Patent US5806249A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5806249A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plastic timber landscaping system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1996-06-28
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Granted: 1998-09-15
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Expires: 2016-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A new Plastic Timber Landscaping System for providing an efficient landscaping tool which has the appearance of natural wood but does not rot or discolor from the elements, and of which is constructed from a staggered formation increasing strength and stability of the structure. The inventive device includes a plurality of elongated hollow rectangular members constructed from plastic including a plurality of knockout passages near the ends of said elongated hollow rectangular members, where the knockout passages align to corresponding knockout passages of other elongated hollow rectangular members where a joiner pipe projects through the corresponding knockout passages providing a strong, staggered, orthogonal connection of at least two elongated hollow rectangular members, and where the elongated hollow rectangular members include arcuate wood grain sides and a planar wood grain top simulating the appearance of natural wood.
Inventors
- 👤 Joe L. Helms
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:10
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02D; E02D29/00; E02D29/02; A; A01; A01G; A01G9/00; A01G9/28; E02D2300/00; E02D2300/0004; E02D2300/0006; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S52/00; Y10S52/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
A plastic timber landscaping system comprising: at least one elongated hollow rectangular member having a length and width, said rectangular member comprising spaced planar top and bottom panels and spaced side panels extending between said top and bottom panels, said side panels having an arcuate shape such that said side panels are outwardly bowed from between said top and bottom panels, said rectangular member including a first knockout passage located near one end of said rectangular member and extending through the top and bottom panels, a second knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the first knockout passage toward the other end of said rectangular member; a third knockout passage near the end of said rectangular member opposite the end having the first and second knockout passages, said third knockout passage being spaced from the end of the rectangular member substantially the same distance as the first knockout passage is spaced from said one end of the rectangular member, said third knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels; and a fourth knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the third knockout passage toward said one end of said rectangular member; wherein each said knockout passage is bounded by a pair of removable knockout tabs, one said knockout tab being located in said top panel and the other said knockout tab being located in said bottom panel such that said knockout passage is closed by said tabs until said tabs are removed from said top and bottom panels; and at least one joiner pipe for removably inserting through a knockout passage in the elongated hollow rectangular member, wherein the rectangular member is removably securable to another rectangular member by inserting said joiner pipe through aligned knockout passages of adjacent rectangular members, wherein the joiner pipe includes a pair of finishing caps removably secured at each end of said joiner pipe, each said finishing cap having an enlarged portion for preventing the joiner pipe from being removed from the knockout passage of a rectangular member when said cap is mounted on said joiner pipe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
A plastic timber landscaping system comprising: at least one elongated hollow rectangular member having a length and width, said rectangular member comprising spaced planar top and bottom panels and spaced side panels extending between said top and bottom panels, said side panels having an arcuate shape such that said side panels are outwardly bowed from between said top and bottom panels, said rectangular member including a first knockout passage located near one end of said rectangular member and extending through the top and bottom panels, a second knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the first knockout passage toward the other end of said rectangular member; a third knockout passage near the end of said rectangular member opposite the end having the first and second knockout passages, said third knockout passage being spaced from the end of the rectangular member substantially the same distance as the first knockout passage is spaced from said one end of the rectangular member, said third knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels; and a fourth knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the third knockout passage toward said one end of said rectangular member; wherein each said knockout passage is bounded by a pair of removable knockout tabs, one said knockout tab being located in said top panel and the other said knockout tab being located in said bottom panel such that said knockout passage is closed by said tabs until said tabs are removed from said top and bottom panels; and at least one joiner pipe for removably inserting through a knockout passage in the elongated hollow rectangular member, wherein the rectangular member is removably securable to another rectangular member by inserting said joiner pipe through aligned knockout passages of adjacent rectangular members, wherein the joiner pipe includes a pair of finishing caps removably secured at each end of said joiner pipe, each said finishing cap having an enlarged portion for preventing the joiner pipe from being removed from the knockout passage of a rectangular member when said cap is mounted on said joiner pipe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The plastic timber landscaping system of claim 1 wherein said second knockout passage is spaced from said first knockout passage a distance substantially equal to the width of said rectangular member; and wherein said fourth knockout passage is spaced from said third knockout passage a distance substantially equal to the width of said rectangular member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The plastic timber landscaping system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the elongated hollow rectangular members are stacked in an alternating pattern to form a hollow square structure for holding dirt therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The plastic timber landscaping system of claim 1 wherein each finishing cap is formed with a wood grain pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
378 words
A plastic timber landscaping system comprising at least one hollow curved member having a width and an arcuate length, said curved member comprising spaced planar top and bottom panels and spaced side panels extending between said top and bottom panels, said top and bottom panels having a curved shape along said arcuate length, said side panels having an arcuate shape such that said side panels are outwardly bowed from between said top and bottom panels, the width of said top and bottom said curved member including a first knockout passage located near one end of said curved member and extending through the top and bottom panels, a second knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the first knockout passage toward the other end of said curved member; a third knockout passage near the end of said curved member opposite the end having the first and second knockout passages, said third knockout passage being spaced from the end of the curved member substantially the same distance as the first knockout passage is spaced from said one end of the curved member, said third knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels of said curved member; and a fourth knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the third knockout passage toward said one end of said curved member; wherein each said knockout passage is bounded by a pair of removable knockout tabs, one said knockout tab being located in said top panel and the other said knockout tab being located in said bottom panel such that said knockout passage is closed by said tabs until said tabs are removed from said top and bottom panels; and at least one joiner pipe for removably inserting through a knockout passage in the curved member, wherein the curved member is removably securable to another curved member by inserting said joiner pipe through aligned knockout passages of adjacent members, wherein the joiner pipe includes a pair of finishing caps removably secured at each end of said joiner pipe, each said finishing cap having an enlarged portion for preventing the joiner pipe from being removed from the knockout passage of a curved member when said cap is mounted on said joiner pipe.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
378 words
A plastic timber landscaping system comprising at least one hollow curved member having a width and an arcuate length, said curved member comprising spaced planar top and bottom panels and spaced side panels extending between said top and bottom panels, said top and bottom panels having a curved shape along said arcuate length, said side panels having an arcuate shape such that said side panels are outwardly bowed from between said top and bottom panels, the width of said top and bottom said curved member including a first knockout passage located near one end of said curved member and extending through the top and bottom panels, a second knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the first knockout passage toward the other end of said curved member; a third knockout passage near the end of said curved member opposite the end having the first and second knockout passages, said third knockout passage being spaced from the end of the curved member substantially the same distance as the first knockout passage is spaced from said one end of the curved member, said third knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels of said curved member; and a fourth knockout passage extending through the top and bottom panels and being spaced from the third knockout passage toward said one end of said curved member; wherein each said knockout passage is bounded by a pair of removable knockout tabs, one said knockout tab being located in said top panel and the other said knockout tab being located in said bottom panel such that said knockout passage is closed by said tabs until said tabs are removed from said top and bottom panels; and at least one joiner pipe for removably inserting through a knockout passage in the curved member, wherein the curved member is removably securable to another curved member by inserting said joiner pipe through aligned knockout passages of adjacent members, wherein the joiner pipe includes a pair of finishing caps removably secured at each end of said joiner pipe, each said finishing cap having an enlarged portion for preventing the joiner pipe from being removed from the knockout passage of a curved member when said cap is mounted on said joiner pipe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The plastic timber landscaping system of claim 5 distance substantially equal to the half of the width dimension of said curved member; wherein said second knockout passage is spaced from said first knockout passage a distance substantially equal to the width of said curved member; and wherein said fourth knockout passage is spaced from said third knockout passage a distance substantially equal to the width of said curved member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-14 | 2002-03-16 | 2002-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-14 | 2006-03-16 | 2006-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-14 | 2010-03-16 | 2010-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |