Abstract:
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a device comprising: a first wooden portion comprising a substantially rectangular and substantially planar face interlocked to an opposing pair of substantially rectangular and substantially planar sides and to an opposing pair of substantially rectangular and substantially planar ends, said sides interlocked to said ends, said first wooden portion defining a cremains cavity; and a substantially planar wooden lid adapted to be attached to said first wooden portion and to permanently close said cremains cavity to form an airtight cremains space, said wooden lid comprising a plurality of vents adapted to vent the cremains cavity upon attachment of said wooden lid to said first wooden portion and to be sealed upon permanently closing of said cremains cavity.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of, claims priority to, and incorporates by reference in its entirety, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/351,125, filed 19 May 2003, and titled “Container” now abandoned. 

   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   A wide variety of potential embodiments will be more readily understood through the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a box-urn  1000 ; 
     FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional assembly view, taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
     FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional assembly view, taken along line B-B of  FIG. 1 ; 
     FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a columbarium wall  4000 ; 
     FIG. 5  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a columbarium wall  5000 ; 
     FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view, taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5 ; 
     FIG. 7  is an alternative cross-sectional view, taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5 ; 
     FIG. 8  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  8000 ; 
     FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  9000 ; and 
     FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  10000 . 

   DEFINITIONS 
   When the following terms are used herein, the accompanying definitions apply:
         box-urn—a permanently sealed cremains urn that defines a cremains space and comprises an opposing pair of substantially rectangular and substantially planar sides coupled to an opposing pair of substantially rectangular and substantially planar ends coupled to a substantially rectangular and substantially planar face that opposes a substantially planar lid.   brick—a molded rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln until hard and used as a building and/or paving material.   burial—the act of depositing a dead body or remains in the earth, in a tomb or vault, or in the water, usually with attendant ceremonies.   cap—a protective cover or seal.   capping—applying on top of.   cinerary—a place for keeping the ashes of a cremated body.   columbarium—a sepulchral facility with niches for holding cinerary urns.   course—a continuous layer of building material, such as brick or tile, on a wall or roof of a building.   cremains—cremated remains.   facade—a principal front of a structure, having some architectural pretensions.   face—the most significant or prominent surface of an object.   foundation—the basis on which a thing stands, is founded, or is supported.   interlock—to unite or join closely.   masonry—anything constructed of the materials used by masons, such as stone, brick, tiles, or the like.   mortared—joined with mortar.   mortise—a cavity in a piece of wood prepared to receive a tenon and thus form a joint.   niche—a recess in a wall.   rectangular—defined by four right angles.   roofing material—shingles, slate, seamed metal, shakes, terra cotta tiles, etc.   sepulchral—of or pertaining to a funeral, burial, tomb, vault, grave, and/or monuments erected to the memory of the dead.   structural masonry block—a usually hollow building block made with concrete.   tenon—a projection on the end of a piece of wood shaped for insertion into a mortise to make a joint.   tongue and groove joint—a mortise joint made by fitting a projection on the edge of one board into a matching cavity (e.g., groove, hole, etc.) on another board.   urn—a vessel or container of various forms.   wall—an upright architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness and serving to enclose, divide, define, or protect an area or to support another structure.   waterproof material—a weather resistant material that sheds water, such as pre-cast concrete, stone (e.g., marble, granite, etc.), roofing material, etc.   wood—the fibrous material which makes up the greater part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby plants. Often used as a building material.   wooden—constructed primarily of wood.       

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cremains container and/or box-urn  1000 , which can be comprised of a first portion  1400  to which a lid  1500  is adapted to be attached. First portion  1400  can comprise a face  1300 , which can be substantially rectangular and/or substantially planar. First portion  1400  can comprise an opposing pair of sides  1100 ,  1150 , either of which can be substantially rectangular and/or substantially planar. First portion  1400  can comprise an opposing pair of ends  1200 ,  1250 , either of which can be substantially rectangular and/or substantially planar. Face  1300  can be interlocked to either or both of sides  1100 ,  1150 . Face  1300  can be interlocked to either or both of ends  1200 ,  1250 . Either or both of sides  1100 ,  1150  can be interlocked to either or both of ends  1200 ,  1250 . First portion  1400  can define a cremains cavity  1800 . Lid  1500  can be attached to first portion  1400  to close cremains cavity  1800  and form a cremains space  1900 . If lid  1500  is attached permanently to first portion  1400 , cremains space  1900  can be substantially airtight. Box-urn  1000  and/or first portion  1400  can be defined by a length UL, width UW, and/or height UH. In certain exemplary embodiments, the maximum value of UL, UW, and UH can be about 12 inches or less. In certain exemplary embodiments, box-urn  1000  and/or at least certain components thereof, can be manufactured from wood, such as walnut, oak, cherry, and/or pine. 
     FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional assembly view, taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional assembly view, taken along line B-B of  FIG. 1 . Face  1300  can be attached to sides  1100 ,  1150 , and ends  1200 ,  1250  to form first portion  1400 . The attachment can utilize glue, such as a carpenter&#39;s and/or weatherproof glue, e.g., Tight-Bond II from Franklin International of Columbus, Ohio. The attachment can utilize a joint, such as a mortise and tenon and/or tongue and groove. For example, face  1300  can comprise one or more side grooves  1720  and/or one or more end grooves  1740  adapted to receive corresponding one or more side tongues  1620  and/or one or more end tongues  1640 . Note that the placement of and grooves and tongues, and/or mortises and tenons, is not critical, so long as a sturdy joint is formed. Thus, face  1300  can comprise one or more tongues and/or tenons. Although not shown, either of sides  1100 ,  1150  can be interlocked, such as via a joint, to either of ends  1200 ,  1250 . The joint can utilize glue, a mortise and tenon construction, and/or a tongue and groove construction. In certain exemplary embodiments, a tenon and/or tongue can have a round cross-section, such as a dowel, and the corresponding mortise and/or groove can have a round cross-section, such as a hole. 
   First portion  1400  can define a cremains cavity  1800  that can be enclosed to form a cremains space  1900  by attachment of lid  1500 , which can closely fit into first portion  1400  and onto a lid seat  1440 . Because cremains space  1900  can be substantially airtight, when placing lid  1500  on lid seat  1440 , a portion of the air within cremains cavity  1800  can escape from cremains cavity  1800  via vent holes  1540 , thereby allowing lid  1500  to mate flushly into first portion  1400 . Prior to mating lid  1500  to first portion  1400 , glue can be applied to lid seat  1440 , first portion  1400 , and/or lid  1500 , thereby allowing lid  1500  to be permanently sealed to first portion  1400 . Screws  1520 , which can be made of stainless steel, brass, etc., can project substantially through vent holes  1540  in lid  1500  and interface with receiving holes  1420  in first portion  1400  to attach lid  1500  to first portion  1400 , thereby applying sufficient pressure to help any applied glue set properly. Prior and/or afterwards to mating lid  1500  with seat  1440  and/or first portion  1400 , glue can be applied to screws  1520 , vent holes  1540 , and/or receiving holes  1420  to allow the interaction therebetween to seal vent holes  1540 , thereby rendering cremains space  1900  substantially airtight. In certain exemplary embodiments, cremains space  1900  can remain substantially airtight when exposed to temperatures ranging from about −30 F to about −300 F, including all values and subranges therebetween, such as from about −20 F to about 180 F. In certain exemplary embodiments, cremains space  1900  can comprise a volume of at least about 200 cubic inches. 
   In certain exemplary embodiments, a protective finish and/or sealant, such as a polyurethane wood finish, can be applied to an exterior surface  1320  of box-urn  1000  to help preserve box-urn  1000  and/or prevent moisture from penetrating box-urn  1000 . In certain exemplary embodiments, a pin, plate, and/or plaque, etc. can be adhered to an exterior surface  1320  of box-urn  1000 . In certain exemplary embodiments, the pin can relate to a civic society, social club, military unit and/or honor, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, the plaque can be brass and/or can be engraved with information regarding the deceased, such as name, rank, unit of military service, civic society, birth date, death date, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, a box-urn can measure approximately 7½ inches to approximately 7⅞ inches by approximately 3½ to approximately 3⅞ inches by approximately 11½ inches to approximately 11⅞ inches. In certain exemplary embodiments, exterior edges and/or corners of box-urn  1000  can be rounded and/or smooth to prevent injuries and/or to ease handling of box-urn  1000 . In certain exemplary embodiments, box-urn  1000  can resemble a piece of fine furniture. 
     FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a columbarium wall  4000 . In certain exemplary embodiments, columbarium wall  4000  can comprise a foundation  4100 , which can be formed of, for example, concrete, stone, and/or structural blocks. In certain exemplary embodiments, supported by foundation  4100  can be one or more foundational courses  4200 ,  4300 , which can be formed of, for example, concrete, stone, and/or structural blocks. Supported by foundational courses  4200 ,  4300 , and/or foundation  4100  can be numerous masonry courses  4400 ,  4500 ,  4600 ,  4700 , each of which can be formed of mortared structural masonry blocks  4720 ,  4740  arranged in a predetermined block pattern  4900 . In certain exemplary embodiments, masonry blocks  4520 ,  4540  can measure approximately 8 inches by approximately 8 inches by approximately 16 inches. 
   Defined by predetermined block pattern  4900  can be a plurality of niches  4820 ,  4840 , which can be regularly-spaced and/or located external to each masonry block  4720 ,  4740 . Niches  4820 ,  4840  can be dimensioned to receive at least one box-urn. In certain exemplary embodiments, a niche can receive 2, 3, 4 or more box urns. 
   In an alternative embodiment, one or more of masonry courses  4400 ,  4500 ,  4600 ,  4700  can be replaced by cast-in-place concrete, curable foam, etc. For example, using forms, such as a stamped metal form which has been embossed to define niches  4820 ,  4840 , one or more of masonry courses  4400 ,  4500 ,  4600 ,  4700 , and/or block pattern  4900  can be formed from concrete, spray foam (e.g., pre-foamed and/or foamed-in-place polyurethane, ozone-friendly polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, etc.), etc. In another alternative embodiment, a plastic grid can replace one or more of masonry courses  4400 ,  4500 ,  4600 ,  4700  and/or block pattern  4900 , and/or define niches  4820 ,  4840 . Such a grid can be pre-fabricated and/or can be fabricated in the field. In any event, masonry courses  4400 ,  4500 ,  4600 ,  4700  and/or block pattern  4900 , and/or a replacement thereof, can define a wall defining a plurality of niches  4820 ,  4840 . 
   The niches  4820  of one course  4500  can be offset along a length L (shown on  FIG. 5 ) of wall  4000  with respect to the niches  4840  of a vertically and/or horizontally adjacent course  4600  and/or  4400 . Each niche  4820 ,  4840  can define a niche length NL, niche width NW, and/or niche height NH. Niche length NL can be substantially greater than niche width NW and/or niche height NH. Each block  4720  can define a block length BL, block width BW, and/or block height BH. Block length BL can be substantially greater than block width BW and/or block height BH. Block length BL can extend substantially horizontally. Niche length NL can extend substantially horizontally. Niche length NL can extend substantially perpendicular to block length BL. Each block  4720  can define one or more cavities  4760  that can extend substantially horizontally. 
     FIG. 5  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a columbarium wall  5000 . In certain exemplary embodiments, columbarium wall  5000  can comprise a foundation  5100 , which can be formed of, for example, concrete, stone, and/or structural blocks. In certain exemplary embodiments, supported by foundation  5100  can be one or more foundational courses  5200 ,  5300 , which can be formed of, for example, concrete, stone, and/or structural blocks. Supported by foundational courses  5200 ,  5300 , and/or foundation  5100  can be numerous brick layers  5400 ,  5500 , etc., each of which can be formed of mortared structural brick courses  5410 ,  5420 ,  5430 ,  5510 ,  5520 ,  5530  arranged in a predetermined brick pattern  5800 . Defined by predetermined brick pattern  5800  can be a plurality of niche entrances  5600 ,  5700  which can be regularly-spaced and/or covered with a plurality of removable bricks  5620  or a plaque or plate  5720 . The niche entrances  5600  of one course can be offset along a length L of wall  5000  with respect to the niche entrances  5700  of an adjacent course. Wall  5000  can comprise a cap  5900  that can extend along a length CL that is somewhat larger than length L, thereby overlapping the predetermined brick pattern  5800  and/or protecting wall  5000  from the vertical entrance of water and/or debris. Cap  5900  can be constructed of waterproof material. 
   In certain exemplary embodiments, wall  5000  can be comprised by a sepulchral facility. In certain exemplary embodiments, one or more facades of wall  5000  can match a décor of a nearby sepulchral facility, church, and/or cemetery. Grounds near a columbarium wall can be landscaped, and/or provided with one or more benches, fountains, gardens, and/or religious symbols. 
     FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view, taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5 . As shown, wall  5000  can define a width W. Likewise, cap  5900  can define a cap width CW, which can be somewhat larger than W, thereby overlapping wall facades  6100 ,  6200  and/or protecting wall  5000  from the vertical entrance of water and/or debris. Cap  5900  can overlay an upper-most or top course  6750  of wall  5000 , which can be formed of mortared structural masonry blocks  6520 ,  6540  arranged in a predetermined block pattern  6900  that defines a plurality of box-urn niches  6400 . Adjacent predetermined block pattern  6900  can be a wall facade  6100 , which can be constructed of bricks (or stones, etc.) arranged in a predetermined pattern, which can include a plurality of brick layers  5500 . Covering an entrance  5600  to a box-urn niche  6400  can be a plurality of bricks (stones, etc.)  5620 , which can be oriented such that their lengths or longest dimensions are directed vertically. Bricks  5620  can be inset and/or recessed slightly from the adjacent courses, such as by approximately 0.25 to approximately 1 inch. Adjacent an opposite side of predetermined block pattern  6900  can be a rear wall facade  6200 , which can be constructed of bricks, stone, stucco, concrete, etc. 
     FIG. 7  is an alternative cross-sectional view, taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5 . As shown, wall  5000  can define a width 2W, that is approximately twice as wide as the width W of wall shown in  FIG. 6 . Likewise, cap  5900  can define a cap width 2CW, which can be somewhat larger than 2W, thereby overlapping wall facades  7100 ,  7200  and/or protecting wall  5000  from the vertical entrance of water and/or debris. Wall  5000  can be formed of mortared structural masonry blocks arranged in a predetermined block pattern  7900  that defines a plurality of box-urn niches  7400 ,  7500 , which can be offset from each other with respect to width 2W. Adjacent predetermined block pattern  7900  can be a wall facade  7100 , which can be constructed of bricks arranged in a predetermined pattern, which can include a plurality of brick layers  5500 . Covering an entrance  5600  to a box-urn niche  7400  can be a plurality of bricks  5620 . Adjacent an opposite side of predetermined block pattern  6900  can be a rear wall facade  7200 , bricks arranged in a predetermined pattern. Covering an entrance  5640  to a box-urn niche  7500  can be a plurality of bricks  5660 . 
     FIG. 8  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  8000  for constructing a columbarium wall. At activity  8100 , a foundation can be constructed. At activity  8200 , courses of masonry blocks can be constructed in a predetermined pattern. At activity  8300 , the masonry blocks of at least certain courses can be arranged to form niches. At activity  8400 , one or more facades, formed for example of a predetermined pattern of bricks, can be constructed and/or installed adjacent the predetermined pattern of masonry blocks. A sufficient number of loose bricks can be inserted into the niche for later use. At activity  8500 , the niche entrances can be covered, such as using one or more removable mortared bricks (not necessarily the bricks stored in the niche), potentially oriented such that their longest dimension extends vertically. At activity  8600 , a cap can be installed over the wall. 
     FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  9000  for utilizing a box-urn. At activity  9100 , a non-permanently attached lid can be removed from a first portion of a box urn to expose a cremains cavity. At activity  9200 , cremains can be placed in the cremains cavity. At activity  9300 , the cremains cavity can be closed via applying the lid to the first portion of the urn box while venting the cremains space formed by the mating of the lid to the first portion. At activity  9400 , the lid can be adhered to the first portion. At activity  9500 , the vent holes can be sealed. 
     FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  10000  for placing a box-urn in a niche of a columbarium wall. At activity  10100 , a covering, such as a plurality of bricks, can be removed from a niche entrance. At activity  10200 , the niche can be prepared to receive a box-urn, such as via removing from within the niche any facade bricks knocked into the niche, any stored loose bricks, and/or any loose mortar. At activity  10300 , the box-urn can be placed in the niche, such as via sliding the box-urn into the niche. At activity  10400 , the niche can be closed, such as via mortaring the previously stored loose bricks across the entrance and/or installing a plate or plaque over the entrance and/or bricks covering the entrance. At activity  10500 , the niche can be sealed. 
   Still other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from reading the above-recited detailed description and drawings of certain exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, regardless of the content of any portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim of the application of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated. Further, any activity or element can be excluded, the sequence of activities can vary, and/or the interrelationship of elements can vary. Accordingly, the descriptions and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Moreover, when any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. When any range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that range includes all values therein and all subranges therein. Any information in any material (e.g., a United States patent, United States patent application, book, article, etc.) that has been incorporated by reference herein, is only incorporated by reference to the extent that no conflict exists between such information and the other statements and drawings set forth herein. In the event of such conflict, including a conflict that would render a claim invalid, then any such conflicting information in such incorporated by reference material is specifically not incorporated by reference herein.