Main ribs for forming a fruit tree protection device and umbrella-shaped member

Abstract

The purpose of this invention is to provide a fruit tree protection device that can effectively protect fruit trees from harmful birds and other pests, and that is easy to install. [Solution] The fruit tree protection device 1 of this invention comprises a support post 4, a plurality of main ribs 5 arranged radially from the upper end of the support post 4 and forming a substantially conical shape, and a string 6 spirally provided on the upper surface of the conical shape formed by the main ribs 5, and a net 3 provided in a cylindrical shape on the outer circumference of the umbrella part 2, and string attachment members 12 are provided on the main ribs 5 at regular intervals d along their entire length, and the string attachment members 12 are provided at positions offset along the length direction for each main rib 5a, b, c, ....

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting fruit trees from harmful birds and animals. [Background Art]

[0002] Fruit trees such as citrus fruits and apples are planted outdoors and are susceptible to damage from birds and animals. In some cases, fruits are eaten by crows, brown-eared bulbuls, raccoon dogs, masked palm civets and the like, and in other cases, the trees themselves are damaged. Accordingly, covering an orchard with a barrier or fence has been considered.

[0003] Further, Cited Document 1 describes a bird net supporting device comprising: a planar support portion capable of receiving a bird net from below; a locking member provided on the lower surface side of the support portion at a position inside the outer peripheral edge of the support portion; a rod-shaped elastic body hooked to the locking member and supporting the bird net from below; and an elongated support post provided on the lower surface side of the support portion, the lower end of which can be inserted into the ground or fixed to a tree with a rope or the like to maintain an upright state. Cited Document 2 describes a bird net supporting device having an openable / closable umbrella structure, with a bird net stretched between main ribs of the umbrella. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-142254 [Patent Document 2] Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3208826 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] Covering orchards with fences or railings is effective in preventing the intrusion of pests, but it cannot prevent birds from entering. Completely covering the orchards, including the tops, with netting or similar materials can prevent the intrusion of harmful birds, but this would require large-scale and expensive equipment. Orchards are often located in mountainous areas where vehicle access is difficult, and are frequently on slopes. Installing large-scale equipment in such locations is difficult.

[0006] Patent documents 1 and 2 describe bird netting support devices with an umbrella-like structure, which allow for installation on each tree, thus reducing the scale of the work. However, installing the netting at the top is difficult on mountain slopes. In the bird netting support device described in reference document 2, the bird netting is already attached, so the netting can be installed simply by opening the umbrella. However, since the bird netting is used outdoors, it deteriorates over time. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the old netting and install new netting, but doing so on mountain slopes is very burdensome. Furthermore, it is not practical to replace the bird netting support device every time the netting needs to be replaced.

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fruit tree protection device that can effectively protect fruit trees and is easy to install. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the fruit tree protection device of this invention comprises a support post, a canopy section having a plurality of main ribs arranged radially from the upper end of the support post and forming a substantially conical shape, and a string arranged spirally on the upper surface of the conical shape formed by the main ribs, and a net provided in a cylindrical shape on the outer circumference of the canopy section.

[0009] Each rib has string attachment members provided at regular intervals and a net attachment member provided at its tip. Preferably, the positions of the string attachment members along the length of each rib are offset by a displacement amount s shown in Equation 1 between adjacent ribs. Displacement amount s = Distance between mounting members d / Number of main ribs n (Equation 1) Furthermore, it is preferable that the spacing between the string attachment members is 10 mm or less, and that the support post is divided into multiple detachable parts.

[0010] Furthermore, each rib for forming the umbrella-shaped member of this invention has a ring attachment portion at one end for pivotably attaching to a ring, and a mesh attachment portion at the other end. Each main rib is provided with a string attachment component at regular intervals along its entire length. The position of the strap attachment component is shifted by an amount s, as shown in Equation 1, for each main rib. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The main ribs for forming the fruit tree protection device and umbrella-shaped member of this invention can be easily installed and maintained by spirally winding a string around the umbrella portion. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing a fruit tree protection device. [Figure 2] The same plane diagram. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing an example of a main rib. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments for carrying out this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view showing a fruit tree protection device, and Figure 2 is a plan view thereof. The fruit tree protection device 1 has an umbrella-shaped section 2 at the top and a cylindrical net 3 at the bottom. A support column 4 is provided at the center, connected to the top of the umbrella-shaped section 2.

[0014] The umbrella section 2 has multiple ribs 5 arranged radially, pointing diagonally downward from the center. This is a structure similar to the frame of an umbrella or parasol. The multiple ribs 5 arranged radially form a roof that is roughly conical in shape. A string 6 is arranged spirally on the top surface of this cone shape. By being wound in a spiral from near the center of the cone to near the outermost edge, it covers the top surface of the conical roof.

[0015] A spiral is formed by winding the string 6 around the tree, increasing its radius (distance from the center) by a length d during each rotation. Here, d is the interval between adjacent rotations, and it is preferable to set this interval d according to the type of pest or bird whose intrusion is to be prevented. For example, citrus fruit trees are susceptible to damage from birds such as bulbuls and starlings, which are about 23 to 27 cm in length. To prevent these birds from entering, an interval of 5 cm to 15 cm is preferable. A larger interval makes it easier for birds to pass through, but if the interval is too small, the number of rotations increases, the amount of string 6 used increases, and the work required for winding also increases. Setting the interval to about 10 cm effectively prevents birds that damage citrus trees from entering with a relatively small number of rotations.

[0016] Let's explain the umbrella section in more detail. In this example, the umbrella section 2 is designed so that the ribs (main ribs) 5 can be opened and closed like a normal umbrella. A ring 7 is provided at the upper end of the support column 4, and below that, a ferrule 8 is provided that can move up and down along the support column 4. One end of the main rib 5 is pivotably attached to the ring 7. In addition, a support rib 9 has one end connected to the ferrule 8 and the other end connected to the middle part of the main rib 5, and the main rib 5 is opened and closed by the up and down movement of the ferrule 8.

[0017] The main ribs will now be described. Figure 3 is a plan view showing an example of the main ribs. Multiple main ribs 5 are provided, and the number n can be appropriately selected according to the size of the fruit tree protection device 1 and the pests and birds to be prevented from entering, but in this example there are 8, just like a normal umbrella. One end has a ring attachment part 10 for swingably attaching to the ring 7, and the other end has a net attachment member 11 for suspending the net 3. The net attachment member 11 is preferably annular or hook-shaped so that the net 3 can be easily attached to and detached.

[0018] The main rib 5 is provided with string attachment members 12 at regular intervals d along its entire length. These string attachment members 12 are located on the side that will become the upper surface of the umbrella section 2. In this example, they are shaped like hooks that open towards the net attachment member 11 so that the string can be easily wrapped around them.

[0019] In the present invention, the cord attachment members 12 are provided at positions displaced along the length direction for each of the main ribs 5a, 5b, 5c, ... The displacement amount s between adjacent main ribs (e.g., between main rib 5a and main rib 5b) is represented by the following formula. Displacement amount s = spacing d between cord attachment members / number n of main ribs Due to this displacement amount s, the cord 6 is wound in a spiral shape.

[0020] The length of the main ribs 5 can be appropriately selected depending on the size of the tree to be protected, but is preferably about 1 m for citrus trees. In this case, 10 or 11 cord attachment members 12 are provided at an interval of 10 cm.

[0021] For the net 3, for example, a net commonly used for agriculture can be selected. If the height from the outer periphery of the umbrella portion 2 to the ground surface, or a height exceeding that, is secured, intrusion of harmful birds and animals from the side can be prevented. The net 3 can be easily attached by hooking the upper end of the net 3 onto the net attachment member 11 at the tip of the main rib 5, and the net can be provided in a polygonal (regular octagonal in this example) cylindrical shape. Further, a ring or a hook for attachment to the net attachment member 11 at the tip of the main rib 5 may also be provided on the upper side of the net 3.

[0022] The support column 4 can be selected according to the height of the fruit tree to be protected, but when set to about 2.5 m, it is easily compatible with most citrus fruit trees. Further, the support column 4 is preferably divided into a plurality of detachable parts. For example, the uppermost part can have a length of 1.5 m and the lower part can have a length of 1 m.

[0023] The cord 6 preferably has sufficient strength to prevent intrusion of target harmful animals and birds, and also has a certain degree of durability against wind, rain and sunlight; for example, hemp cord, cotton thread and the like are suitable. In particular, octopus line is lightweight, strong, inexpensive, easily available, and suitable for bird prevention.

[0024] Next, I will explain how to install the fruit tree protection device 1. First, the umbrella section 2 should be left closed with the string 3 not attached. The support poles 4 should also be separated into their respective sections. This makes it easier to transport the device to the site by vehicle. It can then be transported manually to the orchard where it will be used.

[0025] Once you've reached the fruit tree to be protected, open the umbrella section 2. Just like a normal umbrella, move the runner 8 upwards, and the ribs 5 will open into a cone shape. Next, wrap the string around the top surface of this cone shape. Secure the end of the string 6 by tying it to the uppermost attachment member 12 of the rib 5a, which is located closest to the end of the upper end of the string attachment member 12. Then, wrap the string around the uppermost attachment member 12 of the adjacent rib 5b, and continue with the subsequent ribs 5c, 5d, and so on. When the string 6 has completed a full circle, it will be wrapped around the second string attachment member 12 of the first rib 5a, completing the second circle. By repeating this process, you will reach the outermost string attachment member 12 of the last rib 5. This process is simple, as it only involves wrapping the string 6 around the string attachment members 12 in sequence. Since the lower support section is not connected, the umbrella section is at a low position, making the process safe and easy. When the last string attachment member 12 is reached, the end of the string 6 is secured by tying it to the last string attachment member 12. This completes the attachment of the string 6.

[0026] Erect the support post 4 and place it in the ground. You can either drive the lower end of the support post 4 into the ground or use a flag stand or similar. If the upper section alone is not tall enough, you can add the lower section. For example, if the upper section is 1.5m high, adding a 1m lower section will bring it to a height of 2.5m, making it suitable even for relatively tall fruit trees. Also, even if the tree grows after installation, you can easily adjust by adding more support posts as needed.

[0027] In summary, the fruit tree protection device 1 can be manufactured inexpensively and is easy to install. It can be installed safely and easily even on sloped or uneven ground.

[0028] Replacing the string 6 is also easy. The uppermost section of the support pole 4 connected to the umbrella section 2 is separated from the lower section, lowering it to a lower position. This allows the string 6 to be safely removed. Since the string 6 is simply wrapped around the top surface of the umbrella section 2, it can be easily removed, and attaching a new string 6 is also easy. The replacement work can be done at the site where the fruit tree protection device 1 was installed, without having to move it outside. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1. Fruit tree protection device 2.Umbrella part 3. Net 4. Prop 5.Bone (main bone) 6. String 7. Ring 8. Potter's wheel 9. Bone support 10. Ring mounting section 11. Mesh mounting member 12. String attachment component

Claims

1. Support posts and Multiple main ribs are arranged radially from the upper end of the support column, forming a roughly conical shape, A string is spirally arranged on the upper surface of the cone shape formed by the main ribs, An umbrella section equipped with, A fruit tree protection device having a tubular net around the outer circumference of the umbrella-shaped part.

2. The main ribs have string attachment members provided at regular intervals and net attachment members provided at the ends. The fruit tree protection device according to claim 1, wherein the position of the string attachment member along the length direction of the main rib is shifted by a displacement amount s shown in formula 1 between adjacent main ribs. Displacement amount s = Distance d between string attachment members / Number of main ribs n (Equation 1)

3. The fruit tree protection device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the spacing between the string attachment members is 10 mm or less, and the support post is divided into multiple detachable parts.

4. These are multiple main ribs that form an umbrella-shaped member. Each main rib has a ring attachment portion at one end for pivoting to a ring, and a mesh attachment member at the other end. Each main rib is provided with a string attachment component at regular intervals along its entire length. Each rib has a rib where the position of the strap attachment member is shifted by an amount s shown in Equation 1. Displacement amount s = Distance d between string attachment members / Number of main ribs n (Equation 1)

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