Patent US5653054A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5653054A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for preventing frost formation on plants
Assignee: Frost B Gone Inc
•
Filing: 1995-10-31
•
Granted: 1997-08-05
•
Expires: 2015-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A process for preventing or retarding frost formation on substrates such as grass or leafy plants is disclosed. The process involves spraying the surfaces of these substrates with a frost prevention composition comprising a mixture of water, a water-soluble freezing point depressant, such as propylene glycol, and a water dispersible thickening agent for such composition, such as a crosslinked polyacrylic acid polymer. The composition is preferably applied just prior to expected frost onset and serves to lower the freezing point of dew which accumulates on such substrates which have the frost-prevention composition adhered to the substrate surfaces.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph P. Savignano
- 👤 Joseph W. Hanafin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:52
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G13/00; A01G13/06; A01G13/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A process for preventing or retarding frost formation on grass or leafy plant substrates susceptible to frost damage comprising spraying the surface of said substrate with a frost-prevention composition comprising a mixture of: a) water; b) a water soluble freezing point depressant for said water, present in said composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of water by at least about 2° F.; and c) a water dispersible thickening agent for said composition, present in an amount sufficient to cause said composition to adhere to said grass or plant surfaces to a greater extent than an otherwise identical composition which is free of said thickening agent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process for preventing or retarding frost formation on grass or leafy plant substrates susceptible to frost damage comprising spraying the surface of said substrate with a frost-prevention composition comprising a mixture of: a) water; b) a water soluble freezing point depressant for said water, present in said composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of water by at least about 2° F.; and c) a water dispersible thickening agent for said composition, present in an amount sufficient to cause said composition to adhere to said grass or plant surfaces to a greater extent than an otherwise identical composition which is free of said thickening agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said freezing point depressant is a hydroxy-functional compound selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 mono-hydric alcohols, C 2 to C 4 alkylene glycols, polyalkylene glycols wherein the alkylene groups contain 2 to 4 carbon atoms, sugar and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said hydroxy-functional compound is a C 2 or C 3 alkylene glycol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 3 wherein said alkylene glycol is propylene glycol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of gel-forming polysaccharides, gel-forming celluloses, gelatin and gel-forming acrylic polymers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said thickening agent comprises a crosslinked acrylic acid polymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 6 wherein said crosslinked acrylic acid polymer comprises a polyacrylic acid having a molecular weight in the range of from about 750,000 to about 4,000,000.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 6 wherein said composition further contains an inorganic base or organic amine base present in said composition in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least 20% of the free carboxylic acid groups present in said polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said composition contains from about 5 to about 75 wt % of said freezing point depressant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 9 wherein said composition contains at least about 10 wt % of said freezing point depressant, and wherein said composition is diluted with additional water prior to spraying the surface of said grass or leafy plants.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said thickening agent is present in said composition at a level of from about 0.01 to about 3.0 wt %.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 6 wherein said acrylic acid polymer is present in said composition at a level of from about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt %.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said composition has a viscosity in the range of 5,000 to 100,000 cps as measured using a Brookfield Model RTV viscometer at room temperature, RV-6 spindle at 10 RPM.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a water soluble fertilizer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is golf green grass.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
137 words
A process of preventing or retarding frost formation on the surfaces of golf green grass comprising: i) providing a frost-prevention composition comprising a mixture of: a) water b) at least 10 wt % of a water soluble freezing point depressant for said water, present in said composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of water by at least about 2° F.; c) a water dispersible thickening agent for said composition present in said composition in an amount sufficient to provide a composition Brookfield RVT viscosity of at least about 1,000 cps at 10 rpm and room temperature using an RV-6 spindle; ii) diluting said composition with at least one volume of additional water per volume of said composition; and iii) spraying said diluted composition on the surfaces of grass blades in said golf green.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
137 words
A process of preventing or retarding frost formation on the surfaces of golf green grass comprising: i) providing a frost-prevention composition comprising a mixture of: a) water b) at least 10 wt % of a water soluble freezing point depressant for said water, present in said composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of water by at least about 2° F.; c) a water dispersible thickening agent for said composition present in said composition in an amount sufficient to provide a composition Brookfield RVT viscosity of at least about 1,000 cps at 10 rpm and room temperature using an RV-6 spindle; ii) diluting said composition with at least one volume of additional water per volume of said composition; and iii) spraying said diluted composition on the surfaces of grass blades in said golf green.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 16 wherein said dilution occurs in a mixing spray nozzle of a hose.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 16 wherein said freezing point depressant is a hydroxy-functional compound selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 mono-hydric alcohols, C 2 to C 4 alkylene glycols, polyalkylene glycols wherein the alkylene groups contain 2 to 4 carbon atoms, sugar and mixtures thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said thickening agent is a crosslinked acrylic acid polymer present in said composition at a level of from about 0.01 to about 1.0 wt %.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said composition has a viscosity in the range of from about 5,000 to 100,000 cps as measured using a Brookfield Model RTV viscometer at room temperature, RV-6 spindle and at 10 RPM.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 20 wherein said viscosity is in the range of about 25,000 to 80,000 cps.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said water soluble, hydroxy functional compound is propylene glycol present in said composition at a level of from about 10 to about 60 wt %.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE1046392B
Cited
US3180056A
Cited
US3584412A
Cited
US3965615A
Cited
SU479460A1
Cited
US3940356A
Cited
US4086331A
Cited
US4358389A
Cited
SU957794A1
Cited
US4698172A
Cited
US4954279A
Cited
JPH03157922A
Cited
US5118435A
Cited
US5273673A
Cited
US5385688A
Cited
JPH09224629A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-08-04 | 2001-02-03 | 2001-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-08-04 | 2005-02-03 | 2005-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-08-04 | 2009-02-03 | 2009-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |