IP Library Granted Patent US 10,774,013
Granted Patent B2
US 10,774,013 · App. 15/405,620 · Granted Sep 15, 2020

Mulch product

Inventors: Kenneth Hignight (Albany, OR); Debra Hignight (Albany, OR)
Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
C05F11/00A01C21/005A01G13/0262B27L11/06A01C21/00Y02A40/284
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,774,013
App. No.
15/405,620
Granted
Sep 15, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and processes for producing mulch products are disclosed. A mulch product that includes a fertilizer, at least one seed, and a mulch, and methods and processes for producing mulch products are detailed. The mulch includes wood pellets formed from processed raw sawdust that has been ground. The ground sawdust is formed into pellets, such as by compression. The pellets are then crumbled to form the wood pellets to have a substantially regular outer surface that minimizes engagement with the at least one seed.

Claims (28)

1. A mulch product, comprising:

a fertilizer;

at least one seed; and

a mulch comprising a plurality of crumbled wood pellets, each crumbled wood pellet comprising ground sawdust and having a substantially regular outer surface that minimizes engagement with the at least one seed, the crumbled wood pellets have a bulk density of about 33.2 lb/ft 3 .

2. The mulch product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one seed is a grass seed.

3. The mulch product of claim 1 , wherein the mulch forms about 84.5% of the mulch product, the fertilizer forms about 5% of the mulch product, and the at least one seed forms about 10.5% of the mulch product.

4. The mulch product of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the respective crumbled wood pellets is substantially free from surface extensions.

5. The mulch product of claim 1 , wherein the ground sawdust comprises raw sawdust.

6. The mulch product of claim 5 , wherein the raw sawdust comprises wood.

7. A method of producing a mulch product, comprising:

obtaining ground sawdust;

forming pellets from the ground sawdust;

crumbling the pellets into a mulch, the pellets being crumbled to have a substantially regular outer surface and such that each pellet comprises ground sawdust and such that the crumbled wood pellets have a bulk density of about 33.2 lb/ft 3 ; and

mixing the mulch with at least one seed and a fertilizer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ground sawdust is ground from raw wood sawdust.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming of the pellets comprises applying direct pressure to the ground sawdust.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one seed is a grass seed.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mulch forms about 84.5% of the mulch product, the fertilizer forms about 5% of the mulch product, and the at least one seed forms about 10.5% of the mulch product.

12. A mulch product formed by the process of:

obtaining ground sawdust;

forming pellets from the ground sawdust; and

crumbling the pellets into a mulch product and such that the crumbled pellets each have a substantially regular outer surface and each comprise the ground sawdust, the crumbled pellets have a bulk density of about 33.2 lb/ft 3 ,

the mulch product comprises the crumbled pellets, a fertilizer, and at least one seed.

13. The mulch product of claim 12 , wherein the at least one seed is a grass seed.

14. The mulch product of claim 12 , wherein the mulch forms about 84.5% of the mulch product, the fertilizer forms about 5% of the mulch product, and the at least one seed forms about 10.5% of the mulch product.

15. The mulch product of claim 12 , wherein the ground sawdust comprises raw sawdust.

16. The mulch product of claim 15 , wherein the raw sawdust comprises wood.

17. The mulch product of claim 12 , wherein the outer surface of the respective crumbled wood pellets is substantially free from surface extensions.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: ARDEN COMPANIES, LLC; CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY; FARNAM COMPANIES, INC.; FOUR PAWS PRODUCTS, LTD.; IMS TRADING, LLC; K&H MANUFACTURING, LLC; NEXGEN PLANT SCIENCE CENTER, LLC; T.F.H. PUBLICATIONS, INC.; WELLMARK INTERNATIONAL
To: TRUIST BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 058561/0940 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2017
From: HIGNIGHT, KENNETH; HIGNIGHT, DEBRA
To: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 040968/0090 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62388178 · Jan 19, 2016
Related Publication 20170204018A1 · Jul 20, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,637,394