WO2005067378A2

WO2005067378A2 - Method and device providing an easy way to deter birds from landing

Info

Publication number: WO2005067378A2
Application number: PCT/IL2004/000753
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eli Biton
Original assignee: Dim Arizot Ltd
Priority date: 2004-01-13
Filing date: 2004-08-17
Publication date: 2005-07-28
Also published as: WO2005067378A3

Abstract

The present invention discloses a bird deterrent apparatus which is designed to prevent birds from landing and nesting in areas of in unwanted places without causing injury to the birds or environmental hazards. It includes laser beam sources combined with a multidirectional reflector and a real bird imitation device in the form of a hunting bird. The imitation device may move its wings at predetermined time intervals, or following an instruction initiated by sensors upon sensing the presence of birds. The first embodiment of the present invention consists of a ball shaped multidirectional reflector, also known as a mirror ball, and at least one laser light source. The second embodiment of the invention consists of hollow bird shaped housing, movable wings which are connected to the housing and a tail which is connected to the back of the bird housing. The third embodiment combine the first and the second.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE PROVIDING AN EASY WAY TO

DETER BIRDS FROM LANDING

BACKGROUND

The field of the present invention is devices and methods for deterring birds from landing at undesirable locations, more particularly the present invention relates to devices and methods for deterring birds using optical and mechanical means. It is well known that birds may be constant nuisance in many activities. Particularly troublesome are areas of agriculture and airports. Known in the art are several methods for deterring birds from undesirable locations. In recent years an emphasis has been made on finding methods for deterring birds without causing environmental damages such as noise, using polluting substances or causing damages to the birds themselves. While scarecrows are a traditional method for deterring birds from undesirable locations, their effectiveness is limited. Also known in the art are scarecrows in the figure of predatory birds, but the efficacy of inanimate objects is limited since the birds soon learn to ignore them. Experience has shown that adding motion to the scarecrow increases its bird deterring ability substantially. Patent No JP 11262353 discloses a scaring device comprises a dummy like a raptorial bird 2 that is formed by gathering together a plurality of characteristics of raptorial birds and another dummy of a victim bird 5 that is arranged near the raptorial dummy thereby stimulating the defense instinct against natural enemies and the survival instinct by the display effect of the victim dummy and keeping harmful birds and animals from the crop fields. And Patent No GB2282518 discloses an animal deterrent apparatus which apparatus comprising an imitation bird of prey and means for automatically moving a part of the imitation bird to simulate the movement of a live bird. Yet none of these patents combines a wing flapping motion of the deterring apparatus with the reading of sensors which indicate that birds are in the vicinity and need to be deterred and with other methods for deterring birds. Another method for deterring birds includes using laser beams. Subjecting the retina of a bird's eye to a laser beam has proved as an effective method for hindering them from approaching an area. International Patent Application No. 0249427, for instance, discloses a method for intimidatingly expelling harmful wild birds by multiple laser beams irradiation wherein said beams hit them on their eyes with the retinas thereof subjected to the excessively intense luminance of the laser beam, the after-effects of which are ever-lasting on the part of those animals. A set of laser beams are convergently irradiating with regard to a space where their invasion is to be hindered so as to form a laser beams net in said space, so that any one of those beams is sure to directly hit the invading animals on their eyes. Another International Patent Application, No. 03047339, discloses a repellent laser beam device for preventing pests, such as birds, from feeding on fruits in a field. The device is mounted on a tripod and housed in a weather-protected box. It is mounted so as to be adjustable in height and angle. A control unit causes a laser beam to sweep a field in vertical and horizontal patterns, frightening birds and other pests away. The shortcomings of prior art is that it either demands expensive and complicated means for the multiple laser light sources or it covers little space and is ineffective. There is therefore a need for a simple and low-cost method and system for covering a wide area with laser beams for the purpose of deterring birds.

The present invention is a new device and method for scaring birds away using an imitation bird which one or more parts of the bird is periodically movable for the purpose of imitating the action of a real bird in combination with a laser beam multi- reflector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and further features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein-

Figure 1 illustrates the first embodiment of the bird device from all angles; Figure 1A being the frontal view, IB - side view, 1 C is a top view of the bottom of the bird apparatus and Fig ID is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bird housing and wings with the outer shell of the housing removed;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the housing and wings as specified by the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 illustrates the separate components of the bird apparatus when dismantled;

Figure 5 is a view of the bird apparatus motor;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the bird housing and wings with the outer shell of the housing removed;

Figure 7 illustrates the wings' mode of operation;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another mode of operation of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 illustrates the mirror ball laser apparatus used in the second and third embodiments of the present invention. SUMMARY

Disclosed is a bird deterrent apparatus imitating real bird shape, movement and sound, which is comprised of a hollow housing including an electro-mechanical mechanism for creating vertical movement and movable parts attached in the shape of wings and a tail to said housing wherein the parts are operated by the electro-mechanical mechanism. The device also includes a sound means, which is incorporated in said housing, which is activated in synchronization with the wings movement, and illuminating means for projecting light toward the birds.

Said device may also further include a timer for activating the electro-mechanical mechanism periodically, and/or a motion sensor for activating it upon detecting motion in the immediate surroundings.

The illuminating means may include a laser light source. The device may also include a mirror ball wherein the laser light is projected toward the mirror ball which scatters reflections around the apparatus. The mirror ball may also rotate and enhance the laser beam reflections. The device itself may be covered with a reflective material, wherein the reflective light has prism-like effect, resulting in an illusion of an apparatus in motion.

DETATLED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention suggests a bird deterrent apparatus which includes laser beam sources combined with a multidirectional reflector which may also include a real bird imitation device preferably in the form of a hunting bird. The imitation device may move its wings at predetermined time intervals or upon an instruction initiated by sensors, upon sensing the presence of birds. The device is designed to prevent birds from landing and nesting in areas of in unwanted places such as residential and industrial zones without causing injury to the birds or environmental hazards. The invention consists of a small amount of components and is thus easy to operate and maintain. The first embodiment of the present invention consists of a ball shaped multidirectional reflector, also known as a mirror ball, and at least one laser light source. The second embodiment of the invention consists of a power source which is installed within the bird housing, wings which are connected to the housing with spiral springs, a tail which is connected to the back of the bird housing with a spiral spring, a pulley which activates the wing movement, a sensor or a timer and a speaker which sets the timing of bird movement and the squeaking sound to be emitted from the bird device upon predetermined events. The third embodiment of the present invention combines the apparatus of the first embodiment with that of the second. The first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 9. It comprises of at least one laser beam source 90 and a mirror ball 91. The laser beams emanating from the laser beam sources 90 are directed at the mirror ball 91 and the ball is in constant circular motion on its axis. As a result of the laser light hitting the miniature mirrors on the ball laser light beams are scattered in multiple directions covering a large area. Provided that ordinarily four laser beam light sources are used, placed as four oppositional poles of the ball, this apparatus provides a full 360 degrees coverage of laser beam light.

Figure 1 illustrates the second embodiment of the bird deterrent device from all angles. In Figure 2, each wing 3 is connected to the bird housing 1 with a pair of shafts attached to spiral springs 2. The power source 20 illustrated in Figure 5 enables activation of the wings. The power source 20 is placed upon a base 9 (placed horizontally in the centre of the bird housing). The power source mode of operation is as follows: upon operation of the power source/engine 20, shaft 10 to which it is connected, is activated. This, in turn, rotates a disk 11 that is attached to a middle drive shaft 12. The middle drive shaft 12 passes through base 9 and is connected to a rod 13. Rod 13 ends at both sides with screws 15. Flat pulleys 14 are fastened onto screws 15 with bolts 14 which form a part of the pulleys. Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the wings are connected to the bird housing. Base 30 is attached to wing 3 with screws or with glue and to the bird housing 1 with spiral springs 4. Figure 7 illustrates in greater detail the wings' mode of operation. As the disk 11 makes a circular movement (the arrow indicates the direction of movement), each of the flat pulleys 14 moves in a semi circular movement. The pulleys 14 are connected with a wire 4 to wings 3. The disk 11 circular movement swindles the pulleys 14 from side to side. Each semi circular movement causes the pulleys to pull the wires 4 which are connected to the wings 3, which in turn brings the wings 3 closer towards the bird housing with the help of spiral springs 2 and upon release of the disk to the other side, the wires 4 are released and in turn the wings are released upwards accordingly. Simultaneous with the "wing movement, the tail 35 (illustrated in Figure ID) is also activated and moves upwards and downwards, also with the purpose of imitating a bird's movements. In addition to this activation of wings and tail, the device suggested by the present invention produces a squeaking sound emitted from speaker 5 illustrated in Figure 4 the front the activation and a squeaking sound of a bird is made to imitate the sound of a bird. The wings motion coupled with the squeaking sound can be activated either by predefined time intervals through the use of a timer or by a sensor which is activated upon detection of a bird in the device's vicinity. Wings 5 and housing 10 can be made of plastic or fiberglass material which is corrosion resistant and at the same time reduces costs although it can also be made of other materials. It may also be made of a light reflecting material which has prismlike effect, i.e. the reflected light is separated into the colors of the spectrum. This effect is known to have a deterring impact on birds and enhances the efficacy of the device.

The bird apparatus can be placed of a pole of any height as required. Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, whereby the bird apparatus can be hanged down from a round assembly including a rail 50. According to this embodiment, the bird device has a pole 60 that is attached to the bird's back; the pole 60 is attached to a holder 70 which glides on the rail in the direction of the bird's beak. The bird apparatus power source may be battery operated or operated by electricity. Alternatively, it can be activated by solar energy.

The third embodiment of the present invention is a system which combines the operation of the apparatuses of the first and of the second embodiments. Combined they provide a better reassurance for the efficacy of the system for deterring birds. While the above description contains many specifities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of the preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other possible variations that are within its scope. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1) A bird deterrent apparatus imitating real bird image, movement and sound, said device comprised of: a hollow housing including an electro-mechanical mechanism for creating vertical movement; movable parts attached to said housing wherein the parts are operated by the electro-mechanical mechanism; a sound means incorporated in said housing wherein the sound is activated in synchronization with the wings movement; an illuminating means for projecting light toward the birds.

2) The apparatus of claiml wherein the hollow housing is in the shape of bird's body;

3) The apparatus of claiml wherein the movable parts include wings.

4) The apparatus of claiml wherein the movable parts include a tail .

5) The device of claiml further including a timer wherein electro-mechanical mechanism is activated in periodically.

6) The device of claiml further including a motion sensor wherein electromechanical mechanism is activated upon detecting near by motion.

7) The apparatus of claiml wherein the illuminating means include one laser source.

8) The apparatus of claim 6 further including a mirror ball wherein the laser sources are projected toward the mirror ball, resulting reflections, which are scattered around the apparatus.

9) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the mirror ball rotates for enhancing the laser beam reflections. ) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is covered with reflective material, wherein the reflective light has prism-like effect, resulting in an illusion of an apparatus in motion.