Patent US4074997A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4074997A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plant plug
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-06-07
•
Granted: 1978-02-21
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Expires: 1996-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A molded nutrient-containing plant-growth medium secured to a weighted base permits the growth of plants in an aquarium without contaminating water in the aquarium with floating soil.
Inventors
- 👤 Merrill Cohen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:05
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G24/00; A01G24/40; A01G24/48; A01G24/10; A01G24/12; A01G24/15; A01G24/20; A01G24/28; A01G24/30; A01G24/44; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S71/00; Y10S71/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A weighted water-retaining, non-rigid, open-cell, substantially homogeneous polyurethane-foam/soil composition comprising moisture and a plant food enriched admixture of loam, clay, peat moss and builders' sand integrally incorporated as filler in sufficient water-cured hydrophilic-polyurethane-prepolymer foam to sustain the composition as an integral solid which has a sufficiently-high average density to preclude its floating in water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
A weighted water-retaining, non-rigid, open-cell, substantially homogeneous polyurethane-foam/soil composition comprising moisture and a plant food enriched admixture of loam, clay, peat moss and builders' sand integrally incorporated as filler in sufficient water-cured hydrophilic-polyurethane-prepolymer foam to sustain the composition as an integral solid which has a sufficiently-high average density to preclude its floating in water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
A composite shaped article according to claim 1 and having two ends, one end of which comprises a major proportion by volume and is of a water-retaining, non-rigid, open-cell, substantially-homogeneous polyurethane-foam/soil composition comprising moisture and a plant food enriched admixture of loam, clay, peat moss and builders' sand and the other end of which serves as a weighting component and is of a substantially homogeneous polyurethane-foam/sand composition comprising sand and sufficient water-cured hydrophilic-polyurethane-prepolymer foam to sustain it as a rigid, integral solid, the volume ratio of water to sand before prepolymer cure in said other end being approximately 1 to 3; the two ends being firmly secured to each other, and the weighting component being sufficient to preclude the composite article from floating in water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A composite shaped article according to claim 2 wherein the two ends are secured together by concurrent water-curing in contact with each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process for preparing a composite shaped article according to claim 2 which comprises supporting partially-uncured shaped plant-growth medium on the uncured weighting component while the latter is in a mold and permitting the prepolymer of the weighting component to cure in contact with partially-cured prepolymer in the plant-growth medium to form a strong bond therebetween.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3336129A
Cited
US3799755A
Cited
US3812619A
Cited
US3961445A
Cited
US3877172A
Cited
US3973355A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-20 | 1981-08-22 | 1982-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-20 | 1985-08-22 | 1986-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-20 | 1989-08-22 | 1990-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |