GB2492383A

GB2492383A - Natural Rodent Repellent Device

Info

Publication number: GB2492383A
Application number: GB1111148.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Constanze Winkler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-01
Filing date: 2011-06-30
Publication date: 2013-01-02
Also published as: DE102010025773B4; FR2962006A1; DE102010025773A1; GB201111148D0

Abstract

A natural, biodegradable two-stage rodent repellent device comprises a fast-release combustion compartment A and a prolonged-release compartment B embedded in a biodegradable, porous jacket. The fast-release compartment is triggered with a flame source causing smoke emission. The resultant heat causes the rapid dispersion of the rodent repellent. The smoldering results in the complete combustion of plant-derived compressed fibers holding the natural repelling ingredients. The fast release combustion compartment is consumed and the smoldering is stopped at a predetermined point. The remaining section of the device allows the long-term release of the natural repellent substance by cold volatilization. The use of this device is particularly suitable to repel populations of ground and cavity rodents such as moles, voles, mice, rats, gophers, ground hogs, ground squirrels, prairie dogs etc. and other burrowing pest animals like rabbits.

Description

Natural Rodent Repellent Device

ABSTRACT

A natural, biodegradable two-stage rodent repellent device is described which comprises a fast-release combustion compartment and a prolonged-release compartment embedded in a biodegradable, porous jacket. Fast-release is triggered with a flame source causing smoke emission and the resultant heat causing the rapid dispersion of the rodent repellent. The smoldering results in the complete combustion of plant-derived compressed fibers holding the natural repelling ingredients. The fast release combustion compartment is consumed and the smoldering is stopped at a predetermined point. The remaining section of the device allows the tong-term release of the natural repellent substance to repel the rodents. The use of this device is particularly suitable to repel populations of ground and cavity rodents such as moles, voles, mice, rats, gophers, ground hogs, ground squirrels, prairie dogs etc. and other burrowing pest animals like rabbits that are known to weaken wooden or stone structures around premises and homes and pathways or damage crops, lawns and turf, trees and cultivated areas. The presented invention performs over an extended period of time as a natural rodent repelling device, does not kill the target rodents and does not pose risks to users and pets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

10002] The invention relates to an efficient, environmentally sound, two-chamber device able to repel wild damaging rodents in their burrows, cavities and tunnel systems in the ground. It surprisingly became technically feasible to manufacture compressed bodies in using natural or natural identical components.

[0003] Ground rodents such as moles, voles, mice, rats, gophers, ground hogs, ground squirrels, prairie dogs etc. and other burrowing pest animals (e.g. rabbits) are known to damage and weaken wooden or stone structures and pathways around premises and homes. They are also known to be pest organisms in crops, lawns and turf, trees and cultivated areas. The expert skilled in the field of vector control knows that rodents also carry many parasites able to transmit infectious diseases like Salmonellosis, Leptospirosis, Borreliosis, Typhus, Enzephalitis, Meningoenzephalitis, Choriomeningitis, Hanta, Erve, Tahyna and others being of serious threat to humans and their pets. Hence, there was an urgent necessity to develop a device for effectively repelling rodents while avoiding risks to the inexperienced user of such systems.

[0005)2. Description of the Prior Art

[0006] Systems for controlling Rodentia have been known for decades. A majority of those are still based on the use of anticoagulant baited materials which make the rodents bleed to death.

Those can be very effective but are bearing the risks of resistance and secondary poisoning of protected wild animals like predator birds, foxes etc. and household pets like cats and dogs etc..

Other products are based on the principle of generating phosphorous gases such as baits acting as stomach poisons or cartridges being combustible and thus leading to intoxication of rodents through fumigating and poisioning their natural habitats. They also pose risks to the inexperienced user and pets and cases of misuse have been reported repeatedly.

Electrically powered systems are known but are often ineffective. The effectiveness of ultrasound based devices for example significantly depends on the ideal soil texture and can fail if conditions of use are limited or unfavourable to transport the sound frequencies. Other systems based on the mechanical principle are solutions which have to be inserted into the runs and tunnel systems of burrow rodents; those are known as live and snap traps. A variation of those is presented in EP 1,321,038 Al1 which is equipped with an explosive body able to kill rodents by a triggered and released shock wave. All of those systems have to be positioned in the correct spot in the ground and the positioning of the traps can be a difficult task. Furthermore this type of traps need to be monitored and maintained regularly bearing risks for people and pets because of injuries caused by compressed springs and release mechanisms.

Rodent repelling systems by use of natural substances, as described in JP 7285821, have been reported but often have a smell -here garlic oil -severely bothering users and their pets.

More favourable smelling repellent systems are described in US Pat. No. 6,337,081, where container based systems filled with fragrance oils are described to repel rodents from enclosed areas such as vehicles or premises. However, those areas are not able to be treated with combustible substances or flammable devices whereas container based non-combustion rodent repellent are inappropriate outdoor systems as they show insufficient release profiles and containers remaining in the soil would contribute to pollution. Outdoor systems require safe, non-toxic, fully biodegradable components which do not produce adverse environmental effects in the places they are applied, especially if their residues must remain in the ground to repel cavity rodents and rabbits for an extended period of time.

One other rodent repellent system is presented in US Pat. No 4,795,637. It combines rodent repellent natural agents with insecticides and the powder mixes are meant to be applied by misting or dusting. It is claimed that the repellents are effective for more than 6 months. This may only work in indoor conditions where microbial and hydrolytic degradation and UV influence are very limited. Ousting in those conditions is inappropriate as home owners nowadays generally consider persistant, insecticidal deposits to be unwanted contaminants. Other examples as laid down in german patents DE 28,24,683, DE 75,08,287, DE 195,25,782 are describing the release of vojatile substances for repelling or killing pest organisms, all of them avoiding the principle of combustion triggering the release of smoke being necessary for initial rapid dispersion of the active agents described. This is also true for the repellents as described in US Pat. No. 4,668,294 in which it is mentioned that prior art is lacking long-terrr.efficiency and plant derived repellents being "only effective for a relatively short period of time, typically for a few days." In the patent it is thus left open how repellent solids can perform sufficiently against rodents if not by combustion.

(0007] While the cited devices may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, they are in need of substantial explanations or are inappropriate for the inexperienced user.

[0008] In these respects, the natural rodent repellent device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing delivers a convenient solution primarily developed for the inexperienced user which can be conveniently applied in the majority of outdoor conditions of concern. Details of the invention are disclosed below.

INVENTION

(0009] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of repelling systems described in the prior art, the present invention provides a new rodent repellent construction wherein the invention can be used for repelling rodents in outdoor conditions, combining both repellent release principles -combustion and volatilization of agents. The latter, providing a scent pleasing to man and at the same time repelling to rodents.

[0010] The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in more detail, is to provide a new rodent repellent system that has many of the advantages of the repelling systems mentioned and significant novel features.

[00111 To achieve the new innovative features, the present invention utilizes natural based or natural identical repellents that are known to repel rodents. The expert skilled in this art knows that the following substances -alone or in combinations -can present excellent rodent repellent effects such as limonene, pinene, geraniol, nerol, geranial, linalool, citronellol, citronella, citronellal, citral, citronellyl acetate, cineol, iso bomeol acetate, neryl acetate, para-menthane- 3,8-diol (PMD), thymole, anethole, peppermint, menthol, nutmeg, cinnamon, eucalyptus, bergamot, biller orange, cardamom, cedrol, cinnamal, cinnamyl alcohol, lemongrass, extracts of the betel palm and others. Especially geraniol has proven to have significant rodent repelling properties. As the repellent substances break down, they are released into the tunnel systems of the targets, this process being accelerated by combustion. Sensory overload makes them leave their habitats immediately as well as for an extended period of time of minimum 3 months. Killing, resistances and secondary poisoning of protected wildlife can thus be avoided.

(0012) A primary object of the present invention was to provide the right organic material to form adequate body shapes that allow full absorption of the natural repellent substances to the surface of the fibers in fiber lengths shorter than 18 mm. Those compressible, absorbing and adsorbing materials are made from leaves, stems, shells, roots or flowers of different species of abundant plants. Examples are shells of pulses such as peanut shells, leaf blades of corn-, soy bean, sugar cane etc. and other plant materials that are not competing with human consumption and which would be discarded or burnt otherwise.

(0013] The invention targets to use porous and semi-porous jacket materials for wrapping the compressed rodent repellent bodies. Unlike container-type repellent systems, the present invention uses cellulose based materials permitting slow-release of the repellent substances by non-combustive volatilization as well as powerful fast-release by combustion of the second compartment. Residues are remaining in the sense that volatile substances keep on being released whereas the remains disintegrate in the soil as intended. Since the system reminds the user of lighting a cigarette -a common, well known procedure -it is self-explanatory and will perform perfectly on its own, once the repellent device is lighted and inserted into the opening of the rodent burrow. The device thus consumes itself after having been inflamed and inserted into the rodent runs with the smoldering end first The paper material allows the device to smolder to a predetermined point where combustion is stopped by choking. This point can be anywhere in the device and is depending on the requirements for use, ideally dividing the compartments in a ratio of 1: 1 (slow-release: fast-release; see fig. 1). Once lighted, the combustive compartment is pointing into the burrow or tunnel whereas the non-combustive compartment remains near the entrance opening but still out of reach of children and household pets. This remaining portion of the device is designed to fulfill the requirements for long-term rodent repellency, making it impossible for rodents and rabbits to return for 3 months or longer and keeping new rodent populations from recolonizing the abandoned habitat.

To the accomplishment of the above, the presented invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, however this drawing is illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

CLAIMS OF THE INVENTION

1. Rodent repellent devices comprising a body of compressed natural material with one or more rodent repelling agents being released by a combination of combustion and cold volatilization.

2. Devices according to claim 1, characterized in that the compartments for fast-release of repellent by combustion and slow-release of repellent by volatilization of all possible ratios, ideally being 1: 1, the compartments being divided by a section to stop combustion.

3. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body materials are of absorbing and adsorbing materials of natural origin, ideally of fiber materials.

4. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bodies are of various sizes and shapes, ideally being elongated like a cigar and of a total length of between 2.5 and 25cm.

5. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the absorbing and adsorbing materials contain natural rodent repellent agents as single component or as blends.

6. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed bodies are wrapped with a jacket material of natural origin, ideally being cellulose based and thus forming a non-container type corpus.

7. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the repellent substances are essentials oils ranging from 0.01 % -50 °6 w/w, ideally at exactly 4.7 % w/w.

8. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that they are to be used to repel rodents and to protect structures around buildings and pathways, gardens and areas under cultivation.

9. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the used materials and agents being biodegradable and their resi4ues can remain in the ground.

10. Devices according to one or more of the preceding cllims, characterized in that they are used to repel ground rodents such as moles, voles, field mice, rats, gophers, ground hogs, ground squirrels, prairie dogs and other damage causing animals like rabbits.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS OF THE INVENTION1. Rodent repellent devices comprising a body of compressed natural material with one or more rodent repelling agents being released by a combination of combustion and cold volatilization.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. Devices according to claim 1, characterized in that the compartments for fast-release of repellent by combustion and slow-release of repellent by volatilization of all possible ratios, ideally being 1: 1. the compartments being divided by a section to stop combustion.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body materials are of absorbing and adsorbing materials of natural origin, ideally of fiber materials.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bodies are of various sizes and shapes, ideally being elongated like a cigar and of a total length of between
2.5 and 25 cm.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the absorbing and adsorbing materials contain natural rodent repellent agents as single component or as blends.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed bodies are wrapped with a jacket material of natural origin, ideally being cellulose based and thus forming a non-container type corpus.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the repellent substances are essentials oils ranging from 0.01 % -50 % w/w, ideally at exactly 4.7 % w/w.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that they are to be used to repel rodents and to protect structures around buildings and pathways, gardens and areas under cultivation.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. Devices according to one or more of the preceding claith, P. !18I the used materials and agents being biodegradable and their residues can remain in the ground.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. Devices according to one or more of the ptèoeding claims, characterized in that they are used to repel ground rodents such as moles, voles, field mice, rats, gophers, ground hogs, ground squirrels, prairie dogs and other damage causing animals like rabbits.</claim-text>