Granted Patent B1

US 8,740,503 · App. 13/742,754 · Granted Jun 3, 2014

Inventor: Rodney Tyler (Medina, OH)

Assignee: Conwed Plastics Acquisition Company V LLC

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A system comprising:

a first tubular mesh enclosure having a first opposing pair of ends, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends sealed, said first tubular mesh enclosure forming at least a portion of an exposed surface of a retaining wall, said first tubular mesh enclosure defining a first plurality of mesh openings, each mesh opening from said first plurality of mesh openings having an opening size of from approximately 0.125 inches to less than 0.5 inches;

a first filling surrounded by said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first filling comprising a first amount of plant-growing medium;

a first geogrid wrapped at least partially around said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first geogrid extending from said first tubular mesh enclosure into adjacent backfill a first distance sufficient to substantially fix a position of said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first geogrid defining a first array of grid openings, each grid opening from said first array of grid openings having an opening size of from approximately 0.5 inches to approximately 4.0 inches; and

a first plurality of plants rooted in said first filling and extending through said first tubular mesh enclosure and said first geogrid;

wherein said first filling surrounds a first irrigation drip tape.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second tubular mesh enclosure having a first opposing pair of ends, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends of said second tubular mesh enclosure sealed, said second tubular mesh enclosure substantially supported by said first tubular mesh enclosure;

a second filling surrounded by said second tubular mesh enclosure, said second filling comprising a second amount of said plant-growing medium;

a second geogrid wrapped at least partially around said second tubular mesh enclosure, said second geogrid extending from said second tubular mesh enclosure into adjacent backfill a second distance sufficient to substantially fix a position of said second tubular mesh enclosure; and

a second plurality of plants rooted in said second filling and extending through said second tubular mesh enclosure and said second geogrid.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second tubular mesh enclosure having a first opposing pair of ends, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends of said second tubular mesh enclosure sealed, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends of said second tubular mesh enclosure adjacent at least one of said first opposing pair of ends of said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first geogrid wrapped at least partially around said second tubular mesh enclosure.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second tubular mesh enclosure having a first opposing pair of ends, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends of said second tubular mesh enclosure sealed, said second tubular mesh enclosure at least partially surrounding an inorganic material, said second tubular mesh enclosure positioned to support and provide structural stability to said first tubular mesh enclosure.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling surrounds a first irrigation hose.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling surrounds a first irrigation drip tape having a longitudinal axis that is co-incident with, parallel to, angled with respect to, aid/or offset from a longitudinal axis of said tubular mesh enclosure.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is specifically adapted for establishment and/or sustainability of said first plurality of plants.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is specifically adapted for stabilizing said system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling is adapted to bind and/or absorb soluble nutrients, metals, contaminants, hydrocarbons, and/or organic chemicals.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises microorganisms adapted to degrade and/or recycle captured nutrients, metals, contaminants, and/or organic chemicals into beneficial and/or less toxic forms.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises humus, organic matter, beneficial microbes, and/or slow release organic nutrients.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first filling comprises seeds, dormant rootstocks, and/or bulbs.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first plurality of plants comprises plugs, live stakes, tubers, rhizomes, and/or sprigs.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first plurality of plants comprises grasses, vines, groundcovers, wildflowers, perennials, annuals, and/or small shrubs.

15. A method comprising:

filling a first tubular mesh enclosure with a first filling, said first filling comprising a first amount of plant-growing medium, said first tubular mesh enclosure having a first opposing pair of ends, at least one of said first opposing pair of ends sealed, said first tubular mesh enclosure forming at least a portion of an exposed surface of a retaining wall, said first tubular mesh enclosure defining a plurality of mesh openings, each of said mesh openings having an opening size of from approximately 0.125 inches to less than 0.5 inches, said first filling surrounding a first irrigation drip tape;

wrapping a first geogrid at least partially around said first tubular mesh enclosure, said first geogrid defining an array of grid openings, each of said grid openings having an opening size of from approximately 0.5 inches to approximately 4.0 inches;

applying backfill over said first geogrid such that said first geogrid extends from said first tubular mesh enclosure into said backfill a first distance sufficient to substantially fix a position of said first tubular mesh enclosure; and

rooting a first plurality of plants in said first filling and extending through said first tubular mesh enclosure and said first geogrid.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (2)