Plant husbandry – Cover – shade – or screen – Open top
Patent
1997-01-14
1998-09-22
Ricci, John A.
Plant husbandry
Cover, shade, or screen
Open top
47 26, A01G 1302
Patent
active
058096906
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an improved plant guard useful for the protection of small plants, especially newly planted small vines, during the early stages of their growth.
It is known in the vine growing industry to use an elongate hollow guard which can be placed around a vine at the time of its planting in order to protect it during its early growth period. One such guard is described and illustrated in Australian Patent Specification No 23516/92 in the name of Ian McLean and which comprises a panel of flexible material adapted to be formed into a tubular body and releasably fastened in a tubular condition by means of co-operating tabs and tab engaging slots provided along the vertical edges of the panel which are to be joined together. This allows the guard to be supplied as a blank in a flat unfolded condition and subsequently formed into a tubular shape on site by a folding operation and interlocking the tabs and slots.
It is considered that the design and production of the guard disclosed in the aforesaid prior art reference can be considerably improved from the point of view of ease of manufacture and installation procedure. In particular, it has been found that the jointing together of the vertical margins of the guard panel using co-operating tabs and slots is generally unsatisfactory in that the tabs, in some circumstances, may disengage from their slots and also that gaps are created along the jointed ends of the guard panel which provide entry points for chemical spray, eg herbicides, which can have a deleterious effect on the young plant.
It is the main object of the present invention to provide a plant guard having improved fastening means for releasably interlocking adjacent edges of the guard panel when the panel is folded into its tubular shape on site.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a plant guard having an improved fastener device which is of simple construction and which allows the guard to be releasably locked in its tubular shape quickly and simply.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a plant guard having improved fastening means which is designed, when fastened, to provide an approximate seal between the jointed vertical edges of the guard.
Broadly according to this invention therefore, an improved plant guard for protecting a small plant or sapling during its early growth period comprises a sheet like panel of flexible material which is adapted to be folded into a tubular shape, said panel having a pair of opposite edges which, when the panel is in its tubular shape, form adjacent vertical margins, and releasable fastening means for releasably fastening together said vertical margins, said releasable fastening means comprising interlockable resilient flexible fastener strips respectively secured to and extending along said vertical margins, said fastener strips having locking profile ribs which interlock with one another so as to provide a recloseable essentially zip type fastener.
The fastener strips can be formed separately to the panel or may be extruded integrally therewith.
Preferably, each said strip has a pair of flexible spaced apart locking ribs extending continuously along the length thereof, said ribs each being approximately arrow shaped with a central tip and barbs extending laterally to each side of the tip.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each said fastener strip has a first strip portion secured, eg by heat welding, adhesive or stitching, in face to face relation to the inner surface of a marginal edge portion of the panel and a second strip portion which projects outwardly from the panel edge and which carries said locking ribs.
Preferably said fastener strips are formed of extruded plastics material and are of identical configuration.
Preferably the panel is formed from plastics flute material which consists of a pair of outer facing layers interconnected by a plurality of spaced apart short length webs so as to form a series of elongate internal channels extending along the length of the panel.
Preferably
REFERENCES:
patent: 327510 (1885-10-01), Anderson
patent: D347170 (1994-05-01), Due et al.
patent: D353767 (1994-12-01), Due et al.
patent: 645518 (1900-03-01), Watt
patent: 4969555 (1990-11-01), Fitzgerald
patent: 5347750 (1994-09-01), Mills
patent: 5471783 (1995-12-01), McLean
patent: 5509229 (1996-04-01), Thomasson et al.
Due Graham Richard
Gryst Leigh
Gro-Guard Australia Pty Ltd
Ricci John A.
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