Patent · US Expired

Method and device for weed control

US6237278A · kind A · utility

17Cited by

25References

38Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Zero Weed AB · SE

Inventors

Bertil Persson · Lund, SE
Pär H. Henriksson · Lund, SE
Tomas Nybrant · Uppsala, SE
Berit Mattsson · Katrineholm, SE

Key dates

Filing date	Apr 16, 1999
Grant date	May 29, 2001
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 16, 2019

Classification

Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
CPC primaryA01M21/046
WIPO fieldOther special machines
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Weed seeds are controlled by high voltage pulses with short duration which electropermeabilize the cell membranes of weed seeds in the ground. The device is selective and damages only germinating weed seeds and plants early in their life cycle. The required amount of energy is small; with rectangular pulses the optimal field strength is between 100-300 kV/m with a duration of (10-100 microseconds). A transformer placed on a sowing machine transforms electrical energy to high voltage pulses. The energy may be taken from the pulling tractor via a transmission or from an integrated power source. The high voltage pulses are applied to electrically conducting via applicators to two or more fixedly spaced plates to the soil around newly sown seeds.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.