GB2518368A

GB2518368A - Pest deterrent barriers

Info

Publication number: GB2518368A
Application number: GB1316564.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tobias Murray Bateson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-09-18
Filing date: 2013-09-18
Publication date: 2015-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2033-09-18
Also published as: GB2518368B; GB201316564D0

Abstract

An electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to animal pests such as rodents. The barrier comprises elongate electrical conductive elements in a supporting matrix or substrate that is a woven textile fabric of electrically insulating material. The textile fabric is preferably woven nylon, polyester, vinyl or neoprene. The conductive elements are preferably carbon fibres, steel wires or conductive ink and are arranged in a zigzag or saw toothed pattern. The barrier in one aspect is a vehicle parking mat. In another aspect the barrier is a tubular sleeve to protect the wiring and other sensitive conduits of a vehicle or other apparatus.

Description

Pest Deterrent Barriers

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns electrified pest deterrent barriers to reduce incidence of damage to sensitive systems of cars or other vehicles s or apparatus by rodents or other pests.

Background to the Invention

Rodents such as rats have been estimated to cause a staggering $19 billion worth of financial losses and damage to property annually, with the USA being referred to as the land of a billion rats (Fimental et al. 1999). Rats and other pests chew and damage wiring and tubing in houses, factories and other installations, as well as ruining animal feed, personal possessions and items in storage. Of particular concern is where cars and other vehicles including aircraft are at risk from rat damage to their electrical wiring and oil and brake fluid conduits. Rats are known to enter the engine bay, passenger compartment and other areas of a parked road vehicle and can cause very significant damage resulting in materials and components requiring repair and replacement and potentially threatening the safety of the vehicle driver when next trying to use the vehicle.

Whereas attempts have been made to address the problems there are currently no adequate preventative measures to stop such damage and the above-noted massive financial losses arise despite the effects of the existing methods of defending property against rats using for example bait, traps, poison and wire mesh barriers or sonic! ultrasonic scarers and electrical shock deterrent devices. Electrified fencing has been used in some instances, primarily for guarding vegetable plots or outdoor livestock such as poultry but it is awkward to install and impractical for guarding vehicles. Electrically charged barrier systems using matting have been proposed but the existing electrically charged mat barrier systems are generally awkward to deploy, too costly for wide-spread use and do not provide adequate protection for motor vehicles. In one such system a set of hinging electrified mat structures couple around an aircrafts' wheels to deter rodents. In others individual electrified mats are placed around the perimeter of a protected area. Such devices are impractical for wide-spread use since they are awkward to install and remove and especially so where they are to protect a vehicle. There is unquestionably still a strong need for further, better improved measures for mitigating the damage to vehicles and other vulnerable apparatus by rodents.

Summary of the lnyention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to animal pests such as rodents, wherein the barrier comprises elongate electrical conductive elements in a supporting matrix or substrate that is a woven textile fabric of electrically insulating material. The electrical conductive elements are preferably woven in the textile fabric and are particularly preferably inter-woven in the textile fabric during weaving of the textile fabric.

The woven textile nature of the barrier renders the barrier strong and extremely flexible and allows it to be manufactured at low unit cost and to be dispensed and used in the manner of carpeting from a stack or roll and whereby the barrier can be cut to size to suit different installation areas.

Preferably the textile fabric is woven of nylon, polyester, vinyl or neoprene.

A primary purpose of the barrier is to preventing rats and other animals chewing the wires, cables and tubing of sensitive systems in cars or other vehicles or installations.

The barrier in a further aspect is in the form of an elongate tube or sleeve.

This may be moulded! extruded into the form of an elongate tube or sleeve or adapted to be furled! folded! rolled and then secured in that form so that in use the barrier can ensheath elongate cylindrical structures such as cabling andl or fluid conduit. Preferably the barrier tube! sleeve ensheaths electrical cabling or fluid conduit in use.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to pests stepping or landing thereon, wherein the barrier is a mat and comprises robust elongate electrical conductive elements in a robust supporting matrix or substrate wherein the barrier is a parking mat onto which a car or other vehicle is driven and parked in use. With this arrangement a car or other vehicle can be effectively substantially automatically protected from rat infestation without the owner needing to take special measures to install and remove the barrier every time they seek to use the vehicle. Indeed, the electrification of the parking mat may be automatically switched on by a switch that responds to the vehicle approaching or driving onto the parking mat.

The barrier is coupled in use to an electrical power source that suitably is power output limited or regulated to provide a non-lethal shock to small mammals. The power source may be pulsatile, delivering electricity to the conductors at short intervals or continuous. The electrical conductive elements comprise conductive elements that are electrically live and others that are earthed or neutral. Suitably these alternate across the upper surface of the mat. The barrier is adapted to create a protected area around an object or objects by delivering a non-lethal shock when an animal comes into contact with it or very close proximity to it.

The barrier preferably is formed as a flexible sheet and it particularly preferably is formed for use as a ground covering.

Where the device is used in the form of a parking mat or place mat it is designed to have an area that is larger than the footprint of the vehicle or other object placed on the mat to be protected in order to take account of the jumping and climbing ability of the rats or other pests to be deterred. A mat of the same footprint size as the object affords some protection but a substantially larger mat affords much better protection. The area of the mat is preferably as large as the footprint of the object to be protected plus a buffer zone that is equivalent to or greater than the distance the pest can jump. Since the worst pests, rats, are known to jump of the order of 77cm vertically and 120cm horizontally, an overlap of at least this amount around the edge of the object to be protected is preferred.

In order to deliver an electric shock to an animal crossing or contacting its' surface the device has components which are charged both positively and negatively, positioned so that the pest animal will come into contact with them if trying to reach the protected object. This ensures that the pest does not need to be in contact with the ground or other earth in order to receive a shock, as long as it contacts both the positive and negative terminals in the device. In order to effectively deliver a shock the pattern of the electrical terminals is suitably designed according to the size, gait and footprint area of the animal the device is designed to defend against. For example, where the pest to be repelled is a rat the distance between adjacent positive and negative electrodes is suitably less than the smallest dimension of a rat's foot in order that if a rat were to tread on the device it would span a positive and negative electrode in order that a shock would be delivered and the rat repelled. This is not necessarily essential as a positive and negative electrode could be spanned by two or more feet in bi-, tn-or quadripedal animal, delivering the required shock.

The device is built to withstand everyday use for protecting the object it is assigned to. For cars and other automobile as a parking mat it is built to withstand being driven on and off hundreds of times a year, as well as being folded or rolled for transportation and storage. The conductive components are designed to remain intact despite multiple flexion, extension, shear and torsive episodes. As such, carbon fibres or steel wires are the most preferred materials for the conductive components of the device when used as a car protection mat, although any conductive material may be used. A conductive ink could be used to create customized or complex designs although this will not contribute to the strength of the mat in the way that many other integrated conductive materials would and the ink has the added disadvantage of potentially wearing away and having a low redundancy, unlike steel or carbon fibres.

In such case the conductors may need to be protected from wear by being slightly sunken into the mat's top surface or laminated by a protective layer that does not interfere substantially with the electrical conduction to the foot of the pest. By contrast, using steel or carbon fibres avoids need for such measures and will add integrity and strength to the mat, being hard wearing and having a higher functional redundancy within a given area, meaning that if a fibre is damaged there are many others which will fulfil the same function.

As the mat will need to be folded or rolled for storage and transportation, this will need to be taken account of when choosing materials which will need to flexible and withstand the mechanical forces involved. It will also need to be oil, petrol, solvent and fire resistant. The barrier preferably has a water repellent or wicking layer or outer surface to aid drying and speed the restoration of function in the event of contact with water.

As noted above, the parking mat is designed to be resilient enough to withstand the shear forces involved when driven over by the car or other vehicle, cushioning and protecting the associated conductive elements.

The use of Nylon or polyester fibre woven into a textile fabric greatly helps to absorb, dissipate and withstand the forces involved. Vinyl is commonly used as the major component in parking mats and is also ideal at withstanding the forces involved. Neoprene and other materials may be utilised, depending on the size, weight, dimensions and characteristics of the object being protected and the physical characteristics of the conductive components of the mat, which will depend on the materials chosen. A firmer mat base can result in a longer lasting mat as less indentation and flexion of the conductive fibres may occur when the mat is driven over.

For the arrangement of the conductive elements on the barrier a simple recti-linear arrangement may suffice but a zig-zagged or saw-toothed pattern is preferred for covering a larger area of mat or tube with less conductive material and in stopping an animal traversing the mat or tube and avoiding a shock by only walking on solely positive or negative electrodes. A spiral pattern or any other pattern of conductive elements may also be utilised in order to optimise protection of objects or vehicles against damage. Complex patterns may be more easily achieved using conductive ink screen printed or otherwise applied to the fabric.

For some uses the barrier may have conductive elements provided on both sides! faces. For example, where the barrier is a tube! sleeve this arrangement can serve to further shock the pest should it manage to enter the tube! sleeve.

Several of the barrier devices may be connected together electrically and physically along their edges using fastening means such as, for example, wires and hook-and-loop fasteners (Velcro) or straps in order to increase the size of the area protected. In one embodiment mats could be laid alongside each other with spaces between them, electrically connected in series or parallel, for example in order to protect a row of cars in a garage.

The conductive elements may be arranged in any pattern or arrangement provided that the positive and negative electrodes are not so close together that they cause a shod circuit, either through contact or through electrical arcing. Spirals, concentric rings, parallel lines, zigzags, alphanumeric symbols, logos, dots, interrupted lines, stitched lines, dashed lines and other shapes can be employed as the basis for the pattern but, as noted earlier, the foot size and gait of the animal which the device is designed to repel is suitably taken into account. With this in mind, in order to repel a rat a zig-zag pattern would prevent the rat walking along the positive terminals alone, avoiding a shock. If parallel lines are used then the electrodes proximal to each edge are suitably parallel to that edge. In the case of a rectangular device, this would make a series of concentric rectangles. This will stop an animal walking along only the positive or negative electrodes when walking from the outside edge of the device towards the centre.

In order to apply company branding, logos, images, warnings or other graphics or wording to the device a logo may be printed in conductive ink in order to maximise the area available to deliver a shock. Alternatively, tags, labels or overlays may be attached to the surface or edge of the device. An area devoid of electrical contacts can be included in the device with company branding or images as described above printed, sewn, glued, or otherwise attached to reduce conductive material costs, however the area covered by the image may not deliver a shock. This would need to be taken into account when designing the layout of the device. The edges of the mat can be extended beyond those required for animal repulsion in order to create space for additional images, otherwise interrupted lines or points of conductive material can be utilised over the area of the image to maintain the shocking function of this region without compromising the image.

The electrical unit attached to the barrier needs to be able to safely deliver a non-lethal shock when required and may function substantially in the same way as the electrical transformer on an electric fence to deliver a high voltage, low current electric shock. The most effective method of

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powering the barrier is using mains electricity with the voltage stepped up using a transformer. A box connected to the plug may be used to contain the transformer and necessary electronics, keeping it off the floor and protecting it from any water pools. An on-off switch can be incorporated in the box or the barrier and may have a remote control to activate and deactivate it, using radio waves, a physical electrical connection, an internet connection or a software application program.

The barrier preferably has means to detect when an animal contacts the barrier in order to deliver a shock at the appropriate time. This may comprise the completion of a circuit by the contact of an animal, or it's close proximity so that arcing occurs, or use of a pressure sensor or switch which is activated by the weight of an animal on the device. Alternatively, a proximity or movement sensor may sense the presence of an animal and deliver a shock through conductive elements which are in contact with or in close proximity to the animal. There are advantages in using the proximity of the animal and it's conductivity to activate the shock; there is no need for a further sensor to sense movement and the other methods still require conductive elements incorporating into the mat. It can also be more sensitive.

The device may be mains powered in order to provide uninterrupted protection but the unit may also be powered from a car battery via the cigarette lighter socket or otherwise, from a rechargeable battery or unit or via a solar cell or other alternative power source. When powered by mains electricity the current must be stepped down at the wall, rather than in the device itself, in order that a lethal mains shock is avoided in the event of the device becoming wet or damaged. The mat should suitably be used under shelter, eg in a garage or other weather and water-shielded area because the presence of water could cause short-circuiting of the electrodes in the device and inappropriate shocking of animals and humans in it's vicinity. The inclusion of an automatic electrical cut-out device would be appropriate to prevent this from happening. Also the mat suitably may be adapted to have drainage channels and! or through holes or other drainage features to prevent moisture! water retention and pooling and preferably has a hydrophobic outer surface and coating of the electrodes. The mat may alternatively or additionally be formed of a hydrophobic fabric. Use of hydrophobic materials or coatings can make it possible to use the device in semi-sheltered environments where this a moderate risk of light wetting by showers.

The device as described is used to protect cars and other vehicles, including but not limited to lorries, caravans, aeroplanes, motorbikes and tractors. It can also be used to protect any one or more objects which would fit within it's area, including but not limited to grain, straw, foodstuffs, personal possessions, computer terminals and hydraulic or electrical installations.

The device when in the form of a tube is particularly well-suited for protecting electrical cabling, pneumatic tubing or hydraulic tubing. The lumen of the tube may also house and protect other elongate items! parts.

Electrical shielding and isolation may be applied to the barrier to minimise! avoid electrical! electro-magnetic interference while not substantially impairing effectiveness to shock the pests.

Sensors monitoring environmental parameters such as humidity and temperature may be incorporated in the device. If levels reach preset high or low thresholds a light, alarm or remote communication via SMS, email, telephone, software App, telephone notification or other method could alert the user in order that they can take steps to rectify the situation and protect that which is being stored. The theft or removal of an object sitting on the device may also be detected through the incorporation of sensors, for example capacitive elements, which may be configured to alert the user or emergency services through an alarm or using the remote methods mentioned above. Various other type of sensor may be used, including but not limited to a pressure sensor, magnetic sensor, radio sensor or electrical sensor.

The inclusion of a flammable vapour detector is a further safety feature which may be incorporated in the device to switch off the electrical supply of the barrier in the event of a local leak of petrol, butane or other flammable gas, preventing a fire or explosion. This could also trigger an alarm, light or remote warning system as previously described.

As noted earlier, in order to cover a larger floor area, for example to protect multiple cars or a large vehicle such as an aeroplane, multiple devices may be inter-connected across the floor. Each device/mat suitably has a wire and plug, as well as a socket, allowing the devices to be connected in a chain with one end connected to a power supply. A grid or triangular arrangement of mats or devices could also be used.

In the event that the device is to be used to protect an object and a possibility exists for an animal to jump, fall, climb or land on said object in a way which would circumvent the device if it were on the floor, the barrier may be made in the form of a large sheet to be thrown over the object.

This can be manufactured in one piece or formed from multiple smaller units connected together with Velcro(R), straps or other fastenings making manufacturing and supply simpler and allowing the end user to dictate the final size of the unit themselves. The electrical supply may automatically or manually compensate for the increase in load by increasing it's output to counter the increase in electrical resistance.

Claims

Claims 1. An electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to animal pests such as rodents, wherein the barrier comprises elongate electrical conductive elements in a supporting matrix or substrate that is a woven textile fabric of electrically insulating material.
2. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical conductive elements are woven in the textile fabric.
3. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electrical conductive elements are preferably inter-woven in the textile fabric during weaving of the textile fabric.
4. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the textile fabric is woven of nylon, polyester, vinyl or neoprene.
5. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier comprises an elongate tube or sleeve.
6. An electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to animal pests such as rodents, wherein the barrier comprises elongate electrical conductive elements in a supporting matrix or substrate of electrically insulating material wherein the barrier has the form of an elongate tube or sleeve.
7. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 5 or 6 as in use, accommodating electrical wiring! cabling or fluid conduit extending along the lumen of the tube or sleeve.
8. An electrified pest deterrent barrier adapted to provide a deterrent electrical shock to pests, wherein the barrier is a mat and comprises robust elongate electrical conductive elements in a robust supporting matrix or substrate, the mat being a parking mat onto which a car or other vehicle is driven and parked in use.
9. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the electrification of the parking mat is switched on by a switch that responds to the vehicle approaching or driving onto the parking mat.
10. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim ito 4, 8 or 9, wherein the barrier is formed as a flexible ground covering mat in use and that has an area of floor coverage that is larger in all floor-covering directions than the footprint of the vehicle or other object being protected standing on the mat by a span substantially equivalent to or greater than the known leap size for the rat or other pest species to be deterred.
ii. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier has electrical conductive elements, some charged positively and some negatively, positioned so that the pest animal will come into contact with them if trying to reach the protected object or vehicle.
12. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pattern of the electrical conductive elements is configured designed according to the size, gait and footprint area of the animal the device is designed to defend against.
13. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the electrical conductive elements comprise carbon fibres or steel wires.
14. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, wherein a conductive ink is used as the electrical conductive elements.
15. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 wherein the barrier has a water repellent / wicking outer layer or outer surface to aid drying in the event of contact with water.
16. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to wherein the barrier has the arrangement of the conductive elements on the barrier in a zig-zagged or saw-toothed pattern.
17. An electrified pest deterrent barrier wherein the barrier is a place mat that comprises robust elongate electrical conductive elements in a robust supporting matrix or substrate and having installed sitting thereon in use a mechanical, electrical and/or hydraulic device or installation.
18. An electrified pest deterrent barrier wherein the barrier is a place mat that comprises robust elongate electrical conductive elements in a robust supporting matrix or substrate and having installed sitting thereon in use a feedstock or possessions in storage.
19. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in combination with claim 17 or claim 18.
20. An electrified pest deterrent barrier as claimed in claim 8 wherein is the supporting matrix or substrate that is of nylon, polyester, vinyl or neoprene.