WO2021212156A1

WO2021212156A1 - Apparatus for providing a honeycomb structure in a beehive

Info

Publication number: WO2021212156A1
Application number: PCT/AT2021/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Breinl; Hannes SCHEIBER
Original assignee: Youbee Gmbh
Priority date: 2020-04-22
Filing date: 2021-04-22
Publication date: 2021-10-28
Also published as: AT17102U1

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for providing a honeycomb structure in a beehive, comprising a wax foundation (3) and a hive frame (2) with an intermediate space for receiving the wax foundation (3), wherein the wax foundation (3) has at least one layer (7, 8) having the honeycomb structure, wherein the apparatus (1) furthermore comprises at least one clamp device (5), wherein the clamp device (5) fixes the wax foundation (3) on the hive frame (2) and has at least one clamp (K1, K2) which releasably clamps the hive frame (2) or the wax foundation (3).

Description

Device for providing a honeycomb pattern in a beehive

The invention relates to a device for providing a honeycomb pattern in a beehive, comprising a central wall and a frame with a recess for receiving the central wall, the central wall having at least one layer with the honeycomb pattern.

It is known from beekeeping to provide several frames with soldered central walls in a beehive. The central walls with the already given honeycomb pattern help the bees to form regular honeycombs, which accelerates the honeycomb construction and increases the honey yield.

The frame usually consists of wooden strips arranged at right angles to one another and the central wall is a plate made of beeswax according to the prior art. In order to mount the middle wall in the frame in a stable and permanent manner, several wires are stretched parallel to each other in the frame and the middle wall is placed on the wires. The wires are then heated by means of a transformer so that the middle wall, which is designed as a wax plate, melts in the area of the wires and is permanently connected to them. The result of this manufacturing process is the frame with a soldered-in center wall.

At an interval of 2 to 3 years, however, the middle walls should be replaced, which is done by pinching off the wires of the frame in order to remove the middle wall from the frame. As a result, new wires can be braced in the frame and a new middle wall can be soldered onto this as described above.

The correct tensioning of the wires, the soldering of the middle wall and the pinching off of the wires to change the middle wall, however, is a complex work, especially if this work has to be carried out for a large number of middle walls. It is therefore the object of the invention to create a possibility for an improved installation of central walls in small frames.

This object is achieved by a device for providing a honeycomb pattern in a beehive, comprising a central wall and a frame with a recess for receiving the central wall, the central wall having at least one layer with the Having a honeycomb pattern, wherein the device further comprises at least one clamp device, wherein the clamp device fixes the central wall on the frame and has at least one clamp which releasably clamps the frame or the central wall.

The solution according to the invention with the at least one clamp device in which the central wall or the frame is releasably clamped, on the one hand, creates the possibility of assembling a central wall in a frame without a permanent connection having to be created for this. Thus, the installation of the middle walls works faster than is the case with embodiments in which the middle walls are soldered to underlying wires.

However, since the clamping device can also be quickly removed from the frame or from the middle wall, the middle walls can be removed from the frame just as quickly as they were installed. There is no need to pinch off wires or irreversibly destroy other elements of the frame or the central wall in order to remove the central wall from the frame.

The clamp device particularly preferably has a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp releasably clamping the frame and the second clamp releasably clamping the central wall. As a result, existing frames and middle walls can also be retrofitted without having to screw the clamp devices onto the frame or the middle wall.

If only one clamp device is used, this can fix the middle wall on one side or on a corner of the frame and only be held loosely on the other sides or corners. If only two clamp devices are used, these could hold the central wall on two opposite sides of the frame. However, the central wall preferably has a rectangular shape and the device comprises four clamp devices, the clamp devices holding the central wall at one corner in each case in the frame. This creates a particularly stable installation of the center wall in the frame.

In order to further improve the connection between the central wall and the clamp devices, the central wall has an eyelet or a hole for each clamp device, into which a clamp device engages. The eyelets or holes enable a form-fitting engagement of the clip devices, which means that the Middle wall is prevented. If the central wall is equipped with an internal heating element, as described below, the eyelets also allow easier access to a connection of the heating element.

The clamping devices are preferably made of spring steel or plastic such as glass fiber reinforced polyamide (PA). It has been found that, on the one hand, a sufficiently high resistance can be achieved by means of spring steel or plastic, so that the clamping devices can hold the central wall in the frame. On the other hand, the spring steel or plastic can also be bent open enough manually to remove the central wall from the frame. The spring steel or plastic enables the clamping devices to be manufactured in one piece, so that no separate elements such as tension springs are required. The clamping device is therefore particularly immune to errors.

The clamp devices can ensure that the central walls no longer have to be made of a fusible material such as wax. Since wax plates entail high costs, a middle wall that can be manufactured more cheaply can then be selected by the clamping devices. Particularly preferably, the named position of the central wall is therefore a plastic wall with a wax coating, the plastic wall having the honeycomb pattern.

In the aforementioned embodiment, it can also be preferred if the plastic wall consists of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rePET). This has the advantage that the plastic wall can be produced in a particularly environmentally friendly manner.

Since the middle wall no longer has to be soldered to the wires of the frame thanks to the clamp devices, new possible uses for the middle wall are created. The solution according to the invention enables the central wall to be equipped with a heating element. This enables particularly preferred possible uses. For example, the heating element can be used for varroa decimation, to reduce honey losses through melezitose honey, to strengthen folk in spring or to increase the flexibility of the harvest time.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the heating element comprises a full-area PTC heating lacquer with a non-linear PTC effect, on which the layer with the honeycomb pattern is provided on at least one side. The PTC heating varnish has the effect that areas with low thermal mass are heated up to the same extent as areas with high thermal mass, so that local areas do not overheat he follows. The PTC heating lacquer can also be set in such a way that a predetermined maximum temperature is not exceeded, which is made possible by the non-linear PTC effect.

The clip devices also enable a particularly simple electrical contacting of the heating element if at least one of the clip devices forms an electrical contact which establishes an electrical connection with the heating element of the central wall. As a result, the heating element of the central wall does not have to have a separate plug or the like, but the electrical contact is made simultaneously with the fastening of the central wall in the frame. If only one clamp device is used as a contact, this can be formed, for example, by two guide areas that are separated from one another by means of an insulator. If the clip devices are made in one piece from metal, two clip devices are preferably used as contacts in order to enable a current to flow through the heating element.

In practice, the device could be implemented particularly easily if the frame has an outer tab at two of its corners for hanging in the beehive and those two clamp devices form contacts to the heating element that are next to the outer tabs of the frame. The outer tabs of the frame could be used for hanging in the beehive and for extended contact at the same time.

Advantageous and non-limiting embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a frame with a central wall mounted therein in a front view.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the central wall from FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the central wall without a layer with a honeycomb pattern in a perspective view.

FIG. 4 shows the central wall of FIG. 3, a layer with a honeycomb pattern being applied to the central wall.

FIG. 5 shows the heating curve of the PTC heating foil of the central wall according to the invention in a diagram.

FIG. 6 shows a first variant of a clamping device in a perspective view.

FIG. 7 shows the clamping device from FIG. 6 in a side view.

FIG. 8 shows a second variant of a clamping device in a perspective view. FIG. 9 shows a contacting bar for a beehive, in which several middle walls can be suspended and contacted.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 which has a frame 2 and a central wall 3 mounted therein. The frame 2 consists of four wooden strips 4, which are arranged in relation to one another in such a way that there is a gap between the wooden strips 3, which is designed to accommodate the central wall 3 is. The intermediate space can, for example, be the same size or smaller than the central wall 3.

In the embodiment shown, the central wall 3 is rectangular. The dimensions of the frames and consequently also of the central wall 3 are standardized, so that the frame 2 can be, for example, a length of 250 mm to 500 mm and the height of the frame 100 mm to 300 mm. However, the invention is not limited to these dimensions and the frame 2 or the central wall 3 could even assume a shape other than a rectangle and / or the frame 2 could consist of a material other than wood, for example plastic.

In order to fix the middle wall 3 in the frame 2, the middle wall 3 is fixed in the frame with clamp devices 5, as described in detail below.

The frame 2 with the mounted central wall 3 is designed to be inserted into a beehive, not shown, so that bees form honeycombs on the central wall 3. For example, ten frames 2 with central walls 3 mounted therein can be used in a beehive. So that the bees form uniform honeycombs on the central wall 3, this is provided with a honeycomb pattern on at least one side. The central wall 3 is usually provided with a honeycomb pattern on both sides.

As is known in the art, the central wall 3 can be a simple wax plate. Alternatively, however, the central wall 3 can also be heated. A specific embodiment in which the central wall 3 has a full-area PTC heating varnish 10 for heating is described below.

The layer structure of the central wall 3 with PTC heating varnish 10 can be designed in the most varied of ways. On the one hand, the PTC heating lacquer 10 can be printed directly onto one of the layers 7, 8. This layer 7, 8 can thus comprise an embossed honeycomb pattern on one side and the printed PTC heating varnish 10 on the other side. As shown in FIG. 2, the central wall 3 can also comprise a full-area PTC heating film 6 with a non-linear PTC effect, on which a layer 7, 8 is provided in a honeycomb pattern on both sides. The layer 7, 8 can, for example, be a layer of wax. In the example of FIG. 2, the central wall 3 is constructed as follows from left to right: wax layer 7, carrier film (substrate) 9, PTC heating lacquer 10, protective lacquer 11, wax layer 8.

Together, the carrier film 9 and the PTC heating lacquer 10 form the PTC heating film 6, which is usually designed as a low-voltage component. The heater thus consists of a substrate 9, preferably with etched or printed electrodes 12 (see FIG. 3), and an active layer printed thereon, ie the PTC heating lacquer 10. The PTC heating lacquer 10 is preferably a carbon lacquer, but could also be any other Be heating varnish that has a non-linear PTC effect and therefore does not exceed a predetermined temperature.

As shown, the PTC heating film 6 can be provided on the front side and the rear side with the aforementioned layer 7, 8 with the honeycomb pattern. Alternatively, the named layer 7, 8 could also be provided only on one side of the PTC heating film 6. The honeycomb pattern is provided on each side of the layer 7, 8 that faces away from the PTC heating film 6. The layer 7, 8 could, however, also have the honeycomb pattern on both sides.

As described in the example mentioned, the layer 7, 8 can in particular be made of wax. As an alternative to this, the layer 7, 8 could also be, for example, a plastic wall with a wax coating, the plastic wall having the honeycomb pattern or the honeycomb pattern being formed by the wax coating. In particular, rePET, i.e. recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), can be used for the plastic wall.

Said protective lacquer 11 can be provided in order to prevent the layers 7, 8 from melting directly onto the PTC heating lacquer 10.

FIG. 3 firstly shows the electrical contacting of the PTC heating varnish 10 in one embodiment. In this case, electrodes 12 are led out of the PTC heating film 6 in order to form an external connection. In the above-mentioned embodiment of FIG. 2, the electrodes 12 are located between the carrier material 9 and the PTC heating varnish 10. The electrodes 12 can be passed through a slot in the frame 2. Alternatively, the electrodes 12 could also be guided around the frame 2. One alternative variant for electrical contacting is described below in connection with FIG.

Alternatively or additionally, the PTC heating film 6 can be connected to the contact points on the outer tabs 13 of the frame 2 via wires or flat cables located in the frame 2, or it can be guided out of the beehive. If the frames 2 are supplied with power via a contact point on the outer brackets 13, two strips can be mounted in the beehive, which ensure the positioning and energy distribution on the individual frames 2.

The PTC heating foils 6 can be supplied with energy via a voltage supply and / or a control device. Individual brood combs or honeycombs can be heated or all of them at the same time.

Second, FIG. 3 shows that the PTC heating film 6 can be glued to two stainless steel sheets 14 (stainless steel sheet 14 / PTC heating film 6 / stainless steel sheet 14) in order to increase the stability of the central wall 3. Alternatively, plastic plates or plates made of a different material could also be used.

FIG. 4 shows that the stainless steel sheets 14 are each located between the PTC heating film 6 and the layer 7, 8 with the honeycomb pattern. In the example shown, the layer 7, 8 is a wax layer which has the typical honeycomb pattern. In summary, the PTC heating film 6 can be mounted for the purpose of a more homogeneous heat distribution and increased stability in a “sandwich” construction, for example between the two stainless steel sheets 14 or plastic plates mentioned.

In addition, the central wall 3 can additionally comprise a distribution layer made of metal, which contributes to more efficient heat distribution in the central wall 3. For example, the PTC heating lacquer 10 can be printed directly onto a layer 7 with the honeycomb pattern. The distribution layer can then be arranged between the PTC heating lacquer 10 and the second layer 8 with the honeycomb pattern.

The mode of operation of the PTC heating film 6 will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. The resistance of the PTC heating film in relation to the resistance of the PTC heating film at a temperature of 20 ° C. is plotted on the ordinate of the diagram in FIG. The temperature of the PTC heating film 6 is plotted on the abscissa. The heating phase (R up) and the cooling phase (R down) of the heating curves essentially coincide. It can be seen that the PTC heating foils 6 adjust automatically at a predetermined temperature, since the resistance increases suddenly at this predetermined temperature.

In practice, for example, a constant voltage of 12 V or 24 V is applied to the PTC heating varnish 10. In any case, a voltage of less than 48 is preferred in order to form the central wall 3 as a low-voltage part. In the heating phase, the PTC heating lacquer 10 is heated until a predetermined temperature, for example from 40 ° C. to 42 ° C., is reached. At this temperature, the resistance of the PTC heating varnish rises abruptly and no further current is consumed locally, i.e. the current flow is stopped locally. After a certain time, the entire PTC heating lacquer 10 is heated to the stated temperature, so that there is no further current flow through the PTC heating lacquer 10. Depending on the embodiment, direct current or alternating current can be applied to the PTC heating lacquer 10. It can therefore be seen that the PTC heating lacquer 10 does not have to be controlled in a complicated manner in order to achieve the desired temperature, but it is sufficient if a constant voltage is applied to the PTC heating lacquer 10.

The predetermined temperature at which the PTC heating film 6 regulates itself can be selected by means of the material used and the film design. If carbon paint is used for the PTC heating paint 10, the film design can easily be selected by the person skilled in the art in order to select a predetermined temperature of, for example, 41 ° C. at the predetermined applied voltage. The temperature of the PTC heating lacquer 10 is preferably set at 40 ° C. to 42 ° C. when a voltage of 6 V to 48 V, preferably from 12 V to 24 V, is applied to the PTC heating lacquer 10. More generally, a temperature between 40 ° C and 42 ° C or between 39 ° C and 43 ° C can be selected. No control device is therefore required to control the predetermined temperature of the PTC heating foil 6, which is achieved by the non-linear PTC effect of the PTC heating foil 6.

The predetermined temperature and / or the heating behavior of the PTC heating foil 6 is to be adapted to the respective intended use. The heating rate can be achieved in production by setting a certain resistance at 20 ° C. With the PTC heating varnish 10 with a non-linear PTC effect, the heating phase usually lasts 5 to 15 minutes. The heating phase can therefore be carried out more quickly than with a PTC thermistor wire with a linear PTC effect, since the PTC heating lacquer 10 cannot overheat. In particular, the PTC heating film 6 is suitable for the purpose of varroa decimation. It is known that varroa mites die off at a temperature of approx. 40 ° C, while the bee brood remains unaffected at this temperature. However, if the temperature rises above approx. 42 ° C, damage to the bee brood also occurs. For the purpose of varroa decimation, the predetermined temperature of the PTC heating film is thus set, for example, at 41 ° C and / or in such a way that it does not exceed 42 ° C.

For other purposes, however, the temperature can also be selected to be lower. These include in particular the purposes of reducing honey losses through melezitose honey, strengthening the folk in spring and increasing the flexibility of the harvest time. For example, a lower temperature can be achieved by means of a control device than the aforementioned predetermined temperature at which the PTC heating varnish 10 regulates itself. In one embodiment, the PTC heating varnish 10 can be set to 30 ° C to 37 ° C, preferably to ° C can be controlled. Only at a later point in time in the year is the PTC heating varnish 10 heated to that temperature of 40 ° C. to 42 ° C. in order to carry out the varroa decimation.

Returning to FIG. 1, it is shown that the central wall 3 is mounted in the frame 2 by means of releasable clamping devices 5, also known colloquially as clips. Figures 6 and 7 show a clamping device 5 in detail. This clamp device 5 has two clamps Kl and K2, the first clamp Kl releasably clamping the frame 2 and the second clamp K2 releasably clamping the central wall 3. In another embodiment, one of the clamps Kl, K2 can be replaced by a non-detachable connection or another connection such as a screw connection.

The clamp devices 5 fix the central wall 3 in the frame 2, which can function, for example, by spring force, form-fit connection or force-fit connection. The clamping devices 5 can be released manually from the middle wall 3 and / or from the frame 2 by the action of force, for example, so that the middle wall 3 can be removed from the frame 2. The clamping device 5 can be released, for example, in that the clamps Kl, K2 of the clamping device 5 are expanded against a pretensioning force. The clamps Kl, K2 and / or the clamp device 5 could also have a joint or hinge which facilitates the release of the clamp device 5. The clamping devices 5 are designed as spring steel or plastic and are made, for example, from sheet metal or as an injection-molded part. Suitable materials for the clamping device 5 are plastics such as glass fiber reinforced polyamide (PA) or stainless steel. The thickness of the spring steel or of the plastic is chosen so that manual detachment from the frame 2 or the central wall 3 is enabled, but at the same time a sufficiently strong spring force is exerted on the central wall 3 or on the frame 2 so that the Central wall 3 is fixed in the frame 2 when no external force is acting on the clamping device 5.

Alternatively or additionally, for example if spring steel is used, which does not have a sufficiently resilient effect to fix the central wall 3, the central wall 3 can have eyelets 15 or holes into which the clamping device 5 can engage. For this purpose, the clamping device 5 can have a screw or a bolt formed in one piece on the clamping device 5. The eyelets 15 are equipped with an inner ring in order to facilitate electrical contact. The screw or the bolt can be fixed with a nut on the other side of the eyelet 15. In principle, a simple hole can also be used for contacting, but this is more prone to errors.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first clamp Kl has two handles 16 which at their tips have a distance which is less than the thickness of the frame 2. In particular, this distance is between 8 mm and 12 mm or between 18 and 22 mm, so that most frames 2 can be clamped. The second clamp K2 has two handles 17, which are at a distance at their tips that is less than the thickness of the central wall 3. The clamps Kl, K2 can be bent open by manual action to accommodate the frame 2 and the central wall 3, respectively or to release. Alternatively, the distances could also be equal to or greater than the thickness of the frame 2 or the middle wall 3, whereby the clamping can take place here, for example, by a screw connection through holes in the clamp device 5, the middle wall 3 and / or the frame 2.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the clamping device 5 which has an extended contact for the outer tabs 13. For this purpose, this clamp device 5 has an optional third clamp K3, which could also be replaced by a simple bar. As shown, the central wall 3 is rectangular and a total of four clamping devices 5 are provided, one clamping device 5 being provided in each corner of the central wall 3. In other embodiments, however, only two clamping devices 5, only three clamping devices 5 or more than four clamping devices 5 could be provided. For example, as an alternative or in addition to the attachment in the corners, clip devices 5 could be attached in the middle of the side of the central wall 3.

All of the clamping devices 5 of the device 1 can be designed identically or differently. As can be seen from Figure 1, for example, the lower left clamping device 5 has a different shape than the lower right clamping device 5. One or all of the clamping devices 5, like the lower left clamping device 5, can only have the frame 2 on one of the longitudinal sides, for example one of the Wooden slats 4, grip around and not be guided around a corner area of the frame 2. One or all of the clamp devices 5, like the lower right clamp device 5, can encompass the frame 2 both on one of the long sides and around the corner area, which further increases the stability of the central wall 3 in the frame 2.

If the frame 2 has outer tabs 13, by means of which the frame 2 can be hung in the beehive, the clamp device 5 can also encompass the outer tabs 13 with the third clamp K3, as shown in FIG. This is shown in FIG. 1 for the two upper clamp devices 5.

Even if the clamping devices 5 are used, the electrical contacting of the heated central wall 3 can take place on the one hand as described above for FIGS. 2 and 3, so that electrodes 12 are guided out of the PTC heating film 6. On the other hand, the clamping devices 5 themselves can also be used to form a contact for the heated central wall 3. For example, the PTC heating film 6 can be exposed at that point on the central wall 3 at which the contact fixes the central wall 3. In other words, the middle wall 3 is free from the layer 7, 8 and optionally free from the protective lacquer 11 at this point. The contacting through the eyelet 15 can be provided in a particularly elegant manner. In the case of a simple hole through the central wall 3, the PTC heating film 6 or the PTC heating varnish 10 is exposed at least in the inner circumference of the hole, so that this solution is also possible. As soon as the clamping devices 5 contact the PTC heating foil 6, a power supply can be applied to the clamping devices 5 in order to heat the PTC heating foil 6. The clamping devices 5 particularly preferably form a contact up to the outer tabs 13 of the frame 2. In this case, two strips 18 (FIG. 9) can be mounted in the beehive, which position and distribute energy to the frame 2 and thus to the PTC heating film 6 guarantee. If the bar 18 is made in one piece from metal, all of the central walls 3 are heated at the same time. In alternative embodiments, the strip could be equipped with insulators in order to enable individual central walls 3 to be heated individually.

Claims

Expectations:

1. Device (1) for providing a honeycomb pattern in a beehive, comprising a central wall (3) and a frame (2) with a space for receiving the central wall (3), the central wall (3) having at least one layer (7, 8 ) with the honeycomb pattern, characterized in that the device (1) further comprises at least one clamp device (5), the clamp device (5) fixing the central wall (3) on the frame (2) and at least one clamp (Kl, K2) has, which clamps the frame (2) or the central wall (3) releasably.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device (5) has a first clamp (Kl) and a second clamp (K2), the first clamp (Kl) releasably clamping the frame (2) and the second clamp ( K2) releasably clamps the central wall (3).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the central wall (3) has a rectangular shape and the device (1) comprises four clamp devices (5), the clamp devices (5) each having the central wall (3) at one corner holds in the frame (2).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the central wall (3) for each clamp device (5) has an eyelet or a hole in which a clamp device (5) engages.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clamping devices (5) are made of spring steel or plastic, preferably glass fiber reinforced polyamide.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one layer (7, 8) is a plastic wall with a wax coating, the plastic wall having the honeycomb pattern, the plastic wall preferably consisting of recycled polyethylene terephthalate.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the central wall (3) is equipped with a heating element on which the layer (7, 8) with the honeycomb pattern is provided on both at least one side.

8. Device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the heating element comprises a full-area PTC heating varnish (10) with a non-linear PTC effect.

9. The device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein at least one of the clamping devices (5) forms an electrical contact which produces an electrical connection with the heating element of the central wall (3).

10. The device (1) according to claim 3 in conjunction with claim 9, wherein the frame (2) at two of its corners each comprises an outer tab (13) for hanging in the beehive and those two clamp devices (5) form contacts to the heating element, the next to the outer tabs (13) of the frame (2).