Abstract:
A vegetation attachment device for supporting plant limbs is used in combination with an overhead support member, such as the horizontal support wire of a trellis system used to support grape vines. Embodiments of the device generally comprise an attachment hook configured to engage the overhead support wire, a closing hook, a catch member for engaging the closing hook, a deformable limb containment structure, and biasing means for maintaining the engagement of the closing hook to the catch member. The deformable limb containment structure deforms to accommodate limited lateral deflection or growth in the vine or plant limb. Embodiments of the disclosed apparatus may be used instead of currently known devices, such as wire ties, for supporting vines and branches.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to supporting devices for plant limbs and more particularly to a clipping apparatus for securing a vine or plant limb to a support wire or trellis, such as supporting grape vines to suspended support wires. The generally known method for securing plant limbs to trellis wire is to use flexible tie wires, string, or similar items to attach the vines or limbs to the wire. Another method is to simply wrap the vine around the supporting wire. However, both of these methods have disadvantages. Both are labor intensive, particularly for a large vineyard. Using tying devices can be harmful to the plant if the tie is applied too tightly. In addition, pruning or trimming vines can be complicated because of the risk of inadvertently severing the trellis wire while attempting to prune the branch or cane of the plant. Another disadvantage of tying devices is that they typically must be replaced every season such that new ties must be installed in the following season. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein provide a solution to the need identified above. Embodiments of the disclosed apparatus are used in combination with an overhead support member, such as the horizontal support wire of a trellis system used so support grape vines. The disclosed vegetation attachment device generally comprises an attachment hook configured to engage the overhead support wire, a closing hook, a catch member for engaging the closing hook, a deformable limb containment structure, and biasing means for maintaining the engagement of the closing hook to the catch member. The deformable limb containment structure deforms to accommodate limited lateral deflection or growth in the vine or plant limb. The deformable limb containment structure may either be integral to the body of the device, or, alternatively, comprise a flexible member which cooperatively engages a wire body member such that loop sections in the wire body member are closed by the flexible member. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the disclosed device being used to support a vine member from a support wire. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the device is an “open” position. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the device is a “closed” position. 
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of another embodiment of the disclosed device, in which a detachable hook member is utilized. 
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of the device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIGS. 6 through 9  show other embodiments of the disclosed device, each which utilizes one or more detachable hook member to either suspend the device from the support wire or to “close” the device 
       FIG. 10  shows an embodiment of the device, which utilizes a wire body member, suspending a vine from a support wire, in which a spring is used as the flexible member of the limb containment structure. 
       FIG. 11  shows a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  shows an embodiment of the device, which utilizes a wire body member, in which an elastic band is used as the flexible member of the limb containment structure. 
       FIG. 13  shows how multiple devices may be utilized to suspend a vine from a support wire. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment  10  of the disclosed device being used to support a vine or branch member  12  from a support wire  14 . This embodiment generally comprises attachment hook  16 , which is an integral part of body member  18 . This embodiment further comprises an integral closing hook  20 , shown in detail in  FIG. 2 . Closing hook  20  engages catch member  22  to maintain this embodiment  10  in a “closed” position. 
     FIG. 2  shows the first embodiment  10  in an “open” position, i.e., closing hook  20  is not engaged to catch member  22 . In the open position, the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-9  will generally be flat. By compressing body member  18 , a user is able to easily engage closing hook  20  to catch member  22 . When the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-9  are in the closed position where closing hook  20  is engaged to catch member  22 , compression of the device causes these embodiments to assume a “cup” configuration such as that shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   The device further comprises biasing means which apply tension to the closing hook  20  to maintain the engagement of the closing hook to the catch member  22 . For the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , the biasing means is generally provided by the material itself, that is the material is flexible and must be compressed to engage the closing hook  20  to the catch member  22 . The material used to manufacture this embodiment  10 , and the other embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , must be sufficiently flexible and elastic to maintain the device in a closed position when the closing hook  20  engages the catch member  22 . That is, the biasing means for maintaining the engagement of closing hook  20  to catch member  22  is integral to the body member  18 . In addition to being flexible and elastic, the material should have weather resistant properties. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, plastic, metal foil, or tar paper. While the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9  are generally circular in shape, it is to be appreciated that other shapes may be used as well. 
   The device further comprises a deformable limb containment structure  24 . The deformable limb containment structure  24  deforms so as to allow lateral deflection of the vine or plant limb  12 . For example, in the event of weather conditions which may cause movement of the vine or plant limb, such as wind or rain, the deformable limb containment structure  24  allows limited deflection of the limb  12  within the device. 
   For the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , the deformable limb containment structure  24  comprises a central aperture  26 , from which there is a plurality of outwardly radiating splits  28 . Each split  28  terminates at a secondary aperture  30 . The deformable limb containment structure  24  has flaps  32  between the radiating splits  28  which readily deform to allow deflection of the vine member  12 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show another embodiment  110  of the device. Similar to embodiment  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , embodiment  110  comprises attachment hook  116  for connecting the device to a support wire. However, in embodiment  110 , the attachment hook  116  is not an integral part of body member  118 . However, embodiment  110  does comprise an integral closing hook  120  and integral catch member  122  shown in detail in  FIG. 2 . Other features of embodiment  110  are similar to those discussed above for embodiment  10 . 
     FIG. 6  shows another embodiment  210  of the device. This embodiment  210  comprises a separate attachment hook  216  for connecting the device to a support wire. In this embodiment  210 , closing hook  220  and catch member  222  are modified. Other features of embodiment  210  are similar to those discussed above for embodiment  10 . 
     FIG. 7  shows another embodiment  310  of the device. This embodiment  310  comprises a separate attachment hook  316  for connecting the device to a support wire. In this embodiment, closing hook  320  may simply be looped around protrusion  322  which acts as a catch member. Other features of embodiment  310  are similar to those discussed above for embodiment  10 . 
     FIG. 8  shows another embodiment  410  of the device. This embodiment  410  comprises a separate attachment hook  416 . In this embodiment  410 , closing hook  420  may be looped around the base  422  of attachment hook  416 , which serves as the catch member. Other features of embodiment  410  are similar to those discussed above for embodiment  10 . 
     FIG. 9  shows another embodiment  510  of the device. This embodiment  510  comprises a separate attachment hook In this embodiment  510 , closing hook  520  comprises a member which is distinct from the body member  518 . Closing hook  520  comprises an axial member having a hook at each end. In this embodiment  510 , apertures  530  serve as the catch members for the hooks at each end of closing hook  520 . Other features of embodiment  510  are similar to those discussed above for embodiment  10 . 
     FIGS. 10 through 13  depict another embodiment  610  of the device.  FIG. 10  shows the device suspending a vine  12 . This embodiment  610  comprises a wire body member  618  which is fashioned from wire having mechanical properties which allow the wire body to be fashioned into various shapes, such as that shown in  FIG. 11 , without exceeding the elastic limit of the material. As with the embodiments discussed above, embodiment  610  comprises an attachment hook  616  to engage the overhead support wire  14 , and a closing hook  620 . As shown more clearly in  FIG. 11 , in this embodiment  610 , the attachment hook  616  and closing hook  620  may be mirror images of one another. In this embodiment  610 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , attachment hook  616  may serve as the catch member for closing hook  620 . Alternatively, the attachment hook extension  621  may serve as the catch member for closing hook  620 . 
   As with the embodiments described above, this embodiment  610  comprises biasing means for maintaining the engagement of the closing hook  620  to the catch member. However, in the case of embodiment  610 , the biasing means is provided integrally by the mechanical properties of wire body member  618 , and the shape into which the wire body member is configured. Assuming suitable mechanical properties of wire body member  618 , if the wire body member is configured such that the closing hook  620  is spaced apart from the catch member, such as in the configuration shown in  FIG. 11 , compression of the device such that closing hook engages either attachment  616  or attachment hook extension  621  will impose a spring load which will maintain the device in a closed position. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the wire body member  618  of this embodiment is configured to form a plurality of loop sections  630 . Each loop section  630  has a throat having a variable width L, as depicted in  FIG. 11 . As with the previously described embodiments, embodiment  610  comprises a deformable limb containment structure to accommodate limited lateral deflection or growth in the vine or plant limb. In the case of embodiment  610 , the deformable limb containment structure comprises a spring  632  which acts as flexible member which cooperatively engages the wire body member  618  such that the throat of each loop section  630  is closed by the spring. 
     FIG. 12  shows another embodiment  710  of the device. This embodiment  610  is similar to that of embodiment  610 , except that instead of using spring  632  as a flexible member, an elastic band  732  is utilized as the flexible member, which cooperatively engages wire body member  718  such that the throat of each loop section  730  is closed by the elastic band. 
   It is to be appreciated that for all of the embodiments described above, that multiple devices may be employed to support a vine or branch member  12  from a support wire  14 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 13  for embodiment  610 , the embodiments of the disclosed apparatus may be spaced apart as desired to support the vine or branch member  12  from the support wire. 
   While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the size, shape, and/or material of the various components may be changed as desired. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims.