Fence panel systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506270-B2
Application number	US-201514705906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 14, 2014
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A fence panel can include a plurality of modular fence panel components that can be assembled modularly to form the fence panel. The fence panel components can include a system of keys and keyways that allow the components to interlock with one another when the fence panel is assembled to lock the components to one another to simplify the assembly process and to minimize the number of mechanical fasteners needed to assemble the fence panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fence panel kit for constructing a fence panel to be installed between adjacent fence posts, the fence panel kit comprising:
one or more packaged arrangements of fence panel components including a base element, a center rail, a top rail, a lattice divider, a first side element, a second side element, a first interior sub-panel assembly including a first plurality of fence boards, a second interior sub-panel assembly including a second plurality of fence boards, and at least one lattice component, the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the lattice divider, the first side element, the second side element, each of the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies, and the at least one lattice component being disconnected from one another for storage and transport in the one or more packaged arrangements,
wherein the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the first side element, the second side element, each of the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies, and the at least one lattice component include interlocking features to assist in joining the fence panel components together to form the fence panel,
wherein the first interior sub-panel assembly includes a top perimeter component engaged with top ends of the first plurality of fence boards and a bottom perimeter component engaged with bottom ends of the first plurality of fence boards,
wherein the second interior sub-panel assembly includes an end perimeter component engaged in direct contact with a first end of the second plurality of fence boards, and
wherein the top perimeter component and the bottom perimeter component of the first sub-panel assembly each extend a distance beyond all of the other components of the first sub-panel assembly to accommodate the end perimeter component of the second sub-panel assembly between the top perimeter component and the bottom perimeter component.

2. The fence panel kit of claim 1 wherein the base element includes a bottom rail coupled to a bottom supporting element.

3. The fence panel kit of claim 1 wherein the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the first side element, the second side element, the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies and the lattice divider are packaged in a first packaged arrangement, and a plurality of lattice components are packaged in a second packaged arrangement separate from the first packaged arrangement.

4. The fence panel kit of claim 3 wherein the lattice components are first lattice elements having a first latticework pattern, and the fence panel kit further comprises a third packaged arrangement of fence panel components including a plurality of second lattice elements disconnected from one another for storage and transport in the third packaged arrangement, and the plurality of second lattice elements have a second latticework pattern different from the first latticework pattern.

5. The fence panel kit of claim 4 wherein the second and the third packaged arrangements of fence panel components are alternatively combinable with the first packaged arrangement of fence panel components to form a complete fence panel with different lattice structures.

6. The fence panel kit of claim 1 wherein the base element includes a base male-female mating feature and each of the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies includes a male-female mating feature matching the base male-female mating feature.

7. The fence panel kit of claim 1 wherein:
the first side element includes a first side male-female mating feature and the second side element includes a second side male-female mating feature;
the fence panel kit includes a first end sub-panel assembly and a second end sub-panel assembly;
the first end sub-panel assembly includes a first end male-female mating feature matching the first side male-female mating feature; and
the second end sub-panel assembly includes a second end male-female mating feature matching the second side male-female mating feature.

8. The fence panel kit of claim 7 wherein the first end sub-panel assembly includes an interior facing male-female mating feature and the second end sub-panel assembly includes an interior facing male-female mating feature matching the interior facing male-female mating feature such that one or more additional interior sub-panel assemblies with similar interlocking features can be received between the first end sub-panel assembly and the second end sub-panel assembly.

9. The fence panel kit of claim 1 wherein:
the fence panel components include at least the first interior sub-panel assembly, the second interior sub-panel assembly, a third interior sub-panel assembly, and a fourth interior sub-panel assembly arranged in a stack of interior sub-panel assemblies; and
the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the lattice divider, the first side element, and the second side element are positioned adjacent the stack.

10. A method to facilitate construction of a fence comprising a plurality of fence panels supported by fence posts, the method comprising:
providing one or more packaged arrangements of fence panel components including a base element, a center rail, a top rail, a lattice divider, a first side element, a second side element, a first interior sub-panel assembly, a second interior sub-panel assembly, and a plurality of lattice components, the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the lattice divider, the first side element, the second side element, the first interior sub-panel assembly, the second interior sub-panel assembly, and each of the plurality of lattice components being disconnected from one another for storage and transport in the one or more packaged arrangements,
wherein the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the lattice divider, the first side element, the second side element, each of the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies, and each of the plurality of lattice components include interlocking features to assist in joining the fence panel components together to form the fence panel,
wherein the first interior sub-panel assembly includes a top perimeter component engaged with top ends of a first plurality of fence boards and a bottom perimeter component engaged with bottom ends of the first plurality of fence boards,
wherein the second interior sub-panel assembly includes an end perimeter component engaged in direct contact with a first end of a second plurality of fence boards, and
wherein the top perimeter component and the bottom perimeter component of the first sub-panel assembly each extend a distance beyond all of the other components of the first sub-panel assembly to accommodate the end perimeter component of the second sub-panel assembly between the top perimeter component and the bottom perimeter component.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising packaging the base element, the center rail, the top rail, the lattice divider, the first side element, the second side element, and the first and second interior sub-panel assemblies in a first packaged arrangement and packaging the plurality of lattice components in a second packaged arrangement separate from the first packaged arrangement.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising shipping the separated first packaged arrangement and the second packaged arrangement to a location for storage or use in constructing the fence panel.

Assignees

• Knudsen N Eric

Inventors

• Knudsen N Eric

Classifications

• E04H17/166 Primary

  with cross-members · CPC title

• E04H17/168

  using panels fitted in grooves of posts · CPC title

• E04H17/165 Primary

  using panels with rigid filling and frame · CPC title

• E04H2017/1456

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E04H17/1456

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