Abstract:
A decorative, removable cover for banisters, railing, spindles, and the like is made of a resilient material and includes a longitudinally extending opening allowing manual placement of the cover in covering relation over a respective banister, railing, spindle or the like. A plurality of covers may be provided in a kit which optionally includes a stencil and/or stickers having various decorative and/or text thereon allowing the consumer to customize the covers following purchase if desired.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to decorative covers for fencing, banisters, railings, spindles, and the like. A “banister” typically refers to the hand rail (also called a “balustrade”) which traverses and interconnects a plurality of upstanding, spaced spindles (also called “balusters”). The structure as a whole is sometimes referred to as a “railing”. “Fencing” typically denotes an outdoor structure having upstanding, spaced spindles with one or more horizontally extending cross-members interconnecting the spindles together. Regardless of the nomenclature used to describe a particular structure within this application, it is understood that the invention is usable with any one of the various structural elements described herein and regardless of whether the structure is intended for indoor or outside use. 
         [0002]    Many homes and places of business include some type of fencing about porches, landscaping and other outdoor structures (e.g., pools, hot tubs, patios, gaming areas, gazebos, etc.). Stair railings are of course common within the interior of multi-level dwellings or outside multi-level decks. Railings and fencing come in a variety of architectural styles with spindles and banisters coming in a variety of cross-sectional shapes including round, oval, square, rectangular, etc. and may be uniform or vary in shape along the length of each spindle and/or banister. Railings and fencing may come in a variety of materials including wood, metal and vinyl, for example, which may be painted, stained or, as is common in the case of vinyl, left unpainted. Vinyl fencing has seen an increase in popularity in recent years due to its low maintenance requirements (i.e., durability and no need for yearly painting or sealing). There are presently little options for decorating such fencing other than to paint them different colors (e.g., applying murals) and/or draping decorative swags, garlands, wreaths and the like on the fencing. There therefore exists a need for other options for decorating fencing and railings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention addresses the above need by providing removable decorative covers in the same general cross-section as the spindles and/or banister of a fencing or staircase railing structure. The covers may be made of any suitable material (e.g., a rigid yet bendable plastic). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION FO THE DRAWING 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention with respect to a fencing structure; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a fragmented, plan view of a single cover of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a fragmented, plan view showing another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a fragmented, plan view showing yet another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view thereof as taken generally along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawing figures, there is seen in  FIG. 1  an exemplary fencing structure denoted generally by the reference numeral  10 . Fencing  10  may include a plurality of upright, spaced spindles or slats  12  secured together by posts  14  and rails  16 , for example. Posts  14  may include a top cap  18 . 
         [0018]    The present invention comprises one or more removable decorative covers  20  which may be positioned in covering relation over a respective spindle  12  and/or rail  20 . More particularly, covers  20  are made of any suitable material but are preferably made of a material which is durable and bendable (e.g., a resilient plastic). As seen best in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , each cover  20  is provided with a longitudinally extending opening  20   a  which traverses the full length thereof between opposite open ends  20   b  and  20   c  such that one or both opposite panels  20   e,    20   f  may be manually pulled apart (see curved arrow and panel  20   f  in dotted lines in  FIG. 5 ) as it is placed around a respective spindle or rail  16 . Upon release, panels  20   e,    20   f  will return back to their normal position and generally conform in covering relation about the spindle and/or rail  16  as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . 
         [0019]    The width W 1  of longitudinal opening  20   a  may vary as desired. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , opening  20   a  width W 1  (as defined by the spacing between cover edges  20   e ′ and  20   f ′) is only slightly smaller than the width W 2  of the respective rail  16 . This relatively large spacing width allows for easy attachment of cover  20  to rail  16 , and also accommodates the spindles  12  where they attach to rail  16 . Furthermore, the underside of rail  16  is not in normal view so it does not matter that there is no decorative covering on this side  16   a  of the rail  16 . Regarding the spindles  12 , the decorative panel located opposite opening  20   a  will face toward the direction in which the user would prefer (e.g., outwardly toward the location where people would be approaching the house). In other embodiments, the longitudinal opening  20   a  may have a medium or relatively small width which would allow those panels which define the opening to also have decoration applied for viewing if desired. 
         [0020]    As seen in  FIG. 9 , one possible cross-section shape is cover  22  having panels  22   a,    22   b,    22   c,    22   d  and  22   e,  one or more or all of which could have applied decoration thereto. Panel  22   c  is seen to be non-planar including opposite side panel portions  22 C′ and  22   c ″. A longitudinal opening  22   f  allows for placement of cover  22  about a respective and cooperatively shaped spindle (not shown). 
         [0021]    As seen in  FIG. 13 , yet another possible cross-sectional shape is cover  24  having panel sections  24   a,    24   b  and  24   c.  A longitudinal opening  24   d  allows for placement of cover  24  about a respective and cooperatively shaped spindle (not shown). 
         [0022]    It is noted that each cover  20  includes a cross-sectional shape that substantially conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the spindle and/or rail on which it is intended to be mounted. It is therefore contemplated that covers  20  may be offered in a variety of shapes and sizes, other than those shapes and sizes shown in the drawing figures, from which a consumer may choose to match the cross-sectional size and shape of the spindles and/or rails they wish to cover. 
         [0023]    As seen in the various Figures, covers  20  may include ornamentation such as stars ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  8 ,  10  and  12 ), ovals, and circles ( FIGS. 3 ,  7  and  11 ) although it is of course understood that the covers  20  may have any desired ornamentation (e.g., themed decorations for specific holidays). 
         [0024]    Text may also be included on covers  20  to indicate, for example, support for a favorite sports team (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 , for example), a person&#39;s birthday or other major life event (arrival of baby, anniversary, retirement, etc.). Text  26  may be provided on the covers  20  in normal left to right reading alignment for covers  20  intended to extend horizontally such as on a rail  16  (see  FIG. 2 ), or text  26   a  may be provided in vertical top to bottom reading alignment for covers  20  intended to be attached to a spindle or slat  12  (see  FIG. 3 ). The text  20 , 20   a  of course would be printed on one or more of the panels of cover  20  and preferably on the panel which faces toward the intended viewer. Text  20 ,  20   a  may be applied to a cover  20  in any known and desired manner, for example, screen-printing, stenciling, stickers, etc. In one embodiment of the invention, a kit comprising a plurality of covers  20  and a stencil kit and/or stickers may be provided whereby the consumer may then apply text of his or her own choosing to one or more covers  20 . 
         [0025]    In yet another embodiment of the invention, one or more covers  20  may be provided with one or more tear lines  21  ( FIG. 4 ) at spaced intervals which would allow the consumer to tear a cover  20  to the needed length. 
         [0026]    While the invention has been shown and described herein with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it is understood that variations may be made without departing from the full spirit and scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow.