Thermoformed wall and fencing assemblies

Abstract

Plastic panels are thermoformed to include a variety of three-dimensional features resembling masonry patterns, various types of walls, and fencing sections. The thermoformed panels are incorporated into fencing and wall assemblies. A fencing assembly includes plastic panels thermoformed to resemble a plurality of stakes. Panels are disposed between a pair of posts with side portions configured to overlap. Each stake includes a top return projecting rearwardly. Horizontal reinforcements couple the panels to the posts. A double-sided wall assembly employs plastic panels thermoformed to resemble bricks and other wall patterns. Each sub-assembly includes a pair of panels coupled to a frame in a back-to-back arrangement. The sub-assemblies are disposed side-by-side in between a pair of posts.

1 . A fence assembly comprising: 
 a thermoformed panel comprising: 
 a top,  
 a bottom,  
 a first axis defined between the top and the bottom,  
 a plurality of stakes, each stake extending parallel to the first axis and having a top return extending perpendicular to the first axis, and  
   a nestable side portion;    a reinforcement coupled to the panel; and    a post coupled to the panel.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each top return comprises a rounded shape.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each stake comprises a major portion and a minor portion that meet at a forwardly protruding ridge.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a side cover coupled to a side portion of the panel.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom flange.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement comprises a hollow bar and a solid insert disposed within the bar.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a flat vertical portion disposed between each stake, wherein the reinforcement is welded to the flat vertical portions.  
   
   
       8 . A fence assembly, comprising: 
 a first post;    a second post;    a first thermoformed panel having a first plurality of vertically extending stakes with top returns, and a first side portion; and    a second thermoformed panel having a second plurality of vertically extending stakes with top returns, and a second side portion configured to overlap the first side portion of the first thermoformed panel;    wherein the first thermoformed panel is disposed side-by-side with the second thermoformed panel such that the second side portion overlaps the first side portion, and    wherein the first thermoformed panel and the second thermoformed panel are disposed in between the posts, the first thermoformed panel being coupled to the first post, and the second thermoformed panel being coupled to the second post.    
   
   
       9 . The assembly in  claim 8 , further comprising horizontal reinforcements coupled to the panels.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the first side portion comprises a first laterally extending flange;    the second side portion comprises a forwardly extending flange connected to a second laterally extending flange.    
   
   
       11 . An outdoor double-sided wall structure comprising: 
 a frame having a first side and an opposite second side;    a first thermoformed panel coupled to the first side of the frame, the first thermoformed panel comprising a first three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface and a first rear surface substantially parallel to the first front surface; and    a second thermoformed panel coupled to the second side of the frame, the second thermoformed panel comprising a second three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface and a second rear surface substantially parallel to the second front surface,    wherein the first and second three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surfaces each resembles a masonry pattern.    
   
   
       12 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the frame comprises at least a top horizontal beam, a bottom horizontal beam, a first vertical beam and a second vertical beam.  
   
   
       13 . The structure of  claim 12 , further comprising a support bar coupled to the top horizontal beam of the frame.  
   
   
       14 . The structure of  claim 12 , further comprising a support bar coupled to the bottom horizontal beam of the frame.  
   
   
       15 . The structure of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a perimeter; and    side covers covering at least a portion of the perimeter.    
   
   
       16 . The structure of  claim 11 , further comprising a post coupled to the frame.  
   
   
       17 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the first rear surface comprises a first plurality of flat sections; and    the second rear surface comprises a second plurality of flat sections.    
   
   
       18 . A double-sided wall assembly, comprising: 
 a first sub-assembly comprising:    a first frame, and    a first pair of thermoformed panels coupled to opposite sides of the first frame, each of the first pair of thermoformed panels having a front surface and a rear surface, the panels of the first pair being coupled to the first frame in a back-to-back configuration;    a second sub-assembly comprising:    a second frame, and    a second pair of thermoformed panels coupled to opposite sides of the second frame, each of the second pair of thermoformed panels having a front surface and a rear surface, the panels of the second pair being coupled to the second frame in a back-to-back configuration;    a first post; and    a second post;    wherein the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly are disposed side-by-side and in between the posts.    
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a first pair of brackets coupling the first sub-assembly to the first post; and    a second pair of brackets coupling the second sub-assembly to the second post.    
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a first support bar juxtaposed in an overlapping relationship with the first frame and second frame.  
   
   
       21 . The assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a second support bar juxtaposed in an overlapping relationship with the first frame and second frame.  
   
   
       22 . The assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a top cover disposed over the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly.  
   
   
       23 . The assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a bottom cover disposed over the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly.  
   
   
       24 . A method for manufacturing a fencing assembly comprising the steps of: 
 thermoforming a panel to form a three-dimensional front surface and a rear surface substantially parallel to the front surface;    providing a thermoplastic post; and    coupling a reinforcement to a rear surface of the panel.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of providing a thermoplastic post comprises the steps of: 
 extruding a hollow tube; and    injection molding a cap.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of coupling a reinforcement to a rear surface of the panel comprises the step of adhering the reinforcement to the rear surface of the panel.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of thermoforming a panel to form a three-dimensional front surface and a rear surface substantially parallel to the front surface comprises the step of forming a plurality of stakes and returns.  
   
   
       28 . A method for assembling a plastic fence, comprising the steps of: 
 coupling a first thermoformed panel to a first post;    disposing a second thermoformed panel adjacent to the first thermoformed panel;    overlapping a first side portion of the first thermoformed panel with a second side portion of the second thermoformed panel;    removing a portion of the second thermoformed panel to leave a cut-off edge;    covering the cut-off edge of the second thermoformed panel with a side cover; and    coupling the second thermoformed panel to a second post.    
   
   
       29 . A method for manufacturing a double-sided wall assembly, comprising the steps of: 
 thermoforming a first panel to form a first three-dimension front surface and a substantially parallel first rear surface;    thermoforming a second panel to form a second three-dimension front surface and a substantially parallel second rear surface; and    providing a frame with a first side and a second side.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the step of thermoforming the first panel comprises the step of forming the first panel with a first plurality of flat portions; and    the step of thermoforming the second panel comprises the step of forming the second panel with a second plurality of flat portions.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of forming the frame comprises the step of providing horizontal bars and vertical bars configured to abut the first plurality of flat portions and the second plurality of flat portions.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the step of thermoforming the first panel comprises the step of forming the first panel with a first plurality of flat portions; and    the step of thermoforming the second panel comprises the step of forming the second panel with a second plurality of flat portions.    
   
   
       33 . A method for assembling a double-sided wall assembly, comprising the steps of: 
 coupling a first pair of thermoformed panels to a first frame in a back-to-back configuration to form a first sub-assembly;    coupling a second pair of thermoformed panels to a second frame in a back-to-back configuration to form a second sub-assembly;    placing the first sub-assembly side-by-side with the second sub-assembly;    coupling the first sub-assembly to a first post; and    coupling the second sub-assembly to a second post.    
   
   
       34 . The method in  claim 33 , further comprising the steps of: 
 removing a portion of the second sub-assembly to expose a cut-off edge; and    covering the cut-off edge with a side cover.    
   
   
       35 . The method in  claim 34 , further comprising the step of coupling a vertical support to the cut-off edge of the second sub-assembly.  
   
   
       36 . The method in  claim 35 , wherein the step of covering the cut-off edge of the second sub-assembly with a side cover comprises the step of covering the vertical support.  
   
   
       37 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first front surface comprises a first brick pattern.  
   
   
       38 . The structure of  claim 37 , wherein the second front surface comprises a second brick pattern.  
   
   
       39 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the front surface of each of the first pair of thermoformed panels comprises a first brick pattern.  
   
   
       40 . The assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the front surface of each of the second pair of thermoformed panels comprises a second brick pattern.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 the step of thermoforming the first panel comprises the step of forming the first panel with a first brick pattern.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein: 
 the step of thermoforming the second panel comprises the step of forming the second panel with a second brick pattern.    
   
   
       43 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first front surface comprises a first stone pattern.  
   
   
       44 . The structure of  claim 43 , wherein the second front surface comprises a second stone pattern.  
   
   
       45 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the first front surface comprises a first rock pattern.  
   
   
       46 . The structure of  claim 45 , wherein the second front surface comprises a second rock pattern.  
   
   
       47 . An outdoor double-sided wall structure comprising: 
 a first thermoformed panel having a first three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface resembling a first masonry pattern and a first rear surface substantially parallel to the first front surface; and    a second thermoformed panel disposed side-by-side with the first thermoformed panel, the second thermoformed panel having a second three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface resembling a second masonry pattern and a second rear surface substantially parallel to the second front surface.    
   
   
       48 . The structure of  claim 47 , further comprising a post disposed between the first thermoformed panel and the second thermoformed panel.  
   
   
       49 . The structure of  claim 47 , wherein: 
 the first masonry pattern comprises a first brick pattern; and    the second masonry pattern comprises a second brick pattern.    
   
   
       50 . The structure of  claim 47 , wherein: 
 the first masonry pattern comprises a first stone pattern; and    the second masonry pattern comprises a second stone pattern.    
   
   
       51 . The structure of  claim 47 , wherein: 
 the first masonry pattern comprises a first rock pattern; and    the second masonry pattern comprises a second rock pattern.    
   
   
       52 . The structure of  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 a third thermoformed panel coupled back-to-back to the first thermoformed panel, the third thermoformed panel having a third three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface resembling a third masonry pattern and a third rear surface substantially parallel to the third front surface, the third rear surface facing the first rear surface; and    a fourth thermoformed panel coupled back-to-back to the second thermoformed panel, the fourth thermoformed panel having a fourth three-dimensional, non-extrudable front surface resembling a fourth masonry pattern and a fourth rear surface substantially parallel to the fourth front surface, the fourth rear surface facing the second rear surface.