System and method for vertical and horizontal in-fill installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480328-B2
Application number	US-202318390348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2023
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a fence system. The fence system, comprising: a first post; a second post, wherein each of the first post and the second post comprises a first set of ribs and a second set of ribs; a lower rail, wherein a first end of the lower rail is adapted to terminate at a face of the first set of ribs of the first post and a second end of the lower rail is adapted to terminate at a face of the first set of ribs of the second post; and an upper rail, wherein the lower rail and the upper rail are positioned to receive one or more infill boards, such that the one or more infill boards are adapted to terminate at a face of the second set of ribs of the first post and at a face of the second set of ribs of the second post.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fence system, comprising:
a first rail provided at an initial position, wherein the first rail provides structural support to a plurality of boards; a post positioned to be in contact with the first rail, wherein an interior portion of the post includes a first set of ribs and a second set of ribs, wherein each of the first set of ribs and second set of ribs are positioned within a groove of the post, wherein the first set of ribs is positioned at a first depth within the groove and the second set of ribs is positioned at a second depth within the groove greater than the first depth, and wherein each of the first set of ribs and second set of ribs are configured to project inward toward one or more interior regions of the groove; a support member positioned within the groove configured to support the first rail, the support member including a plurality of support ribs provided on an outer surface, the support ribs positioned to cooperate with the second set of ribs; and a second rail in contact with the post, and positioned over the first rail, the second rail providing structural support for the plurality of boards.

2 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs are disposed on opposing sidewalls of the groove.

3 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein ends of the first and second rails contact the post, wherein a second post is provided at and contacts opposite ends of the first and second rails.

4 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein the second rail terminates at a face of the first set of ribs.

5 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein the second rail extends in parallel to the first rail within the post.

6 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of boards terminate at a face of the second set of ribs.

7 . The fence system of claim 1 , wherein at least one board of the plurality of boards is configured to provide structural support to each of the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs within the post.

8 . A fence system comprising:
a top rail provided over a plurality of boards, wherein the top rail is configured to secure the plurality of boards in a final position; a post provided at an initial position, wherein the post includes a first set of ribs and a second set of ribs, wherein the first and second set of ribs extend in an inward direction within a groove, wherein the first set of ribs is positioned at a first depth and the second set of ribs is positioned at a second depth within the groove, the second depth greater than the first depth, and wherein the first set of ribs are positioned in contact with the top rail; a support member positioned within the groove the support member including a plurality of support ribs provided on an outer surface, the support ribs positioned to cooperate with the second set of ribs; and a bottom rail provided underneath the top rail, wherein the bottom rail provides structural support for the post, first set of ribs, second set of ribs, and the plurality of boards.

9 . The fence system of claim 8 , wherein the top rail terminates at a face of the first set of ribs.

10 . The fence system of claim 9 , wherein the top rail provides structural support for the first set of ribs within the groove.

11 . The fence system of claim 8 , wherein at least one board of the plurality of boards are in contact with at least one of the first set of ribs or the second set of ribs.

12 . The fence system of claim 8 , wherein at least one board of the plurality of boards terminates at and is secured to a portion of the second set of ribs.

13 . The fence system of claim 8 , wherein the first set of ribs extend inward within the groove to be in contact with one or more of the plurality of boards.

14 . A method of providing a fence, comprising:
providing a first rail at an initial position, wherein the first rail provides structural support to a plurality of boards; positioning a post to be in contact with the first rail, wherein an interior portion of the post includes a first set of ribs and a second set of ribs, wherein each of the first set of ribs and second set of ribs are positioned within a groove of the post, wherein the first set of ribs is positioned at a first depth within the groove and the second set of ribs is positioned at a second depth within the groove greater than the first depth, and wherein each of the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs are configured to project inward toward one or more interior regions of the groove; positioning a support member within the groove, the support member including a plurality of support ribs provided on an outer surface, the support ribs configured to cooperate with the second set of ribs; and providing a second rail in contact with the post, and positioned over the first rail, the second rail providing structural support for the plurality of boards.

15 . The method of providing a fence of claim 14 , further comprising:
positioning the second rail against a face of the first set of ribs.

16 . The method of providing a fence of claim 14 , further comprising:
wherein at least one of the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs is adjacent to at least one board of the plurality of boards.

17 . The method of providing a fence of claim 14 , further comprising:
wherein one end of at least one board of the plurality of boards is in a secured position with at least one of the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs to enable the at least one board of the plurality of boards to be engaged to the second rail within the post.

18 . The method of providing a fence of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of boards are secured within the post to provide privacy to one or more users.

19 . The method of providing a fence of claim 14 , further comprising:
wherein one or more boards of the plurality of boards extend to the second set of ribs within the post.

Assignees

• Barrette Outdoor Living Inc

Inventors

• Schneider Christopher Michael
• Moore Paige Barbara

Classifications

• E04H17/1488

  Brackets for connections between rails and posts (E04H17/1448- E04H17/1486 take precedence) · CPC title

• E04H17/164

  occultation devices therefor, e.g. slats, fence liners or panels blocking view therethrough · CPC title

• E04H17/168

  using panels fitted in grooves of posts · CPC title

• E04H17/21

  with hollow cross sections · CPC title

• E04H17/1456 Primary

  the ends of the rails being located in vertical channels extending along a substantial portion of the length of the post · CPC title