WO2008114953A1

WO2008114953A1 - Planting mat for tree

Info

Publication number: WO2008114953A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young Hee Lee; Dae Hee Lee; Jeong Geun Oh
Original assignee: Ecoone Corporation
Priority date: 2007-03-19
Filing date: 2008-03-12
Publication date: 2008-09-25
Also published as: KR200436528Y1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a planting mat for tree. In detail, the present invention relates to a planting mat in which herbage is vegetated under a roadside tree that decreases dusts and controls the urban heat island effect.

Description

PLANTING MAT FOR TREE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a protective tree mat that has a planting part formed of environmentally friendly coconut fibers and is located at a lower portion of a tree. Background Art

[2] A conventional tree protecting plate formed of a metallic material has an overly artificial appearance due to material characteristics thereof and fails to provide environmentally friendly aesthetics to urban areas. Further, since such conventional tree protecting plates are generally arranged on sidewalks, foreign substances or black stains resulting from pollution are likely to adhere to the surface of the plate, which further deteriorates the outward appearance of the plate.

[3] On the other hand, a tree protecting plate formed of plastics becomes brittle or decomposes with time.

[4] Such a conventional tree protecting plate is generally formed of cast-iron or plastics. Therefore, it is necessary to individually manufacture the tree protecting plate according to the size of a lower part of a tree and the size of a tree protecting site, and it is difficult to form a plant region. Moreover, the conventional tree protecting plate requires an extended period of time from manufacture to installation due to complex manufacture and installation processes thereof.

[5] Korean Utility Model No. 365228 discloses a planting tree protecting plate that includes a planting block having a trunk passage and a vegetating recess at an upper portion thereof to grow plants. However, the planting block is mainly formed of concrete, which is not environmentally friendly. Further, since the vegetating recess designed to grow a small plant is merely a recess formed at the upper portion of the planting block and does not take into consideration roots of the plant, the plant grown in the planting recess cannot develop properly or can die in case of insufficient rain.

[6] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-95366 discloses a light-shielding ground sheet laid around a tree to prevent evaporation of moisture from a garden tree, a bonsai or a roadside tree, to prevent soil erosion around a tree due to heavy rain, and to prevent solid fertilizer supplied to roots of a tree from spattering. However, the ground sheet is designed only for the purpose of shielding light and protecting landscape, and is not used for planting. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[7] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an environmentally friendly planting mat capable of replacing a conventional tree protecting plate formed of metal or plastics.

[8] It is another object of the present invention to provide a planting mat for protecting a tree that is useful in rooting and growth of plants by solving the problems of the conventional planted tree protecting block which is not suitable for vegetation of plants. Technical Solution

[9] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a planting mat for a tree that can protect roots of the tree in a shape of surrounding a lower portion of the tree such as a roadside tree and that enables growth of plants in the planting mat.

Advantageous Effects

[10] The planting mat for a tree according to the present invention is a fiber mat having a planting part and can be adjusted in size by voluntarily cutting the planting mat according to the size of a tree or the size of a protection site during construction of the planning mat. Hence, the planting mat of the present invention can be simply and economically installed anywhere protection of a tree is required and can provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance immediately upon installation by constituting a plant region on the roadside. Further, since the plating mat is environmentally friendly and ensures planting of green and other various colored plants and flowers, the environment of a city can be further improved as compared to a metal or soft plastic tree protecting device. Furthermore, since the planting mat of the present invention completely covers the surface of a protected ground to prevent growth of weeds, it facilitates management after construction. In addition, since the planting mat of the present invention constitutes a plant region at lower portions of trees along the roadside, the planting mat can provide various advantageous effects, such as removal of minute city dust, reduction of urban heat island effects, reduction in runoff, etc.

[11] When the planting mat is located at a lower portion of a tree, the roots of the tree can be prevented from dehydration and can absorb sufficient moisture from rain to supply the plants and the tree with the moisture. Hence, the planting mat of the invention can facilitate growth of the tree and prevent soil erosion around the tree.

[12] Moreover, since the planting mat of the present invention is formed of a natural fiber and the filling material is formed of a naturally decomposable material and can be bio-chemically decomposed with time to provide nutrition to the plants or the tree, there is no need for exchange as in the metal or synthetic resin-based tree protecting plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings [13] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular planting mat for a tree that has a cutaway part and a vegetating part;

[14] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a C-shaped planting mat for a tree that has an opening;

[15] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a planting mat for a tree that comprises two planting bodies; and

[16] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a planting mat for a tree that has no vegetating part.

[17] <Description of Reference Numerals for the Drawings>

[18] 1 : planting mat

[19] 11: planting body 12: tree part

[20] 13: cutaway part 14: vegetating part

[21] 15: opening 16: recess

[22] 20: plant 30: connecting member

[23] 40: rope

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[24] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to accompanying drawings.

[25] Referring to Fig. 4, a planting mat 1 formed of coir fiber includes a planting body

11 configured to allow growth of plants therein, and a tree part 12 defined inside the planting body 11 for placement of a tree. The tree part has a circular shape and is formed to have a sufficient area to allow an increase in girth of the tree trunk as the tree grows.

[26] Fig. 4 shows a C-shaped planting mat, one side of which is opened by forming a large opening 15. The planting mat shown in Fig. 4 has no separate vegetating part and plants are grown in the planting part of the planting mat. Coconut husk chips, coir fiber, soil, artificial soil, a germination stimulator, a growth stimulator, moisturizer, fertilizer, active carbon, pyroligneous liquid, a plant extract, a fermentation accelerator, and effective microorganisms are filled inside the vegetating part.

[27] With seeds of short plants brought forth in the vegetating part, the planting mat of

Fig. 4 is installed at a lower portion of a roadside tree, and an outer periphery of the planting mat and roadside tree is encircled with a thick rope 40. As a result, it is possible to prevent soil erosion, to protect the plants grown in the planting mat, and to make the appearance of the planting mat more appealing. The rope is preferably made of a natural material, such as coir fiber, and is integrated with the outer peripheral surface of the planting mat by sewing the rope or making knots in the rope. Mode for the Invention

[28] To accomplish the above and other objects, the present inventors provides a planting mat for a tree that has a shape surrounding a lower portion of a tree, such as a roadside tree, to protect the roots of the tree and to grow plants therein.

[29] In the detailed description, drawings and claims of the present invention, trees such as a roadside tree or a garden tree will be referred to simply as a "tree," and herbage and the like to be vegetated in the planting mat at a lower portion of the tree will be referred to as "pints."

[30] According to one aspect of the invention, a planting mat for a tree includes a planting body 11 knitted into a net shape with natural fiber yarns to allow plants to be germinated and grown in the planting body, and a tree part 12 for placement of the tree. The planting body has a filling part located inside the planting body and filled with a biodegradable filling material. The planting mat is disposed at a lower portion of the tree.

[31] The planting mat may further include a cutaway part 13.

[32] The planting mat may further include a vegetating part 14.

[33] The planting mat may further include an opening 15.

[34] According to another aspect of the present invention, a planting mat for a tree includes a planting body 11 knitted into a net shape with natural fiber yarns to allow plants to be germinated and grown in the planting body, and a recess 16 capable of defining a tree part 12 for placement of the tree when at least two planting bodies 11 are combined. The planting body has a filling part located inside the planting body and filled with a biodegradable filling material.

[35] The filling part may comprise at least one of coconut husk chips, coir fiber, jute, straw, cotton fiber, soil, artificial soil, a germination stimulator, a growth stimulator, moisturizer, fertilizer, compost, leaf mold, nutrients, active carbon, pyroligneous liquid, a plant extract, a fermentation accelerator, an effective microorganism, and a plant seed.

[36] The planting mat is formed by filling a mat, which is knitted into a net shape with a natural fiber, such as coir fiber, cotton fiber, jute, coconut fiber and straw, with a filling material of a natural fiber material, such as a coconut fiber and coconut husk chips. Like planting rolls, planting mats are widely used to facilitate planting while preventing erosion of man-made slopes, riverbanks, and lakesides.

[37] The planting mat for a tree according to the present invention is installed at the lower portion of a tree, such as a roadside tree and a garden tree. The planting mat is formed with vegetable fiber yarns knitted of environmentally friendly materials, such as coconut fiber, jute, cotton fiber, straw, and the like. The planting mat has an opening formed at the center of the planting mat to place a roadside tree or a garden tree in the opening, and a cutaway part formed at one side of the planting mat. Hence, the planting mat can be easily constructed and installed around the planted tree. [38] According to the present invention, the filling part is located inside the planting mat knitted with the vegetable fiber yarns or straw and may be filled with a vegetable filling material, such as coconut husk chips, coir fiber, jute, straw, and cotton fiber. Additionally, at least one of soil, artificial soil, a germination stimulator, a growth stimulator, moisturizer, fertilizer, compost, leaf mold, nutrients, active carbon pieces or powder, pyroligneous liquid, a plant extract, a fermentation accelerator, an effective microorganism, and plant seeds may be added as a plant growth promoting substance to the filling part as needed, thereby helping plants to rapidly germinate and take root.

[39] The soil may be arbitrarily selected without limitation from general soil and artificial soil widely used in botanical gardens.

[40] The moisturizer may be an edible material, such as devil's tongue jelly or agar, and may be any moisturizer known to those skilled in the art. Moisturizers such as devil's tongue jelly and agar can absorb thirty times or more their own weight of water for germination and growth of plants or seeds. The devil's tongue jelly expands thirty times or more via moisture absorption and can contain moisture for fifty days or more. Further, when the agar can absorb moisture, it also expands and contains moisture for a long period of time. However, although devil's tongue jelly and agar expand via moisture absorption and help germination and growth of plants, they are likely to decompose due to the weather. Therefore, sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium chloride, or sodium chloride may be added as an antiseptic substance to prevent decomposition and to form a suitable shape (solidification).

[41] The plant seeds may be used after being submerged in the effective microorganism

(EM). Alternatively, the effective microorganism may be adhered to the seeds and/or the interior filling material by means of a nontoxic adhesive such as loess. The effective microorganism has been developed to improve agricultural productivity and comprise lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus lactobacillus, yeasts belonging to the genus saccharomyces, photosynthetic microorganisms, actinomyces, etc. The effective microorganism is useful for plant cells by producing enzymes for activating plant cells and physiological activating materials. Any effective microorganism cultivated or obtained in the market place for agriculture can be used.

[42] The plant seeds may be contained in the filling part of the planting mat. Alternatively, the plant seeds may be contained in a rope constituting a part of the planting mat.

[43] According to one embodiment of the present invention, although the plant seeds may be filled and then germinated in the planting mat, if the plant seeds are installed around a tree after being germinated in the planting mat, the installation area of the tree may have a more appealing appearance. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the planting mat is formed with a planting part in which seedlings can be planted before and moved along with the planting part after installing the mat, thereby making it possible to form a plant region more rapidly while providing various kinds of plants. Moreover, when the planting mat is installed at the lower portion of the tree, the roots of the tree can be prevented from dehydration and can absorb sufficient moisture from the rain to supply the plants and the tree with the moisture. Therefore, it is possible to ensure rapid growth of the tree and to prevent soil erosion around the tree.

[44] The planting mat according to the present invention is a fiber mat having a planting part and can be adjusted in size by voluntarily cutting the planting mat according to the size of a tree or the size of a protection site during construction of the planning mat. Hence, the planting mat of the present invention can be simply and economically installed anywhere protection of a tree is required and can provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance immediately upon installation by constituting a plant region on the roadside. Further, since the plating mat is environmentally friendly and ensures growth of green and other various colored plants and flowers, the environment of a city can be significantly improved as compared to a metal or soft plastic tree protecting device. Furthermore, since the planting mat of the present invention completely covers the surface of a protected ground to prevent growth of weeds, it facilitates management after construction. In addition, since the planting mat of the present invention constitutes a plant region at lower portions of trees along the roadside, the planting mat can provide various advantageous effects, such as removal of minute city dust, reduction of urban heat island effects, reduction in runoff, etc.

[45] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a planting mat for a tree according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, it should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and the drawings.

[46] In Figs. 1 to 4, the planting mat 1 for a tree according to the invention includes a planting part 11 configured to allow growth of plants and a tree part 12 formed at the center of the planting part 11 for placement of the tree. Although the shape and size of the tree part 11 are not specifically limited, the tree part 11 generally has a circular opening. Since the trunk of the tree increases in girth with growth of the tree, the tree part preferably has a sufficiently wide inner diameter.

[47] Fig. 4 shows a planting mat that does not have any cutaway part but has the tree part 12 at the center thereof. A tree is planted after the planting mat is installed first or during installation of the planting mat.

[48] The cutaway part 13 may be additionally formed from the tree part located at the center of the planting part to the outside of the planting mat to install the planting mat at the lower portion of the tree which has been already planted. Since the planting mat has a weight, it is not necessary to connect the cutaway part. However, both sides of the cutaway part may be connected to each other or fixed to the ground by using various connecting members 30 or fixing members such as a metal pin, a natural plant fiber, a pile, and a rope.

[49] Further, seedlings can be planted by additionally forming a separate vegetating part in the planting mat of the present invention. Plants may be grown in both the planting part and the vegetating part, or may be grown only in the vegetating part.

[50] A planting mat including two planting parts can provide the same operation and effect as the integrated planting mat as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 in order to achieve the objects of the present invention. For example, a single recess 16 may be formed at one side of a semicircular planting mat such that a tree may be located at the center of two combined recesses by combining two semicircular planting mats. Then, the two planting mats may be connected to each other or fixed to the ground by means of a plant fiber, a pile or a rope, a metal or synthetic resin fixing member or a connecting member 30.

[51] Likewise, a planting mat including at least three planting parts may have a similar configuration for the same purpose.

[52] In addition, according to the present invention, the planting mat may have various shapes, such as an angled C-shape and a U-shape, which are open at one side.

[53] These planting mats of the various shapes can be fixed to the ground at the lower portion of the tree by means of fixtures such as piles and the like.

Industrial Applicability

[54] The planting mat for a tree according to the present invention can create new demands in the field of landscape architecture.

Claims

[1] A planting mat for a tree comprising: a planting body 11 knitted into a net shape with natural fiber yarns to allow plants to be germinated and grown in the planting body, the plating body having a filling part located inside the planting body and filled with a biodegradable filling material; and a tree part 12 for placement of the tree, wherein the planting mat is disposed at a lower portion of the tree.

[2] The planting mat according to claim 1, further comprising: a cutaway part 13.

[3] The planting mat according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a vegetating part

14.

[4] The planting mat according to claim 1, further comprising: an opening 15.

[5] A planting mat for a tree comprising: a planting body 11 knitted into a net shape with natural fiber yarns to allow plants to be germinated and grown in the planting body, the planting body having a filling part located inside the planting body and filled with a biodegradable filling material; and a recess 16 defining a tree part 12 for placement of the tree when at least two planting bodies 11 are combined.

[6] The planting mat according to claim 5, further comprising: a vegetating part 14.

[7] The planting mat according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the filling part comprises at least one of husk chips, coir fiber, jute, straw, cotton fiber, soil, artificial soil, germination stimulator, a growth stimulator, moisturizer, fertilizer, compost, leaf mold, nutrients, active carbon, pyroligneous liquid, a plant extract, a fermentation accelerator, an effective microorganism, and a plant seed.