Patent ID: 7984583
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
1. A plant punch apparatus, comprising: a first plant punch element that comprises a first plant punch head, a plant punch element relative movement mechanism that is operable to relatively move said first plant punch element through a plurality of spatial points that defines a first plant punch element relative travel path, and a frame that supports said plant punch movement mechanism, wherein said plurality of spatial points comprises a first spatial point having a first horizontal distance from a vertical spatial axis defined by a first plant emergent point, wherein said first plant emergent point is defined by a site at which a first plant emerges from plant growth media in which it is established before it is downwardly punched from its container during a plant punch event, wherein said first plant emergent point defines a plant emergent point horizontal plane, wherein said plurality of spatial points further comprises a second spatial point that: wherein said first horizontal distance is greater than said second horizontal distance, wherein said first plant punch element relative travel path intersects and passes through and below said plant emergent point horizontal plane, wherein said first plant punch element relative travel path has a vertical component at its intersection with said plant emergent point horizontal plane, wherein said first plant punch element relative travel path has a horizontal component at some point from said first spatial point to said second spatial point of said first plant punch element relative travel path, and wherein said plant punch element relative movement mechanism relatively moves said first plant punch element through said first spatial point and then said second spatial point before said plant punch event.