Beller Apple Tree Late Ripening and Storage Traits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing apple tree varieties face challenges in achieving optimal harvesting and storage characteristics, with limitations in fruit color, ripening date, and storage ability, which affect their commercial viability.

Innovation Solution

The 'Beller' apple tree variety, discovered as a chance seedling and asexually reproduced, exhibits unique characteristics such as attractively colored, round fruit with no lobes, ripening approximately October 20th and possessing excellent storage qualities, distinct from 'Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious' trees.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional apple varieties like Red Delicious or Golden Delicious are grown, then they produce fruit with conic shape and prominent lobes, but they ripen too early and have poor storage characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage characteristicsVSAvoidfruit shape

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a completely new fruit shape parameter (round without lobes) and ripening time parameter (late season October harvest) that fundamentally changes the characteristics of apple fruit, resolving the contradiction between storage duration and fruit shape by creating a new variety with both desirable traits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If early ripening varieties are grown, then harvesting occurs earlier in the season, but storage ability and commercial viability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvesting dateVSAvoidstorage ability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temporal parameter of fruit ripening by developing a variety that ripens approximately two weeks later than conventional varieties, shifting the harvest date to around October 20th. This parameter change simultaneously improves storage ability and maintains commercial viability by extending the fruit's availability window

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If new apple varieties are developed with unique characteristics, then commercial viability improves, but the variety must differ significantly from existing cultivars

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommercial viabilityVSAvoidvariety distinctiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies multiple parameter changes simultaneously - fruit shape (round without lobes), color (bi-colored red and yellow), ripening time (late October), and flavor profile (sweet-tart). These combined parameter changes create a distinctly new variety that achieves commercial viability through unique characteristics while maintaining consistency within the new cultivar

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUSPP20057P2Apple tree named `Beller`

Publication Date: 2009.06.02 BELLER KAREN

AI summary

A new and distinct variety of apple tree is described and which is characterized as to novelty by producing an attractively colored apple which is mature for harvesting and shipment approximately October 20th under the ecological conditions prevailing in Malott, Wash.