WO2013098557A1

WO2013098557A1 - Bird deterrent devices

Info

Publication number: WO2013098557A1
Application number: PCT/GB2012/053180
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Newcombe JONES; Ben Kibel
Original assignee: Jones & Son Pest Control Supplies Limited
Priority date: 2011-12-28
Filing date: 2012-12-19
Publication date: 2013-07-04
Also published as: GB201122388D0; GB2497983A; GB2497983B

Abstract

A bird deterrent device (10) is integrally moulded from plastics material and comprises a planar base strip (12) with two sets of prongs arranged along opposite lateral sides thereof. The prongs are joined to the base strip by root portions mounted on outward lateral projections (18) of said base strip, all of the prongs extending upwardly from the base strip and outwardly from a perpendicular plane passing through the principal axis of the base strip. Each set of prongs contains at least a first subset of upright prongs (14), extending at a small angle with respect to the perpendicular plane and a second subset of splayed prongs (16), extending at a greater angle with respect to the perpendicular plane.

Description

BIRD DETERRENT DEVICES

This invention relates to devices for deterring birds, especially pigeons, from landing or alighting on surfaces. Such bird deterrent devices thus serve to protect the surfaces against bird faeces and their damaging effect. In the past, such bird deterrent devices have typically consisted of series of upstanding spikes or prongs, either of metal or plastics materials. One particularly effective bird deterrent device is described in the applicant's own earlier patent, GB 2344,269, which consists of a base element of plastic material, integrally moulded with a plurality of prongs. The prongs are arranged as a sequence of laterally staggered first and second pairs of mutually diverging prongs, located in planes that are spaced apart in a direction transverse to the planes. The four prongs of neighbouring first and second pairs extend at four different angles to the base element. Thus, some of the prongs are relatively upright and others are relatively splayed, while the bases of the prongs are aligned with each other long four separate axes parallel to the base element of the device. This arrangement has proved successful in deterring pigeons and other birds from landing or alighting on surfaces. The differently angled prongs provide a wide area of coverage, and the fact that the tips of immediately adjacent prongs tend to be no more than about 6cm apart, means that birds of the size of a pigeon cannot settle in between. However, while this prior art device has proved effective in deterring birds from landing, it suffers from the disadvantage of being somewhat bulky and unwieldy. This does not detract from the operability of the device as a bird deterrent, but it does mean that bulk quantities of devices cannot be stored and transported in the most efficient manner. A particular problem arises from the sinuous nature of the base strip, designed to provide the lateral staggering of the prongs. In the practical embodiment of this device marketed by the applicant, two identical devices can be stacked tightly together, so that the base strips are in contact with each other and the prongs of one device lie immediately adjacent to the prongs of the stacked device. However, when one attempts to stack three or more devices, the prongs of underlying devices interfere with the base strips of devices stacked above, with the result that, in a stack of many devices, pairs of devices will stack neatly together but adjacent pairs are separated from each other by a distance in the order of three times the thickness of the base strip. This means that the total number of devices that can be stored and transported in a given unit volume is less than ideal. Storage and transportation costs are accordingly increased.

The problem addressed by the present invention, therefore, is to provide a bird deterrent device which retains the operational advantages of the prior art device described above, but which can be stacked with similar devices in a more efficient manner. The inventors have found that this can be achieved by use of a substantially linear base strip, to which prongs are mounted along two parallel axes, as opposed to the four axes of the prior art device.

The present invention accordingly provides, in one aspect, a bird deterrent device, integrally moulded from plastics material, comprising: a substantially planar base strip, extending substantially linearly in an axial direction; and two sets of prongs, arranged along opposite lateral sides of said base strip and joined thereto by root portions mounted on outward lateral projections of said base strip, all of said prongs extending upwardly from said base strip and outwardly from a perpendicular plane passing through the principal axis of said base strip, each set of prongs containing at least a first subset of upright prongs, extending at a small angle with respect to said perpendicular plane and a second subset of splayed prongs, extending at a greater angle with respect to said perpendicular plane; wherein the root portions of all prongs of each of said two sets are aligned along an axis parallel to said axial direction, and wherein the width of each said lateral projection is not substantially greater than the width in said axial direction of the prong mounted thereon; whereby a plurality of such bird deterrent devices may be stacked, one upon another, so that the top surface of the base strip of each device is in contact or close proximity with the bottom surface of the base strip of the device stacked thereon, each device being displaced from each adjacent stacked device by a distance in said perpendicular direction which is not substantially greater than the thickness of said base strip, and a distance in said axial direction which is not substantially greater than said axial width of said prongs. By providing a substantially linear base strip and aligning the roots of the prongs on opposite sides of such strip, an optimal nesting of adjacent devices can be achieved. To ensure that no space is unnecessarily lost, the axial separation between each prong and its immediate neighbouring prongs may be substantially equal. Conveniently, such axial separation is approximately equal to an integer multiple of the axial width of the prong at its base (root) portion, so that a predetermined number of devices (for example six) can be nested snugly together, with each prong immediately adjacent to the equivalent prong of the device stacked immediately above or below, and the upright prongs of the bottommost device in such stack lying immediately adjacent to the splayed prongs of the topmost device.

Thus, for example, if the axial separation between adjacent prongs is five times the width of each prong, six such devices may be nested in a step-like configuration, with each successive device being axially offset from its immediately neighbouring device(s) by an axial distance equivalent to the width of one prong. Each such stack of (e.g. six) devices will then form a compact and relatively stable unit (hereinafter referred to as a "sub-stack"), upon which further devices may then be stacked in similar fashion, aligned vertically (i.e. in the perpendicular direction aforementioned) with the initial sub-stack. Thus, in such a subsequent sub-stack, the prongs will be vertically aligned with prongs of devices stacked below. For example, if the axial separation between adjacent prongs is "n" times the width of each prong, then the number of devices in each sub-stack will be n+1 and the prongs of the first device in the second sub- stack (i.e. the (n+2)th device) will be aligned with each equivalent prong of the bottom device of the first sub-stack. More generally, the prongs of each device will be aligned with those of each device stacked [x(n+l) + a] above or below it (where "x" is the number of sub-stacks and "a" is the number of the device within the sub- stack).

Depending on the angle of the prongs, it may or may not be the case that interference may occur between the upright prongs of one sub-stack and the equivalent upright prongs of the sub-stacks immediately above and below. If this is the case, the transversely inward face of each of at least the upright prongs may be provided with a concavely profiled portion extending along a substantial portion of the prong length. Such an arrangement may assist in accommodating the corresponding prongs of devices stacked below. Conveniently, the transversally outward faces of at least the upright prongs may be provided with convexly profiled portions extending along a substantial portion of their lengths, to engage with the corresponding concavely profiled inner portions of devices stacked below. By way of example, each prong may have a substantially triangular cross sectional shape, tapering from base to tip. Thus, the overall outer profile may be substantially triangular frusto-pyramidal. In such cases, when convex and concave profiling is provided, the cross sectional shape in such profiled sections will be substantially in the form of a letter "V" or a chevron. A further advantage of the provision of the prongs with concavely profiled or hollowed-out sections is that less plastics material is required, and weight is correspondingly reduced. Thus, while it may generally be unnecessary, from the perspective of avoiding interference, to provide the splayed prongs with concavely profiled or hollowed-out portions, in certain embodiments of the invention these prongs may be of similar profile to the upright prongs. Having all of the prongs of the same profile may also assist in simplifying tooling for the manufacturing process.

Nevertheless, the hollowing out carries with it the potential risk that the prongs may be somewhat weakened. Generally, a "V" shaped or chevron shaped profile is relatively strong, but there is potential for weakness in the base of the prong, where it is mounted on the lateral projection of the base strip. Thus, in some embodiments of device accordingly to the invention, the root portion of the prongs may be strengthened by provision of a solid plinth element, to which no concave profiling has been applied. Because of the vertical offset between directly aligned devices in a stack of sub-stacks, there should be no interference caused by such a solid plinth, particularly if the height of the plinth above the lateral projection (measured in the perpendicular direction defined above) is no greater than (n-1) times the perpendicular thickness of the base strip.

Additional strengthening may be provided, if desired, in the base portion of the concavity, immediately above the solid plinth. For example, a tapered strengthening infill may be provided, which conveniently may be profiled so as not to interfere with the corresponding prongs of a device in the sub-stack immediately above.

Any appropriate distribution of upright and splayed prongs may be chosen, to provide protection against target bird species. Conveniently, the upright prongs are all disposed at the same angle as each other, and the splayed prongs are also all disposed at the same angle as each other. However, this need not necessarily always be the case. In most practical embodiments, the upright prongs will stand at an angle of up to 25° to the perpendicular, for example around 8°. The splayed prongs may conveniently stand at an angle of between 25°and 60°, for example around 33°. The length of the prongs may conveniently be between 5 cm and 20 cm, for example around 11 cm. The maximum distance between adjacent prong tips may be between 2 cm and 9 cm, for example around 6.5 cm. This is generally sufficient to deter the landing of large birds, such as pigeons. To provide a uniform distribution of prongs, the prongs of each set arranged along opposite lateral sides of the base strip may conveniently alternate between upright and splayed prongs. Additionally, each upright prong in either of the two sets of prongs may conveniently be aligned laterally with a splayed prong in the other of the two sets. In some embodiments, the base strip may be provided with widened portions in the vicinity of the lateral projections on which the prongs are mounted, as well as narrowed portions disposed axially between those widened portions. This helps to reduce the amount of plastics material required (and thus also the weight), as well as providing a point of weakness between prongs, to assist in breaking off a length of device appropriate to the stretch of surface to be covered. Conveniently, lateral lines of weakness (such as grooves) may also be provided in the base strip, in the vicinity of the narrowed portions, to assist further in breaking of the strip at a desired point. In some embodiments of device according to the invention, apertures may be provided in the base strip (conveniently in the vicinity of the widened portions), for passage therethrough of means for fixing the strip to an underlying surface. This feature of devices according to the invention is substantially the same as the corresponding feature described in GB 2344,269 and accordingly will not be described in detail here. Fixing may be achieved, for example, by means of nails, screws or adhesive material.

The invention is hereinafter described in further detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the Fig. 1 embodiment;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the Fig. 1 embodiment; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a sub-stack of devices according to the Fig. 1 embodiment and

Fig. 6 is an underside perspective of a portion of a stack of sub-stacks of the Fig. 1 embodiment. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, device 10 comprises base strip 12, to which are attached upright prongs 14 and splayed prongs 16, mounted on outward lateral projections 18 of base strip 12.

Upright prongs 14 are angled with respect to a perpendicular plane through the principal axis of base strip 12; in the illustrated example, the angle of the upright prongs is 7.91°. Splayed prongs 16 are angled with respect to the same plane, at a greater angle; in the illustrated embodiment, the angle of the splayed prongs is 33.48°. All of upright and splayed prongs 14 and 16 are approximately 11.2 cm in length and the distance between the tips of adjacent prongs is in the order of 6.5 cm. As will be appreciated, the exact lengths and angles may be varied to suit the circumstances.

As will be seen from Fig. 4, the bases of the root portions of the upright and splayed prongs (14 and 16) on each lateral side of base strip 12 are aligned with each other. The prongs extend at four different angles from the base strip, to give a wide area of coverage for the prong tips, to deter birds from landing. In the illustrated embodiment (as best seen in Fig. 3), the upright and splayed prongs along each lateral side of base strip 12 are arranged in alternating fashion, with the upright prongs on one side being laterally aligned with splayed prongs on the other side of the base strip. This arrangement has been found to give a good overall distribution of prongs and prong tips, to deter birds from landing.

The manner of stacking of the bird deterrent devices is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. As will be seen, one device may be stacked directly upon another with an axial displacement corresponding to the axial width of the individual prongs. Thus, an upper device may be stacked upon a lower device, so that the bottom surface of the base strip of the upper device is in contact with the upper surface of the base strip of the lower device. The prongs of the two devices will then lie in side-by-side relationship, and in contact with each other at least in the base portions of the prongs. One particular advantage of the present invention (especially when compared to the prior art device disclosed in GB 2,344,269) is that third and subsequent further devices may be stacked on top of a pair of stacked devices, so that all of the base strips are substantially in contact with each other and the volume required to accommodate the devices is thereby minimised.

As will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6, each device in a sub-stack is axially offset from each adjacent device by a distance corresponding to the width of the prongs, so that the devices adopt a step-like configuration Conveniently, the axial distance between the prongs approximates to an integer multiple of the prong width, so that a stable sub-stack of devices can be achieved, wherein an exact number of side-by-side prongs can be accommodated between adjacent prongs of the bottom most device in the stack. In the illustrated embodiment, the width of the base section of each of the prongs (and of the lateral projections upon which the prongs are mounted) is approximately 0.55 cm and the axial spacing or pitch of the prongs is approximately 3.35 cm. Thus, the axial gap between adjacent prongs is around 2.75 cm, which is approximately five times the width of each prong. This means that a stable sub-stack of six devices can be constructed (as shown in Fig. 5).

Further devices can be stacked indefinitely, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Where the axial distance between the prongs is n times the prong width, the (n+2)th device can be placed directly above the bottom most device in the stack, in order to commence a second step-like sub-stack of devices. Stacking in this manner may be carried on indefinitely, in a manner whereby each base strip is in contact with the base strips of both immediately adjacent stacked devices.

To assist in accommodating the second and subsequent sub-stacks and avoiding interference between each upright prong with the corresponding prong of the (n+l)th device above it, the prongs of the illustrated embodiment are provided with hollowed out portions or concavities 20 on their transversely inwardly facing profiles. These concavely profiled portions correspond in shape to the convexly profiled outer faces (22) of the prongs, so that the convexly profiled outer portions of an upper sub-stack of devices will engage with the concavely profiled inner portions of the corresponding sub-stack of devices immediately below.

In order to strengthen the hollowed out prongs, the basal section of each prong is not hollowed out in the illustrated embodiment, but instead comprises a solid plinth 24. Provided that the perpendicular height of the plinth is not greater than (n-1) times the perpendicular thickness of the base strip, the plinths of a lower sub-stack of devices will not interfere with the prongs of a sub-stack of devices placed vertically above. In the illustrated embodiment, the height (h) of the plinth is around 1.1 cm. To provide further strengthening, the prongs of the illustrated embodiment are provided with tapered infill sections 26, immediately above plinths 24. These are profiled so as not to interfere with the outer profiles of the prongs of devices stacked above.

In the illustrated embodiment, base strip 12 comprises widened portions 28 (from which lateral projections 18 extend) and narrowed or waist portions 30. Such an arrangement assists in reducing the amount of plastics material required for construction of a device. It also helps to provide a point of weakness in the area of the waist portion, which is of utility in enabling an installer of the device to break off a section containing a desired number of pairs of prongs. Additionally in the illustrated embodiment, a lateral line of weakness is provided in the waist portion, by a groove 32.

Base strip 12 is provided with apertures 34, to assist in fixing the device to an underlying surface. Fixing may be achieved, for example, as described in GB 2,344,269. In the illustrated embodiment, the apertures are of generally cruciform shape and are tapered from a larger cross-section on the upper side of the base strip to a lower cross-section on the bottom side of the base strip. This assists in providing a key to the underlying surface, when the strip is attached by means of adhesive material applied to the underside of the strip and passing through the apertures. Devices according to the invention may be manufactured rom any suitable mouldable material, for example a polycarbonate polymer material. Precise materials and manufacturing techniques will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment, in particular to the precise dimensions and angles, while still benefiting from the invention. All such modifications, which would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, are therefore deemed to be within the ambit and scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bird deterrent device, integrally moulded from plastics material, comprising: a substantially planar base strip, extending substantially linearly in an axial direction; and two sets of prongs, arranged along opposite lateral sides of said base strip and joined thereto by root portions mounted on outward lateral projections of said base strip, all of said prongs extending upwardly from said base strip and outwardly from a perpendicular plane passing through the principal axis of said base strip, each set of prongs containing at least a first subset of upright prongs, extending at a small angle with respect to said perpendicular plane and a second subset of splayed prongs, extending at a greater angle with respect to said perpendicular plane; wherein the root portions of all prongs of each of said two sets are aligned along an axis parallel to said axial direction, and wherein the width of each said lateral projection is not substantially greater than the width in said axial direction of the prong mounted thereon; whereby a plurality of such bird deterrent devices may be stacked, one upon another, such that the top surface of the base strip of each device is in contact or close proximity with the bottom surface of the base strip of the device stacked thereon, each device being displaced from each adjacent stacked device by a distance in said perpendicular direction which is not substantially greater than the thickness of said base strip, and a distance in said axial direction which is not substantially greater than said axial width of said prongs.

2. A bird deterrent device according to claim 1, wherein the axial separation between each prong and its immediate neighbouring prong(s) is substantially equal.

3. A bird deterrent device according to claim 2, wherein said axial width of each of said prongs is substantially equal and said axial separation between said prongs is substantially equal to an integer multiple of said axial width.

4. A bird deterrent device according to claim 3, wherein, when said integer is "n" and at least (n+2) such devices are stacked, the prongs of the (n+2)th device are aligned with the prongs of the first device.

5. A bird deterrent device according to claim 4, wherein the transversely inward face of each of at least said upright prongs has a concavely profiled portion extending along a substantial portion of the length of the prong.

6. A bird deterrent device according to claim 5, wherein the transversely outward face of each of at least said upright prongs has a convexly profiled portion extending along a substantial portion of the length of the prong, said convexly profiled portions being shaped so that, in a stack of at least (n+2) devices, said convexly profiled portions engage with the corresponding concavely profiled portions of the corresponding prongs of the device stacked (n+1) devices below.

7. A bird deterrent device according to claim 6, wherein the root portion of each prong comprises a solid plinth to which concave profiling is not applied.

8. A bird deterrent device according to claim 7, wherein the height of said plinth above said lateral projection, in said perpendicular direction, is not greater than (n-1) times the perpendicular thickness of said base strip.

9. A bird deterrent device according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the concavely profiled portion directly above said plinth is provided with a tapered strengthening infill.

10. A bird deterrent device according to claim 9, wherein said infill does not interfere with the corresponding prong of the (n+l)th device stacked above.

11. A bird deterrent device according to any preceding claim, wherein each prong has a triangular f rusto-pyramidal outer profile.

12. A bird deterrent device according to claim 11, as dependent from any of claims 5 to 10, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the prongs in said concavely and convexly profiled portions, in a plane parallel to the plane of the base strip, is generally in the form of a letter "V" or a chevron.

13. A bird deterrent device according to any preceding claim, wherein, in each of said two sets of prongs arranged along opposite lateral sides of said base strip, the prongs alternate between upright and splayed prongs.

14. A bird deterrent device according to any preceding claim, wherein each upright prong in either of said two sets of prongs arranged along opposite lateral sides of said base strip is aligned laterally with a splayed prong in the other of said two sets.

15. A bird deterrent device according to any preceding claim, wherein said base strip is provided with widened portions in the vicinity of said lateral projections and narrowed portions disposed axially between said widened portions.

16. A bird deterrent device according to claim 15, wherein lateral lines of weakness are provided in said base strip, in the vicinity of said narrowed portions.

17. A bird deterrent device according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein apertures are provided in said base strip, in the vicinity of said widened portions, for passage therethrough of means for fixing said strip to an underlying surface.

18. A bird deterrent device substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in any of the drawings.