Non-Conductive Privacy Fence

Abstract

The invention as described herein includes a substantially nonconductive barrier assembly that includes at least one longitudinal support, a barrier and a hood. The barrier is non-exclusively composed of several barrier panels. Each panel has a planar member having a front surface and a back surface and a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one rib member extends from the back surface, and the top edge of a first panel and the bottom edge of a second panel are disposed adjacent to one another to form the barrier. The barrier may be attached to the longitudinal support to span a vertical plane. The hood has an inner surface that extends from a distal edge of the hood. The hood is disposed so that an angle formed by the inner surface of the hood and a front surface of the barrier measures about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees and a perforated ledge member extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from the distal edge of the hood to the front surface of the barrier. In an embodiment, each of the support, the barrier and the hood independently comprise a nonconductive material. Also included is an enclosure formed from at least two of the barrier assemblies as described herein, wherein a first vertical edge of the first barrier assembly is attached to a second vertical edge of a second barrier assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially non conductive barrier assembly comprising:
 a. at least one longitudinal support;   b. a barrier comprising a plurality of barrier panels,
 wherein each panel comprises a planar member having a front surface and a back surface and a top edge and a bottom edge, 
 wherein at least one rib member extends from the back surface, and the top edge of a first panel and the bottom edge of a second panel are disposed adjacent to one another to form the barrier; 
 wherein the barrier is attached to the longitudinal support to span a vertical plane; and 
   c. a hood having an inner surface extending to a distal edge, the hood being disposed so that an angle formed by the inner surface of the hood and a front surface of the barrier measures about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees and a perforated ledge member extending substantially horizontally and inwardly from the distal edge of the hood to the front surface of the barrier,   
       wherein each of the support, the barrier and the hood independently comprise a nonconductive material. 
     
     
         2 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  comprising two or more longitudinal supports. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinal support is independently a W-beam. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrier panels are perceived as substantially opaque to a mammal. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the top edge of a first panel and the bottom edge of a second panel each adapted to engage with the other to form the barrier. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrier comprises about 3 to about 50 barrier panels. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrier comprises about 10 to about 20 barrier panels. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrier panel(s) independently have about 2 to about 5 rib members. 
     
     
         9 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the engageable barrier panels engage with one another by a tongue-and-groove mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the barrier panels are reversibly engageable. 
     
     
         11 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein a top edge of the hood is attached to an upper edge of the barrier directly or indirectly. 
     
     
         12 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the angle formed by the inner surface of the hood and a front surface of the simple barrier measures about 20 degrees to about 50 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the angle formed by the inner surface of the hood and a front surface of the simple barrier measures about 30 degrees to about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the angle formed by the inner surface of the hood and a front surface of the simple barrier measures about 25 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the material is selected from fiberglass, a polymer, glass, asphalt, rubber, and plastic. 
     
     
         16 . The barrier assembly of  claim 1  wherein the perforations have a diameter selected from a measurement of about 0.2, about 0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5, and about 0.6 inches. 
     
     
         17 . An enclosure comprising at least two of the barrier assemblies of  claim 1 , wherein a first vertical edge of the first barrier assembly is attached to a second vertical edge of a second barrier assembly.