Patent Application
20220259886
The present invention relates generally to the field of wooden, composite or plastic fences. More specifically, the invention relates to a guard or cap device in the form of a modified metal sheet cap designed to be installed along the top of plank fences for eliminating dry rot, warping and misalignment, and to add an aesthetic and decorative value to the fence. The device prolongs the life and alignment of the fence and is available in various colors and designs. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, wooden, composite, vinyl or plastic fence panels or pickets are commonly built, constructed and used for creating a stockade or privacy fence for homes, pools, yards, gardens and other areas. Often, wood fencing is made from cedar, pine or redwood. However, weather conditions affect the appearance and structural integrity of wood fences over time. More specifically, rot is a common fungal disease that affects fences made from wood and is caused due to the moisture in wood. Namely, wood rot or wet rot is caused by excessive exposure of wood to moisture, and especially when moisture levels in the wood reaches to more than 50 percent. Wet rot is a fungal species known as C. puteana or cellar fungus and can damage the top portions near the dog ears or top edges of the fencing panels, planks or boards.
Dry rot is caused by a species of fungus that thrives at lower moisture levels. Dry rot also causes a damp and musty smell and decolorizes the wood. Dry rot makes the fence panels and pickets weak and fragile, while also decolorizing or fading the fence. Individuals need to make extensive repairs to their fences or opt to completely replace the fence in order to get rid of both the wet rot and dry rot.
Wooden fencings also face the problem of warping and misalignment. Wood warping causes a deformity in wooden fencings that often results in bowing and misalignment that can result in unusable individual wooden boards, planks or pickets. Wood warping occurs when different parts of wood board experience changes in moisture content. Further, sealing and staining do not prevent wooden fencing from warping and may require a person to replace wooden boards or pickets. Individuals desire a way to protect wood warping of wooden fencing that eliminates deploying expensive warping correction methods.
Individuals generally replace the fence boards/pickets or repair them using mechanical fasteners for protecting against rot and warping. Other methods including polishing and painting the fence. However, these methods are not only expensive, but time consuming and require periodic maintenance.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a system that can effectively prevent dry rot, wet rot, warping and misalignment of the fencing pickets and posts of, for example, a stockade or privacy fence. There is also a long felt need in the art for a device that maintains a quality wooden fence for a long period of time without periodic repair and replacement. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a wooden fence guard system that eliminates expensive repair and replacement of wooden fencing posts and pickets. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a device that prevents decolorizing or fading of stained wooden fencing. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a wooden fence guard or cap device that can be easily installed on the wooden, composite or vinyl fencing. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a device and system that prolongs the life of, for example, a stockade or privacy fence by preventing rot and warping of the fence posts and pickets The guard device 100 provides impact resistance to hail, high winds and heavier snow loads, and also adds an aesthetic and decorative value to the fence.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a rust proof guard or cap device for protecting a wooden fence from rot and warping, and also for protecting a composite or vinyl fence from warping and misalignment. The fence guard or cap device is designed to be installed on top of the fence pickets to prolong the life of the fence. The fence guard device is a linearly elongated metal or composite cap that includes a pair of parallel steel or composite panels, each panel can be rectangular and the panels can be connected to each other at their respective top edges with a horizontal flat steel or composite panel to form a cavity wherein the cavity is formed by the parallel panels and the horizontal panel and includes a bottom opening running along the length of the parallel panels and includes a pair of side openings. The fence guard or cap device is installed on top of the fence (i.e. top of the pickets) such that the flat panel rests on the top of the fence and further, the cap device includes a plurality of holes that are used for fastening the guard or cap device to the fence using stainless steel screws. The guard or cap device protects the wood fence from moisture and debris. Further, the top of the dog ears of the fence (i.e. the top of the pickets) is also protected by the guard or cap device.
In this manner, the rust proof guard or cap device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a metal or composite cap designed to be installed along the top of the wooden plank fences (i.e. fence pickets) for preventing dry rot, wet rot, misalignment and warping for prolonging the life of the fence. The device is easy to install and maintains a quality fence for a long period of time without periodic maintenance and repair.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a rust proof guard or cap device for protecting a wooden fence from rot and warping, and also for protecting a composite or vinyl fence from warping and misalignment. The fence guard or cap device is designed to be installed on top of the fence pickets to prolong the life of the fence. The fence guard device is a linearly elongated metal or composite cap that includes a pair of parallel steel or composite panels, each panel can be rectangular and the panels can be connected to each other at their respective top edges with a horizontal flat steel or composite panel to form a cavity, wherein the cavity is formed by the parallel panels and the horizontal panel and includes a bottom opening running along the length of the parallel panels and includes a pair of side openings. The fence guard or cap device is installed on top of the fence (i.e. top of the pickets) such that the flat panel rests on the top of the fence and further, the cap device includes a plurality of holes that are used for fastening the guard or cap device to the fence using stainless steel screws. The guard or cap device protects the wood fence from moisture and debris. Further, the top of the dog ears of the fence (i.e. the top of the pickets) is also protected by the guard or cap device.
In yet another embodiment, the fence guard or cap device is a composite material or metal material constructed using 24- or 26-gauge steel.
In yet another embodiment, the fence guard or cap device includes a Kynar coating for providing mechanical strength and glossiness to the fence guard or cap device.
In yet another embodiment, the fence guard is about eight to ten feet in length and about two inches in height.
In yet another embodiment, each panel includes a thickness in the range from about 4 mm to about 10 mm.
In yet another embodiment, a method of protecting wooden fencing from dry rot and warping is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a fence guard or cap device, wherein the fence guard device is in the form of an elongated metal or composite cap having three panels forming a continuous cavity, placing the fence guard or cap device on top of the wooden fencing with the top of the wooden fencing inserted into the cavity and fastening the fence guard or cap device to the fence using a plurality of fasteners.
In yet another embodiment, the fasteners are stainless-steel fasteners.
In yet another embodiment, a guard or cap device for dog ears board fence (i.e. fence pickets) is disclosed. The fence guard device is in the form of a linearly elongated metal or composite cap having a pair of parallel stainless-steel or composite panels, each stainless-steel or composite panel is rectangular and the panels are connected to each other at their top edges with a horizontal flat stainless-steel or composite panel to form a cavity wherein the cavity is formed by the parallel panels and the horizontal panel in the form of a continuous opening for installing on top of the fence. The exterior surface of the horizontal flat panel can include spikes along the length of the device for repelling birds and preventing birds from perching on the device.
In yet another embodiment, a plurality of individual guard or cap devices can be stacked side by side, or mounted end to end for protecting a long fence.
In yet another embodiment, the guard or cap device extends to the bottom cut of the dog ears on standard fence boards or fence pickets.
In yet another embodiment, the guard or cap device may be manufactured in a plurality of colors and designs.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for a system that can effectively prevent dry rot, wet rot, warping and misalignment of the fencing pickets and posts of, for example, a stockade or privacy fence. There is also a long felt need in the art for a device that maintains a quality wooden fence for a long period of time without periodic repair and replacement. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a wooden fence guard system that eliminates expensive repair and replacement of wooden fencing posts and pickets. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a device that prevents decolorizing or fading of stained wooden fencing. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a wooden fence guard or cap device that can be easily installed on the wooden, composite, or vinyl fencing. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a device and system that prolongs the life of, for example, a stockade or privacy fence by preventing rot and warping of the fence posts and pickets.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel guard or cap device for dog ears board or picket fencing. The fence guard device is in the form of a linearly elongated metal or composite cap having a pair of parallel stainless-steel or composite panels, each stainless-steel or composite panel is rectangular and the panels are connected to one another at their respective top edges with a horizontal flat stainless-steel or composite panel to form a cavity, wherein the cavity is formed by the parallel panels and the horizontal panel in the form of a continuous opening for installing on top of the fence. The exterior surface of the horizontal flat panel, in one exemplary arrangement, includes spikes along the length of the device for repelling birds and preventing birds from sitting or perching on the device.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The panels 102, 104, 106 form a bottom cavity space 108, a first side opening 110 and a second side opening 112. The guard or cap device 100 is placed on the top of a wooden fence by snapping the device 100 down over through the bottom cavity space 108 with the top of the wooden fencing touching the inner surface of the flat horizontal panel 106 as shown in
For covering a long fence, a plurality of guard or cap devices can be stacked side-by-side or end-to-end for covering the top surface of the fence boards or pickets throughout the length of the fence 200. Individual devices can be separately pulled out for repair and replacement purposes without affecting other deployed guard or cap devices.
The structure having three panels 402, 406, 408 with a cavity therebetween is similar to the device 100 of
In the present embodiment, the top surface 502 includes a weatherproof solar panel 504 configured to absorb solar energy and convert it into electric energy. The electric energy produced by the solar panel 504 is provided to the LED strips 506 positioned along the edges 508,510. The LED strips 506 are illuminated in a plurality of colors using the electric energy. The present embodiment is especially useful to indicate the periphery while viewing the device 500 during night and low light. Also, the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 as shown in the FIGS. can be manufactured to cap the top of any wood fence, and is not limited to a specific single width fence board.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “guard or cap device”, “guard device for wooden fencing”, “device” and “wooden fencing guard device” are interchangeable and refer to the fencing guard device 100,400,500 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 are important design parameters for user convenience, the fencing cap/guard device 100, 400, 500 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/149,461, which was filed on Feb. 15, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63149461 | Feb 2021 | US |
