Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SOLID FENCE SLAT SYSTEM
[100] This application claims priority on US Patent Application No. 13/685,730
filed
November 27, 2012, incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[101] The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to
fence slats
that are inserted on a chain link fence and the like and more particularly
relate to a solid fence
slat system having a number of solid fence slats that lock into a slat
retainer. The solid fence
slats may include a pair of side wings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[102] Chain link fences generally are inexpensive, easy to install, and easy
to
maintain. Chain link fences, therefore, are used throughout the world to
secure almost any
type of property. Chain link fences, however, may not provide a great deal of
privacy.
Further, chain link fences may not be considered as attractive as, for
example, a wooden fence
and the like.
[103] Plastic fence slats thus may be woven between consecutive links of the
chain
link fence to increase privacy and to improve overall aesthetics. Such fence
slats also may
provide wind protection. These fence slats, however, may have a tendency to
slip out of the
links of the fence over time. This slippage may cause the fence slats to
become misaligned
and/or may reduce the effectiveness of the fence slats with respect to
privacy, aesthetics, and
wind protection. As a result, many different types of locking system have been
used. These
locking systems, however, may add to the overall costs.
[104] There is thus a desire for a fence slat system that quickly and easily
locks the
slats in to place. The fence slats preferably should be easy to install and
reasonably priced as
compared to existing systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[105] The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a fence
slat. The
fence slat may include a substantially solid body, a locking portion
positioned on the
substantially solid body, and a wing anchored in the substantially solid body
and extending
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therefrom. The substantially solid body also may have a flattened shape and
the like.
[106] The present application and the resultant patent further provide a fence
slat
system. The fence slat system may include a number of fence slats having solid
bodies with
substantially flattened shapes as well as a slat retainer for locking the
fence slats therein.
[107] The present application and the resultant patent further provide a solid
fence
slat. The solid fence slat may include a substantially solid body with a
flattened oval shape, a
locking portion positioned on the substantially solid body, and a pair of
wings anchored in the
substantially solid body and extending therefrom.
[108] These and other features and improvements of the present application and
the
resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon
review of the
following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several
drawings and the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[109] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a solid fence slat with
wings as
may be described herein.
[110] Fig. 2 is a side plan view of the solid fence slat of Fig. 1.
[111] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the solid fence slat of Fig. 1.
[112] Fig. 4 is a front plan view of a solid fence slat system as may be
described
herein and installed on a chain link fence.
[113] Fig. 5 is a side plan view of a solid fence slat and a slat retainer of
the fence
slat system of Fig. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[114] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like
elements
throughout the several views, Figs. 1-3 show a fence slat 100 as may be
described herein.
The fence slat 100 may include an elongated body 110. In this example, the
elongated body
110 may be a substantially solid body 120 although one or more voids may be
present herein.
The elongated body 110 may be in the shape of a substantially flattened oval
130, a
substantially rectangular shape, and the like. Specifically, the elongated
body 110 may have a
substantially flat first side 140 and a substantially flat second side 150.
The sides 140, 150
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may be connected by a first sidewall 160 and a second sidewall 170. The
sidewalls 160, 170
may be curved with any suitable degree of curvature. Moreover, the sidewalls
160, 170 also
may be substantially flat. The elongated body 110 also may have any suitable
size, shape, or
configuration.
[115] The elongated body 110 may have a first end 180 and a second end 190.
The
first side 140 may have a first cutout 200 about the first end 180 and the
second side 150 may
have a second cutout 210 about the first end 180. The cutouts 200, 210 may
extend across the
width of the sides 140, 150 from the first sidewall 160 to the second sidewall
170, in whole or
in part. The cutouts 200, 210 may extend into the solid body 120 by any
suitable depth or
width. The cutouts 200, 210 may have any suitable size, shape, or
configuration.
[116] The first end 180 also may include a first side indented portion 220 on
the first
side 140 and a second side indented portion 230 on the second side 150. The
indented
portions 220, 230 may extend from the cutouts 200, 210 to the first end 180.
The indented
portions 220,230 may be a slight indent or a narrowing of the solid body 120
towards the first
end 180. The indented portions 220, 230 may have any suitable size, shape, or
configuration.
[117] The cutouts 200, 210 and the indented portions 220, 230 may form a
locking
portion 240 about the first end 180 of the elongated body 110. The locking
portion 240 as
shown may have a substantial "harpoon" like shape although the locking portion
240 may
have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. A similar locking portion 240
may be
positioned about the second end 190 as well. Further, a locking portion 240
may be
positioned on both the first end 180 and the second end 190.
[118] The elongated body 110 of the fence slat 100 may include a first wing
socket
250 positioned about the first sidewall 160 and a second wing socket 260
positioned about the
second sidewall 170. A first socket slot 270 may extend from the first wing
socket 250 to the
first sidewall 160. A second socket slot 280 may extend from the second wing
socket 260 to
the second sidewall 170. The wing sockets 250, 260 and slots 270, 280 may
extend along the
length of the body 110 from the first end 180 to the second end 190 in whole
or in part. The
wing sockets 250, 260 and the slots 270, 280 may be apertures or voids within
the solid body
120. The wing sockets 250, 260 and the slots 270, 280 may have any suitable
size, shape, or
configuration.
[119] The fence slat 100 may include a first wing 290 extending from the first
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sidewall 160 and a second wing 300 extending from the second sidewall 170. The
wings 290,
300 may extend along the length of the elongated body from the first end 180
to the second
end 190 in whole or in part. The first wing 290 may include a first ball
portion 310 and a first
wing extension 320. The second wing 300 may include a second ball portion 330
and a
second wing extension 340. The ball portions 310, 330 of the wings 290, 300
may be
positioned within the sockets 250, 260 of the body 110 so as to anchor the
wings 290, 300
therein. In additional to the ball-like shape as shown, an arrowhead or T-
section also may be
used with a similarly shaped socket 250, 260. Other shapes also may be used
herein. The
wing extensions 320,340 may extend through the socket slots 270, 280 and
beyond the
sidewalls 160, 170. The wings 290, 300 may have any suitable size, shape, or
configuration.
[120] The fence slat 100 may have any suitable length although the fence slat
100
typically runs in length from about one (1) to about four (4) meters or so.
Because the fence
slat 100 uses the solid body 120 and the wings 290, 300, the elongated body
110 may be
somewhat smaller in terms of width and depth as compared to conventional fence
slats
although any suitable size, shape, or configuration may be used.
[121] The elongated body 110 may be made out of a high density polyethylene or
other types of material. The material may be solid or a foaming additive may
be added in the
extrusion process to reduce the overall weight. Other types of suitable
materials may include
a substantially rigid polyvinyl chloride and the like. The wings 290, 300 may
be made out of
a low density polyethylene if the elongated body 110 is made out of the high
density
polyethylene. The wings 290, 300 also may be made out of a flexible polyvinyl
chloride is
the elongated body 110 is made out of the rigid polyvinyl chloride. Other
types of plastics
such as other polyethylenes, styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),
and the like also
may be used. A co-extrusion process may be used where a second extruder would
deliver the
material for the wings 290, 300 through a die to be joined with the elongated
body 110. The
two materials may come together inside the tool and exit via the profile shape
into a water
bath for cooling. Such a process may provide a mechanical lock for the wings
290, 300
within the elongated body 110 without the use of adhesives and the like. Other
types of
materials and other types of manufacturing processes also may be used herein.
[122] Figs. 4-5 show a fence slat locking system 350 as may be described
herein.
The fence slat locking system 350 may include any number of the fence slats
100. The fence
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slats 100 may be positioned between the links 360 of a conventional chain link
fence 370 and
the like. The fence slats 100 may be locked into a slat retainer 380. The slat
retainer 380 may
be positioned along the bottom, the top, or along both ends of the chain link
fence 370. The
slat retainer 380 may have any desired or suitable length. Likewise, any
number of the slat
retainers 380 may be used.
[123] The fence slat retainer 380 may have a first retainer side, a second
retainer side
400, and a base 410. The base 410 may separate the retainer sides 390, 400.
The first retainer
side 390 may include a first locking portion 420 and/or the second retainer
side 400 may
include a second locking portion 430. The first locking portion 420 may take
the form of a
first indented flange 440 while the second locking portion 430 may take the
form of a second
indented flange 450. The locking portions 420, 430 and the flanges 440, 450
may be sized
and shaped to mate with the cutouts 200, 210 of the elongated body 110. The
locking
portions 420 and the indented flanges 440, 450 may have any suitable size,
shape, or
configuration.
[124] In use, any number of the fence slats 100 may be positioned through the
links
360 of the chain link fence 370. Likewise, the slat retainer 380 may be
positioned through the
links 360 on the bottom and/or the top of the chain link fence 370. The
locking portion 240 of
each fence slat 100 may be positioned within the slat retainer 380.
Specifically, the indented
portions 220, 230 of the first end 180 of the elongated body 110 may be
positioned between
the sides 390, 400 of the slat retainer 380. Upon further insertion, the
indented flanges 440,
450 of the locking portions 420, 430 may engage with the cutouts 200, 210 so
as to secure the
locking portion 240 therein. The fence slat 100 is now locked in to place
within the slat
retainer 380.
[125] Removal of the fence slat 100 may be accomplished by pulling on the
indented
flanges 440, 450 such that the flanges 440, 450 are clear of the cutouts 200,
210 of the body
100. The fence slat 100 then may be removed through the links 360 of the chain
link fence
370.
[126] The fence slats 100 of the fence slat system 350 described herein thus
provide
privacy, aesthetics, and wind protection. Moreover, the fence slats 100 with
the solid body
120 and the wings 290, 300 may be more durable than known products while being
reasonably priced and easy to use.
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[127] It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to certain
embodiments
of the present application and the resultant patent. Numerous changes and
modifications may
be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the
general spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents
thereof.
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