US 10,851,560 B2 · Fence system

Abstract

A fence section includes an upper horizontal rail and a lower horizontal rail extending along respective upper and lower rail axes. A horizontal upper wall of the upper rail includes apertures spaced apart along the length of the upper rail. Vertical members extend beyond the upper wall through an internal cavity of the upper rail and through a respective aperture. The upper rail includes a first counterpart of a connecting structure for connecting at least one vertical member to the upper rail, the first counterpart being integrally formed with the upper rail. The at least one vertical member includes a second counterpart of the connecting structure, the second counterpart being integrally formed with the vertical member and configured to directly engage the first counterpart of the upper rail upon insertion of the vertical member through the respective aperture in the upper wall of the upper rail.

A fence section, comprising:

an upper horizontal rail including a first longitudinally-extending wall extending lengthwise of the upper horizontal rail and laterally between first and second upper rail sidewalls that depend from the first longitudinally-extending wall and are spaced apart from one another to define an upper rail cavity, wherein the first longitudinally-extending wall includes a plurality of upper rail apertures;
a lower horizontal rail, spaced vertically below the upper horizontal rail, including a second longitudinally-extending wall extending lengthwise of the lower horizontal rail and laterally between first and second lower rail sidewalls that depend from the first longitudinally-extending wall and are spaced apart from one another to define a lower rail cavity, wherein the second longitudinally-extending wall includes a plurality of lower rail apertures;
and
a plurality of vertical members;
wherein:
for at least one of the plurality of vertical members:
the vertical member is connected to the upper horizontal rail by an upper connection system and to the lower horizontal rail by a lower connection system;
wherein:
the upper connection system includes a first upper connecting structure and a second upper connecting structure;
and
the lower connection system includes a first lower connecting structure and a second lower connecting structure;
wherein:
the first upper rail sidewall includes a first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure;
the second upper rail sidewall includes a first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure;
the first lower rail sidewall includes a first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure;
the second lower rail sidewall includes a first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure;
the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the vertical member are integrally formed within a unitary one-piece construction;
and
for the upper connection system, the connection of the vertical member to the upper horizontal rail is effected by:
(i) a first upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and
(ii) a second upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure;
for the lower connection system, the connection of the vertical member to the lower horizontal rail is effected by:
(i) a first lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and
(ii) a second lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure;
the vertical member extends through the upper horizontal rail via a respective upper rail aperture and the lower horizontal rail via a respective lower rail aperture;
the vertical member and the upper horizontal rail are co-operatively configured such that establishing of the connection by the upper connection system is effected in response to insertion of the vertical member through the upper horizontal rail via the respective rail aperture;
the vertical member and the lower horizontal rail are co-operatively configured such that establishing of the connection by the lower connection system is effected in response to insertion of the vertical member through the lower horizontal rail via the respective rail aperture;
and
for the upper connection system,
(i) at least one of
(a) the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and
(b) the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure,
includes a resiliently deformable portion, such that at least one of the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected,
and
(ii) at least one of
(a) the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, and
(b) the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure,
includes a resiliently deformable portion, such that at least one of the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected, and
for the lower connection system,
(i) at least one of
(a) the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and
(b) the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure,
includes a resiliently deformable portion, such that at least one of the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected, and
(ii) at least one of
(a) the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure, and
(b) the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure,
includes a resiliently deformable portion, such that at least one of the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of
the second lower connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected;
and
wherein:
establishing of the connection by the upper connection system is effectible in response to insertion of the vertical member through the respective rail aperture of the upper horizontal rail in a first upper horizontal rail aperture insertion direction, and also in a second upper horizontal rail aperture insertion direction that is opposite the first upper horizontal rail aperture direction;
and
establishing of the connection by the lower connection system is effectible in response to insertion of the vertical member through the respective rail aperture of the lower horizontal rail in a first lower horizontal rail aperture insertion direction, and also in a second lower horizontal rail aperture insertion direction that is opposite the first lower horizontal rail aperture direction.

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Fence system

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Fence system

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Abstract

Claims101