# US 5,701,642 A · Ecological burial method and apparatus

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- Number: US 5,701,642 A
- Document ID: US5701642A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/697,392
- Filed: 1996-08-27
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1996-08-27
- Inventors: Stanley E. Order
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5701642A

## CPC

- E04H 13/00: Monuments; Tombs; Burial vaults; Columbaria
- A61G 17/007: characterised by the construction material used, e.g. biodegradable material; Use of several materials
- A61G 17/0073: {Cardboard}
- A61G 2203/90: biodegradable
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)

## Abstract

An ecological burial apparatus and method are accomplished by placing a corpse into a coffin structure made of a material containing a nutrient or fertilizer or combinations thereof. The corpse and coffin structure are buried in the ground and a tree is planted above the coffin structure so that when the coffin structure biodegrades the nutrient or fertilizer or combinations thereof are capable of being supplied to the tree to create an ecologically sound environment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ecological burial apparatus comprising a coffin structure comprising an inner and outer container, the inner and outer containers each having a bottom, side walls and a top lid, the coffin structure comprised of a biodegradable material and a nutrient or fertilizer or combinations thereof for a tree placed adjacent the coffin structure when the coffin structure is buried in the ground, so that when the coffin structure is placed into the ground the coffin structure will biodegrade and release the nutrient or fertilizer into the ground to feed the tree adjacent the coffin structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An ecological burial method comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a corpse into a coffin structure as defined in claim 1;
(b) burying the corpse and coffin structure in the ground;
(c) planting a tree above the coffin structure so that when the coffin structure biodegrades the nutrient or fertilizer or combinations thereof are capable of being supplied to the tree.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 additionally comprising the step of placing soil between the coffin structure and outer container, prior to burying the corpse, coffin structure and outer container into the ground.