Vegetative roofing systems
AssigneeFurbish Company, LLC
InventorsBen Jacob EIBEN, Michael D. FURBISH, Brad Collier GARNER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vegetative systems are described. In one embodiment, a vegetative system has substantially distinct or separate zones or layers in which each zone or layer performs primarily one of the functions of water retention, a growth medium for vegetation, and weed suppression. An upper may comprise coarse aggregate and serve the primary function of weed suppression; a middle layer may comprise a mixture of coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and fine organic material and serve primarily as a growth medium for vegetation; and a lower layer may comprise high-density hygroscopic material and serve the primary function of water retention.
Claims35
A vegetative system disposed on a roof of a structure, the vegetative system comprising:
- an upper weed suppression layer;
- a middle nutritive layer;
- and a lower water retention layer;
- wherein:
- the water retention layer has a water retention capacity, by volume, of at least approximately 60%;
- the nutritive layer comprises a mixture of fine aggregate particles and fine organic particles that will pass through a 3.35 mm sieve;
- and
- the weed suppression layer comprises coarse aggregate particles that will not pass through a 3.35 mm sieve.
A vegetative system disposed on a roof of a structure, the vegetative system comprising:
- a water retention layer having a water retention capacity, by volume, of at least approximately 60%;
- and
- a composite layer comprising fine organic particles, fine aggregate particles, and coarse aggregate particles, wherein between approximately 5% and approximately 25% of the particles (by mass) comprising the composite layer will pass through a 3.35 mm sieve;
- between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the particles (by mass) comprising the composite layer will pass through a 6.3 mm sieve;
- and at least approximately 70% of the particles (by mass) comprising the composite layer will pass through a 9.5 mm sieve.
A vegetative system disposed on a roof of a structure, the vegetative system comprising:
- a water retention layer having depth between approximately one inch and approximately three inches, a water retention capacity, by volume, of at least approximately 80%, and that retains at least approximately 80% of the water retention capacity under 100 pounds of compression;
- and
- a bed of material comprising aggregate particles having a depth between approximately two inches and approximately four inches wherein between approximately 5% and approximately 25% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 3.35 mm sieve, between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 6.3 mm sieve;
- and at least approximately 70% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 9.5 mm sieve.
The vegetative system of claim 35 in which the bed of material changes as a function of time;
- wherein at a first data point between approximately 5% and approximately 25% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 3.35 mm sieve, between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 6.3 mm sieve;
- and at least approximately 70% of the particles (by mass) will pass through a 9.5 mm sieve;
- wherein at a second data point between approximately 70% and approximately 100% of the particles in the top one half inch of the material will pass through a 12.5 mm sieve but will not pass through a 3.35 mm sieve and between approximately 50% and approximately 10% of the particles in the bottom one half inch of the material will pass through a 6.3 mm sieve but will not pass through a 2 mm sieve;
- and
- wherein the time between the first data point and the second data point is at least thirty days.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.