Patent ID: 8887452

Claim:
Apparatus for use with a wooden in-ground post to define a barrier between the ground and the post, comprising: a one-piece malleable and flexible waterproof elongate collar adapted to be wrapped around said post, said collar defined by a lower edge and an upper edge and a main body portion therebetween, said main body portion defining a substantially planar sidewall having a first interior surface between said upper and lower edges and adapted for contacting the post when the collar is wrapped around said post so that the first interior surface is in contact with said post, and a sealing member extending along the upper edge that is adapted to define a seal between the collar and the post when the collar is wrapped around said post, wherein said sealing member is defined by a portion of the elongate collar that is adjacent said upper edge and in which in a first position when the collar is separated from said post is oriented at an acute angle relative to the plane defined by the body sidewall, and wherein when said collar is wrapped around said post said sealing member is deformed into a second position in which said sealing member is compressed against the post to define a seal between the post and the collar; wherein said collar has opposite ends that are aligned when the collar is wrapped around said post, and including a seat extending along said main body portion adjacent said sealing member, said seat defined by an uninterrupted groove between opposed first and second elongate ridges that extend parallel to one another along said main body portion so that when said collar is wrapped around said post and the opposite ends are aligned the groove is continuous around said collar, and wherein said seat is adapted for receiving a fastener, said collar defining a second surface opposite said first interior surface, and wherein the first and second elongate ridges extend from the second surface and the first ridge is adjacent said sealing member; and an elongate channel extending along the first surface parallel to the first and second ridges on said second surface, said elongate channel having opposed upper and lower walls that include bulges that extend inwardly toward a central longitudinal axis extending along said elongate channel to define a channel width between the bulges.