US 12,392,162 B2
Fence system
Peter McCarthy, Woodbridge (CA); Vic DeZen, Woodbridge (CA); and Rolf J. Ohrstrom, Richmond Hill (CA)
Assigned to Vision Extrusions Ltd., Woodbridge (CA)
Filed by Vision Extrusions Ltd., Woodbridge (CA)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/107,373.
Application 14/990,552 is a division of application No. 13/968,485, filed on Aug. 16, 2013, abandoned.
Application 13/968,485 is a division of application No. 12/581,998, filed on Oct. 20, 2009, granted, now 8,511,648, issued on Aug. 20, 2013.
Application 17/107,373 is a continuation of application No. 14/990,552, filed on Jan. 7, 2016, granted, now 10,851,560.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/109,764, filed on Oct. 30, 2008.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/106,665, filed on Oct. 20, 2008.
Claims priority of application No. CA 2669440 (CA), filed on Jun. 18, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2021/0079684 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. E04H 17/14 (2006.01); E04H 17/16 (2006.01)
CPC E04H 17/1439 (2013.01) [E04H 17/1404 (2013.01); E04H 17/1417 (2013.01); E04H 17/143 (2013.01); E04H 17/1447 (2021.01); E04H 17/16 (2013.01); E04H 17/168 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fence section, comprising:
an upper horizontal rail including a first longitudinally-extending wall extending lengthwise of the upper horizontal rail and laterally between first and second upper rail sidewalls that depend from the first longitudinally-extending wall and are spaced apart from one another to define an upper rail cavity, wherein the first longitudinally-extending wall includes a plurality of upper rail apertures;
a lower horizontal rail, spaced vertically below the upper horizontal rail, including a second longitudinally-extending wall extending lengthwise of the lower horizontal rail and laterally between first and second lower rail sidewalls that depend from the first longitudinally-extending wall and are spaced apart from one another to define a lower rail cavity, wherein the second longitudinally-extending wall includes a plurality of lower rail apertures; and
a plurality of vertical members;
wherein:
for at least one of the plurality of vertical members:
the vertical member is connected to the upper horizontal rail by an upper connection system and to the lower horizontal rail by a lower connection system;
wherein:
the upper connection system includes a first upper connecting structure and a second upper connecting structure; and
the lower connection system includes a first lower connecting structure and a second lower connecting structure;
wherein:
the first upper rail sidewall includes a first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure;
the second upper rail sidewall includes a first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure;
the first lower rail sidewall includes a first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure;
the second lower rail sidewall includes a first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure, and the vertical member includes a second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure;
the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the vertical member are integrally formed within a unitary one-piece construction;
and
for the upper connection system, the connection of the vertical member to the upper horizontal rail is effected by:
(i) a first upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and
(ii) a second upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure;
for the lower connection system, the connection of the vertical member to the lower horizontal rail is effected by:
(i) a first lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and
(ii) a second lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure;
the vertical member extends through the upper horizontal rail via a respective upper rail aperture and the lower horizontal rail via a respective lower rail aperture;
the vertical member and the upper horizontal rail are co-operatively configured such that establishing of the connection by the upper connection system is effected in response to insertion of the vertical member through the upper horizontal rail via the respective rail aperture;
the vertical member and the lower horizontal rail are co-operatively configured such that establishing of the connection by the lower connection system is effected in response to insertion of the vertical member through the lower horizontal rail via the respective rail aperture;
and
for the upper connection system,
(i) at least one of
(a) the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and
(b) the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure,
is resiliently deformable, such that at least one of the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected,
and
(ii) at least one of
(a) the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, and
(b) the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure,
is resiliently deformable, such that at least one of the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected, and
for the lower connection system,
(i) at least one of
(a) the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and
(b) the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure,
is resiliently deformable, such that at least one of the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected, and
(ii) at least one of
(a) the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure, and
(b) the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure,
is resiliently deformable, such that at least one of the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure is deflected while the inserting is being effected;
while the connection of the vertical member to the upper horizontal rail is effected by: (i) the first upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, and (ii) the second upper interaction between the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure:
the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure are co-operatively configured to oppose a deflection, of at least one of the first upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the first upper connecting structure, that is effective for defeating the first upper interaction; and
the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure are co-operatively configured to oppose a deflection, of at least one of the first upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure and the second upper counterpart of the second upper connecting structure, that is effective for defeating the second upper interaction; and
while the connection of the vertical member to the lower horizontal rail is effected by: (i) the first lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, and (ii) the second lower interaction between the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure:
the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure are co-operatively configured to oppose a deflection, of at least one of the first lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the first lower connecting structure, that is effective for defeating the first lower interaction; and
the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure are co-operatively configured to oppose a deflection, of at least one of the first lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure and the second lower counterpart of the second lower connecting structure, that is effective for defeating the second lower interaction.