A fence panel, a fence as well as a method for manufacturing a panel

Abstract

 A fence panel comprises at least two spaced-apart rails, which are connected by at least one section extending substantially transversely thereto. The section is provided with at least one opening through which the rail extends, whilst the section is attached to the rail under spring force.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a fence panel comprising at least two spaced-apart rails, which are connected by at least one section extending substantially transversely thereto, which section is provided with at least one opening through which the rail extends.

[0002] The invention further relates to a fence as well as to a method for manufacturing a panel.

[0003] With such a panel for forming a fence, which is known from DE-20,2006,000,357U1, the panel comprises evenly spaced rails or wires, which are connected by horizontally extending sections. Said sections are provided with openings in which the rails are fixed. The openings are oversized in relation to the diameter of the rails. After the rails have been placed into the openings in the section, they are welded to the sections.

[0004] A drawback of the known panel is that the rail must be welded in order to obtain a fixed connection between the rail and the section.

[0005] Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a panel in which the connection between the section and the rail can be effected in a relatively simple manner.

[0006] This object is accomplished with the panel according to the invention in that the section is attached to the rail under spring force.

[0007] The application of a force on the section causes the section to deform against spring force from a first position to a second position. By introducing a rail into at least one opening of the section in the second position, it will be relatively easy to move the section to a desired position on the rail(s) without experiencing a great deal of resistance. When the applied force is released, the section will attempt to return from the second position to the first, original position under the influence of its elasticity, thereby fixing the rail to the section under elastic tension. The force for bending the section may be applied manually or mechanically. If a section should not be correctly positioned with respect to other sections and/or rails, the section can simply be moved to the correct position through the application of said bending force.

[0008] One embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that the section is provided with two openings which have been aligned against spring force, in which aligned openings one rail is attached.

[0009] By using two openings in the section, which are to be aligned, a relatively strong connection is effected between the section and the rail(s).

[0010] Another embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that the section is a C-shaped, a U-shaped or a V-shaped section, with opposite legs of said section being provided with the aforesaid openings.

[0011] These sectional shapes of the section enable easy alignment of two openings by moving the legs of the section together. In the case of the U-shape, the legs are connected via a bridge portion, whilst the legs of a V-shape are directly connected together. In the case of a C-shape, the legs are formed by portions of the C that are bent towards each other. The various shapes are oriented in such a manner that the rails can be passed through the openings in the legs when the legs are moved together against spring force.

[0012] Yet another embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that the openings have a closed cross-section.

[0013] Openings having a closed cross-section are easy to form in the section.

[0014] Another embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that the section is provided with at least one cut in an edge thereof, which cut extends to the opening.

[0015] The presence of a cut in the edge of the section makes it possible to attach a rail in the opening of the section in a simple manner. The rail can be firmly fixed in the section because the cut has a dimension smaller than the diameter of the rail.

[0016] Yet another embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that a rail has been attached in the opening against spring force via the cut in the section.

[0017] The cut, which extends into the opening, can be enlarged by applying a force on either side of the opening until the rail can be moved into the opening via the cut. When the force is released, the cut is made smaller under the influence of the elasticity of the section and the rail is fixed in the opening under spring force.

[0018] Another embodiment of the panel according to the invention is characterised in that the panel is zinc-plated and/or coated.

[0019] The section and the rail are additionally connected together by the application of a zinc-plated layer and/or a coating. The zinc-plated layer and/or the coating provide(s) an additional connection at the junctions between the section and the rail. Furthermore, the appearance of the panel is enhanced by the application of a zinc-plated layer and/or a coating, for example a powder coating. In addition, a zinc-plated and/or coated panel is relatively maintenance free.

[0020] The fence according to the present invention comprises a panel as described above, wherein the section of the panel is fixed to a post.

[0021] Preferably, the fence comprises at least two panels, which are each provided with at least one passage in the section for receiving a fixing means, which passages are aligned with respect to each other, whilst a fixing means is provided in the aligned passages for attaching the two panels to the post.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method wherein the connection between the section and the rail of a fence panel is effected in a relatively simple manner and wherein said connection can be readily adjusted, if necessary.

[0023] This object is achieved with the method according to the present invention in that at least two spaced-apart rails are connected together by at least one section extending substantially transversely thereto, which section is provided with at least one opening through which the rail extends, whilst the connection between the section and the rail is effected against spring force.

[0024] In this way the section is attached to the rail without using additional means. Furthermore, it is readily possible to change the position of the section that has been attached under spring force with respect to the rail.

[0025] One embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterised in that the section is provided with two openings, which are aligned against spring force, through which aligned openings one rail is moved.

[0026] In this way a comparatively strong connection between the rail and the section is effected in a simple manner.

[0027] Another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterised in that the section is provided with at least one cut in an edge thereof, which cut extends to the opening, wherein the cut in the section is opened against spring force, as a result of which a rail can be attached in the opening via said cut.

[0028] In this way the section is firmly secured to the rail in a relatively simple manner by means of only one opening in the section.

[0029] Another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterised in that the panel is zinc-plated and/or coated.

[0030] As a result of said zinc-plating and/or coating, the posts and the section are additionally fixed together at the junctions therebetween.

[0031] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the appended figures, in which:

Figures 1a-1c are a perspective view, a front view and a side view, respectively, of a first embodiment of a panel according to the invention;

Figures 2a and 2b are views of the mounting steps associated with the panel according to the invention as shown in figure 1;

Figures 3a and 3b are a plan view and a perspective view, respectively, of the mounting steps associated with a second embodiment of a panel according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective, exploded view of a fence according to the invention.

[0032] Like parts are provided with the same numerals in the various figures.

[0033] Figures 1 a-1 c show a first embodiment of a panel 1 according to the invention in perspective view, front view and side view, respectively. The fence 1 comprises substantially vertically extending wires or bars 3, referred to as rails 3 herein. The rails 3 are connected by sections 5 extending substantially transversely thereto. Like the sections 5, the rails 5 are evenly spaced.

[0034] The sections 5 are made of a metal, and each section 5 is U-shaped. The U-shaped section 5 comprises a bridge portion 8 and legs 7, 9, which are connected along fold lines 11. The bridge portion 8 extends substantially parallel to the rails 3, whilst the legs 7, 9 include an angle with the bridge portion 8. The legs 7, 9 are provided with openings 13. A rail 3 is secured in two opposite openings 13 of each section 5 under spring force.

[0035] Furthermore, the section 5 is provided with passages 15 at the end thereof.

[0036] Figures 2a and 2b show the steps for fixing the rail 3 in the section 5. By applying two opposed forces F1 to the legs 7, 9, the openings 13 in the legs 7, 9 are aligned with respect to each other, as illustrated by the dotted line 17 in figure 2b.

[0037] The forces F1 that are applied cause the section 5 to deform against spring force from a first, original position to a second position. The rail 3 is then moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P1 through the aligned, closed openings 13 of the sections 5. When the force F1 is released, the section 5 attempts to return to the original position on account of its elasticity. Because of the presence of the rail 3 in the openings 13 of the sections 5, the sections 5 are unable to return to their original position, so that the sections 5 are fixed to the rail 3 under spring force.

[0038] Figures 3a and 3b show an alternative embodiment of a panel 1 according to the present invention in plan view and in perspective view, respectively. In this embodiment the section 105 is provided with cuts 119 in edges remote from the fold line 111 of the legs 107, 109 of the section 105. The cuts 119 extend into the opening 113. The cut 119 has a dimension smaller than the diameter of the rail 3.

[0039] To fix the rail 3 in the opening 113, a force F2 is applied to the section 105 on either side of the opening 113. Said forces F2 cause the section 105 to bend over a portion 121 of the section 105 remote from the cut 119, thereby enlarging the cut 119, until the rail 3 can be positioned in the opening 113 in a relatively simple manner, as indicated by the arrow P2.

[0040] Figure 3b is a perspective view of a panel 100, in which the rails 3 are fixed in the openings 113 via the cuts 119. In the end the panel 100 is identical to the panel 1 that is shown in figures 1 a-1 c, with the exception of the cuts 119.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in figures 3a and 3b, a rail 3 is fixed in two openings 113 of a section 105, but it is also possible to use another section, for example an L-shaped section (not shown). The L-shaped section comprises at least one opening as well as a cut, like the section that is shown in figure 3a, with the rail 3 only being connected to the section under spring force via a single opening.

[0042] The opening in the section may be undersized, so that the section cannot completely return to the original position after the insertion of the rail into the opening via the cut. In the case of an undersized opening, the rail is clamped down in the opening as a result of the elasticity of the section.

[0043] Figure 4 shows the manner in which two panels 1 are secured to a post 23 for forming a fence. The passages 15 in two panels 1 are aligned with respect to each other, as is illustrated by the dotted line 24. Then fixing means 25, such as bolts or screws 25, are passed through the passages 15, whereupon the panels 1 are fixed to the post 23 via blocks 27.

[0044] Furthermore, the section 5 may have a C-shaped or a V-shaped section rather than the U-shaped section that is shown in the figures.

[0045] The section may furthermore be a flexible, flat metal plate (not shown). The plate may be made of steel, for example, and be provided with two openings that can be aligned with respect to each other by bending the flat plate. A rail can then be fixed in the aligned openings.

[0046] Preferably, the panel is zinc-plated and/or coated after the sections 5 have been fixed at the correct positions and the spacing between all the sections 5 and between all the rails 3 is in accordance with the predetermined parameters. As a result of said zinc-plating and/or coating, the sections 5, 105 are additionally fixed to the rails 3 by means of an additional layer at the junctions between the rails 3 and the sections 5, 105.

[0047] Furthermore, it possible to slide the section over a rail first, after which the section is fixed to the rail under spring force through deforpanelion of the section. The fixation is then effected by the force exerted on the rail by the elastically deformed section. A U-shaped section may be provided with openings in the legs thereof, for example, through which the rail can be slid relatively easily. Once the section is positioned on the rail(s), the U-shaped section is deformed into a V-shape, as a result of which the section is fixed to the rail.

Claims

1. A fence panel comprising at least two spaced-apart rails, which are connected by at least one section extending substantially transversely thereto, which section is provided with at least one opening through which the rail extends, characterised in that the section is attached to the rail under spring force.

2. A panel according to claim 1, characterised in that the section is provided with two openings which have been aligned against spring force, in which aligned openings one rail is attached.

3. A panel according to claim 2, characterised in that the section is a C-shaped, a U-shaped or a V-shaped section, with opposite legs of said section being provided with said openings.

4. A panel according to either one of the claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the openings have a closed cross-section.

5. A panel according to any one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the section is provided with at least one cut in an edge thereof, which cut extends to said opening.

6. A panel according to claim 5, characterised in that a rail has been attached in the opening against spring force via the cut in the section.

7. A panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the panel is zinc-plated and/or coated.

8. A panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said section is a flexible, metal plate.

9. A fence comprising a panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the section of the panel is attached to a post.

10. A fence according to claim 9, characterised in that the fence comprises at least two panels, which are each provided with at least one passage in the section for receiving a fixing means, which passages are aligned with respect to each other, whilst a fixing means is provided in the aligned passages for attaching the two panels to the post.

11. A method for manufacturing a fence according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8, characterised in that at least two spaced-apart rails are connected together by at least one section extending substantially transversely thereto, which section is provided with at least one opening through which the rail extends, whilst the connection between the section and the rail is effected against spring force.

12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that the section is provided with two openings which are aligned against spring force, through which aligned openings one rail is moved.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the section is provided with at least one cut in an edge thereof, which cut extends to the opening, wherein the cut in the section is opened against spring force, as a result of which a rail can be attached in the opening via said cut.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 11-13, characterised in that the panel is zinc-plated and/or coated.

Drawing