Landscaping products including continuous chamber mass confinement cells and methods of use thereof
First Claim
1. A mass confinement cell comprising:
- a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a front surface including a molded and/or fabricated natural appearance that is produced by imaging a natural surface selected from the group consisting of stone, rock, wood and brick, and applying one or more laminates, surface coatings or paints to the molded and/or fabricated front surface;
a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials;
one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber, the side panels extending back from the front panel of the cell at an angle of less than 90°
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one or more load cell positioned at least partially within the front panel and side panels; and
an open top surface including no top panel or a partial top panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to environment resistant landscaping products, such as retaining wall and earth retention products, edgers, paving stones and the like, that provide a natural earthen appearance, such as rock, stone, sand, soil, clay, wood, trees and foliage, water, or any other natural earthen appearance. The present invention also includes a mass confinement cell that may be used in retaining walls and earth retention systems that has a natural earthen appearance and is resistant to damage and wear caused by the environment. The mass confinement cells are generally light-weight and include a continuous chamber that at least partially aligns with confinement cells positioned above and below, thereby allowing the intermingling of fill material between adjacent cells. The mass confinement cells are capable of accepting and retaining any type of filling material. The filling material provides weight, stability and security to a retaining wall constructed of such mass confinement cells.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A mass confinement cell comprising:
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a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a front surface including a molded and/or fabricated natural appearance that is produced by imaging a natural surface selected from the group consisting of stone, rock, wood and brick, and applying one or more laminates, surface coatings or paints to the molded and/or fabricated front surface; a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials; one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber, the side panels extending back from the front panel of the cell at an angle of less than 90°
;one or more load cell positioned at least partially within the front panel and side panels; and an open top surface including no top panel or a partial top panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall comprising;
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a) placing a plurality of the mass confinement cells comprising a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a front surface including a molded and/or fabricated natural appearance that is produced by imaging a natural surface selected from the group consisting of stone, rock, wood and brick, and applying one or more laminates, surface coatings or paints to the molded and/or fabricated front surface, a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials, one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber and an open top surface including a partial top panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell in a row; b) filling the chamber of each cell in the row with one or more fill materials; c) positioning a second row of mass confinement cells above the first row of mass confinement cells; d) filling the second row of mass confinement cells with a fill material; and e) continuing the previously described steps until the desired number of rows is achieved.
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15. A deterioration resistant retaining wall comprising a plurality of mass confinement cells comprising:
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a front panel or fascia including a deterioration resistant composite or polymeric material and having a molded or fabricated front surface to form an earthen appearance that is produced by imaging a natural surface selected from the group consisting of stone, rock, wood and brick, and applying one or more laminates, surface coatings or paints to the molded and/or fabricated front surface; a back panel including a deterioration resistant composite or polymeric material; one or more load cells; and one or more side panels including a deterioration resistant composite or polymeric material that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
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20. The mass deterioration resistant retaining wall 15, wherein the cell further includes one or more anchoring devices selected from a group consisting of a retaining flange, peg extensions and securing pins.
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22. A mass confinement cell comprising:
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a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a front surface including a molded and/or fabricated natural appearance that is produced by imaging a natural surface selected from the group consisting of stone, rock, wood and brick, and applying one or more laminates, surface coatings or paints to the molded and/or fabricated front surface; a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials; one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber, the side panels extending back from the front panel of the cell at an angle of less than 90°
; andan open top surface including a partial top panel, partial bottom panel or partial top and bottom panels, each top and/or bottom panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification