Patent Publication Number: US-2003230026-A1

Title: Modular garden fencing

Description:
[0001] The present invention relates primarily to domestic gardening materials and, more particularly, to a series of novel panels which are capable to being conjoined to encircle a predetermined area of a garden which, in addition to defining that particular area, protects against the incursion of ambulatory pests and beautifies the region.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The family garden, once a necessary effort to provide vegetables and other food stuffs, has been elevated, with the advent of supermarkets, first to the status of hobby and then, in many cases, to a passion.  
       [0004] Gardeners, like other hobbyists, are eternally vigilant in their pursuit of items which will enhance their efforts. Among the problems which plague the gardener is the incursion of four footed predators such as rabbits, squirrels, and various members of the rodent family.  
       [0005] A situation unrelated to the predator issue, but requiring a similar solution is the training and support of vine like plants, e.g., tomatoes. Further, gardeners often wish to segregate portions, if not all of the area dedicated to their pursuits, and to do so in a manner that is aesthetic as well as efficient, and all of these matters are capable of a single resolution, as will become evident as a reading of this specification proceeds.  
       [0006] 2. Overview of Related Prior Art  
       [0007] While many gardeners are innovators of a sort, who never concern themselves with the commercialization of their ideas, there have been several who have sought and gained patent protection in this field.  
       [0008] Typical of many efforts in this field is the very early patent to Beasley, U.S. Pat. No. 936,402, for a plant support. The Beasley support appears one step removed from the well known stake.  
       [0009] Benson, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,446, for a Collapsible and Adjustable Plant Support and Protector teaches essentially a wire fence made of stackable wire squares, as perhaps an improvement over Ringer U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,033, which combines an enclosure for compost with vine type plants supported about the periphery.  
       [0010] Elliott U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,802 is a stackable support for tomato plants, which grows vertically as the tomato plant grows. Nievilt U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,272 and Elbert U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,915 are both support devices which engage a vine plant about the trunk and are sophisticated versions of the very early Beasley patent referenced above.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] The present invention comprises a series of modular panels which are capable of being serially inter engaged to form an enclosure and including at least one spike at the base of each of such panels to secure each of the panels to the earth. The panels are interspersed with a number of openings, each of which is geometric in shape, all of which is intended to accomplish the various objectives of the invention.  
       [0012] More specifically, it is an objective of the present invention to permit a gardener to create a structure about the perimeter of a defined space, wherein various plants, including vine type plants, are grown by the gardener. It is an additional objective to provide such a structure which is of sufficient height and stability so as to inhibit predators, as well as the curious, from entering the defined area to eat, or otherwise damage, the plants growing there within.  
       [0013] It is another objective of the present invention to provide a plurality of modular panels which are capable of being interconnected to define a decorative fence about a garden, or defined portion thereof.  
       [0014] An objective closely related to the foregoing is to provide a structure formed of modular panels having a number of openings formed therein, to which vine type plants may be secured during growth to support them against the weight of the fruits and vegetables growing thereon.  
       [0015] The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is pictorial representation of a portion of a structure comprised of a series of modular panels constructed in accordance with the present invention, providing a general idea of the panel construction and their interaction with one another;  
     [0017]FIG. 2A is a fragmentary view of a portion of contiguous panels, illustrating the structure of each which permits them to be interconnected;  
     [0018]FIG. 2B is a view similar to FIG. 2A, illustrating an alternative method of interconnecting the panels;  
     [0019]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one of the panels of FIG. 1 taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1;  
     [0020]FIG. 4 is a front side elevation of a panel constructed in accordance with the present invention and having a series of octagonal openings formed therein;  
     [0021]FIG. 5 is a rear side elevation of the panel of FIG. 4;  
     [0022]FIG. 6 is a panel in the nature of the panel of FIG. 4, with the openings therein having circular shapes; and,  
     [0023]FIG. 7 is similar in construction to the panels of FIGS. 4 and 6, with the exception that the openings formed therein are hexagonal. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0024] With reference initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a series of novel garden panels  10 , constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0025] Each of the panels  10  is generally rectangular in profile and is constructed, fabricated, or molded of a relatively inflexible material such as wood, or of a plastic material having the requisite structural integrity. Each such panel  10  is formed from a flat sheet of material. Side rails, or edges,  12  and  14  are provided along the longitudinal edges of each panel, and the space between them defines the width of each panel. A width of 18″ would appear to strike a balance between convenience in handling and a requirement for an inordinate number of panels to accomplish a particular task, although a width ranging between 12″ and 24″ would not be unrealistic, and panels of differing widths might provide an ability to more accurately define the area to be circumscribed by a structure comprised of panels of the present invention.  
     [0026] In a similar fashion, the invention contemplates transverse rails, or edges,  16 , at the top of each panel  10 , and  18 , at the bottom thereof. The rails, or edges,  16  and  18  engage, intersect, or otherwise form integrally with, the longitudinal rails  12 ,  14  (vertical edges) at their respective termini to define the perimeter of the panel  10 . Such a panel may be conveniently 36″ high, although, once again, the precise parameters allow for a variation in height, depending on use of at least plus or minus 10″ without diminishing the salutary effect of the panels as a structure.  
     [0027] The panel  10  may, in accordance with a feature of the invention, be fabricated, or formed, as a sheet of resident material such as wood, or may be molded, in the case of a suitable plastic, with an array of openings  21  to provide, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a trellis effect for the support of vine or other creeping plants growing within the perimeter of a structure formed of interlocking panels, or adjacent to panels that are standing alone.  
     [0028] The openings  21 , as may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 through  7 , are symmetrically spaced in both the longitudinal and transverse axes of each panel and, in the case of the openings  21 , are octagonally shaped, whereas they assume a hexagonal shape in FIG. 7 and a circular shape in FIG. 6. As seen in the various figures of the drawings, intertwined between the openings in symmetrical array are smaller geometric openings of the same shape as the larger openings. Such shapes have been found to be aesthetically pleasing, and, by placing the openings in a symmetrical pattern, there is a consistent uniformity and order to the panels which adds to their attractiveness, both individually and as a part of an overall structure. At the same time, structural integrity is maintained by the lattice work which remains upon formation of the openings  21 .  
     [0029] In order to insure that unwanted predators are inhibited from attempting to traverse the barrier formed by panels  10  formed in a closed serial relationship to define a structure, the bottom portion of each panel is formed with an opaque screen, or blind,  25 . The screen  25  is preferably integrally formed as part of the panel  10  and, as shown, comprises contiguous sections  27  defined by ribs  29  being vertically disposed between the transverse rail  18  and an intermediate rail  32 . By making the screen  25  a height of 5″ to 6″ and, as previously stated, opaque, snakes, rodents, and such animals as rabbits are inhibited from attempts to traverse a structure formed of such panels.  
     [0030] Whether a panel  10  is free standing or part of an overall structure, it is important and expedient to be able to secure each such panel in the ground, and, to this end, at least one, and preferably four, spikes  34  are provided.  
     [0031] It is within the purview of the invention to form the spikes  34  integrally with the panels themselves and, by positioning them coaxially with vertical rails  12  and  14  and ribs  29 , considerable additional axial strength is provided in order that the panels are readily positioned and secured in the ground by simply pushing down on the top transverse edge  16 .  
     [0032] It is an important feature of the present invention that an enclosed structure is capable of being formed by a series of interconnected, serially spaced, panels  10 , a portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 1.  
     [0033] To this end, and with reference to FIG. 2A, the longitudinal edges  12  and  14  are provided with fastening devices, e.g., hooks,  37 , which are conveniently serially spaced at uniform distances along the vertical edges  12  and  14 . In this manner, opposed hooks may be engaged with one another to conjoin contiguous panels, as seen in FIG. 1, to form a closed structure. It will be appreciated that instead of opposed hooks, as seen in FIG. 2A, an eye may be substituted along one of the edges without departure from the invention.  
     [0034] Having now described a preferred embodiment, together with certain variations, particularly in the openings  21 , it will be appreciated that other variations are contemplated by the invention and will occur to those skilled in the art as being within the scope thereof.