AU640256B2

AU640256B2 - Pesticide-treated plastic membrane

Info

Publication number: AU640256B2
Application number: AU82443/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bruce Jon Morrison
Original assignee: MJA Scientifics International Pty Ltd
Current assignee: H&m Nuchem Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-20
Filing date: 1991-08-13
Publication date: 1993-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2011-08-13
Also published as: AU8244391A

Description

P/00/011 2B i l Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Sa24 3/9/ 1 k1 0 Invention T itle e c The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- Full application details follow.

(71) Applicant: M. J. A. SCIENTIFICS INTERNATIONAL PTY

LTD.

Address: 13/2 Grice Avenue, Paradise Point, Queensland, 4216, Australia.

Nominated Person: as above.

Address: as above.

(54) Invention Title: "PESTICIDE-TREATED PLASTIC MEMBRANE" (72) Name of actual inventor: BRUCE JON MORRISON.

(74) Address for service in Australia: GRANT ADAMS COMPANY, 9th Floor, National Mutual Centre, 144 Edward Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia. (Attorney Code: AD Title: "PESTICIDE-TREATED PLASTIC MEMBRANE" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention THIS INVENTION relates to a pesticide-treated plastic membrane. The membrane is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, prevention of subterranean termites. The term "termite" shall include other insects in the soil, including white ants, black ants and the like.

Prior Art Effective control of termites is a major e e problem throughout the world. The currently employed control method is to spray a pesticide liquid onto the *oo.

soil before the foundations are laid, so that the water 999C 15 carriers, solvents and emulsifiers dry out. The active pesticide is left behind in the soil as a termite

S.

barrier.

With time, the pesticide breaks down, and the effectiveness against termites degrades until no barrier 20 is left.

o o It is our observation, over many years, that 5055 go termites have the ability to detect both food sources and pesticides through the soil from some distance away.

.Therefore, it is not necessary for the termites to come into physical contact with the pesticide for it to form an effective barrier, as termiticides are active as a repellant rather than as an insecticide.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe, effective method in placing the pesticide in the soil as a barrier to termites.

It is a preferred object to provide a method where the pesticide will have a long, effective life.

It is a further preferred object to provide a method which is environmentally safe.

It is a still further preferred object to provide an effective barrier product.

Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.

In one aspect, the present invention resides in a method of producing a, plastic pesticide-treated, termite barrier membrane including the steps of: applying pesticide to one face of a sheet of plastic; and laminating a second sheet of plastic to ae first sheet to enclose the pesticide-treated face, the sheets being laminated so that no air is enclosed by the sheets, and the pesticide preferably forming a film between the two sheets.

Preferably, one face of the second sheet is also treated with pesticide, the two treated faces being laminated face-to-face to enclose the treated faces.

The two sheets may be formed from a singlefolded sheet or from separate sheets (or sheets cut from respective continuous lengths on first and second rolls).

Preferably, the four sides of the two sheets are cold laminated, R.F. welded or otherwise sealed together. Alternatively, the pesticide may be mixed in the adhesive or glue used to bond the two sheets together. Suitable adhesives include polyvinylacetate (PVA) or nitrocellulose.

The pesticide is preferably a termiticide, preferably a synthetic pyrethoid. Suitable pesticides Sfrom this group include alpha cypermethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin. Other suitable pesticides include any organic phosphates or organo-chlorines that demonstrate a repelling effect, eg. chlorpyriphos.

In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a plastic, pesticide-treated, termite barrier membrane produced by the method hereinbefore described.

The barrier may be placed under building foundations, around trees or plants, or like locations Ot 66 Goes 0 0 *66 6O l of..

6666 6 3 to deter ants and/or termites. The barrier can be substituted for the current damp-proof course membrane laid under concrete slates on the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To enable the invention to be fully understo3d, a number of preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a (part-sectional) perspective view of a first embodiment of the membrane; FIGS. 2 to 4 are schematic side view of ._cernative methods of manufacturing the membrane of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a part-sectional perspective view of a second embodiment of the membrane; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a method of manufacturing the membrane of FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the membrane; FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a method of manufacturing the membrane of FIG. 7; and FIG. 9 is an end view showing the membrane in use to protect building foundations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 6 a 0

EMBODIMENTS

EXAMPLE I (FIGS. 1, 2) Two sheets of plastic 10, 11 are drawn from respective vertically-spaced supply rolls 12, 13 and the upper face 14 of the lower sheet 10, and the lower face 15 of the upper sheet 11, are drawn past respective coating rollers 16, 17 which apply a coating of pesticide 18 permethrin) in a volatile solvent, to the faces of the sheets. The coated faces of the sheets are brought together by rollers 19, 20 and the sides of the sheets are "cold welded" by passing them between compressive rollers 21, 22. The sheets are also "coid welded" transversely at regular intervals by a cold welding head 23 and the laminated sheets are cut to length, immediate the transverse cold welds, (see line A-A on FIG. 1) by a cutter head 24.

The resultant product is a termite barrier with a micro-layer of pesticide particles 18 contained (and sealed) between two sheets of plastic 10, 11, which may be laid under building foundations, or placed around trees or plants, to protect the foundations, trees or plants from termite attack. (In FIG. 1, the thickness of the layer of pesticide 18 has been exaggerated for drawing clarity.) EXAMPLE II (FIGS. 1, 2) This method is as for Example I except that the pesticide is mixed with ink and is printed on the faces 14, 15 of the plastic sheets 10, 11 by printing rollers 16, 17 using the method disclosed in Australian Patent No. 557130 International Publication No.

W084/02447 U.S. Patent No. 4,576,801) J.

MORRISON).

EXAMPLE III (FIGS. 1, 3) This is as for Example I except that the pesticide 18 is applied to the faces 14, 15 of the plastic sheets 10, 11 by brushes 16a, 17a.

EXAMPLE IV (FIGS. 1, 4) This is as for Example I except that the pesticide 18 is mixed in a solvent which may incorporate emulsifiers, and is sprayed in liquid form onto the sheets 10, 11 using spray nozzles or spray bars 16b, 17b.

EXAMPLE V (FIGS. 1, 4) This is as for Example IV except that the pesticide 18 is sprayed onto the sheets 10, 11 in fine powder form.

EXAMPLE IV (FIGS. 5, 6) The pesticide 118 is mixed with ink and is printed on one side of tne sheet of plastic 110 by a printing roller 116. The pesticide is printed by the method disclosed in Australian Patent No 557130 International Publication No W084/02447) (B J

MORRISON).

The sheet 110 is folded in half using folding roller 126, with the printed faces brought together and the three free sides 127 are glued or "cold welded" together to seal the pesticide 118 within the barrier product 125.

The pesticide 118 may alternatively be applied by rollers, brushes or sprayed as described in Examples I, III to V above.

EXAMPLE VII (FIGS. 7, 8) 15 A first plastic sheet 210 is passed under a powder spray head 216b which sprays a controlled layer of pesticide 218, in fine powder form (eg.

chlorpyriphos) on to the upper face 214 of the sheet 210. A second plastic sneet 211 is laid over the first sheet 210 and is sealed thereto e.g. by a "cold" welder or R.F. welder 223 about the four edges. Again, the pesticide is sealed within the barrier product 225.

EXAMPLE VIII This is the same as Example VII except that 2) the pesticide is mixed in a solvent, which may incorporate emulsifiers, and is sprayed in liquid form onto the sheet 210. The solvent may be allowed to vapourise before the two sheets 210, 211 are laminated together.

EXAMPLE IX The pesticide 218 is used with PVA glue and is applied to at least one of the sheets of plastic 210, 211 as described in Example VIII above. The sheets 210, 211 pass between pairs of compressive rollers 221, 222, which bring the coated faces of the sheets into contact, to expel any air therebetween. The sheets are laminated together, are cut to length and may be heatsealed around the four sides if required.

EXAMPLE X The pesticide is mixed with nitrocellulose glue and is sprayed onto one or both of the sheets, .,hich are then laminated as per example IX above.

In the above Examples, as the pesticide is not on the outer surfaces of the barrier product, the barrier product can be handled with no health hazard to the operator. The pesticide does not degrade or leach away, sealed in the plastic envelope, and remains in the 0S plastic envelope indefinitely.

As shown in FIG. 9, the barrier product see: 125, 225 may be placed around the footings 30 of a S 15 building floor structure 31 and may be placed at strategic locations under the floor structure. The barrier product 25 may also be used as the dampproofing membrane in a building structure.

The advantages of the present invention are as 20 follows: co it eliminates the environmental problems that are intrinsic with spraying on building sites; it eliminates the environmental problems associated with the disposal of used pesticide contain-rs; it can replace spraying, may be more S economical and has a much longer effective life; it enables termite protection in remote areas where conventional methods are not economic by facsimile; it can be used as a protective sheath around trees or plants, or around underground (electric and/or telecommunications) cables; it removes the potential pollution caused by dumping of pesticide-treated soil from under demolished buildings; and the barriers are safe to handling by human operations.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

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Claims

1. A method of producing a plastic, pesticide- treated, termite barrier membrane including the steps of: applying pesticide to one face of a sheet of plastic; and laminating a second sheet of plastic to the first sheet to enclose the pesticide-treated face, the sheets being laminated so that no air is enclosed by the sheets, and the pesticide forming a film between the sheets.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein: one face of the second sheet is also treated with pesticide, the two treated faces being laminated face-to-face to enclose the treated faces.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: the two sheets are formed from a single folded sheet, from separate sheets, or sheets cut from continuous lengths on first and second rolls.

4. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 Swherein: the four sides of the two sheets are cold laminated, radio frequency welded or otherwise *e 25 sealed together.

5. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein: the pesticide is mixed in adhesive or glue to bond the two sheets together. 30 6. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to **wherein: the pesticide is a termiticide.

7. A method according to Claim 6 wherein: the pesticide is selected from the group: alpha cypermethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, chlorpyriphos or other material demonstrating a repellant effect on subterranean termites.

8. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein: the pesticide is applied to the sheet, or sheets, by rollers, printing, brushes, dry spraying, or wet spraying mixed with a solvent.

9. A laminated plastic pesticide-treated, termite barrier membrane manufactured by the method of any one of Claims 1 to 8. A plastic, pesticide-treated, termite barrier membrane including: a pair of plastic sheets laminated together so that no air is enclosed by the sheets; a film of pesticide between the sheets; and a face of at least one of the sheets being treated with pesticide and the treated face (or faces) being enclosed by the two sheets.

11. A membrane according to Claim 10 wherein: the plastic sheets are formed from a single folded sheet, a pair of separate sheets, or from sheets cut from respective supply rolls. 066 12. A membrane according Claim 10 or Claim 11 S wherein: 25 the pesticide is a termiticide.

13. A membrane according to Claim 12 wherein: the pesticide is selected from the group: alpha cypermethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, chlorpyriphos or other material demonstrating a 30 repellant effect on subterranean termites.

14. A method of producing a plastic, pesticide- So treated, termite barrier substantially as hereinbefore o described with reference to the drawings and the respective Examples.

15. A plastic, pesticide-treated, termite bafrier membrane substantially as hereinbefore described with ref erence to FIG. 1; or FIG. 5; or FIG. 7: of the accompanying drawings. DATED this ninth day of June 1993. M.J.A. SCIENTIFICS INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, By their Patent Attorneys, GRANT ADAMS COMPANY. Title: "PESTICIDE-TREATED PLASTIC MEMBRANE" ABSTRACT A laminated plastic termite barrier membrane has pesticide applied to at least one face of a pair of sheets, or a folded sheet, which is sealed within an envelope formed by the sheets (or sheet). The membrane is placed in the soil to protect buildings, foundations, trees, plants or the like from termite attack. 00 eO 00 I. q 0•