Patent Application
20250146311
The present invention relates generally to protective construction devices, and more particularly, to a protective railing guard device for protecting sections of hand railings from damage during construction activities.
Construction activities such as, for example, painting, repair, demolition, etc. are often perform on balconies, decks and other outdoor structures. These areas typically include railings or hand rails to prevent people from falling off the structures.
During the construction activities, the railings may get damaged by dripping paint, falling debris, etc. Often, construction workers will attempt to protect the railings by covering them with tarps and the like. However, the tarps are flexible and can transmit the impact of falling debris onto the railings thereby causing damage to the railings. When longer sections of railings are exposed to the construction activities, multiple tarps are needed to protect the railings. These tarps can shift relative to each other leaving sections of railing exposed to damage.
Additionally, the tarps can get blown off of the railings unless secured. This can require the construction workers to wrap rope completely around the tarp and railing or punch holes in the tarps themselves.
Accordingly, there is need for a solution to at least one of the aforementioned problems. For instance, there is an established need for a railing guard that can protect sections of railing from impacts. There is also an established need for a railing guard system that can securely protect an extended length of railing.
The present invention is directed to a railing guard and a modular railing guard system for protecting a hand or other railing during construction activities. The railing guard includes a first side panel, a second side panel and a top panel extending between the first and second side panels and defining an internal channel therebetween for covering a section of railing. Lower flared panels extend from bottom edges of the first and second side panels to stiffen the railing guard. The first and second side panels may include tie down slots for securing the railing guard to a section of railing. The first and second side panels define series of connector holes adjacent to end edges thereof to allow a first railing guard to be connected to a second railing guard to form a modular railing guard system.
In a first implementation of the invention there is disclosed a rail guard for protecting a section of railing during construction activities, the rail guard comprising:
In a second aspect, the rail guard further includes a first lower flared panel extending at an angle from the bottom edge of the first side panel and a second lower flared panel extending at an angle from the bottom edge of the second side panel, wherein the first and second lower flared panels extend outwardly from the respective first and second side panels.
In another aspect, the first lower flared panel extends outwardly from the bottom edge of the first side panel at an angle of forty five degrees.
In another aspect, the second lower flared panel extends outwardly from the bottom edge of the second side panel at an angle of forty five degrees.
In another aspect, the second side panel defines a first series of connector holes adjacent to the first end edge of the second side panel and a second series of connector holes adjacent to the second end edge of the second side panel.
In another aspect, the first side panel defines tie down slots for securing the railing guard to a railing.
In another aspect, the second side panel defines tie down slots for securing the railing guard to a railing.
In another aspect, the railing guard is formed from a relatively rigid material.
In another aspect, the railing guard is formed from polycarbonate material.
In another aspect, the railing guard is formed form Lexan™.
In another aspect, the railing guard is formed from an acrylic material.
In a second implementation of the invention, there is disclosed a modular system of railing guards for covering an extended length of railing, the modular system comprising;
In a third implementation of the invention, there is disclosed a method of covering and protecting an extended length of railing using a modular system of railing guards, the method comprising:
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a railing guard device for protecting a handrail or similar narrow structure during construction.
Referring to
The first side panel 110 has an inner face 130 and an outer face 132. The inner face 130 of the first side panel 110 faces and protects a surface of a railing against damage while the outer face 132 of the first side panel 110 wards off or absorbs any impacts from falling debris or other occurrences from construction activities such as, for example dripping paint, caulking, etc. The first side panel 110 has a first end edge 134, a second end edge 136, a bottom edge 138 and a top edge 140.
Similarly, the second side panel 112 has an inner face 150 and an outer face 152. The second side panel 112 further includes a first end edge 154, a second end edge 156, a bottom edge 158 and a top edge 160. Together, the first and second side panels 110 and 112, respectively, are provided to surround or sandwich a section of railing to be protected therebetween.
The first and second side panels 110 and 112 are joined together by the top panel 114. The top panel 114 has an inner face 170 and an outer face 172. The top panel 114 further includes a first end edge 174, a second end edge 176, a first side edge 178 and a second side edge 180. The first and second side panels 110 and 112 are connected to the top panel 114 such that the top edge 140 of the first side panel 110 is connected to the first side edge 178 of the top panel 114 and the top edge 160 of the second side panel 112 is connected to the second side edge 180 of the top panel 114. In a deployed condition, the first and second side panels 110 and 112, respectively, are oriented at a generally 90° angle relative to the top panel 114. As noted above, the first and second side panels 110 and 112, together with the top panel 114 define the internal channel 120 for receipt and covering of a section of railing.
The first and second side panels 110 and 112, respectively, can be formed separately and connected to the top panel 114 by various means such as, for example, welding, gluing, stapling, screwing or bolting, etc. In a particular embodiment, the first and second side panels 110 and 114 can be formed integrally with the top panel 114 by molding or folding the panels of the rail guard 100 relative to each other. Specifically, the top edge 140 of the first side panel 110 forms a first fold line 190 with the first side edge 178 of the top panel 114 and the top edge 160 of the second side panel 112 forms a second fold line 192 with the second side edge 180 of the top panel 114.
As noted hereinabove, the railing guard 100 further includes the first and second lower flared panels 116 and 118 which extend downwardly from the first and second side panels 110 and 112, respectively. The first lower flared panel 116 has a top edge 200, a bottom edge 202, a first end edge 204 and a second end edge 206. The first lower flared panel 116 further includes an outer face 208 and an inner face 210. The inner face 210 of the first lower flared panel 116 is provided to engage the ground or floor and assist in stabilizing the first side panel 110 against bending or collapse.
Similarly, the second lower flared panel 118 extends downwardly from the second side panel 112 and includes a top edge 220, a bottom edge 222, a first end edge 224 and a second end edge 226 (See also
The first and second lower flared panels 116 and 118 are connected to the first and second side panels 110 and 112, respectively. When formed separately, the bottom edge 138 of the first side panel 110 is connected to the top edge 200 of the first lower flared panel 116 and the bottom edge 158 of the second side panel 112 is connected to the top edge 220 of the second lower flared panel 118 by known means as described hereinabove.
Similar to the first and second side panels 110 and 112 and the top panel 114 described hereinabove, the first side panel 110 and the first lower flared panel 116 along with the second side panel 112 and the second lower flared panel 118 may be formed integrally together and formed into the desired shape by molding or folding the railing guard 100. When formed integrally together, the bottom edge 138 of the first side panel 110 forms a third fold line 240 with the top edge 200 of the first lower flared panel 116. Similarly, the bottom edge 158 of the second side panel 112 forms a fourth fold line 242 (
The railing guard 100, including the first side panel 110, the second side panel 112, the top panel 114, the first lower flared panel 116 and the second lower flared panel 118 may be formed from the same or different relatively rigid materials. For example, the railing guard 100 may be formed from rigid cardboard or similar organic and easily disposable materials. Alternatively, the railing guard may be formed from reusable materials, such as, for example various polymers or plastics, metallic materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, etc. In particular embodiments, the railing guard 100 is formed from a transparent polycarbonate, Lexan™ or acrylic material.
The disclosed railing guard 100 is designed to be placed or folded over a section of railing such as a section of handrailing described hereinbelow. In order to secure the railing guard 100 to the railing, the first side panel 110 includes a series of tie down slots 250, 252, 254 and 256. Similarly, the second side panel 112 has a series of tie down slots 260, 262, 264 and 266 (
The disclosed railing guard 100 is designed to be provided singularly or as multiple components of a modular system for covering varying lengths of railing. Thus, the first side panel 110 has a first series of connector holes 270, including connector holes 272, 274 and 276, adjacent to the first end edge 134 of the first side panel 110 and a second series of connector holes 280, including connector holes 282, 284 and 286 adjacent to the second end edge 136 of the first side panel 110.
Similarly, the second side panel 112 has a first series of connector holes 290, including connector holes 292, 294 and 296, adjacent to the first end edge 154 of the second side panel 112 (
The first and second series of connector holes 270 and 280 of the first side panel 110 and the first and second series of connector holes 290 and 300 of the second side panel 112 are provided to receive tying material such as that described hereinabove and secure a first railing guard 100 to a second railing guard 100 (not shown). This is accomplished by threading the tying materials through the first series of connector holes 270 of the first side of the first railing guard 100 and through a second series of connector holes 280 of a first side panel 110 of a second side panel 112 of a second railing guard 100 (not shown) to secure the first railing guard 100 to the second railing guard 100 or in any other combination thereof.
Turning now to
Referring now to
With specific reference to
As noted hereinabove, the multiple railing guards 100 may be secured together using the first and second series of connector holes 270 and 280 of the first side panel 110 of the railing guard 100 and the first and second series of connector holes 290 and 300 of the second side panel 112 of the railing guard 100 with corresponding series of connector holes in one or more additional railing guards 100. This provides a longitudinally modular system of railing guards 100 for protecting various lengths of railings 500.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
