NL2001741C2

NL2001741C2 - Rose thorn defoliating and stripping device, has two toothed sides with teeth, respectively, where spaces provided between teeth are blunt and grip is connected to flat plate consisting of layers that are rotatable relative to each other

Info

Publication number: NL2001741C2
Application number: NL2001741A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Geertruida Louise De Lange
Original assignee: Lougo
Priority date: 2008-07-01
Filing date: 2008-07-01
Publication date: 2010-01-05

Abstract

The device (1) has two toothed sides (3, 4) with teeth (5), respectively, where each tooth of the toothed side includes a rounded end (6). Spaces (7) provided between adjacent teeth are blunt. A grip (10) is connected to a flat plate (2) by a handle (11). The handle includes a shank, which is connected to the middle of the plate. Stems of roses are passed through the spaces, such that thorns (16) and sprouts (17) with leaves are clasped behind the teeth. The plate includes two layers, which are rotatable relative to each other.

Description

Device for defoliating and stripping thorns of roses

The present invention relates to a device for defoliating and stripping thorns of roses. Devices for this purpose are known, for example from WO 2007/027789, US 5,062,238 5 or US 5,561,904. These devices have the disadvantage of being configured for stripping one rose, bud, flower spray or stem at a time. Devices for stripping multiple roses at a time are also known, for example from US2592833. These devices have the disadvantage that they are large and heavy, and they require a fixed position at a workspace. All of the above devices have the disadvantage that they damage the stem of 10 a rose being stripped, due to cutting edges.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for stripping thorns of and defoliating roses, that solves the problems associated with the prior art devices.

15 The present invention proposes a device for stripping thorns of and defoliating roses, comprising a plate, with a first toothed side and at least one second toothed side, wherein each tooth having a rounded remote end from the plate, and each space in between a pair of teeth has a rounded end at the plate side, and wherein at least those edges of the rectangular plate comprising the teeth and the spaces in between the teeth 20 are blunt. The device furthermore comprises a grip, connected to the plate, for example on a handle.

A bouquet of roses can be stripped of thorns and be defoliated by combing or raking the stems of the roses with the device according to the present invention. The stems of the 25 roses are conducted through the spaces in between the teeth, while the thorns, and sprouts with leaves are clasped behind the teeth. The rounded far ends of the teeth serve to guide the stems into the spaces between the teeth at every start of a streak, while the rounded ends of the spaces in between the teeth at the plate side serve for crasping thorns and sprouts with leaves along with the teeth. Thanks to those blunt edges of the 30 plate comprising the teeth and the spaces in between the teeth, the stems themselves are not damaged or scratched by the device. All other edges of the device may also be blunt or rounded, in order to avoid damage to the rose, or hurt of a user’s hands.

Preferably, the blunt edges are rounded, with a radius between 1 and 2 mm, and most preferably about 1,5 mm. This value has appeared to gain very good defoliating results, 2 with very low damage to the stems of the roses. The teeth preferably have an essentially rectangular shape, so a plurality of stems conducted in between the teeth is exposed to the same defoliating circumstances. If, for example, the teeth would have a tapered shape, stems that are conducted near to the plate will be defoliated better that the ones 5 near to the far ends of the teeth, which would be undesired. In order to avoid leaves, thorns and/or sprouts to stick in the device, the teeth should not be hollow, or have openings.

For defoliating various types of roses, the teeth at various sides of the plate are at 10 various distances from each other, for example at a first side about 10 and at a second side at about 20 mm. The teeth may have a variable width and length, but very satisfactory results have been achieved with teeth having a width between 10 and 20 mm, and preferably about 15 mm, and a length between 20 and 50, and preferably about 35 mm.

15

To obtain an adjustable width, and thus a device that is usable for a range of types of roses, the plate may comprise a first layer and a second layer, wherein the layers are arranged movable relatively to each other, for example by temporarily loosening a screw connection. This way, the width of the spaces between the teeth becomes 20 adjustable. A possible way to obtain an adjustable width is to provide a device wherein the layers are rotatable with respect to each other. In yet another embodiment, the layers may be positioned at a distance from each other, and more than two layers may be applied, for example 3 layers, at a mutal distance between 5 and 40 mm, and preferably at 20 mm. After positioning the layers relatively to each other, the screw-connection is 25 fastened again.In order to avoid the device to get stuck while raking the stems of the roses, the teeth are preferably straight, that means they are not curved or bended from the plane of the plate.

To able to exert enough force on the leaves and thorns, at least the plate of the device 30 should be made from a material that is rigid, or flexible to some degree. A robust embodiment of the device may be made from steel, but also more cost-efificient manufacturing ways, such as injection-molding the device from a plastics are possible, just as a wooden plate combined with a wooden or metal steel for example. The grip may comprise a handle, for example connected essentially at a center of the plate. This 3 handle may furthermore comprise a shield for protecting the hands of a user from thorns.

In order to enable a user to increase the comfort of using the device according to the 5 present invention, the length of the handle may be adjustable, for example by providing the device with a telescopic handle.

The device will now be explained into more detail with reference to the following pictures, in which: 10 - Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention and; - Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 1 according to the present invention. The device comprises a flat plate 2, with a first toothed side 3, and a second toothed side 4. 15 Each tooth 5 has a rounded remote end 6 from the plate 2, and each space 7 in between a pair of teeth 7 has a rounded end 8 at the plate 2 side. The edge 9 of the plate is blunt. The device comprises a grip 10, which is connected to the plate by means of a handle 11.

The device can be used by repeatedly moving the device along the arrows 12 and 13 20 respectively, relatively to a stem or rose or a number of stems, like a bouquet thus combing or raking the stems 14 of a bouquet of roses. Herewith, the leaves 15, the thorns 16 and the sprouts 17 are removed, while the stems 14 remain undamaged.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment 20 of the device according to the present 25 invention. The device 20 is like the device 1 from Fig. 1, its plate has a first layer 21 and a second layer 22, which are both connected to the handle 25, by means of a screw 23. The first layer 21 has an opening 24 in it, which allows it to move with respect to the second layer 22, when the screw is not fastened. Hereby, the space between the teeth can be adapted. The width 28 of the space between two teeth at the first side of the plate 30 may be 15 mm, and the width 29 between two teeth at the second side of the plate may be 20 mm for example. When both layers 21,22 are shifted over a distance 30 of for example 5 mm, the width of the opening 26 between a tooth at the first side of the first layer 21 and an adherent tooth of the second layer 22 becomes 10 mm, and the width of the opening 27 between a tooth at the second side of the first layer 21 and an adherent 5 4 tooth of the second layer 22 becomes 15 mm. Both layer 21 and 22 may have rounded edges 32 and 31. The device 20 from further comprises a shield 33, provided at the handle 25, for protecting the hands of a user from thorns.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device for stripping and de-leafing roses, comprising a flat plate, with a first toothed side and at least a second toothed side, wherein each tooth has a rounded side facing away from the plate and wherein each space between a two teeth the side of the plate is rounded, and wherein at least those edges of the device comprising the teeth or the spaces between them are blunt, and a handle connected to the plate.

Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blunt edges are rounded, with a radius between 1 and 2 mm, and preferably approximately 1.5 mm.

Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the teeth have a substantially rectangular shape. 15

Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein teeth on different sides of the plate are mutually differently spaced.

5. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the plate is a first layer and a second layer, the layers being arranged movably relative to each other.

The device of claim 5, wherein the layers are rotatable relative to each other. 25

Device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the layers are placed at a mutual distance.

8. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the teeth are straight.

Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the material is stiff.

Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the handle comprises a handle which is substantially connected to the center of the plate.

11. Device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the handle comprises a diagram between the plate and the handle.

Device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the handle has an adjustable length. 10