Biodegradable Pocket Strip for Substrate-Free Rooting of Cuttings
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of rooting cuttings in a substrate results in lengthy processes and significant losses, and generates waste materials, while also requiring additional handling and transportation of substrate materials.
Innovation Solution
A biodegradable strip element with pockets is used to root cuttings without a substrate, allowing for efficient rooting and transportation, with the strip element being made of biodegradable materials that retain moisture and nutrients, and can be disposed of without generating waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cuttings are rooted in a substrate (soil, perlite, vermiculite, etc.), then the cuttings can develop roots, but the process becomes lengthy and generates waste materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the substrate from the rooting process entirely. Instead of using traditional substrates like soil or perlite, the patent employs a substrate-free rooting method where cuttings are placed in a container system that provides mechanical support and moisture without requiring a growing medium. This eliminates the time-consuming substrate preparation, transplantation, and waste disposal steps while maintaining rooting success.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is divided into multiple pockets, each capable of holding a single cutting. This segmentation allows for independent rooting of multiple cuttings simultaneously in an organized manner, improving space utilization and making the process more efficient compared to traditional substrate-based methods where multiple cuttings are mixed together.
2Reliability
If traditional substrate-based rooting is used, then cuttings can be cultivated, but additional handling and transportation of substrate materials is required
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the substrate entirely from the system, the invention eliminates all associated handling operations. The container with pockets provides direct mechanical support to cuttings, removing the need for substrate filling, compaction, moisture distribution, and subsequent handling during transplantation and transportation phases.
3Reliability
If conventional rooting methods are used, then cuttings can develop roots, but significant losses occur and waste materials are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the substrate component that generates waste. The container system is designed to be reusable or easily disposed of without generating significant waste, and the substrate-free approach prevents contamination and loss of cutting material that often occurs with traditional substrate methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The container system can be reused for multiple rooting cycles, reducing waste generation. The design allows for easy cleaning and repurposing, or environmentally friendly disposal options, minimizing the ecological footprint compared to single-use substrate materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces cultivation time and losses, provides stable plants, and eliminates waste generation, enabling direct transplantation and cost-effective transportation of rooted cuttings.
Implementation Method 1
the biodegradable material has a liquid retaining capacity of at least about 100 g liquid per 100 g of biodegradable material dry weight
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3d
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing, without the help of a substrate, a plurality of rooted cuttings from a plurality of unrooted cuttings, comprising the steps: - inserting at least one unrooted cutting (26) into each empty pocket (12, 12') from a plurality of empty pockets (12, 12') of a strip element (10, 10', 10"), the strip element (10, 10', 10") having a longitudinal dimension (L) and a transverse dimension (D) and formed at least in part of biodegradable material, the strip element (10, 10', 10") forming the plurality of empty pockets (12, 12') arranged successively one after another in a longitudinal direction (ℓ) of the strip element, wherein the strip element (10, 10', 10") has a first wall-forming member (20) and a second wall-forming member (22) arranged to at least partly overlap the first wall-forming member (20) in the longitudinal direction (ℓ) and to not fully overlap the first wall-forming member (20) in a transverse direction (d) of the strip element (10, 10', 10"), wherein the first wall-forming member (20) and the second wall-forming member (22) are fixed to each other in a spacer area (14, 14') of the strip element (10, 10', 10") longitudinally adjacent each pocket (12, 12') to thus delimit the plurality of pockets (12, 12'), wherein each pocket (12, 12') has a width (W, W') along the longitudinal direction (ℓ) of the strip element (10, 10', 10"), a depth (T) along the transverse direction (d) of the strip element (10, 10', 10"), an opening (16) at a top side (17) facing the transverse direction (d) of the strip element (10, 10', 10") and through which the at least one unrooted cutting (26) is inserted, and a bottom side (18) opposite the top side, wherein the bottom side (18) is at least partially closed and the first wall-forming member (20) extends past the second wall-forming member (22) in the transverse direction (d) of the strip element at the top side (17) of each pocket (12, 12'), and wherein the biodegradable material has a liquid retaining capacity of at least about 100 g liquid per 100 g of biodegradable material dry weight.