Lawn and garden edging

• US 9,173,350 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffery M. Beutler
• Original Assignee: Jeffery M. Beutler
• Inventors: Beutler, Jeffery M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): IHEZIE, JOSHUA K
• Application Number:
  US14/033,897
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 47/33, 404/7, 404/8, 404/34, 521/02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/28 Raised beds; Planting beds; Edging elements for beds, lawn or the like, e.g. tiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 17/063 Fence liners; Vegetation prevention barriers

Abstract

Lawn and garden edging segments for end-to-end adjacent installation on an outdoor ground surface, with each edging segment comprising an elongate member having a pair of laterally extending arms defining separate sides of the edging segments and extending along the elongate length of the edging segments. The arms each include a lower wall, an upper wall on a top side of the edging segment and an edge wall. A lower projecting member extends outwardly from a bottom side of the edging segment between the lower walls of the arms the projecting member extending beyond planes defined by the lower walls. The edging segments are configured for installation such that the projecting members are positioned within a groove formed in the ground with the lower walls of the arms extending outwardly adjacent the groove.

Claims

1. An edging segment for installation on an outdoor ground surface, said edging segment comprising:

a flexible rubberized elongate member having a laterally extending arm, said arm defining a side of said edging segment and extending along the elongate length of said edging segment, said arm including a generally planar lower wall;

a projecting member unitarily formed with said arm, said projecting member extending outwardly from a bottom side of said edging segment with said projecting member extending beyond a plane defined by said lower wall and with said lower wall extending laterally inwardly and terminating at said projecting member, and wherein said projecting member extends along the elongate length of said edging segment and has a semicircular profile; and

a generally planar upper wall on a top side of said elongate member with said arm including an edge wall, said upper wall and said lower wall being joined with said edge wall and extending laterally inward from said edge wall;

wherein said elongate member has a first end and a second end with said first end being distally located from said second end, said first end including a generally vertically extending locking projection having a substantially cylindrical shape and said second end including a generally vertically oriented locking receptacle defining a substantially cylindrical opening, and wherein said locking projection is adapted to be received in a locking receptacle of another edging segment and said locking receptacle is adapted to receive a locking projection of yet another edging segment such that said upper wall and said lower wall are in planar alignment with upper walls and lower walls of adjacent edging segments;

whereby when said edging segment is installed said projecting member is configured to be positioned within a groove formed in the ground with said lower wall of said arm extending outwardly adjacent the groove into which said projecting member is placed;

wherein said first end includes an end wall and a cantilevered portion extending generally horizontally from said end wall with said locking projection extending from said cantilevered portion, wherein said cantilevered portion is narrower than the width of said edging segment at said end wall, and wherein said second end includes a generally horizontally oriented cavity with said locking receptacle being disposed in said cavity, wherein said cavity is narrower than the width of said edging segment and defines an opening on an end wall of said second end, and wherein said cantilevered portion is configured to be received in a cavity of another edging segment and said cavity is adapted to receive a cantilevered portion of yet another edging segment.

2. The edging segment of claim 1 further including a projecting portion extending outwardly from said top side with said projecting portion extending beyond a plane defined by said upper wall, said projecting portion extending in a substantially opposed orientation relative to said projecting member.

3. The edging segment of claim 2, wherein said arm comprises a pair of opposed laterally extending arms and wherein said upper wall comprises a pair of generally planar upper walls with said projecting portion positioned between said upper walls and extending outwardly form said top side beyond planes defined by said upper walls.

4. The edging segment of claim 1, wherein said arm comprises a pair of opposed laterally extending arms with each said arm defining a separate side extending along the elongate length of said edging segment and with said projecting member being positioned between said arms, and wherein both said arms include a generally planar lower wall and said projecting member extends outwardly beyond planes defined by said lower walls, with both said lower walls extending laterally inwardly and terminating at said projecting member.

5. The edging segment of claim 4, wherein said lower walls are substantially planar with respect to one another.

6. The edging segment of claim 1, wherein said cantilevered portion includes a downwardly projecting body portion, wherein said locking projection extends downwardly from said body portion, and wherein said second end includes a channel disposed within said cavity, wherein said channel extends axially with respect to the elongate length of said edging segment, and wherein said body portion is adapted to be received in a channel of another edging segment and said channel is adapted to receive a body portion of yet another edging segment.

7. The edging segment of claim 6 wherein said body portion extends axially further beyond an end of said cantilevered portion.

8. The edging segment of claim 1 wherein said elongate member is molded to have a non-linear shape.

9. An edging segment for installation on an outdoor ground surface, said edging segment comprising:

a flexible rubberized elongate member having a pair of laterally extending arms, said arms defining separate sides of said edging segment and extending along the elongate length of said edging segment, said arms each including a generally planar lower wall, a generally planar upper wall on a top side of said edging segment and an edge wall, with each said edge wall extending between and joining a respective said upper wall and said lower wall;

a lower projecting member unitarily formed with said arms, said projecting member extending outwardly from a bottom side of said edging segment between said lower walls of said arms with said projecting member extending beyond planes defined by said lower walls, and with said lower walls extending laterally inwardly and terminating at said projecting member, wherein said lower walls each have a width defined between their respective edge walls and said projecting member, and wherein said projecting member extends along the elongate length of said edging segment and has a semicircular profile, with said lower walls being laterally spaced from each other by said projecting member a distance that is greater than the combined widths of said lower walls;

whereby when said edging segment is installed said projecting member is configured to be positioned within a groove formed in the ground with said lower walls of said arms extending outwardly adjacent the groove into which said projecting member is placed;

wherein said elongate member has a first end and a second end with said first end being distally located from said second end, said first end including a generally vertically extending locking projection having a substantially cylindrical shape and said second end including a generally vertically oriented locking receptacle defining a substantially cylindrical opening, and wherein said locking projection is adapted to be received in a locking receptacle of another edging segment and said locking receptacle is adapted to receive a locking projection of yet another edging segment such that said upper walls and said lower walls are in planar alignment with upper walls and lower walls of adjacent edging segments; and

wherein said first end includes an end wall and a cantilevered portion extending generally horizontally from said end wall with said locking projection extending from said cantilevered portion, wherein said cantilevered portion is narrower than the width of said edging segment at said end wall, and wherein said second end includes a generally horizontally oriented cavity with said locking receptacle being disposed in said cavity, wherein said cavity is narrower than the width of said edging segment and defines an opening on an end wall of said second end, and wherein said cantilevered portion is configured to be received in a cavity of another edging segment and said cavity is adapted to receive a cantilevered portion of yet another edging segment.

10. The edging segment of claim 9 further including a projecting portion extending outwardly from said top side and positioned between said upper walls with said projecting portion being formed unitarily with said projecting member and said arms and extending upwardly beyond planes defined by said upper walls, and with said projecting portion extending in a substantially opposite orientation relative to said projecting member.

11. The edging segment of claim 9, wherein said lower walls are laterally spaced from each other by said projecting member a distance that is greater than twice the combined widths of said lower walls.

12. A plurality of edging segments for end-to-end adjacent installation on an outdoor ground surface with each said edging segment comprising:

a flexible rubberized elongate member having a laterally extending arm, said arm defining a side of said edging segment and extending along the elongate length of said edging segment, said arm including a generally planar lower wall, a generally planar upper wall on a top side of said edging segment, and an edge wall, with said upper wall and said lower wall being joined with said edge wall;

a lower projecting member unitarily formed with said arm, said projecting member extending outwardly from a bottom side of said edging segment with said projecting member extending beyond a plane defined by said lower wall and with said lower wall extending laterally inwardly and terminating at said projecting member, and wherein said projecting member extends along the elongate length of said edging segment and has a semicircular profile;

a projecting portion extending outwardly from said top side with said projecting portion being unitarily formed with said projecting member and said arm and extending beyond a plane defined by said upper wall, said projecting portion extending in an opposite orientation relative to said lower projecting member; and

a first end and a second end with said first end being distally located from said second end, said first end including a generally vertically extending locking projection having a substantially cylindrical shape and said second end including a generally vertically oriented locking receptacle defining a substantially cylindrical opening;

wherein said extending locking projection of each said edging segment is adapted to be received in said locking receptacle of an adjacent said edging segment for interconnection of adjacent said edging segments whereby when said edging segments are interconnected and installed said lower projecting members are configured to be positioned within a groove formed in the ground with said lower walls of said arms extending outwardly adjacent the groove into which said projecting members are placed;

wherein each said first end includes an end wall and a cantilevered portion extending generally horizontally from said end wall with said locking projection extending from said cantilevered portion, wherein said cantilevered portion is narrower than the width of said edging segment at said end wall, and wherein each said second end includes a generally horizontally oriented cavity with said locking receptacle being disposed in said cavity, wherein said cavity is narrower than the width of said edging segment and defines an opening on an end wall of said second end, and wherein said cantilevered portion of each said edging segment is configured to be received in said cavity of an adjacent said edging segment for interconnection of adjacent said edging segments.

13. The edging segments of claim 12, wherein said laterally extending arm of each said segment comprises a pair of laterally extending arms with each said arm defining a separate side extending along the elongate length of said edging segment, and wherein both said arms include a generally planar lower wall and a generally planar upper wall and said lower projecting member is positioned between said arms and extends outwardly beyond planes defined by said lower walls, and wherein said projecting portion extends upwardly between planes defined by said upper walls.

14. The edging segments of claim 12, wherein each said cantilevered portion includes a downwardly projecting body portion, wherein said locking portion extends downwardly from said body portion, and wherein each said second end includes a channel disposed within said cavity, wherein said channel extends axially with respect to the elongate length of said edging segment, and wherein said body portion of each said edging segment is adapted to be received in said channel of an adjacent said edging segment.