Patent Application
20060064924
This invention relates generally to a pest control device and more particularly to an improved pest control device and method for use thereof to substantially eliminate insects and other pests without the use of harmful chemicals.
Commercial pest control services use a variety of expensive and dangerous pesticides and insecticides that while killing pests and other insects, may also be harmful to people, pets and the environment. These products must be handled by experienced professionals and their application often requires that the treated premises be vacated which causes inconvenience and the interruption of business. Even after their application, these products pose continued harm if product residue remains on surfaces within the premises.
Non-chemical methods have been used in an attempt to eliminate pests and insects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,329 to Forbes describes the use of heat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,907 to the present inventor describes the use of a pest control system that uses cold air to substantially eliminate pests but the system described requires the use of a substantially heavy, large and bulky device that makes its portability less than ideal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,702 describes a system for controlling insects with the use of carbon dioxide.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel improved pest control device and method that are substantially safe for people, pets, and the environment while still being effective in substantially controlling and eliminating insects and other pests without using harmful and dangerous products, so that people and pets can be present and people's work may proceed without interruption. There is a further need for a novel pest control device and method that are easy to use and do not require the use of an experienced professional. There is still another need for a novel pest control device and method that are relatively inexpensive and effective in a relatively short period of time. There is another need for a novel pest control device and method that are highly portable and convenient to use. There is yet another need for a novel pest control device and method that are substantially simple to manufacture and use. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.
In accordance with this invention, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved pest control device and method that substantially eliminate pests and other insects without the use of harmful and toxic chemicals.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved pest control device and method that are relatively easy to use by a non-professional and that are substantially inexpensive and lightweight, thereby making the device highly portable and convenient to use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved pest control device and method that are relatively inexpensive and effective in a relatively short period of time.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved pest control device and method that are substantially simple to manufacture and use.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention is concerned with an improved pest control device, generally designated in the accompanying drawings by the reference number 10. The method for using the device to substantially eliminate insects and other pests is also provided. The pest control device 10 comprises, generally, a housing 12 with a thermoelectric module 14 mounted through a wall of the housing for cooling air within the housing, and fan unit 16 within the housing for drawing in the cooled air and discharging the cooled air at insects and other pests through a hose 18 in fluid communication with the fan unit 16 and terminating exteriorly of the housing 12.
In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated with respect to preferred embodiments in
As shown in
The at least one thermoelectric (TE) module 14 may be mounted through the rear wall 12e of the housing as shown in
The at least one thermoelectric module 14 may be connected by a power cord and plug 26 to an AC power source 27 through an AC/DC converter 28. The Peltier device may be activated by DC current. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the at least one thermoelectric module may be operated by one or more batteries (not shown).
The fan unit 16 in the interior of the housing may be mounted to one of the housing walls, preferably proximate the front wall 12a as shown in
The hose 18 includes a first end 18a in fluid communication with the fan unit 16 within the housing and a second end 18b extending exteriorly of the housing. As shown in
An improved method for pest control comprises the steps of: providing a housing with at least one thermoelectric module mounted through a wall of the housing for cooling air within the housing; activating the at least one thermoelectric module; activating the fan unit within the housing to draw the cooled air from within the housing; and discharging the cooled air exteriorly of the housing toward insects and other pests, thereby safely and effectively substantially eliminating the insects and other pests. The method further comprises the steps of applying current to each of the at least one thermoelectric module and the fan unit; and activating the at least one thermoelectric module and the fan unit. Further steps of the method comprise directing a hose at the insects and other pests, the hose in communication with the fan unit and extending exteriorly of the housing; discharging the cooled air exteriorly of the housing at the insects and other pests; and cooling the air within the housing to an effective temperature of less than about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The method further includes the step of cooling the air within the housing to an effective temperature of between about 0 degrees Fahrenheit and about 32 degrees Fahrenheit and more preferably cooling the air within the housing to an effective temperature of about 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The method further includes the step of providing a housing having an inboard surface, the inboard surface of the housing having at least one layer of reflective material.
In using the present invention, the user turns the thermoelectric module switch (not shown) to “cold” and activates the thermoelectric module 14 by plugging in the TE power cord into the AC power source 27. When a DC current is applied to the at least one thermoelectric module 14 after conversion of AC current to DC current, heat is moved from one side of the interior of the housing of the device 10 to the other sides of the interior of the housing of the device 10 to cool the air within the housing. The fan unit 16 draws in the cooled air from within the housing and then discharges the cooled air under pressure exteriorly of the housing through the hose 18. The user manipulates the hose 18 to direct the discharged cold air at the insects and other pests. In cooling the air within the housing, the at least one thermoelectric module 14 generates heat which is dissipated through the series of vents 25 in the rear of the module away from the cold air dispersal.
From the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the device is safe and effective at substantially eliminating insects and other pests without the use of harmful chemicals. The device is easy to use and carry from one location to another.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
