HAND-HELD WEED EXTRACTOR AND CULTIVATOR

Abstract

A gardening apparatus is provided for which may be used for cultivating, as well as weed and other nuisance plant removal. The gardening apparatus includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a recurved hook, and wherein the recurved hook includes two prongs separated by a distance configured to grip onto at least a portion of a weed. The gardening apparatus may further include a handle coupled to the second end of the shaft.

Claims

1. A gardening apparatus, comprising: a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a recurved hook, and wherein the recurved hook includes two prongs separated by a distance configured to grip onto at least a portion of a weed; and a handle coupled to the second end of the shaft.

2. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the recurved hook conforms to a radius of approximately 15 cm from a centerline of the shaft located approximately within the range of 2 to 15 cm from the handle.

3. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein a distance from the centerline of the shaft to a tip of at least one of the prongs is approximately 90 mm.

4. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the prongs are of approximately equal length and between 3 cm and 5 cm in length.

5. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the distance between the prongs is approximately 5-14 mm.

6. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a length of the gardening apparatus is at least 32 cm.

7. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a connector for attaching a handle extension to the second end of the shaft.

8. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the connector includes a threaded portion for connecting the handle extension to the second end of the shaft.

9. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft includes stainless steel.

10. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the shaft is solid.

11. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft has a circumference of a shape selected from the group consisting of: a circle; an oval; and a square.

12. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft extends through the entire length of the handle.

13. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle includes an end cap.

14. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the prongs are configured to have a width configured to enable a user to penetrate soil to aerate the soil.

15. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a handle extension.

16. The gardening apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the handle extension is retractable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a gardening apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a gardening apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a front view of a pair of prongs of the gardening apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a gardening apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] A system and method for removing weeds and aerating soil is described below, according to various embodiments of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a gardening apparatus is described that enables a user to pluck weed from the ground in seconds, with little effort. The weeds include many plants that are difficult to remove without cutting the roots or digging out the plant and may include, e.g., crabgrass plants, clovers, plantain, and Creeping Charlie. Of course, the gardening apparatus may remove a wide variety of plant life with little effort.

[0027] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals.

[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto.

[0029] Referring now to FIG. 1, a side perspective view of a gardening apparatus 100 is illustratively depicted, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gardening apparatus 100 includes a shaft 110 having a first end and a second end, and a handle 120 with an end cap 125 coupled to the second end of the shaft 110. The first end of the shaft 110 includes a recurved hook 130 having two or more prongs 140.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shaft 110 is made of a material strong enough for the removal of plants. Additionally, the shaft is of a sufficient length and strength to enable ease of use through the handle 120. According to an embodiment, the shaft 110 includes stainless steel. Of course, other materials may be used, while maintaining the spirit of the present invention. According to an embodiment, the shaft 110 is solid and has a circumference that may be circular, oval, square, or any other suitable shape.

[0032] According to an embodiment, the shaft 110 is shaped such that the hook 130 and prongs 140 are aligned with the natural motion of the gardening apparatus 100 in the hand of a user in a way similar to a burrowing animal's claws as the claws dig through the soil. A user quickly inserts the prongs 140 into the soil, behind the center of the weed, such that the core of the weed's roots become wedged in a space 170 (shown in FIG. 3) between two of the prongs 140, enabling the gardening apparatus 100 to grip the weed. This can be done with the user standing, sitting, or kneeling. Once the stem is gripped by the gardening apparatus 100, the weed can be quickly be pulled out of the ground with minimal disturbance to the surrounding soil by pulling the gardening apparatus 100 out of the soil. In the event that plants, such as, e.g., clover and Creeping Charlie, have runners, the prongs 140 have the ability to slide under the runners to locate and remove the runners, as well as the main weed. The weed (and runners) can be removed from the gardening apparatus 100 by hitting the shaft 110 down against a receptacle, or by any other suitable means.

[0033] According to an embodiment, the second end of the shaft 110 is inserted through the entire length of the handle 120 for strength and capped off with an end cap 125. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the handle 120 is ergonomically designed so that the gardening apparatus 100 is easy to hold and has a good feel in the hand of a user during use.

[0034] According to an embodiment, the claw 130 conforms to a radius 135 of approximately 15 cm from a centerline 115 of the shaft 110 located approximately in the range of 2 to 15 cm from the handle 120. According to an embodiment, the distance from the centerline 115 to the tip of the prongs 140 is approximately 90 mm. According to an embodiment, the overall length 105 of the gardening apparatus 100 is approximately 32 cm. It is noted, however, that other lengths may also be used, while maintaining the spirit of the present invention.

[0035] Referring now to FIG. 2, a side perspective view of gardening apparatus 100 is illustratively depicted, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, instead of an end cap 125, a handle connector 145 consisting of a male screw thread is attached to the handle 120 to enable a user to connect handle extension to the gardening apparatus 100 for two-handed use of the gardening apparatus 100. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the handle extension has a rigid shape. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the handle extension is retractable and/or able to be extended or be permanent. According to an alternative embodiment, instead of a male screw thread 147, a handle connector consisting of a female screw thread 147 is positioned within the handle for the insertion of a handle extension of the gardening apparatus 100.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 3, a front perspective view of a pair of prongs 140 of the gardening apparatus 100 is illustratively depicted, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or both of the prongs 140 has a length of approximately 4 cm. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the space 170 between the prongs 140 widens from the fork to the tips of the prongs 140, with the space 170 between the prongs 140 ranging from approximately 5 mm (at the fork) to 14 mm (at the tip). It is noted, however, the other lengths and measurements may also be used, while maintaining the spirit of the present invention.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, there is a general perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention as described herein.

[0040] When weeding in a bed or garden, the gardening apparatus 100 may be used to remove small to large weeds and also as a cultivator to disturb very small weed seedlings and to cultivate flowers and vegetables by driving the prongs 140 deep into the soil next to the plant and move the gardening apparatus 100 towards the user, keeping the prongs 140 aligned with the direction of pull. The gardening apparatus 100 will remain under the soil until it is extracted, and it will loosen and aerate the soil down to approximately 10 cm for the distance than it is pulled. This will cause minimal disturbance of the surface of the soil or of any surface mulch, requiring very little redressing. The shape of the prongs 140 also make it easy for the user to aerate hard soil by puncturing the soil with the prongs 140.

[0041] It is noted that the present invention may be used for a variety of gardening uses. The dexterity of the gardening apparatus enables it to be used for planting seedlings, harvesting vegetables, preparing beds when laying stones and demolition work to pry up old boards, shingles, etc., and for recreational clamming.

[0042] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.