Shrink-wrapped seed pillows
Seed pillows are disclosed herein. An exemplary seed pillow may include a first water-soluble film, a seed cluster disposed on the first water-soluble film, and a second film that is positioned over the first water-soluble film and the seed cluster. The second film may have a first portion that is fused to a second portion of the first water-soluble film from ultrasonic vibrations. Further, the first water-soluble film and the second film may be shrink-wrapped around the seed cluster through heat application to the first water-soluble film and the second film for a first period of time.
1 . A seed pillow, comprising:
a first water-soluble film;
a seed disposed on the first water-soluble film;
a second film that is positioned over the first water-soluble film and the seed, the second film having a first portion that is fused to a second portion of the first water-soluble film;
a coating applied to an exterior surface of the second film; and
a third water-soluble film positioned over the exterior surface of the second film, the third water-soluble film having a third portion that is fused to the first portion of the second film from ultrasonic vibrations.
2 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , wherein the first water-soluble film and the second film are shrink-wrapped around the seed through heat application to the first water-soluble film and the second film for a first period of time.
3 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , wherein an ultrasonic welding wheel vibrates at a frequency to cause the ultrasonic vibrations, and the first water-soluble film and the second film are compressed at a contact point between the ultrasonic welding wheel and a roller to fuse the second portion of the first water-soluble film to the first portion of the second film.
4 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , further comprising: (i) an unfused center of the first water-soluble film and the second film, (ii) a fused outer circumference of the first water-soluble film and the second film, and (iii) the seed disposed within the unfused center.
5 . The seed pillow of claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film have a first diameter of approximately 6 millimeters (mm) prior to the heat application, and the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film have a second diameter of approximately 4 mm after the heat application.
6 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , wherein the first water-soluble film and the second film are comprised of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film.
7 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least one of: (i) a growth regulator, (ii) a bacteria, (iii) a fungus, (iv) a fungicide, or (v) a fertilizer.
8 . The seed pillow of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of seeds are disposed on the first water-soluble film, the plurality of seeds comprises the seed, and the plurality of seeds are adhered together through application of an adhesive compound prior to disposition on the first water-soluble film.
9 . The seed pillow of claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film shrink into a pair of shrink-wrapped wings around the seed after the heat application, and the pair of shrink-wrapped wings have a length of approximately 1 mm.
10 . A seed pillow, comprising:
a first water-soluble film;
a seed disposed on the first water-soluble film;
a second film that is positioned over the first water-soluble film and the seed, the second film having a first portion that is fused to a second portion of the first water-soluble film;
a third water-soluble film that is positioned over the second film, the third water-soluble film having a third portion that is fused to the first portion of the second film; and
a coating that is disposed between the second film and the third water-soluble film.
11 . The seed pillow of claim 10 , wherein the first water-soluble film and the second film are shrink-wrapped around the seed through heat application to the first water-soluble film and the second film for a first period of time.
12 . The seed pillow of claim 11 , wherein the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film have a first diameter of approximately 6 millimeters (mm) prior to the heat application, and the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film have a second diameter of approximately 4 mm after the heat application.
13 . The seed pillow of claim 11 , wherein the second portion of the first water-soluble film and the first portion of the second film shrink into a pair of shrink-wrapped wings around the seed after the heat application, and the pair of shrink-wrapped wings have a length of approximately 1 mm.
14 . The seed pillow of claim 10 , further comprising: (i) an unfused center of the first water-soluble film and the second film, (ii) a fused outer circumference of the first water-soluble film and the second film, and (iii) the seed disposed within the unfused center.
15 . The seed pillow of claim 10 , wherein:
the first water-soluble film and the second film are comprised of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film; and
the coating comprises at least one of: (i) a growth regulator, (ii) a bacteria, (iii) a fungus, (iv) a fungicide, or (v) a fertilizer.
16 . The seed pillow of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of seeds are disposed on the first water-soluble film, the plurality of seeds comprises the seed, and the plurality of seeds are adhered together through application of an adhesive compound prior to disposition on the first water-soluble film.
17 . A method for producing seed pillows, the method comprising:
depositing a seed on a first water-soluble film that is disposed on a first roller;
rotating the first roller through a first contact point with a first ultrasonic welding wheel that is vibrating at a frequency to fuse a first portion of the first water-soluble film to a second portion of a second film without contacting the seed to create a seed pillow;
applying a coating to an exterior surface of the second film; and
rotating a second roller through a second contact point with a second ultrasonic welding wheel to fuse the second portion of the second film to a third portion of a third water-soluble film, the third water-soluble film being positioned over the exterior surface of the second film.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
shrink-wrapping the first water-soluble film and the second film around the seed through heat application to the first water-soluble film and the second film for a first period of time.