US 6,550,182 B2Granted

Implantable aerating root pruner

OwnerRandal D. A. Locke, Daniel Paul Dunbar +1inventors

InventorsRandal D. A. Locke, Daniel Paul Dunbar, Teresa Marie Locke

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Abstract

Disclosed is an implantable aerating root pruner (IARP) formed from a pair of thin walled substantially identical rigid sheet members which are dismountably fitted together to form a stake-like conduit each of which sheet members has a plurality of apertures therein which creates a grate-like structure with a high ratio of total open area to total surface area, one end of each of which is tapered to form, when the sheet members are fitted together to form the IARP, an edge or point which facilitates insertion of the IARP into planting medium and the end portion of the other end of each thereof lacks the apertures and is adapted to project above the surface of the planting medium. The sheet members can be flat separate elements which form a box-like conduit or semi-cylindrical and joined together by hinges and which form a cylindrical conduit.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An implantable aerating root pruner (IARP) comprising a pair of separate, thin walled substantially flat and rigid sheet members, each having interior and exterior faces, dismountably fitted together or adapted to be dismountably fitted together to form the IARP in a spaced apart configuration which forms a thin elongate rectangular hollow box-like structure whose front and back faces are formed by the sheet members and comprise joining means which render the sheet members readily joinable together and separable from each other, at least one of which sheet members have a plurality of apertures therein which form an apertured grate-like structure which provides the face of the IARP with a high ratio of open area to solid area, a first end of each of which sheet members is tapered to form, when the sheet members are fitted together to form the IARP, a solid beveled edge to facilitate insertion of the IARP into planting medium, wherein the end portion of the other end of each sheet member, is solid without apertures therein and is adapted to project above the surface of the planting medium, which IARP provides ambient air access to the planting medium along the length of the IARP when the IARP is inserted in the planting medium and thereby promotes enhanced aeration of and uniform distribution of water in the planting medium from the surface of the planting medium to the said solid beveled edge of the IARP and which has an air root pruning effect on the roots of a plant growing proximate thereof in the planting medium.

A combination of an implantable aerating root pruner (IARP) and a cutter plate, comprising a pair of thin walled substantially rigid sheet members dismountably fitted together in a spaced apart configuration which forms a stake-like IARP, at least one of which sheet members having a plurality of apertures therein which form a grate-like structure which provides the IARP with a high ratio of total open area to total surface area, a first end of each of which sheet members is tapered to form, when the sheet members are fitted together to form the IARP, a solid beveled edge or point to facilitate insertion of the IARP into planting medium, which said end portion of the other end of each sheet members is solid without apertures therein, and is adapted to project above the surface of the planting medium, which IARP provides ambient air access to the planting medium along the length of the IARP when the IARP inserted in the planting medium and thereby promotes enhanced aeration of and uniform distribution of water in the planting medium from the surface of the planting medium to the end portion of the IARP and which has an air root pruning effect on the roots of a plant growing proximate thereof in the planting medium;

and an elongate rectangular thin-walled grate-like apertured substantially rigid root cutter plate adapted to be slideably and removably inserted into the IARP in sliding contact with the inner face of one of the apertured sheet members of the IARP to a first position at which the end thereof which is inserted first is proximate the lower end portion of the IARP, the second end thereof projects outside the IARP and said apertures are out of registry with the apertures of the sheet member with which the cutter plate is sliding contact and is adapted to be inserted further to a second position in the IARP at which the end thereof which is inserted first is in contact with the end portion of the sheet member and said apertures are in registry with the apertures in the sheet member, and thereby mechanically sever any roots which have invaded the space between the cutter plate and the inner wall of the other sheet member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.