Substrate compression process and product
AssigneeProfile Products L.L.C.
InventorsDaniel Scott Norden, Ryan Michael Knauer, Gary Lane Bowers, Kevin Scott Spittle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compressed horticultural slab includes a substrate including a plurality of fibers compressed in a volume ratio of initial to compressed fiber of 1:4 to 1:60, the plurality of fibers having a shape of the slab, a first set of dimensions when the substrate has a moisture content of up to about 20 to 25 wt. % and a second set of dimensions when the moisture content increases above about 20 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the substrate, the second set of dimensions having greater values than the first set of dimensions.
Claims23
A compressed horticultural slab comprising:
- a horticultural substrate including a plurality of fibers compressed in a volume ratio of initial to compressed fiber of 1:4 to 1:60, the plurality of fibers having a shape of the slab, a first volume when the substrate has a moisture content of up to about 25 wt. % and a second volume when the moisture content increases above about 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the substrate, the second volume being at least 3 times greater than the first volume, the slab having a higher volume of capillary pores than non-capillary pores in the compressed fibers than in the initial fibers, the plurality of fibers including 100 wt. % wood fiber or coco coir and wood fiber in a ratio of 40:60 to 60:40.
A compressed horticultural slab comprising:
- a horticultural fibrous substrate comprising a plurality of compressed fibers including wood, coir, or a combination thereof, the substrate having a moisture content of up to about 20 to 25 wt. % and having a final loose bulk density defined by a formula (I):
- ρ
-
- x
- =
- ρ
-
- 1
- *
- x
- ,
- (
- I
- )
- where:
- ρx is the final loose bulk density,
- ρ1 is the initial loose bulk density, and
- x is the compression factor including any number between 4 and 60,
- wherein the compressed slab has a substantially rectangular shape and uniform dimensions throughout its length and a higher volume of capillary pores than non-capillary pores.
A compressed slab comprising:
- a growing medium substrate including a plurality of fibers compressed in a volume ratio of initial to compressed fiber of 1:3 to 1:60, the plurality of fibers having a shape of the slab, a first volume when the substrate has a moisture content of up to about 25 wt. % and a second volume when the moisture content increases above about 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the substrate, the second volume being at least 4 times greater than the first volume,
- the plurality of fibers comprising wood, coir, or a combination thereof, the slab having a higher ratio of capillary pores to non-capillary pores in the compressed fibers than in the initial fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.