WO2023105217A1

WO2023105217A1 - Insect proofing devices for shipping containers

Info

Publication number: WO2023105217A1
Application number: PCT/GB2022/053111
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul William HELLYER; Suan GAIK-LEE
Original assignee: Rentokil Initial 1927 Plc
Priority date: 2021-12-09
Filing date: 2022-12-07
Publication date: 2023-06-15
Also published as: GB202117783D0

Abstract

An insect proofing device for covering an air vent in an internal wall of a shipping container. The insect proofing device comprises an air-permeable sheet for preventing the passage of insects and a first adhesive layer on a first side of the sheet for mounting the insect proofing device on the internal wall of the shipping container. When the insect proofing device is mounted on the internal wall of the shipping container over the air vent using the first adhesive layer, the sheet prevents passage of insects into the shipping container via the air vent.

Description

Insect proofing devices for shipping containers

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns insect proofing devices. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention concerns an insect proofing device for covering an air vent in an interior wall of a shipping container. The invention also concerns a method of preventing the passage of insects into a shipping container, by mounting an insect proofing device over an air vent in an interior wall of the shipping container.

Background of the Invention

Insect infestations in shipping containers during transit is a known problem. The presence of insects in a shipping container can occur due to insects remaining undetected after manual inspection of the shipping container before departure, or as a result of insects entering the shipping container during transit through an opening such as an air vent.

It is known to put an insect trap inside a shipping container before transit to monitor and catch insects, as shown for example in US 2013/0283671 Al (Czokajlo et al) published 31 October 2013. However, such traps are not generally able to catch all insects present within a shipping container, particularly in the case of severe infestations.

The present invention seeks to solve and/or mitigate some or all of the above- mentioned problems. Alternatively and/or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide improved insect proofing devices, improved shipping containers, and improved methods of preventing the passage of insects into shipping containers.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides, according to a first aspect, an insect proofing device for covering an air vent in an internal wall of a shipping container, the insect proofing device comprising: an air-permeable sheet for preventing the passage of insects; and a first adhesive layer on a first side of the sheet for mounting the insect proofing device on the internal wall of the shipping container; wherein, when the insect proofing device is mounted on the internal wall of the shipping container over the air vent using the first adhesive layer, the sheet prevents passage of insects into the shipping container via the air vent.

When the sheet is mounted over the air vent using the first adhesive layer, the sheet prevents passage of insects into the shipping container via the air vent, as the insects are not able to pass through the air-permeable sheet, so preventing an infestation of insects that have entered the shipping container from outside. However, as the sheet is air-permeable, air is nevertheless still able to pass from the exterior to the interior of the shipping container. Further, as it is the air-permeable sheet that prevents the insects, rather than, for example, the insects being captured using an adhesive as in known insect proofing devices for shipping containers, the insect proofing device does not become less effective over time.

It will be appreciated that the insect proofing device may be suitable for use covering openings in a shipping container other than air vents. Further, it will be appreciated that the insect proofing device may be suitable for use in other type of containers used to transport goods.

The first adhesive layer may be a contact adhesive. This enables quick and easy mounting of the insect proofing device to the shipping container. A non-adhesive film may cover the first adhesive layer until the insect proofing device is ready to be mounted over the air vent, at which stage the non-adhesive film is removed.

The insect proofing device may further comprise on a second side of the sheet opposite the first side of the sheet, a second adhesive layer for capturing insects. The second adhesive layer provides a means of capturing insects that are already be present in the shipping container, which will become stuck to the achieve layer when they come into contact with it. In this way, the second adhesive layer can prevent or reduce an infestation of insects already present in the shipping container. In addition, as well as capturing the second adhesive layer allows the presence of insects in the shipping container to be monitored. Similarity to the first adhesive layer, the second adhesive layer may be covered with a non-adhesive film which is removed when the insect proofing device is mounted to leave the second adhesive layer exposed in the shipping container. The second adhesive layer, and/or other part of the insect proofing device, may comprise an insect attractant. This increases the likelihood of insects coming into contact with, so being captured by, the second adhesive layer.

The insect proofing device may further comprise, on the second side of the sheet, a writeable area. This allows a user to write upon the insect proofing device, for example to record the presence or absence of insects captured by the second adhesive layer.

At least a portion of the sheet may be a mesh. The mesh may be a wire mesh. The mesh may be another material, such as a plastic mesh or another suitable material. Alternatively, a portion of the sheet may not be a mesh, but a perforated sheet or the like, of metal, plastic or another suitable material. It will be appreciated that what any appropriate material or type of sheet, through which air can pass, while at the same time insects of the desired type cannot, could be used. It will be appreciated that different types of desired insect can be prevented by having holes of different sixes in the sheet.

The sheet may be formed of a ductile material, as will usually be the case when the sheet is formed of wire mesh. Other ductile materials may be used. The use of a ductile material allows the sheet to be bent and otherwise changed in shape without breaking or losing toughness, as it is flexible and pliable rather than brittle. The sheet can then be bent as required in order to follow the surface of the interior wall of a shipping container, which may not be flat surface in the area to which the insect proofing device needs to be mounted, particularly as the interior walls of shipping containers are often corrugated.

The sheet may comprise a central portion and an outer portion, with the first adhesive layer being on the outer portion of the sheet. The first adhesive layer then attaches the outer portion to the wall of the shipping container, providing a continuous seal around the central portion, through which air from the air vent can pass. This enables the insect proofing device to be applied to a wide range of air vents. Different air vents may have different widths, lengths and shapes, but as long as the central portion covers all openings of the vent (or some of the openings of the vent, with the remaining openings being covered by the outer portion), the insect proofing device will be effective. The second adhesive layer for capturing insects may be on the outer portion of the sheet. The outer portion of the sheet may comprise a card border. The card border may be present on first and/or second sides of the sheet. This allows the card border to cover the outer edge of the part of the sheet through which air can pass, which can for example prevent their being an exposed sharp edge in the case the sheet comprises a wire mesh. Where the card border is present on the second side of the sheet, this can also provide a convenient writeable area.

The present invention provides, according to a second aspect, a shipping container comprising an internal wall, the internal wall comprising an air vent to allow air to pass from the exterior to the interior of the shipping container, the shipping container further comprising an insect proofing device as described above mounted over the air vent of the internal wall of the shipping container

The present invention provides, according to a third aspect, a method of preventing the passage of insects into a shipping container, wherein the shipping container comprises an internal wall, the internal wall comprising an air vent to allow air to pass from the exterior to the interior of the shipping container, the method comprising mounting an insect proofing device as described above over the air vent in the internal wall of the shipping container

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

Figure la shows a back view of an insect proofing device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure lb shows a close-up view of a portion of the insect proofing device of Figure la;

Figure 1c shows a front view of the insect proofing device of Figures la and lb;

Figure 2a shows a portion of the interior of a shipping container, including an air vent; Figure 2b shows the insect proofing device of Figure 2, in use in the shipping container of Figure 2a;

Figure 3 shows a back view of an insect proofing device according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4a shows a back view of an insect proofing device according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 4b shows a front view of the insect proofing device of Figure 4a.

Detailed Description

An insect proofing device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to Figures la to 1c. As can be seen in Figures la and 1c, the insect proofing device 1 comprises a sheet 20, which forms the main part of the insect proofing device 1.

The sheet 20 is rectangular-shaped with curved corners, and is formed of a stainless steel wire mesh 30. Figure lb is a close-up view of a portion of the sheet 20 of the insect proofing device 1, showing the wire mesh 30 in more detail. The wire mesh 30 comprises wires 32 which cross each other at right angles, producing a grid of square holes 31 approximately 1mm² in size, so that they are sufficiently large to allow air to pass easily through the sheet 20, while being small enough that insects of the type the insect proofing device 1 is intended to prevent cannot pass though the sheet 20, as discussed in more detail below. The wire mesh 30 is a ductile material, i.e. it can be bent and otherwise changed in shape without breaking or losing toughness, as it is pliable rather than brittle.

While in the present embodiment the sheet 20 is formed of a stainless steel wire mesh 30, in other embodiments the sheet may be formed of another material, such as a mesh of another metal, a plastic mesh, or a mesh of any another suitable material. In other embodiments the sheet may not be a mesh at all, but rather a perforated sheet or the like, of metal, plastic or another suitable material. The sheet, whether a mesh or otherwise, may have holes of a size other than 1mm². It will be appreciated that what any appropriate material or type of sheet, through which air can pass, while at the same time insects of the desired type cannot, could be used. As can be seen in Figure la, the sheet 20 has applied to the outer edge of its back surface an adhesive layer 10. The adhesive layer 10 is a layer of a contact adhesive applied to the surface of the sheet 20, to give a continuous border of adhesive around the outer edge of the back of the sheet 20. The outer edge of the adhesive layer 10 meets the outer edge of the sheet 20, while the inner edge of the adhesive layer 10 is offset from the outer edge of the sheet 20 (and adhesive layer 10) by a constant distance.

Figure 2a shows the interior of a shipping container 100, in which the insect proofing device 1 can be used. The shipping container has a wall 101 and a ceiling 102. In the wall 101 of the shipping container 100 is an air vent 110, through which air can travel to and from the exterior of the shipping container 100.

The wall 101 is corrugated for strength, i.e. i.e. lengths of the wall 101 are offset from one another in the direction perpendicular to the length of the wall 101. The lengths of the wall 101 comprise parallel sections 105, and angled sections 106 are interspersed between the parallel sections 105. Each parallel section 105 and angled section 105 meets at an edge 107.

The air vent 110 is positioned on a parallel section 105 of the shipping container wall 101, towards the ceiling 102. The air vent 110 comprises a 3x3 grid of vent holes 111.

Figure 2b shows the interior of the shipping container 100 again, with the insect proofing device 1 installed over the air vent 111. As can be seen, the wire mesh 30 of the central portion of the insect proofing device 1 is covering all of the air vent holes 111, while the surrounding adhesive layer 10 is stuck to the surface of the shipping container wall 101 surrounding the vent holes 100 of the air vent 110. In this way, the adhesive layer 10 creates a continuous seal around the air vent 110, so that anything entering the shipping container 100 via the air vent holes 111 would have to pass through the wire mesh 30 of the insect proofing device 1. In this way, air is still able to enter the shipping container 100 via the air vent holes 111 through the holes in the wire mesh 30, but any insects of the type that the insect proofing device 1 is intended to prevent are unable to do so, as they are unable to pass through the holes in the wire mesh 30. While in the example shown in Figure 2b the insect proofing device 1 is entirely attached to the flat surface of a parallel section 105 of the wall 101, the insect proofing device 1 may also be positioned so that its edges extend onto adjacent angular sections 106 of the wall 101. Nevertheless, a continuous seal around the air vent holes 111 can still be created by the adhesive layer 10, as the wire mesh material of the sheet 20 of the insect proofing device is ductile, and so can be bent so as to follow the surface of the shipping container wall 101 despite it not being an entirely flat surface.

An insect proofing device 50 in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to Figure 3. The insect proofing device 50 is similar to the insect proofing device 1 of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the insect proofing device 50 again comprises a sheet 51, which comprises a wire mesh 52. However, in the present embodiment the outer edge of the sheet 51 comprises card border 53, surrounding the wire mesh 52. The edges of the wire mesh 52 are shown in Figure 3 by the dashed line, and as can be seen, the wire mesh 52 overlaps, but does not extend to the edge of, the card border 53. On the surface of card border 53 opposite the wire mesh 52 is an adhesive layer 53. Finally, on the other side of the sheet 51 is a further card border (not shown) corresponding to the card border 53, so that the wire mesh 52 is sandwiched between the card borders, with both sides of its outer edge covered by the card borders.

In other embodiments, the insect proofing device may comprise a layer of card on only one side of the wire mesh. In that case, the adhesive layer may be on the surface of the card border opposite the sheet, or may be on the surface of the card border on the same side as the sheet, and in that case may be on the card only, or on both the card and the outside edge of the sheet.

An insect proofing device 60 in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to Figures 4a and 4b.

Figure 4a shows a back view of the insect proofing device 60. Similarly to the insect proofing device 50 of the second embodiment, the insect proofing device 60 comprises a sheet 61 comprising a wire mesh 62 surrounded at its outer edge by a card border 63a, on the surface of which is an adhesive layer 64a. However, as can be seen in the present embodiment, the card border 63a extends further below the wire mesh 62 than in the second embodiment, to create a larger lower part to the bottom of the card border 63a.

Figure 4b shows a front view of the insect proofing device 60. Again, this side of the insect proofing device 60 comprises a card border 62b surrounded the outer edge of the wire mesh 62, corresponding exactly to the card border 63 a, so again having a larger lower part at its bottom. However, while there is again an adhesive layer 64b of a contact adhesive on the surface of the card border 63b, in this case it does not extend to the bottom of the card border 63b. Rather, the lowest part of the card border 63b has no adhesive layer, leaving a writable area 40, i.e. an area on which it is possible to write using a pen or other writing instrument.

In use, the insect proofing device 60 is again mounted over an air vent in a similar way to as shown in Figure 2b. The back of the insect proofing device 60 is mounted on the surface of the wall 101 of the shipping container 100 using the adhesive layer 64a, so the insect proofing device 60 creates a seal over the air vent holes 111.

Additionally, when mounted in position on the wall 101 the adhesive layer 63b on the front of the insect proofing device 60 is left exposed to the inside of the shipping container 100. If an insect comes into contact with the front adhesive layer 63b, it will become stuck to the adhesive layer 63b. In this way, the insect proofing device 60 can be used to monitor the presence of insects inside the shipping container 100, as well as preventing the entry of insects from the exterior of the shipping container 100 in the same way as the insect proofing devices 1 and 50 of the other embodiments. Further, the writable area 40 can be used as an inspection log on which the presence or absence of insects captured by the adhesive layer 63b can be recorded.

In other embodiments of the invention, the effectiveness of the insect proofing device may be improved by including an insect attractant in the front adhesive layer 63b, to attract any insects towards the adhesive layer 63b.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. For example, an insect proofing device may be provided that has an adhesive layer that when mounted in positon is exposed to the interior of the shipping container to allow insects to be captured and monitored, but nevertheless does not have a writeable portion.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

Claims

1. An insect proofing device for covering an air vent in an internal wall of a shipping container, the insect proofing device comprising: an air-permeable sheet for preventing the passage of insects; and a first adhesive layer on a first side of the sheet for mounting the insect proofing device on the internal wall of the shipping container; wherein, when the insect proofing device is mounted on the internal wall of the shipping container over the air vent using the first adhesive layer, the sheet prevents passage of insects into the shipping container via the air vent.

2. An insect proofing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insect proofing device further comprises, on a second side of the sheet opposite the first side of the sheet, a second adhesive layer for capturing insects.

3. An insect proofing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insect proofing device further comprises, on the second side of the sheet, a writeable area.

4. An insect proofing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the sheet is a mesh.

5. An insect proofing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mesh is a wire mesh.

6. An insect proofing device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet comprises: a central portion; and an outer portion surrounding the central portion; wherein the first adhesive layer is on the outer portion of the first side of the sheet.

7. An insect proofing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second adhesive layer is on the outer portion of the second side of the sheet.

8. An insect proofing device as claimed in claims 6 or 7 wherein the outer portion of the sheet comprises a card border.

9. A shipping container comprising an internal wall, the internal wall comprising an air vent to allow air to pass from the exterior to the interior of the shipping container, the shipping container further comprising an insect proofing device as claimed in any preceding claim mounted over the air vent of the internal wall of the shipping container.

10. A method of preventing the passage of insects into a shipping container, wherein the shipping container comprises an internal wall, the internal wall comprising an air vent to allow air to pass from the exterior to the interior of the shipping container, the method comprising mounting an insect proofing device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 over the air vent in the internal wall of the shipping container.