Synthetic mulch
OwnerLee Greenberg, Judy Smithinventors
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Abstract
The present invention relates to synthetic wood chips and methods for making the same. The synthetic wood chips are made from rubber particles, such as ground up tires, and a coating, which colors the rubber particles to look like natural mulch. The synthetic mulch is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, however, it is preferred for the synthetic mulch to look like wood chips, tree bark, or pea gravel.
Claims13
A synthetic mulch material sized, shaped, and colored to imitate a natural mulch, wherein said synthetic mulch comprises:
- (a) a plurality of rubber particles, with the rubber selected from the group consisting of natural polymers and synthetic high polymers, with said rubber particles having an outer surface designed and dimensioned to look like natural mulch selected from the group consisting of pea gravel, wood chips, and tree bark, and a length ranging between about 1/16 inch and about 8 inches, and a width ranging between about 1/16 inches and about 2 inches;
- and,
- (b) a coating added in an amount equal to between about 2% and about 20% by volume of said rubber particles, and with said coating covering said rubber particles, thereby forming said synthetic mulch.
A method for forming a synthetic mulch sized, shaped, and colored to imitate a natural mulch, with said method for forming said synthetic mulch including the following steps:
- (a) shredding an amount of rubber to form a plurality of rubber particles ranging in size between about a quarter inch and about four inches;
- (b) adding an amount of coating to said shredded rubber particles, so as to color said particles to look like natural mulch;
- and,
- (c) tumbling said coating and said rubber particles to form said colored synthetic mulch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.