JP2025064560A - Fruit fall prevention device and fruit fall prevention method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a fruit drop prevention tool that can ensure the necessary ventilation and sunlight for fruit, has little risk of damaging the contact point between the fruit stalk and the branch even for non-experienced workers, and is easy to install; and to provide an installation method thereof.SOLUTION: A fruit drop prevention tool 20 includes: a fruit apex support part 22 made of an elastic material that receives a fruit apex 82 of a fruit 80; a linear arm part 24 made of an elastic material that extends outward from the fruit apex support part 22; a frame part 28 made of an elastic material that is formed at a tip part 26 of the arm part 24 and through which a wire rod that is bound to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 by bundling the arms 24 is inserted; and a linear side surface support part 30 made of an elastic material that is provided on the arm parts 24 and wraps around the outer surface of the fruit 80 together with the arm parts 24 when the frame part 28 is bundled.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

This disclosure relates to a fruit drop prevention device and a fruit drop prevention method.

In general, the period when fruit on trees ripens tends to coincide with periods when natural disasters such as storms and typhoons are likely to occur, and there is a risk that the ripe fruit will be exposed to wind and rain and fall off. In order to protect the fruit from the effects of wind and rain, attempts have been made to reduce the impact of direct exposure to wind and rain by covering the fruit.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fruit drop prevention belt that is made of a belt-like mesh material, wraps fruit in the belt-like mesh material, and supports the fruit with the belt-like mesh material by tying both ends of the belt-like mesh material to tree branches or supporting members.

For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a fruit bag made of a transparent resin sheet, in which the top side of two rectangular front and back panels is opened to a predetermined width in the width direction just wide enough to accommodate young fruit, and the area excluding the openings at the bottom, sides and top sides is welded or folded to form a body with the front and back continuous, the volume of the body being larger than the fruit after maturity, and at least one cut that is a slit with no gap is provided around the periphery of the body, and a strap is provided at the opening for tying the bag to both the stalk and the branch of the fruit.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-304842 JP 2022-153558 A

The fruit drop prevention band described in Patent Document 1 uses a mesh material, and while it ensures a certain degree of ventilation when attached to the fruit, the amount of sunlight on the fruit surface is significantly limited compared to natural conditions, which has a negative effect on the sugar concentration of the fruit, and may cause uneven coloring or delayed coloring, particularly in colored fruits such as apples, peaches, and cherries. In addition, when attaching the fruit drop prevention band to the fruit, it is necessary to first wrap the fruit in the fruit drop prevention band and then tie it to the branch or support member, which applies force to the contact point between the fruit stalk and the branch, easily damaging the contact point, and this work requires skill.

In addition, the fruit bag described in Patent Document 2 uses a transparent resin sheet, and although a certain amount of sunlight is secured on the fruit surface, it is not possible to completely avoid a reduction in sunlight due to reflection on the resin surface and absorption by the resin, which affects the sugar concentration and color of the fruit. In addition, since the entire fruit is wrapped in an almost sealed state by simply providing a thin slit, although it is effective in preventing the intrusion of pests, it has poor ventilation and may have a negative effect on the respiratory activity necessary for the fruit to ripen. Furthermore, as in the case of Patent Document 1, when attaching the fruit bag to the young fruit, it is necessary to first position the fruit bag so that the young fruit fits into the opening of the fruit bag, tie the strap of the fruit bag to the fruit stalk of the fruit, and then tie the strap to the branch, which applies force to the contact point between the fruit stalk and the branch, which is easily damaged, and this work requires skill.

In addition, in both the cases of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the fruit is placed into the bag from the apex side, so branches and leaves can get in the way.

The present disclosure aims to provide a fruit drop prevention device and an installation method that can ensure the necessary ventilation and sunlight for the fruit, is easy to install, and reduces the risk of damage to the contact points between the fruit stalks and branches, even for non-experienced workers.

The fruit drop prevention device of the first embodiment comprises a fruit apex support part made of an elastic material that receives the fruit apex, linear arms made of an elastic material that extend outward from the fruit apex support part, a frame part made of an elastic material that is formed at the tip of the arms and bundles the arms together and through which a wire that is tied to the fruit branch is inserted, and a linear side support part made of an elastic material that is attached to the arms and that, together with the arms, envelops the outer surface of the fruit when the frame part is bundled.

When this fruit drop prevention device is bundled by inserting a wire into the frame formed at the tip of the linear arm extending outward from the fruit tip support, a fruit storage space is formed in which the fruit is enclosed by the linear arm, fruit tip support, and side support.

Here, because the arms and side support parts are made of an elastic material, the gap between the adjacent arms can be opened to the left and right like a curtain, and therefore, when the fruit drop prevention device is tied to a branch adjacent to the fruit, the fruit can be placed sideways into the formed fruit storage space through the widened gap. Therefore, compared to the work of wrapping the fruit in a net and then tying both ends of the net to a tree branch or a support member as in Patent Document 1, or the work of putting the fruit into a fruit bag from the top side, first tying the net to the fruit stalk with a belt and then tying the net to the branch as in Patent Document 2, with the fruit drop prevention device of the present application, the fruit is tied to the branch before being put in, and then the fruit is put into the fruit storage space from the side, so that the branches and leaves are less likely to get in the way of the work, making the work of tying to the branch and putting the fruit easier, and there is a low risk of damage due to force being applied to the contact part of the fruit stalk and the branch during such work.

The fruit drop prevention device disclosed herein prevents growing fruit from falling due to strong winds, etc., but even if the fruit is fully ripe and the stalk is easily cut off from the branch, and the branch is shaken by strong winds, etc., causing the fruit stalk to break off, the fruit tip support part of the fruit drop prevention device will catch the fruit and prevent it from falling to the ground, so that the commercial value of the fruit can be maintained to a certain extent.

In addition, according to the fruit drop prevention device disclosed herein, the arms and side support parts that hold the fruit are formed from elongated elastic members, so compared to the mesh body of Patent Document 1 and the fruit bag of Patent Document 2, the device is well ventilated and the area of the fruit surface that is exposed to direct sunlight is large, ensuring the amount of sunlight necessary for the fruit to grow, color, and increase its sugar concentration.

This disclosure provides a fruit drop prevention device that can ensure the amount of sunlight required for fruit when attached and is easy to attach.

1A is a plan view of a main part of a fruit fall restraining device according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of a binding member of the fruit fall restraining device according to the present disclosure. 1 is an enlarged view of a plate portion provided on a frame portion or a binding member provided on an arm portion of a fruit drop restraint device according to the present disclosure. This is a figure explaining the fruit drop prevention device of the present disclosure, and illustrates how a binding member is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the frame portion of the arm portion to bundle the tip portions of the arm portions together in one place, thereby forming a fruit storage space. Fig. 1A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a knob of a binding member is caught in a small diameter hole of a frame of an arm according to the present disclosure, and the arm cannot move left or right beyond the knob and is bundled in one place. Fig. 1B is a perspective view illustrating a state immediately before the binding member according to the present disclosure is used to bundle the arm and is fastened to a branch. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating how fruit is contained in a fruit drop restraint device according to the present disclosure. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a fruit fall restraint device according to the present disclosure, which illustrates how the fruit fall restraint device holds a fruit and supports the weight of the fruit. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating how the fruit storage space formed in the fruit fall restraint device according to the present disclosure is reduced in volume using a different binding member.

Below, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference symbols. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings have been exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

In the following description of this disclosure, the term "worker" refers to a person who uses a fruit fall suppression device 20 according to an embodiment of this disclosure to attach the fruit fall suppression device 20 to a fruit 80 in order to suppress the fruit 80 from falling.

(composition)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a fruit drop restraint device 20 and a binding member 10 according to the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the fruit drop suppression device 20 according to the present disclosure includes a fruit top support portion 22, an arm portion 24, a frame portion 28, and a side support portion 30.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the fruit apex support portion 22 has a circular ring-shaped portion 22C and spoke portions 22S extending radially from the center of the ring-shaped portion 22C, forming a circular net shape. The fruit apex support portion 22 is made of an elastic material, and supports the fruit apex of the fruit 80 when the fruit drop suppression device 20 holds the fruit 80, as described below.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the arm portion 24 is a member that extends linearly outward from the annular portion 22C of the apex support portion 22. At least two of the arm portions 24 extend from the annular portion 22C and are formed of an elastic material. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(A), four arm portions 24 are formed at equal intervals (90° intervals) from the apex support portion 22 in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the frame portion 28 is a member made of an elastic material formed at the tip portion 26 of the arm portion 24. In this embodiment, three frame portions 28 are formed at the tip portion 26 of each arm portion 24 at intervals in the direction in which the arm portion 24 extends (radial direction when viewed from the fruit apex support portion 22). The frame portion 28 also has an insertion hole 28H through which the binding member 10 is inserted. The specific shape of the insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), the side support portion 30 is a linear member formed in an elliptical ring shape on the side of the fruit apex support portion 22 from the tip portion 26 of the arm portion 24. In other words, the side support portion 30 is shaped so that it splits into two in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the arm portion 24 and joins together on the tip portion 26 side of the arm portion 24. In other words, the side support portion 30 is a portion of the arm portion 24 between the tip portion 26 and the fruit apex support portion 22 that expands in a direction different from the extension direction of the arm portion 24. This side support portion 30 is formed of an elastic material, and as described below, when the fruit drop suppression device 20 holds the fruit 80, it envelops the side of the fruit 80.

The fruit drop suppression device 20 according to this embodiment is integrally formed using polypropylene (PP) resin, which is a thermoplastic resin that is an elastic material. Therefore, as described above, the fruit top support portion 22, the arm portion 24, the frame portion 28, and the side support portion 30 are all formed of an elastic material and have flexibility. In the present disclosure, the elastic material is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin for resin molding, such as polyacetal (POM) resin, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), epoxy resin, phenoxy resin, polyarylene sulfide (polyphenylene sulfide), (meth)acrylic resin, polyolefin (polyethylene), polystyrene, acrylic resin, polyamide, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, polycarbonate, biodegradable resin, etc. Any material may be used as long as it has the required flexibility and is strong enough not to be easily broken. Depending on the application, it may be a resin material to which additives having, for example, oxidation inhibition effect, deodorizing effect, insect repellent effect, weather resistance enhancement effect, antistatic effect, etc. are added. In addition, the fruit drop suppression device 20 itself is not formed as a single unit, and each part may be formed as a separate member, and the members may be joined together using an appropriate joining means according to the material, such as sewing, riveting, adhesion, welding, etc., to form an integrated unit.

As shown in FIG. 1(B), the binding member 10 according to this embodiment has a string-like body 40, a plate portion 50, and an engagement portion 60. In addition, the binding member 10 can be deformed from the linear state shown in FIG. 1(B) to a ring-shaped state, and from the ring-shaped state back to the original linear state.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the string-like body 40 according to this embodiment is a portion that extends elongatedly in the length direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1B). Also, as shown in FIG. 1B, a plate piece portion 50 is provided at one end 44A in the length direction of the string-like body 40, and an engagement portion 60 is provided at the other end 44B. Also, as shown in FIG. 1B, the string-like body 40 according to this embodiment is formed so that the width in the width direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1B) is wider than the thickness in the thickness direction (the front direction in FIG. 1B), which are directions perpendicular to the length direction, and is wide and flat. Note that in this disclosure, the shape of the string-like body 40 is not limited to this, and may be any shape, such as a circular, polygonal, or amorphous cross section, a partially hollow tube shape, a coil shape, etc.

As described below, the string-like body 40 according to this embodiment is a band-like portion in which the central portion 42 in the width direction is curved in a convex shape and both ends in the width direction are flattened with circular chamfers. More specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the string-like body 40 (cross-section viewed from the length direction) is the same as that of the band-like portion 62 described below. In the present disclosure, the cross-sectional shape of the string-like body 40 is not limited to this, and may be any shape different from the cross-sectional shape of the band-like portion 62.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plate portion 50 according to this embodiment is a portion having a large diameter hole 52, a small diameter hole 54, and a slit portion 56. The large diameter hole 52 is a circular hole that penetrates the plate portion 50 in the thickness direction by the diameter size, and a part of the circumferential direction (more specifically, the peripheral portion at the position where it intersects with one of the length directions) is cut out by the slit portion 56. The small diameter hole 54 is a circular hole that penetrates the plate portion 50 in the thickness direction by the diameter size, and a part of the circumferential direction (more specifically, the peripheral portion at the position where it intersects with the other of the length directions) is cut out by the slit portion 56. The slit portion 56 is a gap portion that penetrates the plate portion 50 in the thickness direction by the groove width size, and communicates between the large diameter hole 52 and the small diameter hole 54.

In this embodiment, the large diameter hole 52, the slit portion 56, and the small diameter hole 54 are formed in this order in a straight line in the longitudinal direction from the string-like body 40 side in the plate portion 50. Note that in this disclosure, the direction in which the large diameter hole 52, the slit portion 56, and the small diameter hole 54 are arranged is not limited to this, and may be formed at any angle to the longitudinal direction, for example, in the opposite direction to the direction in this embodiment, as long as the large diameter hole 52 and the small diameter hole 54 are arranged in a straight line with the slit portion 56 between them.

As described below, the plate portion 50 according to this embodiment has both ends in the width direction chamfered into a circular shape. In this disclosure, the shape of the chamfer at both ends in the width direction of the plate portion 50 is not limited to this, and may be any shape, or may not be chamfered at all. The dimensional relationship between the diameter 52D of the large diameter hole 52, the diameter 54D of the small diameter hole 54, and the groove width of the slit portion 56 in this embodiment will be described later.

The plate portion 50 is formed to be wide, as shown in FIG. 1(B). In other words, the directions in which the plate portion 50 and the string-like body 40 are wide are the same. Note that this does not apply when a string-like body 40 that is not flat is used in the present disclosure.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1(A), the shape of the insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28 of the fruit fall suppression device 20 is the same as the shapes of the large diameter hole 52, the small diameter hole 54, and the slit portion 56 of the plate portion 50 of the binding member 10. In other words, in this embodiment, the frame portion 28 of the fruit fall suppression device 20 and the plate side portion of the binding member 10 have the same shape.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the engagement portion 60 according to this embodiment is a portion having a plurality of band-like portions 62 formed along the length of the string-like body 40 from the other end 44B of the string-like body 40, and a plurality of bumps 64. In addition, adjacent bumps 64 are connected in the length direction by the band-like portions 62.

As shown in FIG. 1(B), the band-shaped portion 62 according to this embodiment is formed to extend in the length direction of the engagement portion 60, and is curved in the width direction so that the central portion 42 is convex, and both ends in the width direction are chamfered in a circular shape. In other words, the band-shaped portion 62 is flattened so that the thickness direction is the minor axis. The radius of curvature of the thickest portion in the width direction is larger than the radius of curvature of both left and right ends in the thickness direction. In other words, the curvature of the thickest portion in the width direction is smaller than the curvature of both left and right ends in the thickness direction.

In addition, the thickness of the band-like portion 62 according to this embodiment is equivalent to the thickness of the string-like body 40, and the width of the band-like portion 62 is equivalent to the width of the string-like body 40. However, this is not limited to this in the present disclosure, and the thickness of the band-like portion 62 and the thickness of the string-like body 40 do not have to be equivalent, and the width of the band-like portion 62 and the width of the string-like body 40 do not have to be equivalent, and the cross-sectional shape of the band-like portion 62 may be any shape as long as it is a flat band-like shape whose width is smaller than the diameter of the small diameter hole 54 and whose maximum thickness is smaller than the groove width of the slit portion 56. In addition, in this embodiment, since the cross-sections of the band-like portion 62 and the string-like body 40 are uniform, the thickness is the maximum thickness of the band-like portion 62 and the string-like body 40, and the width is the maximum width of the band-like portion 62 and the string-like body 40.

The bump 64 according to this embodiment is a knob-shaped portion having the same diameter in the length direction, width direction, and thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 1B, the bumps 64 are formed at intervals equal to the length of the band-shaped portion 62 plus the diameter of the bump 64 along the length direction of the engagement portion 60. In addition, in this disclosure, the shape of the bump 64 is not limited to this, and may be any shape, such as an oblate ellipsoid shape with the length direction as the minor axis, a disk shape with the length direction as the central axis, or a spoke shape with the length direction as the central axis, as long as the maximum diameter of the outline projected in the length direction is smaller than the diameter 52D of the large diameter hole and can pass through the large diameter hole 52, and is larger than the diameter 54D of the small diameter hole and cannot pass through the small diameter hole 54. In addition, in the present disclosure, the number of knobs 64 and the spacing between adjacent knobs 64 are not limited to those shown in this embodiment, and may be determined appropriately depending on the shape of the branch 84 around which the binding member 10 is wrapped, the shape of the fruit 80, etc.

The dimensional relationship between the various parts of the binding member 10 according to this embodiment is as follows, in order of increasing size: the thickness of the band-shaped portion 62, the groove width of the slit portion 56, the width of the band-shaped portion 62, the diameter 54D of the small diameter hole, the diameter of the bump 64, and the diameter 52D of the large diameter hole. That is, the maximum thickness of the band-shaped portion 62 is smaller than the groove width of the slit portion 56. Furthermore, the bump 64 can easily pass through the large diameter hole 52, but is substantially unable to pass through the small diameter hole 54. Furthermore, the band-shaped portion 62 can pass through the slit portion 56 when the width direction is aligned with the length direction of the slit portion 56.

In addition, in the binding member 10 according to this embodiment, the width of the band-shaped portion 62 is larger than the groove width of the slit portion 56 and smaller than the diameter 54D of the small diameter hole. For this reason, the band-shaped portion 62 cannot be passed through the slit portion 56 unless the width direction of the band-shaped portion 62 coincides with the length direction of the slit portion 56. In addition, when the band-shaped portion 62 is passed through the small diameter hole 54 via the slit portion 56, the width direction of the band-shaped portion 62 can be oriented in any direction. In other words, when the band-shaped portion 62 is passed through the small diameter hole 54, it can be twisted with the length direction as the axis of rotation.

The binding member 10 according to this embodiment is integrally formed using polypropylene (PP) resin, which is a thermoplastic resin, in the same manner as the fruit drop suppression device 20. In this disclosure, the material is not limited to this, and may be, for example, polyacetal (POM) resin, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate (PET) etc.), epoxy resin, phenoxy resin, polyarylene sulfide (polyphenylene sulfide etc.), (meth)acrylic resin, polyolefin (polyethylene etc.), polystyrene, acrylic resin, polyamide, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyethersulfone, polyetheretherketone, polycarbonate, biodegradable resin, etc., which are thermoplastic resins for resin molding. Also, any material may be used as long as it has flexibility or pliability that allows it to be twisted along the long axis so that the surface forming the plate piece portion and the surface forming the belt-shaped portion of the engagement portion form an angle of at least 90°, and has strength that is not easily broken. In addition, it may be a resin material to which an additive having, for example, an oxidation suppressing effect, an odor preventing effect, an insect repellent effect, a weather resistance enhancing effect, an antistatic effect, etc. has been added depending on the application.

As described below, the fruit fall suppression device 20 of the present disclosure is used together with at least one binding member 10. The combination of the fruit fall suppression device 20 and the binding member 10 may be referred to as a fruit fall suppression device set.

Here, since the fruit drop prevention device 20 according to this embodiment is formed from an elastic material, it is possible to bundle the tips of the arms 24. Also, as described above, the frame 28 and the plate 50 according to this embodiment have the same shape, so that, as shown in FIG. 3, with the tips of the arms 24 bundled together, it is possible to insert the engagement portion 60 of the binding member 10 into the large-diameter hole side of the insertion hole 28H formed in the frame 28.

As shown in FIG. 4(A), in the fruit drop suppression device 20 according to this embodiment, when the engagement portion 60 of the binding member 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 28H, the strip portion 62 of the engagement portion 60 can be moved from the large diameter hole side of the insertion hole 28H through the slit portion to the small diameter hole side.

The frame 28 formed on the arm 24 is positioned between adjacent bumps 64 formed in line with the engaging portion 60 of the binding member 10, and the band-shaped portion 62 of the binding member 10 is moved from the large diameter hole of the insertion hole 28H to the small diameter hole, so that the bump 64 catches the small diameter hole of the insertion hole 28H. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4(A), the frame 28 cannot move freely in the length direction of the binding member 10, and this is repeated until all the arms 24 are gathered and bound at one location of the engaging portion 60 of the binding member 10.

As shown in FIG. 4(B), by bundling the multiple arms 24 using the bundling member 10, the side support portion 30 of the fruit drop suppression device 20 cooperates with the fruit top support portion 22 and the arms 24 to form a fruit storage space 70 that holds the fruit 80.

Next, the procedure for supporting the weight of fruit 80 using the fruit fall restraint device set according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 as appropriate. Note that the fruit fall restraint device set according to this embodiment is, as an example, a combination of one fruit fall restraint device 20 and two binding members 10. Note that both binding members 10 have the same shape.

(Procedure for supporting the weight of 80 fruits)
As shown in Fig. 5, the worker first estimates the size of the fruit storage space 70 consisting of the fruit top support portion 22, the arm portion 24, and the side support portion 30 from the size of the target fruit 80. More specifically, the worker determines through which insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28 of the arm portion 24 the binding member 10 should be inserted to bind the arm portion 24, in order to form the fruit storage space 70 so that excessive slack is not generated when the fruit 80 is placed in the fruit storage space 70. In this explanation, this is an example in which the worker selects the outermost frame portion 28 (the tip side of the arm portion 24).

Next, the operator sequentially inserts the tip 26 of the binding member 10 into the larger diameter hole side of the selected insertion hole 28H, and repeats the process of moving it to the smaller diameter hole side at any one point of the engagement part 60, thereby bundling the arm part 24 at the position of the selected insertion hole 28H. In this way, by taking advantage of the fact that each member of the fruit drop suppression device 20 is an elastic body, the fruit top support part 22, the arm part 24, and the side support part 30 form a three-dimensional fruit storage space 70 large enough to appropriately store the fruit 80.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the worker further ties the binding member 10 that has been inserted through the frame 28 to bind the arms 24 to the closest portion of the branch 84 to which the stalk of the fruit 80 is connected. Then, the worker positions the fruit storage space 70 in a position adjacent to the fruit 80.

Next, the worker uses the elasticity of the arm portion 24 and the side support portion 30 to push the gap between the adjacent arm portions 24 as far as possible so that the fruit 80 can pass through at the position where the fruit 80 is adjacent. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the worker pushes the fruit 80 through the gap from the side into the fruit storage space 70, thereby attaching the fruit drop prevention device 20 to the fruit 80.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the worker passes the second binding member 10 through the frame portion 28 through which the binding member 10 has not passed, thereby bundling the arm portion 24 at the position of the frame portion 28. In FIG. 7, the worker passes the binding member 10 through the second outermost frame portion 28, thereby reducing the volume of the fruit storage space 70 and wrapping the fruit 80 with the side support portion 30. In other words, as shown in FIG. 7, the worker uses the frame portion 28 that was not used to fasten to the branch 84 to tighten the arm portion 24 and reduce the volume of the fruit storage space 70, thereby adjusting the slack in the grip of the fruit 80 and ensuring that the fruit drop restraint device 20 can support the weight of the fruit 80.

Next, we will explain the action and effect of the fruit fall suppression device 20 and the set of fruit fall suppression devices 20 according to this embodiment.

(Action and Effects)
The fruit drop prevention device 20 of this embodiment comprises a fruit top support part 22 made of an elastic material that receives the fruit top 82 of the fruit 80, a linear arm part 24 made of an elastic material that extends outward from the fruit top support part 22, a frame part 28 made of an elastic material formed at the tip 26 of the arm part 24 and through which a wire that bundles the arm parts 24 and is tied to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 is inserted, and a linear side support part 30 made of an elastic material that is provided on the arm parts 24 and wraps around the outer surface of the fruit 80 together with the arm parts 24 when the frame parts 28 are bundled.

When this fruit drop prevention device 20 is bundled by inserting a wire into the frame 28 formed at the tip 26 of the linear arm 24 extending outward from the fruit top support 22, a fruit storage space 70 is formed in which the linear arm 24, the fruit top support 22, and the side support 30 encase the fruit 80.

Here, because the arm portion 24 and the side support portion 30 are made of an elastic material, the gap between adjacent arm portions 24 can be opened to the left and right like a curtain, and therefore, when the fruit drop prevention device 20 is fastened to the branch 84 adjacent to the fruit 80, the fruit 80 can be inserted from the side through the widened gap into the formed fruit storage space 70. Therefore, compared to the work of wrapping the fruit 80 in a net and then tying both ends of the net to a tree branch 84 or a support member as in Patent Document 1, or the work of placing the fruit 80 in a bag from the top 82 side of the fruit 80, first tying the fruit 80 to the stalk with a strap, and then tying it to the branch 84 as in Patent Document 2, in the fruit drop prevention device 20 of the present application, the fruit 80 is tied to the branch 84 before being placed in the bag, and then the fruit 80 is placed in the fruit storage space 70 from the side, so that the branch 84 and leaves are less likely to get in the way of the work, making it easier to tie the fruit 80 to the branch 84 and place the fruit 80 in, and there is a low risk of damage due to force being applied to the contact part of the fruit stalk and the branch 84 during such work.

In addition, the fruit drop prevention device 20 of the present disclosure prevents the growing fruit 80 from falling due to strong winds, etc., but even if the fruit 80 is fully ripe and the stalk is easily cut off from the branch 84, and the branch 84 is shaken by strong winds, etc., and the stalk of the fruit 80 is cut off, the fruit tip support part 22 of the fruit drop prevention device 20 receives the fruit 80 and does not fall to the ground, so that the commercial value of the fruit 80 can be maintained to a certain extent.

In addition, according to the fruit drop prevention device 20 disclosed herein, the arms 24 and side support parts 30 that hold the fruit 80 are formed from elongated elastic members, so compared to the net-like body of Patent Document 1 and the bag of fruit 80 of Patent Document 2, the device is well ventilated and the surface of the fruit 80 is exposed to direct sunlight over a wide area, ensuring the amount of sunlight necessary for the fruit 80 to grow, color, and increase its sugar concentration.

In addition, in the fruit drop prevention device 20 of this embodiment, the fruit top support part 22 is in a circular net shape, at least two arms 24 hold the sides of the fruit 80, the arms 24 have an insertion hole 28H through which a binding member 10 that ties the arms 24 together and is fastened to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 is inserted, and the side support part 30 is a member that cooperates with the fruit top support part 22 and the arms 24 to form a fruit storage space 70 that holds the fruit 80, and further includes at least one long, thin, flexible string-like binding member 10 that is inserted through the insertion hole 28H to bundle the arms 24 and fasten them to the branch 84 of the fruit 80.

According to this fruit drop prevention device 20, when the binding member 10 is sequentially inserted into the frame portion 28 formed at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the tip portion 26 of each arm portion 24 extending outward from the fruit tip support portion 22 and bundled, a fruit storage space 70 that encases the fruit 80 is formed by the arm portion 24, the fruit tip support portion 22, and the side support portion 30.

In addition, when the binding member 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28 at an appropriate position to bind the arm portion 24 and tie the fruit drop prevention device 20 to the branch 84, the fruit apex 82 of the fruit 80 is adjusted in advance so that it is in a positional relationship that abuts against the fruit apex support portion 22. Therefore, when the fruit 80 is pushed laterally into the fruit storage space 70, the weight of the fruit 80 is supported by the fruit apex support portion 22, so that even if a force that tries to pull the fruit 80 away from the branch 84 due to the fruit 80's own weight or an external force such as a strong wind is applied to the fruit stalk, the fruit stalk is less likely to be torn off from the branch 84.

In addition, the fruit drop prevention device 20 of this embodiment is formed with at least two frame parts 28 and at least two binding members 10, and at least one binding member 10 that was not used to bundle the arm parts 24 and fasten them to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 is inserted into the insertion hole 28H of at least one frame part 28 that is formed closer to the side support part 30 than the frame part 28 used to bundle the arm parts 24 and fasten them to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 by inserting it into the insertion hole 28H of the frame part 28 and the binding member 10, and at least one binding member 10 that was not used to bundle the arm parts 24 and fasten them to the branch 84 of the fruit 80 is inserted into the insertion hole 28H of the frame part 28 and narrow the arm parts 24 to reduce the volume of the fruit storage space 70, thereby adjusting the looseness of the grip of the fruit 80.

According to this fruit fall prevention device 20, in each arm 24, the binding member 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28 that is not used to hang the fruit fall prevention device 20 from the branch 84, and the arm 24 is narrowed, thereby reducing and adjusting the fruit storage space 70 to a size that properly holds the fruit 80.

In addition, in the fruit drop suppression device 20 of this embodiment, the binding member 10 includes a long, thin, flat string-like body 40 made of resin and a plate portion 50 formed at one end 44A of the string-like body 40, and the plate portion 50 has a large diameter hole 52 and a small diameter hole 54 formed in the plate portion 50, as well as a slit portion 56 that connects the large diameter hole 52 and the small diameter hole 54. The maximum thickness of the string-like body 40 is smaller than the width 56C of the slit portion, and at least one lump-like bump portion 64 having an outer diameter smaller than the large diameter hole 52 and larger than the small diameter hole 54 is formed at intervals along the string-like body 40 from the other end 44B of the string-like body 40, and the outer diameter of the bump portion 64 is smaller than the large diameter hole of the insertion hole 28H of the frame portion 28.

When this fruit-fall prevention device 20 is tied to a tree branch 84 using the binding member 10, first, the tip 26 of the string-like body 40 on the side where the knob 64 is formed is inserted sequentially through the insertion holes 28H of the frame portion 28 provided on each arm portion 24, and the arms 24 are bundled together in one place. Next, the string-like body 40 is appropriately wrapped around the tree branch 84 and hung, and then inserted through the large diameter hole 52 of the plate portion 50 provided at the opposite end. The string-like body 40 is appropriately tightened until there is no slack in it, and then the thin side of the flat string-like body 40 is inserted into the gap of the slit portion 56 and moved along the slit portion 56 until the string-like body 40 is positioned in the small diameter hole 54. The outer diameter of the knob 64 formed on the string-like body 40 is larger than the small diameter hole 54, so when the string-like body 40 moves into the small diameter hole 54 and tries to move in the direction of insertion of the small diameter hole 54, the knob 64 gets caught in the small diameter hole 54 and cannot move beyond the knob 64. As a result, the binding member 10 engages at the position of the knob 64, the arm 24 is bound by the binding member 10, and the fruit-containing space 70 is formed, and the fruit-dropping restraint device 20 is maintained suspended from the tree branch 84 by the binding member 10.

In addition, in this fruit drop prevention device 20, when the fruit 80 is contained in the fruit storage space 70 and the binding member 10 is used to reduce and adjust the fruit storage space 70 to a size that properly holds the fruit 80, the tip 26 of the string-like body 40 on the side where the knob 64 is formed is first inserted sequentially through the insertion holes 28H of the frame portion 28 that are located at the same position from the tip of each arm portion 24 that forms the fruit storage space 70, and after the string-like body 40 has been inserted through the insertion holes 28H of all the arms 24, it is then inserted through the large diameter hole 52 of the plate portion 50 provided at the opposite end, and the string-like body 40 is appropriately tightened until the fruit storage space 70 is reduced in volume to a size that properly holds the fruit 80, and then the thin side of the flat string-like body 40 is inserted into the gap of the slit portion 56 and moved along the slit portion 56 to position the string-like body 40 in the small diameter hole 54. After the string-like body 40 moves into the small diameter hole 54, the knob 64 prevents the string-like body 40 from moving in the direction of insertion through the small diameter hole 54, and the string-like body 40 engages with the plate portion 50, maintaining the fruit storage space 70 in an appropriately reduced volume state.

In any of the above cases, there is no need to tie two components together while adjusting the force, as is the case with the strings at the ends of the fruit 80 fall prevention belt in Patent Document 1 or the belt in Patent Document 2, so the task of attaching it to the fruit 80 does not require skill and is easy.

In addition, since the binding member 10 of the present invention can be engaged reliably without the need for force, there is little risk of damaging the contact area between the stalk of the fruit 80 and the branch 84 when attaching the fruit drop prevention device 20 to the fruit 80.

The binding member 10 of the present invention has a structure that allows for free engagement and disengagement, so that when the fruit 80 ripens and is ready to be harvested, the stalk of the fruit 80 can be cut and separated from the branch 84, the binding member 10 can be disengaged, and the fruit 80 can be harvested while still inside the fruit drop prevention device 20. In this way, the fruit drop prevention device 20 can be used to protect the surface of the fruit 80, at least during transportation from the orchard to a facility such as a sorting facility.

In addition, since the binding member 10 of the present invention is made of resin, it has a certain degree of durability against wind, rain, etc., and there is little risk of damage to the fruit fall prevention device 20 or the binding member 10 used therein during the series of operations of attaching the fruit fall prevention device 20 to the fruit 80 or the branch 84 or removing it from the fruit 80 or the branch 84. Therefore, it can be reused for several years, and the environmental impact is small.

In addition, in this embodiment of the fruit drop suppression device 20, the outer peripheral shape of the fruit top support part 22 is circular, and the side support part 30 is an ellipse formed by the arm part 24 branching off and then rejoining the arm part 24.

This fruit drop prevention device 20 allows the three-dimensional shape of the fruit 80 storage space to be varied by combining the circular shape of the fruit top support part 22 with the elliptical shape of the side support part 30, and can create a fruit 80 storage space that can fit and encase a wide range of fruits 80, from roughly spherical fruits 80 such as melons to non-spherical fruits 80 such as apples and mangoes, and irregularly shaped fruits 80 such as grapes and bananas.

In addition, the method for preventing fruit 80 from falling in this embodiment uses a fruit fall prevention device 20 to prevent ripening fruits 80 growing on a fruit tree from falling due to a typhoon or other unintended external force. First, based on the size of the target fruit 80, it is estimated which position of the arm 24 should be inserted through the insertion hole 28H of the frame 28 of the binding member 10 to bind the arm 24 when the fruit 80 is placed in the fruit storage space 70 composed of the fruit top support portion 22, the arm 24, and the side support portion 30 so that excessive slack is not generated in the fruit storage space 70. The position of the insertion hole 28H of the arm 24 to be used is selected and determined, and then the tip 26 of the binding member 10 is sequentially inserted through the selected insertion hole 28H to bind the arm 24. 4 are bundled together, and by utilizing the elasticity of each component, the fruit top support 22, the arm 24, and the side support 30 form a three-dimensional fruit storage space 70 large enough to appropriately store the fruit 80. Next, the binding member 10 inserted into the frame 28 to bundle the arm 24 is then wrapped around and engaged with the nearest part of the branch 84 to which the stalk of the fruit 80 is connected, and the fruit storage space 70 is positioned adjacent to the fruit 80. Next, by utilizing the elasticity of the arm 24 and the side support 30, the gap between the adjacent arm 24 at the position where the fruit 80 is adjacent is expanded, and the fruit 80 is pushed into the fruit storage space 70 from the side through the gap, and the fruit drop suppression device 20 is attached to the fruit 80.

According to this method for preventing the fruit 80 from falling, the work of hanging the fruit fall prevention device 20 on the branch 84 closest to the fruit 80 and then placing the fruit 80 in the fruit storage space 70 does not require any work such as tying together parts, and the fruit 80 can be placed in the fruit storage space 70 simply by pushing it lightly from the side, making the work easy and not requiring skill, and there is a low risk of damage due to force being applied to the contact point between the stalk of the fruit 80 and the branch 84.

In addition, according to the fruit fall suppression device 20 of the embodiment, the amount of sunlight required for the fruit 80 can be secured in the attached state, and the attachment work is easy. In addition, the fruit 80 fall prevention belt disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the fruit 80 bag disclosed in Patent Document 2 have a problem that, when the fruit 80 is attached to the fruit 80, an unintended force is applied to the contact part of the fruit stalk and the branch 84 during the series of operations of wrapping the fruit 80 and tying it to the branch 84, causing a burden on the fruit stalk. However, according to the fruit fall suppression device 20 of the present disclosure, the fruit fall suppression device 20 can be attached to the fruit 80 by first tying the fruit fall suppression device 20 to the branch 84 closest to the fruit 80, then lightly pushing the fruit 80 from the side and simply storing it in the fruit 80 storage space of the fruit fall suppression device 20 through the gap between the adjacent arms 24, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the fruit stalk of the fruit 80 when attaching it.

(Other Modifications)
In the above description, the fruit top support portion 22 has a circular net shape, but the fruit drop suppression device 20 according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. The fruit top support portion 22 only needs to be able to support the fruit 80 when the fruit drop suppression device 20 is attached to the fruit 80, and may be formed, for example, only by the annular portion 22C or the spoke portion 22S in the above description.

In addition, in the above description, three frame portions 28 are formed, but the fruit fall restraint device 20 according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, if the fruit storage space 70 is not reduced in volume after the fruit fall restraint device 20 is attached to the fruit 80, only one frame portion 28 may be formed on each arm portion 24. Also, even when the fruit storage space 70 is reduced in volume, if it is possible to bundle the arms 24 directly using a binding device without using the frame portions 28, each arm portion 24 may have only one frame portion 28 formed thereon.

In addition, in the above description, the insertion hole 28H formed in the frame portion 28 has the same shape as the plate portion 50 of the binding member 10, but the fruit drop restraint device 20 according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the above description, the frame portions 28 are bound by the bump portion 64 of the binding member 10, but the arm portions 24 may be bound by simply binding the frame portions 28 together with a linear member. In other words, the insertion hole 28H formed in the frame portion 28 has a large diameter hole 52, a small diameter hole 54, and a slit portion 56 formed therein in the above description, but instead may be a simple through hole.

In the above description, the side support portion 30 is an ellipse formed by the arm portion 24 branching out and rejoining the arm portion 24, but the fruit drop suppression device 20 according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. The side support portion 30 only needs to be formed to extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the arm portion 24 so that it can wrap around the side of the fruit 80 when the fruit drop suppression device 20 is attached to the fruit 80.

The above describes the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the attached drawings. However, it is clear that a person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains can conceive of various modifications and applications within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

10 Binding member 20 Fruit drop prevention device 22 Fruit apex support portion 22C Annular portion 22S Spoke portion 24 Arm portion 26 Tip portion 28 Frame portion 28H Insertion hole 30 Side support portion 40 String-like body 42 Center portion 44A One end portion 44B The other end portion 50 Plate portion 52 Large diameter hole 52D Diameter of large diameter hole 54 Small diameter hole 54D Diameter of small diameter hole 56 Slit portion 56C Width of slit portion 60 Engagement portion 62 Belt-shaped portion 64 Knob portion 70 Fruit storage space 80 Fruit 82 Fruit apex portion 84 Branch

Claims (6)

a fruit tip support part made of an elastic material for receiving the fruit tip of the fruit;
A linear arm portion made of an elastic material extending outward from the fruit tip support portion;
a frame portion made of an elastic material formed at the tip of the arm portion, through which a wire rod that bundles the arm portions and is tied to a fruit branch is inserted;
A linear side support part made of an elastic material is provided on the arm part and wraps around the outer surface of the fruit together with the arm part when the frame part is bundled.
A fruit drop prevention device comprising: The fruit tip support portion has a circular net shape,
The arm portion has at least two arms that embrace the sides of the fruit,
The frame portion has an insertion hole through which a binding member that binds the plurality of arms and is tied to a fruit branch is inserted,
The side support portion is a member that cooperates with the fruit top support portion and the arm portion to form a fruit storage space that holds the fruit,
The device further includes at least one long, thin, flexible string-like binding member that is inserted through the insertion hole to bind the arm portions and fasten them to a fruit branch.
The fruit drop prevention device according to claim 1. At least two of the frame portions are formed,
At least two of the binding members are provided,
At least one of the binding members that was not used to bundle the arms and fasten them to the fruit branch is inserted into the insertion hole of at least one of the frame members and the binding member that is formed closer to the side support member than the frame member that was used to bundle the arms and fasten them to the fruit branch by inserting it into the insertion hole of claim 2, and the arm is narrowed to reduce the volume of the fruit storage space, thereby adjusting the looseness of the fruit holding.
The fruit drop prevention device according to claim 2. The binding member is
A thin and flat string-like body made of resin, and a plate portion formed at one end of the string-like body;
Equipped with
The plate portion has a large diameter hole and a small diameter hole formed therein, and also has a slit portion that connects the large diameter hole and the small diameter hole,
The maximum thickness of the string-like body is smaller than the width of the slit portion,
At least one lump-shaped portion having an outer diameter smaller than the large diameter hole and larger than the small diameter hole is formed at an interval along the string-like body from the other end of the string-like body,
The outer diameter of the bump portion is a size that allows the bump portion to pass through the insertion hole of the frame portion.
The fruit drop prevention device according to claim 2. The outer peripheral shape of the fruit tip support portion is circular,
The side support portion is an elliptical portion formed by the arm portion branching off and rejoining the arm portion.
The fruit drop prevention device according to claim 1. A method for preventing ripening fruits from falling due to a typhoon or other unintended external force, using the fruit fall prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
First, based on the size of a target fruit, a prediction is made as to which position of the arm should be inserted into the insertion hole of the frame portion to tie the arm portion when the fruit is placed in the fruit storage space formed by the fruit top support portion, the arm portion, and the side support portion in order to prevent excessive slack in the fruit storage space, and the position of the insertion hole of the arm portion to be used is selected and determined;
Next, the arms are bound at the positions of the selected insertion holes by sequentially inserting the tips of the binding members into the insertion holes selected in this way, and by utilizing the fact that each member is an elastic body, the fruit top support portion, the arms and the side support portion form a three-dimensional fruit storage space of a size that can appropriately store the fruit,
Next, the binding member inserted into the frame portion to bind the arm portion is further tied to a proximal portion of the branch to which the fruit stalk is connected, and the fruit storage space is disposed in a position adjacent to the fruit,
Next, the elasticity of the arm portion and the side support portion is utilized to expand the gap between the adjacent arm portions at the position where the fruits are adjacent, and the fruit is pushed into the fruit storage space from the side through the gap, thereby attaching the fruit drop suppression device to the fruit.
Methods for preventing fruit drop.