Abstract:
A unitary polymeric structure that is a lattice fence material. The lattice fence has a first extension at a first angle. At least fifty percent of the first extension overlies and the remaining percentage of the first extension merges with a predetermined portion of a second extension. The second extension is at a second angle distinct from the first angle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a unitary polymeric lattice structure.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
         [0002]    A lattice, according to Webster&#39;s dictionary, is defined as a framework or structure of wood or metal made by crossing lathes or other thin strips so as to form a network. Such wooden lattices are known to have a 100% offset between a first strip and a second strip that cross and overlay each other. Anyone who has a wooden lattice realizes that they are difficult to repair and maintain. Accordingly, the plastic industry has attempted to re-create these fence designs in a durable form.  
           [0003]    Applicant admits there are numerous embodiments of unitary polymeric lattice structures. Many of these embodiments are illustrated in the following list of references:  
                                                               296935   Erceg   1896957   Hutcheson           2335181   Heath   2384303   Heath           2672658   Pedersen   2712199   Latimer           3307316   Gray   3745735   Casano           3748814   Cribben   3807116   Flynn           3813841   Tsurumi   3849013   Bibb           3927950   Herrmann et al   3981249   Herrmann et al           4016694   Mauell   4060950   Rackard et al           4067162   Dovman   4260124   Heilman           4261940   Bussey, Jr.   4282695   Lew           4323533   Bramhall   4333287   Lewis           4385564   Heggenstaller   4408741   Mimura et al           4409770   Kawaguchi   4448621   Marsh et al           4540308   Colby   4555886   Wiechowski           4723388   Zieg   4760680   Myers           4821481   Woodman   4907289   Pettit           4925512   Briand   5018332   Ying-Kit           5172535   Jongh et al   5174090   Teli et al           5251420   Johnson   5285612   Johnson                      
 
           [0004]    None of these cited references, however, disclose, suggest, or teach a unitary polymeric lattice structure having an offset greater than fifty percent and less than one hundred percent. Instead, the cited references disclose polymeric lattice designs that have a unitary non-offset design, a unitary one-strip offset design, a unitary two-strip offset design, or a non-unitary off-set design. For the unitary designs, each unitary design has an offset of less than twenty percent (hereinafter “Low Offsets”).  
           [0005]    Therefore, these Low Offsets have not satisfied a serious long-felt need to have a unitary polymeric lattice structure that has a significant (greater than 50%) offset. Applicant is unaware of any entity presently making such a significant offset lattice structure. Accordingly, applicant has found a mold design that allows applicant to solve this long-felt need. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the lines  2 - 2 .  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    A unitary polymeric lattice fence is the present invention. The lattice fence is a framework of at least one first extension and at least one second extension that appear to cross over each other at different angles so as to form a network of apertures between the extensions. The first and second extensions each have a length, a width, and a depth that are the same or distinct. At the juncture where the first and second extensions appear to cross over each other, at least 50% to 95% of the depth of each extension is exposed and the remaining portion of the depth of each extension is merged with the other extension.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]    The present invention relates to a polymeric lattice fence illustrated in FIG. 1. The polymeric lattice fence  10  is a unitary polymeric structure having a framework of at least one first extension  12  and at least one second extension  14 . The first extension  12  and the second extension  14  appear to cross over each other, at a juncture area  16 , so as to form a network of apertures  18 .  
         [0013]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first extension  12  has a top surface  20 , a bottom surface  22  and a width W 1  at outer edges  23  of the extension  12 ; and the second extension  14  has a top surface  24 , a bottom surface  26 , and a width W 2  at outer edges  27  of the extension  14 . In relation to the first extension  12 , the bottom surface  22  does not extend beyond the halfway point of W 2  toward the bottom surface  26 . Likewise, the top surface  24  does not extend beyond the halfway point of W 1  toward the top surface  20 . That way, the first extension and the second extension has at least a 50% offset.  
         [0014]    The fifty percent offset is merely the minimum offset of the present invention while the maximum offset of the present invention is limited to include 95% and below. Otherwise, the present invention would not be an unitary polymeric lattice structure.  
         [0015]    Under normal circumstances, it would be assumed that the maximum offset could be anything under 100%. Such a conclusion, however, ignores the fact that the polymeric lattice structure must remain unitary. Accordingly, applicant has discovered that there must be a merger at area  16  wherein at least 5%, preferably 10%, of W 1  at the first extension  12  and at least 5%, preferably 10%, of W 2  at the second extension  14  must merge together. Otherwise, the plastic lattice structure will not remain unitary, under normal use.  
         [0016]    The design illustrated in FIG. 1 is not limited to the angle (A) illustrated of the first extension  12  and the second extension  14 . The angle A illustrated in FIG. 1 is a right angle. Obviously, the angle A can be other angles, such as obtuse or acute, depending on the desired design.  
         [0017]    In some instances, the offset should be greater than 80% and in others greater than 90%. In any case, the greater than 50% offset and less than 95% makes the present invention more realistic and simultaneously durable for conventional uses of lattice fencing.  
         [0018]    For sake of clarity, the present invention  10  has a plurality of extensions that either parallel the first extension  12  (marked as extension  12 A) or the second extension  14  (marked as extension  14 A), and multiple cross areas (marked as areas  16 B-I) similar to the area marked  16 . Such markings clearly illustrate the various structures of the lattice design  10 .  
         [0019]    Alternatively, the width W 1  can be the same or different as the width W 2 . Also, area  16  is not mated, glued or joined together by any conventional matter other than when formed.  
         [0020]    The lattice unit  10  is formed by injecting melted polymeric resin, i.e., polyethylene, into a mold having the predetermined design of the present invention.  
         [0021]    The polymeric resin used in the present invention must be able to withstand the summer heat and the winter cold, without extensive cracking or melting. In other words, the present invention must be able to withstand the conventional climate found at least within the continental United States.  
         [0022]    In FIG. 1 the aperture  18  is illustrated as a square. That aperture design is not the only design. It can be any other design, such as a polygon like a rectangle, a diamond, or a pentagon, or shape having a continuous single curvilinear line like a circle as shown in FIG. 4, or an ellipse. When a shape having a continuous single curvilinear line is used, there is fill  80 . Fill  80  can be the width of the merger W 4  of the two extensions  14 ,  16 , the width W 1  of the first extension  12 , the width W 2  of the second extension  14 , the width W 3  of the first and second extensions  14 ,  16 , greater than the width W 5  of both first and second extensions  14 ,  16 , or any size between W 4  and W 5 . It can be any type of design so long as there are the two extensions  14 ,  16 .  
         [0023]    The extensions  14 ,  16  can also be of any design. The design can have an concave surface, planar as shown in FIG. 2, or convex as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0024]    Although variations in the embodiment of the present invention may not each realize all the advantages of the invention, certain features may become more important than others in various applications of the device. The invention, accordingly, should be understood to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.