Patent Application
20230212874
The present invention relates to wire fencing and, more specifically, to a wire fence having an integrated guard that is used to line the lower perimeter of the fence, preventing the growth of grass and weeds therein, as well as providing a constant barrier against which a rotating weed cutting device can be applied to reduce the breakage of weed cutting elements and reduce damage to the wire fence.
Those who use metal mesh fencing to enclose an outdoor space know all too well of the difficulties associated with keeping weeds and grasses from growing in between the structural members of the fence. The grass and weeds get entangled in the fence mesh, making it difficult to remove, even with conventional powered rotating line cutters. The metal mesh tends to shield the grass and weeds and also tends to sever the trimmer filament line.
It would be beneficial to provide a fence guard that prevents or growth of grass and weeds in the mesh of a metal mesh fence, and also provides a surface that enables the use of rotating line cutters that will reduce the breakage of the filament lines used therewith.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a mesh fence assembly including a mesh fence and a lower border guard that prevents the growth of weeds and grass in between mesh members.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:
In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. The embodiments illustrated below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. These embodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principle of the invention and its application and practical use and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.
Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiments. The same applies to the term “implementation.”
As used in this application, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.
Additionally, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as being approximate as if the word “about” or “approximately” preceded the value of the value or range.
The use of figure numbers and/or figure reference labels in the claims is intended to identify one or more possible embodiments of the claimed subject matter in order to facilitate the interpretation of the claims. Such use is not to be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of those claims to the embodiments shown in the corresponding figures.
It should be understood that the steps of the exemplary methods set forth herein are not necessarily required to be performed in the order described, and the order of the steps of such methods should be understood to be merely exemplary. Likewise, additional steps may be included in such methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined, in methods consistent with various embodiments of the present invention.
Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence with corresponding labeling, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.
The present invention provides a temporary appliqué to the front of a cricket bat that provides a visual indication of where on the bat that a cricket ball struck during a swing. While one use of the present invention is, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present device can have other applications as well.
Referring to the Figures, a mesh fence assembly 100 (“assembly 100”) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Assembly 100 includes a wire mesh fence 110 and an integrated guard 140. Fence 100 has a top end 112 and a bottom end 114, with a first plurality of horizontal members 120 extending generally parallel to each other and a second plurality of vertical members 122 extending generally parallel to each other and orthogonal to the first plurality of horizontal members 120. In an exemplary embodiment, adjacent horizontal members 120 are spaced from each other by a distance of about 4 inches, and adjacent vertical members 122 are spaced from each other by a distance of about 1 inch, although those skilled in the art will recognize that members 120, 122 can be spaced different distances from those listed above.
While fence 110 in the form of an orthogonal grid is shown in
Guard 140 is shown in
While guard 140 is shown as extending on both sides of fence 110, those skilled in the art will recognize that guard 140 can extend only along a single side of fence 110, and omit second portion 144 and connecting portion 146. Further, while fence 110 is shown as a mesh fence, guard 140 can be solid so that no openings extend through guard 140.
In an exemplary embodiment, fence 110 can be constructed from carbon steel that is galvanized or rubber coated to retard rust. Additionally, guard 140 can be constructed from sheet metal, which can be galvanized or rubber coated to retard rust. Alternatively, guard 140 can be constructed from a polymer, such as, for example, PVC, nylon, tetrafluoroethylene, a rubber, or other suitable material that will withstand an exterior environment. Guard 140 is sufficiently thin to allow assembly 100 to be rolled into a coil for shipping and storage.
If both fence 110 and guard 140 are constructed from metal, guard 140 can be welded to fence 110 where fence 110 contacts guard 140. By way of example only, guard 140 can be welded to fence 110 at welds 150, 152, shown in
If guard 140 is a polymer, guard 140 can be heat applied to bottom end 114 of fence 110 such that first portion 142 of guard 140 is melted to second portion 144 of guard 140 at least around some of horizontal members 120 and/or vertical members 122, forming a rigid connection between first portion 142 and second portion 144 of guard 140 and locking guard 140 to fence 110.
While fence 110 is contemplated as being a rigid structure, thereby enabling assembly 100 to be coiled in a roll for shipping and storage, the present invention does not rule out the use of guard 140 with a different type of fence, such as, for example, a cyclone fence.
Referring to
If both fence 110 and guard 240 are constructed from metal, guard 240 can be welded to fence 110 at or along horizontal members 120.
Referring to
If both fence 110 and guard 340 are constructed from metal, guard 340 can be welded to fence 110 at or along the bottom of fence 110.
Referring to
Mat 400 can be constructed from a heavy flexible polymer or rubber, including recycled tires. Optionally, mat 400 can be green in color. Mat 400 is used to eliminate the need to spray, trim, or otherwise remove weeds from around a fence. Mat 400 can also be used to discourage pets or other animals from digging under the fence.
Mat 400 can be cut to a desired length, such as the distance between adjacent posts 502 as shown in
Optionally, as shown in
Mat 400′ is similar to mat 400, but with a longitudinal slot 402 extending along the centerline of mat 400′. Slot 402 is sized to allow a horizontal member 120 of a fence, such as fence 110, to be inserted therein for stability.
Mat 400 or 400′ can be between about ½ inch and about ¾ inch thick, although those skilled in the art will recognize that mat 400, 400′ can be thinner or thicker. Mat 400, 400′ can have an thickness at edge 406 of between about ⅛ inch and about ¼ inch, although those skilled in the art will recognize that edge 406 can be thinner or thicker.
As shown in
Optionally, although not shown, stakes or other securing devices can be driven through mat 400, 400′ and into the ground to prevent mat 400, 400′ from blowing away or otherwise moving out of place from under a fence.
It will be further understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/554,599, filed on Sep. 6, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62554599 | Sep 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16121685 | Sep 2018 | US |
| Child | 18119539 | US |
