JP7833192B2 - Fruit tree reflector - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a reflector made of foamed resin for fruit trees that reflects light shining on the ground around the fruit trees.

Traditionally, in the cultivation of fruit trees such as apples, peaches, and grapes, a cultivation method has been implemented in which agricultural reflective sheets are laid around the rows of orchards and around the base of the fruit trees. This method uses reflective sheets to reflect light that shines on the surrounding ground, thereby illuminating more light to the leaves and fruits of the fruit trees. This helps with photosynthesis in the fruit trees, for example, by increasing the sugar content of the fruit or improving its color.

Furthermore, as an agricultural reflective sheet as described above, a laminated sheet composed of a fabric-like fiber aggregate layer, a specularly reflective foil-like metal layer such as aluminum foil, and a synthetic resin film layer is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Because this reflective sheet has a specularly reflective light-reflecting layer such as aluminum, it can reflect light with high efficiency, and because of its low light transmittance, it also has the effect of suppressing weed growth on the ground where it is laid.

Utility Model Registration No. 3078702 Publication

However, reflective sheets with specular reflectivity as described above tend to reflect light only in specific directions relative to incident light. This localized reflected light can cause problems such as heat burn on fruits. In particular, because reflective sheets are thin, sheet-like materials, they are easily affected by the terrain of the installation site. For example, if there are depressions or slopes in the ground, the outer surface of the reflective sheet laid on top of them will become concave, forming partially concave reflective surfaces that concentrate reflected light in certain areas.

Furthermore, because the specular reflective sheets described above are large, thin sheets, they can easily be blown away by wind, requiring multiple people to lay them down, making the installation process cumbersome.

This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a fruit tree reflector that can appropriately diffuse and reflect reflected light, and that can be easily installed.

To solve the above problems, the present invention comprises a reflector body made of foamed resin, a reflective portion provided on one side of the reflector body, a rib structure provided on the side of the reflector body opposite to the reflective portion, and a fixing pin insertion hole provided so as to penetrate the reflector body, wherein the reflective portion has a white, curved surface.

In the above-described reflector for fruit trees, it is preferable that the surface of the curved surface is covered with a resin sheet by vacuum integral molding.

In the above-described reflector for fruit trees, the curved surface is preferably convex with a protruding center.

In the above-described reflector for fruit trees, it is preferable that the rib structure has a concave portion corresponding to the convex shape of the curved surface.

In the above-described fruit tree reflector, it is preferable that the outer circumference of the reflector body is circular.

In the above-described fruit tree reflector, it is preferable that the outer periphery of the reflector body is hexagonal.

In the above-described fruit tree reflector, it is preferable that the outer periphery of the reflector body is rectangular.

In the above-described reflector for fruit trees, it is preferable that the curved surface has a concave shape with a depression in the center.

According to the fruit tree reflector of the present invention, the curved surface of the reflective portion is white, based on the color of the foamed resin that constitutes the main reflector body. Furthermore, its surface exhibits a fine, uneven texture due to the textured foamed beads, thus suppressing localized illumination of reflected light. Additionally, because it has a rib structure, the shape of the reflective surface does not change, regardless of the terrain of the installation site. Therefore, it can appropriately diffuse and reflect reflected light. Moreover, being made of foamed resin, it is lightweight, and its shape is fixed by the rib structure, allowing even a single worker to easily carry it. It is also resistant to being blown over by wind, and can be fixed by inserting pins into the fixing pin insertion holes, making installation easy.

(a) is a perspective view mainly of the plan view of a fruit tree reflector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a perspective view mainly of the bottom view. (a) is a plan view of the fruit tree reflector, (b) is a bottom view, (c) is a front view, and (d) is a cross-sectional view of (a) along line A-A. (a) through (c) are diagrams illustrating the procedure for vacuum integral molding of a resin sheet. A diagram showing an example of the use of the reflector for fruit trees. (a) is a perspective view mainly of the top of a fruit tree reflector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a perspective view mainly of the bottom, (c) is a top view, (d) is a bottom view, (e) is a front view, and (f) is a side view. (a) is a perspective view mainly of the top of a fruit tree reflector according to the third embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a perspective view mainly of the bottom, (c) is a top view, (d) is a bottom view, (e) is a front view, and (f) is a side view. (a) is a perspective view mainly of the top surface of a reflector for fruit trees according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a perspective view mainly of the bottom surface, (c) is a top view, (d) is a bottom view, (e) is a front view, and (f) is a side view.

A fruit tree reflector according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) and Figures 2(a) to 2(d), the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment comprises a reflector body 2 made of foamed resin, a reflective portion 3 provided on one side of the reflector body 2, a rib structure 4 provided on the side of the reflector body 2 opposite to the reflective portion 3, and a fixing pin insertion hole 5 formed to penetrate the reflector body 2. The reflective portion 3 has a white curved surface 30. In this embodiment, the surface of the curved surface 30 is covered with a resin sheet 6 (see Figure 3, described later) by vacuum integral molding. Note that the resin sheet 6 is not shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The reflector body 2 is a structure in which the reflective portion 3 and the rib structure portion 4 are molded as a single integrated unit. The material constituting the reflector body 2 is, for example, a foamed synthetic resin such as polystyrene, polyethylene, or polyolefin resin. In this embodiment, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used. While the polystyrene granules (beads) themselves are colorless and transparent, the molded body formed by foaming them is white in appearance. Furthermore, since expanded polystyrene is thermoformed into a predetermined shape after foaming the beads, the surface of the molded reflector body 2 exhibits fine irregularities caused by the foamed beads.

The reflector body 2 of this embodiment has a circular outer shape, for example, a disc-shaped member with an outer diameter of 900 mm and a height of 100 mm. The upper surface of the reflector body 2 is the reflective portion 3. The curved surface 30 of the reflective portion 3 has a convex shape where the center protrudes most relative to the outer circumference, and is, for example, a gently convex surface formed with a radius of R1000 to 1300. In addition, four fixing pin insertion holes 5 are provided near the outer circumference of the curved surface 30 at 90° intervals.

The underside of the reflector body 2 has eight rib structures 4 arranged radially from the center to the periphery. The underside of the reflector body 2 also has a smooth, annular peripheral surface 41, which has connecting portions 42 extending toward the outer ends of the rib structures 4. Of the eight connecting portions 42, the one located where the fixing pin insertion hole 5 is provided has a larger flat surface than the other connecting portions 42. The thickness of the reflector body 2 is, for example, 50 mm where the rib structures 4 are present and 30 mm where the rib structures 4 are not present.

Furthermore, the rib structure 4 has a concave portion 43 corresponding to the convex shape of the curved surface 30 (see Figures 1(b) and 2(d)). That is, the thickness of the rib structure 4 is generally uniform from the central portion to the connecting portion 42. Because of this concave portion 43, when multiple reflector bodies 2 are stacked, the concave portion 43 of the upper reflector body 2 overlaps the curved surface 30 of the lower reflector body 2, allowing multiple reflector bodies 2 to be stored in a space-saving manner.

Next, the procedure for covering the reflector body 2 with a resin sheet will be explained with reference to Figure 3. First, as shown in Figure 3(a), a reflector body 2 made of foamed resin, molded into the shape described above, is prepared. Then, the entire outer surface of this reflector body 2 is covered with a resin sheet 6 by vacuum integral molding. The reflector body 2 is placed on the upper surface of the vacuum container 81 with its upper surface (reflective portion 3) facing upwards, and the resin sheet 6 is placed on top of it. Note that in Figure 3(a), a resin sheet 6 with a hatched pattern is shown for ease of explanation, but the resin sheet 6 is transparent or the same white color as the reflector body 2.

The resin sheet 6 is a sheet member that softens and deforms when heated, while hardening at room temperature, possessing sufficient strength and surface durability to support heavy objects. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the resin sheet 6 be made of the same compound as the reflector body 2. If the reflector body 2 is made of the aforementioned expanded polystyrene, then, for example, a high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) sheet is used for the resin sheet 6.

As shown in Figure 3(b), a heater 82 is positioned above the resin sheet 6. The heater 82 heats the resin sheet 6, softening it. The vacuum container 81 is provided with a suction port (not shown) that connects the internal space to the upper exterior of the vacuum container 81, and a vacuum pump 83 that reduces the pressure in the internal space. The vacuum container 81 on which the reflector body 2 is placed is movable upward. The reflector body 2 is brought into close contact with the resin sheet 6 softened by the heater 82, and the vacuum pump 83 is activated to suck air between the reflector body 2 and the resin sheet 6 through the vent (not shown), causing the resin sheet 6 to be vacuum-adhered to the reflector body 2. As a result, the reflective portion 3 (curved surface 30) on the upper surface of the reflector body 2 is completely covered by the resin sheet 6 without any gaps.

Next, the resin sheet 6 is applied to the underside of the reflector body 2 using the same procedure as described above. This results in a reflector body 2 with its entire outer surface covered by the resin sheet 6, as shown in Figure 3(c). Then, using a puncher with the same diameter as the fixing pin insertion hole 5, the resin sheet 6 covering the upper and lower openings of the fixing pin insertion hole 5 is cut, thereby obtaining the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment. Note that the resin sheet 6 may be applied only to the upper surface (curved surface 30) of the reflector body 2, without covering the underside.

The fruit tree reflector 1, manufactured as described above, is placed on the ground surrounding the fruit tree FT, as shown in Figure 4. The pin P is then inserted into the fixing pin insertion hole 5, and the fruit tree reflector 1 can be fixed by driving the pin P into the ground. While the L-shaped pin P is shown somewhat larger in the example, the size and shape of the pin P are not limited to those shown, as long as it can fix the fruit tree reflector 1.

The fruit tree reflector 1 has a reflective section 3 with a convex curved surface 30 on its upper surface. The reflective section 3 is white, based on the color of the foamed resin (or resin sheet 6) that constitutes the main reflector body 2, and its surface exhibits a fine, uneven texture due to the foamed beads. Therefore, light L irradiated onto the surface of the reflective section 3 is diffusely reflected and scattered into the surroundings. As a result, compared to conventional resin sheets with specular reflectivity, localized irradiation of reflected light is suppressed. Furthermore, since the fruit tree reflector 1 has a rib structure 4, its shape is fixed. Therefore, even when installed on a recessed, sloping ground, as shown in Figure 4 (for example, the fruit tree reflector 1A), the shape of the surface of the reflective section 3 does not change. Consequently, the fruit tree reflector 1 allows for appropriate diffuse reflection of reflected light, preventing heat damage to the fruit.

Furthermore, the fruit tree reflector 1 is lightweight because its main component, the reflector body 2, is made of foamed resin, and its shape is fixed by the rib structure 4. Therefore, it can be easily carried by a single worker and will not be blown away by the wind. Moreover, the fruit tree reflector 1 can be easily fixed to the ground by inserting the pin P into the fixing pin insertion hole 5. Thus, workers can easily install the fruit tree reflector 1.

Furthermore, in the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment, the resin sheet 6 is vacuum-molded integrally onto the outer reflective portion 3 (curved surface 30). Therefore, compared to reflectors with exposed foamed resin, it is less prone to dirt, and dirt can be easily removed by simple cleaning such as washing with water. Also, because the reflective portion 3 is a convex curved surface 30, any fallen leaves or other debris that adhere to it are easily blown away by wind. Thus, a decrease in the reflective efficiency of the reflective portion 3 due to the accumulation of dirt and fallen leaves can be suppressed.

Next, a fruit tree reflector according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. As shown in Figures 5(a) to (f), the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment has a hexagonal outer periphery of the reflector body 2. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above.

If the outer circumference of the reflector body 2 is circular, as shown in Figure 4, even if multiple fruit tree reflectors 1 are installed around the fruit tree FT, gaps will form between adjacent fruit tree reflectors 1, and the light shining into these gaps cannot be used as reflected light. In contrast, with the fruit tree reflector 1 according to this embodiment, since the outer circumference of the reflector body 2 is hexagonal, the gaps between adjacent fruit tree reflectors 1 can be reduced by installing multiple fruit tree reflectors 1 in a honeycomb pattern. Therefore, the number of fruit tree reflectors 1 that can be placed in a predetermined space increases, allowing for more effective irradiation of fruit trees with reflected light. Furthermore, light shining into the gaps between adjacent fruit tree reflectors 1 can suppress the growth of weeds.

Next, a fruit tree reflector according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 6. As shown in Figures 6(a) to (f), the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment has a rectangular outer periphery of the reflector body 2. Furthermore, while in the first and second embodiments the curved surface 30 was most prominent at the center relative to the outer periphery, in this embodiment the curved surface 30 is trough-shaped (see Figure 6(f) in particular). The rib structure 4 is formed in a grid pattern and has concave portions 43 corresponding to the convex shape of the curved surface 30. The peripheral edge surfaces 41 that contact the ground surface are provided only on two sides of the trough shape.

When installing fruit tree reflectors 1 to surround fruit trees, the outer shape of the reflector body 2 is preferably circular or hexagonal, as shown in the first and second embodiments above. However, when fruit trees are planted at regular intervals along rows and the fruit tree reflectors 1 are arranged in rows along the rows, as in this embodiment, making the outer shape of the reflector body 2 rectangular allows for more efficient installation of multiple fruit tree reflectors 1.

Next, a fruit tree reflector according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figures 7(a) to (f), the fruit tree reflector 1 of this embodiment has a rectangular outer periphery of the reflector body 2, and the curved surface 30 of the reflective portion 3 has a concave shape with a central depression, and the curved surface 30 is inclined in one direction.

In an orchard where the fruit tree reflectors 1 are arranged in a grid pattern along the rows, as described in the third embodiment above, there will be no fruit trees beyond the outermost row of fruit tree reflectors 1. In such a case, if the curved surface 30 of the reflector 3 is convex, light will be wasted by being reflected outwards where there are no fruit trees. Therefore, in this embodiment, by making the curved surface 30 of the reflector 3 concave, light can be efficiently reflected inwards towards where the fruit trees are located. Furthermore, since the surface of the reflector 3 of the fruit tree reflector 1 is white and has a finely textured surface, even with a concave curved surface 30, the light-gathering ability is low, and there is almost no risk of the fruit being scorched by heat.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without altering the spirit of the invention. In the above embodiments, the external shape of the reflector body 2 is shown as circular, hexagonal, and rectangular, but other shapes are also possible. Also, instead of having multiple fixing pin insertion holes near the outer circumference of the fruit tree reflector 1, they may be provided, for example, in a single location in the center of the fruit tree reflector 1.

1. Reflector for fruit trees 2. Reflector body 3. Reflective section 30. Curved surface 4. Rib structure 5. Fixing pin insertion hole 6. Resin sheet FT Fruit Tree

Claims (8)

The reflector comprises a foamed resin body, a reflective portion provided on one side of the reflector body, a rib structure provided on the side of the reflector body opposite to the reflective portion, and a fixing pin insertion hole provided so as to penetrate the reflector body.
The reflective portion is characterized by having a white, curved surface, and is a reflector for fruit trees. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the curved surface is covered with a resin sheet by vacuum integral molding. The curved surface is characterized by having a convex shape with a protruding center, as described in claim 1 or 2. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 3, characterized in that the rib structure has a concave portion corresponding to the convex shape of the curved surface. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer circumference of the reflector body is circular. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer periphery of the reflector body is hexagonal. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer periphery of the reflector body is rectangular. The fruit tree reflector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the curved surface has a concave shape with a depression in the center.