Plant attachment device for killing obnoxious plants

Details Plant attachment device for killing obnoxious plants Plant attachment device for killing obnoxious plants

1999-12-31

2001-05-22

Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)

Plant husbandry

Plant surface contact material applicator

Reexamination Certificate

active

06233866

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to plant control and more specifically to an apparatus and method for killing stubborn weeds, vines and small trees.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The concept of chemical destruction of obnoxious weeds is well known in the art. Typically, a herbicide is sprayed on the leaves and stem of a weed to kill it. Oftentimes, weeds with deep roots require repeated applications of the herbicide before they die. This can lead to large expenditures for herbicides, as well as excessive herbicide that could be destructive to neighboring plants. In addition many herbicides require pre-application mixing procedures for activation or dilution. These procedures can increase the time necessary to effectively apply the herbicide, as well as creating a possible health hazard.
Another difficulty with traditionally applied herbicides is that rain can wash the herbicide off the leaves and stem of the plant before the herbicide can penetrate into and destroy the plant. Depending upon the type of herbicide, this could have damaging effects upon the surrounding plants. Further, many weeds are unfortunately perennial, and the use of traditional herbicides to control them may not prevent an annual appearance by the offending weed.
One of the most common methods of killing obnoxious weeds is to spray the leaves of the plant with a herbicide. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the herbicide and to prevent destruction of useful plants around the obnoxious weed one can place a shroud or some confinement member over the plant. Such an item is shown in the Dickison U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,923. Dickison uses a cup like member that is placed over the leaves of the plant so that the herbicide can be sprayed directly to the leaves of the plant and the environment around the plant.
The present invention provides an insitu herbicide carrier mechanism for those particularly stubborn weeds without the use of large cumbersome shrouds that envelope the leaves of the plant. The present invention can come ready-to-use so as to not require premixing and thus minimize contact between user and herbicide. In addition since the herbicide is not airborne one also minimizes chances of inhalation of the herbicide. With the present invention the herbicide is held in confinement for direct transfer to a cut stem of an obnoxious weed. The carrier mechanism, while delivering the herbicide to the plant, also provides a protective cover to prevent rain from washing the herbicide away from the plant.
The present invention is particularly useful for destroying perennial type weeds that require eradicating by killing the roots of the weed as the present invention maintains a supply of herbicide in direct contact with a weed stem for an extended period of time to allow the herbicide to penetrate into the roots of the weed and kill it.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,923 discloses a spraying device with a cup shaped member that is placed over the plant before spraying the herbicide on the plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,100 displays a packing tube with at least one removable tube with the end cap having segments that deflect inward to insert objects therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,896 discloses a machine mounted boom sprayer that has a conical hood to limit the spray pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,477 discloses a house plant sprayer shroud comprising a plastic bag to retain the insecticide proximate the plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,904 discloses a spill-proof container with flexible closures that flex inward to allow for insertion of articles therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,059 discloses a weather resistant newspaper delivery receptacle having a closure with end caps having flaps that fold inward to insert a newspaper or the like therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,990 discloses a method of food article dipping and wiping device wherein a set of flaps contact the article to remove excess condiment.
Great Britain patent 718,042 discloses
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention comprises a plant attachment device including a herbicide carrier with a herbicide maintainable therein with the herbicide carrier having a penetrable cover to permit insertion of a cut stem of an obnoxious weed into the herbicide in the herbicide carrier where the herbicide can be allowed to penetrate though and into the plant stem and into the roots of the plant to kill the plant. The plant attachment device grips the plant stem to retain the herbicide carrier in place and also forms a protective cap over the cut weed stem to prevent rain from washing the herbicide away from the plant as well as to prevent the herbicide carrier from accidentally falling off the stem.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2841923 (1958-07-01), Dickson
patent: 3899100 (1975-08-01), Riguad
patent: 4199896 (1980-04-01), Lehman
patent: 4223477 (1980-09-01), Abernathy
patent: 4328904 (1982-05-01), Iverson
patent: 5564224 (1996-10-01), Carlson et al.
patent: 5593059 (1997-01-01), Neilson
patent: 5676990 (1997-10-01), Wawrzynski
patent: 5689913 (1997-11-01), Beaudry
patent: 5873196 (1999-02-01), Hoffman et al.
patent: 5894957 (1999-04-01), Egel
patent: 5932204 (1999-08-01), Joshi

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