Patent Abstract:
A fence system includes hollow post structures and upper and lower rail structures each comprising a hollow rail and a rail mounting bracket for mounting the rail to each post structure. Hollow balusters may also extend between the upper and lower rail structures. At least one of the hollow structural members, preferably including each of the rails, includes a pultruded structure and preferably a topcoat which is co-extruded with the pultruded structure. The pultruded structure provides substantially increased strength and the topcoat a highly colorable and long-wearing decorative outer layer, the latter preferably formed of acrylic or polyvinyl chloride. The rail mounting brackets are preferably injection molded with a substrate and a topcoat which matches the topcoat of the structural members.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     The invention relates generally to a fencing system or railing system. More particularly, the invention relates to such a system which includes hollow structural members including a pultruded structure. Specifically, the invention relates to such structural members wherein the pultruded structure serves as a substrate which is coated by an extruded decorative top coat.  
         [0003]     2. Background Information  
         [0004]     The field of fencing systems and railing systems includes configurations which include generally hollow members, in particular the posts and rails extending therebetween. This may also include balusters which extend between upper and lower rails. These various structural members are typically extruded and most often are made of various types of plastic materials. One of the drawbacks with such fencing systems is the difficulty in providing high-strength members, especially with regard to the rails. In addition, the decorative layers of such structural members is typically very thin and thus is easily scratched off or worn away. Alternately, the decorative outer layers have colors that fade in the weather, particularly with regard to degradation by sunlight. The present invention solves these and other problems, as will be discerned by the following description.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a fencing system comprising: a first post; a first rail mounted on the post; and at least one of the post and the first rail including a pultruded structure.  
         [0006]     A preferred embodiment provides an extruded top coat on the at least one of the post and first rail. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary elevational view of a first embodiment of the fence system of the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken on line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the rail mounting bracket shown in the inset portion of  FIG. 1  taken from the direction as viewed in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of  FIG. 1  showing the post mount within the hollow post and the mounting of the rail brackets and rails on the post.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary elevational view of a second embodiment of the fence system of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken on line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
       [0014]     Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     A first embodiment of the fence system of the present invention is indicated generally at  100  in  FIG. 1  and a second embodiment is indicated generally at  200  in  FIG. 6 . Fence system  100  includes a pair of posts  102  which are adapted to mount on a foundation  104  such as the ground, a floor, or any of various types of platforms. System  100  further includes an upper rail structure  106  including an upper rail  108  and a pair of upper rail mounting brackets  110 A and  110 B mounted on each post  102 . System  100  further includes a lower rail structure  112  including a lower rail  114  and a pair of lower rail mounting brackets  116 A and  116 B mounted on each post  102 . A cap member  118  is seated atop each post  102 .  
         [0016]     Each post  102  ( FIG. 1 ) has an upper end  120  and a lower end  122  adjacent which post  102  is mounted on foundation  104 . Each post  102  is hollow and elongated in a vertical direction between upper end  120  and lower end  122 . Each post  102  has four substantially flat sides  124  (three shown in  FIG. 1 ) with a respective upper rail mounting bracket  110 A and a lower rail mounting bracket  116 A mounted on one side  124  and a respective upper rail mounting bracket  110 B and lower rail mounting bracket  116 B mounted on another side  124  opposite thereto.  
         [0017]     Each upper rail  108  ( FIG. 1 ) has a first end  126  mounted on and supported by a respective first upper rail mounting bracket  110 A and a second end  128  mounted on and supported by an upper rail mounting bracket  110 B whereby upper rail  108  extends substantially horizontally between a pair of adjacent posts  102 . Each upper rail  108  is hollow and elongated between first end  126  and  128 . Likewise, lower rail  114  has a first end  130  mounted on and supported by lower rail mounting brackets  116 A and a second end  132  mounted on and supported by lower rail mounting bracket  116 B whereby lower rail  114  extends substantially horizontally between the pair of adjacent posts  102 . Each lower rail  114  is hollow and elongated between first end  130  and second end  132 .  
         [0018]     With reference to  FIG. 2  and in accordance with a feature of the invention, each post  102  includes a pultruded structure  134  which serves as a substrate and a top coat  136  adhered thereto. Pultruded structure  134  includes an inner surface  138  defining an interior chamber  140  and an outer surface  142 . Top coat  136  has an outer surface  144  and an inner surface  146  which is adhered to and in particular strongly bonded to outer surface  142  of pultruded structure  134 .  
         [0019]     Pultruded structure  134  includes a glass matting or mesh formed of any of a variety of glass fibers such as fiberglass embedded in a thermoset resin material. The matting and resin are pulled through a dye to produce the final configuration of pultruded structure  134 . Top coat  136  is a plastic material which is most preferably an acrylic material or alternately a PVC polymer. An acrylic material is thus preferred because it may be colored to produce dark colors which are substantially non-fading in sunlight or other weather conditions. Preferably, top coat  136  is extruded and most preferably simultaneously with pultruded structure  134 . It might be said that top coat  136  is co-extruded with pultruded structure  134 , meaning that structure  134  is formed by pultrusion at the same time that top coat  136  is being formed by extrusion whereby top coat  136  is firmly bonded to pultruded structure  134  during this simultaneous formation process. Materials formed by this process may be obtained from Omega Pultrusions Incorporated of Aurora, Ohio.  
         [0020]     In accordance with a feature of the invention and with reference to  FIG. 3 , upper rail  108  is described. It is noted that lower rail  114  has the same structure as upper rail  108  and is therefore not separately described. Upper rail  108  includes a pultruded structure  148  which serves as a substrate and a top coat  150  adhered thereto. Pultruded structure  148  has an inner surface  152  defining an interior chamber  154  and an outer surface  156 . Top coat  150  has an outer surface  158  and an inner surface  160  which is adhered to and more particularly firmly bonded to outer surface  156  of pultruded structure  148 . Pultruded structure  148  is formed of the same materials in the same manner as described with regard to pultruded structure  134  and top coat  150  is formed of the same materials in the same manner as described with regard to top coat  136 .  
         [0021]     In accordance with a feature of the invention and with reference to  FIG. 4 , rail mounting bracket  110 A is further detailed. It is noted that rail brackets  110 B,  116 A and  116 B are either identical to or mirror images of bracket  110 A and are therefore not described separately from bracket  110 A. Bracket  110 A includes a base structure or substrate  162  which is preferably formed by injection molding and a top coat  164  also preferably formed by injection molding. Most preferably, substrate  162  and top coat  164  are formed by two-shot injection molding within a single mold. Substrate  162  of bracket  110 A includes a substantially flat base wall  166  and a collar  168  extending outwardly therefrom to form an interior chamber  170  opening outwardly from base wall  166 . Base wall  166  and collar  168  define a pair of counterbore holes  172  disposed on opposite sides of interior chamber  170 . Hole  172  includes a first narrower section  174  and a second wider counterbore section  176 . Bracket  110 A has an outer surface  178  which includes a visible surface  180  which is visible when bracket  110 A is mounted on a post  102  and rail  108  is mounted on bracket  110 A. Outer surface  178  further includes a non-visible surface  182  which is hidden from sight when system  100  is assembled. Thus, top coat  164  is bonded to only a portion of base structure  162  so that visible surface  180  is formed entirely by top coat  164 . Visible surface  180  extends into the wider counterbore section  176  of each counterbore hole  172 . Non-visible surface  182  is substantially free of top coat  164 . Non-visible surface  182  includes the portion of base structure  162  which defines interior chamber  170  as well as respective narrower sections  174  of counterbore holes  172 . Non-visible surface  182  further includes the portion of base wall  166  which is disposed adjacent post  102  facing one of sides  124  thereof ( FIG. 5 ). While top coat  164  may extend onto non-visible surface  182  as well, it is preferred that top coat  164  is only applied to form visible surface  180 , especially where top coat  164  is formed of an expensive material such as an acrylic material, which is the preferred material for the formation of top coat  164 . Typically, base structure  162  is formed of an ABS polymer or PVC polymer.  
         [0022]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the mounting of upper rail structure  106  is detailed. It is noted that lower rail structure  112  is mounted in the same fashion. System  100  is mounted using a post mount  184  which is adapted to mount to foundation  104  ( FIG. 1 ). Post mount  184  includes a vertically elongated side wall  186  and upper and lower projections  188  and  190  respectively. Upper projection  188  extends outwardly and then downwardly from side wall  186  and includes an outermost edge  192 . Likewise, lower projection  190  extends outwardly and then downwardly from side wall  186  and has an outermost edge  194 .  
         [0023]     Each post  102  ( FIG. 5 ) is mounted on a respective post mount  184  whereby post mount  184  is slidably received in interior chamber  140  of post  102  with outermost edges  192  and  194  of respective projections  188  and  190  abutting inner surface  138  of post  102 . A pair of holes  125  is formed in each of a pair of opposed sides  124  of post  102 . Upper rail mounting bracket  110 A is mounted on one of said sides  124  of post  102  with a pair of fasteners in the form of screws  127  which extend through respective counterbore holes  172  in bracket  110 A and into respective holes  125  with which screw  127  is threadably engaged. Likewise, mounting bracket  110 B is mounted on the opposed side  124  in the same fashion. One of upper rails  108  is mounted on rail mounting bracket  110 A with first end  126  disposed within interior chamber  170  closely adjacent or in contact with base wall  166  of bracket  110 A. Similarly, another upper rail  108  is mounted on mounting bracket  110 B with second end  128  thereof disposed within interior chamber  170  closely adjacent or in contact with base wall  166 .  
         [0024]     With continued reference to  FIG. 5 , it is noted that cap member  118  may also be formed in a similar manner to that of mounting brackets  110 . More particularly, cap member  118  includes a base structure or substrate  195  and a top coat  196  mounted thereon in the same fashion as described with regard to rail mounting bracket  110 . Substrate  195  includes an inner surface  197  which defines a downwardly opening cavity  198  in which upper end  120  of post  102  is received when cap member  118  is mounted atop post  102 . As previously noted, cap member  118  may be formed in a similar fashion as described with regard to rail mounting brackets  110  whereby substrate  195  is injection molded and top coat  196  is injection molded as well and preferably by a two-shot injection process within a single mold.  
         [0025]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , fence system  200  is further detailed. System  200  is similar to system  100  except that it includes upper and lower rail structures which differ from the rail structures of system  100  and also includes balusters extending between the upper and lower rail structures. Thus, system  200  uses a plurality of posts  102  having upper end  120  and lower end  122 . A base member  202  may be mounted adjacent lower end  122  of post  102  to increase the stability of the mounting of post  102  to foundation  104  and/or provide a decorative structure adjacent the intersection of post  102  and foundation  104 . System  200  further includes an upper rail structure  204  including an upper rail  206  which is substantially hollow and elongated between a first end  208  and second end  210  thereof. Rail structure  204  further includes rail mounting brackets  212 A and  212 B each mounted on a respective post  102 . System  200  further includes lower rail structure  214  which includes a lower rail  216  which is substantially hollow and elongated between a first end  218  and second end  220  thereof. Lower rail structure  214  further includes a pair of rail mounting brackets  222 A and  222 B each mounted on a respective post  102  adjacent lower end  122  thereof. System  200  further includes a plurality of balusters  224  each elongated between an upper end  226  and a lower end  227  thereof. Each baluster  224  extends between upper rail  206  and lower rail  216  with baluster  224  adjacent upper end  226  being connected to upper rail  206  and adjacent lower end  227  connected to lower rail  216 .  
         [0026]     With reference to  FIG. 7 , upper rail  206 , lower rail  216  and balusters  224  are further detailed. Upper rail  206  includes a pultruded structure  228  which serves as a substrate and a top coat  230 . Pultruded structure  228  has a generally hollow T-shaped configuration. Pultruded structure  228  has an outer surface  232  and an inner surface  234 . Inner surface  234  defines an upper interior chamber  236  which is generally T-shaped in structure and completely surrounded by inner surface  234  as viewed in cross-section although chamber  236  opens at each of first end  208  and second end  210  of upper rail  206 . Interior chamber  236  is bound by a hollow trunk section  238  of pultruded structure  228  and a pair of hollow arms  240  which extend outwardly from trunk section  238  in opposite directions from one another. A lower side of chamber  236  is bound by a separating wall  242  at the base of trunk section  238 . A pair of spaced projections  244  each extend from respective intersections of trunk section  238  and separating wall  242 , said projections  244  extending downwardly and then inwardly to define a lower interior chamber  246  which opens downwardly. Lower interior chamber  246  receives upper ends  226  of balusters  224  with upper end  226  preferably abutting separating wall  242 . Top coat  230  of upper rail  206  has an inner surface  248  bonded to outer surface  232  of pultruded structure  228  and a visible outer surface  250 . Pultruded structure  228  and top coat  230  of upper rail  206  are formed in the same manner and of the same materials as described with regard to pultruded structure  148  and top coat  150  of upper rail  108  of fence system  100 .  
         [0027]     With continued reference to  FIG. 7 , lower rail  216  includes a pultruded structure  252  which serves as a substrate and a top coat  254 . Pultruded structure  252  has an outer surface  256  and an inner surface  258  defining a lower interior chamber  260  which is substantially rectangular in cross-section. Interior chamber  260  is bound at an upper end by a separating wall  262 . A pair of spaced projections  264  extend upwardly from separating wall  262  and then inwardly toward one another to define an upper interior chamber  266  which opens upwardly. Upper interior chamber  266  receives lower ends  227  of balusters  224  with lower ends  227  preferably abutting separating wall  262  and inwardly extending portions of each projection  264  closely adjacent each baluster  224  adjacent lower end  227 . Top coat  268  of lower rail  216  has an inner surface bonded to outer surface  256  of pultruded structure  252  and a visible outer surface  270 . Pultruded structure  252  and top coat  268  are formed in the same manner using the same materials as the other pultruded structures and top coats described earlier herein.  
         [0028]     With continued reference to  FIG. 7 , each baluster  224  includes a pultruded structure  272  and a top coat  274 . Pultruded structure  272  has an inner surface  276  defining an interior chamber  278  and an outer surface  280 . Top coat  274  includes an inner surface  282  which is bonded to outer surface  280  of pultruded structure  272  and outer surface  284  which is visible between upper rail  206  and lower rail  216 . Pultruded structure  272  and top coat  274  are formed in the same manner using the same materials as the other pultruded structures and top coats described previously.  
         [0029]     The mounting of upper rail  206  and lower rail  216  on post  102  is substantially the same as that shown in  FIG. 6  except for the differences associated with the different cross-sectional shapes of said rails. Lower rail  216  has substantially the same cross-sectional shape as lower rail  114  of system  100  except for the upwardly opening interior chamber  266 . As a result of these cross-sections being substantially the same, the lower rail mounting brackets  222 A and  222 B are substantially the same as lower rail mounting brackets  116 A and  116 B of system  100 . However, the upper rail mounting brackets  212 A and  212 B of system  200  vary from upper rail mounting brackets  110 A and  110 B of system  100  in that the interior chamber (not shown) for receiving respective ends  208  and  210  of upper rail  206  have a different configuration from interior chamber  170  of upper rail mounting brackets  110 A and  110 B of system  100 . In particular, said interior chambers are substantially T-shaped with a mating configuration of outer surface  250  of top coat  230  of upper rail  206 . Otherwise, rail mounting brackets  212 A and  212 B are substantially the same and most preferably have a visible outer surface as described with regard to system  100  which is made up of top coat  230  and a non-visible surface which is substantially free of top coat  230 .  
         [0030]     Thus, systems  100  and  200  provide a fence system in which at least one of the rails or posts are formed with a pultruded structure, preferably with a top coat mounted thereon and most preferably with the top coat being co-extruded with the pultruded structure as previously described. Most preferably, at least the rail or rails of the fence system include the pultruded structure as the rails of the previous art tend to be the most flexible portion of the fence system. However, using a pultruded structure for the posts alone also provides a substantial increase in strength with regard to the prior art posts. Any combination of the rails, posts and balusters being formed with a pultruded structure is within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, each of the members which includes a pultruded structure also includes a top coat and most preferably one co-extruded as described. In addition, it is preferred that the mounting brackets used include the substrate and top coat as described herein. This structure of the mounting brackets allows for accurate matching of the top coats used with the mounting brackets and the top coats used with the other structures which utilize the top coat. Most preferably, the top coat materials are the same, and thus are formulated to be used with extrusion as well as injection molding. As noted earlier, it is preferred that only the visible surface of the mounting brackets include the top coat, most particularly with regard to the more expensive materials such as an acrylic material.  
         [0031]     It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that a variety of changes may be made to the embodiments shown and described herein which are within the scope of the present invention. For instance, as illustrated by the two different embodiments, the railings may have varying shapes and overall configurations. Most preferably, all of the structures have an extrudable shape and this is a requirement for those structures which are formed by pultrusion or extrusion.  
         [0032]     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0033]     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4