MULCHING POINT

Abstract

Mulching Spike The present invention relates to a mulching spike (1) arranged to be driven into soil to hold mulch fabric in position on said soil, notable in that it comprises a body (2) generally in the form of a vertical rod, the lower end of which is arranged to pierce the mulch fabric and be driven into the soil, and a head (3) fixed to the upper end of said body (2), the latter being formed of at least two tabs (4), each extending along and to one side of the longitudinal axis (5) of said body (2), and a plurality of reinforcements (9) distributed along its body (2), each extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (5) of said body (2) and joining each tab (4) to the adjacent tab (4). [Fig 1]

Description

Title of the invention: MULCHING POINT Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of gardening. More specifically, it relates to a mulching spike intended to hold a mulch mat in position on the soil. State of the art

[0002] In the field of gardening, the technique of mulching is known to be used to avoid leaving the soil bare, as bare soil is an abnormal state in nature. The mulching technique consists of covering the soil with a fabric made of a material that is advantageously organic or mineral to nourish and / or protect it. This fabric can be placed in vegetable gardens, orchards, around the base of young hedges and young trees and shrubs, or in flower beds.

[0003] This technique is advantageous because it allows: - limit watering, as mulching helps absorb water and retain soil moisture. - Avoid chemical weed control; mulching prevents light from reaching the soil surface, thus preventing weeds from germinating and developing. - Keeping fruits and vegetables clean: Mulching prevents splashing and keeps plants clean, - improve soil structure by using organic mulch that will decompose into humus, - to promote microbial life in the soil, and - to avoid the phenomenon of soil compaction, mulching protects the soil from climatic hazards.

[0004] To keep the weed fabric in contact with the ground, it is known to use spikes driven into the soil after piercing said weed fabric.

[0005] Existing mulching spikes are of various types, namely: - nails comprising a shank surmounted by a head wider than the shank, - shanks in the shape of an inverted U, or even - rods including a thread with a large pitch allowing said rods to be screwed into the soil.

[0006] These different types of mulch spikes are certainly quite effective, but they all have several drawbacks. First, these types of mulch spikes are made in the traditional way from steel or synthetic material and, once the mulch fabric is anchored in the ground, must be removed and taken to a waste disposal site. or recycled to avoid polluting the soil. Furthermore, once the soil is compacted, some of these types of mulch spikes have limited pull-out resistance, which may mean the mulch fabric won't stay in place in strong winds. Finally, some of these types of mulch spikes, particularly threaded rods, are rather expensive and tricky to install. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to propose a mulching spike arranged to pierce a mulching fabric and be driven into the soil to keep said mulching fabric in contact with the soil, said mulching spike being simple to manufacture and implement, and guaranteeing resistance to tearing regardless of the weather, but also respect for the environment.

[0008] According to the invention, a mulching spike is therefore proposed, arranged to be driven into an earthen floor in order to hold a mulching fabric in position on said floor, remarkable in that it comprises a body in the general shape of a vertical rod, the lower end of which is arranged to pierce the mulching fabric and be driven into the earthen floor, and a head fixed on the upper end of said body, the latter being formed of at least two tongues, each extending along and to one side of the longitudinal axis of said body, and a plurality of reinforcements distributed along its body, each extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said body and joining each tongue to the adjacent tongue.

[0009] Advantageously, the body of the mulching tip is formed by four tabs distributed angularly around the longitudinal axis uniformly, so that the body has a cross-section in the general shape of a cross.

[0010] Each tab preferably has a bevel at its end opposite the head of the mulching point.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, each reinforcement has a general cone or pyramid shape whose apex is located on the longitudinal axis of the body and oriented towards the side opposite the head of the mulching tip.

[0012] Advantageously, the mulching tip is made from food-grade plastics that are completely biodegradable and non-polluting. Brief description of the figures

[0013] Other advantages and features will become clearer from the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0014] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of a mulching point according to the invention,

[0015] [Fig.2] is a front view of the mulching tip of [Fig. 1], and

[0016] [Fig.3] is an enlarged right-side view of the mulching tip of [Fig.2]. Description of the implementation methods

[0017] With reference to figures 1 to 3, the invention relates to a mulching spike 1 arranged to be driven into the soil in order to hold in position a mulching fabric, not shown, on said soil.

[0018] The mulching point 1 comprises a body 2 in the general form of a vertical rod, the lower end of which is arranged to pierce the mulching fabric and be driven into the soil, and a head 3 fixed on the upper end of said body 2.

[0019] The mulching point 1 is arranged to be driven into horizontal soil, but it is understood that it can be driven into soil that is more or less inclined; terms such as, for example, vertical, horizontal, superior or inferior will then need to be adapted.

[0020] According to an extreme embodiment not shown, the body 2 of the mulching tip 1 is formed by at least two tabs 4 extending each along and on one side of the longitudinal axis 5 of said body 2.

[0021] According to the embodiment shown, the body 2 of the mulching point 1 is formed by four tabs 4 distributed angularly around the longitudinal axis 5 in a uniform manner, that is to say that each tab 4 forms with the adjacent tab 4 an angle of 90°, so that the body 2 has a cross-section in the general shape of a cross.

[0022] The body 2 of the mulching point 1 may comprise three, five, six, ..., tabs 4, and these may be distributed angularly around the longitudinal axis 5 in a non-uniform manner, without departing from the scope of the present invention. However, it is understood that this cross-shaped design increases the grip of the mulching point 1 in the soil by significantly limiting its ability to pivot around the longitudinal axis 5 of the body 2.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment, each tab 4 has a bevel 6 at its end opposite the head 3 of the mulching point 1. This particular configuration makes it easier to penetrate the mulching point 1 into the mulching fabric and into the soil.

[0024] Like a traditional nail head, the head 3 of the mulching spike 1 has a cross-section whose overall dimensions are greater than those of the cross-section of the body 2, so that the head 3 holds the mulch fabric in place once the body 2 is driven into the soil. The head 3 can be flat or domed.

[0025] Furthermore, the mulching point 1 has a plurality of reinforcements 7 distributed along its body 2, each extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 5 of said body 2 and joining each tongue 4 to the adjacent tongue 4.

[0026] Each reinforcement 7 has a general cone or pyramid shape whose apex is located on the longitudinal axis 5 of said body 2 is oriented on the opposite side to the head 3 of the mulching tip 1.

[0027] This configuration of the mulching point 1 with the particular reinforcements 7 makes it easier to drive the mulching point 1 into the soil while improving its hold in the soil by greatly increasing the resistance to movement of the latter along the longitudinal axis 5 of the body 2, and therefore to the pulling out of the mulching point 1. This also has the effect of ensuring that the associated mulching fabric remains on the ground.

[0028] Advantageously, with a view to respecting the environment, the mulching spike 1 according to the invention is made from food-grade plastics which are perfectly biodegradable and non-polluting, so that once the mulching fabric has taken root in the soil, each mulching spike 1 degrades in the soil without risk of polluting said soil, thus avoiding any tedious and costly operation of removal and recycling.

[0029] The mulching spike 1 according to the invention applies more particularly to holding a mulching fabric on the ground, but it is understood that said mulching spike 1 according to the invention can be adapted to hold any other element.

[0030] Finally, it goes without saying that the examples of mulching tips 1 according to the invention conforming to the invention which have just been described are only particular illustrations, in no way limiting of the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Mulching spike (1) arranged to be driven into soil to hold mulch fabric in position on said soil characterized in that it comprises a body (2) in the general form of a vertical rod, the lower end of which is arranged to pierce the mulch fabric and be driven into the soil, and a head (3) fixed to the upper end of said body (2), the latter being formed of at least two tongues (4) each extending along and to one side of the longitudinal axis (5) of said body (2) and a plurality of reinforcements (9) distributed along its body (2), each extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (5) of said body (2) and joining each tongue (4) to the adjacent tongue (4).

2. Mulching point (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the body (2) of the mulching point (1) is formed by four tabs (4) distributed angularly around the longitudinal axis (5) in a uniform manner, so that the body (2) has a cross-section in the general shape of a cross.

3. Mulching point (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that each tongue (4) has a bevel (6) at its end opposite the head (3) of the mulching point (1).

4. Mulching point (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that each reinforcement (7) has a general cone or pyramid shape whose apex is located on the longitudinal axis (5) of the body (2) is oriented on the side opposite to the head (3) of the mulching point (1).

5. Mulching spike (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it is made from food-grade plastics which are perfectly biodegradable and non-polluting.