BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an electric fence, More particularly, the present invention relates to an electric fence including modular posts made of an electrically non- conductive material

Various electric fence systems are known. However, most systems include posts that are electrically conductive, and require an insulator to be disposed between the fence wire end the post. Another drawback of known systems is that, should a user wish to extend a post, the user is required to replace the original post with a longer post.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric fence wherein the posts are made of an electrically non-conductive material; and wherein the posts are modular, permitting addition / removal of post sections to lengthen / shorten the posts and/or to change the shape of the posts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided an electric fence that includes: a first elongate member made of an electrically non-conductive, polymeric material a second elongate member made of an electrically non-conductive, polymeric material; a female connecting formation on a first axial end of each of the first and second elongate members: a male connecting formation on & second axial end of each of the first and second elongate members, the male connecting formation being sized and shaped to be received within the female connecting formation; means for locking the male connecting formation to the female connecting formation when the male connecting formation Is received within the female connecting formation; at feast one eiecirieai!y conductive wire extending transverse to each of the first and second elongate members; and at least one wire connecting formation integraily formed on each of the first and second elongate members for connecting an electrically conductive wire to each of the first and second elongate members.

Typically, the locking means comprises:

(i) a bore defined by one of the male and femaie connecting formations; and

(il) a nipple defined by the other of the male and female connecting formations, wherein:

(a) the nipple is sized and shaped to be received within the bore; and

(b) a portion of the nippie is chamfered to facilitate resilient deformation of the male or female connecting formation on which the nipple is defined during reception of the male connecting formation within the femaie connecting formation. Generally, the efecfric fence further includes an adaptor that is shorter in axial length than the first and second elongate members, wherein: (i) the adaptor includes a female connecting formation on a first axial end, and a male connecting formation on a second axial end; (is) the adaptor is disposed between the first and second elongate members; and (iii) the locking means looks each of the first and second elongate members to the adaptor via the coupled male and female connecting formations.

Preferably, each of the first and second eiongate members define at least one aperture for facilitating securing of the first and second elongate members to a structure. More preferably, the first and second elongate members define at least one axiaily extending groove and the apertures are defined within such grooves. Typically: (i) the first elongate member is linear; (ii) the second elongate member is linear or non-linear; and (iiI) the adaptor is linear or non-linear.

Generally, the male and female connecting formations on: (i) the first elongate member are not angularly offset about the longitudinal axis of the first elongate member; (ii) the second elongate member are not angularly offset about the longitudinal axis of the second eiongate member; and (iii) the adaptor are angularly offset about the longitudinal axis of the adaptor. Optionally, the male and female connecting formations on the adaptor are angularly offset about the longitudinal axis of the adaptor by 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, 35 degrees, 40 degrees, 45 degrees, SO degrees, 55 degrees, 60 degrees, 85 degrees, 70 degrees, 75 degrees, SO degrees, 85 degrees or 90 degrees, Preferably, the adaptor is made of a non-conductive, polymeric material.

The adaptor may comprise two linear, coterminous portions that are angularly displaced by 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, 35 degrees, 40 degrees, 45 degrees, 50 degrees, 55 degrees, 60 degrees, 65 degrees, 70 degrees, 75 degrees, 80 degrees, 85 degrees or 90 degrees,

Typically, the first and second elongate members and the adaptor are made of a glass fibre reinforced nylon, Generally, the wire connecting formation comprises: (i) a pair of opposed, overlapping hooks; or (if) a clipping formation for clipably receiving and capturing an electrically conductive wire therein,

Freferabiy, the electric fence further includes an end cap with either the male connecting formation or the female connecting formation.

Optionally, the electric fence further includes a Y-shaped splitter with either a male connecting formation or a female connecting formation on each of its three axial ends, Typically, the first eiongate member is secured to a structure via a securing device that extends through the aperture defined by the first elongate member Generally, the electric fence further includes an energizer for providing electrical power to the electrically conductive wires.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric fence according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the electric fence in Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an electric fence according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, an electric fence 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a first elongate member 12, a second elongate member 14, an adaptor 16 and electrically conductive wires 18.

The first and second elongate members 12 and 14 are linear and define axially extending grooves 20 to reduce the amount of material required to mould the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. The first and second elongate members 12 and 14 are made from an electrically non-conductive, polymeric material, preferably a glass fibre reinforced nylon. In this specification, the term "electrically non-conductive" is intended to mean a material with conductivity lower than 0.001 Siemens per meter, in the preferred embodiment, the actual conductivity of the material is lower than 0,0001 Siemens per meter, even as low as 10E-13 Siemens per meter.

Although the first and second elongate members 12 and 14 have been shown as being generally square in axial cross-section, it will be appreciated that the fsrst and second elongate members 12 and 14 could be of any other cross-sectional shape, e.g. rectangular, polygonal or circular. The first and second elongate members 12 and 14 define apertures 22 at the nadir of the groove 20. A female connecting formation 24 is integrally formed at a first axial end of each of the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. The female connecting formation 24 comprises an axially extending cavity, and a pair of bores 26 defined by its radial wall.

A male connecting formation 28 is integrally formed at a second axial end of each of the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. The male connecting formation 28 comprises a spigof that is sized and shaped to be received within the cavity defined by the Female connecting formation 24, and a pair of nippies 30 fhat protrude radially from the spigot. The nippies 30 are sized and shaped to be received within the bores 28 defined by the radial wail of the female connecting formation 24 when the male connecting formation 28 is received within the female connecting formation 24.

The nippies 3Q and boras 28 comprise locking means for locking the male connecting formation 28 to the female connecting formation 24 when the male connecting formation 28 is received within the female connecting formation 24. Mote specifically, when the nipples 30 are receives within the bores 28, capture of the nipples 30 within the bores 28 locks the male connecting formation 28 to the female connecting formation 30.

A portion of each nipple 30 (proximal the free end of the spigot) is chamfered to facilitate resilient deformation of the male connecting formation 28 during reception of the male connecting formation 28 within the female connecting formation 24,

Both the first and second elongate members 12 and 14 include wire connecting formations 32 for connecting electrically conductive wires 18 to the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. Each wire connecting formation 32 comprises a pair of opposed, overlapping hooks that are sized and shaped to capture an electrically conductive wire 18 therein and therebetween. The wire connecting formations 32 are made integrally with the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. More specifically, the wire connecting formations 32 are moulded together with the first and second elongate members 12 and 14.

Although the wire connecting formations 32 have been described as a pair of opposed hooks, it will be appreciated that the wire connecting formations 32 could alternatively comprise any other formation (e.g. a clipping formation) for capturing an electrically conductive wire 18 therein.

The electrically conductive wire 18 is a bare wire, i.e. without a coating of insulating materia!.

The adaptor 18 is similar in axial cross-sectional shape to the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. However, the adaptor 18 is shorter in axial length than the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. The adaptor 18 similar includes a female connecting formation 24 (with locking means 28) at a first axsal end and a male connecting formation 28 (with locking means 30) at a second axial end. Preferably, the adaptor 16 is similarly made of an electrically non-conductive, polymeric material (such as glass fibre reinforced nylon), Although, Figures 1 and 2 show the corresponding male and female connecting formations 24 and 28 on each of:

(i) the first elongate member 12;

(ii) the second elongate member 14; and

(iii) the adaptor 16,

angularly aligned about the longitudinal axes of such elongate members 12 and 14 and adaptor 18, it will be appreciated that the corresponding male and female connecting formations 24 and 28 on the adaptor 18 could be angularly offset about the longitudinal axis of the adaptor 16. Such offset could be In increments of 5 degrees, ranging from 5 degrees of offset to 90 degrees of offset.

The adaptor 18 is intended to be disposed between the first and second elongate members 12 and 14. It will be appreciated that, if the male and female connecting formations 24 and 28 on the adaptor 18 are not angularly offset, the first and second elongate members 12 and 14 will be angularly aligned. However, a 90 degree offset of the male and female connecting formations 24 and 28 on the adaptor 18 would cause the first elongate member 12 to be angularly offset relative to the second elongate member 14 by 90 degrees.

Furthermore, although the first and second elongate members 12 and 14 have been shown as linear members, if will be appreciated that they may alternatively be non-linear. Similarly, the adaptor 16 may be non-iinear. Figures 1 and 2 show the adaptor 18 comprising first and second linear coterminous portions that are angularly displaced relative to each other by 45 degrees (i.e, 45 degrees from being linear). Such angular displacement could alternatively be in increments of 5 degrees, ranging from 5 degrees of angular displacement to 90 degress of angular displacement. An end cap 38 that is sized and shaped to cover either the female connecting formation 24 or the male connecting formation 28 on the first or second elongate members 12 and 14 includes one of the female connecting formation 24 (with locking means 26) or the mate connecting formation 28 (with locking means 30), Preferably, the end cap 36 is similarly made of an electrically non-conductive, polymeric materia! (such as glass fibre reinforced nylon).

An energizer (not shown) provides pulsed electrical power to the electrically conductive wires 18, In an installed condition:

* The first elongate member 12 is secured to a structure (such as a wall) 34 via a securing device (e.g. a rivet, screw, nail or bolt) that extends through the aperture 22 defined by the first elongate member 12.

An adaptor 18 Is secured to the operative upper axial end of the first elongate member 12 via: (i) the male connecting formation 28 of the adaptor 16 being received within the femaie connecting formation 24 of the first elongate member 12; and <ii) the corresponding locking means 28 and 30.

The second elongate member 14 is secured to the operative upper axial end of the adaptor 16 via: (i) the male connecting formation 28 of the second elongate member 14 being received within the female connecting formation 24 of the adapter 18; and

(ii) the corresponding locking means 28 and 30,

* An end cap 36 is secured to the fee end of the second elongate member 14 via: (i) the male connecting formation 28 of the end cap 38 being received within the female connecting formation 24 on the second elongate member 14; and (ii) the corresponding locking means 26 and 30.

^« Strands of electrically conductive wire 18 extend transverse both the first and second elongate members 12 and 14 and are connected thereto via the wire connecting formations 32.

* The energizer (no? shown) is connected to the mains power to provide pulsed electrical power to the electrically conductive wires 18. Figure 4 shows an electric fence 1 10 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. This embodiment includes a first elongate member 1 12 secured to a wail 134, a second elongate member 1 14, an adaptor 1 16, electrically conductive wires 1 18, a Y~ shaped spiitter 138, a third eiongate member 140 (which is similar to the first and second elongate members 1 12 and 1 14), and end caps 136.

The Y-shaped splitter 138 is similar in axial cross-seciional shape to the first, second and third elongate members 1 12, 1 14 and 140, and includes male or female connecting formations 124 or 128 at each of its three free ends to facilitate attachment of the elongate members 1 12, 1 14 or 140 or adaptor 1 16 to the splitter 138.

If will be appreciated that the eiectric fence 10 and 110 according to the present invention offers more versatility than known electric fence systems. For instance, a variety of elongate members 12, 14, 1 12, 1 14 and 140, adaptors 18 and 1 18 and splilters 138 may be arranged in different combinations to change the configuration of the electric fence 10 and 110, Furthermore, should a user wish to extend an electric fence 10 and 1 10, it Is a simple matter of adding additional elongate members 12, 14, 1 12, 1 14 or 140 to the existing elongate members 12, 14, 1 12, 1 14 or 140,