Pellet Insertion Apparatus for Uniform Pesticide Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trunk injection technologies for delivering pesticides to trees are inefficient, causing uneven pesticide distribution, high doses, and tree injury, which hinders their adoption in the tree fruit industry.
Innovation Solution
A pellet insertion apparatus that includes a housing, a taper, a lock, and an actuator rod, designed to penetrate the tree trunk and insert a pellet containing a pesticide into the xylem tissue, ensuring a uniform dose and minimizing tree injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If airblast ground sprayers are used to deliver pesticides to tree canopy, then pesticide application can be performed, but only 29 to 56% of the applied spray solution is deposited on the tree canopy with the remaining product drifting to ground or other off-target end points
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pesticide delivery mechanism from the airblast sprayer system and places it directly at the target site (tree trunk/xylem). By removing the intermediate spray delivery path, the system eliminates drift loss while ensuring 100% of the pesticide reaches the intended destination through direct injection into the tree's vascular system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces the tree's own xylem transport system as an intermediary to deliver pesticides from the injection point to the canopy. This biological mediator naturally transports the pesticide throughout the tree, ensuring efficient distribution without external spray mechanisms that cause drift.
2Quantity of substance
If trunk injection technologies are used to deliver pesticides directly into tree trunks, then pesticide delivery efficiency is improved, but the technologies cause unacceptable injury to the tree trunk
Solution Approach 1:
The injection system targets specific localized areas within the tree trunk (cambial zone or xylem) rather than requiring large holes. This localized approach delivers pesticides precisely where needed while minimizing damage to the overall tree structure, allowing the majority of the trunk to remain intact and heal naturally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the tree's natural porous xylem tissue as the delivery medium. By injecting through small openings into the porous structure, pesticides are distributed throughout the tree's vascular system without requiring large invasive holes, thus minimizing structural damage while maximizing delivery efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If ACECAP Systemic Insecticide Tree Implant is used to insert a capsule containing pesticide into tree trunk, then pesticide delivery is achieved, but the capsule remains as a contaminant that hinders tree healing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs biodegradable injection materials that temporarily serve their delivery function and then naturally decompose. The injection device and pesticide carrier are designed to break down into harmless substances that the tree can process, eliminating permanent foreign objects that would interfere with healing while ensuring complete pesticide delivery during the treatment period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the pesticide from a stable capsule form into a form that can be naturally processed and transported by the tree. The pesticide is delivered in a state that changes parameters (solubility, mobility) to match the tree's physiological conditions, allowing it to be absorbed and distributed while the delivery mechanism itself degrades harmlessly.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If BITE-INFUSION system is used to slowly infuse pesticide into trunk with needle-based system and pressure, then tree injury is reduced, but an inordinate amount of time is required to inject a single tree
Solution Approach 1:
The injection device is pre-loaded with the complete pesticide dose in a ready-to-inject format before approaching the tree. The mechanism is pre-positioned and pre-configured so that upon contact with the tree, the full dose can be delivered instantly through a single rapid injection action, eliminating the need for slow incremental infusion while maintaining minimal tree injury through the small-bore injection method.
Data Source
AI summary
Pellet insertion apparatus and methods. In accordance with an example, a method of inserting a pellet in a tree includes extending a taper (108) and an actuator rod (118) into the tree. The actuator rod (118) positioned within a through-bore (110) and extending from a taper distal end (112). The method includes securing the taper (108) in the extended position. The method includes retracting the actuator rod (118). The method includes loading a plug into the through-bore (110) of the taper (108). The method includes moving the actuator rod (118) to a plug insertion position.