Patent Application
20070079550
The present disclosure relates generally to artificial seeds and, more particularly, to racks used during the manufacture of artificial seeds.
Modem agriculture, including silviculture, often requires the planting of large numbers of substantially identical plants genetically tailored to grow optimally in a particular locale or to possess certain other desirable traits. Production of new plants by sexual reproduction can be slow and is often subject to genetic recombinational events resulting in variable traits in its progeny. As a result, asexual propagation has been shown for some species to yield large numbers of genetically identical embryos, each having the capacity to develop into a normal plant. Such embryos must usually be further cultured under laboratory conditions until they reach an autotrophic “seedling” state characterized by an ability to produce their own food via photosynthesis, resist desiccation, produce roots able to penetrate soil and fend off soil microorganisms.
Some researchers have experimented with the production of artificial seeds, known as manufactured seeds, in which individual plant somatic or zygotic embryos are encapsulated in a seed coat, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,699, issued to Carlson et al., the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
Typical manufactured seeds include a seed coat, a synthetic gametophyte and a plant embryo. The seed coat is suitably a capsule having a closed end and an open end. Synthetic gametophyte is placed within the seed coat, such that the gametophyte substantially fills the seed coat. A cotyledon restraint may be centrally located within the synthetic gametophyte. The cotyledon restraint includes a centrally located cavity extending partially through the length of the cotyledon restraint and sized to receive the plant embryo therein. The well-known plant embryo is approximately 4-7 millimeters in length and roughly 0.5 millimeters in diameter. The plant embryo is typically sealed within the seed coat by a live end seal.
Currently, manufactured seeds are assembled by using a rack that included pins to pinch the sides of a seed coat to hold the seed coat in a desired position. In other embodiments, the seed rack includes a vacuum displaced in the rack itself to hold the seed coat. Although the use of pins and vacuum arms is effective at transporting and handling manufactured seeds, it is not without its problems.
As a non-limiting example, the use of pins required a large amount of manual handling and, therefore, is expensive and not very ergonomic. The use of a vacuum tip requires additional equipment, e.g., the vacuum, and is also fairly expensive to construct and maintain. Therefore, there exists a need for a seed rack that is both ergonomic and relatively inexpensive.
A seed rack for use in assembling artificial seeds is provided. The seed rack includes a base having a length and a plurality of receptacles. Each one of the receptacles are sized and configured to receive at least one artificial seed coat having an opening. The seed rack also includes a retaining arm attached to the base for reciprocating movement between an opened position and a closed position. In the closed position, the retaining arm clamps the artificial seed coat within one of the plurality of receptacles and assists in positioning the opening of the artificial seed coat within the seed rack.
Another embodiment of a seed rack constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a base having a plurality of receptacles extending along a surface of the base and a retaining arm. The retaining arm is hingedly coupled to the base for reciprocating movement between an opened position, where at least one artificial seed coat may be placed within one of the plurality of receptacles, and a closed position. In the closed position, the retaining arm assists in positioning the artificial seed coat in a predetermined orientation relative to the base when the artificial seed coat is placed within one of the plurality of receptacles.
A seed rack constructed in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a base having at least one receptacle disposed along a longitudinal axis extending through a length of the base and a retaining arm. The retaining arm is pivotally attached to the base for clamping an artificial seed coat within one of the receptacles when an artificial seed coat is placed within the receptacle. The retaining arm assists in aligning an opening in the artificial seed coat along the longitudinal axis.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A seed rack 20 constructed in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention may be best understood by referring to
Each of the seed receptacles 26 are suitably integrally formed in the base 22 and are geometrically sized to receive a seed coat 28. Specifically, and as may be best seen by referring to
Still referring to
The retaining arm 24 is suitably an elongate bar hingedly attached to a yoke 30 formed with one end of the base 22 by a pin 32. The pin 32 extends through the upright portions of the yoke 30 and through one end of the retaining arm 24 to permit swinging movement of the retaining arm 24 between an open and closed position. In the open position, a seed coat 28 is placed within one of the seed receptacles 26. In the closed position, the retaining arm 24 restrains seed coats 28 placed within a seed receptacle 26 by placing a closing pressure on the seed coat 28 to clamp, without substantially deforming, the seed coat 28 between the seed receptacle 26 and the lower surface of the retaining arm 24. The retaining arm 24 is selectively locked in the closed position by a well-known lock assembly 36, such as a spring loaded pin.
In some embodiments, the lower surface of the retaining arm 24 may include a pad 34. The pad 34 is suitably formed from a strip of silicone tubing and is glued to the lower surface of the retaining arm 24. The purpose of the pad 34 is to cushion the seed coat 28 when it is clamped between the retaining arm 24 and the base 22.
Operation of the seed rack 20 may be best understood by referring to
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As a non-limiting example, and as may be best seen by referring to
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/720256, filed Sep. 23, 2005.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60720256 | Sep 2005 | US |
