Lawn edging strip with improved end connectors
AssigneeEasy Gardener Products, Inc.
InventorClemente Conde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lawn edging device is provided that comprises a flexible body with a tongue connector located at one end and a pocket connector located at the other end. The pocket connector comprises a slot feature sized to receive a tongue connector of another lawn edging strip and comprises a lock feature that prevents disengagement after connection with the other lawn edging strip. The pocket connector can further comprise a guide feature to guide the tongue connector of the other lawn edging strip towards the lock feature and into engagement with the slot feature.
Claims17
A lawn edging strip adapted for insertion into the ground, comprising:
- a flexible body;
- a tongue connector located proximate a first end of the flexible body;
- and
- a pocket connector located proximate a second end of the flexible body, the pocket connector comprising a lock feature and a slot feature, the lock feature being a region of the pocket connector that is sized smaller than the slot feature and being movable such that a tongue connector of another lawn edging may move the lock feature;
- the slot feature sized to receive a the tongue connector of another lawn edging strip, and
- the size and shape of the lock feature of the pocket connector being configured to engage the tongue connector and to prevent disengagement in a vertical direction after connection with the other lawn edging strip such that disengaging the lawn edging strip from the other lawn edging strip is hindered in a vertical direction as compared to the force necessary to engage the lawn edging strip with the other lawn edging strip.
A method of providing a lawn edging strip such that two of the lawn edging strips may be engaged to form a longer continuous lawn edging structure, comprising:
- providing a flexible body;
- forming a tongue connector at a first end of the flexible body;
- forming a pocket connector at a second end of the flexible body, wherein the tongue connector and the pocket connector are configured to engage one another when two of the flexible bodies are placed end to end for engagement;
- configuring the first end and second end in a manner such that one of the flexible body may be engaged with another similar flexible body in a manner such that the one flexible body may be inserted into the ground prior to the another flexible body engaging the one flexible body;
- and
- providing a locking mechanism on the pocket connector, the locking mechanism hindering the disengagement of two engaged flexible bodies in a vertical direction such that disengaging the two engaged flexible bodies is hindered in a vertical direction as compared to the force necessary to engage the lawn edging strip with the other lawn edging strip, the locking mechanism being a region of the pocket connector that is sized smaller than a slot feature of the pocket connector and being movable such that a tongue connector of another lawn edging may move the locking mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.