Fence post, fence assembly, and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fence post, a fence assembly (e.g., corral panel) including such a fence post, and methods of making the same. This fence post may generally be characterized as having first and second distinct post portions that each have a length substantially similar to that of the fence post. Rails, beams, or other appropriate fencing is at least partially interposed or “sandwiched” between these first and second fence post portions to make up a fence assembly of the invention. Moreover, adhesive (e.g., fast-set acrylic), rather than welding, is utilized to interconnect the first and second fence posts, as well as to interconnect the rails, beams, or other fencing with the first and/or second post portions of the fence post.

1 . A fence post, comprising: 
 a longitudinal reference axis extending at least between first and second ends of said fence post;    a first post portion that extends at least generally along said reference axis;    a second post portion that extends at least generally along said reference axis; and    adhesive interconnecting said first post portion and said second post portion.    
   
   
       2 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions are substantially symmetrical.    
   
   
       3 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions exhibit a male-female relationship.    
   
   
       4 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions exhibit an interlocking tongue and groove configuration.    
   
   
       5 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of said first and second post portions comprises a sheet material.    
   
   
       6 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said sheet material is a metal.    
   
   
       7 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said sheet material is powder coated.    
   
   
       8 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each of said first and second post portions comprises bonding surfaces that are substantially parallel with one another.    
   
   
       9 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is interposed between and in contact with said bonding surfaces.    
   
   
       10 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is selected from the group consisting of epoxy adhesives, acrylic adhesives, and urethane adhesives.    
   
   
       11 . A fence post, comprising: 
 a longitudinal reference axis extending at least between first and second ends of said fence post;    a first post portion comprising a first length that is substantially aligned with said reference axis; and    a separate and distinct second post portion comprising a second length that is substantially aligned with said reference axis, wherein said first and second lengths are substantially equal.    
   
   
       12 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions define corresponding first and second channels that extend along said reference axis.    
   
   
       13 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 at least part of said first post portion extends into said second channel defined by said second post portion.    
   
   
       14 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 adhesive interposed between and in contact with both of said at least part of said first post portion and said second post portion.    
   
   
       15 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions exhibit an interlocking tongue and groove configuration.    
   
   
       16 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 adhesive disposed between a tongue and a groove of said tongue and groove configuration.    
   
   
       17 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 a cross section of said fence post is substantially rectangular, wherein said cross-section is defined along a plane substantially perpendicular to said reference axis.    
   
   
       18 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said first post portion comprises a first side of said fence post, and wherein said second post portion comprises a second side of said fence post substantially parallel to said first side.    
   
   
       19 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 portions of both of said first and second post portions comprise third and fourth sides of said fence post.    
   
   
       20 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said first and second post portions comprise corresponding first and second attachment projections.    
   
   
       21 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said first attachment projection associated with said first post portion is substantially parallel to said first side of said fence post, and said second attachment projection is substantially parallel to said second side of said fence post.    
   
   
       22 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 adhesive interposed between and in contact with both of said first and second attachment projections of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       23 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 at least a first segment of said first attachment projection is substantially parallel with at least a second segment of said second attachment projection.    
   
   
       24 . A fence post, as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 adhesive interposed between and in contact with both of said first and second segments of said first and second attachment projections.    
   
   
       25 . A fence assembly, comprising: 
 a fence post comprising an elongate first post portion, and a separate and distinct elongate second post portion; and    a fence rail, wherein at least a portion of said fence rail is interposed between said first and second post portions of said fence post.    
   
   
       26 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said fence post comprises first and second opposing sides, and wherein a rail aperture is defined at least in a third side of said fence post, said third side comprising parts of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       27 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein: 
 an outer perimeter of said rail aperture is spaced from each of said first and second sides of said fence post by a distance of between about 0.100 inch and about 0.380 inch.    
   
   
       28 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein: 
 said rail aperture extends from said third side to an opposing fourth side of said fence post.    
   
   
       29 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 adhesive disposed between and in contact with both of said first post portion and said fence rail.    
   
   
       30 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is in contact with a substantially flat surface of said first post portion.    
   
   
       31 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is disposed between and in contact with both of said second post portion and said fence rail.    
   
   
       32 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is in contact with substantially flat surfaces of both of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       33 . A fence assembly, comprising: 
 a fence post comprising: 
 a longitudinal reference axis extending at least between first and second ends of said fence post;  
 a first post portion that extends at least generally along said reference axis; and  
 a second post portion that extends at least generally along said reference axis;  
   a fence rail, wherein at least a portion of said fence rail is disposed between said first and second post portions of said fence post; and    adhesive interposed between and in contact with: 
 said first post portion and said at least a portion of said fence rail; and  
 said second post portion and said at least a portion of said fence rail.  
   
   
   
       34 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said fence post comprises first and second opposing sides, and wherein a rail aperture is defined in a third side of said fence post, said third side comprising parts of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       35 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein: 
 an outer perimeter of said rail aperture is spaced from each of said first and second sides of said fence post by a distance of between about 0.100 inch and about 0.380 inch.    
   
   
       36 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein: 
 said fence rail is spaced from both of said first and second sides of said fence post by a distance of no more than about 0.100 inch.    
   
   
       37 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is in contact with a substantially flat surface of at least one of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       38 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said adhesive is in contact with a substantially flat surface of each of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       39 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said fence assembly comprises a plurality of said fence posts and said fence rails.    
   
   
       40 . A fence assembly, as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said fence assembly comprises a gate.    
   
   
       41 . A method of fabricating a fence assembly, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming first and second fence post portions;    adhesively interconnecting a fence rail to said first fence post portion; and    adhering said second fence post portion to both of said fence rail and said first fence post portion, wherein at least part of said fence rail is disposed between said first and second fence post portions.    
   
   
       42 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said forming step comprises removing cutouts from a sheet material.    
   
   
       43 . A method, as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein: 
 said removing step comprises defining at least a portion of a rail aperture in said sheet material, said rail aperture being configured to accommodate said at least part of said fence rail.    
   
   
       44 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said first and second fence post portions are made from a sheet material, and wherein said forming step comprises shaping a channel along a length of said sheet material.    
   
   
       45 . A method, as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein 
 said forming step comprises cutting segments of said sheet material to at least a first predetermined length substantially corresponding to a desired length of a resultant fence post.    
   
   
       46 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said forming step occur prior to at least one of said adhesively interconnecting step and said adhering step.    
   
   
       47 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said adhering step comprises biasing at least one of said first and second fence post portions toward said fence rail.    
   
   
       48 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said adhering step comprises biasing at least one of said first and second fence post portions toward another of said first and second fence post portions.    
   
   
       49 . A method, as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein: 
 said adhesively interconnecting step and said adhering step comprise using at least one adhesive selected from the group consisting epoxies, acrylics, and urethanes.    
   
   
       50 . A method of fabricating a fence assembly, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first and second sections of sheet metal into channeled first and second post portions, respectively;    adhesively interconnecting a fence rail with a first substantially flat surface of said first fence post portion; and    adhering a second substantially flat surface of said second fence post portion to said fence rail, wherein said first and second substantially flat surfaces are substantially parallel with one another, and wherein at least part of said fence rail is disposed between said first and second fence post portions.    
   
   
       51 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 said forming step comprises bending said sheet metal.    
   
   
       52 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 said forming step comprises defining at least a portion of a rail aperture in said sheet metal.    
   
   
       53 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 said forming steps occur prior to said adhesively interconnecting step and said adhering step.    
   
   
       54 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 said adhering step comprises adhesively joining said first fence post portion with said second fence post portion.    
   
   
       55 . A method, as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein: 
 at least one of said adhesively interconnecting step, said adhering step and said adhesively joining step comprise curing an adhesive.    
   
   
       56 . A method, as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein: 
 said adhering step comprises biasing at least one of said first and second post portions toward another of said first and second post portions.    
   
   
       57 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 at least one of said adhesively interconnecting step and said adhering step comprise employing at least one adhesive selected from the group consisting of epoxies, acrylics, urethanes.    
   
   
       58 . A method, as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: 
 both of said adhesively interconnecting step and said adhering step comprise employing at least one adhesive selected from the group consisting of epoxies, acrylics, urethanes.