Plant pollination control structures

{
  "publication_number": "US12302813B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Plant pollination control structures",
  "abstract": "A pollination control structure comprises a support; a plurality of support fixings, each support fixing being attached to or integral with the support, and; a barrier member comprising a plurality of barrier member pieces. At least one of the barrier member pieces is releasably attached to at least one of the support fixings by an intermediate fixing. The barrier member piece is releasably attached to the intermediate fixing, and the intermediate fixing is releasably attached to the support fixing.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A pollination control structure comprising: a support that defines a frame of the pollination control structure; a plurality of support fixings, each support fixing being attached to or integral with the support, and; a barrier member including a plurality of barrier member pieces; for each barrier member piece: each edge of the barrier member piece is releasably attached to one of the support fixings, respectively, by an intermediate fixing that offsets the barrier member piece from the support fixing, the barrier member piece is releasably attached to each intermediate fixing, and each intermediate fixing is releasably attached to one of the support fixings; each of the barrier member pieces being suspended entirely within openings defined between the support fixings, each of the barrier member pieces being arranged such that the barrier member pieces do not overlap any part of the support.",
    "2. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces includes releasable fastenings defined along the edges of the barrier member piece for releasably attaching the barrier member piece to the intermediate fixing.",
    "3. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the releasable fastenings include hook or loop material for releasably engaging with complementary hook or loop material of the intermediate fixing.",
    "4. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the support fixings includes a channel and at least one of the intermediate fixings includes a bead formation that slidably locates in the channel to releasably attach the intermediate fixing to the support fixing.",
    "5. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces includes a non-woven material.",
    "6. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier members pieces includes a different material from at least one other barrier member piece.",
    "7. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces includes a skirt extension for contacting a ground surface on which the structure is assembled in a substantially continuous contact line around an interior of the structure, wherein weighting means are provided on top of, within, or integral with the skirt extensions when the structure is assembled on the ground surface.",
    "8. A method of assembling a pollination control structure including a barrier member and a support that defines a frame of the pollination control structure, the support including a plurality of support members and the barrier member comprising a plurality of barrier member pieces, the method comprising: assembling the support from the support members; attaching a plurality of support fixings to the support and/or forming a plurality of support fixings integrally with the support; attaching intermediate fixings to the support using releasable fastenings; and for each barrier member piece, attaching each edge of the barrier member piece to at least one of the support fixings, respectively, by one of the intermediate fixings that offsets the barrier member piece from the support fixing, the barrier member piece being releasably attached to each intermediate fixing, each intermediate fixing being releasably attached to one of the support fixings, and each of the barrier member pieces being suspended entirely within an opening defined between the support fixings such that the barrier member pieces do not overlap any part of the support.",
    "9. A kit of parts for assembling a pollination control structure, the kit of parts comprising: a plurality of support members for forming a support that defines a frame of the pollination control structure; a plurality of support fixings, each support fixing being attachable to or integral with the support members; a plurality of barrier member pieces for forming a barrier member; and a plurality of intermediate fixings configured for releasable attachment to each edge of the barrier member pieces and one of the support members, respectively, and configured to offset the barrier member piece from the support member to suspend the barrier member piece entirely within an opening defined between support members such that the barrier member piece does not overlap any part of the support.",
    "10. A pollination control structure comprising a barrier member and a support that together define an enclosure, wherein the barrier member is supported by the support and includes at least one barrier member piece including a non-woven material, the at least one barrier member piece being suspended entirely within an opening of the support such that the at least one barrier member piece does not overlap any part of the support, wherein each edge of the at least one barrier member piece is releasably attached to the support by an intermediate fixing that offsets the at least one barrier member piece from the support.",
    "11. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein each barrier member piece is releasably fixed to the support.",
    "12. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein each barrier member piece has a length that is less than or equal to 2 metres and a width that is less than or equal to 2 metres.",
    "13. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces is formed of a different material from at least one other barrier member piece.",
    "14. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces includes a skirt extension for contacting a ground surface on which the structure is assembled in a substantially continuous contact line around an interior of the structure when the structure is assembled on the ground surface, wherein weighting means are provided on top of, within, or integral with the skirt extensions when the structure is assembled on the ground surface.",
    "15. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the support includes a plurality of body support members and a plurality of roof support member, wherein the body support members are rigid, and wherein at least one of the roof support members is more flexible than the body support members.",
    "16. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the roof support members is curved.",
    "17. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the barrier member pieces is releasably fixed to the support by an intermediate fixing that slidably locates in a channel of the support to releasably attach the barrier member piece to the support.",
    "18. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the barrier member piece is releasably attached to the intermediate fixing.",
    "19. A pollination control structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein: one of the support fixings includes a first channel and a second channel; and the intermediate fixings of at least two of the barrier members include a bead formation, the bead formation of one of the barrier members being slidably in the first channel and the bead formation of another of the barrier members being slidably located in the second channel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to plant pollination control structures.\n\nConventionally, it is known to provide pollination bags to control plant pollination. The bag defines an interior and one or more openings which can be closed or restricted. In use, the bag is located over a reproductive part of the plant to provide a barrier to the movement of pollen. However the bag is formed of a material which is relatively flexible and can be relatively easily deformed so that plant damage can occur if the material is moved (e.g., by a person, an animal or by weather conditions). Also, similarly, damage can occur when fitting and removing the bag. In some situations, pollination control is required over a relatively large plant or an area of planting which can be inefficient with relatively small bags.\n\nIn this specification, the terms inner, outer, inwardly and outwardly, when used in relation to the structure, are used with respect to the interior, which is inward of the structure, and the terms upward and downward are used in relation to the in use orientation of the structure, in which downward means down towards the ground.\n\nAccording to a first aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a pollination control structure comprising a support, a plurality of support fixings and a barrier member. Each support fixing is attached to or integral with the support. The barrier member comprises a plurality of barrier member pieces.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01H 1/027",
    "A01G 13/20",
    "A01G 13/21",
    "A01G 13/26",
    "A01G 13/27",
    "A01G 9/16",
    "E04H 15/644",
    "F16B 2/20",
    "F16B 2200/81",
    "F16B 5/0044",
    "F16B 7/0446",
    "Y02A 40/25"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01G 13/21",
    "A01G 13/27",
    "A01G 9/16",
    "A01H 1/02",
    "E04H 15/64"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Pbs International Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Stuart Carter",
    "Derek PALEY",
    "Roland Stokes",
    "Hannah SENIOR",
    "Maggie Temple"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-08-28",
  "publication_date": "2025-05-20",
  "grant_date": "2025-05-20",
  "priority_date": "2019-08-29",
  "application_number": "US-202017638228-A",
  "family_id": "68207152",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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  ]
}