ES1285314U - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Forest plant protective device with a water collection and storage system that, comprising a structure (2) in the form of a vertical cylinder with a textile mesh for shading (3), which is nailed around the plant, is characterized by the fact that it also includes: - a water collection system (4) located above the guardian structure (2), in which the rainwater is collected, being conducted towards vertical hollow tubes (20) that make up said structure (2), and - a water storage system (5), located below the tubes (20), towards which the water collected by the collection system (4) is conducted. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH INTAKE SYSTEM AND

WATER STORAGE

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention, as expressed in the title of this specification, refers to a forest plant protective device with a water collection and storage system that provides, to the function for which it is intended, advantages and characteristics, which are described in detail. later, which represent an improvement of the current state of the art.

More specifically, the object of the invention focuses on a device structurally designed to serve as a forest plant protector, especially as a protector in reforestation against the eventual mechanical action of livestock on them, which, based on a tutor structure cylindrical vertical that is stuck into the ground surrounding the plant and that is provided with a mesh cover that acts as a greenhouse to give it shade, it is essentially distinguished by including means of capturing and storing water that guarantee a greater degree of survival success of the plant.

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

The field of application of the present invention falls within the forestry sector, focusing particularly on the field of manufacturing articles and accessories for the cultivation of forestry plants for use in reforestation and more specifically on plant protectors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, in the reforestation of dehesas with cattle and big game, a greenhouse tube is placed on the new plant, between 60 and 120 cm long, which in warmer environments has micro-perforations to reduce the heat inside. of the tube produced by the greenhouse effect. On this greenhouse tube, a protector of electro-welded and galvanized mesh with a variable mesh size between 5 and 10 cm in length is placed. and a wire thickness between 2.5 and 3 mm. This mesh is between 1.5 and 2 meters high and is anchored to the ground by corrugated iron bars, L-shaped metal profiles or wooden posts, from 2 to 3 units per cage and of variable height, between 1 and 2.5 meters. meters high.

The problem with this greenhouse tube is that the temperature around the plant increases a lot, even when it is made of micro-perforated mesh, which increases the stress of the plant in summer, since it has little ventilation. This, in turn, causes a greater evapotranspiration of the plant in summer and a desiccation inside the tube due to the high temperature.

On the other hand, the greenhouse tube has a diameter of about 8-10 cm and the protective mesh cage has a diameter of 50 cm. Therefore, a large amount of grass grows in the space between the tube and the cage, which is not consumed by herbivores and directly competes with the newly installed plant.

In addition, although this metal cage is proving to be effective in protecting plants in meadows with the presence of livestock, it has the drawback of its high cost, as it has 3 stakes and a mesh cloth that forms a cylinder two meters high and half a meter in diameter, which, together with the workforce of the installation, causes its use to be very limited by the owners of the dehesas, a productive system of low profitability.

The use of these protectors is mostly related to the granting of aid and subsidies by the public administration.

The biggest problem with this type of repopulation, in addition to its high cost, is the high percentage of marras, due to the fact that they are established in poor soils, with a lot of erosion and in semi-arid areas with a very irregular distribution of rainfall and with a drought summer around six months of duration accompanied by high temperatures around 40 degrees. The replacement of yore is expensive as it consumes a lot of labor, since to install the new plant it is necessary to dismantle the entire structure and reinstall it, which in many cases is left undone due to lack of budget, which leads to failure of the repopulation after the large amount of money invested. (Gomez et al, 2016).

Gómez Giraldez, PJ; Jimenez Morales, MN; Navarro Reyes, F.B.; Fernandez Rebollo, P; Carbonero Munoz, MD; Muñoz Espejo, ML and Caño Vergara, AB 2016. The regeneration of trees in the pasture. Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training Institute. 95 pages

The objective of the present invention is, therefore, the development of an improved type of forest plant protector that allows solving the aforementioned drawbacks and which, in addition, has been provided with a water collection and storage system that greatly increases the plant's chances of success.

On the other hand, and as a reference to the current state of the art, it should be noted that, although other forest plant protectors of the type concerned here are known, at least the applicant is unaware of the existence of any that have technical and structural characteristics equal or similar to those specifically presented by the one claimed here.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The forest plant protection device with a water collection and storage system that the invention proposes represents an improved alternative to what is already known, which represents an optimal solution to the problem described, with the characterizing details that make it possible and that distinguish it conveniently collected in the final claims that accompany this description.

More specifically, what the invention proposes is a forest plant protection device which, based in a known manner on a guardian structure in the form of a vertical cylinder with a mesh intended to be embedded in the ground surrounding the plant, is essentially distinguished by comprising a water collection system that contemplates the existence of a plate incorporated in the upper part of the tube that, through a lower funnel, directs the rainwater towards hollow tubes that make up the structure of stakes and through which it runs towards the lower part where it includes a storage system based either on a plug with a wick or on a vessel.

It is important to point out that, in addition to the innovation that these water collection and storage systems entail, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tube support structure also presents a series of improvements with respect to the previously described known systems.

Thus, with regard to the greenhouse effect, which increases the temperature and desiccation in the surroundings of the plant, the use of a white or very light-colored shading mesh within the protective structure is contemplated. This shading mesh allows air to pass through it, so that the plant has good ventilation that prevents the temperature inside the protector from increasing. On the other hand, being white or light coloured, it reflects solar radiation and prevents the protector from heating up, in turn providing shade for the new plant, which increases its resistance to desiccation due to summer drought.

Likewise, in a preferred embodiment, the guardian structure of the protector object of the invention has a preferred size of at least 2-5 meters in height, which allows its protection to be increased to 2 meters in height, since the another 50 cm will be destined for its interlocking in the ground. At the same time, this greater height also increases the beneficial effect of shade up to 2 meters in height in relation to pruning.

One effect of greenhouse tubes and shading systems is that they stimulate vertical plant growth, greatly reducing and even canceling the emission of lateral branches. This has an advantage in the formation of the new plant, since it grows straight until it rises above the shaded area, thus avoiding having to carry out training pruning, with the economic and physiological cost for the plant (it has to invest resources in closing the pruning wounds), and on the other hand, as the plant grows in a single vertical stem, it focuses all its resources on growing in height, reaching a greater vertical development beforehand, without diverting nutritional and physiological resources to secondary branches which must be removed later.

The greenhouse tubes that are used up to now and that are currently on the market only have a maximum height of 1.80 cm, and this, together with the fact that they are buried about 20-30 cm in their placement, provide an effective shade of only 1, 5-1.6 meters high, which leaves about 50 cm without this beneficial effect of shading.

The shading mesh of the protective device object of the invention allows this beneficial effect to be extended as far as it is needed, at least up to 2 meters, as has been indicated, but which, if needed, can be extended to a higher height, given the flexibility of the system.

On the other hand, and to avoid the aforementioned detrimental effect of competition for the growth of the new plant with the grass that grows around it, an anti-grass mesh will be placed covering the ground on the inside of the protector, from the stem of the plant to the electro-welded mesh that forms the outside of the protector. It is not considered to extend it outside the limits of the electro-welded mesh because outside the protection the grass is consumed by the cattle. Another beneficial effect of this anti-weed mesh is that, at the same time, it maintains moisture in the area of the ground that it covers next to the plant.

On the other hand, it should be noted that the materials used in the new protector reduce its cost with respect to the protectors known up to now, by using lower cost stakes and shading system and by requiring a smaller surface area of electro-welded protective mesh. .

On the other hand, with the innovations incorporated in the water collection and storage system, the percentage of waste is reduced and the annual growth of the new plants is increased, so, on the one hand, it saves on the cost of replacement of yore and, on the other hand, it allows the protector to be recycled or used in other plantations before than in traditional repopulations, since the plants will become adults in a smaller number of years.

More specifically, in a preferred embodiment of the protector object of the invention, in relation to the water collection system, this consists of a conical plate of about 100 cm in diameter located in the upper part of the structure, so that It is 2 meters above the ground, out of the reach of livestock.

This plate conducts the water to three funnels that are inserted into the hollow tubes that make up the supports of the vertical structure. The stakes are made of reinforced plastic, 4 cm in diameter and hollow, so that rainwater enters inside them.

The tubes or guardians are what keep the protector in place, since they are inserted into the ground about 50 cm, which added to the 2 meters they have outside the ground, they have a total length of 2.5 meters .

At the end of the tubes, at their lower end, there is some water storage means, which either consist of a plug with a wick incorporated in each of said tubes through which the water comes out by capillarity when the ground surrounding is dry (when the plant needs it), or they consist of one or more vessels, also called botos in some areas, where the water from the upper plate is stored and which will filter by capillarity to the surrounding ground when it dries, for which, preferably said vessel or vessels are made of baked clay (unpainted and unvarnished) and may, alternatively, be made of plastic material in which case it will have wicks such as those used for the direct option incorporated in the tubes for storing water described above.

In one embodiment, the existence of a vessel or boto is contemplated for each tube and, in another embodiment, the existence of a single larger vessel or boto is contemplated in which all the tubes are inserted, which, preferably, they are three.

In this way, about 9.42 liters can be stored in the three tubes, and the bottle will have a variable size, around 2 liters per tube, a total of about 6 litres.

With the entire system complete, the protective device, in a preferred embodiment, has a maximum storage capacity of about 15 liters per plant, which is provided to the plant only when the soil dries, when the soil has water the system keeps stored Water. The collection system is 0.8 square meters, which requires an accumulated rainfall event of 18.75 liters to fill the system with water.

This solves a very important problem in the effect of the Mediterranean climate on plants, characterized by the irregularity of rainfall, where it can rain 50 liters in one day and then spend several weeks or months without rain, even though it is a time when the plants are actively growing and need a certain regularity in rainfall for optimal development.

Another advantage is the optimal use of summer storms, where an abundant volume of water usually falls in a few minutes and almost all of it is lost through runoff. This system allows the capture, storage and distribution of water according to the needs of the plant.

In systems in which it is decided to provide summer irrigation to new plants, it also optimizes these irrigations, allowing them to reduce their frequency and greatly increasing their efficiency.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this description is attached, as an integral part of it, of a plan in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature the following has been represented:

Figure number 1.- Shows a schematic side perspective view of an embodiment of the forest plant protection device with a water collection and storage system, object of the invention, showing its general configuration as well as the parts and elements it comprises. .

Figure number 2.- Shows an enlarged view of the internal central part of the conical plate, where it has grooves to conduct the water.

And figure number 3.- Shows a schematic sectional view of the lower portion of the conical plate, showing the funnel it presents.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforementioned figures, and according to the numbering adopted, it can be seen in them a non-limiting example of a forest plant protection device with a water collection and storage system of the invention, which includes what listed and described in detail below.

Thus, as can be seen in said figures, the protective device (1) of the invention, comprising in a known manner a guardian structure (2) in the form of a vertical cylinder with a shading textile mesh (3), which is nailed around the reforestation plant in order to protect it on livestock land from mechanical damage caused by livestock or wild herbivores, it is essentially distinguished because, in addition, it includes:

- a water collection system (4) located above the guardian structure (2), in which rainwater is collected, being conducted towards vertical hollow tubes (20) that make up said structure (2), and

- a water storage system (5), located below the tubes (20), towards which the water collected by the catchment system (4) is conducted.

Preferably, the water collection system (4) comprises a conical plate (40) incorporated in the upper part of the structure (2) of tubes (20) which, through a small lower funnel (41) with several holes in that flows into said plate (40), is coupled to the upper end of each of some hollow tubes (20), which are preferably three, such that the water collected by the plate (40) enters said tubes (20).

And, preferably, the lower water storage system (5) comprises either a plug with a wick (50) through which the water comes out by capillarity, coupled to the lower end of each hollow tube (20) of the structure (2). ), represented in the figure only in one of the tubes (20), or a single vessel (51) or similar container of about 6 liters capacity, where the set of hollow tubes (20) are inserted, as shown in said figure 1, in which the water is stored and exits by capillarity from said clay material, or in a plurality of smaller vessels (51) that are individually inserted into the lower end of each of the hollow tubes (20). , although this option has not been represented.

This vessel (51) or container, preferably, is made of baked clay and has a spherical shape flattened at the poles, forming an oblate spheroid with conical openings in the upper part where the tubes (20) are inserted that transport the water from the system. uptake (4) upper. Alternatively, the vessel (51) can be made of plastic material, as a cheaper option, although in this case, since it is a non-porous material, it will be provided with wicks such as those described above so that the water passes by capillarity.

Preferably, the inverted cone-shaped plate (40) is made of flexible plastic, resistant to the sun and wind, with dimensions of one meter in diameter and about 15 cm in height (h), although these proportions may vary depending on the conditions. where the plantation is placed (rainfall, prevailing winds, etc.). Preferably, the plate (40) is transparent and has reinforcing ribs (42) distributed radially on its external face.

Preferably, in the inner central part of the plate (40) the existence of some grooves (43) has been foreseen, towards which the rainwater is led and from which it passes to the funnel (41) whose holes are inserted at the end top of the hollow tubes (20). In addition, this funnel (41) has a grid (44) to filter the water and thus prevent solid waste from entering the water storage system (5).

At the same time, in the preferred embodiment, the outer perimeter edge of the conical tray (40) has a cylindrical thickening (45) to provide greater mechanical resistance to the tray (40) itself and, at the same time, to make it easier for small birds that placed there do not slip down the tray and fall into the protective device (1), which could cause the death of the bird or mechanical damage to the shading mesh (3) if a bird falls and tries to escape by breaking the mesh.

The water collection system (4) is inserted into the hollow tutor tubes (20) of the cylindrical structure (2), performing a double function, that of supporting the structure (2) and conduction to the storage system. (5) bottom water.

These tubes (20), preferably, have a total length (L) of 2.5 meters and are inserted 50 cm into the ground so that the other 2 meters remain above the ground surface (t). Around this part of the surface of the tubes, along its 2 meters in length, the shading textile mesh (3) is placed, which is white or light in color, fixed by wire to the tubes (20). stakes and an electro-welded steel mesh (6) that is placed on the shading mesh (3) to reinforce the whole. Preferably, this electrowelded steel mesh (6) is made of 3 mm thick wire and with a clearance of about 10 by 5 mm.

Thus, the shading mesh (3) is placed wrapping the tutor tubes (20) until it reaches the water collection system (5) and below the electro-welded steel mesh (6), which is sewn with wire to the tubes (20) and to the shading mesh (3).

In addition, preferably, the hollow tutor tubes (20), which as has been said are preferably three, have a diameter of 4 centimeters and are arranged radially, separated from each other by a distance of 5 cm, forming an equilateral triangle in which each one of its vertices are separated by sides 9 cm long, each of the vertices of said triangle being the center of a tube (20).

Preferably, the hollow guardian tubes (20) are made of white or light-colored plastic to reflect sunlight and minimize the heating and evaporation of the contained water, and they will have sufficient resistance to fulfill their mechanical function.

Preferably, the electro-welded mesh (6) is formed by a 3 mm thick, galvanized and electro-welded wire.

In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the cylindrical structure (2) contemplates the incorporation of an anti-weed mesh (7) of plastic material that covers the surface of the ground (t) inside the protective device (1), between the stem of the plant and the electro-welded mesh (6), not exceeding the limits of the structure (2), that is, being included within it.

Finally, in a preferred embodiment, the tube (20) support structure (2) also contemplates the inclusion of a reinforcement of corrugated rods (8) between 1 and 1.8 mm thick that are partially buried and attached. on the pipes (20) in the area of the same that is at ground level.

Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the way of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands its scope and the advantages derived from it, stating that, within its essentiality, it may be put into practice in other forms of embodiment that differ in detail from the one indicated by way of example, and to which it will also achieve the protection that is sought as long as its fundamental principle is not altered, changed or modified. .

Claims (14)

1. - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH A WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM that, comprising a structure (2) in the shape of a vertical cylinder with a textile mesh for shading (3), which is nailed around the plant, is characterized by the fact that it also includes: - a water collection system (4) located above the guardian structure (2), in which rainwater is collected, being conducted towards vertical hollow tubes (20) that make up said structure (2), and - a water storage system (5), located below the tubes (20), towards which the water collected by the collection system (4) is conducted. 2. - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the water collection system (4) comprises a conical plate (40) incorporated in the upper part of the structure (2 ) of tubes (20) which, through a lower funnel (41) with several holes into which said plate (40) ends, is attached to the upper end of each of the hollow tubes (20), such that the water which collects the plate (40) penetrates said tubes (20). 3. - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water storage system (5) comprises a cap with a wick (50) coupled to the lower end of each tube (20) hollow of the structure (2). 4. - FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water storage system (5) comprises a single vessel (51) of baked clay or plastic with wicks , where the set of hollow tubes (20) are inserted. 5. - FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water storage system (5) comprises a plurality of vessels (51) in which the end is individually inserted bottom of each of the hollow tubes (20). 6. - FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the existence of grooves (43) has been provided in the inner central part of the plate (40), towards which the rainwater is conducted and from which it passes into the funnel (41) whose holes are inserted into the upper end of the hollow tubes (20). 7. - FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to claim 6, characterized in that the funnel (41) has a grid (44) to filter the water. 8. - FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the outer perimeter edge of the conical plate (40) has a cylindrical thickening (45) to provide greater mechanical resistance to the plate itself (40) and, at the same time, make it easier for small birds that perch there not to slip. 9. - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the inverted cone-shaped plate (40) is made of flexible, transparent plastic and has ribs (42 ) of reinforcement distributed radially on the external face of the same. 10. - FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that on the part of the tubes (20) that is not buried, which has a length of 2 m, the shading textile mesh (3) is placed, which is white or light in color, tied with wire and to an electro-welded steel mesh (6) of 3 mm thick wire. 11. - PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR FORESTRY PLANT WITH WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the tubes (20) are three tutors, have a diameter of 4 centimeters and are arranged radially, separated from each other. yes a distance of 5 cm, forming an equilateral triangle in which each of its vertices are separated by sides of 9 cm in length, each of the vertices of said triangle being the center of a tube (20). 12.- FOREST PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH A WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the tubes (20) are white or clear. 13.- FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH A WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the structure (2) comprises the incorporation of an anti-weed mesh (7) that covers the surface of the ground ( t) inside the device (1), between the stem of the plant and the electro-welded mesh (6). 14.- FORESTRY PLANT PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH A WATER COLLECTION AND STORAGE SYSTEM, according to any of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that the tube (20) support structure (2) also comprises a reinforcement of corrugated rods (8) of between 1 and 1.8 mm thick that are arranged partially buried and attached to the tubes (20) in the area of the same that remains at ground level.