Landscape Lighting Stake With Slotted Opening For Wire Access

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting stakes require cutting and rejoining electrical wires for replacement, which introduces potential points of failure such as water intrusion and voltage drop.

Innovation Solution

A lighting stake design featuring a slotted opening and hollow central neck allowing lateral access for electrical wires, enabling installation and replacement without cutting, using a stem nipple and spacer collar for secure connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a closed pass-through channel is used in prior art stakes, then electrical wires can be passed through from beneath the disk to above the disk, but replacement of the lighting stake requires cutting and rejoining electrical wires

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pass-through is segmented into two distinct openings: a closed pass-through channel for initial wire installation, and a new slotted opening providing lateral access. This segmentation allows the stake to be replaced without disturbing the electrical wires, as the slotted opening enables wire access from the side rather than requiring wire removal through the closed channel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-dimensional closed pass-through channel to a two-dimensional slotted opening that provides lateral access. This dimensional change allows electrical wires to be accessed from the side of the base disk rather than only from beneath, enabling stake replacement without wire disconnection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If electrical connections are made through an uninterrupted wire in prior art stakes, then electrical continuity is maintained, but replacement requires cutting wires and using wire connectors which introduce points of failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The slotted opening is pre-configured in the base disk to provide lateral access to the pass-through channel. This preliminary structural feature is built into the stake design, allowing future replacement operations to proceed without wire cutting, as the slot is already in place to facilitate wire access from the side

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of repair

If wire connectors are used to rejoin cut wires in prior art stakes, then electrical connections can be restored, but points of failure are introduced such as water intrusion and voltage drop

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the wire cutting and connector joining operations from the stake replacement process entirely. By providing lateral access through the slotted opening, the system allows the stake to be removed and replaced while the electrical wires remain intact and connected, eliminating the need for wire connectors and the associated reliability issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10711984B2Landscape lighting fixture and mount system

Publication Date: 2020.07.14

AI summary

A light fixture ground stake that includes a slotted opening through the base disk and central neck. The slotted opening allows for installation of a light fixture with connected electrical wires without the need to pass the wires through the stake before connecting the electrical wires to both the fixture and an electrical source. In addition, a broken stake can be replaced with a new stake without the need to cut or disconnect the electrical wires.