Patent Publication Number: US-2020275616-A1

Title: Adjustable twig bender

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to gardening apparatus and, more particularly, to an adjustable twig bender for gardening. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     In the growth of a plant, twigs tend to extend upward against the gravity and because of phototaxis. Twigs can be forced to extend downward or a desired direction in a twigging process. Nutrition tends to accumulate at a tip of a twig that extends downward because of gravity. Hence, fruit that grows at the tip of the twig tends to be big. 
     A plastic, cotton or non-woven rope or strip can be used to adjust the direction of the extension of a twig in a twigging process. A section of the rope or strip is tied to the twig and another section of the rope or strip is tied to the ground or a weight for example. Thus, the twig is bent and extends downward. This process demands a lot of labor and exhibits a low efficiency. Moreover, the twig could be released prematurely from the rope or strip if the rope or strip is broken soon. The twig could be strangled by the rope or strip and broken by wind if the rope or strip lasts long. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a twig-bending clip  90  is used in twigging. The twig-bending clip  90  includes two jaws between which a bent passageway  92  is defined. A twig  80  is inserted and then kept in the bent passageway  92  so that the twig-bending clip  90  bends the twig  80 . 
     However, the use of the twig-bending clip  90  is not without any problem. Firstly, the twig-bending clip  90  clips a short section of the twig  80  such as a water sprout so that the twig  80  is bent sharply. Such sharp bending could snap the twig  80 . 
     Secondly, a transverse size of the bent passageway  92  of the twig-bending clip  90  is fixed. The twig-bending clip  90  might slip from the twig  80  if the transverse size of the bent passageway  92  is much larger than a transverse size of the twig  80 . On the contrary, the twig-bending clip  90  could not clip the twig  80  in the first place if the transverse size of the bent passageway  92  is much smaller than the transverse size of the twig  80 . 
     Thirdly, the twig-bending clip  90  is made of plastics and could easily be jeopardized by ultraviolet light. Such a jeopardized twig-bending clip  90  is useless and becomes garbage that cannot be decomposed. 
     Fourthly, the twig-bending clip  90  is expensive. 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, reliable and adjustable twig bender. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the twig bender is made of a metal wire. The twig bender includes two hooking sections extending from two ends of a bridging section. The hooking sections substantially extend in a same direction. In use, the hooking sections are engaged with two portions of a twig and the bridging section is wound around the twig. 
     Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment versus the prior art referring to the drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an adjustable twig bender according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the adjustable twig bender of  FIG. 1  in a position for bending a twig; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the adjustable twig bender in another position than shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a conventional twig-bending clip; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a twig clipped by the adjustable twig-bending clip shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an adjustable twig bender  10  includes a bridging section  12  and two hooking sections  14  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The adjustable twig bender  10  is preferably made of a metal wire that exhibits proper flexibility and rigidity. The proper flexibility allows the adjustable twig bender  10  to be bent by a torque. The proper rigidity allows the adjustable twig bender  10  to remain in shape after it is released from the torque. 
     Preferably, the bridging section  12  extends along an arc. Alternatively, the bridging section  12  extends rectilinearly. 
     The hooking sections  14  are formed at two opposite ends of the bridging section  12 . The hooking sections  14  extend substantially in a same direction. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , at first, one of the hooking sections  14  is engaged with a portion of a twig  80 . Then, the bridging section  12  is wound around the twig  80 . Finally, the other hooking section  14  is engaged with another potion of the twig  80 . Now, two portions of the twig  80  are engaged with the hooking sections  14 , and at least two other portions of the twig  80  are in contact with the bridging section  12 . Thus, twig  80  is bent and forced to extend in a desired direction. As mentioned above, the proper flexibility allows the bridging section  12  to be bent and wound around the twig  80 . The proper rigidity allows the adjustable twig bender  10  to keep bending the twig  80 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the bridging section  12  is further bent, and so is the twig  80 . Thus, twig  80  can be bent and forced to extend in desired direction. 
     The bridging section  12  is properly long. Thus, the section of the twig  80  between the portions of the twig  80  engaged with the hooking sections  14  of the adjustable twig bender  10  is properly long. Hence, the twig  80  is bent mildly and will not be broken. 
     The use of the adjustable twig bender  10  exhibits several advantages. Firstly, the adjustable twig bender  10  bends and forces the twig  80  to extend in a desired direction since the bridging section  12  is made with proper flexibility and rigidity. 
     Secondly, the cost of using the adjustable twig bender  10  is low. The adjustable twig bender  10  can be removed from the twig  80  after 3 to 8 months when the shape of the twig  80  is permanently fixed. Then, the adjustable twig bender  10  can used to bend another twig. 
     Thirdly, the adjustable twig bender  10  controls the growth of a fruit tree such as the height and a horizontal size of the fruit tree. To control the growth of the fruit tree, twigs that extend upward are cut or bent. The adjustable twig bender  10  bends such twigs and hence controls the growth of the tree. With the height of the fruit tree kept at a proper value, fruit can be collected easily. With the horizontal size of a fruit tree kept at a proper value, leaves of the fruit tree spread in a large area and receive a large amount of sunlight so that photosynthesis in the leaves is adequate and that sweetness in the fruit is adequate. 
     Fourthly, the adjustable twig bender  10  facilitates the growth of the fruit. The adjustable twig bender  10  bends and forces the twig  80  to extend downward. Thus, the fruit dangles from the twig  80 . That is, no portion of the fruit except a stem is in contact with the twig  80  so that the fruit tends to grow in a good shape and at a large amount. 
     Fifthly, the adjustable twig bender  10  limits a reflux ratio in the twig  80 . The hooking sections  14  abut against two portions of the twig  80  and the bridging section  12  abuts against at least two portions of the twig  80 , thereby preventing reflux of sap along the twig  80 . Hence, nutrition accumulates in the fruit and the fruit grows well. 
     The present invention has been described via the illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.