Abstract:
Practical injection molded plastic garden stakes use a ribbed cross-section with contained core displaced of thermoplastic by air, foam or the like. Integrally molded notches for fencing, hooks for plants, and holes for cords are provided on the ribs.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/346,927 entitled Fence Post for Gardening and filed Jan. 10, 2002. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    --  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to garden stakes and, in particular, to a molded plastic garden stake providing improved support features.  
           [0004]    Garden stakes may be used to support garden plants and fences surrounding the plants of a garden. For these purposes, wooden or bamboo garden stakes are frequently used as well as rods of different materials including metal. Plant stems may be tied to the garden stakes or trained to attach themselves to the garden stake, as in the case with vines having tendrils.  
           [0005]    Garden stakes may support fences that may be tied to the garden stakes, or held by staples or the like, for example, when wooden garden stakes are used. It is known to support fences with posts made of metal channels having formed hooks. The expense and size of these channels make them unsuitable for most gardening applications.  
           [0006]    Wooden garden stakes are subject to rotting and splintering and, when cheaply made, can make a garden look unkempt. Garden stakes constructed of metal are relatively expensive and, to counter the expense, tend to be thin and thus easily bent. The metal is subject to rusting and it can be difficult to loosely tie plant stems to its smooth and hard surface.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides an injection-molded garden stake that provides molded-in features improving the function of the garden stake for fencing and plant stabilization. Critical to the ability to use molded plastic in this cost sensitive application is a design that reduces the amount of plastic required in each garden stake while nevertheless producing a garden stake with great strength. The resulting design not only provides improved support features and low cost, but is more attractive and durable than wooden and metal alternatives.  
           [0008]    Specifically, the present invention provides a garden stake comprising a shaft of molded thermoplastic extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first blunt end and a second tapered end forming a point for insertion into the garden soil. The shaft between the first and second ends has a central core where the thermoplastic is largely displaced by air.  
           [0009]    Thus, it is one object of the invention to provide a practical thermoplastic garden stake that has sufficient strength and yet which uses plastic materials sparingly. The core moves plastic material to the edges of the garden stake where the plastic provides for greater rigidity and provides a cross section that resists torsion.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the invention to provide a garden stake that may be easily inserted into the ground.  
           [0011]    The garden stake may include at least one longitudinal rib extending outwardly from the shaft. In one embodiment, the garden stake includes four longitudinally extending ribs spaced about the shaft 90°.  
           [0012]    It is thus another object of the invention to preferentially move plastic material away from the center of the shaft to a location where it can make a greater contribution in providing shaft stiffness while also minimizing the cross-sectional area of the garden stake which affects the amount of dirt that needs to be displaced when the garden stake is inserted into the garden, and hence the resistance of the garden stake to such insertion. The ribs may also provide a support for additional features not normally provided in a conventional solid garden stake and help resist movement of the garden stake in the soil once it is so inserted.  
           [0013]    The garden stake may include at least one outwardly extending notch each sized to receive at least one transversely extending fence wire. Multiple outwardly extending notches may be spaced along the shaft, each sized to receive transversely extending fence wires.  
           [0014]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to eliminate the need for separate ties or fasteners to attach fencing to the garden stake, to accommodate multiple different types of manufactured fence cloth of different wire spacings, and/or to allow the garden stake to be inserted into the ground to different heights with the fence adjusted accordingly.  
           [0015]    The notches may be of two orientations: notches opening upward toward the blunt end and positioned proximate to the blunt end and notches opening downward toward the tapered end and positioned near the tapered end.  
           [0016]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to provide a notch system that may retain a fence using the inherent flexure of the fence wire to retain the fence to the garden stake.  
           [0017]    The garden stake may include at least one outwardly extending hook sized to receive a longitudinally extending plant stem.  
           [0018]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to eliminate the need for separate ties for holding plants to the garden stakes.  
           [0019]    The garden stake may include a series of outwardly extending hooks curving about the longitudinal axis and sized to receive longitudinally extending plant stalks that are inserted into the hook along a reception direction being transverse and tangent to the shaft wherein the hooks are oriented to have opposed reception directions so that a plant stalk may be woven between the hooks.  
           [0020]    Thus it is another object of the invention to provide a plant support that does not unduly constrain growth of the plant or constrict increase in diameter of the stem such as may occur with ties or the like.  
           [0021]    The garden stake may include a step surface integrally molded to the garden stake extending outward from the shaft above the pointed end and below the blunt end providing a surface for receiving a downward force.  
           [0022]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to incorporate a means for planting the garden stakes by the user placing the user&#39;s foot upon the step surface while stabilizing the garden stake by grasping its blunt end.  
           [0023]    At least one rib may include at least one transverse hole receiving a cord or the like.  
           [0024]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to provide for an alternative method of affixing material or plants to the garden stake. It is a further object of the invention to provide for holes not entering into the core.  
           [0025]    The garden stakes may be greater than twenty inches in length and less than sixty inches in length and the thermoplastic may include a filler material.  
           [0026]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to provide for large sized garden stakes for suitable stiffness without undue plastic expense.  
           [0027]    The filler material may be glass fiber; the thermoplastic may be recycled in origin.  
           [0028]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to provide a garden stake user an inexpensive garden stake using environmentally friendly materials.  
           [0029]    The blunt end may include a cap presenting a surface substantially perpendicular to the length of the shaft for accepting a force along the length for inserting the garden stake into the garden for stabilizing it.  
           [0030]    Thus, it is another object of the invention to provide for a convenient surface for the user to press down upon independent of the cross-section of the garden stake allowing the garden stake cross-section to be reduced for easier insertion.  
           [0031]    These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0032]    [0032]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a garden stake prior to insertion into the ground; and  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the garden stake showing the notches and hooks extending therefrom for attachment to wire fencing or plant stems and the like and showing in cross-section the hollow center produced by gas-assisted injection molding. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0034]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a garden stake  10  of the present invention provides a molded thermoplastic shaft  12  extending generally along a longitudinal axis  14 . A first tapered end  16  of the shaft  12  narrows generally to a point  18  whereas the opposed second blunt end  19  of the shaft  12  is terminated by a cap  20 .  
         [0035]    The point  18  provides a reduced cross-section facilitating initial insertion of the garden stake  10  into the soil  21  of the garden and the taper of the tapered end  16  provides a wedge opening up and compacting the soil around the garden stake  10  as it is further inserted.  
         [0036]    The cap  20  provides a flat upper surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  14  and will generally be on top of the shaft  12  with respect to the point  18  before the point is inserted into the soil  21  of the garden.  
         [0037]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a central portion of the shaft  12  provides a tubular center section  22  having an air filled core  24  along the longitudinal axis  14 .  
         [0038]    A series of ribs  26  extend longitudinally along the shaft  12  between the point  18  and cap  20  and project radially outward from the tubular center section  22  at equally spaced 90° intervals. The ribs  26  taper at the first tapered end  16  to converge at the point  18  and support the underside of the cap  20  at the blunt end  19 .  
         [0039]    The ribs  26  serve a number of other purposes including providing points for fastening plants and fencing to the garden stake  10  through holes and hooks to be described, but also in moving plastic material of the center core  24  of the garden stake  10  to form the ribs  26  and thereby to provide bending rigidity to the garden stake  10  with a reduced amount of material. The spacing of the ribs  26  at 90° intervals ensures that two ribs  26  will be positioned to best resist movement of the garden stake  10  in the soil  21  both against forces along an attached fence (to be described) or perpendicular to the attach fence.  
         [0040]    The tubular center section  22  provides a resistance to twisting of the garden stake  10  while the ribs  26  resist twisting within the soil and minimize the total cross-sectional area of the garden stake  10  that must be forced through the soil  21 .  
         [0041]    Referring now generally to FIG. 2, one of the ribs  26   a  extending downward from the cap  20  may include a number of outwardly projecting notches  28  upwardly extending and sized to receive a transverse wire  30  of conventional hexagonal or rectangular mesh fence.  
         [0042]    The spacing of the notches  28  is such as to accommodate different fence materials  32  having different spacings of their transverse wires  30 , and/or to accommodate different heights of fences, and/or to allow different insertion depths of the garden stake  10  into the soil  21  with corresponding freedom of adjustment of fence height. Upper transverse wires  30  of the fence materials  32  are inserted into one or more of the series of notches  28  and middle transverse wires  30  of the fence material are inserted into notches  28 ′ further down the shaft  12  to prevent the fencing material from bowing out. Notches  28 ′ also allow substantially shorter wire fences to be attached to the garden stakes  12 .  
         [0043]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a second set of outwardly projecting notches  36  are downwardly extending lower on the shaft  12  above the tapered end  16  and sized to receive transverse wires  30  near the bottom of the shaft  12  to capture lower transverse wires  30  of the fence materials  32  so that the fencing material may be stretched between the notches  28  and the hooks  36  to be retained within the notches by natural contractive flexure of the fence materials  32 .  
         [0044]    Referring to FIG. 1, rib  26   b  opposite rib  26   a  may include an outward jutting step  40  capped by horizontal foot plate  42  for receiving the user&#39;s foot for pressing the garden stake  10  into the soil  21  or for receiving a pusher rod or board that may be used for the same effect. When the user is pressing the garden stake  10  into the soil  21  with the user&#39;s foot, the user may rest his or her hand on cap  20  to stabilize the garden stake  10  or to provide additional downward pressure. Referring again to FIG. 1, the cap  20  may be a circular disk perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and having a radius such that the cap  20  covers the tubular center section  22  and the ribs  26  providing a surface that the user may grasp and on which downward pressure along the longitudinal axis  14  also may be applied. Below the plate  42 , the rib  26   b  extends radially further out from shaft  12  in a stabilization region  44  to provide greater ability to resist the pressure placed on the step  40 .  
         [0045]    Referring again to FIG. 2, rib  26   b  also supports C-shaped hooks  46   a  through  46   d  curling about a longitudinal axis  14  opening along a tangential transverse axis  50  to receive a vertically oriented plant stem  52  or the like. Hooks  46   a  through  46   d  face in opposite directions to receive the plant stem from opposing directions along the transverse axis  50  thus allowing retention of the plant stem  52  without undue pressure on the plant stem  52  which may be woven between the hooks  42   a  through  42   d.  Importantly, this system allows growth in the stem  52  to be accommodated and strangulation of the stem  52  such as may occur with wire ties or the like, to be prevented.  
         [0046]    Rib  26   b  also includes through holes  54  through which conventional ties may be inserted for a variety of uses.  
         [0047]    Each of the elements of the garden stake  10  so far described, including the tubular center section  22 , the ribs  26 , notches  28  and  36 , the hooks  46  and, the cap  20  may be assembled from parts or preferably molded in a single piece of thermoplastic using gas-assisted injection molding as is understood in the art. An alternate embodiment of the invention may include the use of structural foam injection molding to achieve a porous center with a solid outer skin producing a low-weight part with high comparative strength and the same molded-in features.  
         [0048]    The thermoplastic material may be, for example, recycled polyester and may include filler such as glass fiber to further decrease the total cost of the garden stake  10  and increase its strength. The thermoplastic may be colored green so as to comport with the environment in which the garden stake  10  is used and to require no further finishing.  
         [0049]    During manufacture, four garden stakes  10  may be simultaneously molded and joined to each other (not shown) with points A on hooks  46  on a first garden stake  10  attached by a thin breakable molded link to points B on hooks  28  on a second garden stake  10 . Four such garden stakes may be connected together and simultaneously molded and broken apart by flexure by the consumer. A cardboard sleeve and other packing material may be wrapped around the hooks to further retain them.  
         [0050]    It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.