GB2491638A

GB2491638A - Foldable fence panel

Info

Publication number: GB2491638A
Application number: GB201109727A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Antonello Atzori
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-10
Filing date: 2011-06-10
Publication date: 2012-12-12
Also published as: GB201109727D0

Abstract

The panel 10 comprises two portions 10a, 10b that are pivotally connected to enable the portions to be folded and a locking mechanism 12a, 12b that can lock the portions in a substantially planar unfolded position. The pivotal connections 11 may allow the two portions to be folded back-to-back and may comprise at least one hinge, preferably a pair of hinges. The connections may be disposed mid-way along the width of the panel. The locking mechanism may comprise at least one pivotable latch or alternatively a slidable member for engagement with a detent. The two portions may comprise outer frames 14a, 14b and each may make up half of the body of the panel. The two portions may be made from wood.

Description

A FOLDABLE FENCE PANEL

The present invention relates to fencing and erectable enclosures, and particularly relates to a foldable fence panel for domestic and commercial fencing applications.

Fence panels are commonly used both domestically and commercially to erect enclosures for privacy and security purposes. The enclosures are typically used to define boundaries around buildings, properties and gardens etc., while also providing an aesthetic appeal for the inhabitants or occupiers of the enclosed spaces.

In the UK at least, the most common types of fence panels are those which are generally made from wood. These wooden fence panels are usually constructed from a plurality of partially overlapping horizontal boards that are secured by timber beams at the top and bottom of the panel, or are otherwise held in place by a rigid outer frame. However, other lypes may be constructed from boards that are engaged with each other via a tongue and groove arrangement or even boards that are weaved' into a lattice configuration.

The fence panels are usually manufactured in a variety of different widths and heights, principally for aesthetic purposes, but also to allow the purchaser to choose the level of privacy and/or security that they desire.

Therefore, commonly available fence panels may vary in height from around 0.9 m (4 ft) to around 1.8 m (6 ft) or more. To install and fix fence panels, it is necessary to secure them between a pair of suitable fence posts, which may either be wooden posts, or alternatively, concrete posts, which have been fixed firmly into the ground (e.g. using support spikes, concrete or cement etc.). In the case of wooden posts, the fence panels are normally secured to the posts using U-shaped brackets, which are arranged to receive a respective side edge of the panel, such that the edges slot' into the brackets enabling the panel to be secured to the post.

In a similar way, the concrete posts normally include a longitudinal groove which is dimensioned to receive a respective edge of the panel. In this way, the panel can then be slotted in the grooves of a pair of opposing concrete posts, thereby securing the panel in place.

However, for both types of post, an inherent drawback or disadvantage exists during the installation of the fence panel, in that the panel must be slotted into' the opposing brackets or groove by generally raising the panel above the posts and inserting it from above -so that the panel is essentially lowered into position. For panels which have a height of around 0.9 m, this is usually not a problem for a single fencing installer or builder, as it is generally possible to raise the panel high enough above the posts to drop it into position. However, for the larger type of fence panel, namely the 1.8 m and taller varieties, the installation cannot usually be achieved by a single installer, and therefore two or more installers are typically required in order to fix the panel in place.

Moreover, as the fence posts will generally be of the same height as the panel, some form of step ladder or raised platform will usually also be required to give the installers sufficient height so as to insert the panel into the brackets or groove.

Hence, the additional labour and equipment requirements can increase the overall cost of installing the fence panels, while also increasing the time required to fix the panels in place.

In addition, a further drawback of using taller fence panels (e.g. of the 1.8 m variety etc.) is that they arc also generally difficult to transport using conventional domestic vehicles. Therefore, again, two or more installers are usually required to handle and manipulate the panels, while a van or trailer etc. is typically necessary to transport the panels to the installation site. The above drawbacks can pose significant problems for lone installers and/or DIY (Do-It-Yourself) enthusiasts, as a sufficiently large vehicle needs to be available to transport the panels to the installation site, while additional manpower must ideally be on hand to assist with the fixing of the panels.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fence panel that solves at least some of the above problems associated with installing fence panels in domestic and commercial applications.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is a provided a foldable fence panel, comprising: first and second portions, each portion defining a respective part of the body of the panel; pivoting means arranged to couple the first and second portions together, the pivoting means enabling the portions to be folded/unfolded relative to each other; and a locking mechanism operable to relcasably lock the first and second portions in an unfolded position such that the body of the panel is substantially planar.

The provision of a pivoting means arranged to couple the first and second portions together, such that the pivoting means enables the portions to be folded/unfolded relative to each other, is particularly advantageous as it allows the panel to be folded thereby effectively reducing its overall width dimension. In this way, the panel may then be fixed to a pair of conventional wooden or concrete fence posts by essentially slotting the respective edges of the panel into the opposing post brackets or groove by a lateral action (e.g. a substantially sideways movement) which results from the arcuate unfolding of the first and second portions. As a result, the panel can be installed and fixed in place without the need to raise the panel above the fence posts, which simplifies the installation as no lifting is required thereby allowing the panel to be installed by a single person or DIY enthusiast etc. In addition, as the pivoting means allows the panel to be folded up, this provides the additional advantage of reducing the overall size of the folded panel. Hence, it now becomes much easy to manipulate and transport the panel, which provides the opportunity for the panel to be conveyed via conventional vehicles (e.g. family cars and hatchbacks etc.), without the need for a van or trailer. In this way, the fence panel of the present invention is ideally suited for a single installer, such as a DIY enthusiast as the panel can be readily transported and installed without additional manpower or equipment, such as step ladders or raised platforms etc. The present fencing panel may be constructed from any of the conventional materials and/or by any of the commonly used techniques.

Therefore, the fence panel may comprise a plurality of partially overlapping horizontal or vertical boards, or may include tongue and groove components, or a weaved' structure etc. Hence, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is not limited by the type of construction or material used, as the advantages provided by the folding functionality can be enjoyed by any suitable type or style of fence panel, modified in accordance with the prescription of this invention.

Therefore, the first and second portions may be fabricated from any suitable fencing material, which is most preferably partially overlapping wooden boards, but may alternatively be metal or plastic etc. In preferred embodiments, the first and second portions correspond to substantially half of the body of the panel, namely, the panel is comprised of two

S

substantially equal portions defined by the first and second portions.

However, it is to be understood that the first and second portions need not have identical or similar dimensions, such that one of the portions may have a larger width dimension than the other depending on the particular S application and installation etc. In addition, in order to improve the strength and/or rigidity of the first and second portions, each portion may also comprise a full or partial outer frame to hold the components together (e.g. wooden boards etc.), while also providing a rigid edge for engagement with the respective fence posts.

The pivoting means are preferably arranged to enable the first and second portions to be pivoted between a first position, in which the portions are preferably angled with respect to each other, and a second position preferably corresponding to the unfolded position.

Therefore, the first position preferably corresponds to a folded position, such that the internal angle between the planes of the first and second portions is either acute or obtuse depending on the degree of folding of the panel. While the second position preferably corresponds to the position in which the panel has been fully unfolded, so that the angle between the planes of the first and second portions is substantially 180 degrees (i.e. co-planar). The second position therefore preferably corresponds to the orientation in which the panel is fixed to the fence posts.

The pivoting means are preferably operable to allow the first and section portions to be folded into a position in which they are substantially back-to-back (e.g. separated by a small acute angle). In this way, the panel can be significantly reduced in size, by effectively folding it substantially in half, thereby facilitating ease of manipulation and transportation.

In preferred embodiments, the pivoting means preferably comprises at least one hinge, and most preferably a pair of hinges. However, any number of hinges may alternatively be used depending on the size of the panel. Moreover, it is be appreciated that any suitable pivoting means may alternatively or additionally be used, without sacrificing any of the benefits or advantages of the present invention. Hence, for example, the pivoting means may be a pintle-type bearing, a rotatable rod or pin or any other suitable joint or joint-type mechanism etc. provided it enables relative pivoting motion between the first and second portions thereby enabling the panel to be folded and unfolded.

The pivoting means are preferably disposed substantially mid-way along the width dimension of the panel, or in other words, they are preferably located in the middle of the panel, Of course, in arrangements in which the first and second portions are of different size, the pivoting means will be disposed at a location according to the relative width dimensions of the first and second portions.

The locking mechanism is operable to releasably lock the first and second portions in an unfolded position such that the body of the panel is substantially planar. The purpose of the locking mechanism is to provide additional rigidity to the panel once the panel has been installed.

However, since the locking mechanism is releasable this has the advantage that it allows the panel to be subsequently removed, if a replacement panel is desired or if an opening in the enclosure is required for some purpose (e.g. to transport objects to an from the enclosed space etc.).

In preferred embodiments, the locking mechanism comprises at least one pivotable latch. The latch preferably comprises a baton that is pivotably fixed to one of the first or second portions, with the other portion preferably having a detent to receive the baton when the baton is rotated into place after the panel is installed between the fence posts. The baton may preferably be a wooden baton of square cross-section, while the detent may be a metal bracket which receives the wooden baton by way of a friction engagement. In other embodiments, there may be more than one detent, such that for example, a second bracket may also be provided on the first portion which serves to also receive the baton via a friction fit.

In this way, the sturdiness of the unfolded panel can be further increased.

However, it is to be appreciated that any other suitable form of locking mechanism may be used in conjunction with the present invention. Hence, the locking mechanism may comprise a slidable member (e.g. wooden or metal pin or bolt etc) on one of the portions that can be slid into an engagement member (e.g. detent) on the other portion to firmly secure the first and second portions together.

The panel may comprise more than one locking mechanism, therefore a second baton/detent etc. may also be provided at the bottom of the panel and/or another at the centre of the panel etc. To further increase the rigidity of the installed panel, conventional screws or bolts etc. may be used to additionally secure the first and second portions together depending on the particular application, panel size and installation etc. It is to be appreciated that although the above embodiments have principally been described in relation to taller fence panels (e.g. 1.8 metre and above height panels etc.), the present invention applies to any sized panel (e.g. height or width). Therefore, the above embodiments are also consistent with 0.9 metre panels, as the ease of installation and transportation can also be beneficial for such smaller sized panels, as well as taller panels of the 1.8 metre and above variety.

Moreover, the present invention is not limited to only two portions of the panel, and therefore the body of the panel may be comprised of two or more portions depending on the particular application and overall size of the panel to be installed etc. An advantage of having further portions is that the folded panel may be even smaller in size when fully folded, thereby additionally increasing ease of manipulation and transportation etc. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 -shows a front perspective view of a foldable fence panel according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 -shows a front view of the foldable fence panel of Figure 1, when installed between a pair of example fence posts; Figure 3 -shows a schematic view from above of an example installation of a foldable fence panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, the panel being initially unfolded; Figure 4 -shows a schematic view from above of the foldable fence panel of Figure 3 during a later stage of unfolding and illustrating engagement with a pair of example fence posts; Figure 5 -shows a schematic view from above of the foldable fence panel of Figure 4 when fully unfolded and installed between the example fence posts; Figure 6 -shows a front perspective view of a foldable fence panel according to another particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is a shown a particularly preferred embodiment of a foldable fence panel according to the present invention.

The foldable fence panel 10 comprises a first portion lOa and a second portion lOb, a pivoting means 11 and a locking mechanism 12a, 12b. The fence panel 10 is of a type that is constructed substantially from wood, with the first and second portions lOa, lOb being comprised of a plurality of partially overlapping horizontal boards 13a, 13b surrounded by a respective outer frame 14a, 14b.

In the example of Figure 1, the fence panel 10 has a height dimension of around 1.8 metres and an overall (unfolded) width dimension of, again, around 1.8 metres. As shown, the first and second portions lOa, lOb are approximately equal in size, such that each portion corresponds to substantially half of the body of the panel 10.

The pivoting means 11 comprise a pair of metal hinges, one located towards the upper part of the panel 10, and the other located towards the bottom part of the panel 10, as shown in Figure 1. The function of the hinges 11 is to couple the first and second portions lOa, 10 together and to allow them to be folded/unfolded relative to each other, thereby enabling the overall width dimension of the panel 10 to be varied depending on the degree of folding. This folding action facilitates ease of installation as will be described in greater detail below.

The locking mechanism comprises a straight wooden baton 12a, which is substantially square in cross-section and has a length of around 30 cm and a thickness of around 2.5 cm. The baton 12a is fixed to the first portion lOa by way of a metal pin or bolt 15, which enables the baton 12a to be pivoted about the pin/bolt 15. The locking mechanism further comprises a detent in the form of a U-shaped bracket 12b, which is arranged to receive the pivotable baton 12a by way of a friction fit when the panel 10 has been fully unfolded, as shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, the foldable fence panel 10 is shown installed between two conventional concrete fence posts 16a, 16b. In this arrangement, the panel 10 is fully unfolded, such that the angle between the first and second portions lOa, lOb is substantially 180 degrees, with the body of the panel being substantially planar. The concrete posts 16a, 16b have longitudinal grooves 17a, 1?b (see Figures 3 to 5) that run along their entire vertical lengths. These grooves are conventional and are provided to receive the respective side edges of the panel 10 in such a way that the edges are slotted into' the grooves to firmly fix the fence panel in place.

The use of concrete posts in Figure 2 is by way of example only, and the same result may alternatively be achieved via the use of wooden posts, which are commonly fitted with U-shaped brackets to receive the respective side edges of the panel in an analogous way to the grooves of the concrete posts.

It should also be appreciated in Figure 2 that only a single fence panel 10 has been shown, but other panels would in practice be fitted to either side of the concrete posts 16a, 16b, as necessary, but these have not been illustrated to preserve clarity.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 5, there is shown a preferred embodiment of an example installation of a foldable fence panel according to the present invention. In Figure 3, the initially folded panel 10 has been transported to the installation site by the installer (e.g. builder or DIY enthusiast), who need not be assisted due to the ease of manipulation and transportation of the folded panel. The installer begins by selecting the opposing pair of concrete posts 16a, 16b into which the panel 10 is to be inserted and positions the folded panel 10 substantially therebetween.

The installer then begins to unfold the first and second portions lOa, lOb by pivoting one or both portions relative to each other by way of the hinges 11. As the panel 10 is unfolded, the angle between the first and second portions lOa, lOb increases, with the result that the respective edges of the panel begin to move outwardly in a substantially lateral (e.g. sideways movement) due to the essentially arcuate unfolding of the panel (as indicated by the curved arrows in Figure 2). When the panel 10 is close to being fully unfolded, as shown in Figure 4, the installer slots a first side edge into a respective groove 17a on the concrete post 16a, while continuing to unfold the panel. At the same time, or soon after, the installer then slots the other side edge into the groove 1?b on the opposing concrete post 16b. In this way, the edges of the panel are now engaged with the grooves l?a, 1?b of the concrete posts 16a, 16b without the need to raise or otherwise lift the panel 10 to the height of, or above, the top of the posts 16a, 16b. As a result, the panel can therefore be installed by a single person, without the need for any step ladders or raised platform etc. The panel 10 can then be fully unfolded by pushing on the reverse side of the panel, as shown in Figure 4 by the arrow, which straightens the first and second portions lOa, lOb so that the body of the panel is substantially planar. Hence, as shown in Figure 5, the fence panel 10 then extends across the aperture between the fence posts, and can consequently be secured in place by rotating the baton 12a on the first portion lOa, so that it engages the U-shaped bracket 12b on the second portion lOb.

To further increase the rigidity of the panel 10, wood screws may additionally be used to secure the first and second portions lOa, lOb together, and/or to further fix to the baton 12a to the outer frames 14, 14 of the portions 10, lOb.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown another embodiment of the foldable fence panel 10 according to the present invention. This panel is essentially identical to the panel of the preceding embodiment, but differs in that a further locking mechanism, in the form of a second baton 16a, is provided to further secure the base of the panel when it is unfolded. The second baton 16a has the same dimensions and construction as the first baton 12a, and is fixed to the first portion lOa by way of a metal pin or bolt 17, which enables the baton 16a to be pivoted about the pin/bolt 1?.

The second locking mechanism further comprises a detent in the form of a U-shaped bracket 16b, which is arranged to receive the pivotable baton 16a by way of a friction fit when the panel 10 has been fully unfolded.

However, in addition, further detents, in the form of U-shaped brackets, have also been added to the first portion lOa, such that the first baton 12a is also received in a further bracket 12c, while the second baton 16a is also received in a further bracket 16c, both via a friction fit. In this way.

the locking mechanisms are found to provide further strength and rigidity to the unfolded panel 10 when it has been fixed in place.

Referring again to Figure 6, a further modification that may be made to any of the foldable fence panels of the present invention is to provide vertical support struts or timbers 18a, 18b to the first and second portions 19a, lOb. In this way, the struts or timbers 18a, 18b provide further support and rigidity to the partially overlapping horizontal boards 13a, 13b respectively. Of course, any other suitable support struts or joists etc. may be added to the panel of the present invention to further enhance the structural integrity of the panel, when both in a folded and unfolded configuration.

It should be appreciated that in all preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pivoting means are arranged so as to permit the inner side edges of the first and second portions to be in abutment when the panel is fully unfolded (as shown in Figure 5). In this way, there is then ideally no (or minimal) gap in the body of the panel after it is installed and fixed in place.

Although the foldable fence panel of the present invention is ideally suited for ease of installation and transport, it will be recognised that one or more of the principles of the invention may extend to other fencing or non-fencing applications, whereby a planar sheet material is required to be manipulated, installed and/or transported with relative ease by a single user.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A foldable fence panel, comprising: firsl and second portions, each porlion defining a respeclive part of lhe body of the panel; pivoting means arranged to couple the first and second portions together, the pivoting means enabling the porlions to be folded/unfolded relative 10 each other; and a locking mechanism operable to rcleasably lock the first and second portions in an unfolded position such that the body of the panel is substantially planar.
2. The fence panel of Claim 1, wherein the pivoting means are arranged to enable the firsl and second portions 10 be pivolcd between a first position, in which the portions are angled with respect to each other, and a second position corresponding to the unfolded position.
3. The fence panel of Claim 1, wherein the pivoting means arc operable to allow the first and second portions to be folded into a position in which they are substantially back-to-back.
4. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein the pivoting means comprise at least one hinge.
5. The fence panel of Claim 4, wherein the pivoting means comprise a pair of hinges.
6. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one pivotable latch.
7. The fence panel of any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least a slidable member for engagement with a respective detent.
8. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein each of the first and second portions corresponds to substantially half of the body of the panel.
9. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein the pivoting means are disposed substantially mid-way along the width dimension of the panel.
10. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein each of the first and second portions comprises an outer frame.
11. The fence panel of any preceding claim, wherein the first and second portions are made substantially from wood.
12. A fence panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.