Abstract:
A self-adhesive, flexible, and malleable sheet material and a squirrel barrier method utilizing the sheet material by which squirrels and other animals with claws are prevented from climbing trees and other upright structures. The user determines the length of sheet material needed, marks the appropriate distance on the sheet material, and then cuts the sheet material at this mark. A protective peel-away coating is removed from an adhesive coating on the sheet material, which can then be wrapped around an upright structure.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/820,556, filed Jul. 27, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to climbing barrier, and more particularly to a self-adhesive, flexible, and malleable barrier and a method of applying the barrier to effectively prevent squirrels and similar animals from climbing trees, poles, and the like. 
         [0003]    Squirrels can create a variety of problems for home owners. Squirrels become a nuisance by eating fruit, nuts, and acorns from trees and by eating food in bird feeders. More critically, squirrels can cause extensive damage to homes by gnawing on attic insulation, walls, and electrical wiring. Often in such cases, the squirrel enters home by climbing a tree and then accessing the home from this elevated perch. If squirrels are prevented from climbing the trees, then these types of problems will be avoided. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The invention is directed to a self-adhesive, flexible, and malleable climbing barrier, and to a method utilizing the barrier to prevent squirrels and similar animals from climbing trees, poles, and the like. 
         [0005]    The invention generally entails the use of a laminate material comprising a flexible malleable sheet material, an adhesive coating on a surface of the sheet material, and a releasable protective sheet overlying the adhesive coating so that the adhesive coating is between and protected by the sheet material and the protective sheet. The method of this invention generally involves cutting a length of the laminate material, removing the protective sheet to expose the adhesive coating on the sheet material, and then wrapping the sheet material around an upright structure such that the sheet material encircles the structure and the adhesive coating contacts the structure and adheres the sheet material to the structure. The sheet material has a surface opposite the adhesive coating that is sufficiently smooth, hard, and nonporous to provide a physical barrier to being climbed by an animal with claws and otherwise capable of climbing the structure. 
         [0006]    In view of the above, it can be seen that a significant advantage of this invention is that a supply of the sheet material can be cut and quickly and easily applied to a variety of vertical or otherwise upright surfaces, including trees, posts, poles, etc. Since the user can measure and cut the laminate material to the required length to create multiple barriers, it is not necessary to know in advance the exact number of barriers that would otherwise have to be purchased. This is a convenience for the user who now may only need to purchase a single roll of the laminate material. Additionally, the laminate material can be formed of a material that can be cut with scissors or another cutting tool, such that specialized tools are not required to install the barrier. The adhesive coating on the sheet material enables the barrier to be installed without the need for any additional fasteners or the separate application of an adhesive. The adhesive also permits the barrier to be removed and reapplied later at the same or different location. 
         [0007]    Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a roll of laminate material from which a climbing barrier can be cut in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the laminate material of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the laminate material of  FIG. 2 , in which the laminate material has been marked for cutting to a desired length. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a cut length of the laminate material, with a corner of a protective backing peeled back to expose an adhesive on a surface of a flexible sheet material. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the cut laminate material of  FIG. 4  partially wrapped around a pole following removal of the protective backing. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the laminate material after application is complete and showing an end-to-end overlap. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The invention is directed to the use of a flexible, and malleable sheet material adapted to be wrapped around upright structures, including trees, poles, posts, etc., for the purpose of inhibiting animals from climbing such upright structures. As evident from the following, the sheet material enables a user to quickly and easily protect his or her property from the annoying and possibly harmful effects of squirrels and other similar climbing animals. 
         [0015]    As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a laminate material  10  of a type suitable for use with the invention is shown in the form of a roll  12  for ease of transport and handling  10 . The laminate material  10  includes a lightweight, flexible, and malleable sheet material  14 , an adhesive coating  16  on a surface of the sheet material  14 , and a protective backing  18  overlying the adhesive coating  16 . While the adhesive coating  16  is represented as entirely covering the surface of the sheet material  14 , it is foreseeable that the coating  16  could be limited to one or more edges of the sheet material  14 . A wide variety of adhesive materials are suitable for use as the adhesive coating  16 , the only requirements being that the backing  18  can be released from the adhesive coating  16  and the adhesive is sufficiently tacky to bond to the sheet material  14 . Suitable materials for the backing  18  include paper or another sheet materials that have limited adhesion to the particular adhesive used for the coating  16 . Because squirrels and similar animals climb by using their claws to grip relatively soft and/or rough surfaces, the surface of the sheet material  14  opposite the adhesive coating  16  is relatively smooth, hard, and nonporous to provide a physical barrier to being climbed. Suitable materials for this purpose include but are not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, or other materials with suitable flexibility to permit being deformed by hand when wrapped around a columnar-type structure, such as a tree, post, pole, etc. The sheet material  14  is preferably made available in a size that is convenient for the user to work with and install. A suitable width dimension for the sheet material  14  is believed to be approximately 8 inches (about 20 cm), although other widths are foreseeable. 
         [0016]    Ease of installation is a particular advantage of the present invention. A user first measures the circumference of the tree, post, pole, or other upright structure  20  (e.g.,  20  in  FIG. 5 ) on which the sheet material  10  is to be installed to form a climbing barrier ( 24  in  FIG. 6 ). The laminate material  10  is then unrolled ( FIG. 1 ) and cut to a length “D” ( FIG. 3 ) that is greater than the circumference of the structure  20  to provide an end-to-end overlap  22  of the laminate material  10  when installed, as represented in  FIG. 6 . The end-to-end overlap  22  creates a more durable installation by allowing the sheet material  14  to adhere to itself as well as the structure  20  and create uninterrupted coverage of the sheet material  14  encircling the structure  20 . A suitable width for the end-to-end overlap  22  may be as little as about one inch (about 2.5 cm). The desired length measurement, D, for the sheet material  14  is shown in  FIG. 3  as being measured and marked, such as with a marker or other writing instrument, prior to cutting the laminate material  10  with scissors or a similar cutting utensil. The protective peel-away backing  18  can then be removed from the sheet material  14  to expose the adhesive coating  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . When wrapping of the structure  20  as represented in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the segment of the sheet material  14  is preferably oriented so that its length is perpendicular to the axial direction of the structure  20  being wrapped. One end of the segment can be pressed firmly against the structure  20  at any desired height ( FIG. 5 ), after which the segment is tightly wrapped around the structure  20  until the sheet material  14  is completely installed to achieve the end-to-end overlap  22  ( FIG. 6 ). 
         [0017]    From the above, it can be appreciated that the roll  12  of laminate material  10  can be sized to enable segments of sheet material  14  of various lengths to be cut to protect multiple structures of various sizes. Whereas methods that involve the purchase of individual barriers require prior knowledge of the exact number of structures to be protected, the method of this invention allows a user to be less precise. Another advantage is that attachment of the sheet material  14  is with the adhesive coating  16  and without additional mechanical fasteners or a separately applied adhesive. As such, only a limited number of tools are necessary, for example, a tape measure or other instrument to measure the desired length of sheet material  14 , a marker to mark the measured length of laminate material  10 , and scissors or another suitable instrument for cutting the measured length of laminate material  10 . Such steps and the installation of the cut sheet material  14  can be performed by an individual without additional help. 
         [0018]    Notably, the sheet material  14  and its installation method also allow for ease of removal and re-use. If it becomes necessary or desirable, the sheet material  14  can be repositioned on the same structure  20 , moved to a different location, or removed and saved for future use without the need for any tools. 
         [0019]    While the invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the invention is not limited to squirrels, but is effective against a variety of climbing animals that use their claws to grip a surface being climbed, and is not limited to trees or poles, but can be effectively applied to a variety of upright structures that may be climbed by a clawed animal. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.