Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G13/00—Protecting plants
  • A01G13/02—Protective coverings for plants; Coverings for the ground; Devices for laying-out or removing coverings
  • A01G13/0256—Ground coverings
  • A01G13/0268—Mats or sheets, e.g. nets or fabrics
  • A01G13/0275—Films

Definitions

• the invention refers to a plastic film for ground covering with formed edges along its sides that is destined for agricultural use.
• Each formed edge is folded twice towards the same direction, in such a manner that the first folding (4) has width (b) less than (c) of the second folding (5) and preferably to half the width of the latter.
• the superimposed parts of each formed edge are welded to each other with successive weldings along its length, preferably transverse and in such a manner that the first folding as well as the second are welded to main body of the plastic film but not to each other.
• the first folding is welded to the main body with successive stamp- weldings that can be of any shape and preferably oval or circles having not larger dimensions than half the width (b) of the first welding and are located preferably halfway between two successive transverse weldings.
• weight insertion pockets are formed, that also have an opening for inserting the weight in each pocket, almost equal to the length of each pocket.
• the stamp- weldings pull the first folding towards the main body of the plastic film where it clings in order to close the weight insertion openings and trap soil in the pockets.
• the pockets can be as easily emptied during the use of the film as they can be filled, because the film cannot hinder the soil from exiting the pockets and as a result the pockets have to be refilled during the harvesting period.
• FIG. 1 illustrates such a design of a plastic film and figures 2a-2f show several details of such designs.
• the initial plastic film has any width (a) and length (1) and can be produced employing any of the known production methods.
• the two edges (2) along its length are folded to width (b) towards the mid-section of the plastic film leading to a residual length of (a-2b).
• the new edges (3) are folded again to a width (c) towards the mid-section of the film and in the same direction as before, so that (c) is larger than (b) and preferably about double than the latter so that the width of the end product is equal to a-2b-2c.
• the formed plastic film is then directed to a welding station where along its formed two-folded edges the film is welded with successive weldings (7i) preferably transverse and at fixed step. These weldings can have any step and any form.
• transverse weldings (7i) are made in such a fashion that preferably the first (4) and the second (5) foldings are welded onto the main body (1) of the plastic film but not one onto the other (cross-section A- A of Figure 1). This is very important for the proper function of said formed pockets.
• stamp-welding or a group of stamp-weldings (8) is made that welds only the first folding (4) to the main body (1) of the plastic film and in particular not to its entire length (c) but preferably to less than half the length of it (Detail of figure 1).
• the stamp-welding (8) during the use of the film will assist the entrapment of the soil. Specifically as the pocket is filled with soil and its volume increases the second folding (5) would be gradually distanced from the main body (1) of the plastic film as well as from the first folding (4) letting each pocket to assume the form of a tubular vault.
• the stamp-welding can be of any shape such as a circle, oval, square, triangle, rectangle etc.
• the successive transverse weldings (7i) are simple linear weldings (7.1,
• Figure 2a or they could be reinforced at their inner end in order to avoid tearing the film at this rather delicate point.
• the reinforced sections can comprise small horizontal lines (7.2, Figure 2b) or two inclined lines (7.3, Figure 2c) or they can be stamp-weldings (7.4, Figure 2d) etc. and they can be in contact with or at a small distance from the transverse welding.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Protection Of Plants (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=44913600

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2003
  • 2003-09-10 GR GR20030100373A patent/GR1007190B/el not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2004
  • 2004-05-24 WO PCT/GR2004/000030 patent/WO2005022984A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2004-05-24 EP EP04734562A patent/EP1662859A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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