Patent Publication Number: US-9404283-B1

Title: Fence structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fence structure that may reinforce the combination strength of the fence assemblies to keep steady even under being exerted a pulling or pushing force, and allows the angle of the transverse railing and the vertical picket to be adjustable. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,384,025, the prior art fence assembly provides a screw hiding device for combining lateral tubes with upright tubes. The screw hiding device includes a position strip arranged inside the lateral tube. By such an arrangement, the screws and the position strips are allowed to be hidden to beautify the appearance of the fence structure. 
     An alternative prior art fence assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,965 comprises a plurality of vertical pickets which have at least one pivot hole formed therein, a plurality of rails which extend transversely to the vertical pickets and whose top wall provides a plurality of picket openings corresponding to the plurality of vertical pickets to receive the plurality of vertical pickets, and one or more boss strips which are arranged transversely to the side of the vertical picket providing the pivot hole. The boss strip includes a protruding structure corresponding to the pivot hole, and the protruding structure is received inside the pivot hole to allow the boss strip and the vertical picket to rotate pivotally according to needs. The boss strip is arranged between the rail and the vertical picket to hold the rail to avoid sliding down, as shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,965. The outer wall of the protruding structure of the boss strip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,965 is a conical surface, such that the rail and the boss strip can only rotate pivotally when the protruding structure is inserted inside the pivot hole. However, the boss strip can not prevent axially-slipping. Hence, the protruding structure whose outer wall is a conical surface will slip easily out of the pivot hole to cause the transverse rail to displace or unfasten when the fence rail or the vertical picket is pushed or pulled by exterior forces. Therefore, the aforesaid structure needs to be improved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is against the background and the drawbacks associated therewith that the present invention has been developed. 
     A primary object objective of the present invention is to provide a fence structure that may reinforce the combination strength of the fence assemblies to keep steady even when being exerted by a pulling or pushing force, and allows the angle of the transverse railing and the vertical picket to be adjustable. 
     In order to achieve the aforesaid objective, the fence structure disclosed in the present invention comprises a plurality of vertical pickets, at least one connecting strip, a plurality of pivot members, and at least one transverse railing. One end of the pivot member is provided with a stop portion whose outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the pivot hole of the vertical picket. The stop portion may limit the pivot member and prevent the pivot member from slipping axially after passing through the connecting strip and the vertical picket. By the aforesaid arrangement, the pivot member not only allows the angle of the transverse railing and the connecting strip to be adjustable according to needs, but also prevents the connecting strip and the vertical pickets from slipping or disconnecting resulting when being exerted by a pulling or pushing force. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a stereogram showing the combination of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a breakdown stereogram of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a stereogram showing the pivot member of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a longitudinal sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a transverse sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6, 7, 8  are schematic diagrams showing rotation angles of the transverse railing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a stereogram showing the pivot member of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view showing the combination of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10 a    is a partially enlarged view of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view showing the combination of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view showing the combination of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The means for achieving the aforesaid objective and the functions of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a fence structure  1  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The fence structure  1  includes a plurality of vertical pickets  10  having an upper end  100  and a bottom end  101 . A sidewall of the vertical picket between the upper end  100  and the bottom end  101  is provided with at least one pivot hole  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , at least one connecting strip  11  is arranged transversely to sidewalls of the plurality of vertical pickets  10  provided with the pivot holes  102 . The connecting strip  11  provides a through-hole  110  at the position corresponding to each pivot hole  102  of each single vertical picket  10 . One side of the connecting strip  11  leans tightly against the plurality of vertical pickets  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the bottom end of the connecting strip  11  provides a fastening surface  111  extending outward in a direction away from the vertical picket  10 , and the top surface of the fastening surface  111  is provided with a first oblique sliding surface  1110 . In order to enable one connecting strip  11  to connect with another connecting strip  11 , either a left or right end of the connecting strip  11  is arranged with a bent strip-coupling element  112  whose center provides a perforation hole  113 , and the other end of the connecting strip  11  (opposite to the strip-coupling element  112 ), at the position corresponding to the perforation hole  113 , is disposed with a protruding clasping element  114  whose end side provides outward hooks  1140 . The perforation hole  113  is used for receiving the clasping element  114 . After the clasping element  114  of one connecting strip  11  inserts into the perforation hole  113  of another connecting strip  11 , the hooks  1140  clasp the edge of the perforation hole  113  to allow those connecting strips  11  to be combined together, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     A plurality of pivot members  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , allows the connecting strip  11  to be pivotally connected with the vertical picket  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . One end of the pivot member  12  provides an inserting end  120 , which is allowed to insert through the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The other end of the pivot member  12  (opposite to the end of the inserting end  120 ) provides a limiting end  121  whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the through-hole  110 . The middle portion of the pivot member  12  provides a middle section  124  which is between the inserting end  120  and the limiting end  121  and whose outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102 . The outer wall of the inserting end  120  adjacent to the middle section  124  is provided with a plurality of outwards-protruding stop elements  1220  arranged annularly to form a stop portion  122 . The outer diameter of the stop portion  122  is larger than the inner diameter of the pivot hole  102 . The outer wall of the stop portion  122  provides a slanting guiding surface  1221 . The slanting guiding surface  1221  has one end wider in diameter than the other end, and the wider end in diameter is near the middle section  124 . The inserting end  120  provides an inclined surface  123  which is away from the middle section  124 . The outer diameter of the inclined surface  123  gradually increases from the inserting end  120  towards the middle section  124 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The middle of the inclined surface  123  is arranged with at least one axially-cut opening  1230  to enable the inserting end  120  to pass through the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102  easily. 
     At least one transverse railing  13 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is provided with a top wall  130 . The top wall  130  is arranged with a plurality of spaced picket-holes  131  for receiving the plurality of vertical pickets  10  respectively. The diameter of the picket-hole  131  is larger than the diameter of the vertical picket  10 . The front and rear ends of the top wall  130  respectively extend downwards to form a front connecting surface  132   a  and a rear connecting surface  132   b . The bottom end of the front connecting surface  132   a  extends towards the fastening surface  111  of the connecting strip  11  to form a locking lip  133 , whose bottom wall provides a second oblique sliding surface  134 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , when assembling, each through-hole  110  of the connecting strip  11  is aligned respectively with its relative pivot hole  102  of the vertical picket  10 , and the inserting end  120  of the pivot member  12  is inserted in the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102  to the bottom. The slanting guiding surface  1221  on the outer wall of the stop portion  122  of the pivot member  12  slides through the edge of the pivot hole  102  to be against the outer wall of the pivot hole  102  in the vertical picket  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The limiting end  121  at one end of the pivot member  12  is stopped by the connecting strip  11 , and the stop portion  122  of the inserting end  120  at the other end is limited by the vertical picket  10 , so that the pivot member  12  will not slip away from the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102 . By the aforesaid arrangement, the connecting strip  11  is allowed to be transversely attached to one side of the plurality of vertical pickets  10 , and the connecting strip  11  may also rotate pivotally on the vertical picket  10  via the pivot member  12 . Next, the plurality of spaced picket-holes  131  of the transverse railing  13  is aligned with the plurality of vertical pickets  10  respectively. The vertical pickets  10  are combined with the transverse railing  13  in a top-down manner. The locking lip  133  of the bottom end of the front connecting surface  132   a  of the transverse railing  13  is allowed to pass through the surface of the first oblique sliding surface  1110  of the fastening surface  111  of the connecting strip  11  by the second oblique sliding surface  134  to slide to the bottom of the fastening surface  111  of the connecting strip  11  to enable the bottom wall of the top wall  130  of the transverse railing  13  to tightly touch the top end of the connecting strip  11 , and the bottom end of the transverse railing  13  is allowed to clasp the bottom of the fastening surface  111  of the connecting strip  11 . The transverse railing  13  and the vertical pickets  10  are secured and combined together by the connecting strip  11 . Moreover, the connecting strip  11  and the pivot member  12  are concealed within the transverse railing  13 . The transverse railing  13  and the connecting strip  11  may simultaneously rotate pivotally within a limited angle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , the angle of both the transverse railing  13  and the connecting strip  11  of the fence structure  1  is adjustable according to a certain landform. The pivot member  12  is the pivot point for the angle adjustment of the transverse railing  13  and the connecting strip  11 . The inner walls A and B of the picket-hole  131  of the transverse railing  13  are the largest range/angle that the transverse railing  13  and the connecting strip  11  may pivotally rotate to, as shown in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , there is shown a pivot member  22  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The pivot member  22  includes a limiting end  221  at one end, an inserting end  220  at the opposite end, and a middle section  224  between the inserting end  220  and the limiting end  221 . The outer wall of the inserting end  220  adjacent to the middle section  224  is provided with a stop portion  222  including a plurality of outwards-protruding stop elements  2220  arranged annularly. The outer diameter of the stop portion  222  is larger than the inner diameter of the pivot hole  102 . The outer wall of the inserting end  220  provides an outer threaded section  2201 , arranged adjacent to the plurality of outwards-protruding stop elements  2220 . Moreover, the inserting end  220  is also arranged with at least one axially-cut opening  2202 . When the inserting end  220  of the pivot member  22  inserts into the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102 , the at least one axially-cut opening  2202  is in a state of being squeezed, and after the inserting end  220  of the pivot member  22  passes through the through-hole  110  and the pivot hole  102 , the at least one axially-cut opening  2202  returns to its original state. The stop portion  222  can prevent the pivot member  22  from sliding out of the pivot hole  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the difference between a first embodiment and a third embodiment of the present invention is described as follows: the transverse railing  33  disclosed in the third embodiment includes a front connecting surface  332   a  and a rear connecting surface  332   b . The bottom ends of the front connecting surface  332   a  and the rear connecting surface  332   b  are respectively bent towards the inner side of the transverse railing  33  and extend upwards to form a front locking lip  333   a  and a rear locking lip  333   b . The bottom end of the front locking lip  333   a  has an arc surface  333   c , which may facilitate downward-sliding through the fastening surface  111  to allow the top end of the front locking lip  333   a  to support the fastening surface  111  of the connecting strip  11  when being located and secured. Referring to  FIG. 12 , there is shown a combination of the transverse railing  33  of the third embodiment and the pivot member  22  of a second embodiment shown in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 . The stop portion  222  of the pivot member  22  is allowed to be against the edge of the pivot hole  102  of the inner side end of the vertical picket  10  to prevent the pivot member  22  from sliding out of the pivot hole  102 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     According to the aforesaid, the connecting strip and the vertical picket are connected pivotally by the pivot member. Due to the arrangement of the stop portion, the pivot member also provides functions of fixing and slip-preventing. That is, even when an external force of pulling or pushing is exerted on the picket or railing, the pivot member will not slip away, to enable the connecting strip, the transverse railing and the vertical pickets to stay in place. Thus, the deficiency occurring in the prior art that the connecting strip, the transverse railing and the vertical pickets may displace or unfasten resulting when being exerted a pulling or pushing force is allowed to be ameliorated. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications to the invention described herein will be apparent without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The variations and modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.