US5555674A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sod mats constructed of stable fibers and degradable matrix material and method for propagation
Assignee: Beaver Creek Concepts Inc
•
Filing: 1994-08-29
•
Granted: 1996-09-17
•
Expires: 2014-08-29
Abstract
Abstract New sod mats are described. The sod mats are reinforced with a coherent sheet of stable fibers and degradable matrix material. The sod reinforcements are easy to manufacture and handle. The sod mats have good of handling characteristics, good sod mat propagation characteristics, good "shelf life" stability, and are more easily dispersed into the soil by rototilling or other means when the mats are no longer useful as sods. Sod mats of grasses, ornamental plants, and nutritional plants are disclosed. The method of propagation is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J. Molnar
- 👤 Judith R. Molnar
- 👤 William H. Mitchell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:45
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01C; A01C1/00; A01C1/04; A01C1/044; A01G; A01G20/00; A01G20/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material which has been degraded in a range of from 0% to about 100%; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat having a weight per unit area of greater than 4 kgpsm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material which has been degraded in a range of from 0% to about 100%; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat having a weight per unit area of greater than 4 kgpsm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A plant sod mat of claim 1 wherein greater than 15% of said degradable material is degraded and said sod reinforcement has a stable fiber basis weight less than 70 gpsm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A plant sod mat of claim 2 wherein said stable fibers comprise inorganic fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A plant sod mat of claim 2 wherein said stable fibers comprise fibers having a diameter of less than 0.06 cm and said sod mat has a Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than 1.5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plant sod mat of claim 2 wherein said sod reinforcement is at most 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A plant sod mat of claim 1 wherein greater than 25% of said degradable material is degraded and said sod reinforcement has a stable fiber basis weight of less than 40 gpsm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A plant sod mat of claim 1 wherein greater than 50% of said degradable material is degraded and said sod mat has a Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than 2.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A plant sod mat of claim 1 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a nonwoven sheet and said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of at most 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A plant sod mat of claim 1 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of said stable fibers encapsulated with said degradable matrix material and said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of at most 4% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plant sod mat of claim 6 wherein said sod mat has an Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than 2.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sod mat of claim 1 wherein said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat and said plants are comprised of garden plants.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material and wherein greater than 15% of said degradable matrix material is degraded and wherein said stable fibers are comprised of fibers of less than 0.006 cm in diameter; b) a layer of planting medium on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat having a weight per unit area of greater than 4 kgpsm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material and wherein greater than 15% of said degradable matrix material is degraded and wherein said stable fibers are comprised of fibers of less than 0.006 cm in diameter; b) a layer of planting medium on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat having a weight per unit area of greater than 4 kgpsm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
a plant sod mat of claim 12 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of said stable fibers encapsulated with said degradable matrix material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A plant sod mat of claim 13 wherein said sod mat is reinforced with said plant roots.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A plant sod mat of claim 15 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a stratum of said stable fibers and a stratum of said degradable matrix material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plant sod mat of claim 15 wherein said degradable matrix material is comprised of cellulosic fibers and said plants are garden plants.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and degradable matrix material; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 4% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
83 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and degradable matrix material; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 4% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein: a. said stable fibers comprise fibers of at most 0.006 cm in diameter; b. wherein said sod reinforcement has a stable fiber basis weight of less than 40 gpsm; c. and wherein said plants comprise garden plants.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sod mat of claim 18 wherein said sod mat is reinforced with said plant roots which penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
A sod mat of claim 18 wherein said stable fibers comprise inorganic fibers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein said sod mat is reinforced with said plant roots which penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
A sod mat of claim 21 wherein said plants are garden plants.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a nonwoven sheet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sod mat of claim 23 wherein said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a woven sheet.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sod mat of claim 25 wherein said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a virtual stable fiber structure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sod mat of claim 27 wherein said sod reinforcement has dry weight of less than 0.5% of the gross weight of said sod mat.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sod mat of claim 17 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of stable fibers with at least one side being covered by said degradable matrix material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
81 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable garden plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat has a Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than or equal to 1.5.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
81 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable garden plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate and entangle with said sod reinforcement and said sod mat has a Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than or equal to 1.5.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sod mat of claim 30 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a nonwoven sheet.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sod mat of claim 30 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a woven sheet.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sod mat of claim 30 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a virtual stable fiber structure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sod mat of claim 30 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of stable fibers encapsulated in degradable matrix material.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
86 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein: said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material which has been degraded in a range of from 0% to about 100%; and said sod reinforcement has a thickness of at most 3 mm; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate said sod reinforcement.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
86 words
A plant sod mat comprising: a) a sod reinforcement wherein: said sod reinforcement is comprised of a coherent sheet of stable fibers and a degradable matrix material which has been degraded in a range of from 0% to about 100%; and said sod reinforcement has a thickness of at most 3 mm; b) a layer of planting medium of greater than 1.5 cm thick on said sod reinforcement; and c) viable plants growing in said planting medium wherein roots of said plants penetrate said sod reinforcement.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
33 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 wherein the sod mat has a root penetration through said sod reinforcement of greater than 0.05 grams per 400 square centimeters of the sod mat.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 36 wherein the sod reinforcement has a thickness of less than 0.1 cm.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 wherein the roots of said plants reinforce said sod reinforcement.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 herein the sod mat has a Mutual Reinforcement Ratio of greater than 1.5.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 33 wherein said sod reinforcement has a dry weight of less than 4% of the gross weight of the sod mat.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 wherein said sod reinforcement is comprised of a nonwoven fabric.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 wherein said sod reinforcement has a stable fiber basis weight of less than 70 gpsm.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plant sod mat according to claim 35 wherein said sod reinforcement has a stable fiber basis weight of less than 20 gpsm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-09-17 | 2000-03-18 | 2000-09-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-09-17 | 2004-03-18 | 2004-09-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-09-17 | 2008-03-18 | 2008-09-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |