Trunk Constraining Device for Shakeable Fruit Trees

A system to collect fruit from trees at a very low cost.

Fruit trees are designed by nature to withstand strong winds, and it is very difficult to shake them by hand or by machine to collect the ripe fruit. Other apple-collecting machines cost millions, and " comb" apple trees with multiple giant, robotic arms.

My idea is a simple wooden device that forces the trunk of any fruit tree to narrow itself assuming a special shape, very thin in one direction, extra thick in the perpendicular one, in order to be easily shakeable.

I came up  with the idea of bendable trunks. It will be necessary to add a rectangular constraining device (see photo below) when the tree is very young, and leave it there until the tree is fully grown.

The device will also add the necessary support to prevent the trunk from bending by natural forces. The devices will come in several sizes, as they will need replacing as the tree grows.

This idea needs some research, in order to find the tolerance of different trees to the trunk deformation. Also, we will establish the strength that the device will need to withstand. 

According to that research, we will design the devices, graded for optimal tolerance, maximal efficiency and low cost. There will be several sizes, according to the stage of the tree cycle. Also different shapes, to minimize damage to the tree.

After that, we will be get patents in the main fruit-producing countries. 

Before that, we count on the protection of our patent application in a country which is member of the global intellectual rights protection system.

We expect to sell the devices in large amounts to fruit tree growers everywhere.

We need investors soon! Even U$D 100 can buy you a significant share of the project and the resulting company.

Good ideas very often are lost in the patent process. For instance, take the case of the African native that trained a monkey to collect coconuts. The monkey are better at that than any human or machine. And our hairy cousins are so tired of eating coconuts, that happily agree to trade a hundred of them for one piece of chocolate.

I do not think those monkey-trainers could patent their method, but that does not diminish its value.

However, apples and plums and nuts are a different matter, and here is where my device fits in.

I need an investor to put this into the market. Please write me if you have a few grand to invest and I will provide full info.

	Scheme of the device, showing why the tree cannot break.
	A natural occurrence of a tree growing thru a constriction and compensating with more width.
	Same as above
	This early prototype is not wedge-shaped, but gives an idea.
	This lemon tree in my lab shows a constriction where the device was placed for a few months.

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