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US4074997A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Plant plug

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-06-07
•
Granted: 1978-02-21
•
Expires: 1996-06-07
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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)

US2961994A 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

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