Compressed blends of coconut coir pith and a non-coir/non-peat materials, and processes for the production thereof
AssigneeOMS Investments, Inc.
InventorsWilliam E. Kusey, Mark Yelanich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compressed mixtures of blends of coconut coir pith and selected horticulturally acceptable non-coir/non-peat materials such as composted yard waste; composted bark; composted manure; sand; peat humus; composted agricultural waste; composted animal byproducts; treated sewage sludge; animal and/or vegetable-based landfill waste; wood and lignocellulose derivatives; vermiculite; perlite, glass beads; foamed plastics, and mixtures thereof are prepared in a manner such that, upon decompression, a total volume of decompressed coir pith and decompressed non-coir/non-peat material is produced which exceeds the sum of the initial volumes of coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material in the blends.
Claims37
A composition comprising a compressed blend of coconut coir pith and a non-coir/non-peat material, the compressed blend is formed from an admixture consisting essentially of an initial non-compressed volume of coconut coir pith and an initial non-compressed volume of a horticulturally acceptable non-coir/non-peat material, the moisture content of the coconut coir pith in the admixture is less than about 25 weight percent and the moisture content of the non-coir/non-peat material in the admixture is sufficient to enable. the admixture to be compressed to form the compressed blend in a manner such that, upon decompression of the compressed blend, a total volume of decompressed coir pith and decompressed non-coir/non-peat material is produced which exceeds the sum of the initial non-compressed volumes of coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material in the admixture.
A process for producing a compressed blend of coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material, comprising:
- providing an initial non-compressed volume of coconut coir pith haying a moisture content of less than 25 weight percent;
- providing an initial non-compressed volume of a horticulturally acceptable non-coir/non-peat material,
- admixing the initial non-compressed volume of coconut coir pith and the initial non-compressed volume of non-coir/non-peat material to provide a blend of the coconut coir pith and the non-coir/non-peat material;
- and
- subjecting the blend to a compression step to form a compressed blend of the coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material;
- the moisture content of the initial. non-compressed non-coir/non-peat material incorporated in the blend, is sufficient to enable formation of the compressed blend in a manner such that, upon decompression of the compressed blend, a mixture of the coir pith and the non-coir/non-peat material is produced having a total volume which exceeds the sum of the initial non-compressed volumes of coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material in the admixture.
A composition comprising a compressed blend of an initial volume of coconut coir pith and an initial volume of a horticulturally acceptable non-coir/non-peat material;
- the compressed blend being formed in a manner such that when the compressed blend is fluffed or outturned, a fluff yield of decompressed coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material is produced which exceeds the sum of the initial volumes of the coconut coir pith and non-coir/non-peat material in the blend.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.