System and method for protecting single-row planting from insects

Abstract

A system and a method for protecting a single-row planting from insects. The plants may be trees, shrubs or vines. The system comprises a row of posts aligned with the single-row of plants, a shield extending over a length of the row of posts, a tray below branches of the plants and two end covers. The bottom tray, which extends along the length of the row of plants, has apertures to accommodate and snugly seal against the posts and the stems of the plants. In a deployed position, the shield is operable to engage the bottom tray to seal against it. The two end covers seal against the shield and against the tray, thereby protecting the branches of the plants from insects. The shield may use netting material.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING SINGLE-ROW PLANTING FROM INSECTS

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention generally relates to the field of agriculture. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for protecting a singlerow planting of plants having stems from insects. In particular, the planting consists of trees, shrubs or vines.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] Damage to crops due to adverse environmental conditions or to insect pests translate into considerable yearly economic losses for farmers. Whereas protection systems have been designed to shield crops from adverse environmental conditions such as hail, they are most often inadequate to also protect against insect. For example, systems such as those disclosed in European Patent no. 3,138,390 are designed to protect from hail, but are not adequate for insects since they only protect the top of trees, leaving insect pests free to ravage the crops.

[0006] Other systems such as the one disclosed in European Patent no. 3,721 ,704 provide some protection against insects as a net covers most of the crown of trees. However, this system only provides partial protection from insects as these are free to enter the net from the bottom which remains open. If one were to completely attach together both sides of the net under the crown of the trees, so as to seal against insects, it would require much manual labor, further increasing production costs and reducing profit margins.

[0007] While pesticides may be used to protect crops and the fruits of fruit trees, they not only increase production costs, but they also go against the present trend of reducing their use due to their potential adverse effect on human health as well as on that of bees. There is therefore a need for a protection system that will protect crops, and in particular trees growing in a row, from insect, without having recourse to pesticides.

[0008] Summary of the invention

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method for protecting a single-row planting from insects that overcomes or mitigates one or more disadvantages of known systems or method, or at least provides a useful alternative.

[0010] The invention provides the advantages of adequately protecting the single-row planting from insects, in particular the foliage and the fruits of plants. It is also quick to deploy and to retract.

[0011] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for shielding a single-row planting from insects The single-row planting has plants, and each plant has a stem. The system comprises posts aligned together in a row of posts and aligned with the single-row planting, a shield extending longitudinally over a length of the row of posts, a bottom tray and two end covers located at a respective end of the row of posts The posts are installed between the plants. The shield is selectively arrangeable in a retracted position at a top portion of the posts or in a deployed position covering top and sides of the single-row planting. The shield has a first edge and second edge extending longitudinally along a length of the shield. The bottom tray, supported by the posts, extends longitudinally along the row of posts and extends laterally from a first tray side to a second tray side, each being located on a different side of the posts. The bottom tray has apertures to accommodate the posts and stems of the plants through, thereby being adapted to be installed below branches of the plants. The two end covers are operable to seal against the shield. The first edge and the second edge of the shield are operative to engage respectively with the first tray side and with the second tray side. The shield, the tray and the two ends seal together and to completely enclose branches of the plants The two end covers may also seal against the bottom tray. Optionally, the first edge comprises a first longitudinal tube and the second edge comprises a second longitudinal tube. The first tray side comprises a first channel and the second tray side comprises a second channel. The first longitudinal tube is operable to engage the first channel and the second longitudinal tube is operable to engage the second channel to seal the shield against the bottom tray.

[0012] Each one of the first and the second channel comprises two longitudinal wires defining edges of each one of the first and the second channel. The two longitudinal wires run a length of the row of posts.

[0013] The bottom tray may be made of two half portions partially overlapping each other. The two half portions have apertures to accommodate circumferences of the posts and of the trunks. The bottom tray and the shield may be made of netting material.

[0014] The system may further comprise locks on the posts to secure the first and second longitudinal tubes located at a lower end of the shield in place respectively in the first and the second channels.

[0015] The system may also further comprise a motor located on one of the posts that is substantially at midpoint along the row of posts. The motor is connected to a shaft extending towards each end of the row of posts. The shield is connected to the shaft so as to selectively deploy or retract the shield by the motor turning the shaft. Wires may be used to connect the shaft to the first and the second longitudinal tubes.

[0016] At least some of the posts may be provided with supports for supporting the shaft. The shaft may be slidably mounted on the supports so that a variation in the distance between the posts does not induce a load in the shaft. The posts may be fixedly interconnected by longitudinal cables.

[0017] The system may further comprise a first lateral guide and a second lateral guide to guide the shield when deployed. The first and the second lateral guides may be connected to the posts and extend at a lateral distance from the posts to support the shield to substantially clear the branches of the plants when the shield is deployed.

[0018] In a transversal plane normal to an axis of the row of posts, the first lateral guide, the second lateral guide and a ridge guide may form three vertices of a virtual isosceles triangle The ridge guide is higher than the first and the second lateral guides. The angles of the virtual isosceles triangle located at the vertices of the first and the second lateral guides may measure at least 40 degrees. Longitudinal cables may be used as the ridge guide an as the first and the second lateral guides.

[0019] The plants of the single-row planting are either shrubs, vines or trees, the trees having a trunk as a stem.

[0020] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of protecting a single-row planting insects using the system described herein The method comprises enclosing the branches of the plants with the shield, the bottom tray and the two end covers.

[0021] Optionally, the method comprises snugly surrounding a circumference of the posts and of the stems of the plants (or trunks of the trees) with the bottom tray.

[0022] Moreover, the method may further comprise overlapping the two half portions of the bottom portion. A first one of the half portions may be installed from a first side of the row of posts and the second half portion may be installed from a second side of the row of posts.

[0023] The method may further comprise securing the shield to the bottom tray.

[0024] The method may also further comprise securing the first and the second longitudinal tubes respectively in the first and the second channels.

[0025] Brief description of drawings

[0026] These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of a tree protection system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 is an axonometric view of the two adjacent sections from a middle of the tree protection system of Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 3 is an axonometric view of a bracket of the posts of the protection system of Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 4 is a projection of a ridge guide and lateral guides in a transversal plane normal to an axis of a row of posts of the system of Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 5A is an exploded axonometric view of the bottom tray of the protection system of Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 5B is an axonometric view of the bottom tray of the protection system of Figure 1 ;

[0032] Figure 6 is an axonometric view of the system of Figure 1 where the shield is deployed and secured; and

[0033] Figure 7 is a workflow of a method of protecting trees in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0034] Detailed description of the invention

[0035] The present invention relates to a system and a method for protecting a sin lerow planting from insects. Such single-row planting of trees, shrubs or vines are typically found in commercial agriculture. For example, for optimized production and practical reasons, orchard trees are planted and grown this way. The present system and method are used to protect these plants to minimize losses due to insect eating the foliage or fruits of the plants or reducing the incidence of diseases.

[0036] The system and method of the invention may be used to protect many types of plants, especially fruit plants. For example, the plants of the single-row planting may be vines, such as grape vines, shrubs, such as raspberry shrubs, or trees, such as apple trees. It is also understood that whereas vines and shrubs have stems, trees have trunks. The word trunk is used here as the exact word related to a tree, but shall not be interpreted restrictively not to also mean a stem. As a non-limiting example, the specific situation of a commercial apple tree orchard will be used in the present description.

[0037] Figure 1 depicts an apparatus, installation or system 10 for protecting trees 12, especially from insects. System 10 is typically installed in a field, such as an commercial orchard for example, where trees 12 have been planted and grow in a single-row. System 10 comprises posts 14 aligned together in a row, which is itself aligned with the single-row of trees 12. The posts 1 support a retractable shield 16 which extends longitudinally over the length of the row of posts 14. As best depicted in Figure 2, now concurrently referred to, system 10 also comprises a bottom tray 18 located below branches of the trees 12 and which snugly fit around the posts 14 the trunks 36 of the trees 12.

[0038] The posts 14 are installed between the trees 12, typically one post 14 between one to as many trees 12 as is convenient. One section 23 of system 10 corresponds to at least one tree 12 between two adjacent posts 14. The section 23, i.e. the distance between two adjacent posts 14, may be of any length For example, it can be 3, 5 or even 10 meters or more. The number of plants per section depends on their size. For example, it is possible to fit more shrubs in a section 23 than trees 12. In an industrial orchard, for example, it is typical to have between one to ten trees 12 planted between each post 14, depending on the desired density, although there is no specific limit to how many plants or trees are planted between each post 14.

[0039] Each post 14 has lateral extensions 20 extending on both sides of the post 14. Lateral extensions 20 support two lateral guides 24, each one being located on a different side of the lateral extensions 20. These lateral guides 24, which may take the shape of tensioned wires, small tubes or small tubes over tensioned wires, are used to guide the shield 16 when it is deployed over the trees 12. The lateral guides 24 are located at a lateral distance on each side of the row of posts 14 so that they support and spread the shield 16, when deployed, so that it substantially clears branches of the trees 12. Posts 14 are fixedly interconnected by longitudinal cables 21 running along the length of the row of posts 1 to provide some structural resistance and cohesion to system 10 The posts 14 are typically installed substantially equidistant from each other, especially in an orchard where trees have been planted intentionally also substantially equidistant from each other.

[0040] Proximate the bottom tray 18, the posts 14 are provided at their lower portions with channels 27 for receiving bottom edges 29 of the shield 16. As best shown in Figure 3, now concurrently referred to, the receivers 27 may be provided with locks 25 to secure the shield 16 in place and seal against the bottom tray 18.

[0041] In order to easily and rapidly retract and deploy the shield 16 over the canopy of the trees, the system 10 is provided with a deploying mechanism that is either manual or motorized with a motor 26 located on one of the posts 14, preferably substantially at midpoint along the row of posts 14 so that the motor 26 can drive shafts 28 extending in opposite directions towards each end of the row of posts 14. Shield 16 is attached to the shafts 28 either at the shield top edge or at the shield bottom edges 29. By activating the motor 26 in one direction, the shield 16 rolls up around the shafts 28 if attached by its top edge and retracts to a top portion of the posts 14, or inversely, when the motor 26 is activated in the opposite direction, the shield 16 deploys above the treetops and on the sides of the trees 12 down to the tray 18. Alternatively, and as depicted in Figure 2, the shield 16 may be attached to the shafts 28 by its bottom edges 29 via cables 31 . Activating the motor 26 in one direction rolls up the cables 31 around the shafts 28 so that the bottom edges 29 are pulled up and the shield 16 bundles at the upper portion of the posts 14. Inversely, to deploy shield 16, motor 28 is activated in the opposite direction so the shafts unroll the cables 31 , thereby lowering the bottom edges 29. shield 16

[0042] In the embodiment depicted in Figure 2, the bottom edges 29 of the shield 16 are each provided with a longitudinal tube 33. This tube 33 adds weight to the bottom edge 29 of the shield 16 to pull downwardly by gravity the bottom edges 29 of the shield 16 during deployment of the shield 16. The shield 16 is made at least partially of a netting material typically used in the construction of nets, such as meshed material, or screen, that lets rain through, but keeps insects out. The shield 16 may also use material that is impermeable to rain, for example, at its top portion. This shield design is used to reduce humidity within an enclosed volume around the canopy of the trees 12 (or branches of plants) defined by the shield 16, the bottom tray 18 and end covers 40 located at each extremity of the system 10. Reducing the humidity in this enclosed helps prevent mushrooms propagation on leaves. As can be understood, shield 16 may use a combination of impermeable and permeable materials depending on environmental conditions and on intended purposes. The end covers 40 may be made of the same material as the shield 16.

[0043] At least some of the posts 14 are provided with supports 30, such as bearings, bushings, sliders or other mechanical adequate equivalent for rotatably and slidingly supporting the shafts 28. Shafts 28 are mounted to be only vertically supported and longitudinally floating (slidable) in the supports 30. This advantageously allows some variation in the distance between adjacent posts 14, often caused by ground movement, for example during thaw in spring, does not induce a load in the shafts 28.

[0044] Figure 4 is now concurrently referred to. In a transversal plane XY normal to an axis Z 32 of the row of posts 14, the left and right lateral guides 24 and a ridge guide 52 form three vertices of a virtual isosceles triangle 34. The ridge guide 52, being higher than the two lateral guides 24, represents the summit of the virtual isosceles triangle 34. The angles a of the virtual isosceles triangle located at the vertices of the lateral guides 24 preferably measure at least 40 degrees. Advantageously, using cables 31 to retract and deploy the shield 16 allows placing the shafts 28 at an intermediate position within the triangle 34. By adjusting the position of the ridge guide 52, the angles a may be easily adjusted. The ridge guide 52 may be a wire or a tube. The cables 31 may be routed between the shafts 28 and the longitudinal tubes 33 at the bottom edges 29 through pulleys 54 attached proximate, or to, the ridge guide 52. For clarity, only one cable 31 on the right-hand side of system 10 is shown, but it is understood that another set of cables 31 are also mounted on the left-hand side of the system 10. Gliders 56 support the shield 16 in the upper portion of the posts 14. The bottom tray 18 extends longitudinally along the row of posts 14 and extends laterally to be wider than both the posts 14 and tree trunks 36. The bottom tray 18 is installed below the branches of the tree and is provided with apertures 38 allowing to accommodate the posts 14 and tree trunks 36 through. The bottom tray 18 is adapted to fit snugly around both the posts 14 and the tree trunks 36 to prevent as much as possible insects from flying or crawling inside the enclosed space around the canopy of the trees (or the branches of a plant), shield 16shield 16The bottom tray 18 always remains in place, attached to the posts 14 and sealing against these and against the tree trunks 38, whether the shield 16 is retracted or deployed. The bottom tray 18 may be made of netting material which, being flexible, advantageously adapts to the changing size of the trunk as the tree grows and in turn, allowing the bottom tray 18 to remain in place for a long period of time.

[0045] In order to seal shield 16 against the bottom tray 18, the longitudinal tubes 33 at the bottom edges of the shield 16 are engaged in their respective channel 27. To ensure that shield 16 remains engaged with the bottom tray 18, the longitudinal tubes are secured in place with locks 25.

[0046] As depicted in Figures 5A and 5B, now concurrently referred to, the bottom tray 18 may be made of two half portions 42, 44, at least partially overlapping each other. Each half portion 42, 44 is provided with an open portion 48 of the apertures 38 so that once assembled, both open portions 48 of the aperture 38 creates the complete aperture 38 which seals against either the tree trunks 36 or the posts 14. Support wires 46 run longitudinally on both sides of the tree trunks 36 and of the posts 14 and support both half portions 44, 46 of the bottom tray 18. The support wires 46 are attached to, or supported by, the bracket 50. As can be seen, each half portion 48 extends into one different channel 27 and is designed to conform to the shape of the longitudinal tubes 33, thereby sealing against the shield 16 when the longitudinal tubes 33 are inserted in the channels 27. shield 16When the shield 16 is deployed and the bottom edges 29, particularly the longitudinal tubes 33 are inserted in the channels 27, the shield 16, the bottom tray 18 and the two end seals 40 are designed to seal together. The bottom tray 18 is designed to seal against the posts 14 and the tree trunks 36, the shield 16, the bottom tray 18 and the two ends 40 completely enclose the branches of the trees, thereby protecting the canopy of the trees against insects.

[0047] The whole protection system 10 may extend over 100 m in length, using a single motor 26.

[0048] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of protecting a single row of plants from insects using the system described in Figure 7. The method comprises enclosing 100 branches of the plants, also known as the canopy, when the plant is a tree, with the shield 16, the bottom tray 18 and the two end covers 40. Then, the method comprises snugly surrounding 110 a circumference of the posts 14 and of the stems of the plants, or tree trunks 36, with the bottom tray 18. This surrounding 110 may comprise overlapping the two half portions 42, 44 of the bottom tray 18. The half portion 42 is installed from one side of the row of posts 14 while the second half portion 44 is installed from a second side of the row of posts 14. The method may further comprise securing the shield 16 to the bottom tray 18 by engaging the longitudinal tubes 33 into the channels 27 and optionally securing these longitudinal tubes 33 in their respectively channel 27 using the locks 25.

[0049] The present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments. The description as much as the drawings were intended to help the understanding of the invention, rather than to limit its scope. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the present description. The invention is defined by the claims that follow.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for shielding a single-row planting from insects, the single-row planting having plants, each plant having a stem, the system comprising: posts, the posts being aligned together in a row of posts and aligned with the single-row planting, the posts being installed between the plants; a shield extending longitudinally over a length of the row of posts, the shield being selectively arrangeable in a retracted position at a top portion of the posts or in a deployed position covering top and sides of the single-row planting, the shield having a first edge and second edge extending longitudinally along a length of the shield; a bottom tray, the bottom tray extending longitudinally along the row of posts and extending laterally from a first tray side to a second tray side located on a different side of the posts, the bottom tray having apertures to accommodate the posts and the stems of the plants through, thereby being adapted to be installed below branches of the plants; and two end covers located at a respective end of the row of posts, the two end covers being operable to seal against the shield, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the shield are operative to engage respectively with the first tray side and with the second tray side, and wherein the shield, the two end covers and the bottom tray completely enclose the branches of the plants.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two end covers are operative to seal against the bottom tray.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first edge comprises a first longitudinal tube, the second edge comprise a second longitudinal tube, and wherein the first tray side comprises a first channel and the second tray sidecomprises a second channel, the first longitudinal tube being operable to engage the first channel and the second longitudinal tube being operable to engage the second channel so as to seal the shield against the bottom tray.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each one of the first and second channel comprises two longitudinal wires defining edges of each one of the first and the second channel.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom tray is made of two half portions partially overlapping each other, the two half portions having apertures to accommodate diameters of the posts and of the stems.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shield and the bottom tray are made of netting material.

7. The system of claim 3, further comprising locks on the posts to secure the first and second longitudinal tubes in place respectively in the first and second channels.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor, the motor being located on one of the posts substantially at midpoint along the row of posts, wherein the motor is connected to a shaft extending towards each end of the row of posts, the shield being connected to the shaft so as to selectively deploy or retract the shield by the motor turning the shaft.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising wires connecting the shaft to the first and the second longitudinal tubes.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the posts are provided with supports for supporting the shaft, the shaft being slidably mounted on the supports so that a variation in the distance between the posts does not induce a load in the shaft.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the posts are fixedly interconnected by longitudinal cables.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first lateral guide and a second lateral guide to guide the shield when deployed, the first and the second lateral guides being connected to the posts and extending at a lateral distance from the posts to support the shield to substantially clear the branches of the plants when the shield is deployed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein, in a transversal plane normal to an axis of the row of posts, the first lateral guide, the second lateral guide and the shaft form three vertices of a virtual isosceles triangle, the shaft being higher than the first and second lateral guides, wherein angles of the virtual isosceles triangle at the vertices of the first and the second lateral guides measure at least 40 degrees.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second lateral guides are tubes.

15. The system of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein each plant is selected from the group consisting of a tree having a trunk as the stem, a shrub and a vine.

16. A method of protecting a single-row planting from insects using the system of any one of claim 1 to 15, the method comprising enclosing branches of the plants of the single-row planting with the shield, the bottom tray and the two end covers.

17. The method of claim 16, further snugly surrounding a circumference of the posts and of the stems of the plants with the bottom tray.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising overlapping the two half portions of the bottom portion, a first of the half portions being installed from a first side of the row of posts and the second half portion being installed from a second side of the row of posts.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising securing the shield to the bottom tray.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising securing the first and the second longitudinal tubes respectively in the first and the second channels.

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