Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-06-05
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S541000, C340S572100, C340S652000, C424S084000, C424S405000, C424S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243014
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention pertains to electrical apparatuses, termite sensing apparatuses, and methods of forming electrical apparatuses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A prior art apparatus and method for detecting termite infestation is described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
. Specifically, a termite detection device
10
is shown in an assembled configuration and inserted within the ground
12
in
FIG. 1
, and is shown in a disassembled configuration in FIG.
2
. Device
10
comprises an outer receptacle
14
having a plurality of orifices
16
(only some of which are labeled) extending therethrough. A cap (or a lid)
18
is provided to cover the top of receptacle
14
. Preferably, receptacle
14
is inserted into the ground to a depth at which cap
18
will rest approximately at a surface of the ground.
A pair of wooden blocks
20
and
22
are provided within receptacle
14
, and constitute “bait” for termites proximate to device
10
. A holder
24
is provided between blocks of wood
20
and
22
and comprises a shelf
26
upon which blocks
20
and
22
rest. Holder
24
and blocks
20
and
22
together comprise an assembly
27
which can be removably inserted into receptacle
14
.
Holder
24
comprises a portion
28
which protrudes upwardly beyond blocks
20
and
22
in the assembled configuration of FIG.
1
. Portion
28
comprises an eye
30
(shown in
FIG. 2
) which can simplify removal of assembly
27
from receptacle
14
using a tool with a hook.
In operation, receptacle
14
is inserted into ground
12
, and blocks
20
and
22
are subsequently left in receptacle
14
for a period of time. Blocks
20
and
22
function as a sensing apparatus to determine if a termite infestation is present in an area proximate device
10
. Specifically, if termites are present, such will penetrate through orifice
16
to reach wooden blocks
20
and
22
. The termites will then burrow into the wooden blocks
20
and
22
.
At regular intervals, cap
18
is removed and blocks
20
and
22
withdrawn from device
14
. Blocks
20
and
22
are then surveyed for termite-inflicted damage, and possibly a presence of termites themselves.
Generally, a number of apparatuses
10
will be spread around a given location, such as, for example, a house or other wooden structure. Each of the apparatuses will be checked at a regular interval to determine if a termite infestation is occurring proximate the structure. Also, each of the devices will be mapped relative to one another, and relative to the structure. A comparison of the amount of termite-inflicted damage occurring at the respective devices
10
can then enable a person to determine an approximate localized region of any occurring termite infestation. It can be advantageous to pinpoint a localized region of infestation as such can limit an amount of pesticide utilized for destroying the termites.
Difficulties can occur in monitoring the amount of termite-inflicted damage occurring at each of the many devices
10
provided around a structure. For instance, it can be difficult to regularly and accurately document the amount of damage at each of the devices. As an example, it can be difficult to remember exactly which of the various devices correlates to a specific location on a map of the devices. As another example, it can be difficult to accurately record a reading of termite-inflicted damage associated with an individual device. As yet another example, it can be tedious and time-consuming to open all of the receptacles
14
proximate the given structure and manually check the blocks
20
and
22
within the receptacles for termite-inflicted damage.
One method of reducing the above-discussed difficulties is to provide bar codes on the lids
18
of receptacles
14
. Such bar codes can be scanned to specifically identify a particular device which can simplify correlating the devices to locations on a map of the devices. However, ascertaining an amount of termite-inflicted damage can still be time-consuming in that the receptacles still have to be opened and the blocks of wood manually checked to determine if termite-inflicted damage has occurred to the wood.
A recently proposed improvement for monitoring an amount of termite-inflicted damage in a device similar to device
10
is described with reference to
FIGS. 3 and 4
. Referring to
FIG. 3
, a device
100
comprises a receptacle
14
of the type described above with reference to
FIG. 1
, and comprises a cap
18
configured to be received over an open type of receptacle
14
. Device
100
further comprises the pair of wooden blocks
20
and
22
, and a holder
110
similar to the holder
24
described above with reference to FIG.
1
. Holder
110
can comprise, for example, plastic, and differs from holder
24
in that it comprises both a top shelf
112
and a bottom shelf
114
, whereas holder
24
only comprised a bottom shelf. In the shown embodiment, shelf
112
is configured with a slit
116
so that shelf
112
can be slid over a prior holding device (such as the device
24
of
FIG. 1
) to form the holding device
110
. Slit
116
is optional, and shelf
112
can be molded in one piece with the other components of holder
110
. Holder
110
can be considered as comprising a pillar
111
extending between shelves
112
and
114
, and an extension
113
protruding above shelf
112
. Extension
113
is configured to enable a person to lift holder
110
by the extension, and in the shown embodiment comprises an eye
115
extending therethrough. Shelf
112
can comprise an electrically insulative material, such as, for example, plastic (for instance, polypropylene).
Device
100
further comprises an electronic termite sensing loop
118
of conductive material. Loop
118
is formed on a substantially planar substrate
120
, and is preferably formed of material which can be removed by termites. Exemplary materials are printable materials comprising conductive particles, such as, for example, metal particles or carbon particles. Suitable materials are, for example, silver-filled printed thick film ink and silver-filled epoxy. An exemplary silver-filled ink is Dupont Electronics 5028™ (available from Dupont Electronics of Wilmington, Del.), which is a silver polymer conductor. Another suitable material for loop
118
is a carbon-particle-containing ink (typically the particles will consist essentially of carbon), such as, for example, a material marked by Dupont Electronics as 7102™ Carbon Polymer Conductor (available from Dupont Electronics of Wilmington, Del.). Carbon-particle-containing inks can be cheaper than other inks, better accepted by pests (i.e., apparently more palatable to the pests), and less subject to environmental damage. Further, the inclusion of carbon inks in a circuit can lower an electrical conductivity (i.e., raise a resistivity) of the circuit. The lowered conductivity can increase the reliability of data obtained from the circuit. More specifically, the inclusion of carbon-particle-containing inks in loop
118
can render the circuit of loop
118
less susceptible to registering false negative readings if mud or water bridges an opening in the circuit.
Substrate
120
is preferably formed of material which can be removed by termites. Exemplary materials are polyethylene foam and polyester. The conductive material of loop
118
can be directly applied to substrate
120
using, for example, screen printing methods. Substrate
120
can be pretreated prior to applying the conductive material of loop
118
over substrate
120
. Such pretreatment can comprise, for example, flame pretreatment to promote adhesion of the conductive material to the foam.
An electrically insulative protective material
127
(only some of which is shown in
FIG. 3
) is provided over loop
118
and substrate
120
. Protective material
127
can protect conductive loop
118
from water, abrasion or other environmental damage. The insulative protective material can comprise, for example, a resin which is provided as a liquid and cured by exposure to one or more of heat, ultraviole
Lake Rickie C.
Tuttle Mark E.
Lee Benjamin C.
Micro)n Technology, Inc.
Wells, St. John, Roberts Gregory & Matkin P.S.
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