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
  • A01G13/0243—Protective shelters for young plants, e.g. tubular sleeves
• • 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
  • A01G13/10—Devices for affording protection against animals, birds or other pests

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a protective device, for example, to a protective device used to protect plants, particularly seedlings, from weather and natural phenomena and also from other, smothering plants, as well as from destruction by animals.
• the invention be used not only to exclude something, but also to enclose something, so that it can be used, for example, as a mould or similar device, as a wall, and so on.
• One basic type is a length of plastic piping, with the seedling planted inside it. If the pipe is not secured to the ground, it is sure to fall over and damage the seedling. The pipe can be secured by pushing it into the ground for some distance, but, in this case, there is the problem that ground is often 2 stony and in any event hard, making it very difficult to push the end of the pipe into the ground.
• Another mechanical device for protecting seedlings comprising a sheet made into slightly conical shape, with a hole in the centre for the seedling to come through.
• this type of solution will probably keep the vicinity of the seedling free from other vegetation, it does not actually protect the seedling in any way. Indeed, it can be a danger to the seedling, which can be rubbed and damaged by the edges of the small hole.
• US Patent 5375368 and DE Patent 927181 present cylindrical or angular protectors, with an essentially flat surface, and with holes in their two, overlapping edges, through which a rod-like securing component is threaded.
• the present invention is intended to eliminate the drawbacks of the state of the art and create a protective device for plants, which effectively protects a seedling from its infancy until it becomes relatively large, and which forms a general-purpose, simple, cheap and highly adaptable solution.
• An additional intention is to create a device that can be used to make a cheap mould, fence, wall or similar, and which is quickly and easily assembled.
• the intention is also to create a device that can be used to manufacture even large flat or curved plate-like pieces, and in which the basic components of the invention are joined together vertically and/or horizontally.
• a device according to the invention can generally be stored in a small space, so that storage and transportation costs are low. Yet another advan- tage of this invention is that the device is suitable for continued reuse.
• the device is easy to assemble and dismantle.
• Figure 1 shows one protective device according to the invention in use
• Figures 2a, b and c show the separated components of a protective device according to Figure 1.
• the device according to the invention is described in the following with particular reference to its use as a protective device for plants, but it is self-evident that, for example, its use as a mould is a direct adaptation of the former, and falls within the scope of protection of the invention, without any specific description of the use other than that below. It is also obvious that the connection of the components of the invention to each other, besides or on top of each other, also falls within the scope of the invention.
• Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention in use. It is clear, that the embodiment shown is only one alternative of the invention's external character, and is in no way intended to limit the invention to that shown, but only to show one functional embodiment. The following description refers simultaneously to all of the illustrations.
• Figures 2a, b and c show the device according to Figure 1 as separated components; in Figure 2a, the halves of the jacket surface are separate and seen from above, in Figure 2b, one half of the jacket surface is seen in side view, while Figure 2c shows the securing device.
• the device 1 comprises two halves 2 and 3 of the device, which are advantageously identical, and securing devices 4 and 5, by means of which device 1 can be secured to its base.
• the securing 5 devices are principally rod-like, and are usually made from plastic or metal wire.
• One end of the securing devices has a bent loop 4' and 5', which is meant to make it easier to use them and also possibly to act as a stop, when the device is being pushed onto the ground.
• the securing devices 4 and 5 intended to secure device 1 to the ground, they also fulfil the important function of holding components 2 and 3 of the device in the desired shape, should the device comprise two or more sections. This is arranged by including, in device 1 , longitudinally narrower 8 and broader 7 sections, which are most clearly seen in Figure 2b. In the broader sections, there are pairs of holes 6, so that the securing device 4 or 5 can be pushed through them.
• the device is suitably assembled so that, in the form shown, halves 2 and 3, which are approximately in the shape of a semicircle, are placed so that they overlap for some distance, allowing the holes 6 in both parts to coincide, after which the securing device is threaded through the holes 6 and pushed into the ground.
• the holes 6 are especially elongated, making installation easy, as the elongation of the holes helps them to meet, without very precise adjustment.
• a protective device according to the invention can be given many different shapes, without deviating in any way from the basic inventive concept.
• the alternation of the curved narrow section 8 and the broad section 7 can be given an angular shape, in which case the device will still operate exactly as described.
• the shape of the components of the device can be angular instead of curved and the size of the curve or angle can be as desired.
• One example of an angular shape is shown by the broken lines at the right-hand side of Figure 2b.
• the fence can be a closed, ring-like construction or open.
• the construction is sturdy in itself, while the securing devices make it even more so. If necessary, the number of securing devices can be increased, as the device has advantageously holes in the outer jacket at other points than the places, for example, at which the two halves of the device are joined.
• the securing devices of a device according to the invention will not only secure the device to the ground, but also hold the protective mat or similar in place, as, in this case, they are pushed through the mat.
• a device according to the invention can be manufactured to a desired circumference, but also length.
• the material of manufacture is especially a sheet material, like sheet plastic, which can be transparent, translucent or opaque.
• a reflecting or other special surface treatment can be applied.
• two halves can be used, one of transparent plastic and the other with a reflecting surface, which effectively reflects the heat and light of the sun onto the plant.
• the outer surface of a device according to the invention can be treated to reflect light.
• Additional advantages of the invention include the fact that the expanding and contracting sections stiffen the construction excellently in one direction.
• the pin or rod which, according to the inven- tion, is threaded through the holes, forms an excellent support in the other direction, so that the invention can be used to create an extremely rigid structure, suitable for many purposes requiring stiffness and an ability to 7 bear loads.
• Such structures are often made of sheet metal, which itself has excellent strength properties.
• a fence-like structure can also be simply rolled up, so that it can be easily and quickly secured again in the desired shape at the place of use.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Birds (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8551313

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-03-19 FI FI980606A patent/FI104144B/fi active
• 1999
  • 1999-03-12 WO PCT/FI1999/000188 patent/WO1999046975A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1999-03-12 AU AU27305/99A patent/AU2730599A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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