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(11) | EP 3 029 224 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Fencing and fence panels |
| (57) A fence panel (14) has a substrate (16) that has a plurality of apertures (18) and
at least one strip of artificial grass (20) secured to the substrate to provide the
panel with a major face having a grass surface. Fencing and a method of erecting fencing
are also claimed.
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Field of the Invention
Background to the Invention
[0002] It is known to provide fencing in the form of spaced apart fence posts that extend upwardly from the ground and timber panels secured between the fence posts. The fence posts typically have a rectangular cross-section and are made of timber or reinforced concrete.
Summary of the Invention
[0005] The invention also includes a method of manufacturing a fence panel as specified in claim 12.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007] In order that the invention may be well understood, some non-limiting examples will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of fencing;
Figure 2 is a schematic partially exploded front view of a fence panel of the fencing of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a side member of the fence panel;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a fence post of the fencing;
Figure 5 is an end view of an elongate cross-member of the fencing;
Figure 6 is a side view of the cross-member; and
Figure 7 is a schematic front view of another fence panel.
Detailed Description
[0008] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, fencing 10 comprises a plurality of fence posts 12 and fence panels 14. As described in more detail below, the fence panels 14 comprise a substrate 16 having a plurality of apertures 18 and at least one strip of artificial grass 20 threaded through the apertures to provide the panel with a major face 22 having a grass surface. Although not visible in Figure 1, the fence panel 14 has oppositely facing major faces 22 having a grass surface. In the illustrated example, the fencing 10 further comprises a plurality of elongate cross-members 24 extending between the fence posts 12 and arranged such that the fence panels are each sandwiched between upper and lower elongate cross-members 24.
[0009] As shown in Figure 2, the substrate 16 may be a mesh such as a metal mesh, which may be at least similar to the meshes used for concrete reinforcement. The metal is preferably a metal that will not corrode, such as stainless steel, or a metal that has been treated to prevent, or at least minimise corrosion. For example, the mesh may be a welded mild steel mesh that has been zinc coated by hot dipping or galvanizing. Alternatively, a steel mesh be coated with a plastics material to provide corrosion resistance. The mesh substrate 16 defines a plurality of apertures 18. The fence panel 14 has a plurality of strips of artificial grass 20 threaded through the apertures 18
[0010] The artificial grass material typically comprises a synthetic substrate that is threaded with synthetic grass-coloured filaments. The underside of the substrate may be coated with a suitable material, such as an adhesive or liquid elastomer, to hold the filaments in place. The grass material may, for example, be any of the easigrass™ range of artificial grass products marketed by Easigrass Distribution Ltd.
[0011] Although not essential, in the illustrated example the strips of artificial grass 20 are formed by folding a length of artificial grass that is at least twice the desired length of the strip to form a double layer with a closed end 28 and two free ends 30. The strip of artificial grass 20 is threaded through the apertures 18 by first separating the free ends 30 and passing them on either side of a first member 32 of the mesh at one side 34 of the substrate 16 so that the first member 32 is disposed between the two layers of the strip. The free ends 30 are then brought together prior to threading them alternately over and under successive members 36, 38, 40 of a row of such members until the strip of artificial grass is threaded through a row of apertures 18 across the entire width of the mesh substrate 16. Once the strip of artificial grass 20 is fully threaded across the width of the mesh substrate 16, the free ends 30 can be secured to the last member 42 of the row at the opposite side 44 of the mesh substrate. The securing of the free ends 30 may, for example, be by means of a suitable adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive. Once all of the rows of apertures 18 of the mesh substrate 16 are filled by a strip of artificial grass 20 in this way, the fence panel 14 has two major faces 22 that have a grass surface. As best seen in Figure 2, in the direction of threading of the strip of artificial grass 20, alternate members of the mesh substrate 16 are left exposed giving the major face 22 of the fence panel 14 a brick-like appearance.
[0012] Although the fence panel 14 could have lugs attached to the mesh substrate 16 to allow it to be secured to fence posts by means of bolts of the like, in the illustrated example, the fence panel is provided with two side members 50 by means of which it can be secured to suitable fence posts 12.
[0013] Referring to Figure 3, the side members 50 are elongate members having a length corresponding at least substantially to the lengths of the sides 34, 44 of mesh substrate 16 to which they are fitted. The side members 50 comprise a generally rectangular section base member 52 and two upstanding members 54, 56 that extend generally perpendicular to the base member. The upstanding members 54, 56 are disposed in opposed spaced apart relation and define between them a generally U-shaped groove 58 that extends along the length of the side member 50 so that it can receive a side 34, 44 of the mesh substrate 16 by push-fitting. At their free ends, the outwardly facing sides of the upstanding members 54, 56 are provided with a triangular cross-section thickening to provide a barbed, or arrow-like, formation. The side members 50 may by extrusions made of an aluminium alloy or the like, or an engineering plastics material.
[0014] Referring to Figure 4, the fence posts 12 are elongate members, which in the illustrated example have a generally rectangular cross-section. At least one side of each fence post 12 is provided with a lengthways extending groove 60. In the illustrated example, the fence post 12 has oppositely facing sides 62 provided with respective oppositely facing grooves 60 to allow the fence post to connect with and support two fence panels 14 in side-by-side relation. The fence post 12 may be provided with a groove 60 on one of the sides 64 to allow it to connect with and support two fence panels 14 disposed in mutually perpendicular relation. In examples in which there is a groove 60 provided on one of the sides 64, the groove on one of the sides 62 may be omitted. It may be considered desirable to provide fence posts with grooves 60 in each side 62 and one side 64 to avoid having to provide more than one form of fence post (ie one with grooves 60 in the sides 62, but not the sides 64, and one with a groove in a side 62 and a groove in a side 64) so that each fence post is capable of functioning in a straight run of fencing or as a corner post
[0015] The fence posts 12 may be plastics co-extrusions with metal reinforcing. As shown in Figure 1, the fence posts 12 may be provided with caps 66. The caps 66 may be plastics mouldings having a recess in their underside configured to receive the upper end of a fence post 12 so that the caps can be push-fitted onto the upper end of the fence post. The caps 66 may be configured to be an interference fit on the fence posts 12 to aid retention. In some examples, the fence posts 12 and caps 66 may be provided with cooperating snap-fit formations to secure the caps to the fence posts.
[0016] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the elongate cross-members 24 are beams having a generally rectangular cross-section and configured such that they are a sliding fit in the grooves 60 of the fence posts. The cross-members 24 have a groove 70 provided in one lengthways extending edge. The groove 70 may extend from one end 72 of the cross-member 24 to the opposite end 74 and is configured to receive an edge of the fence panel that extends between the fence posts 12. Although not essential, the cross-members 24 may be made of a suitable plastics material. A plastics cross-member 24 may, for example, be formed as an extrusion.
[0017] To assemble the fencing 10 shown in Figure 1, first the fence posts 12 are fixed in the ground. The various ways in which fence posts may be fixed in the ground will be known to those skilled in art and so will not be described herein. A lower elongate cross-member 24 is then fitted between two fence posts 12 by fitting its ends 72, 74 into the respective grooves 60 of the fence posts and then sliding it down until it rests against the ground. Just one cross-member 24 may be used or, as shown in Figure 1, multiple cross-members may be stacked one upon the other to form a base for the fence panel 14. At least the cross-member 24 that is to be engaged by the fence panel 14 should be fitted so that its groove 70 faces upwardly. The fence panel 14 is then fitted in place by engaging the side members 50 in the respective grooves 60 and sliding the fence panel 14 down until it engages in the groove 7 of the uppermost cross-member 24. A further cross-member 24 is then fitted between the0 fence posts 12 with its groove 70 facing downwardly towards the fence panel 14 and slid down until the uppermost edge of the fence panel 14 engages in the groove. Once the fence panels 14 and cross-members 24 are fitted, caps 66 can be fitted to the fence posts 12.
[0018] In the illustrated example the strips of artificial grass 20 extend horizontally across the substrate 16. In other examples, the strips of artificial grass 20 may be threaded through the apertures 18 so that as viewed in Figure 2, they extend vertically rather than horizontally. This would result in an arrangement in which the brick-like rows appear to extend upwardly. In another example shown in Figure 7, the substrate, which may be a metal substrate as previously described, may be configured such that the strips of artificial grass 120 are threaded through rows of apertures that extend diagonally across the substrate. As shown in Figure 7, this may result in a fence panel 114 that has brick-like rows extending diagonally across the panel.
[0019] In the illustrated example, there is one fence panel 14 between each pair of adjacent fence posts 12. It will be understood that this is not essential. In some examples, two or more relatively shorter fence panels may be used. This may be desired as a means for providing more interesting designs by having multiple fence panels with different arrangements of strips. For example, a fence panel 14 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 might be paired with a fence panel 114. In such examples, it may be desirable to have a cross-member 24 provided with respective grooves 70 for the two fence panels to be placed between the fence panels. In other examples, the fencing may have just one panel 14, 114 between an adjacent pairs of fence posts 12, but have fence panels with different strip arrangements in series along the length of the fencing.
[0020] In the illustrated example the side members 50 have formations that may lock into complementary formations in the fence posts 12 with sufficient clearance to allow just enough relative sliding movement of the fence panel 14, 114 to facilitate installation. In other examples, there may be greater clearance between simpler formations. For example the side members and grooves 60 may have a simple T-shaped cross-section with the parts configured such that the fit between them is relatively loose. In such cases, one or more wedging or locking members may be provided to lock the fence panels firmly in place.
[0021] In the illustrated example, the fence posts 12 are provided with formations in the form of grooves to receive the sides of the fence panels 14, 114, which may be the grass covered sides of the mesh substrate or side members fitted over the grass covered sides. In other examples, the fence posts may be fitted with formations in the form of projections than cooperably engage suitable recessing provided in the side members of the fence panels.
[0022] In the illustrated example the substrate is mesh comprising transversely crossing mesh members that define a plurality of apertures through which the strips of artificial grass are threaded. The spacing of the mesh members defines the width of the strips of artificial grass. In other examples, the substrate may comprise a frame with a plurality of members extending between opposed sides of the frame and arranged such that all of the members extend in substantially the same direction and do not cross one another. In this case, the width of the strip may correspond to the length of the members between the two sides of the frame so that just one relatively wider strip may be used to form the grassed major faces of the fence panel.
[0023] It will be understood that securing the strips of artificial grass to the substrate by threading them through the apertures of the substrate may ensure that the strips are very well secured to the substrate long their entire length and the provides the possibility of obtaining an interesting brick-like appearance for the major faces of the fence panel.
[0024] The fence panels 14, 114 do not have any timber components and may be stronger than equivalent sized timber panels. Additionally, once installed the fence panels and plastics fence posts 12 and cross-members 24 do not require painting or the application of other coating products, for example creosote, and so may require considerably less maintenance than conventional timber fencing. Since the fencing 10 may be made of plastics materials and corrosion resistant substrates, it may be more durable than conventional timber fencing. The fencing is also potentially recyclable.
1. A fence panel comprising a substrate and at least one strip of artificial grass secured
to said substrate to provide the panel with at least one major face having a grass
surface.
2. A fence panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate has a plurality of apertures
and said at least one strip of artificial grass is threaded through said apertures.
3. A fence panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one strip of artificial
grass is threaded through said apertures such that said fence panel has oppositely
disposed major faces having respective grass surfaces.
4. A fence panel as claimed in claim 3, comprising at least one said strip of artificial
grass that extends from a first side to a second side of said substrate and from said
second side to said first side to form at least respective portions of said grass
surfaces.
5. A fence panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said substrate
comprises a mesh.
6. A fence panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at
least one side member defining a lengthways extending groove to receive an edge of
said substrate.
7. A fence panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least
one side member comprises at least one formation configured to engage a complementary
formation provided in a fence post to connect said fence panel to said fence post.
8. Fencing comprising two fence posts and a fence panel as claimed in any one of claims
1 to 5 to be fitted between said fence posts.
9. Fencing as claimed in claim 8, wherein each said fence post comprises a formation
configured to cooperably engage with a respective side of said fence panel to secure
said fence panel to said fence posts.
10. Fencing as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fence panel comprises a first side member
that receives a first edge of said substrate and a second side member that receives
a second edge of said substrate that is disposed opposite said first edge, wherein
said side members are configured to cooperably engage said formations.
11. Fencing as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein each said formation comprises a groove
extending in the lengthways direction of the fence post.
12. A method of manufacturing a fence panel, said method comprising:
providing a substrate having a plurality of apertures; and
securing at least one strip of artificial grass to said substrate to provide said fence panel with at least one major face having a grass surface.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said substrate has a plurality of apertures
and securing said at least one strip of artificial grass to said substrate comprises
threading said at least one strip of artificial grass through said apertures.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, further comprising forming said at least one
strip of artificial grass by folding a length of artificial grass so that said strip
comprises a double layer of artificial grass having a closed end.
15. A method of erecting fencing, said method comprising:
fixing two fence posts in opposed spaced apart relation; and
securing a fence panel between said fence posts, wherein said fence panel comprises a substrate and at least one strip of artificial grass secured to said substrate to provide the panel with at least one major face having a grass surface.