1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices used for supporting plants, and more particularly to a fastener to support foliage on a wire and a method of fastening foliage to a wire.
2. Discussion of the Background
The conventional method of raising grapes or raisins in vineyards is to grow the grape vines in separate, parallel rows utilizing a trellis system of foliage wires that are suspended above the ground. The vines are secured to the foliage wires with ties, which may be formed from string, wire, or plastic. Typically the tie material is supplied from spools.
While the use of such prior art ties is effective, the use of these ties has several problems. First, using the ties tends to be time consuming work. If the tie material is provided on spools, the ties must be cut to length as needed, and are tied using both hands. Further, the ties need to be removed using cutting tools at the end of the growing season and disposed of.
Thus there is a need in the art for an apparatus that permits for the easy and quick fastening of plants in the field. Such an apparatus should require less work and tools than current fastening systems, and should preferable produce less waste or residue.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art by providing individual fasteners that can be used to secure a plant to a wire.
In one embodiment, a flexible fastener is provided that can secure a plant to a foliage wire. The fastener is configured to receive a foliage wire and a vine, and may easily be deformed to attach the vine to the wire. In one embodiment, the fastener has two arms that are joined at a proximal, that are generally parallel, and which each include a portion near a distal end to attach to the wire.
In another embodiment, a fastener is provided to that is attachable to a wire having a diameter. The fastener is generally planar and flexible, said includes a fastener end, a first portion attached to the fastener end. The first portion is attached to the fastener end and includes a first convex portion. The second portion is attached to the fastener end and includes a second convex portion. The first portion and said second portion form an open aperture through said fastener, with said first convex portion and said second convex portion opening into said aperture.
In yet another embodiment, a fastener attachable to a wire having a diameter is provided. The fastener includes a body, where the body has a proximal portion, where the body is generally planar, and where the body includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is joined to the proximal portion and includes a first convex portion, and the second portion is joined to the proximal portion and includes a second convex portion. The body is sufficiently flexible to overlap the first convex portion and the second convex portion to form a closed configuration, where the closed configuration includes a closed aperture bounded by the first portion and the second portion.
In another embodiment, fastener includes two arms that are each flexible and which can be closed about a wire to attach the vine to a wire. The fastener deforms between the overlapped notches and the third portion to force the plant against the wire.
In another embodiment, a method of securing a vine to a wire using a fastener is provided. The fastener is planar and includes a central portion, a first portion extending from the central portion and including a first wire fastener, and a second portion extending from the central portion and including a second wire fastener. The method includes placing a fastener over the wire, placing the first portion over the vine, attaching the first wire fastener to the wire, placing the second portion over the vine, and attaching the second wire fastener to the wire.
In another embodiment, a biodegradable fastener is provided that can easily secure a plant to a wire, and which can be left in the field to decompose.
These features, together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the plant fastener of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:
Reference symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein.
Embodiments are presented herein for fasteners which may be used, for example and without limitation, to facilitate the positioning of plants. As one example of the use of such fasteners, grape vines are typically grown by attaching the vine to a wire of a grape trellis.
As is further shown in
In certain embodiments, arms 120 and 130 may be are generally similar in shape and may be mirror images of one another. Thus, for example and without limitation,
In one embodiment, fastener end 110 may be sized to be conveniently gripped between the thumb and the index finger. Thus, for example and without limitation, one or both of W and Z may each be between approximately 20 mm and approximately 50 mm. Thus for example, and without limitation, either W or Z may be approximately 20 mm, approximately 25 mm, approximately 30 mm, approximately 35 mm, approximately 40 mm, approximately 45 mm, or approximately 50 mm. In addition, while fastener end 110 is shown as being approximately square, the fastener end may be rectangular, oval, or any other shape that can connect arms 120 and 130.
Proximal portions 121, 131 may be sized and positioned such that area 140 has a length X and width U sized to bend around a plant of interest. For grapevines, X may be between 35 and 75 mm. In general, length X may be, for example and without limitation, between approximately 25 mm and approximately 100 mm, and may be, approximately 25 mm, approximately 35 mm, approximately 50 mm, approximately 75 mm, or approximately 100 mm. Width U may have a minimum size that may be between 0 mm and 20 mm. and may be, for example and without limitation, approximately 0 mm, approximately 2 mm, approximately 4 mm, approximately 6 mm, approximately 8 mm, approximately 10 mm, approximately 12 mm, approximately 14 mm, approximately 16 mm, approximately 18 mm, or approximately 20 mm. Further, while area 140 is shown as having a wedge shape and a semicircular end, the area may be rectangular, square, have sharp edges, or other shapes that permit portions 125 and 135 to overlap.
Distal portions 123, 133 may be sized to provide overlap when portions 125 and 135 overlap, and have a length V that may be between approximately 0 mm and approximately 40 mm.
Convex portions 125 and 135 are sized to restrain a wire. Foliage wires of 13 gauge are common, and thus convex portions 125 and 135 may have a diameter of approximately 3 mm. Other size convex portions 125 and 135 may be chosen for use with different sized wires.
As shown in
One example of the use of fastener 100′ is illustrated in
Fastener 100 may be manufactured from a variety of materials. In one embodiment, fastener 100 is biodegradable. In another embodiment, fastener 100 is formed from a paper or hemp product, such as card stock or cardboard. In another embodiment, fastener 100 is formed from a paper or hemp product having a waxed finish. In one embodiment, fastener 100 is formed from a plastic. In yet another embodiment, fastener 100 is formed from a biodegradable plastic.
As a further example of the user of fastener 100,
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/117,691, filed Nov. 25, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61117691 | Nov 2008 | US |