Elongated Crop Cover Web With Welded Reflective Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for securing plastic film coverings for agricultural cultivated plants, such as soft fruits, are labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring numerous knots and reapplication after misplacement due to weather, and additional protective films are cumbersome to handle.
Innovation Solution
An elongated web with a base film featuring ventilation areas and reinforced fastening openings, combined with a reflective cover film welded in specific connecting regions, allows for easy attachment and protection from weather without the need for additional protective films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plastic film is tied to support structure using ropes or elastic cords with knots on eyelets, then the film can be secured and fastened, but the process requires significant labor, skilled staff, and considerable working hours
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fastening function from the plastic film itself by providing separate fastening elements (eyelets with clips or loops) that are attached to the support structure. This allows the plastic film to be simply suspended between these pre-installed fastening elements without requiring knots or tying operations, thereby dramatically reducing labor time while maintaining secure fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements (eyelets, clips, or loops) are pre-installed on the support structure before the plastic film is applied. This preliminary action eliminates the need for on-site knot-tying operations, as the film can be directly suspended between the pre-positioned fastening points, significantly reducing installation time and labor requirements.
2Reliability
If plastic film is tied with numerous knots (e.g., 80 knots for 10m film with 50cm eyelet spacing), then the film can be secured at multiple points, but the process becomes particularly time consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fastening function from the plastic film by providing separate fastening elements attached to the support structure. This allows the film to be secured at multiple points without requiring multiple knots, as each fastening element provides a ready-made attachment point that simply needs to be hooked or clipped, dramatically increasing installation speed while maintaining multiple attachment points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical system of knot-tying with a simpler hooking or clipping mechanism. Instead of requiring skilled workers to tie and untie numerous knots, the system uses pre-installed eyelets with clips or loops that can be quickly attached and detached, substantially improving productivity while maintaining secure multiple attachment points.
3Reliability
If additional reflective tubular film is applied to protect the rolled web from UV radiation, then the web can be protected from weathering and enable long-term use, but the process requires high effort for storage and application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function into the main plastic film by incorporating UV stabilizers and weather-resistant materials directly into the film composition. This eliminates the need for separate protective films, as the primary film itself provides long-term UV protection and weather resistance, greatly simplifying handling and storage while maintaining reliable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials for the plastic film, combining base polymer materials with UV stabilizers, antioxidants, and other additives that provide inherent weather resistance and UV protection. This composite structure eliminates the need for additional protective films, as the film itself possesses the necessary durability and protection properties, making it easier to handle and store.
4Reliability
If plastic film needs to be realigned after misplacement due to strong winds, then proper positioning can be achieved, but the process of untying and re-tying is particularly time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fastening function from the film by providing separate fastening elements on the support structure. This allows the film to be quickly detached from misplaced fastening points and re-attached to correct positions without the time-consuming process of untying and re-tying knots, as the clip or loop mechanism can be rapidly opened and repositioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability by using fastening elements that can be quickly opened, repositioned, and closed. This allows the film to be easily realigned after misplacement by simply opening the clips or loops, moving them to new positions on the support structure, and securing the film again, greatly reducing the time required for repositioning compared to knot-based systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A web for covering plants with a base film of plastic. An upper region of the base film has a ventilation area extending in the longitudinal web direction and a plurality of openings A plurality of spaced-apart fastening openings are on the upper longitudinal edge of the base film A cover film which runs in the longitudinal web direction of the base film and is reflective on the weather side, is applied to the ventilation area The cover film is welded to the base film in a first and a second connecting region The first and second connecting region are each arranged at least in the longitudinal edge-side region of the cover film and the second connecting region facing the lower longitudinal edge of the cover film has a plurality of welding regions. Each welding region of the second connecting region is associated with the nearest fastening opening.