IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,404,220
Granted Patent B2
US 12,404,220 · App. 16/634,123 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

System and method for recomposition of the dead

Inventors: Oren Bernstein (Portland, OR); Katrina Spade (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Recompose, PBC
C05F1/02A01N1/00A61G17/00A61G17/002B65G1/16C05F1/00A61G17/044A61G17/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,404,220
App. No.
16/634,123
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Today's funeral practices are unsustainable, toxic, and polluting. Both cremation and the manufacture and transport of caskets, grave liners, and headstones emit greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. In fact, the very last thing that most of us will do on this earth is poison it. As a response, a system and method called recomposition that gently and naturally returns humans to the earth after death.

Claims (15)

1. A human remains processing center comprising:

a plurality of vessels for placement of human remains therein;

an interconnected resource element that connects the vessels when assembled in the processing center; and

a rack structure configured to removably pack a portion of the plurality of vessels in a hexagonal structure in an interior space of a building while providing access to the interconnected resource element,

wherein the interconnected resource element provides one or more of the following resource features to the plurality of vessels: aeration, hydration control, material feed and extraction, or time condition measurement.

2. The human remains processing center of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vessels includes 3 to 500 vessels.

3. The human remains processing center of claim 1 , wherein the rack structure is configured to removably pack a portion of the plurality of vessels in a vertical dimension.

4. The human remains processing center of claim 1 , wherein the rack system includes a modular system that packs a desired configuration of the plurality of vessels in the interior space of the building while providing access to the interconnected resource element.

5. The human remains processing center of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels includes a housing and a rotation system.

6. A human remains processing center comprising:

a plurality of vessels, at least one of the vessels including a housing and a rotation system;

an interconnected resource element that connects the vessels when assembled in the processing center;

a rack structure configured to removably pack a portion of the plurality of vessels in a hexagonal structure in an interior space of a building while providing access to the interconnected resource element; and

a loader configured to move into and out of the housing and place shrouded human remains within the housing and allows for controlled placement of the shrouded human remains in a specific location within the vessel without constraining the human remains,

wherein the interconnected resource element provides one or more of the following resource features to the plurality of vessels: aeration, hydration control, material feed and extraction, or time condition measurement.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2021
From: BERNSTEIN, OREN; SPADE, KATRINA
To: RECOMPOSE, PBC
Reel/Frame 058283/0829 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62536958 · Jul 25, 2017
Related Publication 20200207675A1 · Jul 2, 2020
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