Animal containment fence and method of assembling animal containment fence

Abstract

An animal containment fence includes posts that may be anchored to a surface, connection members that may be transversely coupled to the posts, and flexible cross-members disposed between the posts by telescopically and reciprocally engaging the connection members transversely coupled to the posts. The engagement between the connection members and the cross-member moves reciprocally upon a flexion of the cross-member due to application of a force less than a release force to the cross-member. The engagement between the connection members and the cross-member releases upon a flexion a flexible cross-member due to application of a force equal to or greater than a release force. A method of assembling the animal containment fence includes anchoring posts to a surface, transversely coupling connection members to the posts, and telescopically and reciprocally engaging cross members with the connection members.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An animal containment fence for containing an animal upon an impact from the animal when the impact applies less force than a release force for preventing injury to the animal upon impacting the fence, the fence comprising:
 at least two posts, each post of the at least two posts comprising a bottom end for anchoring to a surface and a top end for projecting away from the surface;   at least two connection members, each connection member of the at least two connection members being transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts and comprising an oblong shape and two ends;   at least two connectors, each connector of the at least two connectors passing laterally through a respective connection member of the at least two connection members at positions outside the at least two posts;   at least one flexible cross-member, each flexible cross-member of the at least one flexible cross-member being constructed from at least one elastic, polymeric material, the at least one flexible cross-member comprising opposite ends, each of the opposite ends being in a telescopic engagement with one end of the two ends of two connection members transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts to permit telescopic movement between the at least one flexible cross-member and the at least two connection members; and   wherein the fence has a safety release characteristic for preventing injury to an animal upon impact of the animal on the at least one flexible cross-member with a force equal to or greater than a release force which elastically flexes the at least one flexible cross-member thereby shortening the distance between the opposite ends of the at least one flexible cross-member by an amount resulting in release of telescopic engagement of at least one of the opposite ends of the at least one flexible cross-member with one end of the two ends of two connection members.   
     
     
         2 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein each connection member of the at least two connection members is a pipe, and the two ends each comprise an inner cavity receiving, in the telescopic engagement, one end of the opposite ends of the at least one flexible cross-member. 
     
     
         3 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein the release force is proportional to a length of the at least two connection members. 
     
     
         4 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two posts comprise a plurality of posts, the at least two connection members comprise a plurality of connection members, and the at least one flexible cross-member comprises a plurality of flexible cross-members. 
     
     
         5 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein each connection member of the at least two connection members is transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts by an arrangement selected from the group consisting of:
 by passing the connection member through a passageway formed transversely through the respective post of the at least two posts, and by passing the connection member through a collar disposed on the respective post of the at least two posts.   
     
     
         6 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball fixed to the top end of at least one post of the at least two posts, a largest dimension of a radial cross section of the ball being substantially equal to or greater than a largest dimension of a radial cross section of the at least one post. 
     
     
         7 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein each flexible cross-member of the at least one flexible cross-member is a pipe, and the opposite ends thereof each comprise an inner cavity receiving, in the telescopic engagement, the one end of the two ends of the two connection members each transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts. 
     
     
         8 . The animal containment fence of  claim 7 , wherein each connection member of the at least two connection members is a pipe comprising an outer diameter fitting within the inner cavity of the opposite ends of the at least one flexible cross-member. 
     
     
         9 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two connectors are self-tapping screws. 
     
     
         10 . The animal containment fence of  claim 1 , wherein two or more connection members of the at least two connection member are transversely coupled to one post of the at least two posts at different heights between the top end and the bottom end of the one post, and the two or more connection members being transversely coupled to the one post in different radial directions. 
     
     
         11 . An animal containment fence for containing an animal upon an impact from the animal when the impact applies less force than a release force for preventing injury to the animal upon impacting the fence, the fence comprising:
 at least two posts, each post of the at least two posts comprising a bottom end for anchoring to a surface and a top end of each post of the at least two posts for being disposed away from the surface;   at least two smaller diameter pipes, each smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes comprising two ends, each smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes being transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts with at least one end of the ends of each smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes extending laterally from the respective post of the at least two posts;   at least two connectors, each connector of the at least two connectors passing laterally through a respective smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes at positions outside the at least two posts;   at least one larger diameter flexible pipe constructed of at least one elastic, polymeric material, the at least one larger diameter pipe comprising opposite ends, each of the opposite ends comprising a telescopic arrangement around one end of the two ends of two smaller diameter pipes of the at least two smaller diameter pipes transversely coupled to the respective posts of the at least two posts to permit telescopic movement between the at least one larger diameter flexible pipe and the at least two smaller diameter pipes; and   wherein the fence has a safety release characteristic for preventing injury to an animal upon impact of the animal on the at least one larger diameter pipe with a force equal to or greater than a release force which elastically flexes the at least one larger diameter pipe thereby shortening the distance between the opposite ends of the at least one larger diameter pipe by an amount resulting in release of a telescopic engagement of at least one of the opposite ends of the at least one larger diameter pipe with one end of the two ends of two connection members.   
     
     
         12 . The animal containment fence of  claim 11 , wherein each smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes is transversely coupled to a respective post of the at least two posts in a respective passageway of at least two passageways, each passageway of the at least two passageways being formed transversely through a respective post of the at least two posts. 
     
     
         13 . The animal containment fence of  claim 12 , wherein a first smaller diameter pipe and a second smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes are disposed in separate passageways of the at least two passageways formed in one post of the at least two posts, the separate passageways being substantially the same height between the top end and the bottom end of the one post, the separate passageways being formed through the one post in different radial directions, and a first end of the two ends of the second smaller diameter pipe abutting a side of the first smaller diameter pipe in a position inside the one post. 
     
     
         14 . The animal containment fence of  claim 11 , wherein at least two passageways are formed in one post of the at least two posts, a smaller diameter pipe of the at least two smaller diameter pipes is disposed in a passageway of the at least two passageways formed in one post of the at least two posts, a first end of the two ends of the smaller diameter pipe being disposed at a position inside the one post, a second end of the smaller diameter pipe extending from a side of the one post, and the second end of the smaller diameter pipe being in telescopic engagement with one of the opposite ends of one larger diameter flexible pipe of the at least one larger diameter flexible pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The animal containment fence of  claim 11 , wherein a first end of the two ends of a first smaller diameter pipe is disposed inside one post, a second end of the first smaller diameter pipe and a second end of a second smaller diameter pipe extend from sides of the one post, and the second end of the first smaller diameter pipe and the second end of the second smaller diameter pipe are each in telescopic engagement with one of the opposite ends of separate larger diameter flexible pipes of the at least one larger diameter flexible pipe, 
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling an animal containment fence comprising the following steps:
 anchoring at least two posts to a surface;   passing a first smaller diameter pipe through a transverse passage formed in a first post of the at least two posts;   telescopically and reciprocally engaging a cavity of a first end of a larger diameter pipe around one end of the first smaller diameter pipe extending laterally from one side of the first post;   aligning a cavity of a second end of the larger diameter pipe with an opening of a transverse passage formed in a second post of the at least two posts;   passing a second smaller diameter pipe through the transverse passage formed in the second post of the at least two posts, wherein the cavity of the second end of the larger diameter pipe is telescopically and reciprocally engaged around one end of the second smaller diameter pipe.   
     
     
         17 . The method of assembling an animal containment fence of  claim 16 , further comprising a step of inserting a connector laterally through the first smaller diameter pipe in at least one position of the first smaller diameter pipe extending laterally from one side of the first post before telescopically and reciprocally engaging the cavity of the first end of the larger diameter pipe around the one end of the first smaller diameter pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of assembling an animal containment fence of  claim 16 , wherein the step of inserting a connector includes driving a self-tapping screw through the first smaller diameter pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of assembling an animal containment fence of  claim 16 , including providing the fence with a safety release characteristic for preventing injury to an animal upon impacting the fence with a force equal to or greater than a release force. 
     
     
         20 . The method of assembling an animal containment fence of  claim 19 , wherein the step of providing the fence with a safety release characteristic includes constructing the large diameter pipe from at least one elastic, polymeric material which elastically flexes upon impact of an animal on the larger diameter pipe with a force equal to or greater than a release force thereby shortening the distance between the opposite ends of the large diameter pipe by an amount resulting in release of telescopic engagement of at least one of the first and second ends of the larger diameter pipe with one end of one of the first and second smaller diameter pipes.