Patent Publication Number: US-2005120692-A1

Title: Leaf monster

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a two-dimensional, biodegradable leaf collection woven net for the collection of fallen leaves thereon. More particularly, the leaf collection woven net includes a continuous pulling strand for pulling a strand section at various locations about an outer periphery of a woven mesh net that forms a disposable woven net bag having fallen leaves within an interior compartment therein.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Every year, autumn leaves fall on the lawns of beautiful homes and commercial businesses, creating many problems as a result of the fallen leaves, such as, destruction of the lawn, piling up against the house, the fallen leaves flying around onto the driveway and street, and the like. Each homeowner or gardener typically uses a blower or rake and garbage bags to collect these leaves, only to find more leaves accumulated after the tedious chore is completed, as leaf collection is very hard and time-consuming work. Some homeowners or gardeners might be tempted to use big plastic sheeting to collect autumn leaves, but this could result in destroying the lawn by smothering it. Plastic sheeting is also very heavy and awkward to use. There remains a need for a leaf collection net that would help the homeowner or gardener to make the task of autumn lawn maintenance easy and convenient. More particularly, a biodegradable woven mesh net to collect the leaves, as the mesh net is very light in weight and does not block sunlight to the grass or greenery it might cover.  
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
      Leaf catching and collection devices, lawn debris devices, lawn nets and the like having various designs, structures, configurations and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No., 4,366,949 to STAUB, SR. discloses a leaf caching and collecting device and method for use are provided including post members to be driven into the ground and extend above the ground with hooks on the post to receive one edge of a flexible netting which is laid over the ground and held to the ground by hooks along the leading edge toward the source of the leaves and after the leaves collect on the netting, it is unhooked and the leaves gathered in the netting for discard. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the design, structure and configuration of the leaf collection woven net of the present invention.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,664 to HULLEN discloses an apparatus for collecting lawn debris. Flat pieces of netting material are placed on the ground to catch leaves as they fall from nearby trees. When the leaves have fallen the net blanket is bundled up into a net package for disposal. The packages may or may not require a bag closure. A novel net bag closure for such packages is also disclosed. The bag closure also forms a handle for carrying the bundled leaf package. The net blankets may also be hung fro trees to catch the leaves thereof before they reach the ground. The netting may be folded and then rolled onto a hollow tube for merchandising, with accessories contained the hollow tube. The prior art patent does not disclose or teach the design, structure and configuration of the leaf collection woven net of the present invention.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,462 to HENSLEY discloses a lawn net for capturing and retaining lawn debris. The lawn net is positioned upon a lawn for colleting leaves thereon without harming the lawn. The device includes a netting material which may be left on the lawn for an extended period of time whiles leaves fall onto the net from surrounding trees. The net may be gathered together to enclosed the leaves by a use of a cord disposed along a periphery of the netting material. The net further includes a dispensing assembly for applying insecticide or fertilizer compounds to the lawn and is also provided with an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesive to the netting material prior to its placement upon the lawn. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the design, structure and configuration of the leaf collection woven net of the present invention.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,212 to MEEKS discloses an apparatus and method for gathering and removing yard waste. The apparatus includes two parts, a laminar sheet and a plurality of spikes. The laminar sheet is placed on the ground and secured using the spikes. A number of apertures pierce the sheet to allow oxygen to aspirate the plant life below and to allow water from above to pass through. Clear plastic is preferably used to allow sunlight to reach the plant life, but other colors and materials are possible if so desired. After leaves, tree limbs, and other year waste have accumulated on the sheet, the spikes may-be removed from the ground and the sheet and waste may be bundled together and discarded. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the design, structure and configuration of the leaf collection woven net of the present invention.  
      None of these prior art patents teach or disclose the structure of a two dimensional, flat biodegradable leaf collection woven net having a continuous pulling strand that is used for pulling a strand section at various locations to form the woven mesh net into a disposable woven net bag.  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a leaf collection woven net for the collection of fallen leaves that has a pulling strand for pulling a strand section at various locations about the outer periphery of a woven mesh net that forms a disposable woven net bag having fallen leaves within an interior compartment therein.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net that has a continuous pulling strand being a different color from that of the woven mesh net in order to easily identify the continuous pulling strand when the user needs to pull the various strand sections together in the process of collecting and harvesting the fallen leaves.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net that is made from biodegradable materials such as jute, hemp, abaca, cotton, wood fibers, plant fibers and combinations thereof.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net that uses a vertically oriented leaf blocking net in combination with the woven net for preventing the blowing away of additional or stray leaves on the woven net when using gas leaf blower or an electric air leaf blower during leaf collection.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net when in a fully assembled state having fallen leaves therein wherein each of the disposable woven net bags are stackable with each other.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net that is easy to assemble and use with only one moving part (the continuous pulling strand) for harvesting of the fallen leaves on the woven mesh net.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a leaf collection woven net that can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the user.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a two dimensional leaf collection woven net for collecting leaves. The woven net includes a two-dimensional woven mesh net having an outer periphery. The woven mesh net having mesh openings of ½″×½″ to 1½″×1½″. The woven mesh net is formed of biodegradable fiber material. The woven mesh net also includes a continuous pulling strand extending about the outer periphery of the woven mesh net; and the continuous pulling strand is used for pulling a strand section at various locations about the outer periphery to form the woven mesh net-into a disposable woven net bag.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon the consideration of the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the leaf collection net of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the major component parts contained therein and in an assembled state being readied for operational use thereof;  
       FIG. 1A  is a top plain view of the leaf collection net of the alternate embodiment of the present invention showing a circular configuration of the woven net;  
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial top plan view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing a woven net, a continuous pulling strand and a plurality of net pegs;  
       FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing a multitude of leaves being raked and/or air blown onto the woven net;  
       FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing four strand sections of the continuous pulling strand being pulled together to form a partial interior compartment for holding the leaves within the woven net;  
       FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection-net of the present invention showing eight strand sections of the continuous pulling strand being pulled together to form the partial interior compartment for holding the leaves within the woven net;  
       FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing twelve strand sections of the continuous pulling strand being pulled together to form a complete interior compartment for holding all of the leaves within the woven net;  
       FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing the multiple strand sections of the continuous pulling strand pulled together to form a leaf collection net bag for holding all of the leaves within the interior compartment; and  
       FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the leaf collection net of the present invention showing a plurality of full leaf collection net bags piled and stacked on top of each other for disposal.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The biodegradable, two dimensional flat leaf collection woven net  10  and its component parts of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in detail by  FIGS. 1 through 8  of the patent drawings. The biodegradable flat leaf collection woven net  10  is used for the collection and disposal of fallen leaves  12  from a tree  13  being collected on the lawn/ground  14  of a user&#39;s home or commercial building property, etc.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings, the two dimensional leaf collection woven net  10  includes a substantially square-shape mesh net  20  having a plurality of spaced-apart mesh openings/net holes  22  being spaced-apart in a range of {fraction ( 1 / 2 )} inch by ½ inch square to 1½ to 1½ inch square with a preferable mesh opening  22  of 1 inch by 1 inch square for preventing leaf  12  loss from mesh net  20 . The square-shaped mesh net  20  includes an outer perimeter edging  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  and  24   d . In an alternate design, mesh net  20  of woven net  10 ′ is round shaped, as depicted in  FIG. 1A .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mesh openings  22  along the outer perimeter edging/outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  includes a continuous pulling strand  26  extending along the outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  for allowing a plurality of strand sections  28   a  to  28   l  when pulled tight by the user (see FIGS.  4  to  8 ) to harvest all of the leaves  2  within an interior compartment  30  of a woven net disposable bag  32  in the collected configuration (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). The continuous pulling strand  26  is a different color  34  from that of the woven net  20 . The color  34  of the continuous pulling strand is in red, yellow, orange, black, blue, white or other bright colors in order to easily identify the continuous pulling strand  26  when the user needs to pull the various strand sections  28   a  to  28   l  together in the process of collecting and harvesting the fallen leaves  12 .  
      The outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  of the mesh net  20  includes a plurality of net pegs  36  for securing the outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  of the woven mesh net  20 , as well as the center C of the mesh net  20  to the ground/lawn  14  in order to rake and collect by a user a multitude of fallen leaves  12  onto a flat area F of the woven mesh net  20  in starting the collection process, a shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  of the drawings. The net peg  36  is substantially J-shaped and made from durable plastic.  
      The mesh net  20  and the continuous pulling strand  26  is made from biodegradable fiber materials such as jute, hemp, abaca cotton, wood fibers, plant fibers and combinations thereof. The biodegradability of the leaf collection woven net  10  assures the woven net disposable bag  32 , after collection and brought to a compost heap, will eventually form a mulch in which the leaf collection woven net  10  will dissolve into the mulch.  
      The square-shaped mesh net  20  is made in various sizes such as 7 feet by 7 feet, 8½ feet by 8½ feet and 10 feet by 10 feet. The 7 feet by 7 feet leaf collection woven  10  has a 60 gallon capacity for holding approximately 40 pounds of leaves  12  within its interior compartment  30  of the woven net disposable bag  32  when it is in the fully-assembled-state, as shown in FIGS.  6  to  8  of the drawings. The 8½ feet by 8½ feet leaf collection woven net  10  has an 80 gallon capacity for holding approximately 50 pounds of leaves  12  within its interior compartment  30  of the woven net disposable bag  32  when it is in the fully assembled state, as shown in FIGS.  6  to  8  of the drawings. The 10 feet by 10 feet leaf collection woven net  10  has a 100 gallon capacity for holding approximately 60 pounds of leaves  12  within its interior compartment  30  of the woven net disposable bag  32  when its is in the fully assembled state, as shown in FIGS.  6  to  8 .  
      In an alternate design configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the leaf collection woven net  10  further includes a leaf blocking net  40  for preventing the blowing away of additional or stray leaves  12  on the flat area F of woven mesh net  20  when using a gas leaf blower or an electric air leaf blower  16  during leaf  12  collection. The leaf blocking net  40  includes a substantially rectangularly-shaped woven mesh net  42  having a plurality of spaced-apart mesh openings/net holes  44  being spaced-apart in a range of ½ inch by ½ inch square to 1½ inch by 1½ inch square with a preferable mesh opening  44  of 1 inch by 1 inch square for preventing leaf  12  loss from woven mesh net  42 . The rectangularly-shaped mesh net  42  includes an outer perimeter edging  46   a ,  46   b ,  46   c  and  46   d . The leaf blocking net  40  is also made of biodegradable fiber materials such as jute, hemp, abaca, cotton, wood fibers, plant fibers and combinations thereof. The leaf blocking net  40  is vertically positioned and oriented along its perimeter edge  46   c  adjacent to one of the perimeter edges  24   a  to  24   d  of woven mesh net  20 , as depicted in  FIG. 3 , using a plurality of net fastening poles  48 . The net fastening poles  48  are made of durable plastic and are two feet in height by ¼ inch in diameter. The leaf blocking net  40  has a height of 1½ feet and a length of 5 feet.  
     OPERATION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      In operating the leaf collection woven net  10  of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  to  8 , the following operational steps are as follows. Initially, after the grass has been cut in the autumn and before the leaves  12  begin to fall from tree  13  (See  FIG. 3 ), place and affix the outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  and the center area  25  of woven mesh net  20  on the lawn/ground  14  at one or more desired locations using a plurality of net pegs  36  in order to hold and secure the leaf collection woven net  10  to the lawn  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  of the drawings. Most of the leaves  12  from tree  13  should fall directly onto the leaf collection woven net  10  at their various locations on lawn  14 . Any additional or stray leaves  12  are collected and harvested onto the woven mesh net  20  by raking using a rake  15 , or by air blowing them using a leaf air blower  16  by the user, as shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. When using a gas leaf blower  16 , the user places and vertically erects the leaf blocking net  40  along one of the perimeter edges  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  or  24   d  of woven mesh net  20  or towards the center  25  of woven mesh net  20  using the net fastening poles  48  in an L-shaped configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, for preventing the blowing away of collected leaves  12  from the flat area F of woven mesh net  20 .  
      After the collection of all fallen leaves  12  from lawn  14 , the user now removes the leaf blocking net  40  and the net fastening poles  48 , from the perimeter edge  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c  or  24   d  of woven mesh  20 . Next, the user pulls the net pegs  36  from the various locations along the outer periphery  24  to  24   d , as well as the center area C of woven mesh net  20  such that the user will be able to collect fallen leaves  12  within the woven mesh net  20 .  
      The user now pulls the various strand sections  28   a  to  28   t  of the continuous pulling strand  26  along the outer periphery  24   a  to  24   d  of woven mesh net  20  in order to harvest and collect all of the fallen leaves  12  within the interior compartment  30  of the formed woven net disposable bag  32 , as shown in FIGS.  4  to  6  of the drawings. The user now collects the full disposable bags  32 ,  32 ′ and  32 ″ and piles and stacks them on top of each other for each collection by the municipal collection department, as shown in  FIG. 8  of the drawings.  
     ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net for the collection of fallen leaves that has a pulling strand for pulling a strand section at various locations about outer periphery of a woven mesh net that forms a disposable woven net bag having fallen leaves within an interior compartment therein.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net that has a continuous pulling strand being a different color from that of the woven mesh net in order to easily identify the continuous pulling strand when the user needs to pull the various strand sections together in the process of collecting and harvesting the fallen leaves.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net that is made from biodegradable materials such as jute, hemp, abaca, cotton, wood fibers, plant fibers and combinations thereof.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net that uses a vertically oriented leaf blocking net in combination with the woven net for preventing the blowing away of additional or stray leaves o the woven net when using a gas leaf blower or an electric air leaf blower during leaf collection.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net when in a fully assembled state having fallen leaves therein wherein each of the disposable woven net bags are stackable with each other.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net that is easy to assemble and use with only one moving part (the continuous pulling strand) for harvesting of the fallen leaves on the woven mesh net.  
      Another further advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a leaf collection woven net that can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the user.  
      A latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.