WO2014135731A1

WO2014135731A1 - Device for the detection and control of termites

Info

Publication number: WO2014135731A1
Application number: PCT/ES2014/070163
Authority: WO
Inventors: María Pilar BERGADO PEREDA
Original assignee: Bergado Pereda María Pilar
Priority date: 2013-03-06
Filing date: 2014-03-05
Publication date: 2014-09-12
Also published as: ES1079094Y; WO2014135731A4; ES1079094U

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the detection and control of termites, comprising a core (1) which is longitudinally split down the middle into two identical parts (2) with connection means (4) that allow the relative position of said parts (2) to be fixed, and a bait (3) of cellulose arranged between said two parts (2). The device also comprises a box (5) for housing the upper part of the core (1), which has an opening (6) in the lower surface thereof in order to allow the upper part of the core (1) to pass through, said box (5) being lined with a thermal insulating material.

Description

DEVICE DETECTION AND CONTROL OF TERMITES

D E S C R I P C I O N OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be included in the technical field of devices that allow the control and elimination of termites. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Termites are a group of insects that build nests, called termites, on the ground. From these termites they dig through the interior of the earth until they reach areas where they find moist cellulose, contained in the wood and its derivatives, which is what they feed on.

This type of insects is a major problem due to the serious damage they cause in homes and heritage elements since they can infect furniture, parquet floors, wooden beams in houses, etc. when feeding on wood. When any of these elements is infected with termites, it ends up breaking because the termites feed on the cellulose that makes up its structure.

The traditional system used for termite removal is chemical treatment. Termite control is carried out in a specific, limited area, element or construction. This control is carried out by isolation with specific termiticides for each material to be treated. For this, an insecticidal barrier is established in the subsoil and around the building in question, and the wood and other elements with cellulosic content are injected or poisoned with products to avoid the destructive action of termites. This creates a chemical barrier that prevents termites from accessing the property that is the object of protection.

Also known are various insecticides specially designed to eliminate termites such as those that prevent the development of insects by inhibiting the shedding of these. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a termite detection and control device that can be installed both indoors and outdoors and that can be used year-round. Thus the process of termite control is continuous, eliminating the need to make a winter stop as occurs with the devices known in the state of the art and the stops that are made in the very hot months of the summer in places with very high climates heat and dryness The device allows quick contact with termites to control and eliminate them.

The device essentially comprises a witness that is inserted into the ground or into a wall or wall and a box intended to cover the upper part of the witness. Said witness is divided longitudinally in half into two equal pieces. Among them is a cellulose bait. The mentioned parts comprise joining means that allow to fix their relative position. When the joining means are released, the two pieces can be separated to allow the placement of the cellulose bait between them. When the connection means are fixed again, the warning light is closed.

The device box has an opening in its lower surface through which the upper part of the control is introduced. The inside of the box is coated with a thermal insulating material.

If the cellulose bait arranged between the two pieces of the control dries quickly, contact with the termites can be lost. To prevent this from happening, the device can comprise a sweat-filled irrigation tube filled with water arranged inside the box.

The cellulose bait that is disposed between the two pieces of the control can be cellulose powder or in sheets or it can be sawdust, shavings, etc. The bait can be enriched with sugars and other materials such as starch or essential oils so that the attraction of termites to the bait increases.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a view of the device in an exemplary embodiment to be installed on surfaces with dirt floor. Figure 2.- Shows a view of the device in an embodiment to be installed on surfaces with concrete floor.

Figure 3.- Shows a view of the control with the block comprising a hollow cavity to which the acoustic sensor can be coupled.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Two preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with the help of Figures 1 to 3 above.

The device of the present invention comprises a control (1) and a box (5) in which the upper part of the control (1) is housed. Said control (1) is divided longitudinally in half into two equal pieces (2) between which a cellulose bait (3) is arranged. The parts (2) comprise joining means (4) that hold them together when the device is being used. The box (5) is filled with cellulose or bait by opening a lid arranged on the upper face of the box (5).

The box (5) of the device, which can have a cylindrical or parallelepiped shape, has an opening (6) in its lower surface designed to allow the upper part of the control (1) to pass through. The inside of the box (5) is coated with a thermal insulating material.

The thermal insulating material inside the box (5) is intended to prevent the cold and freezing of moisture on winter days retract termites into the terrain. The thermal insulating material can be expanded polystyrene, cork, animal wool, cardboard, etc. In a first embodiment, which can be seen in Figure 1, the device is intended to be placed on an exterior ground floor. To do this, a hole is drilled in the ground and the lower part of the control (1) is driven into the ground. The gap between the control (1) and the surrounding earth can be covered with an insulating material such as vermiculite, cardboard or natural wool. The upper part of the control (1) inside the box (5) is approximately 1 cm.

In this first embodiment, the pieces (2) into which the control (1) is divided have a rectangular configuration with measures of 1 x 2 x 25cm and are made of softwood. The cellulose bait (3) in this case are two sheets of cellulose that are placed between the pieces (2) and in this example have measures of 0.2 x 2 x 25cm. The joining means (4) in this case are flanges. When the device is used to detect termites the box (5) has a size of approximately between 3cm x 4cm in length and a depth of between 3 and 4cm approximately. To check if there are termites in the area where the device has been placed, the upper part of the box (5) is opened or lifted and it is checked whether there are termites eating the bait. When it has been verified that there are termites and it is desired to use the device to eliminate said termites, the box (5) described by a box (5) of larger size is changed, approximately 15cm x 20cm long and approximately between 6cm and 8cm deep as seen in figure 1. Inside the box (5) the commercial bait that kills them is placed. The termites reach the device attracted by the cellulose bait (3) that is placed between the pieces (2) and through the pieces (2) they go up to the top of the device and reach the inside of the box (5). The inside of the box (5) is full of commercial bait for termite removal.

In a second embodiment, the device is intended to be placed in an exterior floor of concrete or other waterproof materials such as asphalt, tiles, ceramics, etc. In this case the witness (1) has more slender measures than in the previous case to avoid making large holes in the ground. In this example, the control (1) has measures between 1 cm and 2 cm wide and has a length greater than the concrete layer such that it crosses it completely and reaches the ground.

In this case, a perforation is carried out in the field of a small diameter, sufficient to introduce the control (1). Said drilling can be done with a drill that is long enough to pass through the entire layer of concrete or impermeable material. The gap between the control (1) and the surrounding earth is covered with an insulating material.

Since the box (5) of the device has a larger size, before placing the entire device, a check is made to verify if the token (1) has been placed in a place where there are actually termites. In this embodiment, which can be seen in Figure 3, the device comprises a block (7) with a hollow cavity intended to be coupled to an acoustic sensor connected to a listening system in the upper part of the control (1). The plug (7) is coupled to the acoustic sensor momentarily to allow the detection of termite activity.

In a preferred embodiment said block (7) is made of plastic. The hollow cavity of the block (7) acts as a sounding board. The acoustic sensor transmits the sound signal to an amplification and recording or direct listening system to determine if there is termite activity.

In the event that it is confirmed that there are termites, the entire device is placed. As the warning light (1) is already installed, the box (5) is placed on it. For this it is necessary to expand the hole that had been made for the witness (1) in the area at the top of the witness (1). Enlarge enough to allow the introduction of the box (5). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the box (5) is circular and has a diameter of between 9cm and 12cm and a depth of between 6 and 8cm approximately as seen in Figure 2. Although the box (5) have another configuration, the measurements of the box (5) will be of the order of these measures. At Inside the box (5) the commercial bait is placed, through a lid on the top of the box (5). When the termites rise through the pieces (2) to the box (5) they feed on the commercial bait for termite removal. In both cases the inside of the box is conveniently insulated with appropriate material and described above.

To use the device indoors, it is placed in the same way as in the second embodiment. The device can also be placed on walls or walls. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the box (5) of the device comprises in its interior a sweat-filled irrigation tube filled with water to prevent the cellulose bait (3) from drying quickly.

In a third embodiment, the device is intended to be placed on a wall. In this case, a drill is made with a 24 mm drill bit and of sufficient length to cross the external brick row and reach the inner wall filling. It is necessary to use a control (1) of sufficient length to pass through this layer and this control (1) is placed in the practiced hole. Preferably, the control (1) used in this third embodiment is approximately 2cm in diameter or sideways. The cellulose bait (3) can be two sheets of cellulose, in which case the joining means (4) are a flange or a similar element, or it can be a hollow cylindrical body inside which is powdered cellulose previously moistened.

The upper end of the control (1) leads into a plastic block (7) similar to those used in chemical barrier anti-therm treatments but without a non-return valve. The hollow cavity between the end of the control and the nozzle of the block acts as a sounding board.

At this end of the block (7) a teak mouthpiece is placed from the outside, inside of which there is an acoustic sensor, which transmits the sound signal to an amplification and recording system, or direct listening to determine the activity of insects . If the termite activity is confirmed, the hole is enlarged at the top to place the box (5) or station of plastic, cylindrical or parallelepiped-shaped material, as required.

Claims

1. - Termite detection and control device characterized by comprising:

-a witness (1) divided longitudinally in half into two equal pieces (2) with joining means (4) that allow to fix the relative position of said pieces (2), -a cellulose bait (3) arranged between the mentioned ones two pieces (2), -and a box (5) destined to house the upper part of the witness (1) that has an opening (6) in its lower surface that allows the passage of the upper part of the witness (1), and said box (5) is coated inside with a thermal insulating material.

2. - Termite detection and control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the box (5) comprises in its interior an irrigation tube filled with water intended to prevent the cellulose bait (3) from drying out quickly.

3. - Termite detection and control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally comprises a block (7) with a hollow cavity intended to be coupled to an acoustic sensor, this block being (7) attachable in the upper part of the witness (1).