The present invention relates generally to panels. Panels are used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. For example, a panel or panel assembly may be used for a wall decoration or for a structural wall component. For another example, panels may be used to make railing or fences such as for protecting and securing people, animals, or land. Railing and fences may also be used to create privacy or to prevent entry into a predetermined area. For instance, fences may be used to contain livestock, pets, or children in a predetermined area or to prevent predators from entering into a predetermined area. In addition to these functional uses of panels, panels may also be used for decorative purposes such as on the interior of homes or around porches, decks, yards, gardens, and roads.
In light of the varied uses of panels, there is a need for an improved panel design that includes connectors to facilitate connection with adjacent panels. There is also a need for a panel assembly comprised of multiple panels that have been interconnected together. Furthermore, there is a need for improved methods of shipping and installing panels.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may address some or all of these needs. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a panel that includes at least one connector to facilitate connection with an adjacent panel. The improved design may enable multiple panels to be interconnected with a minimal amount of parts and labor in order to form a panel assembly. As a result, exemplary embodiments of the panel and panel assembly may facilitate the installation of fencing, railing, or other suitable applications of the panel. For example, panels may be interconnected at the manufacturing site to form a panel assembly, which may then be shipped as a unit to the installation site for easy installation. In addition to these benefits, exemplary embodiments of the panel and panel assembly may require a reduced amount of maintenance after installation, while still providing an aesthetically appealing appearance for fencing, railing, or other suitable applications.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments.
The present invention is directed to panels as well as assemblies and methods related to the panels. One exemplary embodiment of a panel of the present invention is shown in
Male connector 22 may include additional features to enable a stable connection. For example, male connector 22 may have a base portion 26 and an extension portion or prong 28. In this exemplary embodiment, base portion 26 may have a sufficient width to provide a tight fit (e.g., a friction fit) with female connector 34 such as shown in
Referring back to
End caps may be used to provide an aesthetic and protective cover to the top and bottom ends of panel 10. The end caps may be secured by a friction fit or press fit with the hollow ends of panel 10, or by any other suitable connection means, such as screws, adhesives, clips, or other mechanical fastening means.
A channel 70 may be provided between prong 54a and prong 54b. Channel 70 may facilitate the insertion of male connector 52 into female connector 64. In particular, channel 70 may enable prong 54a and prong 54b to flex toward each other, which facilitates sliding flange 56a over ridge 66a and flange 56b over ridge 66b.
As a further option, each prong may include a channel. Referring to
The panels may be made from any suitable material. An exemplary material that may be used to make the panels is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other vinyl material. Nevertheless, it should be recognized that other plastics may be used including, but not limited to, multilayer films, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, low density polyethylene (LDPE), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA), polystyrene, other similar copolymers, other similar, suitable, or conventional plastic materials, and formulations that incorporate any of the aforementioned polymers such as plastic composites. A panel of the present invention may also be made from other materials such as woods, metals, and other formable materials. In addition, it should be recognized that a panel of the present invention may have a capstock layer (e.g., a PVC capstock layer or another suitable capstock layer) for desired physical and aesthetic characteristics.
A variety of additive and fillers may be used to make an exemplary embodiment of a panel from a plastic compound or a plastic composite. Examples of optional additives and fillers include, but are not limited to, cellulosic fillers, polymers, plastics, thermoplastics, rubber, inorganic fillers, cross-linking agents, lubricants, process aids, stabilizers (e.g., thermal stabilizers and ultraviolet stabilizers), accelerators, inhibitors, enhancers, compatibilizers, blowing agents, foaming agents, thermosetting materials, colorants, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Examples of cellulosic fillers include sawdust, newspapers, alfalfa, wheat pulp, wood chips, wood fibers, wood particles, ground wood, wood flour, flax, wood flakes, wood veneers, wood laminates, paper, cardboard, straw, cotton, rice hulls, coconut shells, peanut shells, bagass, plant fibers, bamboo fiber, palm fiber, kenaf, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Any of the wood examples may be hard or soft wood or variations thereof. Furthermore, any desired mesh size of the cellulosic filler can be used. With regard to wood flour, an exemplary range of mesh size is about 10 to about 100 mesh, more preferably about 40 mesh to about 80 mesh depending on the desired characteristics of the composite. On the other hand, examples of polymers include multilayer films, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low density polyethylene (LDPE), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA), polystyrene, other similar copolymers, other similar, suitable, or conventional plastic materials, and formulations that incorporate any of the aforementioned polymers. Examples of inorganic fillers include talc, calcium carbonate, kaolin clay, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, silica, mica, barium sulfate, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Examples of thermosetting materials include polyurethanes, such as isocyanates, phenolic resins, unsaturated polyesters, epoxy resins, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Combinations of the aforementioned materials are also examples of thermosetting materials. Examples of lubricants include zinc stearate, calcium stearate, esters, amide wax, paraffin wax, ethylene bis-stearamide, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Examples of stabilizers include tin stabilizers, lead and metal soaps such as barium, cadmium, and zinc, and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. In addition, examples of process aids include acrylic modifiers and other similar, suitable, or conventional materials. Furthermore, a foaming agent can be an exothermic or endothermic foaming agent. An example of an exothermic foaming agent is azodicarbonamide, and an example of an endothermic foaming agent is sodium bicarbonate. Thus, in light of these possible ingredients, examples of plastic composites include, but are not limited to, polymer/cellulosic filler composites, thermoplastic/cellulosic filler composites, thermoset plastic/cellulosic filler composites, rubber/cellulosic filler composites, foamed cellulosic-filled plastic composites, and other suitable plastic composites.
A panel of the present invention may be formed by any suitable method. For example, a panel may be made by extrusion, compression molding, injection molding, or any other suitable technique. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the panels may be extruded and cut to the desired length. The panels may then be gathered and racked such as by a mechanical arm or other gathering device. An automated machine such as an air-actuated jig or a press machine may then snap or press the panels together to form a panel assembly. As a result, this process enables the automated production of panel assemblies at the manufacturing site. Nevertheless, it should be recognized that non-automated or partially automated processes may also be used to produce panel assemblies of the present invention at the manufacturing site. Regardless of the particular method of producing the panel assembly at the manufacturing site, the panel assembly may be shipped as a single unit from the manufacturing site to the installation site, where it may be connected with other similar panel assemblies or other components in order to form a fence, a rail, or any other desired type of structure or decoration. As a result, these exemplary methods of shipping and installing a panel assembly may greatly reduce the assembly time at the installation site as well as limit the possibility of improper installation.
A panel of the present invention may have any desired dimensions. For example,
A panel assembly of the present invention may include any desired number of panels. Furthermore, a panel assembly may have any desired width (where width is measured in the same direction as the width of an individual panel. Using the example of
Any embodiment of the present invention may include any of the optional or preferred features of the other embodiments of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. Having shown and described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described invention. Many of those variations and modifications will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the present invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/388,775, filed Mar. 24, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/664,754, filed Mar. 24, 2005, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150033659 A1 | Feb 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60664754 | Mar 2005 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11388775 | Mar 2006 | US |
Child | 14324944 | US |