Tree planting pit

Abstract

The invention relates to a tree planting pit (10) comprising a parallelepiped-shaped body (12), said body comprising a bottom wall (14) and several side walls (16, 18, 20, 22) extending transversely from the bottom wall, the side walls defining an upper peripheral edge (30) which delimits an upper opening (32) distant from the bottom wall. The invention is characterized in that at least one of the side walls includes at least one pre-opening (40, 40a, 40b) comprising a recess formed in said side wall, the recess having a bottom that can be cut open to open the pre-opening. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Pit for tree planting technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of tree planting in urban environments. It relates more particularly to a tree planting pit that allows for root guidance. Previous technique

[0002] Urban greening, and in particular tree planting, represents a promising response to contemporary environmental challenges in urban areas, such as air pollution, global warming and loss of biodiversity.

[0003] However, this practice also raises complex issues, particularly those related to root development and associated risks, such as damage to foundations or water pipes. Despite these challenges, planting trees in urban areas is essential for creating pockets of coolness, improving air quality, and providing green spaces necessary for the well-being of city dwellers.

[0004] Planting a tree in an urban environment requires allowing sufficient space for root development while controlling its growth. This necessitates allowing the roots to explore the soil surrounding the tree.

[0005] Document ESI303613U describes a tree planting pit that has several openings to allow roots to pass through. The unused openings can be plugged with stoppers that are screwed into the openings. This device is expensive and carries the risk that the stoppers may detach from the pit. This detachment can create new openings, allowing roots to escape from the pit in undesirable directions.

[0006] Another drawback of this solution is that the multiple openings reduce the robustness of the side wall. This is particularly detrimental to its structural integrity when the side wall is located under a slab or a pavement. Description of the invention

[0007] An object of the invention is to provide a pit that remedies the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0008] The invention achieves its object by the fact that it relates to a pit for planting trees comprising a parallelepiped-shaped body, said body comprising a bottom wall and several side walls extending transversely from the bottom wall, the side walls defining an upper peripheral edge that delimits an upper opening distant from the bottom wall, at least one of the side walls including at least one pre-opening comprising a recess formed in said side wall, the recess having a breakable bottom so as to open the pre-opening.

[0009] It is understood that the removal of the bottom of the recess makes it possible to create a through opening in the thickness of the wall.

[0010] One advantage of the invention is that the side wall retains structural integrity when the pre-opening is not opened, unlike the aforementioned prior art device.

[0011] Preferably, the thickness of the wall segment forming the bottom of the recess is less than 50% of the thickness of the side wall near the side wall. Even more preferably, the wall thickness is less than 30% of the thickness of the side wall near the side wall. The thickness of the side wall is preferably between 5 cm and 15 cm, and more preferably between 5 cm and 10 cm.

[0012] Advantageously, the side wall has a plurality of pre-openings, preferably between 3 and 12.

[0013] The pre-opening section may, for example, be square or rectangular. Without departing from the present invention, the section could be round.

[0014] Preferably, the recess is formed in the inner face of the wall. The inner face of the wall is the face that faces inwards towards the body. In other words, when the pre-opening is not open, the outer face of the wall in the area of ​​the pre-opening is substantially flat.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment, several of the side walls include pre-openings. By way of non-exclusive example, each side wall has several pre-openings. Advantageously, the upper peripheral edge includes a recess arranged to receive a cover, preferably a grille.

[0016] The recess is in the form of a step adapted to support a cover. The recess is preferably peripheral, so that it extends around the perimeter of the peripheral edge.

[0017] The cover can be a tree grate or a protective cover which is placed during the work.

[0018] Preferably, the upper peripheral edge has attachment elements for transporting the pit. The attachment elements are, for example, arranged at the corners of the peripheral edge.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the body is made of concrete. It could also be made of another type of material, for example resin.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment, the pit further comprises a lateral conduit for guiding roots extending transversely with respect to said lateral wall in the continuation of the recess.

[0021] The lateral conduit allows the roots to be guided away from the body of the pit, for example to keep root development away from conduits or network pipes located near the pit.

[0022] According to another advantageous embodiment, the pit according to the invention further comprises a sealing device for partially sealing the upper opening.

[0023] The sealing device allows the upper opening of the pit to be reduced at the surface. The pit according to the invention can therefore be partially covered with a surface coating. In other words, the pit according to the invention can be used in locations where the distance between two edges is less than the length of the upper opening.

[0024] The plate is preferably placed above the earth which partially fills the volume of the body.

[0025] To achieve this, the sealing device preferably, but not exclusively, comprises a plate disposed inside the body and a lintel disposed above the plate and passing through at least the pre-opening.

[0026] The lintel can for example be prefabricated or made in situ by manufacturing reinforced concrete, the plate then constituting a lost formwork plate.

[0027] The lintel has the function of supporting the surface covering located above the pit.

[0028] Preferably, the lintel passes through two pre-openings arranged in two opposite lateral faces. Description of the drawings

[0029] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] [Fig-1] Figure [Fig.1] illustrates, in a perspective view, an example of the realization of the pit according to the invention;

[0031] [Fig.2] Fig.2 illustrates, in cross-section, the installation of the pit in a ground before filling the pit;

[0032] [Fig.3] Fig.3 illustrates, in cross-section, a pit in which a tree, showing root development;

[0033] [Fig.4] Fig.4 illustrates, in cross-section, another embodiment of the pit which includes a device for closing the upper opening; and

[0034] [Fig.5] The [Fig.5] is a VV sectional view of the [Fig.4]. Detailed description

[0035] Figure 1 has illustrated an example of the construction of a pit 10 for planting trees according to the present invention.

[0036] The pit 10 includes a parallelepiped-shaped body 12, which in this example has the shape of a cube.

[0037] The body 12 comprises a bottom wall 14 and first, second, third and fourth side walls 16, 18, 20, 22 which extend transversely from the bottom wall 14.

[0038] In this example, the first and third side walls 16, 20 are parallel to each other. Similarly, the second and fourth side walls 18 and 22 are parallel to each other.

[0039] The side walls 16, 18, 20, 22 define a top peripheral edge 30 which delimits a top opening 32 which is distant from the bottom wall 14. In this example, the section of the top opening 32 corresponds substantially to the surface of the bottom wall 14.

[0040] The upper peripheral edge 30 defines a substantially rectangular or square shape. As can be seen in [Fig. 1], the upper peripheral edge 30 includes a peripheral recess 31 which forms a step so that the peripheral edge is arranged to receive a cover, preferably a grid, which will be described in more detail below.

[0041] The upper peripheral edge 30 further includes hooking elements 34 arranged at the four corners of the peripheral edge allowing the transport of the pit, for example by means of cables connected to said hooking elements.

[0042] In this example, the body is made of concrete. Preferably, the body is a prefabricated element.

[0043] According to the invention, at least one of the side walls 16, 18, 20, 22 includes at least one pre-opening 40 comprising a recess formed in said side wall, the recess having a breakable bottom so as to open the pre-opening.

[0044] In this example, each side wall has nine pre-openings referenced 40, 40a, 40b. Reference 40a corresponds to a pre-opening 40 that is not open, while reference 40b corresponds to a pre-opening 40 that has been opened by removing the bottom of the recess.

[0045] A pre-opening 40a includes a recess 41a and a bottom 42a. As can be seen in [Fig.1], the recess is provided on the inner face 16a of the side wall 16.

[0046] The pre-opening 40b illustrated on the first side wall 16 is opened; to do this, the bottom of the recess was broken so as to open the pre-opening 40b.

[0047] In the rest of this exposition, we will refer to the 40b aperture as the pre-opening 40b which has been opened.

[0048] Still on [Fig.1], two openings 40b are illustrated on the fourth side wall 22. The pre-opening 40a illustrated on the fourth side wall 22 is shown in dotted lines to show that it has not been opened.

[0049] In this example, the section of the pre-openings is square. It could also be rectangular.

[0050] Insofar as the recesses are provided in the inner faces of the side walls, the unopened pre-openings 40a are not visible from outside the pit.

[0051] It is observed that the thickness of the wall segment forming the bottom of the recess 42a is less than or equal to 50% of the thickness of the side wall near the pre-opening 40a. The thickness of the bottom is chosen according to the nature of the material to be sufficiently rigid so as not to be opened by root growth. For example, when the block is made of concrete, the thickness of the side wall is approximately 5 cm, while the thickness of the bottom is approximately 2 cm.

[0052] Figure 2 illustrates a situation of the pit in a soil S in which it has just been installed. At this stage, it does not contain any soil, and it is temporarily closed by a cover 50 allowing operators to walk safely above the pit. In this example, the pit is flush with the surface coating R.

[0053] Furthermore, in the non-limiting example of [Fig.2], a corridor 60 has been provided between the surface coating R and a thin slab 62 in order to protect a water pipe 70 against root invasion.

[0054] It is understood that root development will occur in corridor 60 and that slab 62 will protect water pipe 70.

[0055] It can also be seen in this example that the pit opens into the corridor 60 via two openings 40b. As will be explained below, the roots of the tree that will be planted in the pit will be able to develop through the corridor 60 by passing through the openings 40b.

[0056] Figure 3 illustrates, in cross-section, a tree A planted in pit 10, as well as the root development of tree A, showing that the roots X extend in a substantially horizontal direction below the lining R through the openings 40b.

[0057] The pit is closed by a grid 72. It is observed that the openings allow the root development to be guided away from the water pipe 70 and networks 71.

[0058] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of the pit 10, which is located under a surface coating R that partially covers the upper opening 32. The pit includes a sealing device 100 for partially sealing the upper opening. This sealing device also supports the portion of the surface coating R that is located above the pit.

[0059] The sealing device comprises a plate 102 whose surface area is smaller than the cross-section of the upper opening. This plate 102 is positioned inside the body 100 above ground level. A lintel 104 is positioned above the plate 102 and passes through at least one opening 40b. In this non-limiting example, the lintel 104 is formed by pouring reinforced concrete through two openings 40b located in the side walls 16 and 18 of the casing 12, with the facing laid on the lintel. The plate 102 serves as a permanent formwork plate for the construction of the lintel 104.

Claims

Demands

1. A pit (10) for tree planting comprising a parallelepiped-shaped body (12), said body comprising a bottom wall (14) and several side walls (16, 18, 20, 22) extending transversely from the bottom wall, the side walls defining an upper peripheral edge (30) which delimits an upper opening (32) distant from the bottom wall (14), characterized in that at least one of the side walls (16, 18, 20, 22) includes at least one pre-opening (40, 40a, 40b) comprising a recess (41a) formed in said side wall, the recess having a bottom (42a) that can be cut so as to open the pre-opening.

2. Pit according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the wall segment constituting the bottom of the recess is less than or equal to 50% of the thickness of the side wall (20) near the pre-opening (40a).

3. Pit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said side wall has a plurality of pre-openings (16, 18, 20, 22), preferably between 3 and 12.

4. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the section of the pre-opening (40a, 40b) is square or rectangular.

5. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein several of the side walls (16, 18, 20, 22) include pre-openings (40a, 40b).

6. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper peripheral edge (30) includes a peripheral recess (31), the peripheral edge being arranged to receive a cover (50), preferably a grid.

7. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper peripheral edge (30) has hooking elements (34) for transporting the pit.

8. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (12) is made of concrete.

9. Pit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a sealing device (100) for partially sealing the upper opening.

10. Pit according to claim 10, characterized in that the sealing device comprises a plate disposed inside the body and a lintel (104) disposed above the plate (102) and passing through at least the open pre-opening (40b).

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