Lawn edging system and method for edging lawn

• US 6,038,811 A
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Matthew Conway
• Original Assignee: Robert Matthew Conway
• Inventors: Conway, Robert Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gellner, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US09/119,908
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 47/33, 52/102, 404/6, 404/7, 404/34
• US Class Current: 47/33
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/28 Raised beds; Planting beds; Edging elements for beds, lawn or the like, e.g. tiles

Abstract

A lawn edging system and methods for edging a lawn are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of individual, integrally formed lawn edging units. Each unit includes a first portion and a substantially perpendicular second portion. The second portion includes a central section, having a length equal to the length of the first portion, and two end areas, which, when combined with the length of the central section, define a length greater than that of the first portion. The end areas are preferably rounded, but may be boxed, pointed, or scalloped. In use, an end area on one unit overlaps an end area of an adjacent unit while the first portions of the adjacent units abut. The second portion preferably includes an aperture for accepting a stake to anchor the unit into the ground. The aperture may be centrally located, or there may be a plurality of evenly spaced apertures. The design of the lawn edging device enables a plurality of lawn edging units to be nested compactly and packaged for sale or storage. In addition, the design of the lawn edging device enables the device to be either inserted into the ground to separate a grassy area from an adjacent ground area or placed against a vertical surface to separate the grassy area from the vertical surface. Thus, two alternate methods of use are disclosed.

Claims

1. A modular lawn edging system comprising

a plurality of unconnected lawn edging devices, each device having

a first portion having a first portion length;

and

a second portion attached substantially perpendicularly to the first portion, wherein the second portion has a unitary central section having a length equal to the first portion length, the central section attached entirely along its length to the first portion, the second portion further having a first end area and a second end area separated by the central section;

wherein the first portion is adapted for both insertion into the ground and for lying flush against an above-ground vertical surface, and the second portion is adapted to lie flush against the ground; and

,

wherein the first end area of one device may overlap the second end area of an adjacent device.

2. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein each device is a one-piece device which is integrally formed such that the first portion and second portion are integral.

3. The lawn edging system of claim 2 wherein each device is substantially rigid and inflexible.

4. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the lawn edging devices are nested for packaging or storage.

5. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of each device is a rectangle, the first portion length defining a long side of the rectangle.

6. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the second portion of each device is provided with at least one aperture.

7. The lawn edging system of claim 6 wherein the at least one aperture is a single centrally located aperture.

8. The lawn edging system of claim 6 wherein the at least one aperture is a plurality of evenly spaced apertures.

9. The lawn edging system of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of stakes, at least one stake for each device adapted to pass through the at least one aperture in each device.

10. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the second portion of each device has a greater surface area than the first portion.

11. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second end areas of each device are rounded.

12. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second end areas of each device are scalloped.

13. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the first and second end areas of each device are pointed.

14. The lawn edging system of claim 1 wherein the first portion and the second portion of each device are planar and have substantially even and equal thicknesses.

15. A method for edging lawn utilizing a plurality of lawn edging devices, each device having a first portion having a first portion length, and a second portion attached substantially perpendicularly to the first portion, wherein the second portion has a unitary central section, the central section having a length equal to the first portion length, the central section attached entirely along its length to the first portion, the second portion further having a first end area and a second end area separated by the central section, the method comprising the steps of

inserting a first portion of a first lawn edging device into a first section of ground;

staking a second portion of the first lawn edging device into the ground;

inserting a first portion of a second lawn edging device into a second section of ground to abut the first portion of the first lawn edging device;

overlapping a first end area of a second portion of the second lawn edging device with a second end area of the second portion of the first lawn edging device;

staking the second portion of the second lawn edging device into the ground.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of inserting, overlapping, and staking additional lawn edging devices until a grassy area is separated from an adjacent non-grassy area.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

placing a first portion of a third lawn edging device against an above-ground vertical surface;

staking a second portion of the third lawn edging device into the ground;

placing a first portion of a fourth lawn edging device against the above-ground vertical surface to abut the first portion of the third lawn edging device;

overlapping a first end area of a second portion of the fourth lawn edging device with a second end area of the second portion of the third lawn edging device;

staking the second portion of the fourth lawn edging device into the ground.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of placing, overlapping, and staking additional lawn edging devices until a grassy area is separated from the vertical surface by a continuous border of the lawn edging devices.

19. A lawn edging device comprising:

a first portion having a first portion length; and

a second portion attached substantially perpendicularly to the first portion, wherein the second portion has a unitary central section having a length equal to the first portion length, the central section attached entirely along its length to the first portion, the second portion further having a first end area and a second end area separated by the central section;

wherein the first portion is adapted for both insertion into the ground and for lying flush against an above-ground vertical surface, and the second portion is adapted to lie flush against the ground; and

, wherein the first end area of one device may overlap the second end area of an adjacent device.

20. The lawn edging device of claim 19 wherein the second portion has a central section which is connected entirely along its length to the first portion, the second portion further having a first end area and a second end area separated by and connected only to the central section, the first end area and the second end area thereby being only indirectly connected to the first portion, wherein the first and second end areas and the central section have a combined length which defines the second portion length.