Patent Application
20210325031
N/A
The present invention relates to fence post preservation and more particularly a fence post cap.
Wood fences are a common additional to home properties. The wood fences utilize posts to stabilize the fence. It is well known in the art that the top portion of a fence post, i.e. the end grain is the most vulnerable part of the fence post. In wet environments, this portion of the fence post will absorb more water than any other part of the fence post. The absorbed water will lead to mold, mildew, and rot. Furthermore, the top portions of the fence post are exposed to sun and wind, which dries the wood and causes it to crack. To prevent the issues discussed above, a fence post cap may be installed on the fence post.
The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In order to do so, in one aspect of the invention, a fence post cap is provided, comprising a base member having a front side, rear side, a left side, and rear side, wherein the base member is hollow; a single top sloped surface, wherein the single top sloped surface is pitched from the front side to the rear side; an angle defined from a perpendicular plane extending from the front side to the single top sloped surface; and, a number of holes is provided on the base member enabling a number of fastening elements to pass through the number of holes such that the fence post cap is enabled to be secured to a wood fence post.
In one embodiment, a lighting system is provided, wherein the lighting system comprises a solar panel consisting of a number of photo-voltaic modules, a number of LED lights, a battery, and a motion sensor. In one embodiment, the solar panel is positioned on the single top sloped surface. In another embodiment, the LED lights and motion sensor are positioned on the front side of the base member. In one embodiment, the fence post cap is constructed of aluminum, plastic, or copper. In one embodiment, the base member is square. In another embodiment, wherein the angle ranges from 25 to 45 degrees.
In another aspect of the invention, a fence post cap for protecting a top portion of a wood fence post is provided, the fence post cap comprising a square base member having a front side, rear side, a left side, and rear side, wherein the base member is hollow; a top surface is positioned on the base member, wherein the top surface essentially consists of a single slope; an angle defined from a perpendicular plane extending from the front side to the top surface; and, a number of holes is provided on the base member enabling a number of fastening elements to pass through the number of holes such that the fence post cap is enabled to be secured to the wood fence post.
In one embodiment, a lighting system is provided, wherein the lighting system comprises a solar panel consisting of a number of photo-voltaic modules, a number of LED lights, a battery, and a motion sensor. In one embodiment, the solar panel is positioned on the single top sloped surface. In another embodiment, the LED lights and motion sensor are positioned on the front side of the base member. In one embodiment, the fence post cap is constructed of aluminum, plastic, or copper. In another embodiment, wherein the angle ranges from 25 to 45 degrees.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a fence post cap.
Referring now to
In some embodiments, a lighting system may be provided. The lighting system comprises a solar panel and LED lights 116. The solar panel comprises a number of photo-voltaic modules 112. The solar panel is situation on the top surface 110 of the fence post cap 100. Since the top surface is sloped in only one direction, consideration of installation direction for the fence post cap may be considered based on the geographic location of the invention to maximum effective sunlight absorption. The number of photo-voltaic modules 112 are configured to provide the energy to the LED lights 116. Electronic components 124 (
In one embodiment, the fence post cap, and particularly the base of the fence post cap including the top surface (under the optional solar panel) is constructed from a variety of material including but not limited to plastic, aluminum, and copper. In one embodiment, the plastic construction may be provided in various colors including but not limited to brown, tan, green, and black. Similar, the aluminum construction may be provided in various colors including but not limited to brown, tan, green, and black. It is intended to produce a fence post cap 100 of a specific material and color without and without the lighting system. However, the top surface must only have a single sloped surface, and not contain multiple slopes. Multiple slopes may prevent efficient water runoff and are more expensive to produce.
Referring now to
As mentioned, the size of the fence post cap may vary. Usually this is dependent on the size of the post. Various post sizes are possible, including but not limited to 4 inch by 4 inch, 6 inch by 6 inch, and 8 inch and 8 inch. As previously mentioned, as other sizes and shapes are possible, as long as a single sloped top surface is provided.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object.
In addition, reference to “first,” “second,” “third,” and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
