Oregon Patent of the Month – April 2023
X-Tirp Inc. was founded by Phil Doberenz when he tried and failed to easily remove English Ivy. After much innovation and numerous iterations, he developed the Ivy Ripper. With this invention under his belt, X-Tirp began working towards making the world a better place by targeting invasive species. The company now focuses their efforts on eliminating English Ivy, Himalayan Blackberry, Japanese Knotweed, and Holly.
The company has recently patented a new vine removal tool designed with a hook and a vine collection area formed around the base. The vine slide surface is positioned between the distal hook end and the proximal hook base and is configured to direct multiple vines into the vine collection area.
The tool also includes a movable jaw with a gripping surface, which is more suitable for gripping the multiple vines in the vine collection area rather than severing them. A shaft is connected to the hook, and a jaw actuation mechanism causes the jaw projection to move toward the vine collection area to predominantly grip the multiple vines.
One of the key features of X-Tirp’s tool is the vine slide surface, which is longer than two times the major jaw projection dimension of the jaw projection. This enables the tool to direct multiple vines into the vine collection area without any damage to the vines. Additionally, the moveable jaw is designed to minimize severing a vine while gripping it between the jaw projection and the vine collection area.
This design eliminates the back breaking work of landscaping, grabbing vines and using body weight to dislodge even the largest vines. By leveraging your body weight, you no longer need to bend over for every vine. It also enables you to keep the native plants and ferns that have survived.
The vine removal tool by X-Tirp Inc. is designed to make vine removal more efficient and less time-consuming. It promises to minimize damage to the vines and make the process of vine removal less labor-intensive by pulling them out at the root rather than chopping them up. With its unique features and design, the tool is expected to become a must-have for gardeners, farmers, and landscapers.
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