Thermoplastic fencing construction and method of assembly thereof

A thermoplastic fencing construction which facilitates assembly by ultrasonic welding thereof comprising:

• A. a structural fence member extruded from thermoplastic material and including:
• (1) a hollow body member of thermoplastic material and defining a bore means extending longitudinally therethrough, said hollow body member also defining at least one bore opening means therein in fluid flow communication with respect to said bore means;
• (2) an inner wall surface defining said bore means within said hollow body member;
• (3) an outer wall surface positioned oppositely from said inner wall surface and facing outwardly from said hollow body member;
• (4) a structural securement zone defined extending about said hollow body member and around said bore opening means;
• (5) a structural securement zone outer boundary line defined extending along said structural securement zone adjacent said outer wall surface;
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• (6) a structural securement zone inner boundary line defined extending along said structural securement zone and positioned spatially disposed from said structural securement zone outer boundary line to define said structural securement zone therebetween;
• B. a capping fence member formed by injection molding of thermoplastic material and being selectively positionable in abutment with respect to said structural fence member to facilitate securement with respect thereto by ultrasonic welding for extending over said bore opening means for capping thereof, said capping fence member comprising:
• (1) a capping body member of thermoplastic material;
• (2) a capping securement zone defined extending around said capping body member and positionable adjacent to and in registration with respect to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member to facilitate securement with respect thereto by ultrasonic welding;
• (3) a capping securement zone outer boundary line defined extending along said capping securement zone and registrable with respect to said structural securement zone outer boundary line responsive to positioning of said capping securement zone adjacent to said structural securement zone for facilitating securement together by ultrasonic welding;
• and
• (4) a capping securement zone inner boundary line defined extending along said capping securement zone and positioned spatially disposed from said capping securement zone outer boundary line to define said capping securement zone therebetween, said capping securement zone inner boundary line being registrable with respect to said structural securement zone inner boundary line responsive to positioning of said capping securement zone of said capping fence member adjacent to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member for facilitating securement together by ultrasonic welding;
• (5) a plurality of welding rib means of thermoplastic material mounted on said capping fence member within said capping securement zone thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, said welding rib means being oriented perpendicularly with respect to said capping securement zone outer boundary line, said welding rib means adapted to melt responsive to ultrasonic welding thereof to facilitate securement with respect to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member for capping thereof, said welding rib means being positioned spatially separated from said capping securement zone outer boundary line by at least 0.010 inches to discourage flow of ultrasonically melted thermoplastic material thereover and onto said outer wall surface of said structural fence member, said structural securement zone being angularly oriented with respect to said capping securement zone at an acute angle of approximately ten degrees and with the distance between said capping securement zone outer boundary line and said structural securement zone outer boundary line being less than the distance between said capping securement zone inner boundary line and said structural securement zone inner boundary line prior to ultrasonic welding thereof to encourage flow of thermoplastic material inwardly toward said bore means of said structural fence member during ultrasonically welding thereof;
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• (6) an alignment pin means extending outwardly from said capping body member and adapted to extend through said bore opening means into said bore means of said structural fence member to facilitate alignment of said capping fence means with respect to said structural fence member during ultrasonic welding thereof.

A thermoplastic fencing construction which facilitates assembly by ultrasonic welding thereof comprising:

• A. a structural fence member of thermoplastic material including:
• (1) a hollow body member of thermoplastic material defining a bore means extending longitudinally therethrough, said hollow body member also defining at least one bore opening means therein in fluid flow communication with respect to said bore means;
• (2) an inner wall surface defining said bore means within said hollow body member;
• (3) an outer wall surface positioned oppositely from said inner wall surface and facing outwardly from said hollow body member;
• (4) a structural securement zone defined on said inner wall surface within said hollow body member;
• (5) a structural securement zone outer boundary line defined extending along said structural securement zone on said inner wall surface of said structural fence member;
• and
• (6) a structural securement zone inner boundary line defined on said inner wall surface at a position extending along said structural securement zone and positioned spatially disposed from said structural securement zone outer boundary line to define said structural securement zone therebetween;
• B. a capping fence member of thermoplastic material selectively positionable in abutment with respect to said structural fence member to facilitate securement with respect thereto by ultrasonic welding for extending over said bore opening means for capping thereof, said capping fence member comprising:
• (1) a capping body member of thermoplastic material;
• (2) an alignment rim including a plurality of alignment panels of thermoplastic material extending outwardly from said capping body member and adapted to extend through said bore opening means into said bore means to a position adjacent said inner wall surface to facilitate alignment and engaging abutment of said capping body member with respect thereto responsive to ultrasonic welding thereof;
• (3) a capping securement zone defined upon said alignment rim of said capping body member and positionable adjacent to and in registration with respect to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member defined on said inner wall surface thereof to facilitate securement therebetween by ultrasonic welding;
• (4) a capping securement zone outer boundary line defined extending along said capping securement zone and being registrable with respect to said structural securement zone outer boundary line responsive to positioning of said capping fence member within said bore means of said structural fence member with said capping securement zone thereof positioned adjacent to said structural securement zone for facilitating securement therebetween by ultrasonic welding;
• (5) a capping securement zone inner boundary line defined extending along said capping securement zone and positioned spatially disposed from said capping securement zone outer boundary line to define said capping securement zone therebetween, said capping securement zone inner-boundary line being registrable with respect to said structural securement zone inner boundary line responsive to positioning of said capping securement zone of said capping fence member adjacent to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member for facilitating securement therebetween by ultrasonic welding;
• and
• (6) a plurality of welding rib means of thermoplastic material positioned on said alignment rim of said capping fence member within said capping securement zone thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, said welding rib means adapted to be at least partially transformed into a fluid state temporarily during ultrasonic welding thereof to facilitate securement of said capping securement zone of said capping fence member with respect to said structural securement zone of said structural fence member for securement therebetween with said capping fence member extending over and capping of said bore opening means of said structural fence member.

A method for assembly of a thermoplastic fencing construction comprising:

• A. providing a structural fence member of thermoplastic material with a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and defining a structural securement zone adapted to be securable with respect thereto;
• B. providing a capping fence member of thermoplastic material with a plurality of welding ribs extending outwardly therefrom to facilitate ultrasonic welding thereof and defining a capping securement zone for placement adjacent to the structural securement zone for mutual securement by ultrasonic welding together;
• C. positioning of the capping fence member extending over the bore defined in the structural fence member with the welding ribs in abutment with the structural member and with the capping securement zone in registration with respect to the structural securement zone;
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• D. securing of the capping fence member to the structural fence member by ultrasonically melting of the welding ribs positioned therebetween to affix the capping securement zone with respect to the structural securement zone.