Mesh Plant Cover with Vertical Support for Insect Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tree covers for young citrus trees are either damaging due to their weight or complicated to install, and they do not effectively prevent insect infiltration, particularly from the Asian citrus psyllid, which spreads the citrus greening disease.
Innovation Solution
A plant cover device with a mesh enclosure and a vertical support system that allows the cover to be suspended over the tree without resting on the foliage, using a kite-shaped design with interlocking margins for easy installation and removal, and made of mesh material to prevent insect entry while allowing water and light penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tree covers are used to enclose young citrus trees, then insect infiltration is prevented, but the covers damage foliage and branches due to their weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the anti-weight principle by introducing a support system (stakes, frames, or poles) that counteracts the weight of the tree cover, preventing it from resting directly on the tree foliage and branches. The support structure bears the load of the cover material, allowing the cover to maintain its protective function without causing mechanical damage to the young tree.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary support structure between the tree cover and the tree itself. This intermediary element (support frame, stakes, or poles) mediates the interaction, allowing the cover to be positioned for insect protection while preventing direct contact and damage to the tree's delicate foliage and branches.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional tree covers with framework are used to prevent damage, then foliage damage is reduced, but installation becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tree cover system into separate functional components: a simple support structure (stakes or poles) and a cover material that can be draped or attached. This segmentation allows the support elements to be installed first to provide structural integrity, while the cover material can be easily added or removed without complex framework assembly, reducing overall installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible mesh or fabric cover materials that can be draped over the support structure rather than requiring rigid framework assembly. These flexible materials are easier to install and remove compared to rigid Skeleon-like frameworks, while still providing the necessary structural support to prevent foliage damage when combined with stakes or poles.
3Reliability
If mesh material is used for the enclosure, then insect entry is prevented, but installation and removal become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible mesh materials that can be draped over the support structure and secured with simple fastening methods. The flexibility of the mesh allows it to conform to the support frame and be easily attached or removed without requiring complex assembly procedures, maintaining ease of operation while providing effective insect barrier functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A plant cover device comprises an enclosure having mesh material to define a plant-receiving cavity. The enclosure includes a first mesh section having a closed top end, and a first perimeter opposite the closed top end, and a second mesh section having a second perimeter attached to the first perimeter of the first mesh section, and a bottom end opposite the closed top end of the first mesh section defining a trunk receiving opening. The plant cover device also includes a support extending vertically from a ground surface through the first and second perimeters and to abut the closed top end of the enclosure.