# US 9,775,303 B2 · More efficient structural cell for facilitating tree root growth > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,775,303 B2 - Document ID: US9775303B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/684,214 - Filed: 2015-04-10 - Published: 2016-10-13 - Granted: 2017-10-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-10 - Assignees: DeepRoot Green Infrastructure, LLC - Applicants: DeepRoot Green Infrastructure, LLC - Inventors: Charles Julian Ray; Charles Graham Ray; John Cogger; James Urban - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775303B2 ## CPC - A01G 13/27: protecting specific parts of plants, e.g. roots, trunks or fruits - E01C 3/06: Methods or arrangements for protecting foundations from destructive influences of moisture, frost or vibration {(heating devices E01C11/26; draining the subbase of roads E01F5/00)} - E01C 9/005: {Coverings around trees forming part of the road (protecting plants in general A01G13/00)} - E03F 1/002: {with disposal into the ground, e.g. via dry wells} - Y02A 30/30: in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - E03F: SEWERS; CESSPOOLS - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A structural cell system for supporting hardscape, allowing tree root growth, and managing stormwater underneath the hardscape. The system may include: a base having a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of support members interconnecting the receptacles; a plurality of legs each sized and shaped to be attachable to the base within one of the receptacles so as to extend from the base, and to be attachable to another of the legs so that pairs of legs attached to each other collectively extend from the base; and a top attachable to the legs. Outer edges of the base, the top, and the legs attached thereto define a volume, and are configured to support at least that portion of the hardscape overlying the top as well as a commercial vehicle traffic load thereon, while maintaining soil in a substantially uncompacted state throughout at least approximately ninety percent of the volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A structural cell system for supporting hardscape and allowing tree root growth and managing stormwater underneath the hardscape, the system comprising: a base having a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of support members interconnecting the receptacles; a plurality of legs each sized and shaped to be attachable to the base within one of the receptacles so as to extend from the base, and to be attachable to another of the legs so that pairs of legs attached to each other collectively extend from the base; and a top attachable to the legs; wherein outer edges of the base, the top, and the legs attached thereto define a volume, and are configured to support at least that portion of the hardscape overlying the top as well as a commercial vehicle traffic load thereon, while maintaining soil in a substantially uncompacted state throughout at least approximately ninety percent of the volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein outer edges of the receptacles extend beyond outer edges of the support members. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein the base and the legs each comprise an unreinforced plastic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The structural cell system of claim 3, wherein the unreinforced plastic is high density polyethylene (HDPE). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein the base, the top, and the legs attached thereto are sized and shaped to support a load of at least approximately 15 psi across substantially the entire top. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein: at least two of the receptacles lie along a first direction, and at least two of the receptacles lie along a second direction different from the first direction; and each of the legs has a cross-sectional shape having protrusions, the protrusions arranged so that, when each of the legs is attached to a receptacle, its protrusions extend in the first and second directions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs comprises legs having a first length and legs having a second length shorter than the first length. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The structural cell system of claim 7, wherein each pair of legs comprises a leg having the first length and a leg having the second length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1: wherein the base is configured so that plural ones of the bases are stackable in a vertical direction so as to be substantially coupled in a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and so as to be substantially uncoupled in the vertical direction; and wherein the top is configured so that plural ones of the tops are stackable in the vertical direction so as to be substantially coupled in the lateral direction and substantially uncoupled in the vertical direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, further comprising: a bioretention system positioned within the structural cell system; and tree roots extending into the bioretention system, the tree roots being from a tree positioned proximate to the structural cell system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The structural cell system of claim 1, wherein the base, the associated legs, and the top collectively comprise a single structural cell, and wherein the structural cell has no mechanism for coupling to another one of the structural cells.