Plant husbandry – Ornamental beds
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-30
2001-12-11
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Ornamental beds
C052S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327815
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a modular landscape apparatus and more particularly to a modular landscape apparatus comprising a plurality of brackets for receiving landscape timbers or logs, the brackets are modules designed and configured to abut each other and can be stackable to allow the user to form and shape a desired boundary to any desired height for flower beds, landscapes, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, landscaping has become one of the fastest growing and most enjoyable hobbies due to the gratification and stress release one receives after working in their yard. A well-groomed yard is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is also known to inherently increase the property value of one's home.
One important aspect in landscaping is to determine the boundaries of a particular area, generally using an edging border for defining flower beds, walkways, or the like. Typically, these borders are modular structures which come in a variety of forms and can be fabricated from a multiplicity of material, such as cement, plastic, wood, metal or the like.
Conventional landscaping timber is one known border which is commonly used and widely available. These timbers and sold in nurseries, garden centers, and various other stores having garden departments. The timbers are generally elongated logs having one flat lower surface which will be placed on the soil. They can further be secured with pins or the like. Though aesthetically pleasing and very desirable by the home gardener, these logs, in time, will rot or possibly dislodge from its original location since they are in constant contact with nature and its various elements, particularly moisture, such as rain and snow, which will inherently promote the deterioration of wood.
Another border system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,930 issued to Cooper. In this patent there is disclosed an apparatus used for defining landscape boundaries. This system includes a plurality of longitudinal logs having spaced apart ends, one of which is pronged and the other is flanged. The pronged and flanged ends are designed so as to engage one another by virtue of a pivot pin. Using a pivot pin provides a structure which can be arranged in a variety of curved configurations, if necessary. This system, as define above may be ideal for providing edging around an awkward shaped bed, but this edging does suffer some shortcomings. One obvious drawback is that the system fails to have an adequate means of securing the elongated logs to the ground. One torrential rainstorm or even an impact with a lawn mower could easily dislodge the logs. Further, the combination of the flange end and prong end being secured via a pivotal arrangement provides for the flange end to protrude. This protrusion can be obtrusive, both visually and physically, something undesirable by a homeowner.
Yet another system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,877 issued to Lindhal. In this patent there is disclosed a system having a plurality of generally V-shaped edging modules and a plurality of curved modules connectable to one another via a plurality of connecting modules. The combination of the various modules provides an overall system with a plurality of elements. The additional elements will inherently add to the time and effort needed to install the system, thereby providing an edging assembly that is cumbersome to position to the ground.
Still another landscaping device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,409 issued to Cole. In this patent there is disclosed a landscape timber border comprising a plurality of units which are interlocked and secured together to form various regular and irregular formations. The unit includes two identical timber members which are fastened together in an overlapping, but longitudinally offset relationship. This system may be aesthetically pleasing, but like the previous systems, does suffer some shortcomings. One is that the wood is stacked one on top of each other. This arrangement does not allow a gap to exist between the two layers. Hence, should the wood get wet, it will not dry adequately and the decaying process is accelerated. In addition, the design and configuration provides for the wood to contact the ground, another feature which will accelerate this decaying process. This accelerated decaying process will provide a product which is not aesthetically pleasing, thereby, defeating the purpose of the border.
Accordingly, it is seen that none of these previous efforts provide the benefits intended with the present invention, such as providing a long lasting, durable and aesthetically pleasing product. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a modular landscape apparatus that is used in combination with conventional landscape timbers. Using the present invention will provide a means for quickly and efficiently installing landscape timbers. This bracket will drastically reduce the time generally associated with the installation of conventional landscape timbers. In order to enable such an arrangement, the present invention comprises a plurality of brackets, wherein each bracket includes a substantially L-shape configuration.
Each bracket includes a flat planar wall and a sidewall secured thereto, for inherently forming a substantially L-shape configuration. The flat planar wall includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface is designed and configured to receive the conventional landscape timber. This flat planar wall includes at least one aperture which is a receiving device for receiving a securing device. The securing device can be a conventional pin for securing the flat planar wall to the ground or optionally, can be a screw, nail or the like for securing and stacking an additional bracket to the top of a conventional landscape timber. In this arrangement, the exterior surface will contact the ground or will contact a lower conventional landscape timber when in a stacked position.
Extending substantially perpendicularly from an outer edge of the flat planar wall is the sidewall. The sidewall is configured to be slightly contoured and curved so as to allow for water to be dispersed away from the brackets to inherently increase the life span of the conventional landscaped timbers. In addition, the slight contours of the side will enable the bracket to conform to the conventional timber, since they come in a variety of heights. It is also noted that this wall may partially extend the length of the flat planar wall.
This sidewall will also engage a sidewall of the conventional timber, aiding in maintaining it in a fixed and secured position. Extending through each sidewall is at least one aperture. This aperture acts as a receiving device and receives and maintains a securing device. The securing device can be nails or the like, for adding to the securment of the timber to the bracket.
The present invention includes two embodiments. In the first embodiment, the bracket will be of a single entity and many of these singular units will be used when defining a landscape area. In the first embodiment, the bracket will include a first portion pivotally secured to a second portion. Each portion will receive a single landscape timber. This pivotal attachment will allow for the bracket to bend to any angle and thus allow for the timbers to be placed at any angular attachment, for inherently providing for any shape or style edge.
In the second embodiment, a plurality of brackets are included. The brackets do not incl
Becton Thomas Hayward
Coffey Billy Franklin
Carnes Cona & Dixon
Nguyen Son T.
Poon Peter M.
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