Patent Publication Number: US-11391057-B2

Title: Winged slat

Description:
RELATED PATENTS 
     This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/973,323, filed on Dec. 17, 2015, and claims priority thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to slats which are inserted into chain link fences in order to increase privacy and security. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     The slat of U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,623 possesses a body member  19  having a front surface  28 , a parallel rear surface  30 , and two shorter connecting parallel sides  27  and  29 . Fins  21  and  22  may originate (a) near the centers of sides  27  and  29  or (b) from opposite corners of a side  27  or  29  and the front surface  28  or the rear surface  30 . But the fins  21  and  22  do not originate from any intermediate point between the center of a side  27  or  29  and a surface (front  28  or rear  30 ). Each of the fins  21  and  22  extends at an acute angle relative to its respective side of origination  27  or  29  to reach the plane of the surface  28  or  30  toward which such fin  21  or  22  is angled. The slat of U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,623 has, however, no straight fin. Likewise, in another multi-finned slat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,839, there is no indication of any angled fin. 
     Lines 16 through 26 in column 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,628 indicate, “For purposes of providing privacy and providing a self-locking slat that is automatically securable in a channel of a chain link fence . . . first and second fins [ 20   a  and  20   b ] may extend from and along longitudinal sides of the body member, proximate a proximal [toward the front side of the chain link fence  16 , according to lines 12 through 13 of column 4] face sheet . . . of the body member, laterally and proximately, toward and into the knuckles of the chain link fence to frictionally engage the knuckles, and specifically, the twisted wires at intersections of the wire mesh fencing fabric.” Line 65 of column 4 through line 4 of column 5 further explain, “ . . . the fins  20   a,    20   b  are configured to extend proximately, relative to the body member  24 . In particular, and relative to a proximal face sheet  26  of the body member  24 , the fins  20   a,    20   b  are oriented at an angle, [α], the angle being between about 0° and about 30° and, more preferably, between about 0° and 20°, and in a preferred embodiment, between about 5° and 15°.” 
     Further, according to lines 41 through 51 of column 2, “[i]n another embodiment of the present invention, the . . . slats further include third and fourth fins for inhibiting rotational movement of the slat relative to the channel [of a chain link fence]. More specifically, in this embodiment, third and fourth fins extending along and from longitudinal sides of the body member, proximate a distal [toward a back side or face of the chain link fence, according to lines 10 through 11 of column 4] face sheet . . . of the body member, are provided to abuttingly engage distal portions of the wire mesh fencing fabric to inhibit rotational movement of the slats within corresponding channels. 
     Lines 13 through 21 in column 5 continue, “[i]n particular, and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 3-5 , fins  30   a,    30   b  extend at least laterally outwardly toward knuckles  18 , and extend distally, relative to the body member  24 , to engage distal portions  14   b  of the wire and mesh fencing fabric  14 . In one embodiment, the fins  30   a,    30   b  are oriented at an angle, β, relative to a distal face sheet  28  of the body member  24 , the angle β being between about 35° and 55° and, more preferably, between about 40° and 50° . 
     Therefore, the slat of U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,628 can have an angled fin and a straight fin on each side of the body member, but the fins are not asymmetrically arranged, i.e., as defined herein the straight fins are not diagonally opposite to one another, and the angled fins are not diagonally opposite to one another; if straight fins exist, the angled fins do not have their respective free ends angled toward opposite faces of the slat; an angled fin and a straight fin are not attached at the same place to the body member; and no fin is attached to the body member other than at a corner, i.e., as defined herein, where a side meets a face. 
     The fins of the slat in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,584,468 and 5,899,442 can, according to lines 60 through 61 in column 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,468 and the identically worded statement in lines 62 through 64 from column 4 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,442, on each side be angled toward or away from each other; but there is no indication in either patent (1) that the angled fins are diagonally opposite to one another simultaneously with straight fins being diagonally opposite to one another, i.e., there is no indication that fins comprising a set of two angled fins and a set of two straight fins are asymmetrical or (2) that any two fins originate from the same place on a given side of the slat. 
     The inventor is, moreover, unaware of any fence slat having an angled fin and a straight fin originating from a given side of a slat wherein the angled slat originally proceeds perpendicularly to the side of the slat before extending at an angle from such perpendicular portion. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The winged slat for a chain link fence of the present invention includes a body with a first and second sides, a pair of fins joined to each other at a vertex and longitudinally disposed on one of the first and second sides of the body. Alternatively, fin pairs may omit a joining vertex, but attach to the generally rectangular body at substantially the same location. Embodiments may also include a dual-winged slat with a generally rectangular body, with a front, back, first side, and second side, a first pair of fins joined to each other at a first vertex and longitudinally disposed on the first side of the generally rectangular body, and a second pair of fins joined to each other at a second vertex and longitudinally disposed on the second side of the generally rectangular body. Pairs of fins may be arranged asymmetrically around the body. The body may be either solid or hollow. If the body is hollow, the body preferably contains at least one, and most preferably two, internal walls which are parallel to the edges of the body and connected at the tops and bottoms of the walls to the front face and to the rear face of the body of the slat. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment for a winged slat. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a second embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a third embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a fourth embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 5  is cross-sectional transverse view of a fifth embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a sixth embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a seventh embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a eighth embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional transverse view of a ninth embodiment of a winged slat. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view from above showing within a channel between the knuckles of the chain link fence an embodiment of a winged slat with the first angled fin riding along the outer rear portion of the first left-opening curved knuckle, the free end of the first angled fin touching the inside of the first right-opening curved knuckle, the first straight fin being outside but near the front outer portion of the first left-opening curved knuckle, the second angled fin riding along the outer front portion of the second right-opening curved knuckle, the second angled fin touching the inside of the second left-opening curved knuckle, and the second straight fin being outside but near the rear outer portion of the second right-opening curved knuckle. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view from above showing within a channel between the knuckles of the chain link fence an embodiment of a winged slat with the first angled fin riding along the outer rear portion of the first left-opening curved knuckle, the free end of the first angled fin touching the inside of the first right-opening curved knuckle, the first straight fin being outside and touching the front outer portion of the first left-opening curved knuckle, the second angled fin riding along the outer front portion of the second right-opening curved knuckle, the second angled fin touching the inside of the second left-opening curved knuckle, and the second straight fin being outside and touching the rear outer portion of the second right-opening curved knuckle. 
         FIG. 12  shows the first angled fin containing one or more separations. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As stated above and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 11 , the winged Slat  1  of the present invention has a rectangular body  2  comprising a front face  3 , a rear face  4 , a first edge (or side)  5 , and a second edge (or side)  6 . There is, further, a first straight fin  7  having a first end  8  and a first angled fin  9  having a first end  10  with each of the first ends  8 ,  10  attached to the first edge  5  with the first end  10  of the first angled fin  9  being no closer to the front face  3  than is the first end  8  of the first straight fin  7 , with the first angled fin  9  being angled (in the transverse plane  11 , which is shown in  FIG. 1 , with respect to the body  2  of the slat  1 ) at an angle α′ toward the rear face  4  of the body  2 . Similarly, a second straight fin  12  having a first end  13  and a second angled fin  14  having a first end  15  are attached by their respective first ends  13 ,  15  to the second edge  6  with the first end  15  of the second angled fin  14  being no closer to the rear face  4  than is the first end  13  of the second straight fin  12 , with the second angled fin  14  being angled (in the transverse plane  11  with respect to the body  2  of the slat  1 ) at an angle α″ toward the front face  3  of the body  2  Optionally the fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  can be integrally formed with the body  2 . 
     In accordance with tradition for fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  and slats  1  and as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the connection of the fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  to the body  2  of the slat  1  extends longitudinally along the edges  5 ,  6  of the body  2  of the slat  1 . 
     The body  2  may be either solid or hollow and is preferably hollow, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 11 . When the body  2  is hollow, such body  2  is preferably comprised of the first edge  5  connecting a first side  16  of the front face  3  to a first side  17  of the rear face  4  and with the second edge  6  connecting a second side  18  of the front face  3  to a second side  19  of the rear face  4 , preferably by having a front end  20  of the first edge  5  connected to the first side  16  of the front face  3 , a rear end  21  of the first edge  5  attached to the first side  17  of the rear face  4 , a front end  22  of the second edge  6  attached to the second side  18  of the front face  3 , and a rear end  23  of the second edge  6  connected to the second side  19  of the rear face  4 . And most preferably, the hollow body  2  contains at least one and, preferably, two internal walls  24 ,  25  which are preferably parallel to the edges  5 ,  6  of the body  2  of the slat  1 . The front end  26  of the first wall  24  is attached to the front face  3  of the body  2 , and the rear end  27  of the first wall  24  is connected to the rear face  4 . Similarly, the front end  28  of the second wall  25  is attached to the front face  3  of the body  2 , and the rear end  29  of the second wall  25  is connected to the rear face  3 . All component of the hollow body  2  are preferably integrally formed. 
     In certain embodiments, the free end  30  of the first straight fin  7  must be closer to the plane  31  containing the front face  3  of the body  2  of the slat  1  than is the free end  32  of the first angled fin  9 . And, in certain embodiments, the free end  33  of the second straight fin  12  must be closer to the plane  34  containing the rear face  4  of the body  2  of the slat  1  than is the free end  35  of the second angled fin  14 . 
     Furthermore, neither the first straight fin  7  nor the first angled fin  9  can be attached to the first edge  5  more than halfway from the front face  3  to the rear face  4 , and neither the second straight fin  12  nor the second angled fin  14  can be attached to the second edge  6  more than halfway from the rear face  4  to the front face  3 . 
     Preferably, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , the first straight fin  7  and the first angled fin  9  are attached to the first edge  5  at the same place of the first edge  5 ; and the second straight fin  12  and the second angled fin  14  are attached to the second edge  6  at the same place of the second edge  6 . 
     The fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  are, preferably, asymmetrically arranged, i.e., as indicated above, the first straight fin  7  is diagonally opposite to the second straight fin  12 , and the first angled fin  9  is diagonally opposite to the second angled fin  14 . And even more preferably, the fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  are precisely asymmetrically arranged, i.e., as defined herein, the fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  are not only asymmetrically arranged as stated in the immediately preceding sentence, but the first straight fin  7  is the same distance from the front face  3  as the second straight fin  12  is from the rear face  4  while the first angled fin  9  is the same distance from the front face  3  as the second angled fin  14  is from the rear face  4 . 
     In some embodiments, and as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , for the angled fin  9  and the straight fin  7  which are closer to the front face  3 , i.e., the first straight fin  7  and the first angled fin  9 , the first angled fin  9  rides along the outer rear portion  36  of the first left-opening curved knuckle  37 , the free end  32  of the first angled fin  9  touches the inside  38  of the first right-opening curved knuckle  39 , and the first straight fin  7  must be outside but near (and, most preferably, as shown in  FIG. 11 , touch) the front outer portion  40  of the first left-opening curved knuckle  37 . Also preferably in some embodiments, for the angled fin  14  and the straight fin  12  which are closer to the rear face  4 , i.e., the second angled fin  14  and the second straight fin  12 , the second angled fin  14  rides along the outer front portion  41  of the second right-opening curved knuckle  42 , the free end  43  of the second angled fin  14  touches the inside  44  of the second left-opening curved knuckle  45 , and the second straight fin  12  must be outside but near (and, most preferably, as portrayed in  FIG. 11 , touch) the rear outer portion  46  of the second right-opening curved knuckle  42 . 
     As portrayed in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 10, and 14 , the first straight fin  7  is preferably aligned with the front face  3  of the body  2  of the slat  1 , and the second straight fin  12  is preferably aligned with the rear face  4  of the body  2  of the slat  1 . 
     Also preferably, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , the angle α′ between the first angled fin  9  and a plane  31  containing the front face  3  is the same as the angle α″ between the second angled fin  14  and a plane  34  containing the rear face  4 . And, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 11 , preferably, the length of the first straight fin  7  is the same as the length of the second straight fin  12  (All lengths mentioned in this paragraph and the next paragraph are measured in the transverse plane  11 .); and, preferably, the length of the first angled fin  9  is the same as the length of the second angled fin  14 . (The largest dimension of the body  2  of the slat  1  and of the fins  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  is the height, which is the dimension perpendicular to the transverse plane  11 .) 
     Although the slat  1  can be constructed to fit a chain link fence of any mesh size, for a 3.5 and 5 mesh chain link fence illustrative dimensions for a slat  1  which would utilize the preferred limitations and, when most preferred limitations have been mentioned, such most preferred limitations are the following: the body  2  of the slat  1  would be 2 inches long and 0.25 inches wide, i.e., the first edge  5 , the second edge  6 , and the internal walls  24 ,  25  would be 0.25 inches long; the front face  3 , the rear face  4 , the first edge  5 , the second edge  6 , and the internal walls  24 ,  25  would be 0.025 inches wide; the straight fins  7 ,  12  would be 0.25 inches long and 0.035 inches wide; and the angled fins  9 ,  14  would be 0.5 inches long and 0.035 inches wide. Of these lengths and widths as well as the angles α′, α″ only the length of the body  2  would have to vary when the mesh of the chain link fence is different. 
     The angles α′, α″ are preferably within the range of 35° to 38°, inclusive; and, most preferably, each of these angles is 37°. Furthermore, as shown in  FIGS. 6 through 9 , the first angled fin  9  can initially extend perpendicularly to the first edge  5  before being bent to angle toward the rear face  4 ; and the second angled fin  14  can initially extend perpendicularly to the second edge  6  prior to being bent to angle toward the front face  3 . In such a case, the values of the angles α′, α″ would differ from those stated earlier in this paragraph. 
     Each fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14 , i.e., the first straight fin  7 , the first angled fin  9 , the second straight fin  12 , and the second angled fin  14 , optionally contains one or more separations  49 , as illustrated in  FIG. 12  for the first angled fin  9 . 
     Such separations  49  can extend across the full length of each fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  or only across part of the length of such fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  and can extend the full width of each fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  or only a final segment  50  of the width of such fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14 . Furthermore, some of such separations  49  can extend the full width of such fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  while other separations  49  extend across only a final segment  50  of such fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14 . 
     The separation  49  can be a slit  51 , a gap  52 , or a notch  53  (a gap  52  with sides  54 ,  55  which are not parallel to one another, e.g., serrations  56 ). A single fin  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  can have only one type of separation  49  or any combination of different types of separations  49 . 
     As another way to describe the features and characteristics of various embodiments, including those set forth in  FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9 , with exemplary reference to  FIG. 2 , each slat  1  has one or two or more pairs of fins (e.g.,  7 ,  9 ), each pair of fins joined to each other at a vertex  8 ,  10  and longitudinally disposed on first  5  and/or second  6  sides of the generally rectangular body  2 . Vertices may be located adjacent to the generally rectangular body, on the body, or between the body and distal fin ends. Alternatively, pairs of fins may omit a joining vertex, but attach to the generally rectangular body  2  at substantially the same location (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8 ). 
     Whenever it is stated herein that a component which is indicated to be attached or connected can be, or is preferably, integrally formed, “integrally formed” is defined herein to comprise “attached” or “connected” in addition to meaning “formed as a single unit.” 
     As used herein the term “preferable” or “preferably” means that a specified element or technique is more acceptable than another but not that such specified element or technique is a necessity. 
     As used herein, the terms “straight” (as in “straight fin”), “rectangular”, “angled”, “perpendicular”, “perpendicularly”, “bent”, “aligned” and the like are to be construed as being preceded in all cases by the adjective “generally”. More specifically, in various embodiments herein and other embodiments not expressly described or illustrated, elements of the present invention are constructed of materials, which by their nature, may flex, bend, distort, and/or depart from their original fixed and/or molded shapes. This bending or departure from original shape does not represent a departure from the purposes or scope of the invention or the claims set forth below, but rather, are still expressly claimed herein. The term “generally” is defined herein as +/−49% of the stated value or characteristic. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.