GB2127693A

GB2127693A - Spill-proof reservoir for vapour release

Info

Publication number: GB2127693A
Application number: GB08324089A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Neal
Original assignee: Albany International Corp
Current assignee: Albany International Corp
Priority date: 1982-09-09
Filing date: 1983-09-08
Publication date: 1984-04-18
Also published as: IT8336009V0; GR79701B; GB8324089D0; PT77302B; SE8304196D0; NL8303040A; BR8304877A; PT77302A; JPS59135827A; IT8348813A0; DE3332497A1; FR2532918A1; SE8304196L

Abstract

A spill proof reservoir is provided for the release of vapours e.g. pheromones, said reservoir having an enclosure (10) and a tubular member (20) extending from a wall of the enclosure to its center. The tubular member (20) is open to the atmosphere and it has a means (26) of communicating with the inside of the reservoir at its end located at the center of the enclosure. The reservoir is only filled to half of its capacity so that regardless of its orientation, the communications means (26) of the tubular member is never below the surface of the liquid. The vapours of the liquid contained within the enclosure (10) are released via the communicating means (26) and the tubular member (20). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spill-proof reservoir for vapour release This invention relates to spill-proof enclosures and more particularly to enclosures which can release vapours of the liquid contained therein.

Ever since man has started cultivating plants, he has had to contend with pests such as rodents and insects which were continuously eating the crops. Over the years, therefore, various methods of combating pests or limiting their damage have been developed. Traditionally, these methods consisted of spreading some kind of poison to kill the pests. However, these methods have many side effects which are ecologically undesirable. A relatively new method which seems to be very promising is the dispensing over the fields of a class of substances known as pheromones. The difference between these substances and prior pesticides is that instead of poisoning the pests, pheromones affect the normal behavior of the pests, especially as far as their mating habits are concerned.Furthermore, while usuai pesticides have to be ingested or penetrate into the pests, these pheromones are usually effective even if they are perceived in minute amounts by receptors exposed to the atmosphere. Since the pests are naturally attracted by the odour of these pheromones it has been found that the pheromones do not have to be dispersed over wide areas but may be deposited in certain strategic locations, preferably stored in spill-proof reservoirs.

The term "pheromones" refers to chemical message carriers between members of the same species of insects. These pheromones and especially sex attractant pheromones are normally used in three phases involving pest control: monitoring, mass trapping and mating disruption.

Monitoring refers to checking a certain area for the presence of absence of certain types of pests. This is accomplished by catching the pests in a trap containing pheromones. The traps are placed in specific strategic locations within the monitored area.

Mass trapping, as the phrase implies, refers to catching large number of pests in traps for later disposition. In this phase, of course, a much larger number of traps are needed.

Mating disruption refers to a method whereby the source of pheromones are used not to trap the pests but to interfere with their mating habits thus reducing their reproduction rate.

Thus pheromones could be used either exclusively or in conjunction with conventional pesticides in comprehensive pesticide programs.

The invention provides a spill-proof reservoir for the release of sex attractant pheromones or other volatile substances. The reservoir can be used in the traps which are placed in an infested area as described above.

The reservoir made in accordance with this invention consists of an enclosure with at least one exit port and a tubular member which extends from said exit port to the interior of the enclosure.

At its inner end, the tube has a hole to allow the vapours of the liquid being contained in the enclosure to be released into the open atmosphere.

By way of example certain illustrative embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a reservoir with a portion of an enclosure thereof being cut away to show a tubular member; Figure 2 shows another view of the reservoir; Figure 3 shows the reservoir with the exit port facing downward; Figure 4 shows the reservoir with the exit port facing upward; Figure 5 shows a different embodiment with three exit ports and tube members.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises an enclosure 10, and a tubular member 20. The tubular member is attached at one open end 22 to one of the walls of the enclosure as at 24 and it extends generally toward the center of the enclosure. At the other end 26 the tubular member has a hole 28. Extending outwardly from the wall connected to the tubular member are a plurality of protrusions such as 1 5.

Figure 2 shows another view of the embodiment of Figure 1 and on this view it can be seen that the tubular member is open to the atmosphere as at 30. The reservoir holds a liquid pheromone 40 when the reservoir is initially filled, so that less than half of the volume of the reservoir is occupied by the liquid. As shown on Figures 1-4, regardless of the orientation of the reservoir, the end 26 is never below the surface of the liquid, and therefore, the liquid never spills. When the reservoir is resting on the wall connected to the tubular member the protrusions 1 5 (see Figure 3) ensure that the surface supporting the reservoir does not block the end of the tubular member.

The reservoir shown in Figures 1-4 has been built in a cubical shape having a side of 1" to 2"; however, the size or shape of the reservoir is immaterial to the invention.

Although only one exit hole 28 has been shown, a plurality of such holes may be placed on end 26 to speed up the rate of vapour release.

The vapour can be released even faster if the reservoir is built with a plurality of tubular members. For example, the reservoir may be made with three tubular members as shown in Figure 5.

The reservoir may be made out of any suitable material, or combination of suitable materials.

Furthermore, a sealing device may be put into the tubular member(s) when the vapour release is undesirable such as during the shipping of the reservoirs.

The reservoir described above is substantially spill-proof, it can be closed and opened at will and it can easily be modified for different types of pheromones and/or different applications.

One skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that numerous alterations could be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the inside of the reservoir could be divided into several compartments, each one having its own tubular member, and holding a different volatile substance.

Claims

1. A spill-proof reservoir for releasing of vapours of a liquid disposed therein comprising: an enclosure with at least one wall and an interior; an elongate passageway member disposed within said enclosure with a first open end attached to said wall and opened to the atmosphere and a second end in said interior; and a connecting means which allows vapours to pass from inside the enclosure to the atmosphere via the elongate passageway member.

2. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises a plurality of holes.

3. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in claim 1 or 2 comprising several elongate passageway members.

4. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in claim 3 wherein the enclosure is divided into several compartments, each of said compartments containing at least one of said elongate passageway members.

5. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in claim 1 in which the connecting means comprises a hole.

6. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in any preceding claim also comprising removable sealing means to halt the release of vapours.

7. A spill-proof reservoir as claimed in any preceding claim also comprising a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from the wall connected to the elongate passageway member.

8. A method of releasing vapours of a liquid from a reservoir to an atmosphere, the method comprising the steps of providing an enclosure with an elongate fluid passageway, one end of which communicates with the interior of the enclosure and the other end of which is open to the atmosphere outside the enclosure, filling the enclosure with an amount of the liquid that is less than half the capacity of the enclosure and placing the less than half filled enclosure in the atmosphere.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which said one end is positioned in a central region of the enclosure such that in any orientation of the reservoir substantially one half of the capacity of the enclosure lies below said one end.

10. A spili-proof reservoir substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of releasing vapours of a liquid from a reservoir to an atmosphere, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.