Post cap

• US 20020043036A1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grape Essentials Pty., Limited
• Original Assignee: Grape Essentials Pty., Limited
• Inventors: Nesbitt, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 6,745,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/301
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 17/006 Caps or covers for posts

Abstract

A cap (1) is provided for fitting to the end of a hollow post. A number of hollow posts are used in viticulture to support wires on which grape vines are trained to grow. Caps (1) are fitted to the ends of the posts to inhibit snagging of netting which is placed over the posts to attempt to protect a crop of grapes from being eaten by birds. The cap (1) has a generally domed head (3) and a stem (5). The stem (5) has at least one radially outwardly extending abutment (13, 15) which, in use, engages with an inner wall of a hollow post. The abutment (13, 15) provides an interference fit of the stem (5) in the post such that to insert the stem (5) substantially all the way into the post requires force fitting and either deformation or shearing of material from the abutment (13, 15).

Claims

1. A cap for an end of a hollow post, said cap having a generally domed head which, in use, overlies a radially outermost portion of the end of the post, and under said domed head a stem for inserting within the hollow post,

said stem having at least one -radially outwardly extending abutment means extending along the length of said stem, and being for engaging with an inner wall of the post when said stem is inserted in end of the post,

said abutment means serving to provide an interference fit of the stem in the end of said post such that to insert said stem substantially all the way into the end of said post requires force fitting and either deformation or shearing of material from said abutment means.

2. A cap as claimed in claim 1 and being for an end of a post that has a transverse cross-sectional shape with multiple inner corners and where said abutment means includes at least two flanges extending along the length of the stem, one flange being for engaging with one of said inner corners and the other flange being for engaging with another of said inner corners.

3. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said abutment means includes at least four flanges said flanges being arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said stem,. the flanges of a pair being spaced apart from each other whereby each pair of flanges may engage a pair of inner corners of a post.

4. A cap as claimed in claim 2 wherein said post has an opening extending along its length defined by two inturned lips of the posts, and wherein the inturned lips abut against one of the pairs of spaced flanges.

5. A cap as claimed in claim 4 wherein the sides of said flanges engage with said inturned lips.

6. A cap as claimed in claim 3 wherein said post has an opening extending along its length defined by two interned lips of the posts, and wherein the inturned lips abut against one of the pairs of spaced flanges.

7. A cap as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sides of said flanges engage with said inturned lips.

8. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stem is hollow.

9. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transverse cross-section of said stem has the shape of a flattened oval, the flattened portions being sides of said stem and the rounded portions being ends.

10. A cap as claimed in claim 3 wherein said at least four flanges are located in two pairs on respective sides of said stem.

11. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said abutment means includes at least one flange on either end of the stem said flange is extending radially at an angle of approximately 90°

to said side flanges.

12. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stem has a slot to enable a wire to pass through said stem.

13. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the head is hollow and has radially extending head flanges formed on the undersurface of the dome, said head flanges having a slot therein to receive the thickness of the material of the end of the post when the cap is fitted as far as possible over the end of the post.

14. A cap as claimed in claim 13 wherein said head flanges have slots at different radial distances to fit said cap to a variety of posts having different transverse cross-sectional profiles.

15. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said abutment means is spaced and sized to enable fitting of said cap to a variety of posts that have different transverse cross-sectional profiles.

16. A cap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stem is tapered so that it has a greater transverse cross section shape adjacent said head than at a free end of the stem, whereby to facilitate insertion of said stem into the end of a hollow post.