LAWN TRIMMER PROTECTOR

PROTECTEUR DE TONDEUSE A FIL NYLON

English Abstract

A lawn trimmer protector for protecting trees, plants, posts, electric wires andthe like against damage from being struck by lawn trimmer and/or weed cutter
as well as damages from small animals and rodents is disclosed herein. The lawn
trimmer protector, which comes in different sizes, is made of one piece of thickpolypropylene formed into a cylindrical shape, which is wrapped around the tree
trunk, plant, post, electric wire and the like and joined at its ends to form a
closed loop. A living hinge is provided to facilitate the opening of the protector.
A snapping mechanism is provided for preventing the protector from moving
when hit by a lawn trimmer and/or weed cutter or when attacked by small
animals or rodents. Spikes are provided for securing the protector into the
ground when it is installed about a tree, plant, post, electric wire or the like.

Claims

LAWN TRIMMER PROTECTOR
CLAIMS
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. A lawn trimmer protector for protecting trees, plants, posts, electric wires
and the like, comprising:
one piece of polypropylene or other plastic material;
the upper part of which is formed into a generally cylindrical shape;
the outside circumference of the generally cylindrical part of the
protector is larger at the bottom to become gradually smaller at the
top providing for extra thickness at the bottom;
the cylindrical part being cut vertically from top to bottom to allow
its opening;
both vertical edges being capable of safely attaching through a
built-in snapping mechanism along both vertical edges formed into
a male segment on one side and female on the other;
opposite of which snapping mechanism is a living hinge made of
a vertical carving in the body of the generally cylindrical part
halfway through its thickness facilitating the opening of the
protector;
at the bottom of the generally cylindrical part of the protector are three
spikes of a height not exceeding that of the upper generally cylindrical
part positioned spacedly underneath the bottom circumference of the
generally cylindrical part;
each spike being of a diameter equal to the thickness of the bottom
of the generally cylindrical part of the protector, gradually
decreasing to a diameter equal to the thickness of the top part of
the generally cylindrical part of the protector.

Description

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LAWN TRIMMER PROTECTOR
SPECIFICATIONS
Scope
This invention relates to a lawn trimmer protector for protecting trees, plants,posts, electric wires and the like against damage from being struck by lawn
trimmer and/or weed cutter as well as damages from small ~nim~l~ and rodents.
Back~round
Tree protectors are devices known to protect trees and the like from external
damage caused by small rodents and lawn trimmers, among other things. Such
known devices are included in the following patents:
- US Patent 5,060,416 discloses a semi-rigid exp~n-l~ble tree protector
positionable about a circumference of a base of a tree. Such protector
does not provide for any spikes or any other anchorage mechanism in
order to m~int~in the protector safely in place. In addition, it is made
from a corrugated band to be bent around the tree, whereas the subject
invention is of a cylindrical form.
- Can~ n application 2,041,694 discloses an expandable tree protector
characterized by an elongated sheet of material adapted to be placed along
the ground and which is joined at its ends.
- C~n~ n application 2,036,476 which discloses a shield for trees which
is wrapped spacedly around the tree trunk and held in a curved condition
by means of rigid straps. The object of such application is to protect
against damage due to snow clearing during the winter. In fact, such
protectors would be removed in the spring.

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- Can~ n patent 1,229,732 provides for an edging strip for use in
l~n~lsc~ping, made of extruded al~ llllll and used in flower beds,
pathways and the like, whereas the present invention is for protecting
directly the circumference of a tree, plant, post, electric wire or the like
and is made of poly~lo~ylene.
- C~n~ n patent 1,307,114 discloses a tree trunk protector of a
frustoconical shape allowing for the expansion of the tree, the object of
which is to prevent caterpillars from crawling up the tree trunk to attack
the leaves or fruits of trees. Such patent does not provide for any
securing attachment to the ground such as spikes or the like and its
purpose is different from that of the present invention.
- US patent 4,845,889 discloses a lawn trimmer shield made of two wall
sections of hollow substantially semi-cylindrical shape which are
connected on one side through a hinge. Such device has built in h~n(lling
and does not provide for any attachment mech~ni~m. Further, in the said
device, spikes are inserted in slots and are preferably made of metal.
Accordingly, no patents were found offering the same advantages as the present
invention since it is made of only one material, is inexpensive to m~nllfacture,and is easy to understand and install.
Summary
According to the present invention there is provided a lawn trimmer protector
with the following features:
- It is made of one piece of poly~ropylene or other plastic material;

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- It has a cylindrical shape;
- It has a living hinge which makes it easy to open and install about trees,
plants, posts, electric wires and the like;
- It provides for three spikes in order to secure the lawn trimmer protector
safely into place;
- It provides for a snapping mech~ni~m;
- It allows lawn l~ g and weed cutting very close to the tree, plant,
post, electric wire or the like;
- It comes in dirrelclll sizes and dirrelclll colours to match the size and
colour of the object to be protected;
- It is of simple construction, economically feasible and long lasting.
Des~ tion of the Dldwi--
~A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example
with reference to the accolllpallying drawings in which:
- Figure 1 shows in perspective the protector 10 in position around a tree
11;
- Figure 2 is a plan view of the protector 10;
- Figure 3 is a top view of the protector 10;

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- Figure 4 is a detailed top view of the snapping mechanism 12 in a snapped
position;
- Figure 5 is a detailed top view of the snapping mechanism 12 in a
released position;
- Figure 6 is a detailed plan view of the snapping mechanism 12 in a
released position.
Referring to the drawings, the protector 10 is comprised of only one piece of
poly~lu~ylene or other plastic material in a cylindrical shape. It is easily opened
up due to the living hinge 20 provided at the back of protector 10. A snapping
mechanism 12 is provided at the front. Three spikes 13A/13B/13C are provided
at the bottom of the protector 10.
In order to protect a tree 11 (or plant, post, electric wire and the like), the
protector 10 is opened up via the hinge 20 and placed in position around the tree
11 (or plant, post, electric wire and the like) and snapped in place (see fig. 4, 5
and 6 for details of the snapping mech~ni.~m, e.g. the male 40 and female 41
components thereof). The protector 10 is then positioned into the ground so thatone fourth of same is underground and three fourths above ground (see fig. 1).
The spikes 13A/13B/13C will prevent the protector from moving.
In order to remove the protector 10, same is first moved upward along the tree
11 trunk (or plant, post, electric wire and the like) until the spikes 13A/13B/13C
are visible and then the mechanism 12 is unsllapped (see fig. S and 6). The
protector 10 may then easily be opened and removed from the tree 11 (or plant,
post, electric wire and the like).

Representative Drawing