Anti-Vermin Barrier

Abstract

An apparatus (10; 110) for preventing vermin or rodent (24) access to buildings through drainage conduits. The apparatus (10; 110) comprises: a duct (12) defining a flowpath and a barrier (16; 116) which prevents access to vermin or rodents (24) through the drainage conduit. The barrier (16; 116) includes a protective structure (165) to deter vermin gnawing the through the barrier (16; 116). The barrier (16; 116) is movable between a flowpath closed position in which the flowpath is substantially closed and a flowpath open position in which the flowpath is substantially open. The barrier (16) is biased to the flowpath closed position by a threshold force. As such the barrier (16) is movable to the flowpath open position upon application of a force greater than the threshold force. The threshold force is sufficient to maintain the barrier (16; 116) in the flowpath closed position under its own weight.

Claims

1.-46. (canceled)

47. An apparatus for preventing vermin access to buildings through drainage conduits, the apparatus comprising: a duct defining a flowpath, and a barrier member comprising a flap, operable to open and close the flowpath; and at least one biasing element; wherein the barrier member is movable between a flowpath closed position in which the flowpath is substantially closed and a flowpath open position in which the flowpath is substantially open, the barrier member being biased to the flowpath closed position by a threshold force, wherein the biasing element is operable to impart the threshold force upon the barrier member to maintain the flowpath closed position when there is no force acting on the barrier member; and wherein the barrier member is movable to the flowpath open position upon application of a force greater than the threshold force and the threshold force being sufficient to maintain the barrier member in the flowpath closed position, wherein the barrier member comprises a matrix and a protective structure at least partially embedded in the matrix, wherein the protective structure is operable to deter vermin gnawing through the barrier member.

48. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the barrier member is movable between one fully closed position and one fully open position, wherein the barrier member is only movable between two extreme points, one in which the barrier member fully closes the flowpath and one in which the barrier member fully opens the flowpath.

49. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the barrier member is configured to be lightweight, wherein the barrier member is light enough such that the barrier member can maintain a closed position despite its own weight, wherein, in use, when the apparatus is installed in an inclined or vertical position the threshold force is small enough so that the barrier member can be moved to the flowpath open position by a small liquid discharge when the barrier member is in a substantially horizontal position.

50. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the matrix encompasses substantially whole surface area of the barrier member.

51. The apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein the protective structure comprises gaps or holes such that barrier member weight can be minimised.

52. The apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein the protective structure comprises a plurality of intersecting formations integrated in the barrier member.

53. The apparatus as claimed in claim 50, wherein the protective structure comprises spiky formations.

54. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the protective structure comprises a soft elastic surface.

55. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the protective structure comprises a hairy or fibrous surface.

56. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the protective structure comprises an electric conductor material connected to an electric current source.

57. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the protective structure comprises a vermin deterrent substance.

58. The apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the vermin deterrent substance provides an aroma which is unpleasant to vermin and is operable to deter vermin from approaching the barrier member, wherein the aroma is released into surrounding atmosphere.

59. The apparatus as claimed in claim 57, wherein the deterrent substance comprises a taste, which is unpleasant to vermin thereby deterring vermin from gnawing the barrier member.

60. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the protective structure comprises a mesh structure.

61. The apparatus as claimed in claim 60, wherein the mesh structure comprises tougher material than the matrix.

62. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the barrier member is hinged to the duct.

63. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the barrier member comprises a curved flap.

64. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the duct comprises sections with different internal cross-sectional areas and wherein the barrier member defines an area larger than the cross-sectional area of an adjacent section of the duct.

65. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the barrier member comprises a soft elastic edge operable, in use to seal against duct walls.

66. The apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein the biasing element comprises a spring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The present invention will be more clearly explained in the following paragraphs in which embodiments and features of the prior art and the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0053] FIG. 1 represents an anti-vermin barrier typically encountered in the prior art in a flowpath open position.

[0054] FIGS. 2a and 2b represent an anti-vermin barrier typically encountered in the prior art in a flowpath closed position.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the barrier comprises spiky formations.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which the barrier is electrified.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows another barrier of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the barrier comprises a protective metallic mesh.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for preventing rodent access through a drain pipeline, indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 comprises a duct 12 which defines a flowpath 14. The apparatus further comprises a barrier 16 which is movable between a flowpath open position and a flowpath closed position, which is shown in FIG. 1.

[0059] The apparatus 10 comprises a biasing element 18 which keeps the barrier in a closed position by pressing the barrier against a step 20 in the duct 12 adjacent to the barrier 16, in the absence of any force acting on it, except its own weight. The barrier 16 is hinged onto the duct wall on one side of the barrier.

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a drain stream 22 that circulates thought the duct 12 and moves the barrier into a flowpath open position.

[0061] FIG. 2a shows the same apparatus of FIG. 1, but this time the barrier 16 is in a flowpath closed position, because there is not force acting on it. A rodent 24 has crawled into the draining system and now faces the barrier 16, which prevents its further access into the draining system.

[0062] FIG. 2b shows is meant to indicate that the rodent 24 instinctively will try to gain further access, either because it sense warmth, light or pleasant smells coming from upstream, by gnawing the barrier. The rodent 24 may try several times, even in different days and upon persistent gnawing could finally create a hole through the barrier.

[0063] A hole in the barrier 16 presents problems irrespective of the size of the hole, because a liquid discharge with entrained solids could potentially not open the barrier, because the liquids can drain through the hole and leave the solids upstream of the barrier. This is highly undesirable, as it can create a clog and/or a point where bad smells are produced.

[0064] Additionally, the rodent 24 can eventually gain access through the barrier 16 if the hole is large enough, which is also to be avoided.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 110 is similar to apparatus 10 and similar features are indicated with like numerals incremented by 100. The barrier 116 of apparatus 110 further comprises a protective structure 165 to deter vermin gnawing the barrier 116 through. In this embodiment, the protective structure 165 comprises an array of spiky formations 166 distributed on the barrier 116 surface, so that when any animal tries to approach the barrier, it gets pricked and causes it to desist in gnawing the barrier through and/or going further upstream, thus protecting and maintaining the integrity of the barrier 116. It will be noticed that the spiky formations 166 can be made of a light material, such as plastic, provided that the spikes are sharp enough to prickle vermin approaching the barrier 116.

[0066] FIG. 4 shows an apparatus 210 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 210 is similar to apparatus 10 and similar features are indicated with like numerals incremented by 200. The barrier 216 of apparatus 210 comprises a layer of a conductor material 226 connected to an electrical current source 228, so that the barrier 216 is electrified, as indicated by small lightning symbols 230. In this case, any animal trying to access the interior of a building through the drains, upon contact of the barrier 216, senses small electrical shocks which causes vermin to desist in gnawing the barrier through and/or attempt to go beyond that point, therefore protecting and maintaining the integrity of the barrier.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows a barrier 316 which forms part of yet another embodiment of the present invention (not shown) similar to those shown before. In this embodiment, the barrier 316 comprises a protective metallic mesh 326 embedded in a polymeric matrix 332. Any animal that tries to gnaw the barrier 316 through, will feel the toughness of the metallic mesh 326 and this discourages any animal from further gnawing, perhaps by pain infringed by gnawing in such a hard element, thus protecting the integrity of the barrier 316.

[0068] It is hereby emphasized that is it is important for the invention to work also when the embodiments are installed in an inclined and vertical position and therefore, the barrier weight must be kept as light as possible, so that it can be biased in a closed position when installed vertically without using an excessive threshold force, because when installed horizontally the threshold force needs to be as small as possible, so that the barrier opens the flowpath with the smallest of discharges.

[0069] It is also to be highlighted that it is not necessary to hinge the barrier onto the duct because embodiments without hinges, similar to one-way check valves, are understood to fall within the scope of the invention, although not described herein.

[0070] Materials and dimensions can also be very different in different embodiments of the invention and are therefore not detailed herein because a person of ordinary skill would be able to build suitable embodiments without having this information detailed.