US5224967A — Protective wrap for preventing damage to girdled …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 154 words

A method of protecting girdled plants, comprising: providing a protective wrap for plants having a flexible sheet backing including, a flexible water insoluble polymeric sheet suited for being wound into rolls or dispensed as cut sheets, a homogeneous hydrophilic stable matrix applied to the backing, said matrix being hydratable by atmospheric moisture and having a bonding surface adapted to conform to the contours of the plant and said bonding surface being sufficiently tacky to hold the tape in place after being wrapped around the plant, said matrix including (a) a liquid phase comprising a polar, hydrophilic, water-miscible liquid for plasticizing the matrix, and (b) a water-soluble or water-swellable natural or synthetic hydrophilic film-forming polymer uniformly admixed with said liquid to form a flexible matrix, and applying the wrap with the matrix portion bonded to a bark-free girdled surface of the plant to cover the girdled surface and thereby preserve the life of the plant.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 154 words

A method of protecting girdled plants, comprising: providing a protective wrap for plants having a flexible sheet backing including, a flexible water insoluble polymeric sheet suited for being wound into rolls or dispensed as cut sheets, a homogeneous hydrophilic stable matrix applied to the backing, said matrix being hydratable by atmospheric moisture and having a bonding surface adapted to conform to the contours of the plant and said bonding surface being sufficiently tacky to hold the tape in place after being wrapped around the plant, said matrix including (a) a liquid phase comprising a polar, hydrophilic, water-miscible liquid for plasticizing the matrix, and (b) a water-soluble or water-swellable natural or synthetic hydrophilic film-forming polymer uniformly admixed with said liquid to form a flexible matrix, and applying the wrap with the matrix portion bonded to a bark-free girdled surface of the plant to cover the girdled surface and thereby preserve the life of the plant.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the wrap is a tape and the tape is wound around the plant over the girdled area.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the wrap is applied to overlap the bark above and below the girdled area.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 83 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the matrix contains a biologically active composition dispersed in the matrix, said matrix serving as a hydrophillic reservoir and said reservoir containing the biologically active composition, said reservoir being adapted to swell in a humid environment for carrying the biologically active composition from the reservoir toward a surface of the wrap where it can be released to the plant and to the environment so as to provide controlled release of the protective composition for guarding the plant.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the matrix is applied as a reservoir on an inside surface of said sheet backing so as to contact the girdled surface of said plant and said backing is porous so as to expose said matrix to atmospheric moisture.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of protecting plants of claim 1 wherein the liquid phase comprises a polyhydric alcohol containing two or more hydroxyl groups and the filmforming natural or synthetic polymer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of karaya gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylamide, polymethacrylamide and its cogeners, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyoxyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of protecting plants of claim 4 wherein the biologically active composition comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of hot pepper extract, capsiacin, thiram, benzyl diethyl [(2,6 xylyl carbonyl) methyl] ammonium saccharide, thymol, denatonium saccharide, pyrethrosin, pyrethrins, pyrethrolone, crysanthemic acid, Bacillus thuringiniesis, pheromones, allomones and kairomones.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of protecting plants of claim 1 wherein a whitener is incorporated into the wrap for reflecting light to reduce sun scald.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of protecting plants of claim 8 wherein the whitener comprises ZnO or TiO 2 or is metallized to reflect sunlight from said backing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of protecting plants of claim 4 wherein the protective composition comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a pesticide, fungicide, animal or insect attractant, animal or insect repellant and a pheromone.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of protecting girdled plants, comprising: providing a flexible, water absorbent protective wrap to be applied to the girdled surface of a plant comprising, a flexible porous backing element selected from the group consisting of cotton fabric, paper, synthetic fabric, plastic and nonwoven fabric; a tacky hydrophilic matrix attached to the backing comprising a homogeneous hydrophilic stable film having adhesive properties for adhesion to the surface of the plant and being sufficiently pliant to conform to the contours of the plant; said matrix including a solid phase comprising about 12 percent to 30 percent of the total weight of the matrix and including a natural or synthetic hydratable polymeric resin selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polymethacrylamide, polyoxyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide and their cogeners, and a natural or synthetic carbohydrate polymer; said matrix including a liquid phase comprising a polyhydric alcohol of from about 25 percent to 65 percent by weight of the matrix; and applying said wrap to the girdled area of said plant with said hydrophilic matrix bonded to said area for assisting in preserving the life of said girdled plant.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 188 words

A method of protecting girdled plants, comprising: providing a flexible, water absorbent protective wrap to be applied to the girdled surface of a plant comprising, a flexible porous backing element selected from the group consisting of cotton fabric, paper, synthetic fabric, plastic and nonwoven fabric; a tacky hydrophilic matrix attached to the backing comprising a homogeneous hydrophilic stable film having adhesive properties for adhesion to the surface of the plant and being sufficiently pliant to conform to the contours of the plant; said matrix including a solid phase comprising about 12 percent to 30 percent of the total weight of the matrix and including a natural or synthetic hydratable polymeric resin selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polymethacrylamide, polyoxyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide and their cogeners, and a natural or synthetic carbohydrate polymer; said matrix including a liquid phase comprising a polyhydric alcohol of from about 25 percent to 65 percent by weight of the matrix; and applying said wrap to the girdled area of said plant with said hydrophilic matrix bonded to said area for assisting in preserving the life of said girdled plant.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 11 wherein said wrap includes a whitener is incorporated into the tape for increasing light reflection to enhance protection of the girdled area of the plant from sun scald.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 11 wherein the protective wrap has a metallized reflective means for reflecting sunlight to protect the plant.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 11 wherein a fungicide is dispersed in the stable hydrophilic matrix.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-07-05	1997-01-04	1997-07-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-07-05	2001-01-04	2001-07-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-07-05	2005-01-04	2005-07-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Protective wrap for preventing damage to girdled trees and other plants and method

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