AU2004100424A4 - Glass termite barrier - Google Patents

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: "GLASS TERMITE BARRIER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

TITLE

GLASS TERMITE BARRIER FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a barrier and/or a method of installing a barrier for minimizing or preventing entry of insects such as termites or ants into a building structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Undesirable insects such as cockroaches, ants, termites mosquitoes and the like are readily able to enter buildings through building slabs and/or small and sometimes unnoticed gaps in cavities formed between building slabs and penetrations into or through the slab walls, plumbing, electrical conduits, gaps between adjacent slabs, insulation and the like).

In particular, termites and ants are well known for their ability to enter and damage buildings.

Termites tend to be ground-dwelling or subterranean. Therefore, groundbased structures such as concrete slabs, sub-slabs, ant caps and steel mesh barriers are often used to deter subterranean termites from entering buildings thereupon, or at least provide warning that a termite attack is underway. These physical barriers have been used alone or in combination with chemical termiticide treatments and/or biological deterrents.

Recent changes to building regulations in many countries to restrict the use of chemical termiticides, and a general world-wide concern about the environmental effects of chemical terniiticides (particularly organophosphates and organochiorines), make physical termite bafflers increasingly popular.

For example, United States Patent 5,094,045 describes use of graded sand, gravel rock or basalt as a baffler between the ground and a building slab.

A variation on this approach is provided by Australian Patents 686054 and 673894 which each describe use of graded aggregate (iLe particle size-selected crushed rock) for producing a termite barrier between the ground and a building slab and/or within cavities between the slab, walls and penetrations into the slab.

However, these types of barriers are not always effective. For example, termites and ants can build nests and tunnels within sand, rock and/or stone termite barriers.

Furthermore, graded sand and aggregate is a non-renewable, natural resource that must be quarried or mined from diminishing sources of rock and stone. Also, sand, rock and stone are not as chemically inert as generally believed. Some sand, rock and stone contains radon, which over a period of time, may pose health risks to tradesmen and to the occupants of buildings incorporating such materials in termite barriers.

In view of this problem, reference is made to United States Patent 5,159,778 which discloses a termite baffler comprising a mixture of size-graded, sharp-edged particles (such as glass splinters) and spherical beads arranged in or around an article to be protected from termite infestation. The baffler may also have chemical insecticides, pesticides and/or fu~ngicides present. United States Patent 5,159,778 proposes that the size-graded, sharp edged particles have frictional properties due to their sharp edged surfaces, which create a lightly wedged barrier that cannot be breached by termites.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present inventor has realized that termite barriers comprising the sharp edged glass particles described in United States Patent 5,159,778 pose potential safety problems due to the sharpness of the glass particles and also the ease with which small glass splinters, particles and dust can be shed. Furthermore, the spherical glass beads used in United States Patent 5,159,778 are relatively expensive and uneconomical for use as a termite barrier.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an insect baffler and/or method of installing same which alleviates one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art or at least provides a conmnercially usefu~l alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in one form the present invention is broadly directed to use of a relatively inert, synthetic particulate material, such as size-graded glass particles, as an insect barrier that is relatively inexpensive and safe to install.

In a first aspect, the invention provides an insect barrier comprising polyhedral synthetic particles having a size in the range 1.0-5.0 mm.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of installing an insect barrier including the step of forming polyhedral synthetic particles having a size in the range 1.0-5.0 mm into said insect barrier at a location which obstructs entry of insects into a building structure.

Preferably, the polyhedral synthetic particles are size-graded in the range 1.2nmn.

A preferred synthetic particle is a glass particle.

Preferably, the glass particle is recycled piate glass.

However, other synthetic materials contemplated by the invention include size graded ceramics, pottery, tiles, brick particles, welded slag and any other synthetic material that can be produced or recycled in particulate form, although without limitation thereto.

It will also be appreciated that in the present context, the terms "~polyhedral" and "~polyhedron" relate to a solid object having at least four faces.

In a preferred embodiment, the polyhedral synthetic particle is a "cuboidal" synthetic particle. By this is means having six faces and, preferably, at least resembling or approximating the form of a cube.

It will therefore be appreciated that the synthetic particles are not perfect polyhedrons or cubes and can have imperfections or irregularities in shape while retaining a generally polyhedral or cuboidal shape.

It is proposed that such polyhedral or cuboidal synthetic particles are less prone to shedding splinters, dust or other small particles that can be inhaled or cause injury, compared to glass shards. Furthermore, polyhedral or euboidal synthetic particles are less expensive to produce than spherical beads and thereby provide a commercial advantage over beads.

Recycled plate glass is a preferred example of a cuboidal synthetic particle.

Suitably, the insect barrier may be a barrier to any ground-dwelling or subterranean insect such as a termite or ant.

The termite barrier of the invention may be used to resist, prevent, delay, inhibit or otherwise obstruct entry of an insect into a building structure.

The building structure may be a house, shed, patio, pergola, garage, or any other building structure that engages ground or is otherwise potentially prone to entry, infestation and/or damage by a ground-dwelling or subterranean insect such as a termite or ant.

In particular non-limiting embodiments, the insect barrier of the invention may be installed: between a concrete slab and a sub-slab; (ii) between a concrete slab or sub-slab and ground; (iii) in one or more cavities associated with a concrete slab; (iv) between ground and a suspended floor; between internal and external walls; and/or (vi) surrounding the outer edge of a concrete slab or wall.

According to the invention, the one or more cavities associated with said concrete slab may include cavities formed between the slab and one or more walls, penetrations into or through the slab such as surrounding plumbing, electrical conduits, insulation and the like, gaps or spaces formed between adjacent or abutting slabs, saw joints and/or expansion joints, although without limitation thereto.

In particular embodiments, said insect barrier may be formed to a depth in the range 4-10 cm, depending on the location where the insect barrier is to be installed.

Preferably, the insect barrier of the invention is installed in the absence of, or specifically excluding, chemical pesticides, fungicides, tern-iticides and/or insecticides.

Throughout this specification, unless otherwise indicated, "comprise", "comprises" and "comprising" are used inclusively rather than exclusively, so that a stated integer or group of integers may include one or more other non-stated integers or groups of integers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To further assist in the understanding of the present invention, particularly preferred embodiments are described herein wit respect to the accompanying drawing wherein: Figure 1 is an embodiment of a tennite baffler installed in a building structure having a slab; and Figure 2 is an embodiment of a termite barrier located between a suspended floor and ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to an embodiment shown in FIG. 1, termrite baffler 10 comprises a plurality of cuboidal glass particles I I located in cavities 12A, 12B and 12G. Cavity 12A is defined by slab 13, ground 14 and electrical conduit 15. Cavity 12B is defined by slab 13, ground 14 and plumbing conduit 16. Cavity 12C is defined by slab 13, ground 14 and wall 17.

Termite barrier 10 is preferably installed directly over ground 14 to a depth not greater than 100 nun and preferably to a depth no greater than about 40-7 5 mm in cavities 12A, 12B and 12G.

Concrete or plastic cap 21 may also be provided to give a smooth finish to barrier 11 in cavities 12A and 12B, for example.

Again refer-ring to FIG. 1, indicator 19 may be installed in wall 17. This provides an externally-visible indication of the level of the installed termite barrier for later inspection. In the case of externally-rendered buildings, indicator 19 may provide a visible line in the render work for determining ground fill levels. Indicator 19 is preferably a UPVC section with a "Shaw D" hardness of not less than 70 or preferably greater than It will also be appreciated from FIG 1 that termite barrier 10 may be installed in space 18 between slab 13 and ground 14 to provide a termite baffler therein or in trench 22 surrounding slab 13 to prevent entry of termites into slab 13. A preferred depth is at least 75 mm over compacted fill or at least 100 nun over non-compacted ground.

Referring to an embodiment shown in FIG. 2, termite baffler 110 is in the form of cuboidal glass particles, preferably 75-100 mm. in depth located between ground 114 and floor 130. In this embodiment, floor 130 is suspended on floor bearer 131 and outer wall 117 while supporting wall bearer 151 and internal wall 150. Outer wall 117 is built on footing 140. It will also be appreciated that cuboidal glass particles may be located in cavity 161 between interior wall 150 and external wall 117 to prevent termite entry.

Preferably, each cuboidal glass particle is about 1.2-3.0 mm. in size, although it is contemplated that any size in the range 1.0-5.0 nun could be used.

Although according to a preferred form, the invention provides an insect barrier formed of cuboidal glass particles, it will be appreciated that the glass particles may be of any polyhedral shape or comprise a mixture of different polyhedral shapes.

It will also be understood that other synthetic particulate materials may be in the form of ceramics, pottery, tiles, brick particles, welded slag and any other synthetic material that can be produced or recycled in particulate form.

It will therefore be appreciated that the present invention provides a relatively inexpensive, easy to install, durable, safe, environmentally-friendly and recyclable termite barrier. There are no chemical contamination problems with glass particles as they do not contain dust, pollutants, radon or other potentially hazardous contaninants. Furthermore, the glass particles lock together more so than does graded aggregate, rock or sand and require minimal preparation as the glass particles are self-settling without the need for agitation.

Furthermore, in a particularly preferred from there are no potentially harmful chemical pesticides, tbngicides, termiticides and/or insecticides used in association with the physical barrier.

Throughout this specification, the aim has been to describe the preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Various changes and modifications may be made to 9 the embodiments described and illustrated herein without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention.

All patent literature referred to in this specification is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims (5)

1. An insect barrier comprising polyhedral synthetic particles having a size in the range 1.0-5.0 nunmm.

2. The insect barrier of Claim 1, wherein the polyhedral synthetic particles are size-graded in the range 1.2-3.0 mm.

3. The insect barrier of Claim 2, wherein the polyhedral synthetic particles are recycled plate glass particles.

4. The insect barrier of Claim 1, which specifically excludes the presence of a chemical pesticide, fiungicide, termiticide and/or insecticide.

5. An installed termite barrier substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this third day of June 2004 TERMICIDE PEST CONTROL PTY LTD by its Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY