FR2842705A1 - Insect barrier, for plant pot, has electrically conductive fabric strip connected to power source - Google Patents

Abstract

The insect repellent electric barrier has a conductive fabric strip (2) with a buckle (14) for mechanical locking the barrier around the plant pot (21). The buckle plate forms an electrical connection between the barrier and the power source. The buckle plate can form a receptacle for the power source. The buckle can have a support with multiple points to fit into the conductive textile strip.

Description

i

REPULSIVE ELECTRIC BELT

  Technical field The invention relates to the field of repellents against live animals. These repellents use the benefits of electrical energy. More precisely, it relates to a system combining the properties of an electrical voltage applied to a specific textile tape. It finds very specific but not exclusive applications in the protection of plantations against the invasion of creeping insects (for example,

ants, caterpillars, etc.).

  Previous techniques In general, plantations and in particular trees, are naturally visited by insects of all kinds, not just crawling. Among these insects, some are welcome because they participate for example in fruiting. Others such as ants or caterpillars reduce or prevent growth or

  flowering and are therefore harmful.

  We have already proposed different solutions to protect the plantations against

invasion of pests.

  The most widespread solutions are insecticides and consist in using chemicals to act on the insects considered. Among these solutions, those which require spreading the liquid chemical component by spraying throughout the plantation, have numerous drawbacks: - the harmful insects killed are absorbed by birds which are in turn contaminated by the active principle of the chemical; - beneficial insects are also killed or contaminated without discrimination by insecticidal dispersions; - the rain which dissolves the chemical deposit very quickly removes the protection and concentrates it in areas which are thus soiled; - the fruits must be washed; - the chemicals to be diluted are of risky use for those who handle them; and - the insecticide chemical is difficult to spray on

  large or difficult to access.

  Other chemical solutions consist in placing at the foot of the plantations small containers containing a bait, itself containing a violent poison. To be effective these solutions require placing the bait in places likely to pass, which is always uncertain. When the baits are correctly placed, their effectiveness decreases very quickly due to the climate (precipitation, wind, sun, etc.). In addition, the risks for domestic animals or young children are real, which requires

  great vigilance on the part of users.

  There are also other mechanical principle solutions. They consist in placing a type of glue around the trunks to act as a barrier to the passage of crawlers. The glue is either coated directly on the trunk, or placed on a flexible support which is then placed around the trunk. These solutions are not effective in the long term because the surface of the glue is quickly coated with a number of various deposits. These deposits

  eliminate in a few days the adhesive power of the glue on insects.

  The use of electrically conductive textile ribbons to produce fences intended to keep animals in an enclosed space is already known, as described in documents EP-0 274 454, FR-2.332. 704. Document FR-2.673.806 deals exclusively with a specific embodiment intended for confining snails. In all known publications and achievements, the purpose of these closings

  electric is to confine the animals in a closed place, in order to avoid their escape.

  DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The main problem which the present invention proposes to solve is to design a repellant using the properties of the electric current to reject animals. The repellent device according to the invention must have the following advantages: - the animals must not suffer substantially any loss; - the repellent device must have no impact on the ecosystem; - the effectiveness of the repelling device must not decrease due to the climatic conditions; - the repelling device must have immediate effectiveness; - the repelling device must be usable indefinitely; - the repelling device must be removable; - the repellent device must make it possible to treat equally large and small plantations; - the repellent device must be applicable to any type of plantation having a trunk or a stem; and - the repelling device must present an absence of risk for nature and being

  human, including during implementation.

  In the case of the present invention, the object is different from the documents of the state of the art and consists in protecting the plantations from invasions by animals using

  the trunk to access the foliage and / or flowers.

  An electrical repeller includes an electrical generator connected by

  its two terminals to a conductive textile tape.

  In accordance with the present invention, the electrical repellent device is characterized in that it further comprises a loop ensuring mechanical tightening of the conductive textile tape around the object to be protected and ensuring a connection

  between the electric generator and the conductive textile tape.

  In other words, the conductive textile tape forms around the object to be protected a repellent belt. This belt therefore comprises a conductive textile tape and an insulating loop. The textile tape and insulating loop assembly is assembled so as to be able to easily and securely surround the various

  conformations and irregularities of the tree trunks concerned.

  The loop may include a receptacle for the electric generator. The insulating loop provides the mechanical clamping functions of the ribbon around the trunks, holding for the electric generator and integration of the connectors connecting the generator to the conductive parts of the ribbon and to the power source. The loop may include a support having a series of pins penetrating the conductive textile tape, so as to mechanically tighten the conductive textile tape around

  the object to be protected, i.e. the tree trunk.

  In the case of the present invention, the conductive textile tape has a width of a few centimeters which is suitable for the use for which it is intended and the electric generator is configured according to the family, the genus and the species of animals.

to be excluded.

  The conductive textile tape can advantageously have a warp weave with alternately an electrically conductive material connected to the electric generator and an insulating material. The electrical conductors of the textile tape can be isolated from each other. They can be connected to the electric generator, so that the electrical voltages are available on two adjacent conductors. The insulating space separating two adjacent conductors is thus dimensioned so that the smallest possible animal to repel is necessarily in contact with two conductors

adj acents.

  The odd electrical conductors can be connected to one of the generator output polarities and the even electrical conductors are connected to the opposite polarity of the generator. Electric conductors can be steel strips

1 0 stainless.

  The loop may include an insulating support. This support can have two conductors each connected to a different polarity of the generator output. The two conductors of the loop may include holes. Fastening elements inserted into these holes can make an electrical connection and a mechanical connection of the loop conductors to the respective strips of the tape

conductive textile.

  The electric generator can be a simple removable small battery commercially available. Or, the electric generator can also include a high-efficiency oscillator as well as associated electronics dedicated to the calibration of electric pulses. Thus, depending on the case, the electrical signal delivered by the generator can be a low-voltage direct voltage (9 Volts), that is to say a train of pulses of low power, the voltage delivered and its power being without danger for people who could be at contact. When trying to cross or park the animal is subjected to electrical voltage. Depending on its voltage, frequency

  or duration, the animal concerned is led to withdraw without suffering damage.

  The generator can also be supplied with electrical energy by a battery coupled with a photovoltaic cell. Given the low consumption of the device, the battery provides continuous service for several weeks with constant efficiency. The device may include a rocker actuating the generator at night and / or during the day. As insects are rarely both diurnal and nocturnal, the generator with photovoltaic cell advantageously drives a rocker to extend its autonomy. If it is only a question of guarding against daytime creepers (for example founnis), the rocker will activate the generator only at daybreak. As a result, the service life will be doubled. Conversely, if it is a question of protecting only the night crawlers (for example caterpillars), the rocker will activate the generator

only after dark.

  The device may include a light indicator signaling that it is operating properly, thus ensuring the user a guarantee of efficiency.

Brief description of the figures

  The invention will be well understood and its various advantages and different

  characteristics will emerge better during the following description, from the example not

  limitative embodiment, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows the electrical textile tape and its connection to the electric generator; - Figure 2 shows the loop of the repeller and the connection means; and - Figure 3 shows the repeller installed around a tree trunk

in partial view.

  Method of Carrying Out the Invention The repellant device (1) comprises a textile tape (2) produced on the basis of insulating threads composed of a 1100 dtex polyester core sheathed with antifungal PVC resistant to UV rays and of brown color. All the materials used are resistant to climatic attacks and retain their functional qualities under the conditions of use. The width of the ribbon (2) measures 50 mm and alternately comprises two insulating chain wires (3) and a strip (4) of grade 304 stainless steel with a width of 5 mm and a thickness of 0.2 mm. According to this configuration, the distance between two strips

(4) conductors is 2mm.

  The weft insulating threads (6) are exclusively made of polyester 1100 dtex sheathed PVC identical to the insulating warp threads (3). The weft threads (6) are woven at the rate of 5 threads to the decimetre and in such a way that the strips (4) are held only every 20 mm by the weft thread (6) which spans them. In this way, the metal strips (4) are allowed to offer on one side of the textile tape (2) a more

  large free area of through insulating weft son (6).

  This side of the ribbon (2) will be the only one presented to the crossing of ants, which will no longer have any possibility of following an isolated path away from electrical impulses. The opposite face of the ribbon (2) is in contact with the trunk to be protected. Its surface, almost entirely covered with insulating material, avoids electrical leakage detrimental to the autonomy of the power supply. The ribbon (2) therefore comprises six strips (4) on the 50 mm width (not shown). The odd strips (4a), that is to say one strip out of two, are connected to one of the output pads (7) of a generator (8). The even strips (4b), that is to say one strip on two different from the odd strips (4a) above, are connected to the output terminal with opposite polarity (9) of the generator (8). Thus two adjacent strips (4a and 4b) are of opposite polarities, which makes it possible to have a potential difference between

  two adjacent strips (4a and 4b).

  The generator (8) is powered by an alkaline battery (11) of 9 Volts format

  Commercial 6LR61. An electronic device (12) comprises an oscillator which itself comprises a transformer and an NPN transistor of the BD 179 type.

  Excellent results are obtained with pulse trains comprising 8 periods of 200 microseconds for a total duration of 1600 microseconds. These trains follow each other at a rate of 3 per second. The peak pulse voltage is 300 Volt. This tension, which may seem high, does not cause any damage to animals or to people who only feel the impulses very slightly. This

  is linked to the very short duration of the impulses and the tiny energy they convey.

  On very small animals that are sensitive to electric current, such as ants, a simple direct voltage of 9 Volts is enough to operate flawlessly

the repellent effect.

  FIG. 2 represents an embodiment of the loop (14), the support (15) of which is produced by molding insulating material, for example made of Polyamide 6.6. In the support (15) of the loop (14) is formed a receptacle area (15a) intended to

receive the generator (8).

  Two conductive strips (16 and 17) start from the receptacle zone (15a) and make it possible to electrically connect the polarities of the generator (8) with the metal parts of the conductive textile tape (2). The conductive strips (16 and 17) are made of stainless steel. On the middle wall of the support (15) two holes (16a and 17a) are provided so as to be able to crimp the positive and negative studs necessary for the connection of the commercial 9-volt battery (11). This crimping of the studs also makes it possible to fix the strips (16 and 17) in electrical continuity with the studs. On the opposite part (15b) of the support (15), the two strips (16 and 17) extend and include holes which respectively coincide with orifices (18 and 19) made

in the support (15).

  Spikes (20) produced in the same molding operation as the support (15) make it possible to position and mechanically fix the conductive textile tape (2) on the support (15). Indeed, the pins (20) penetrate into the openings of the conductive textile tape (2) in such a way that the odd strips (4a) of the textile tape (2) coincide with the orifices (19) and that the even strips (4b) coincide with the holes (18). The laying of rivets (not shown) in the holes (18 and 19) achieves the integral fastening of the strips (16 and 17) to the respective strips of the textile tape (2), the assembly also being integral with the support (15). Electrical continuity is now achieved between the strips (4) of the textile tape (2) and the connection pads

to the electric battery.

  To make the belt (see Figure 3), you have the length of ribbon (2) sufficient to surround the trunk (21) of a tree. The ribbon (2) is clamped around the trunk (21) and the ribbon (2) is fixed to the studs (20), as before, with the exception of crimping which no longer needs to be. To complete the installation, the excess

ribbon (2) can be cut.

  The loop (14) thus installed around the tree has the particularity of offering animals no other possibility of crossing than the repellant tape, which allows

  ensure real operating reliability.

  In accordance with the invention, such a repellant device has been produced, which has been successfully tested on a fruit tree attacked by ants. After having applied the repellent device on the trunk of a cherry tree infested with ants, the tree was rid of its colony of ants after 2 hours, the ants ascending as descending

  falling systematically at the crossing of the first strips of textile tape.

  This result could not have been obtained with any current device, including with the most aggressive techniques. The rejected ants continued to live

  diverting from their original destination.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated. Many modifications can be made, without leaving the

  framework defined by the scope of the set of claims.

Claims (8)

  1 / Electric repellent device, comprising an electric generator (8) connected by its two terminals to a conductive textile tape (2), characterized in that it also comprises a loop (14) ensuring mechanical tightening of the conductive textile tape ( 2) around the object to be protected (21) and ensuring a connection   between the electric generator (8) and the conductive textile tape (2).   2 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the loop comprises a   receptacle (15a) for the electric generator (8).   3 / Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the loop (14) comprises a support having a series of pins (20) penetrating into the conductive textile tape (2), so as to mechanically tighten the textile tape   conductor (2) around the object to be protected (21).   4 / Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the   conductive textile tape (2) has a chain weave with alternately an electric conductor (4) connected to the electric generator (8) and a material insulator (3).   / Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the electricity conductors (4) of the textile tape (2) are insulated from each other and are connected to the electric generator (8), so that the electrical voltages are available on two adjacent conductors (4).   6 / Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the odd electrical conductors (4a) are connected to one of the output polarities (7) of the generator (8) and in that the electrical conductors peers (4b) are connected to the   opposite output polarity (9) of the generator (8).   7 / Device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the   electrical conductors (4) are strips of stainless steel.   8 / Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the   loop (14) comprises an insulating support (15), having two conductors   (16, 17) each being connected to a different polarity (7) of the generator output (8).   9 / Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the two conductors (16, 17) of the loop (14) comprise holes (18, 19), and in that fastening elements inserted in the holes (18, 19) make an electrical connection and a mechanical connection of the conductors (16, 17) of the loop   (14) to the respective strips (4) of the conductive textile tape (2).   / Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the   electric generator (8) is an electric battery, or in that it further comprises a high-efficiency oscillator and associated electronics (12) dedicated to   electrical pulse calibration.   Applicant Carlos SAIZ Agent Cabinet LAURENT & CHARRAS