Radiant energy – Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling – Infrared responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-14
2001-07-03
Hannaher, Constantine (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling
Infrared responsive
C250S338100, C356S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255652
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for detecting insect infestation and, more specifically, termite infestation within an enclosed area
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Insect infestations and the damage they cause are as old as human history. One of the seven plagues visited on Egypt by God in the Old Testament is a locust infestation. An unchecked insect pest, such as a fruit fly, can destroy an entire agricultural industry in an area The whole face of the south was changed in the early part of the twentieth century by the boll weevil and its impact on cotton farming.
Because of natural predators, many insects will try to remain hidden. Detection by ordinary as visual means may be difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, for imported food or other natural materials, quarantines of the imported material are sometimes required or even irradiation or sterilization.
Like all other animals, insects inspire oxygen and respire carbon dioxide (CO
2
). However, CO
2
gas is present in the atmosphere in large quantities, Therefore, the quantity of CO
2
produced by an individual insect is difficult to detect in the presence of naturally occurring CO
2
because of the variations that are normal within a CO
2
concentration in a particular area Not only insects produce CO
2
, but internal combustion engines, other animals, and other chemical operations that use carbon may also produce CO
2
. Therefore, even fairly substantial infestations of insects do not ordinarily produce enough CO
2
to make detection possible. While it may be possible to use a slow long-term test that establishes a base line, this is not effective for most applications.
Consequently, it has been recognized that it can be useful to use infrared carbon dioxide gas analysis to detect hidden insect infestations. Two systems have been proposed to use infrared analysis of carbon dioxide to detect hidden insect infestations. In Bruce et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,927, a system for detecting respired CO
2
is disclosed. Here, a sample of the materials in which an insect infestation is suspected is sealed in a chamber. The air inside the chamber is held stable for an interval of time then moves through the system as a plug flow or bolus through an infrared analyzer. The sample chamber in which the material to be tested is placed is first purged with a carrier gas and then sealed off for a long enough time to allow respired CO
2
by insects contained within the sample material to build up and reach a concentration sufficient for detection. It is this gas which is analyzed for higher CO
2
concentration and compared to the earlier carrier baseline gas.
Delgrosso, U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,353, also discloses a system for detecting live insects in a commodity. This invention, like the Bruce et al Patent, uses a closed chamber with an incubation time and a purge by a base line or reference gas. Outside air is used as a reference to compare against air from within the closed chamber where the presumed sample has incubated, hence, allowing any insects contained within the sample to respire sufficient carbon dioxide within that sample for detection by an infrared detection device.
These devices, while useful, especially for commodity products like wheat or rice that can be easily sampled, cannot be used to detect insects in many applications where detection is important. These devices require a sealed chamber as part of the device to allow a controlled increase in the CO
2
concentration in the chamber for detection. This means the product where an insect infestation is suspected must be like wheat or rice that are easily sampled for testing in a sealed chamber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the current object of the present invention to provide a simple, easy, and non-destructive method for testing for insect infestation, primarily termite infestation, within the walls of a house. Under current building practices, most houses are built of wood frames. Ordinarily, an outside siding material is mounted against plywood or particle board sheathing secured to the wood frames. Within the spaces between the frames, insulation is placed. Between the wooden sheathing and outside siding, a wrap or vapor barrier is placed. This construction practice provides that there is very little ambient air movement from the outside to within the spaces between the wooden framing members. Movement of the air in this area is further restricted by the fiberglass insulation bats or other insulation material that is placed between the wooden framing members. Inside the house there is drywall, paneling, or wall board mounted against the wooden framing members, which is then painted or finished according to the taste of the homeowner.
In a building where termite infestation is suspected, one may visually inspect the foundation for evidence of termite infestation. If this is found, further investigation may be required. However, there is no easy way to investigate which part of the wall joists have been infested by termites and which part have not without tearing away the wall to visually examine the wood that is underneath. This is a destructive and expensive procedure. Consequently, it would be an advance in the art to use respired CO
2
from insects, usually termites, with a carbon dioxide detector to see whether a particular area underneath a wall is infested by live termites or other insects without destroying any substantial portion of the wall
The vapor barrier wrap, the sheathing, and the wall material, in effect, turns each of the areas between each section of the supporting framing into a sealed detection chamber. There is very little motion of ambient outside air into this area. The current invention proposes the following means of detecting termite infestation in this area First, there is a pump connected to an intake nozzle. The pump will pull air in through the intake nozzle and to an infrared carbon dioxide detector. For detection to take place, the operator will first activate the pump within a room in a house to obtain a background baseline reading. Once this reading is obtained, the pump will be turned off. The intake nozzle will be inserted through the wall material into an area between the wall framing. The intake pump will then again be activated. Ordinarily, there will be a rubber seal or other material at the base of the intake nozzle. This seals the intake nozzle from taking in room air. The intake nozzle itself may consist of the type of hollow needle like that used to inflate sporting items like footballs or basketballs. Only a small hole need be made in the wall material for insertion of this type of intake nozzle. Once the nozzle is in place, the intake pump is again activated so that the interior air behind the wall board and between the wood frames will be pulled into the infrared CO
2
analyzer in a plug flow fashion. After sufficient time has elapsed to allow the analyzer to be detecting the air from within the appropriate area in which an insect infestation is suspected, an output reading is noted and compared against the earlier baseline reading of CO
2
found in the room. It has been found in practice that an increase of several parts per million indicates a likely insect infestation in that area of the framing. At that point, further investigation will be warranted, including possible destruction of a portion of the wall material so that a visual inspection of the area may be made.
It has been found in practice that this procedure is accurate and greatly reduces the amount of damage done to a building to determine if there is a termite infestation. Further, this type of apparatus and method can be made from existing materials and equipment, is portable, lightweight, easy to operate, may be powered by batteries, and can be made at a cost that makes it practical to use for those in the business of insect infestation detection and repair.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3963927 (1976-06-01), Bruce et al.
patent: 4206353 (1980-06-01), Delgrosso
patent: 1245646 (2000-03-01), None
“Detection of Hidden Insect Infestations i
Gabor Otilia
Hannaher Constantine
Mauney Michael E.
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