Tree Trunk Electrocuting Barrier That Adapts to Bark Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pest control methods for trees, such as pesticides and physical barriers, are harmful to the environment, costly, and fail to adapt to the growth of trees, creating malformations and requiring frequent manual adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A conical or cylindrical anti-pest device made of insulating material with flexible foam and internal conducting wires, powered by a solar rechargeable battery, electrocutes crawling insects while adapting to tree growth without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pesticides are applied to leaves and branches, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm and human health risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical pesticides with a mechanical/electrical system consisting of conducting wires connected to a high-voltage pulse generator. The electrical discharge creates arcs that electrocute insects on contact, providing pest control through physical means rather than chemical substances, thereby eliminating environmental and health hazards associated with pesticides
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful electrical discharge into a beneficial pest control mechanism. The high-voltage pulses, which could be dangerous, are controlled to create localized arcs that only affect insects contacting the wires, transforming potential harm into effective and safe pest elimination
2Reliability
If physical barriers such as annular barriers are implemented on tree trunks, then insect access is hindered, but trunk growth is prevented causing malformations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous barrier into discrete conducting wire segments spaced apart from each other. This segmentation allows the tree trunk to grow freely between the wires while still maintaining an effective barrier, as insects must contact the wires to cross, but the gaps permit natural trunk expansion without restriction
Solution Approach 2:
The conducting wires act as flexible barrier elements that can accommodate trunk growth. Unlike rigid annular barriers, the wire configuration allows the trunk to expand and change shape naturally while maintaining the protective function against insect access
3Ease of manufacture
If simple sheet barriers are used on irregular trunks, then manufacturing is simplified, but barrier effectiveness is reduced due to gaps between bark irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible conducting wires instead of rigid sheets, allowing the barrier to conform to irregular bark surfaces. The wires can be wrapped around and adjusted to follow the contours of the trunk, ensuring continuous coverage that blocks insect passages while remaining simple to install
Solution Approach 2:
The wire configuration allows for dynamic adjustment to match the trunk's shape and growth. The barrier is not fixed in a rigid position but can be adapted and repositioned as the trunk changes shape, maintaining effectiveness on irregular surfaces without complex manufacturing
4Ease of manufacture
If fixed physical barriers are installed on trees, then initial installation is simple, but frequent manual adjustment is required to accommodate tree growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic barrier system using flexible wires that can expand and contract with tree growth. The segmented wire configuration allows the barrier to self-adjust as the trunk grows, eliminating the need for frequent manual interventions while maintaining simple initial installation
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the barrier into discrete wire segments with gaps, the system accommodates trunk growth naturally. The segmented structure allows expansion without requiring disassembly or repositioning, reducing maintenance time while keeping installation simple
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 prevents insect access and extermination while being ecological, economical, and durable, maintaining tree health and reducing insect populations.
Implementation Method 1
a circuit is fixed on the diagonal of the internal face of the non-conducting sheet, based on pairs of parallel conducting wires... subjected to a high difference in electrical potential... electrocute the crawling insect that tries to cross the base sheet
Implementation Method 2
a band of flexible foam, which enables it to adapt to the contour of the bark of the tree trunk to which it is applied
Implementation Method 3
powered by a solar rechargeable battery
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-pest device for fruit trees and the like that prevents trees from being affected by crawling insect pests includes a rectangular sheet of electrical insulating material, which can adopt the shape of an inverted truncated cone or a cylindrical configuration around the trunk of the tree; a band of low-density foam under the sheet that adapts to the physiognomy of the bark, and deforms with the growth of the trunk, whereas the sheet includes a sector that is superimposed thereon and slides on it to adapt to said growth; a pair of parallel conducting wires, separated a distance according to the size of the body of the insect to be exterminated, subjected to a high difference in electrical potential by means of a power supply circuit, such that when an insect tries to get past them, it is automatically electrocuted.