Flower Removal by Cryogenic Cooling for Chemical-Free Thinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing flowers from plants, such as strawberries, either incur high labor costs or pose environmental risks due to chemical thinning agents.
Innovation Solution
A method involving exposure to a cold atmosphere with a temperature below a predetermined threshold to damage flowers without harming the plant, using cryogenic agents like liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide to create a cold environment within a confined space, thereby preventing fruit development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If flowers are removed by hand, then labor expenses are high, but the method is environmentally safe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical removal of flowers with a thermal field-based method. A heating element is inserted into the flower bud, and electrical current is applied to generate heat locally, causing the flower to wither and fall off automatically. This substitutes human labor with an automated thermal processing system, reducing labor expenses while maintaining environmental safety as no chemicals are involved.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and temperature parameters of the flower bud to achieve removal. By controlling the temperature parameter through electrical heating, the flower bud undergoes thermal transformation that leads to its natural withering and detachment. This parameter-based approach enables automated, chemical-free flower removal that reduces labor costs without environmental harm.
2Productivity
If chemical compounds are applied to thin fruits, then personnel costs are reduced, but environmental contaminations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical fruit thinning with a physical thermal field method. Instead of applying chemical compounds that cause environmental pollution, the system uses localized heating through an inserted element to induce flower bud withering and natural脱落. This substitution eliminates chemical contaminants while maintaining automated operation and reduced personnel costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of excessive heat into a beneficial controlled process. By precisely controlling the thermal field parameters and limiting heat application to only the flower bud (not the entire plant), the method achieves effective flower removal without damaging the plant. The thermal energy that could be harmful is transformed into a selective, beneficial treatment that eliminates chemicals entirely.
3Reliability
If flowers are removed in the first year by hand, then plant vitality increases for future harvests, but labor expenses are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual flower removal with automated thermal processing to reduce labor expenses while maintaining the practice of removing first-year flowers to enhance plant vitality. The automated system applies heat locally to flower buds, causing them to wither and detach, thereby preserving plant energy for root and leaf development without requiring human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the plant to essentially remove its own flowers through a minimally invasive thermal stimulus. The heating element inserted into the flower bud triggers a physiological response that causes the flower to wither and fall off naturally, reducing the need for external manual labor while achieving the desired effect of directing plant energy toward vegetative growth and future harvest potential.
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
Effectively removes flowers without environmental hazards and reduces personnel expenses, allowing the plant to grow stronger and increase future harvests.
Implementation Method 1
the flower is exposed to a cold atmosphere with a temperature below a pre-determined treatment temperature for at least a pre-determined treatment time
Implementation Method 2
using cryogenic agents like liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide to create a cold environment
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for removing at least one flower (1) of a plant (2), wherein the flower (1) is exposed to a cold atmosphere (3) with a temperature below a pre-determined treatment temperature for at least a pre-determined treatment time. With the technical teaching of the present invention it is possible to effectively remove at least one flower of a plant without damage to the environment and without high personnel costs.