Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Vermin destroying – Insect
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-09
2001-09-04
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Vermin destroying
Insect
C043S125000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282833
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for repelling insects and other pests from a specific area, as around food and people.
2. Background Art
Virtually everyone that engages in outdoor activities contends with flying insects and other pests. This is particularly true when food is served as this offers a further attraction to these pests. A myriad of different products are offered to contend with this problem.
One form of pest control is the use of permanent or semi-permanent netted or screened enclosures around a specific area in which people will congregate. While such structures are reasonably effective in limiting pest access, they have a number of drawbacks.
First of all, these structures may be relatively expensive. The netting or screen also degrades over time and may require ongoing repair and upkeep. Further, these structures usually are placed at a specific location to which people become confined. Most significantly, these structures are generally effective only at limiting access by a large number of pests. Many pests inevitably find their way to within the enclosure and become a significant nuisance, even in small numbers.
Another form of pest control is the use of chemicals, such as with foggers. The chemicals used in these foggers are not discriminating as to their victims and kill not only beneficial insects but represent a threat to larger animate objects such as birds and pets. Further, humans may react allergically to such chemicals. Generally, the ingestion of such chemicals by humans is detrimental. Still further, the fogger chemicals are not inexpensive. Effective pest control also may require repeated applications. Follow up applications may be made with food product present, presenting additional obvious dangers.
Insect repellants are reasonably effective as applied to human body parts. Even those repellants do not deter all types of pests. But more significantly, repellants applied as such have no repellant effect on pests that are attracted to food products, such as flies, bees, beetles, etc. These pests commonly land on food and oft times lay eggs, or spread germs, bacteria, and other potentially disease-producing matter upon the food before it is ingested.
Another proposed solution to the pest problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,721, to Underwood. Underwood discloses a device with a single, cantilevered wand on a stem that rotates around a vertical axis. The moving wand is described as creating a “visual disturbance” to pests.
While the applicant herein is not familiar with any commercial device made according to Underwood's teachings, it appears that the Underwood structure has a significant number of limitations and drawbacks. First, it appears that the wand would be a disturbance only to pests in a space in, or immediately adjacent to, its path. When a simple wand rotates at relatively slow speeds, pests might have time to land on and contaminate food before the wand returns in its path and encounters or comes near to them.
Further, while the wand is described to be “flexible,” it must be rigid enough to maintain its projecting shape of
FIG. 1
, without sagging. Inherently, this makes the wand rigid enough that it could snag on objects, such as food or eating utensils, in its path. Objects set on a table, or elsewhere where the device is used, must be strategically located to reside out of the path of the wand. Otherwise the wand will be blocked by an article which it encounters, or alternatively will carry or tip an article in its path. If the wand is rotated over a plate as shown in
FIG. 1
of Underwood, an individual must time his/her eating motion.
Most significantly, it appears that the device in Underwood has a very limited volume in which it affects pests. If it were made larger with the described configuration, it could become onerous, obstructive, and potentially a hazard to those within its reach.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one form, the invention is directed to a device for repelling insects from the vicinity of a support surface for the repelling device. The repelling device has a base which can be placed against an upwardly facing support surface to thereby maintain the repelling device in an operative position, a first arm connected to the base and in an elevated position above the upwardly facing surface on which the repelling device is maintained in the operative position and rotatable around a vertically extending axis, a first element depending from the first arm and rotatable with the first arm around the vertically extending axis, and a drive which is operable to rotate the first arm around the vertically extending axis to thereby cause the first element to trace an annular path around the vertically extending axis.
The base may have a substantially flat surface which can be placed facially against a flat, upwardly facing support surface upon which the repelling device is maintained in the operative position.
The base may include a hub which is rotatable around the vertically extending axis, with the first arm projecting in cantilever fashion from the hub and rotatable with the hub around the vertically extending axis.
In one form, the first arm has a length with a central axis and the central axis is not orthogonal to the vertically extending axis.
The central axis may project upwardly away from the hub.
The repelling device may include a second arm which projects in cantilever fashion from the hub and rotates with the hub around the vertically extending axis.
In one form, the first arm is elongate and there is a second element depending from the first arm and spaced lengthwise along the first arm from the first element.
The second arm may project from the hub at a location that is diametrically opposite to where the first arm projects from the hub.
In one form, the hub is spaced from the surface of the base a distance which can be varied to thereby vary the height of the hub, and thus the one arm, above the upwardly facing support surface upon which the repelling device is maintained in the operative position.
In one form, the base has a generally cylindrical shape and is adorned to simulate a tree trunk, with the element configured to appear as a leaf upon the one arm.
An odiferous insect repellant may be provided on the base to rotate with the first arm and hub around the vertically extending axis.
In one form, the base has a body defining a storage space with there being a removable cover on the body. The space may accommodate one arm and at least one element which is attachable to one of the arms.
The drive may be adjustable to vary the speed at which the first arm is rotated around the vertically extending axis.
In one form, the first element is spaced no more than three feet above an upwardly facing surface upon which the repelling device is maintained in the operative position.
The first element may be flexible sufficiently to bend as the first element traces the annular path around the vertically extending axis.
The first element may be repositionable relative to the first arm to deflect in the event the first element encounters an object in the annular path as the first element is rotated around the vertically extending axis.
The invention is also directed to the combination of a) a table with an upwardly facing surface upon which food product can be placed, and b) a device for repelling insects in a space around the upwardly facing surface. The repelling device has a base which can be placed against the upwardly facing surface to maintain the repelling device in an operative position, a first arm connected to the base in an elevated position above the upwardly facing surface, and a first element depending from the first arm and rotatable with the first arm around the vertically extending axis. The first element has a bottom edge which one of a) engages the upwardly facing support surface and b) is spaced no more than three feet above the upwardly facing support surface. The repelling device further includes a drive which is operable to rotate the f
DiCostanzo Nicholas W
Jordan Charles T.
Wood Phillips VanSanten Clark & Mortimer
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