Plastic Fence Segmentation Hides Molding Artifacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molded plastic fences exhibit visually unattractive molding artifacts on their inner sides, which are not fully concealed by traditional designs, detracting from their aesthetic appeal and making them appear less solid compared to wooden fences.
Innovation Solution
A molded plastic fence design featuring a unitary front and rear section where all molding artifacts are placed on the inner sides, with raised edges on each section engaging to create a sealed, solid appearance, hiding the artifacts from view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic fences are molded to emulate wooden fences, then cost and weather resistance are improved, but molding artifacts appear on the surface making them visually unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The fence is divided into front and rear sections that are molded separately. The front section is molded without artifacts on its outer surface, while the rear section contains all molding artifacts on its inner surface. These sections are then assembled together, with the artifact-containing rear section positioned behind the clean front section, effectively hiding the artifacts while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
2Shape
If molding artifacts are placed on the back side of the fence, then front view appearance is improved, but side views still reveal the artifacts making the fence appear non-solid
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the artifact placement from a two-dimensional surface consideration to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement. By positioning the rear section with artifacts behind the front section and using the depth of the fence structure, artifacts that would be visible from side views in a single-plane design are now concealed within the volumetric space of the assembled fence.
3Shape
If deep C-shaped channels are used to hide molding artifacts, then side view appearance is improved, but artifacts remain visible from behind the fence
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic molding artifacts are extracted from the visible surfaces and concentrated entirely within the rear section's inner surface. This separate containment allows the front section to provide a clean appearance from all external viewing angles, including side and rear views, while the artifacts are isolated in a space not intended for viewing.
4Shape
If fence elements are made with deep channels to conceal artifacts, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the fence elements appear less solid and structurally weaker
Solution Approach 1:
The fence structure is segmented into front and rear sections that can be optimized independently. The front section maintains solid, structurally sound forms without deep channels, preserving strength and solidity. The rear section contains the channels with artifacts, but since it is positioned behind and not the primary load-bearing face, the structural integrity is maintained while achieving aesthetic goals.
Data Source
AI summary
A molded plastic fence having a unitary front fence section and a unitary rear fence section is provided. The unitary front fence section and the unitary rear fence section are coupled together to form a fence without visible molding artifacts. To emulate a traditional wooden fence, the fence sections preferably include various fence elements such as posts, slats and rails. The fence elements on each fence section typically have a planar member with an inner side and a raised edge extending from the inner side. The molding artifacts are disposed on the inner sides of the fence elements. The unitary front fence section and a unitary rear fence section are coupled with the raised edges engaging each other. In this configuration the molding artifacts are hidden from view and the fence elements appear as solid.