Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part application of United States provisional patent application, serial number US/60/771,100, filed Feb. 2, 2006, for SELF-ASSEMBLED HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE IN POND TO PREVENT DROWNING, by Liam Sean Scanlan, Bellevue, Wash., included by reference herein and for which benefit of the priority date is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to safety devices that reduce the risk of children drowning in ponds or other bodies of water, and the protection of fish in ponds or other bodies of water.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     An exposed body of water allows children or animals to enter that body of water. Risk of drowning or fish destruction exists.  
         [0004]     Children drown in garden ponds and waterways close to their home regularly around the world. The UK Department of Public Safety states that a toddler can drown in “as little as three inches of water”. A common way this happens is that the child falls head-first into shallow water, while their body and legs remain outside the water, the child remains face down and doesn&#39;t have the strength to push their body up to raise their head above the water. Children are drawn to water, which makes a garden pond, or stream close to where they live, all the more dangerous. Furthermore, most pond drownings in the United States occur in a pond that does not belong to the parents or guardians of the child. The amount of time it takes for a child to drown, or to become injured due to hypoxia, is measured in minutes.  
         [0005]     In many parts of the world, housing developments back onto rivers or creeks. Even when such waterways are fenced off, such fences can easily be compromised by for example, a burrowing pet dog, followed by a child who then has access to a water.  
         [0006]     The size of this problem is growing for two reasons: The hobby of having decorative fish is growing, so there is a growing number of ponds in the United States. Secondly, people are living longer and remaining more active and healthy than ever before, so more grandchildren are coming in contact with their grandparents&#39; water feature.  
         [0007]     In addition to the unmeasurable tragedy of a child losing its life, organizations have concern about the liability associated with someone drowning on their premises, in, for example, a decorative water feature in the grounds of an apartment complex.  
         [0008]     Pond and waterway safety devices are what could be described as either Passive or Active. Passive means they work by being in place—like a safety belt in a car—to be effective, they do not need to take any action other than be in place. Active means that they work by taking action in a given situation—like airbags in a motor vehicle—they are usually triggered by an event.  
         [0009]     Within the realm of water safety, Passive solutions are nets, grids, fences, or other barriers that stop what is outside the water from getting into the water, at least beyond a few inches from the surface. Active solutions do not physically stop something or someone from getting into the water, but rather, set off a warning to either the child&#39;s guardian, or to the predator trying to get into the water. For example, a wristband worn by a child, when wet, triggers an alarm where a parent or guardian can hear it. The vast majority of such water safety devices available in the world today are of the Passive type. The following seven patents relate to the problem of water safety, and each refers to an invention of the Passive type. The solutions associated with the listed patents are either a Soft solution or a Hard solution. A Soft solution is one with a flexible net of wiring structure that prevents entry to the body of water. A Hard solution is any kind of fixed-in-place grid system, much like a shore over a drain, or a metal grill covering a service entrance to a basement, only larger.  
         [0010]     2,004,111,978—Garden pond safety grate  
         [0011]     DE4136976—Safety net for enclosing garden pool  
         [0012]     GB2344515—Garden pond  
         [0013]     GB2345634—Pond safety device  
         [0014]     GB2376553—Safety device for a pond or swimming pool  
         [0015]     WO0214629—garden pond safety grate  
         [0016]     DE19650395—Pond, especially a PVC pond with a safety device for preventing children from drowning  
         [0017]     Active type solutions are not as popular as Passive ones, mostly because Active solutions are only marginally effective. They are not considered good enough to protect children.  
         [0018]     Fences can easily be compromised by a child or animal climbing under or over the fence, rendering them ineffective. In the case of wrist-bands that transmit a signal when the child come into contact with water, there are the risks of dead batteries, alarm being unplugged, absent parents, and any equipment failure.  
         [0019]     Are expensive, mostly due to the high labor cost associated with installing them.  
         [0020]     Are usually not recyclable. Materials, leftovers and waste end up not being recycled.  
         [0021]     Tend to require significant use of tools such as screwdrivers and cutters.  
         [0022]     Require a support shelf to be installed inside the pond, having a significant impact on that pond and its contents.  
         [0023]     Require significant labor to remove.  
         [0024]     Require a perimeter material to be installed to finish the edge of the structure.  
         [0025]     Interfere with existing plants, fish and objects installed in the pond, such as fountains, pumps, waterlillies or watergrass.  
         [0026]     Are significant engineering projects that, when they need to be removed, impact the pond significantly.  
         [0027]     Require significant skill to install.  
         [0028]     Take hours or days to install.  
         [0029]     Before installation, consist of very large objects, making it difficult to transport.  
         [0030]     Require significant planning and measurement, for example, about where the user will need an opening to gain access later, before the installation starts.  
         [0031]     Can be installed incorrectly by a novice, because a high level of expertise is required.  
         [0032]     Requires significant strength and physical labor to install.  
         [0033]     Are difficult to repair or adjust.  
         [0034]     Use a lot of materials, particularly materials which are difficult to recycle.  
         [0035]     Are aesthetically displeasing.  
         [0036]     Usually must be built-to-order.  
         [0037]     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a way to make ponds and waterways safer for children.  
         [0038]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to protect decorative fish from predators.  
         [0039]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to protect migratory fish from predators.  
         [0040]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to make ponds and waterways safer with negligable impact on the environment.  
         [0041]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to make ponds and waterways safer that is easy for a novice to put into effect.  
         [0042]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to make ponds and waterways safer that requires a minimal use of tools to put into effect.  
         [0043]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a way to make ponds and waterways safer that is packageable in a dense form that is cost-effective for shippers and retailers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0044]     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a kit containing different pieces that allow the user to install a honeycomb-like structure inside their pond or body of water that is both functional and decorative. For the purposes of this document, a waterway is any body of water that contains water. Examples are streams, rivers, creeks, barrels, half-barrels, baths, jacuzzis and tanks. For the purposes of this document, a honeycomb is a structure that resembles the natural multi-hexagonal structure created by bees and other such insects, even though it might not have precisely six equal sides or might not be precisely symmetrical; thus, the general natural form of a honeycomb created by bees is what is meant by the term honeycomb. The term “honeycomb-like structure” is used only when it is required to be precise, such as in the claims section. The kit includes a number of brackets, referred to as arms, that snap together to form a honeycomb of hexagons that are narrow enough to prevent a child&#39;s head to fit through, but wide enough for most fish to easily swim through. Installed, this honeycomb rests close to the surface of the pond or waterway. The honeycomb can be assembled into a shape that matches the shape of the pond or waterway. The honeycomb is supported by legs, also assembled by the customer, each of which extends to the floor of the pond or waterway. The leg is attached to the honeycomb via a number of buttresses, three of which attach to each leg. The buttress rests on the leg, and the honeycomb rests on the buttress, thereby transferring the weight of the honeycomb on to the pond floor. Each leg can be assembled to any length between 6 inches and about 3 feet, deeper if the floor of the pond or waterway has a predictablly flat, firm surface. This variable leg depth is achieved by the customer attaching 4 or more 1½″ lengths of leg sections until the depth, at the point of the pond or body of water where the leg stands, is reached. At the base of each leg is attached a foot. The foot snaps together with the bottom of the leg, and has a round smooth base, enabling it to spread the load across a broader area of the floor of the pond or body of water, minimizing potential damage to that floor. The honeycomb can, optionally, be attached to the walls or the perimeter of the pond for extra stability. Together, these pieces form a substantial barrier between what is inside the water and what is outside the water. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0045]     A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:  
         [0046]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an arm component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0047]      FIG. 20  is a front detail view of an arm depicted in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0048]      FIG. 30  is a perspective view of a buttress component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0049]      FIG. 40  is a front detail view of a buttress depicted in  FIG. 30 ;  
         [0050]      FIG. 50  is a perspective view of a leg component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0051]      FIG. 60  is a front detail view of a leg depicted in  FIG. 50 ;  
         [0052]      FIG. 62  is a front and side view of a leg in accordance with the invention;  
         [0053]      FIG. 65  is a top view of a leg in accordance with the invention;  
         [0054]      FIG. 70  is a perspective view of a ring component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0055]      FIG. 80  is a front detail view of a ring depicted in  FIG. 70 ;  
         [0056]      FIG. 90  is a perspective view of a foot component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0057]      FIG. 100  is a front detail view of a foot depicted in  FIG. 90 ;  
         [0058]      FIG. 110  is a perspective view of an edge component in accordance with the invention;  
         [0059]      FIG. 120  is a front detail view of an edge depicted in  FIG. 110 ;  
         [0060]      FIG. 130  is a perspective view of a set of four unattached arm pieces before being attached together in accordance with the invention;  
         [0061]      FIG. 140  is a perspective view of a set of four arm pieces, with two of them snapped together in accordance with the invention;  
         [0062]      FIG. 150  is a perspective view of a set of four arms with three arms snapped together;  
         [0063]      FIG. 160  is a perspective view of a set of four arm pieces with four of them snapped together;  
         [0064]      FIG. 165  is a top perspective view of a seventeen arm pieces assembled together in accordance with the invention;  
         [0065]      FIG. 167  is a top view of a seventeen arm pieces assembled together in accordance with the invention;  
         [0066]      FIG. 170  is a bottom perspective view of a pair of legs, both before and after they have been snapped together;  
         [0067]      FIG. 175  is a perspective view of a third leg before it is attached to two already assembled leg pieces in accordance with the invention;  
         [0068]      FIG. 176  is a top view of a third leg piece before it is attached to two already assembled leg pieces in accordance with the invention;  
         [0069]      FIG. 180  is a perspective view of a third leg piece snapped together with first two leg pieces;  
         [0070]      FIG. 185  is a perspective view of a three leg pieces fully assembled about to be inserted into a ring piece in accordance with the invention;  
         [0071]      FIG. 190  is a top perspective view of a three leg pieces fully assembled and inserted into a ring piece, making a reinforced leg section in accordance with the invention;  
         [0072]      FIG. 200  is a perspective view of a set of four reinforced leg sections about to be inserted into one another in accordance with the invention;  
         [0073]      FIG. 205  is a top perspective view of a set of four reinforced leg sections inserted into on another in accordance with the invention;  
         [0074]      FIG. 210  is a bottom perspective view of a buttress piece before being attached to an assembly of four reinforced leg sections;  
         [0075]      FIG. 215  is a bottom perspective view of a buttress piece attached to a set of four reinforced leg sections in accordance with the invention;  
         [0076]      FIG. 220  is a top perspective view of a set of three buttress pieces attached to an assembly of four reinforced leg sections in accordance with the invention;  
         [0077]      FIG. 225  is a front view of a buttress piece being attached to an arm piece in accordance with the invention;  
         [0078]      FIG. 230  is a perspective view of a complete leg assembly about to be snapped into place on the honeycomb in accordance with the invention;  
         [0079]      FIG. 240  is a perspective view of a complete leg assembly snapped into place on the honeycomb;  
         [0080]      FIG. 245  is a top perspective view of a leg assembly attached to a set of three assembled arm pieces in accordance with the invention;  
         [0081]      FIG. 250  is a top perspective view of a set of three edge pieces snapped into place in each of the three different possible ways on the honeycomb in accordance with the invention;  
         [0082]      FIG. 255  is a top view of an edge pieces snapped into place in each of the three different possible ways on the honeycomb in accordance with the invention;  
         [0083]      FIG. 260  is a front view of a foot piece before it is snapped into place on a completed leg assembly in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0084]      FIG. 265  is a front view of a foot piece snapped into place on a completed leg assembly in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
       [0085]     For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0086]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an arm  60  component in accordance with the invention. Arm  60  elements are snapped together, as will be explained later in this description, in sufficient numbers to create a honeycomb  116  of a shape and size to match the surface shape and size of a body of water where the invention is to be used. Each arm  60  element is in the shape of, roughly, three adjacent sides of a complete hexagon  110 . In other words, if three adjacent sides of a complete 6-sided hexagon  110  were separated from the remaining adjacent three sides of the hexagon  110 , the resulting shape would be roughly similar in form to the arm  60  element. The corners where the three sides of the arm  60  meet are chamfered to make the left shoulder  10  and the right shoulder  12 . An arm  60  element may be connected to another arm  60  element in one of two ways: the first way is when the right lower hook  18  and the right upper hook  20  of one arm  60  snap onto the left shoulder upper groove  22  and the left shoulder lower groove  24 . The second way is when the left lower hook  14  and the left upper hook  16  of one arm  60  snap onto the right shoulder upper groove  26  and the right shoulder lower groove  28 , respectively. Both methods are used in the use of this invention, as explained further in this detailed description.  
         [0087]      FIG. 20  is a front detail view of a  FIG. 20  is a front detail view of the arm  60  depicted in  FIG. 10 . Note how the arm  60  element is roughly symmetrical, although variations occur in the manufacturing process. The left side of the arm  60  is a mirror of the right side of the arm  60 . The arm  60  elements are manufactured in large quantities using common plastic injection molding methods. The material they are made out of is high density polyethylene; also know by its acronym, HDPE. One of the most common uses of HDPE in the United States is in the manufacturing of milk crates and, on occasion, shopping carts. HDPE is used because it is strong, flexible, long-lasting and is food-safe; that is, it can be used to hold food without contaminating the food. It is flexible enough that is can be bent to a considerable degree before it breaks. For all of these reasons, it is the preferred material used to manufacture the parts used in this invention in the context of child safety near water. A stronger, stiffer material can be used if the context of fish protection, where more strength is required, but the structure does not need as much “give” or “bounce” as is preferable when children fall upon it.  
         [0088]      FIG. 30  is a perspective view of a buttress  62  component in accordance with the invention. The buttress  62  functions as the interface between the leg assembly  90  and the honeycomb  116 . Three buttress  62  elements are snapped together with the leg assembly  90  by way of three notches on one vertical end of the buttress  62 . The three notches, the upper notch  42 , the middle notch  44  and the lower notch  46  snap into three correspondingly placed holes on the leg assembly  90 . On the opposite vertical side of the buttress  62  is the scoop  50 , which, when attached to an arm  60 , bears the weight of that arm  60  as it rests on the scoop  50 . Above the scoop  50  is the gap into which either a left shoulder  10  or a right shoulder  12  of an arm  60  element is inserted. The arm  60  is held in place by the stabilizer  48 , a small protrusion about one inch above the scoop  50 . The scoop  50  and the stabilizer  48  together maintain a grip on the arm  60  in a similar way the human hand might maintain a grip on a plastic credit card with the index finger  100  on top and the thumb underneath the credit card. The grip is firm enough to hold the arm  60  in place, let loose enough to allow some flexing when pressure is brought to bear on the honeycomb  116 .  
         [0089]      FIG. 40  is a front detail view of a  FIG. 40  is a front detail view of the buttress  62  depicted in  FIG. 30 . The upper notch  42  and the middle notch  44  bear the weight of the honeycomb  116  resting on the buttress  62 , by resting their weight on the lower edge  70  of the hole on the leg assembly  90  into which the upper notch  42  and the middle notch  44  elements are inserted. The lower notch  46  is used to hold the buttress  62  in place by way of the upper catch  92  on the lower notch  46 .  
         [0090]      FIG. 50  is a perspective view of a leg  64  component in accordance with the invention. The leg  64  element has three large rectangular holes, two small holes, and two plugs. The two plugs allow it to connect to another leg  64  element, as described in more detail later in this detailed description section. The leg  64  element is made up of three thin, roughly v-shaped walls of plastic, called the upper section  94 , the mid section  96  and the lower section  98 .  
         [0091]      FIG. 60  is a front detail view of the leg  64  element depicted in  FIG. 50 . The leg  64  element has three sections: the upper section  94 , the mid section  96  and the lower section  98 . Each section has a rectangular leg hole  78  on one side, and all three rectangular holes face the same direction, as can be seen in  FIG. 50 . The mid section  96  is narrower than the upper section  94 , and the lower section  98  is narrower than the mid section  96 . This facilitates the insertion of assembled leg  64  elements into one another, described later in this detailed description section. Note the relative position of the thick plug  52  and its corresponding thick socket  56 , into which the thick plug  52  will be inserted during assembly. Note also the position of the thin plug  54  and its corresponding thin socket  58 , into which the thin plug  54  is inserted during assembly.  
         [0092]      FIG. 62  is a front and side view of the leg  64  element in accordance with the invention. The knoll  112  is a small raised area of the leg  64 . The recess  114  is an indentation on the inside of the leg  64  element into which the knoll  112  fits. The precise functioning of both these elements is described later in this detailed description.  
         [0093]      FIG. 65  is a top view of the leg  64  element in accordance with the invention. Viewed from the top, the 120 degree angle can be seen; a single leg  64  element makes up exactly one third of the circular distance around a complete leg assembly  90 , that is, one third of a full 360 degrees, illustrated from the same top view in detail in  FIG. 176 . See also references to  FIG. 170  and  FIG. 175 , below, for details of how three leg  64  elements are snapped together.  
         [0094]      FIG. 70  is a perspective view of a ring  66  component in accordance with the invention. The ring  66  element is a hollowed-out hexagonal element of plastic with edges smoothed to make it both easier to handle and also present no sharp surfaces upon which fish or other life might be damaged when brought in contact with the leg assembly  90  where the invention is being used. The ring  66  element performs the function of holding each set of three assembled leg  64  elements together. For every one ring  66 , there are therefore, three leg  64  elements.  
         [0095]      FIG. 80  is a front detail view of the ring  66  depicted in  FIG. 70 . The edges of the ring  66  element are smooth on the outside. Although it is essentially hexagonally shaped, the ring  66  is a single, unbroken element of high density polyethylene (HDPE). Because of this, each three assembled leg  64  elements only have to be held in place long enough to be inserted into the ring  66  element; a process described in detail below.  
         [0096]      FIG. 90  is a perspective view of a foot  68  component in accordance with the invention. The foot  68  element serves two functions. One, it adds structural rigidity to the lowermost leg  64  elements by wrapping around them as a single element of plastic. More importantly the foot base  80  serves as a smooth contact surface between the load bearing leg assembly  90  and the pond floor. Its smooth surface is less likely to puncture the lining of a pond or other body of water because the load is spread over a greater area than would be the case if the leg assembly  90  sat directly on the pond floor.  
         [0097]      FIG. 100  is a front detail view of the foot  68  depicted in  FIG. 90 . Each finger  100  on the foot  68  element has a foot notch  72  protruding from it, facing the inside of the foot  68  element. Each of these notches matches up with a corresponding leg  64  hole on the mid section  96  of the lowest leg  64  inserted into the foot  68 . The foot notch  72  elements hold the leg assembly  90  in place firmly enough to remain attached to the leg assembly  90 , but may be removed by applying moderate force.  
         [0098]      FIG. 110  is a perspective view of an edge  70  component in accordance with the invention. When installed within the invention, the larger grooves on the edge  70  element, that is, the four instances of the edge upper groove  104 , face upwards; the side with the smaller grooves face downward. This orientation is also illustrated in  FIG. 250 , described in detail below, where the edge  70  element is connected to the arm  60  element in three different ways.  
         [0099]      FIG. 120  is a front detail view of a  FIG. 120  is a front detail view of the edge  70  depicted in  FIG. 110 . Here, the four instances of the edge upper groove  104  and the four instances of the edge lower groove  106  can be clearly seen. The beveling  108  on the grooves is provided to make it easier for the user of the invention to snap the edge  70  element together with the arm  60  element. Just like a door latch has a beveled edge  70  to enable the latch to slide into the hole for the latch, the click into place.  
         [0100]      FIG. 130  is a perspective view of a set of four unattached arm  60  elements before being attached together in accordance with the invention. The left shoulder  10  is a narrow vertical wall of the arm  60 , which contains the left shoulder lower groove  24  and the left shoulder upper groove  22 . The right shoulder  12  is a narrow vertical wall of the arm  60 , which contains the right shoulder lower groove  28  and the right shoulder upper groove  26 . To connect two arm  60  elements together, the left lower hook  14  of arm-a  82  is held under the right shoulder lower groove  28  on arm-b  84 . Next, the left upper hook  16  of arm-a  82  is pushed into the right shoulder upper groove  26  on arm-b  84 . This results in the two elements snapping together, and will stay in place unless pressure is applied to separate the two arms, taking the assembly steps in reverse.  
         [0101]      FIG. 140  is a perspective view of a set of four arm  60  elements, with two of them snapped together in accordance with the invention. The right lower hook  18  on arm-c  86  is held under the left shoulder lower groove  24  of arm-b  84 . Next, the right upper hook  20  is pushed into the left shoulder upper groove  22  on arm-b  84 . Again, this will result in a noticeable “snapping” into place. At this point, three arm  60  elements are assembled together, as can be seen in  FIG. 150 .  
         [0102]      FIG. 150  is a perspective view of a set of four arm  60  elements with three of the arm  60  elements snapped together in accordance with the invention. To connect arm-d  88  with the assembly of arm-a  82 , arm-b  84  and arm-c  86 , hold the right lower hook  18  on arm-d  88  under the left shoulder lower groove  24  of arm-a  82 , and hold the left lower hook  14  on arm-d  88  under the right shoulder lower groove  28  of arm-c  86 . Next, push the left upper hook  16  of arm-d  88  over the right shoulder upper groove  26  of arm-c  86  and push the right upper hook  20  of arm-d  88  over the left shoulder upper groove  22  of arm-a  82 .  
         [0103]      FIG. 160  is a perspective view of a set of four arm  60  elements with four of them snapped together in accordance with the invention. Four assembled arm  60  elements make the first rough hexagon  110  shape in the honeycomb  116 . The user of the invention will proceed to add more arm  60  elements such that the honeycomb  116  roughly matches the surface shape of the user&#39;s pond or waterway. Just as a person might set tiles on the floor of an odd-shaped room, having many small elements to work with allows them to create a shape that matches the shape of the floor surface. With this invention, it is not necessary to cut any elements. This is because, as long as the honeycomb  116  comes to within a few inches of the edge  70  of the pond or body of water, the function of the invention has been achieved. That is, there remains no space wide enough for a child&#39;s head to fit through between the honeycomb  116  and the edge  70  of the pond or waterway.  
         [0104]      FIG. 165  is a top perspective view of seventeen arm  60  elements assembled together in accordance with the invention. Note the orientation of the arm  60  elements; the larger hooks are on the lower side of the honeycomb  116 . This is because the central way the invention works is to support weight brought to bear on the top of the honeycomb  116 , pushing the honeycomb  116  downwards. This downward pressure puts the bulk of the pressure on the left lower hook  14  and the right lower hook  18  more than anywhere else on the honeycomb  116 . If downward pressure on the honeycomb  116  is increased to a level above its design capacity, the left lower hook  14  and the right lower hook  18  will, eventually, bend, fall out of place and the honeycomb  116  structure will fail. When a left lower hook  14  or a right lower hook  18  is bent enough for an arm  60  to become disconnected from another arm  60  in this way, the structural integrity of the arm  60  element with the bent left lower hook  14  or the right lower hook  18  is considered compromised, and the damaged arm  60  element should be replaced by the user of the invention.  
         [0105]      FIG. 167  is a top view of seventeen arm  60  elements assembled together in accordance with the invention. This top view illustrates the shape of each hexagon  110  within the honeycomb  116 . Note the width of each such hexagon  110 . Although all six sides of the hexagon  110  are not identical, and it could also be said, there are more than six sides if you include the left shoulder  10  and the right shoulder  12 , the essential strength and economic use of material inherent in a honeycomb  116  structure is exploited. The wall-to-wall distance of each hexagon  110  is approximately 4 inches.  
         [0106]      FIG. 170  is a perspective view of a pair of leg  64  elements being snapped together in accordance with the invention. This is an illustration of the first step in the 3-step manual process to make a leg section  74 . That first step is to attach two leg  64  elements together by aligning the thick plug  52  and thin plug  54  on one leg  64  element with the thick socket  56  and thin socket  58 , respectively, on the other leg  64  element.  
         [0107]      FIG. 175  is a perspective view of a third leg  64  element before it is attached to two already assembled leg  64  elements in accordance with the invention. This is an illustration of the third leg  64  element being attached to the already attached first two leg  64  elements just described. The thick plug  52  and thin plug  54  on the third leg  64  element is inserted into the available thick socket  56  and thin socket  58 , respectively. As this is done, the thick socket  56  and thin socket  58  of this third leg  64  element will align very closely with the thick plug  52  and thin plug  54  of the already assembled leg  64  elements. This is the second step in the process of assembling an leg section  74 . Note the recess  114  on the inside of the leg  64  element and the knoll  112  on the outside of the leg section  74 . The function of the knoll  112  and the recess  114  are described later in this detailed description.  
         [0108]      FIG. 176  is a top view of what is illustrated in  FIG. 175 , a third leg  64  element before it is attached to two already assembled leg  64  elements in accordance with the invention. This view illustrates the relative position of two already assembled leg  64  elements in relation to the third, about to be added leg  64  element.  
         [0109]      FIG. 180  is a perspective view of a third leg  64  element snapped together with the first two leg  64  elements in accordance with the invention. This illustrates the second step in the 3-step manual process of making a leg section  74 .  
         [0110]      FIG. 185  is a top perspective view of three leg  64  elements fully assembled about to be inserted into a ring  66  element in accordance with the invention. This illustrates the third step in in the 3-step manual process of making a leg section  74 . The leg section  74  is simply slid into the ring  66  as far as it will go. This makes one complete reinforced leg section  76 .  
         [0111]      FIG. 190  is a top perspective view of a three leg  64  elements fully assembled and inserted into a ring  66  element, making a reinforced leg section  76  in accordance with the invention. Note the position of the ring  66  element. The ring  66  element wraps around the leg section  74  moderately tightly, and serves the purpose of holding the three leg  64  elements together. The three leg  64  elements cannot be disassembled from one another until the ring  66  is first removed. Note that there are now three knolls on the outside of the reinforced leg section  76 ; each on one of the three leg  64  elements in the assembly. Although the reinforced leg section  76  illustrated in  FIG. 190  could have been manufactured as a single piece, the four-piece assembly accommodates repeated freezing and melting of water in the center of the reinforced leg section  76 . In other words, as water inside the usually submerged invention freezes solid when the temperature drops enough, and that ice expands as ice does by 6% when frozen, the three leg  64  elements have enough room to expand. When the ice melts, they move back to their original position. A solid, hollow leg  64 , on the other hand, may fracture during the process of such repeated freezing and melting.  
         [0112]      FIG. 200  is a perspective view of a set of four reinforced leg  64  sections about to be snapped together in accordance with the invention. Reinforced leg  64  sections are inserted into one another. Note the position of the knoll  112  and the recess  114 , described in detail later in this detailed description.  
         [0113]      FIG. 205  is a top perspective view of a set of four reinforced leg  64  sections inserted into on another in accordance with the invention. As each reinforced leg section  76  is inserted into another one, the three knolls on the outside snap into the three recesses on the inside of the reinforced leg section  76  into which it is being inserted. Each knoll  112  is bevelled on one side to require only a moderate amount of effort to slide into the respective recess  114 , but to require significant effort to remove. This is because, as the completed leg section  74  is standing inside the pond or body of water, the assembly should not easily disassemble itself. In addition, the inserted reinforced leg assembly  90  has the effect of “pushing out” the elements of the reinforced leg assembly  90  into which it is inserted. This has the effect of tightening the grip of the ring  66  element around the reinforced leg assembly  90  slightly, making each section a little more rigid and less likely to disassemble itself when in operation. This extra tightness also makes it difficult for a meddling child to disassemble the leg  64 , making the purpose of the invention more difficult to defeat. A single reinforced leg section  76  can be removed with force, but normally, only by first sliding the ring  66  from the end of it, and then letting the leg  64  elements come apart. This means that first, the foot  68  element, if attached, must be removed. All this serves as an obstacle to accidental disassembly, or disassembly by a child.  
         [0114]      FIG. 210  is a bottom perspective view of a buttress  62  being attached to an assembly of reinforced leg  64  sections in accordance with the invention. Note the position of the upper notch  42 , the middle notch  44  and the lower notch  46 , which line up directly with the rectangular holes on the top, second from top, and fourth from top holes on the complete leg assembly  90 .  
         [0115]      FIG. 215  is a bottom perspective view of a buttress  62  element attached to a set of four reinforced leg  64  sections. The upper notch  42 , the middle notch  44  and the lower notch  46  are inserted into their respective holes on the complete leg assembly  90 .  
         [0116]      FIG. 220  is a top perspective view of a set of three buttress  62  elements attached to an assembly of four reinforced leg section  76  elements in accordance with the invention.  
         [0117]      FIG. 225  is a front view of a buttress  62  element being attached to an arm  60  element in accordance with the invention. Before proceeding with the attachment of the leg assembly  90  to the three already assembled arm  60  elements, this is how every arm  60  connects to a buttress  62 . To connect a buttress  62  to an arm  60 , the scoop  50  on the buttress  62  is placed underneath one of three possible elements of the arm  60 : the left hook lower groove  30 , the right hook lower groove  34  or the spine lower groove  38 . In  FIG. 225 , the scoop  50  on the buttress  62  is placed under the right hook lower groove  34 , illustrated on the left hand side of the  FIG. 225 . With the scoop  50  snugly held under the right hook lower groove  34 , the buttress  62  is righted so that the stabilizer  48  is pushed into place over the right hook upper groove  36 . The element snaps into place with minimal effort. A stabilizer lip  102  on the underside of the stabilizer  48  eases the contact between the stabilizer  48  and the right hook upper groove  36  during the process of pushing the stabilizer  48  into place on the arm  60 .  
         [0118]      FIG. 230  is a perspective view of a complete leg assembly  90  about to be snapped into place on the honeycomb  116  in accordance with the invention. Notice the identified scoop  50  and stabilizer  48  in  FIG. 230 . There are two possible ways of attaching the complete leg assembly  90  to the three arm  60  elements. The first way, suggested in  FIG. 230  and illustrated in  FIG. 240 , is to place the scoop  50  on two of the buttresses under each of the left hook lower groove  30  and the right hook lower groove  34 , respectively, then push the corresponding stabilizer  48  on each of those two buttresses into the left hook upper groove  32  and right hook upper groove  36 . The second way, is to place the scoop  50  of one of the buttresses on the complete leg assembly  90  under the spine lower groove  38 , then push the corresponding stabilizer  48  on the buttress  62  into the spine upper groove  40  to hold the complete leg assembly  90  in place. This is not preferred because during assembly of the invention, it is easier to handle the assembly when two buttresses are attached to the honeycomb  116 ; that is, what the user of the invention has assembled so far is more stable when held in their hands.  
         [0119]      FIG. 240  is a perspective view of a complete leg assembly  90  snapped into place on the honeycomb  116  in accordance with the invention. This illustration shows the complete leg assembly  90  in place after the action described in the previous paragraph is taken. Because all of the elements of the invention are made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene), the resulting structure is relatively flexible. The stabilizer  48 , for example, freely bends to accommodate being pushed into place on the top of the arm  60 , then returns to its position when in place.  
         [0120]      FIG. 245  is a top perspective view of a leg assembly  90  attached to a set of three assembled arm  60  elements in accordance with the invention. In practicality, when the user of the invention has assembled a honeycomb  116 , there is a degree of skewing. That is, the honeycomb  116  can flex or bend, “warping” the shape of any or all individual hexagons within the honeycomb  116 . The buttress  62  elements when attached to the leg assembly  90  are designed to allow a considerable degree of bending to line up with their corresponding connection points on the arm  60  elements. This is to facilitate both ease of assembly, where the elements need to bend a little to snap into place, and also, to provide more “give” in the entire structure to reduce the injury risk when a child or animal falls onto the honeycomb  116 .  
         [0121]      FIG. 250  is a top perspective view of three edge  70  elements snapped into place in each of three different possible ways on the honeycomb  116  in accordance with the invention. When a number of arm  60  elements are assembled together, at one side of the honeycomb  116  there are left and right sides of arm  60  elements pointing away from the honeycomb  116 . The edge  70  piece can be snapped into place on almost any pair of such arm  60  sides. Edge- 1   118  is an illustration of an edge  70  used to “pair-off” a pair of arm  60  ends pointing toward one another. Edge- 2   120  is an illustration of an edge  70  used to pair-off two parallel arm  60  ends at right angles to the edge  70  element. Edge- 3   122  is an illustration of an edge  70  used to pair-off two arm  60  ends that are parallel to each other, but are at an approximately 30 degree angle to the edge  70 .  
         [0122]      FIG. 255  is a top view of the view in  FIG. 250 , of three edge  70  elements snapped into place in each of three different possible ways on the honeycomb  116  in accordance with the invention.  
         [0123]      FIG. 260  is a front view of a foot  68  element before it is snapped into place on a completed leg assembly  90  in accordance with the invention. Each of the three finger  100  elements on the foot  68  slides over a side of the leg assembly  90  that has rectangular holes. The foot notch  72  on each finger  100  snaps into the second lowest hole  124  on the side of the leg assembly  90  it slides over. The user of the invention applies a modest amount of pressure to push the foot  68  element into place.  
         [0124]      FIG. 265  is a front view of a foot  68  element snapped into place on a completed leg assembly  90  in accordance with the invention. The foot  68  element has been snapped into place. Once in place, the three foot notch  72  elements (not visible in  FIG. 265 , but very clearly visible in  FIG. 90 ), hold the foot  68  in place as they stay inside the rectangular hole elements they snapped into.  
         [0125]     Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.  
         [0126]     Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.

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