Artificial surface divider

Abstract

An artificial surface divider comprising a floor having a plurality of pads spaced apart from one another, the plurality of pads being mounted to a longitudinal housing having an overhang at least partially defining a longitudinal channel and a longitudinal gap that is open to the longitudinal channel, the longitudinal gap extending between an edge of the overhang and a floor of the longitudinal housing, where a longitudinal dimension of the artificial surface divider is the dominant dimension.

1 . An artificial surface divider comprising a floor having a plurality of pads spaced apart from one another, the plurality of pads being mounted to a longitudinal housing having an overhang at least partially defining a longitudinal channel and a longitudinal gap that is open to the longitudinal channel, the longitudinal gap extending between an edge of the overhang and a floor of the longitudinal housing, wherein a longitudinal dimension of the artificial surface divider is the dominant dimension. 
     
     
         2 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of pads comprises a frustopyramidal pad integrally formed with the longitudinal housing. 
     
     
         3 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of pads comprises a triangular pad integrally formed with the longitudinal housing. 
     
     
         4 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the longitudinal housing includes a longitudinal floor, a longitudinal rear wall, a longitudinal roof, and a longitudinal front wall; and,   the longitudinal front wall is spaced apart from the longitudinal floor to provide the longitudinal gap.   
     
     
         5 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the longitudinal floor is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal rear wall; and,   the longitudinal front wall is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal floor.   
     
     
         6 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the longitudinal channel spans a first vertical length;   the longitudinal gap spans a second vertical length; and,   the first vertical length is greater than the second vertical length.   
     
     
         7 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal housing includes a flange extending away from the overhang. 
     
     
         8 . An artificial surface divider comprising:
 a base having a floor;   an upstanding wall mounted to the base; and,   an eave mounted to the upstanding wall and elevated vertically above the base;   wherein the base, upstanding wall, and the eave cooperate to define a channel that is not entirely enclosed along a longitudinal length thereof;   wherein a longitudinal gap exists between the eave and the floor;   wherein the base extends perpendicularly beyond the eave; and,   wherein a vertical height of the gap is less than a vertical height of the longitudinal channel.   
     
     
         9 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein the floor includes a plurality of pads longitudinally spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         10 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein the base, the vertical wall, and the eave defining the channel have a vertical cross-section comprising a discontinuous rectangular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the eave includes a lip nearest to the floor;   a gap spacing comprises the shortest distance between the lip and the floor; and,   the channel comprises a vertical height greater than the gap spacing.   
     
     
         12 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , further comprising a descending wall extending in a direction away from the upstanding wall. 
     
     
         13 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the upstanding wall is perpendicular with respect to the base; and,   the descending wall is perpendicular with respect to the base.   
     
     
         14 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein the base includes a plurality of pads extending away from the channel, the plurality of pads comprising at least one of a triangular cross-section and a frustopyramidal cross-section. 
     
     
         15 . The artificial surface divider of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the floor is substantially planar;   the upstanding wall comprises a vertical wall perpendicularly oriented with respect to at least a portion of the base; and,   the overhang comprises an L-shaped section having a first wall perpendicularly mounted to a second wall.   
     
     
         16 . An artificial surface divider comprising:
 a base having a substantially planar floor with a dominant longitudinal dimension; and,   an overhang with a dominant longitudinal dimension that is operatively coupled to the base, the overhang cooperating with the floor to define a recessed cavity extending longitudinally and accessible via a gap extending longitudinally between the overhang and the floor, wherein a vertical height of the gap is less than a vertical height of the cavity.   
     
     
         17 . An artificial surface divider comprising a horizontal floor extending longitudinally and laterally, the horizontal floor including at least one opening adapted to receive an artificial surface retainer, the horizontal floor coupled to an upright flange extending longitudinally and vertically away from the horizontal floor, the upright flange being coupled to an overhang extending longitudinally, vertically, and laterally so that an edge of the overhang nearest the horizontal floor is vertically spaced apart from the horizontal floor to provide a vertical gap therebetween and laterally spaced apart from the upright flange, where at least a portion of the horizontal floor, at least a portion of the upright flange, and at least a portion of the overhang cooperate to define a longitudinal cavity. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an artificial surface divider, the method comprising:
 extruding a material through a die having an orifice with a cross-section comprising:
 a horizontal opening, 
 an upright opening connected to the horizontal opening and extending vertically away from the horizontal opening, 
 an overhang opening connected to the upright opening and extending horizontally away from the upright opening, the overhang opening extending toward the horizontal opening; 
   cooling the material after the material exits the die to solidify the material; and,   cutting the solidified material into segments having a predefined length.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upright opening extends vertically above and below the horizontal opening. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upright opening extends vertically above the horizontal opening and does not extend vertically below the horizontal opening. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upright opening is perpendicular with respect to the horizontal opening. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein cooling the material after it exits the die to solidify the material results in:
 a horizontal floor extending longitudinally and laterally;   an upright flange connected to the horizontal floor, the upright flange extending vertically and longitudinally;   an overhang connected to the upright flange, the overhang extending longitudinally, laterally and vertically;   a gap extending longitudinally and vertically between at least a portion of the horizontal floor and at least a portion of the overhang; and,   a longitudinal cavity cooperatively defined by the horizontal floor, the upright flange, and the overhang.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of repetitively removing segments of the horizontal floor to create a plurality of cut-outs, where each of the cut-outs has the same shape and is equidistantly spaced apart in a repeating fashion from adjacent cut-outs.