Landscaping products including continuous chamber mass confinement cells and methods of use therof

Abstract

The present invention relates to environment resistant landscaping products, such as retaining wall and earth retention products, edgers, paving stones and the like, that provide a natural earthen appearance, such as rock, stone, sand, soil, clay, wood, trees and foliage, water, or any other natural earthen appearance. The present invention also includes a mass confinement cell that may be used in retaining walls and earth retention systems that has a natural earthen appearance and is resistant to damage and wear caused by the environment. The mass confinement cells are generally light-weight and include a continuous chamber that at least partially aligns with confinement cells positioned above and below, thereby allowing the intermingling of fill material between adjacent cells. The mass confinement cells are capable of accepting and retaining any type of filling material. The filling material provides weight, stability and security to a retaining wall constructed of such mass confinement cells.

1 . A mass confinement cell comprising:
 a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a molded and/or fabricated front surface produced from a mold that has a surface formed from imaging an actual natural surface; the front surface is adjoined to or formed on the front panel to provide texture and color that mimics the actual natural surface;   a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials;   one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber; and   one or more locking peg extensions and one or more ridges or slots for accepting locking peg extensions from one or more adjacent cells.   
     
     
         2 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1 , wherein the mass confinement cell has no bottom panel or a partial bottom panel and further includes an open top surface including no top panel or a partial top panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell. 
     
     
         3 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1  further including one or more securing mechanisms, wherein the one or more securing mechanisms include integral peg and socket systems. 
     
     
         4 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1  wherein the composite or polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), Poly(cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), polystyrene and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 4 , wherein the composite or polymeric material includes one or more filler materials, colors and/or additives. 
     
     
         6 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1  wherein the molded or fabricated front surface is molded or fabricated in the front panel. 
     
     
         7 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1  wherein the front panel includes a fascia having a molded or fabricated front surface. 
     
     
         8 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1 , wherein the back panel and side panels are integrally adjoined. 
     
     
         9 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel and side panels are integrally adjoined. 
     
     
         10 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 4 , wherein the imaging is performed by casting or digitally scanning the actual natural surface. 
     
     
         11 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1 , wherein the actual natural surface is formed from a mold having the image of cut stone, brick or wood. 
     
     
         12 . The mass confinement cell of  claim 1 , further including a load cell positioned within the front panel and side panels. 
     
     
         13 . A method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall comprising:
 a) placing a plurality of the mass confinement cells comprising a front panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials and having a molded and/or fabricated front surface produced from a mold that has a surface formed from imaging an actual natural surface; the front surface is adjoined to or formed on the front panel to provide texture and color that mimics the actual natural surface; a back panel including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials; one or more side panels including one or more deterioration resistant composite or polymeric materials that are operably adjoined to one or both of the front panel and back panel to form a chamber; and one or more locking peg extensions and one or more ridges or slots configured to receive locking peg extensions from one or more adjacent cells;   b) filling the chamber of each cell in the row with one or more fill materials;   c) positioning a second row of mass confinement cells above the first row of mass confinement cells;   d) filling the second row of mass confinement cells with a fill material; and   e) continuing the previously described steps until the desired number of rows is achieved.   
     
     
         14 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the mass confinement cell has no bottom panel or a partial bottom panel and further includes an open top surface including no top panel or a partial top panel extending from a front edge of the front panel back a length no more than 75% of the width of the cell. 
     
     
         15 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the composite or polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), Poly(cyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), polystyrene and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the composite or polymeric material includes one or more filler materials, colors and/or additives. 
     
     
         17 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the molded or fabricated front surface is molded or fabricated in the front panel or the front panel includes a fascia having a molded or fabricated front surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the imaging is performed by casting or digitally scanning the actual natural surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , wherein the actual natural surface is formed from a mold having the image of cut stone, brick or wood. 
     
     
         20 . The method of building a deterioration resistant retaining wall of  claim 13 , further including a load cell positioned within the front panel and side panels.