Pavement edging device

United States Patent Application 20020121052

The present invention is a pavement edging device consisting of an elongated extrusion having a flat bottom portion, said bottom portion having opposite first and second side edges. The extrusion also has a trough formed from first and second spaced apart parallel wall portions extending upwardly from the bottom portion between the first and second side edges. The wall portions have first and second top edges, respectively. The extrusion also has first and second flange portions formed on the bottom adjacent the first and second side edges, respectively. The first and second flange portions extend away from the first and second wall portions, respectively.

Olink, Stephen (Sudbury, CA)

10/079607

09/05/2002

02/22/2002

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OLINK STEPHEN

52/102

52/169.5, 52/274, 52/302.3, 404/7, 47/33

E01C11/22; (IPC1-7): E01C11/22

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YIP, WINNIE S

Elias C. Borges (Toronto, ON, CA)

Therefore, what is claimed is:

1. A pavement edging device comprising: an elongated extrusion having a flat bottom portion, said bottom portion having opposite first and second side edges; first and second spaced apart parallel wall portions extending upwardly from the bottom portion between the first and second side edges, said wall portions having first and second top edges, respectively, said walls forming an elongated trough; first and second flange portions formed on the bottom adjacent the first and second side edges, respectively, said first and second flange portions extending away from the first and second wall portions, respectively.

2. The pavement edging device of claim 1 wherein the wall portions extend perpendicularly from the bottom portion.

3. The pavement edging device of claim 2 wherein the first flange is provided with a plurality of apertures.

4. The pavement edging device of claim 3 wherein the second flange is provided with at least one aperture.

5. The pavement edging device of claim 2, 3 and 4 wherein the bottom portion has apertures between the walls.

6. The pavement edging device of claim 1 further comprising a brace extending contiguously between the second walls.

7. The pavement edging device of claim 6 wherein the first and second walls extend perpendicularly from the bottom.

8. The pavement edging device of claim 7 wherein the brace extends perpendicularly from the first and second walls.

9. The pavement edging device of claim 8 wherein the brace is positioned between the top edges of the walls and the bottom portion.

10. The pavement edging device of claim 9 wherein the brace is oriented parallel to the bottom portion and extends substantially the entire length of the extrusion.

11. The pavement edging device of claim 10 wherein the first flange is provided with a plurality of apertures.

12. The pavement edging device of claim 11 wherein the second flange is provided with at least one aperture.

13. The pavement edging device of claim 10, 11 and 12 wherein the bottom portion has apertures between the walls.

14. A pavement edging device comprising: an elongated extrusion having a length and a flat bottom portion, said bottom portion having opposite first and second side edges; first and second spaced apart parallel wall portions extending perpendicularly upwards from the bottom portion between the first and second side edges, said wall portions extending substantially the entire length of the extrusion, said wall portions having first and second top edges, respectively, said wall portions forming an elongated trough; first and second flange portions formed on the bottom adjacent the first and second side edges, respectively, said first and second flange portions extending away from the first and second wall portions, respectively, said flange portions extending substantially the entire length of the extrusion, and a brace portion extending contiguously between the first and second wall portions along the length of the extrusion, said brace portion extending perpendicularly from the walls between the top edges of the walls and the bottom portion, said brace oriented parallel to the bottom portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates generally to pavement edging for preventing lawn grass from encroaching on pavements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Pavement edging blocks and boarders are well known. They generally consist of a paving stone product which is used to form a decorative edging around a driveway or other paved areas. These block like paving edging devices tend to be heavy and expensive. In more recent times, paving edging devices have been made out of extruded material such as plastic. These extruded edging devices can be quite decorative but often fail to prevent grass from encroaching on to the paved areas.

[0003] The preferred method of edging a lawn adjacent to a paved area is to dig an elongated trench along the lawn adjacent to the paved area. This yields a very attractive and decorative look to the lawn. Unfortunately, grass often encroaches into this trench through root propagation. The trench eventually fills with growing grass requiring the grounds keeper to periodically reform the trench with a spade or hoe. A device which assists in the maintaining the trench type lawn edgings would be of assistance to gardeners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a pavement edging device consisting of an elongated extrusion having a flat bottom portion, and opposite first and second side edges. The extrusion also has a trough formed from first and second spaced apart parallel wall portions extending upwardly from the bottom portion between the first and second side edges. The wall portions have first and second top edges, respectively. The extrusion also has first and second flange portions formed on the bottom adjacent the first and second side edges, respectively. The first and second flange portions extend away from the first and second wall portions, respectively.

[0005] With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1, is a perspective view of the pavement edging device made in accordance of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2, is a cross sectional view of the pavement edging device incorporated into a lawn edging.

[0008] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Referring firstly to FIG. 1, the pavement edging device made in accordance to the present invention is shown generally as item 10 and consists of an elongated extrusion 12 having flat bottom portion 14. Bottom portion 14 has opposite side edges 16 and 18. Trough 20 is formed on extrusion 12 by walls 22 and 24 which extend perpendicularly upwards from bottom 14. Walls 22 and 24 are positioned between side edges 16 and 18 of bottom 14. Bottom 14 has flange portions 26 and 28 which are positioned adjacent edges 16 and 18, respectively. Walls 22 and 24 are supported by brace 30 which extends contiguously between the walls. Brace 30 preferably extends the entire length of extrusion 12 and is positioned perpendicularly relative to walls 22 and 24. Brace 30 is oriented parallel to bottom 14 and is further positioned between top edges 32 and 34 of walls 22 and 24 and bottom 14. Brace 30 forms the bottom of trough 20. Flange portions 26 and 28 are provided with apertures 40 and 42, respectively. The middle portion 36 extending between walls 22 and 24 is provided with aperture 44. Apertures 40, 42 and 44 permit water to drain through extrusion 12. Middle portion 36 and brace 30 form an elongated channel 38.

[0010] Referring now to FIG. 2, when edging device 10 is installed between lawn 46 and pavement 50, elongated trough 20 forms a decorative edge. Brace 30 supports walls 22 and 24 preventing their collapse. Walls 22 and 24 are preferably dimensioned to have the height approximately equivalent to the thickness of paving stone 52. Since most paving stones have a thickness of between 50 and 60 mm, walls 22 and 24 should have a height approximately between 50 to 60 mm.

[0011] Trough 20 is sufficiently wide to prevent grass 54 from overgrowing on to paving stone 52. It has been discovered that if trough 20 is approximately 4 cm wide, grass 54 is not likely to overgrow on to block 52. Apertures 40, 42 and 44 permit water to drain through edging 10. Any roots trying to propagate through apertures 42 will end up passing up to aperture 44 and into chamber 36. Since chamber 36 is sealed by brace 30, grass can not grow into trough 20 through root propagation. Hence, brace 30 acts not only as a physical brace supporting walls 22 and 24 but also as a guard protecting against the propagation of grass 54. Flanges 26 and 28 help secure edging device 10 between soil 56 and paving stone 52. Preferably flanges 26 and 28 extend for approximately 4 cm for walls 22 and 24, respectively. The dimensions of flanges 26 and 28 permit edging device 10 to be secured firmly in place.

[0012] To install device 10, a trench is first dug between lawn 46 and pavement 50. A plurality of extrusions 12 are then aligned in the trench in end-to-end abutment. Soil 56 is then back filled towards wall 24 and paving stones 52 are placed on to flange 26 and abutted against wall 22. To add further rigidity to this structure, nails or garden spikes (not shown) may be passed through apertures 40 to help secure flange 26 to subsoil 58.

[0013] A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.