Lighted landscaping stone

• US 6,116,751 A
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Troy Remp
• Original Assignee: Troy Remp
• Inventors: Remp, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGIZZI, RONALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US09/292,533
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/145, 362/565, 362/576, 362/249, 362/252, 362/806, 362/559, 362/431, 362/263
• US Class Current: 362/153
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 17/00 Pavement lights, i.e. translucent constructions forming part of the surface blocks specially designed for marking roads E01F9/524
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/022 intended to be recessed in a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement or false floor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0824 Ground spikes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/30 curved
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A lighted landscaping stone including a body member having an upper translucent panel, a lower reflective panel, and sidewalls connecting the upper and lower panels to form an internal cavity. Hourglass-shaped support columns extend between the upper and lower panels and are aligned in a criss-cross pattern to provide maximum support. An elongated light emitting member is arranged within the cavity in a serpentine pattern around the support columns to provide uniform lighting to the entire area of upper panel. The elongated light emitting member is preferably a fiber optic line.

Claims

1. A lighted landscaping stone, comprising:

a body member including an upper translucent panel, a lower panel having a reflective top face, and sidewalls interconnecting the upper and lower panels to define an internal cavity;

hourglass shaped support columns disposed in the cavity and extending between the upper and lower panels, the columns being aligned within the cavity in a crisscross pattern;

an inlet connector disposed through the sidewall;

an outlet connector disposed through the sidewall;

an elongated light emitting member disposed within the cavity in a serpentine pattern around the columns and being operably connected to and extending between the inlet and outlet connectors; and

cable operably attached between an energy source and the light emitting member.

2. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 1 wherein the lower panel includes a bottom face having a plurality of slots formed therein;

and further including a plurality of anchor spikes, each spike being adapted to connect to and extend down from one of the slots.

3. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 2 wherein the spikes are barbed to secure them into soil.

4. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 1 wherein the light emitting member is a fiber optic line.

5. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 2 wherein the light emitting member is a fiber optic line.

6. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 3 wherein the light emitting member is a fiber optic line.

7. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 1 wherein the light emitting member is a rope lighting line.

8. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 2 wherein the light emitting member is a rope lighting line.

9. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 3 wherein the light emitting member is a rope lighting line.

10. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 1 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in series by the cable.

11. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 1 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in parallel by the cable.

12. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 4 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in series by the cable.

13. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 4 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in parallel by the cable.

14. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 7 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in series by the cable.

15. The lighting landscaping stone of claim 7 wherein a plurality of stones are connected in parallel by the cable.