the central portion, wherein the central portion separates the left portion from the right portion by a fixed distance;

positioning the attachment clip at a selected position, such that a first mating surface of the left portion of the attachment clip matches a first portion of the guardrail, and a first mating surface of the right portion of the attachment clip matches a second portion of the guardrail;

attaching the attachment clip to the guardrail when the attachment clip is at the selected position;

detaching the central portion of the attachment clip;

coupling a first portion of the rail topper to a second mating surface of the left portion of the attachment clip;

coupling a second portion of the rail topper to a second mating surface of the right portion of the attachment clip; and

attaching the rail topper to the attachment clip when the second mating surface of the left and right portions are coupled to respective first and second portions of the rail topper.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein attaching the rail topper to the attachment clip comprises snap-fitting the rail topper to the attachment clip.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein attaching the rail topper to the attachment clip comprises fastening the rail topper to the attachment clip.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a step of fitting a central ridge of the rail topper to a void formed by removing the central portion of the attachment clip.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a step of preventing rotation of the rail topper around an axis perpendicular to a lateral direction separating the left and right portions of the attachment clip.

15. A railing system comprising:

an elongated rail comprising:

an elongated core member; and

an attachment clip comprising:

a left side portion having a first concave portion, a first curved portion, and a first edge portion;

a right side portion having a second concave portion, a second curved portion, and a second edge portion; and

a middle portion connecting the first concave portion of the left side portion with the second concave portion of the right side portion; and

a rail topper member comprising an elongated central body having a pair of opposing side walls defining a channel to receive the elongated core member, the rail topper member having a central ridge portion, at least one left flange on left side wall, and at least one right flange on right side wall;

wherein the middle portion of the attachment clip is breakable, and the rail topper member is snap-fitted over the attachment clip after breaking the middle portion of the attachment clip,

wherein the central ridge portion of the rail topper member contacts an upper portion of the elongated core member, and

wherein the left flange of the rail topper member engages with the first edge portion of the attachment clip and the right flange of the rail topper member engages with the second edge portion of the attachment clip to lock the rail topper member over attachment clip and the elongated rail.