Tape for protecting trees from insects
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2024714982
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-14
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing insect barrier devices for tree trunks, such as those using electricity to repel crawling insects, are cumbersome and costly to install and maintain, especially in large orchards, due to the need for multiple connections and manual setup, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.
A deformable, elongated body with nested electrodes and a power supply system featuring a cylindrical body with electrical contacts allows for easy installation and connection without glue, using a battery housing with a second ribbon-covered skirt and insertion slot for direct electrode contact, enabling quick setup and reusability.
The solution simplifies the installation process, reduces setup time, and lowers costs by allowing for easy connection and reconnection of the power supply, making it suitable for both small and large-scale tree protection without the need for complex mechanical connections or adhesives, while effectively repelling insects with a non-lethal electric shock.
Smart Images
Figure FR2024050199_22082024_PF_FP
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Title of the invention: TREE PROTECTION STRIP AGAINST
[0003] INSECTS
[0004] Technical field of the invention
[0005] The present invention relates to the general field of protection and prevention against insects harmful to crops, in particular against crawling insects or more generally insects moving by climbing on tree trunks, and for the protection of trees such as fruit trees.
[0006] Prior art
[0007] Fruit trees are prone to attack by crawling insects, such as ants and the aphids they breed. Aphids draw sap to feed on, weakening the tree, and are potential vectors of diseases transmitted through their bites.
[0008] Patents FR2842705 and FR3092475 describe barrier devices using electricity to repel and neutralize insects.
[0009] These devices consist of collars with electrodes that are put in place by tightening around the trunk, wrapping the band around itself and then fixing it.
[0010] Their installation, particularly on hundreds or thousands of trees in a large orchard, is tedious and time-consuming.
[0011] The electrodes are then connected to the terminals of a voltage and current source, such as a battery. Each of these batteries then requires a connection that must be set up by the user.
[0012] The repetition of installation operations requires a significant number of manipulations, with a significant time, a few seconds to tens of seconds per tree, which makes the use of these devices difficult and expensive for large orchards.
[0013] The use of dedicated mechanical connections such as conventional sockets and plugs represents a significant additional cost and is prohibitive for barrier devices, which must remain simple and inexpensive, particularly compared to the application of glue.
[0014] For private users, who have only a few to a few dozen trees, setting up each of the devices can take more time, but must remain simple and not allow for connection errors, without being excessively long to set up.
[0015] Brief description of the invention
[0016] In order to meet this need, the invention proposes a barrier device against crawling insects for a tree trunk or branch, comprising:
[0017] - an elongated and deformable body, configured to surround, in the installed state, a tree trunk, characterized in that it comprises:
[0018] - a first strip covered with nested electrodes, so that when an insect walks on said outer face, it is in contact with two electrodes, at least one segment of the strip forming a radial pin,
[0019] - a power supply comprising a cylindrical body, having:
[0020] * a housing configured to accommodate a battery,
[0021] * a second ribbon covered with electrodes, surrounding the cylindrical body on its skirt,
[0022] * an insertion slot, comprising electrical contacts which respectively connect an electrode of the first strip and an electrode of the second strip,
[0023] - connectors, which, when in place, hold the battery in the housing and connect the battery terminals to the electrodes of the second strip.
[0024] The resulting barrier device is easy to install, without the need for glue or other substances. The electrodes do not stick and can be reused for several years.
[0025] The device may further have one or more of the following characteristics.
[0026] The second electrode-covered strip can extend into the insertion slot, so that the connection between the electrodes of the first strip and the electrodes of the second strip is made by direct contact between said electrodes of each of the strips.
[0027] The first and second strips are advantageously identical, and the electrodes may be arranged in a parallel longitudinal pattern, and the insertion slot then comprises means for aligning the first and second strips when inserting the radial plug into the insertion slot.
[0028] The connectors may be formed of deformed metal wire, the cylindrical body having grooves and the connectors having a length of bent metal rod, forming a contact segment inserted into the grooves and contacting a terminal of the battery, and a distribution segment bent to contact only a portion of the electrodes when the connector is inserted into a groove, providing contact with the electrodes of the second strip.
[0029] The electrodes may be made in the form of metal strips deposited or printed on the first and second ribbons.
[0030] The opening of the insertion slot is advantageously flared so as to form a guide for inserting the contact segment into said insertion slot.
[0031] The electrodes may be of an even number, and distributed symmetrically on either side of a longitudinal central axis of the strip, so that the power supply may be connected in either direction to the radial plug.
[0032] The device may comprise a plastic tab, covered by the tape carrying the electrodes and shaping it to generate the radial plug.
[0033] The device advantageously further comprises a rigid plate having three slots, into which the strip covered with electrodes is inserted, with two segments inserted into the central slot and forming, by being folded over each other, the radial plug.
[0034] Brief description of the figures
[0035] Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description of the figures, including:
[0036] [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation of a tree with a device according to the invention,
[0037] [Fig. 2] is a schematic sectional representation of the device on the shaft to the right of Figure 1,
[0038] [Fig. 3] is a schematic perspective representation of the device, flat for distribution and storage,
[0039] [Fig. 4] is a schematic representation of the electrical circuit formed by the electrodes and the current source, closed by an insect,
[0040] [Fig. 5] is an exploded perspective view of a power supply according to one embodiment of the invention,
[0041] [Fig. 6] is a sectional view of the power supply of Figure 5 at the mid-level of the stack,
[0042] [Fig. 7] is an exploded view of the feed body according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, [Fig. 8] is a top view of an embodiment of feed and barrier device,
[0043] [Fig. 9] is a top view of an alternative embodiment of power supply and barrier device,
[0044] [Fig. 10] and
[0045] [Fig. 11] are top views of a barrier device being assembled, illustrating a particular embodiment of a power supply connection plug.
[0046] The embodiments shown in the figures and described below are given as a descriptive and non-limiting example. Other embodiments can be obtained by slightly modifying the features of the described embodiments or by combining features of different embodiments where possible.
[0047] Detailed description of the figures
[0048] Figure 1 is a side view of two crawling insect barrier devices 1 each arranged on the trunk of two trees 100, respectively on the left and right in Figure 1.
[0049] Alternatively, the barrier device 1 can be installed on a branch of the tree 100, for example if said branch is a graft that needs to be protected.
[0050] Barrier device 1 on the left is arranged around the trunk of tree 100, and goes completely around it. Barrier device 1 on the right is wound in a helix around the trunk of tree 100.
[0051] The barrier device 1 on the left in Figure 1 is adjusted to the diameter of the trunk of the tree 100, and corresponds in particular to the type of barrier device 1 intended for individuals, who must adjust the perimeter of the device to the various species and ages of trees that they wish to protect. They will have time for each tree 100 to adjust the length of the barrier device 1 at each installation.
[0052] The barrier device 1 on the right in Figure 1 comprises an elastic body which spontaneously wraps around the trunk of the tree 100, and makes more than one turn, in particular about one and a half turns, and functions like a bistable spring cuff. This type of barrier device 1 is suitable for farmers and owners of orchards or a large number of trees 100.
[0053] In this case, the 100 trees are of a single species and very often of similar size and age. The device can then be sized to suit the entire plantation. The installation of the device is done in a single movement, and no adjustment of the length of the barrier device 1 is necessary beforehand.
[0054] Figure 2 is a sectional view of the barrier device 1 on the right in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the barrier device 1 in perspective.
[0055] The barrier device 1 comprises on a front or outer face (opposite the trunk of the tree 100) electrodes 3. The electrodes 3 are connected respectively to the two poles, positive and negative, of an electrical power supply 5 and are nested so that when an insect walks on said outer face, it is in contact with the two adjacent electrodes, and thus closes the electrical circuit.
[0056] The insect then receives an electric shock due to the current delivered between the electrodes 3.
[0057] The power supply 5 protrudes radially from the device 1 and is interchangeable.
[0058] In particular, the power supply 5 comprises one or more batteries. A voltage of approximately 6 to 12 volts is, for example, maintained between the electrodes 3 in the absence of insects or elements closing the circuit.
[0059] The current is emitted at about 5 to 20 microamperes, and the duration of emission is between 0.05 and 0.20 seconds due to electrical resistance and spasms of the insect which interrupt the current. It is then possible to knock most insects down without killing them by means of a shock which is strong enough to paralyze them but nevertheless non-lethal.
[0060] The electrodes 3 are for example made of stainless steel or aluminum, in order to resist degradation by oxidation, and printed or deposited on a ribbon of flexible material such as polyester.
[0061] The strip carrying the electrodes 3 is glued or fixed to a deformable elongated body 7, configured to surround, in the installed state, the trunk or branch of the tree 100 on which the device 1 is placed. The elongated body 7 is here in the form of a flexible sheath 71 in which stacked bistable spring blades 73 are inserted.
[0062] The bistable blades 73 have a stable straight position and a stable wound position. In the stable straight position, the bistable blades 73 have a curvature in the transverse plane which stabilizes their straight state in the longitudinal direction. By imparting a curvature to the bistable blades 73 in the longitudinal plane, the resistance of the curvature in the transverse plane is overcome, and the bistable blades 73 then switch to a second stable state, in which they curl on themselves or around an object.
[0063] Such bistable blades 73 are used, for example, for safety and signaling armbands.
[0064] Alternatively, the bistable blades 73 may be replaced by a plastically deformed metal core to wrap the device 1 around the trunk or branch of the tree 100.
[0065] The tape carrying the electrodes 3 is for example self-adhesive, and glued to the outer face of the elongated body 7. A length segment of tape carrying the electrodes 3 is folded back on itself and forms a plug 32 protruding radially from the elongated body 7.
[0066] A thickness of deformable foam 9 is attached to the elongated body 7, on the side disposed against the trunk of the tree 100. The foam 9, by conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the trunk, fills the roughness which would represent a hole between the trunk and the barrier device 1, thus forming a passage for the insects.
[0067] The foam 9 is for example a strip of expanded polyurethane, glued to the side opposite the electrodes 3 of the elongated body 7. The foam 9 is advantageously impregnated with a repellent or insecticide, in particular targeted against scale insects, which could use the roughness of the foam to nest.
[0068] Figure 4 illustrates an example of arrangement of the electrodes 3.
[0069] The electrodes 31, 33, connected respectively to the positive and negative poles of the power supply 5, comprise straight and parallel segments, alternating a segment of the positive electrode 31 and a segment of the negative electrode 33.
[0070] The segments have, for example, a width of 3 to 10 millimeters, and a length corresponding to the total length of the elongated body 7. The electrodes 3 are for example produced by depositing a thin metallic layer, by printing, or by chemical or photochemical etching on the ribbon carrying them.
[0071] The electrodes 3 are parallel and close enough for an insect 11 moving on the outer face of the barrier device 1 to touch, when it attempts to cross the barrier device 1, two parallel segments belonging to the two electrodes 3. The insect 11 thus closes the electrical circuit, which triggers the emission of an electric current which shocks the insect 11. Due to spasms induced by the electric current, the insect is ejected and falls back to the ground.
[0072] Figure 5 illustrates in perspective and exploded view the main elements making up the power supply 5. The power supply 5 comprises a cylindrical body 50, the cross-section of which is schematically drop-shaped, with a rounded rear part, and a flaring front part. The rounded rear part has a housing 51 for a battery 200, tubular and passing through. At the front the cylindrical body has a vertical insertion slot 53.
[0073] The cylindrical body 50 is made of elastically deformable plastic, for example by molding or printing.
[0074] The cylindrical body 50 is surrounded by a second strip covered with electrodes 3, surrounding the cylindrical body 50 on its peripheral skirt.
[0075] In the insertion slot 53 there are electrical contacts, here two segments of the second strip carrying the electrodes 3 which extends to the inside of the insertion slot 53. Said electrical contacts bring the electrodes 3 of the second strip into contact one by one with the electrodes 3 carried by the first strip arranged on the elongated body 7 when the radial plug 30 is inserted into the insertion slot 53. These electrical contacts consist here of two segments of the second strip carrying the electrodes 3, in the extension of the strip going around the cylindrical body 50, which are folded into the insertion slot 53.
[0076] The first and second strips carrying the electrodes 3, respectively carried by the elongated body 7 and the cylindrical body 50, are in particular cut from the same strip, and therefore have an identical distribution of the electrodes 3 which they carry. Thus, when the plug formed by the fold 32 of the first strip is inserted into the insertion slot 53, the electrodes 3 of the two strips are then in electrical contact one by one.
[0077] If the electrodes 3 are even in number, and distributed symmetrically on either side of a longitudinal central axis of the strip, the power supply 5 can be connected in either direction.
[0078] Connectors 13 form both an electrical contact between the terminals of the battery 200 and the electrodes 3 and a fixing of the battery 200 in its housing 51.
[0079] These connectors 13 are made in the form of bent and folded metal rods or wires. These connectors 13 are for example made of specific stainless steel called "spring steel" having significant elastic properties due to a relatively high content of silicon Si. They are also very good electrical conductors and have a very low electrolytic couple with aluminum, which gives the connection excellent quality over time. A segment of the bent rod forms a contact segment 130, and is oriented substantially horizontally when it is in place and considering the cylindrical body 50 laid flat.
[0080] The second segment of the bent rod, substantially perpendicular to the contact segment 130, forms a distribution segment 131, which, when put in place, is in contact with one electrode 3 out of two. It has at its end a folded finger, which ends in a loop 133.
[0081] The contact segments 130 of the two connectors 13 are inserted into horizontal grooves 55 made at the rear of the cylindrical body 50, opening into the housing 51 for the battery 200.
[0082] The distribution segments 131 of the connectors are inserted, when placed, into a vertical recess 57 on the side of the cylindrical body 50 at the middle of the housing 51 for the battery 200,
[0083] Figure 6 is a schematic sectional view of the power supply 5 in the transverse vertical plane, at the level of the connectors 13 which are shown in place, that is to say with their contact segment 130 inserted in the grooves 55.
[0084] The two connectors 13 are arranged so as to be the image of each other by rotation of 180°. Since the metal strips forming the electrodes 3 are even in number and arranged symmetrically with respect to a median longitudinal axis of the strip, the two connectors 13 can be identical in shape and dimensions.
[0085] The free ends of the contact segments 130 of the connectors 13 terminate in loops 133 obtained by folding the rod constituting said connectors 13. These loops 133 form elastic elements in compression, which make it possible to hold the connectors 13 in place when they are inserted into the corresponding groove 55 by cooperating with the vertical withdrawal 57.
[0086] The two connectors 13 are in contact, by their contact segment 130 with respectively the positive and negative terminal of the battery 200. The distribution segments 131 of each of the connectors 13 are in contact with one electrode 3 out of two, so that each of the electrodes 3 is connected to only one of the two connectors 13, which divides the electrodes into positive electrodes 31 connected via the first connector 13 to the positive terminal of the battery 200 and into negative electrodes 33 connected via the second connector 13 to the negative terminal of the battery 200. The positive electrodes 31 and negative electrodes 33 are then arranged alternately as in the diagram of figure 4.
[0087] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the cylindrical body 50 of a power supply 5.
[0088] The cylindrical body 50 comprises two halves 50A, 50B, forming two left and right halves of the cylindrical body 50.
[0089] The two halves 50A, 50B are in particular identical, and each comprise one half of the housing 51 for the battery 200. Two facing plane recesses form the insertion slot 53, while accommodating the two end segments of the strip carrying the electrodes 3 when assembled. The shoulders located on either side of the recesses forming the insertion slot 53 are flared in the vertical direction once the power supply 5 is in place. With the flare in the horizontal plane once the power supply 5 is in place, the insertion slot 53 forms a guide and a centering aid during penetration of the rigid plug.
[0090] The two halves 50A, 50B each comprise two pins 59 and two bores 52, each housing a pin 59 in the assembled state. A pin 59 and a bore 52 are arranged on each side of the recess forming the insertion slot 53, one above the other, with a rotational invariance of 180° rather than symmetry in each of the halves 50A, 50B. Thus the two halves 50A, 50B are identical, and can be produced and packaged without having to associate them two by two exclusively.
[0091] Figure 8 is a partial schematic representation of the device 1 on the right in Figure 1, seen from above at the level of the power supply 5.
[0092] The device 1 here comprises an elongated body 7 as shown in figure 3. Two segments 32 of the ribbon carrying the electrodes 3 are folded back on themselves, with a stiffening tab 30 made of thin polymer between them, and then form a substantially rigid plug.
[0093] The segments 32 folded against each other present their electrodes 3 towards the outside, and are inserted into the insertion slot 53. They are therefore in contact with the second strip going around the cylindrical body 50 of the power supply 5, and in particular each of the electrodes 3 of the first strip, at the level of the elongated body 7, is in contact with a single electrode of the second strip, around the power supply 5. The electrodes 3 connected to the battery 200, therefore go around the branch or the tree trunk 100 by the first strip around the elongated body 7, and around the power supply 5 by the second strip around the cylindrical body 50.
[0094] The insects 11 cannot therefore cross the device 1 via the power supply without encountering the electrodes 3 and therefore suffering an electric shock.
[0095] Figure 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of connecting the power supply 5 to the rest of the device 1, more suitable for barrier devices 1 intended for individuals, of the type on the left in Figure 1.
[0096] In this embodiment the radial plug is composed of a length 32 of ribbon carrying the electrodes 3 inserted into a rigid or semi-rigid plate 15, pierced with three slots.
[0097] At the central slot of the plate 15, two segments 32 of ribbon carrying the electrodes 3 are folded back on themselves, with a stiffening tab 30 between the two, then forming the plug of the power supply 5.
[0098] On each side of the plug, the ribbon passes under the plate 15 then comes out through the other two slots in the plate 15 towards the front to go around the shaft 100.
[0099] The free end on the right of the ribbon in Figure 9 carrying the electrodes 3 is relatively short, typically of the order of 10 to 15 centimeters and has at its end a fold of double-sided adhesive 35, attached on each side of the end. The free end on the left in Figure 9 is longer, typically 50 to 90 centimeters.
[0100] This configuration is the only one that allows the device to be mounted on trunks of small diameter, for example 7 cm, allowing the self-adhesive plate 15 to be fixed, then the end with the adhesive fold with suitable tension. From then on, it is sufficient to wind the free part under tension and fix the tape on the adhesive fold, then cut the excess tape.
[0101] Thus, two or more devices 1 can be connected, by means of the double-sided adhesive fold 35. The double-sided adhesive of a first device 1 is attached to the free end of the next device 1, and so on.
[0102] Under the plate 15 is arranged a thickness of foam 9 to allow it to be pressed against the trunk of the tree 100, and a strip of double-sided adhesive 17. As many barrier devices 1 as necessary can then be connected to each other until the circumference of the tree trunk 100 is completed. The adhesive fold 35 of the short end of the first barrier device 1 is then attached to the free end of the last.
[0103] Figures 10 and 11 illustrate a method for obtaining the power supply connection plug 3.
[0104] In Figure 10, a strip carrying electrodes 3 is attached to a polymer plate 19, for example by gluing or ultrasonic welding. The polymer plate 19 can deform plastically but not or only slightly elastically.
[0105] Three dotted fold lines L divide the polymer plate 19 into four segments of substantially equal length.
[0106] The two central segments of the polymer plate 19 are then folded against each other, while the two side segments are folded at right angles to the two central segments.
[0107] Figure 11 illustrates the final state, after folding.
[0108] The two central polymer plate segments 19, with the electrode-carrying strip 3 covering them, then form the plug for the power supply connection.
[0109] A farmer having an orchard with a large number of trees 100 can, by using the device 1 as described above, change the power supply 5 of the devices simply and quickly. In particular, the farmer can prepare complete power supplies 5 with new batteries 200 in a dedicated, sheltered room, then quickly interchange these power supplies 5 with new batteries 200 with the power supplies 5 already present on the trees 100, and which are potentially discharged.
[0110] The batteries 200 can then be rechargeable accumulators, which the user will recharge and then put back into the devices 1.
Claims
Claims 1. Anti-insect barrier device (11) for crawling tree trunk (100) or branch, comprising: - an elongated and deformable body (7), configured to surround, in the installed state, a tree trunk (100), characterized in that it comprises: - a first strip covered with nested electrodes (3), so that when an insect (11) walks on said outer face, it is in contact with two electrodes (3), at least one segment of the strip forming a radial plug (30), - a power supply comprising a cylindrical body, having: * a housing (51) configured to accommodate a battery (200), * a second ribbon covered with electrodes (3), surrounding the cylindrical body (50) on its skirt, * an insertion slot (53), comprising electrical contacts which respectively connect an electrode (3) of the first strip and an electrode (3) of the second strip, - connectors (13), which, when in place, hold the battery (200) in the housing (51) and connect the terminals of the battery (200) to the electrodes (3) of the second strip.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the radial plug consists of a length (32) of ribbon folded back on itself.
3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second strip covered with electrodes (3) extends into the insertion slot (53), so that the connection between the electrodes (3) of the first strip and the electrodes (3) of the second strip is made by direct contact between said electrodes (3) of each of the strips.
4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second strips are identical and in that the electrodes (3) are arranged in a parallel longitudinal pattern, and in that the insertion slot comprises means (57) for aligning the first and second strips when the radial plug is inserted into the insertion slot (53).
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connectors (13) are formed from bent metal wire, in that the cylindrical body (50) has grooves (55) and in that the connectors (13) comprise a length of bent metal rod, forming a contact segment (130) inserted into the grooves (55) and entering into contact with a terminal of the battery (200), and a distribution segment curved to touch only a part of the electrodes when the connector (13) is inserted into a groove, ensuring contact with the electrodes (3) of the second strip.
6. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrodes (3) are produced in the form of metal strips deposited or printed on the first and second ribbons.
7. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the opening of the insertion slot is flared, so as to form a guide for the insertion of the contact segment into said insertion slot.
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrodes (3) are even in number, and distributed symmetrically on either side of a longitudinal central axis of the strip, so that the power supply (5) can be connected indifferently in one direction or the other to the radial plug (30, 32).
9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plastic tab (30), covered by the strip carrying the electrodes (3) and shaping it to generate the radial plug (30, 32).
10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a rigid plate (15) having three slots, into which the strip covered with electrodes (3) is inserted, with two segments (32) inserted into the central slot and forming, by being folded over each other, the radial plug (30, 32).