Undertaking – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-15
2001-02-20
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Undertaking
Miscellaneous
C428S542400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189188
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to artificial reefs in which human cremain is incorporated as a memorial to the deceased.
Memorialization of deceased human beings is a significant part of our cultural heritage. Burial of intact human remains in the ground or in a vault accompanied by a stone monument or bronze inscription panel has generally been considered the most frequently used method of interment and memorialization. Recently, cremation of deceased human remains has become an acceptable method of final disposition which has steadily increased in popularity because of the increasing cost of conventional funerals, limitations on cemetery space in urban areas and changes in cultural attitudes towards cremation.
Typically, cremated remains (cremain) are memorialized by interment in a decorative container which is kept in a private residence or a columbarium. Alternatively, the cremain may be ceremonially scattered in a preferred location such as a garden or a body of water. The most frequent choice for such scattering is a large body of water such as an ocean. The limited benefit of such disposal of cremain is the memory of a satisfactory ceremony and the minute addition of certain minerals to the body of the water. This benefit is greatly diminished if the ceremony is disrupted by inclement weather, rough seas or excessive wind. Moreover, there is no permanent object containing the cremain which can be recognized as a memorial to the deceased.
The perpetuation of cremain in various objects is known in the art. For example, the Vanderlaan Patent No. 1,640,680 discloses a method of perpetuating human remains in the form of ceramic tiles made with cremain and formed into plaques or other objects which are then incorporated into specific objects to which the deceased devoted his life, for example bridges, tunnels, dams and the like, or in a house of worship or in a specific outdoor location frequented by the deceased person. The patent to Botsch, No. 5,016,320, discloses the incorporation of cremain into a molded object representing or resembling the deceased, particularly a deceased animal, or something for which a deceased person was particularly noted, such as a replica of the deceased's house, automobile, or the like.
The patent to Brock, No, 5,127,112, discloses a water-tight capsule for underwater burial in which human remains are preserved, whereas the Vigh Patent No. 3,732,602, discloses a submersible crematory urn constructed of degradable material so as to dissolve in the water.
Artificial reefs for the preservation of marine ecosystems are known. For example, the patents to Rambo No. 4,840,516, Shen 5,122,015 and Warren et al. No. 5,803,660, disclose reef structures made of interlocking modules and the Rauch Patent No. 5,246,307 discloses a module to be used in submerged breakwater and a barrier reef module. None of the prior art, however, discloses or provides any way of maintaining a memorial to a deceased person who had a special interest in the marine ecosystem and the preservation thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and arrangement for memorialization of human cremain in artificial reefs which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater memorial incorporating human cremain which is resistant to the deteriorating effect of elements that are present in the marine environment so as to prevent accidental or deliberate removal of the cremain and to resist displacement of the memorial by waves or currents.
A further object of the invention is to provide an article containing human cremain which forms an interlocking shape or assembly with similar articles into interlocking modules so as to provide increased resistance to displacement by waves and currents in a marine environment.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a module formed of a composite cementious mixture which contains human cremain and which has an external surface arranged to form a cooperative interface with similar modules. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a plurality of such modules with cooperative interlocking linking surfaces is assembled into an artificial reef structure. In one form of module, human cremain is combined with a proportionate amount of a cementious mixture and encapsulated in pockets in a shaped block of aggregate cementious material, the encapsulated cremain being totally surrounded by the module material so that no part of the cremain is exposed to the potentially deteriorating action of sea water. For identification purposes, a plaque containing the identification of the individual whose cremain is incorporated into the module and which may also contain cremain may be affixed to the outer surface of the module in a permanent manner.
In order to form an artificial reef resistant to wave and current action from an assembly of such modules, each module is preferably formed with at least one projection on one surface and has a corresponding recess to receive a similar projection of another module when a plurality of modules are assembled into an artificial reef.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1640680 (1927-08-01), Vanderlaan
patent: 3732602 (1973-05-01), Vigh
patent: 4840516 (1989-06-01), Rambo
patent: 5016330 (1991-05-01), Botsch
patent: 5122015 (1992-06-01), Shen
patent: 5127112 (1992-07-01), Brock
patent: 5246307 (1993-09-01), Rauch
patent: 5287603 (1994-02-01), Schorman
patent: 5393253 (1995-02-01), Humble et al.
patent: 5740637 (1998-04-01), Snow
patent: 5803660 (1998-09-01), Warren et al.
patent: 6041483 (2000-03-01), Burch
patent: 9214433 (1992-02-01), None
BakerBotts LLP
Melius Terry Lee
Miller William L.
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