Melted hot glue system for applying broadcast soil fumigation film to an agricultural field

• US 8,535,461 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hendrix & Dail, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hendrix & Dail, Inc.
• Inventors: Godbehere, John Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Osele, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/321,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 156/71, 156/544, 156/546, 156/574, 156/577, 47/10.1 F, 405/129.45, 405/129.75, 405/129.9, 111/118
• US Class Current: 156/71
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0287 Devices for laying-out or removing ground coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 13/003 Enclosures for fumigation, e.g. containers, bags or housings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/40 Applying molten plastics, e.g. hot melt using welding bar combined with hot gases B29C65/12; by moulding B29C65/70
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/522 by spraying, e.g. by flame spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/435 Making large sheets by joining smaller ones or strips together
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8221 Scissor or lever mechanisms, i.e. involving a pivot point
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8362 Rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/86521 being self-propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/0633 LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/065 HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2007/008 Wide strips, e.g. films, webs
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/70 Agricultural usage or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/732 Floor coverings piles carpets B29L2031/7652; for vehicles B29L2031/3017
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/172 Means applying fluid adhesive to work edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1795 Implement carried web supply

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for installing types of broadcast fumigation film, such as LDPE, HDPE, TIF and VIF, over a field treated with a fumigant. An elongate first film strip is extended across the field, with simultaneous fumigant injection under the film and a melted hot glue adhesive is applied to the first strip along a trailing longitudinal edge thereof. An elongate second film strip is applied across the field and juxtaposed across the first film strip with a leading longitudinal edge of the second film strip overlapping the trailing longitudinal edge of the first strip. The leading longitudinal edge of the second strip is pressed against trailing longitudinal edge of the first strip to adhesively interengage the first and second strips along a seam that joins the strips together.

Claims

1. A method of installing a broadcast fumigation film over an outdoor agricultural field treated with a fumigant, said method comprising:

unrolling an elongate first strip of fumigant film in a first direction from a wound supply of said fumigant film to extend said first strip of film across the outdoor agricultural field;

applying a melted hot glue adhesive to an upper surface of said first strip of fumigant film along a trailing longitudinal edge thereof;

unrolling an elongate second strip of said fumigant film in an opposite second direction from the rolled supply of film to extend said second strip of film across said outdoor agricultural field with a leading longitudinal edge of said second strip of fumigant film overlapping said trailing longitudinal edge of said first strip of fumigant film, said hot glue adhesive being applied progressively to successive segments of said upper surface of said first strip along said trailing longitudinal edge, said hot glue adhesive being applied to each said successive segment before a corresponding segment of said leading longitudinal edge of said second strip is unrolled from and overlaps said successive segment; and

progressively pressing each said successive segment of said trailing edge of said first film strip and said corresponding segment of said leading edge of said second film strip against the underlying agricultural field to adhesively interengage said first and second strips of fumigant along a seam that sealably joins said first and second strips of film together, whereby dissipation of the treating fumigant from the outdoor agricultural field through the fumigation film is resisted.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said first and second film strips include virtually impermeable film (VIE).

3. The method of claim 1 in which said film strips include totally impermeable film (TIF).

4. The method of claim 1 in which said hot glue adhesive is sprayed onto an upper surface of said first strip of fumigant film along said trailing longitudinal edge thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 in which said adhesive is sprayed under pressure in a swirl pattern onto the upper surface of said first strip.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said first and second strips of fumigant film are selected from the group consisting of LDPE, HDPE, VIF and TIF film.

7. A method for performing broadcast fumigation on a selected outdoor agricultural field, said method comprising:

applying a fumigant to the selected outdoor agricultural field;

a method of installing a broadcast fumigation film over an outdoor agricultural field treated with a fumigant, said method comprising;

unrolling an elongate first strip of fumigant film in a first direction from a wound supply of said fumigant film to extend said first strip of film across the outdoor agricultural field;

applying a melted hot glue adhesive to an upper surface of said first strip of fumigant film along a trailing longitudinal edge thereof;

unrolling an elongate second strip of said fumigant film in an opposite second direction from the rolled supply of film to extend said second strip of film across said outdoor agricultural field with a leading longitudinal edge of said second strip of fumigant film overlapping said trailing longitudinal edge of said first strip of fumigant film, said hot glue adhesive being applied progressively to successive segments of said upper surface of said first strip along said trailing longitudinal edge, said hot glue adhesive being applied to each said successive segment before a corresponding segment of said leading longitudinal edge of said second strip is unrolled from and overlaps said successive segment; and

progressively pressing each said successive segment of said trailing edge of said first film strip and said corresponding segment of said leading edge of said second film strip against the underlying agricultural field to adhesively interengage said first and second strips of fumigant along a seam that sealably joins said first and second strips of film together, whereby dissipation of the treating fumigant from the outdoor agricultural field through the fumigation film is resisted.