Aluminum privacy fence system

Abstract

A privacy fence system includes an upright fence column incorporating at least two slots for accepting a plurality of privacy fence slats. The privacy fence slats are primarily a single layer of aluminum of sufficient structural integrity that may stand upright, unaided, when joined between two upright fence columns. The privacy fence slats incorporate a pair of mating lips and tines at their bottom and top, respectively, for enabling the privacy fence slats to be joined together thereby forming a uniform whole for the entire height of the privacy fence. The privacy fence system components are sufficiently lightweight that may be cut with typical hand tools available to most contractors so that a privacy fence created using the privacy fence system may be cut to size as desired on site without welding or special tools. Covers may obscure connecting means between the upright fence column and privacy fence slats.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . A privacy fence system comprising:
 an upright fence column formed of a single piece, the upright fence having a length, a width, and a depth, the upright fence column including:
 two slots at opposite sides running the length of the upright fence column from top to bottom, the slots for accepting one or more privacy fence slats; 
 two cavities, formed on a front face of the upright fence column, adjacent to the two slots and running the length of the upright fence column, each of the two cavities for providing access to an interior wall of one of the two slots from which an installation screw may be driven into and through the interior wall and the one or more privacy fence slats to thereby cause the one or more privacy fence slats to be fixed to the upright fence column; 
 an interior, substantially square cavity running the length of the upright fence column for accepting a base post. 
   
     
     
         2 . The privacy fence system of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of covers for two cavities, the covers running the length of the upright fence column and covering the two cavities such that the front face of the upright fence post is substantially flat and smooth following installation of the pair of covers. 
     
     
         3 . The privacy fence system of  claim 2  wherein the pair of covers slide into the two cavities engaging with a pair of corresponding mating lips on the pair of covers and the two cavities to thereby engage the pair of covers with the two cavities. 
     
     
         4 . The privacy fence system of  claim 2  further comprising at least one screw, driven through the interior wall of the one of the two slots. 
     
     
         5 . The privacy fence system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one slot cover for one of the two slots to thereby cause at least a portion of a side of the upright fence column including the one of the two slots to be substantially smooth. 
     
     
         6 . The privacy fence system of  claim 5  wherein the at least one slot cover:
 runs the full length of the upright fence column within the one of the two slots; or 
 covers only a portion of the one of the two slots, thereby providing a spacer between at least two privacy fence slats. 
 
     
     
         7 . The privacy fence system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first privacy fence slat, the first privacy fence slat including:
 a fence slat face, the fence slat face substantially smooth, installed within one of the two slots in the upright fence column and terminating at a bottom in a first slat engagement lip; 
 a base portion, spanning a cross-sectional width of the two slots, affixed to a bottom of the fence slat face, the base portion including:
 an upper span running across the cross-sectional width of the two slots at position perpendicular to the fence slat face; and 
 an arm extending downward at a distal end of the upper span, parallel to the fence slat face and including a second slat engagement lip; and 
 
 an upper portion, spanning the cross-sectional width of the two slots, affixed to a top of the fence slat face and including a pair of tines for engaging the first slat engagement lip and the second slat engagement lip of another privacy fence slat. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The privacy fence system of  claim 7  further comprising a fence slat top cover for engaging with the pair of tines to thereby provide a smooth surface perpendicular to the fence slat face at the top of the first privacy fence slat. 
     
     
         9 . The privacy fence system of  claim 7  comprising a second privacy fence slat substantially identical to the first privacy fence slat, wherein the second privacy fence slat and the first privacy fence slat are joined by engagement of the pair of tines of the first privacy fence slat with the first and second slat engagement lips of the second fence slat. 
     
     
         10 . The privacy fence system of  claim 1  wherein the upright fence column is installed by sliding the substantially square cavity over a ground-mounted base post. 
     
     
         11 . A privacy fence system comprising:
 a first privacy fence slat, the first privacy fence slat including:
 a fence slat face, the fence slat face substantially smooth and terminating at a bottom in a first slat engagement lip; 
 a base portion, spanning a cross-sectional width of the fence slat, affixed to a bottom of the fence slat face, the base portion including:
 an upper span running across the cross-sectional width at position perpendicular to the fence slat face; and 
 an arm affixed at a distal end of the upper span extending downward, 
 
 parallel to the fence slat face and including a second slat engagement lip; and 
 an upper portion, spanning the cross-sectional width, affixed to a top of the fence slat face and including a pair of tines for engaging the first slat engagement lip and the second slat engagement lip of another privacy fence slat. 
   
     
     
         12 . The privacy fence system of  claim 11  further comprising a fence slat top cover for engaging with the pair of tines to thereby provide a smooth surface perpendicular to the fence slat face at the top of the first privacy fence slat. 
     
     
         13 . The privacy fence system of  claim 11  comprising a second privacy fence slat substantially identical to the first privacy fence slat, wherein the second privacy fence slat and the first privacy fence slat are joined by engagement of the pair of tines of the first privacy fence slat with the first and second slat engagement lips of the second fence slat. 
     
     
         14 . The privacy fence system of  claim 11  further comprising:
 an upright fence column formed of a single piece, the upright fence having a length, a width, and a depth, the upright fence column including:
 two slots at opposite sides running the length of the upright fence column from top to bottom, the slots for accepting the privacy fence slat; 
 two cavities, formed on a front face of the upright fence column, adjacent to the two slots and running the length of the upright fence column, each of the two cavities for providing access to an interior wall of one of the two slots from which an installation screw may be driven into and through the interior wall and the one or more privacy fence slats to thereby cause the one or more privacy fence slats to be fixed to the upright fence column; 
 an interior, substantially square cavity running the length of the upright fence column for accepting a base post. 
 
 
     
     
         15 . The privacy fence system of  claim 14  further comprising a pair of covers for two cavities, the covers running the length of the upright fence column and covering the two cavities such that the front face of the upright fence post is substantially flat and smooth following installation of the pair of covers. 
     
     
         16 . The privacy fence system of  claim 2  wherein the pair of covers slide into the two cavities engaging with a pair of corresponding mating lips on the pair of covers and the two cavities to thereby engage the pair of covers with the two cavities. 
     
     
         17 . The privacy fence system of  claim 2  further comprising at least one screw, driven through the interior wall of the one of the two slots. 
     
     
         18 . The privacy fence system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one slot cover for one of the two slots to thereby cause at least a portion of a side of the upright fence column including the one of the two slots to be substantially smooth. 
     
     
         19 . The privacy fence system of  claim 18  wherein the at least one slot cover:
 runs the full length of the upright fence column within the one of the two slots; or 
 covers only a portion of the one of the two slots, thereby providing a spacer between at least two privacy fence slats. 
 
     
     
         20 . A privacy fence system comprising:
 an upright fence column formed of a single piece, the upright fence having a length, a width, and a depth, the upright fence column including:
 two slots at opposite sides running the length of the upright fence column from top to bottom, the slots for accepting one or more privacy fence slats; 
 two cavities, formed on a front face of the upright fence column, adjacent to the two slots and running the length of the upright fence column, each of the two cavities for providing access to an interior wall of one of the two slots from which an installation screw may be driven into and through the interior wall and the one or more privacy fence slats to thereby cause the one or more privacy fence slats to be fixed to the upright fence column; 
 an interior, substantially square cavity running the length of the upright fence column for accepting a base post; 
   a first privacy fence slat, the first privacy fence slat including:
 a fence slat face, the fence slat face substantially smooth, installed within one of the two slots in the upright fence column and terminating at a bottom in a first slat engagement lip; 
 a base portion, spanning a cross-sectional width of the two slots, affixed to a bottom of the fence slat face, the base portion including:
 an upper span running across the cross-sectional width of the two slots at position perpendicular to the fence slat face; and 
 an arm extending downward at a distal end of the upper span, parallel to the fence slat face and including a second slat engagement lip; and 
 
   an upper portion, spanning the cross-sectional width of the two slots, affixed to a top of the fence slat face and including a pair of tines for engaging the first slat engagement lip and the second slat engagement lip of another privacy fence slat.