Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Vermin destroying
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-12-11
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Vermin destroying
C043S132100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327812
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods of sanitizing buildings and other enclosed spaces by killing and removing organisms such as insects, bacteria, virus, dust mites, spiders, silver fish, fungi and toxic molds such as but not limited to
aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium hergbarum, stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrsogenum, pencillium glabrum
and
fusarium oxysporum.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A large number of methods have been developed for killing insects, such as termites, in buildings. The most widely used method is tenting the building, then filling the building with a toxic gas for a period of time sufficient to kill termites or other selected insects. This method is effective for killing termites and other insects. However, this method generally requires 12 hours to be effective, requiring building occupants to move out businesses to be closed for approximately a three day period to insure proper venting of toxic material and/or gas. Tenting the building with heavy tarpaulins requires workers to walk and arrange the tarpaulins on the roof, often damaging shingles or other roofing materials. Food and medications must be placed in sealed containers or removed. Generally the entire building must be treated, even if the infestation is localized.
Because of the disadvantages of the toxic gas method, various other techniques of varying effectiveness have been developed, using heated air or very cold air to kill termites, electrical “shock” treatments, irradiation, non-ionizing, etc.
Typical of these is the method disclosed by Charles Forbes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,329, in which wood destroying insects, e.g., termites, are killed by applying a heated gas, such as heated air, to wooden surfaces until the building surfaces are heated to a temperature, typically about 120 to 135° F. Temperatures for killing other insects are said to be surprisingly close to this range. This method has been found to be very effective for killing termites. However, this method, using the described temperatures, is not effective for other organisms, such as fungi, and toxic molds such as, but not limited to,
aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium hergbarum, stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrsogenum, pencillium glabrum
and
fusarium oxysporum.
Further, many insects such as mites, fungi, molds and the like are a serious health hazard even when dead. Many people are allergic to the dust-like remains of these organisms that can also cause serious health problems. This is a particular problem to persons suffering from asthma, bronchitis, pneumoconious and other respiratory ailments.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for improved methods of killing organisms in enclosures such as buildings that are fully effective in killing and eliminating substantially all such organisms, is non-toxic, can be performed in a relatively short time, is clean, dry and odorless, and removes a large proportion of the dead organisms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-noted problems, and others, are overcome in accordance with this invention by a method which basically comprises the steps of preparing the enclosure to be treated, such as a building by, removing all heat sensitive items, positioning heat shields, etc., positioning temperature indicating probes at appropriate locations, inserted into building structure, open spaces, etc., installing ingress ducts through which an environmentally acceptable gas, such as air, can be directed into the enclosure, allowing the gas to leave the enclosure by opening windows, doors, etc. or by installing an egress duct or ducts for this purpose, heating the gas and directing it into the ingress duct(s) when installed and filtering gas exhausting through open doors and windows and/or the egress ducts to collect organism remains and prevent them from entering the environment.
To increase system effectiveness, under some conditions, it is preferred that a suitable quantity of ozone be fed into the heated air passing through the ingress ducts. Ozone aids in killing many organisms and will eliminate any chemical fumes, odors, etc. that may result from the treatment.
To increase gas flow through the enclosure when egress ducts are employed, it is preferred that a vacuum extraction system be provided downstream of the filters receiving gas from the egress ducts. This will assure that almost all gas leaving the enclosure will pass through the filters and increase the capture of organism remains.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a non-toxic method for destroying a wide variety of organisms including fungi, toxic molds such as, but not limited to,
aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium hergbarum, stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrsogenum, pencillium glabrum
and
fusarium oxysporum
and insects in enclosures such as buildings and the like.
Another object of the invention is to remove substantially all of the remains of the killed organisms from open areas in the enclosure.
Yet another object is to filter gases leaving from the enclosure to prevent the allergenic organism remains from entering the environment.
A further object is to accomplish the destruction of the organisms in a relatively short period.
Still another object is to monitor the temperature level throughout the enclosure to assure that all areas reach the predetermined effective temperature.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4817329 (1989-04-01), Forbes
patent: 4953320 (1990-09-01), Nelson
patent: 4958456 (1990-09-01), Chaudoin
patent: 4989363 (1991-02-01), Doernemann
patent: 5058313 (1991-10-01), Tallon
patent: 5349778 (1994-09-01), Chu
patent: 5442876 (1995-08-01), Pedersen
patent: 5768907 (1998-06-01), Lee
patent: 6141901 (2000-11-01), Johnson
Hedman David
Sears Troy
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Rowan Kurt
LandOfFree
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