Garden pest control device

A pest control device is provided for deterring or attracting creatures which feed on vegetables, fruits and flowers grown by farmers and gardeners. The device includes a base portion within which an odorous substance is disposed. The odorous substance is selected to either deter or attract pests and insects. A cap portion is removably securable to the base portion and covers the base portion to prevent the gravitational accumulation of rainwater therein. An unsealed region between the base portion and the cap portion allows odors from the odorous substance within the base portion to flow into the ambient environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to the field of gardening, and more particularly to
 a pest control device capable of repelling or attracting animals and
 insects to a garden.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 Traditionally, animals such as rabbits, woodchucks, birds and insects and
 the like have been a nuisance to both gardeners and farmers, because they
 feed on cultivated vegetables, flowers and fruits. Consequently, many
 different methods have been attempted to dissuade these creatures from
 pillaging gardens and crops. However, most of these methods have proven,
 at best, to be only partially effective and some of the methods degrade
 the environment by threatening the quality of ground water or by
 eliminating helpful creatures.
 Fencing around the garden has proven inadequate for the simple reason that
 many of these creatures burrow underneath a fence, not to mention the
 ability of birds to simply fly over it or slip through it. Visual devices
 such as scarecrows are also limited in their ability to drive away garden
 pests. Even sonic transmitters have been attempted as a way to drive off
 burrowing creatures, but have met with limited success. There are sprays
 for bushes and fruit trees used to discourage deer and other animals, but
 these sprays often have to be reapplied after each rain.
 Pesticides have been sprayed on plants and poison placed in baited traps to
 kill unwanted pests. However, many farmers, and most gardeners, are
 uncomfortable with the use of such chemicals because of their potential
 toxicity to humans and overall damaging impact on the environment.
 Hence, there is a need in the field of garden pest control for a device
 which is inexpensive and environmentally friendly.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 An object of the present invention is to provide an environmentally
 friendly garden pest control device.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-lethal pest
 control device which repels pests such as a animals and insects.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which
 attracts animals and insects.
 According to the present invention, a pest control device includes a
 partially open container in which an odorous substance is stored. The
 odorous substance can be chosen to provide either an odor which repels
 animals and insects, or an odor which attracts certain animals and
 insects. The container is open at the top to allow odors to escape while
 preventing leakage of the odorous substance. The container includes a cap
 which shelters the open top, while allowing odors from the odorous
 substance to permeate into the surrounding ambient atmosphere. The cap
 prevents rain, dust and the like from falling into the container and
 potentially overflowing it, or diluting the odorous contents.
 The cap has a shape which allows moisture to drain away from the container,
 such as a dome, or perhaps, an inverted cone or the like. In addition, the
 cap may be removably attachable to the container to prevent inadvertent
 dislodging of the cap.
 The base is substantially cylindrical and is rigidly connected to an inner,
 concentric cylindrical element which resides within the container. The
 odorous substance is disposed in the container formed by the toroidal
 space between the two concentric cylinders. The inner cylinder may have
 threads which engage threads located on the cap to hold the base and cap
 together. Any space within the inner cylinder may also be used to store
 ballast such as dirt or sand to stabilize the container where wind may be
 strong enough to tip the container, especially when it is suspended.
 The pest control device may also include a stake guideway disposed within
 the container, to provide a hollow pathway from the top of the base
 through the bottom of the base. An outer surface of the guideway is sealed
 to the base and, therefore, no leakage of odorous substance occurs. The
 stake guideway provides a direct passage from above the top surface of the
 odorous substance through to a surface below the base. A stake may be
 located within the stake guideway and driven into the surface below the
 container, typically the earth, to secure the device.
 The pest control device may also include a suspension mechanism, such as a
 hook or an eyelet affixed to the cap which allows the container to be
 suspended. The cap may include a threaded hole (as opposed to a fixed
 eyelet or hook) into which a threaded eyelet or a hook can be inserted. As
 such, the hook or eyelet can be added by the user if it becomes desirable
 to suspend the device.
 To replenish the pest control device with the odorous substance, the cap
 may include a movable segment such as a slidable door which, when opened,
 exposes the container region of the base. When closed, the door places the
 device in its normal functioning condition.
 The pest control device may also include an electric fan on the underside
 of the cap to distribute the odor of the odorous substance more
 effectively. The fan may be battery powered, or preferably powered by a
 solar cell or panel located on the top of the cap. Thus, sunlight reaching
 the cell is converted to electrical current which drives the fan.
 In another embodiment to the invention, the base is an oblong trough within
 which the odorous substance is disposed. The open top of the trough would
 be covered by a roof-like cap, which is preferably "A" shaped. The
 trough-like containers may be made to any desired length, and allow a user
 the option of one long odorous substance barrier. As such, multiple
 troughs may be used to surround virtually any size parcel of cultivated
 land which a user desires to protect.
 A feature of the pest control device of the present invention is that it
 can be configured to either attract or repel pests, such as animals and
 insects to and from a garden, or any certain geographic location. As a
 repellent, the present invention is an environmentally friendly mechanism
 which releases an odor repugnant to pests. To attract desirable creatures,
 the device releases a captivating odor to draw the creatures to the
 garden.
 These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
 will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description
 of several exemplary embodiments thereof as illustrated in the
 accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 FIG. 1 illustrates a garden pest control device 10 having a
 cylindrically-shaped base 12 and an inner cylinder 14 disposed
 concentrically therein. The inner cylinder 14 is rigidly affixed to a
 bottom portion 16 of the base 12. The inner cylinder is open at the top
 and may be filled with a ballast material such as dirt or sand, to help
 keep the device in place.
 Also rigidly affixed to the base 12, and adjacent to the inner cylinder 14,
 are stake guideways 18. The stake guideways 18 are cylindrically-shaped,
 and provide a conduit through the bottom portion 16 of the base 12, thus
 resulting in holes in the otherwise circular bottom portion 16. These
 guideways 18 are sized to receive stakes 20 which can be driven into a
 surface below, such as the earth. Thus, in practice, the base 12 is placed
 on the ground in the vicinity of plants to be protected. The stakes 20 are
 then placed in the stake guideway and driven into the ground, thereby
 firmly holding the base 12 in place.
 Despite the passages in the bottom portion 16 required for the stakes 20,
 the stake guideways 18 are tightly sealed to the bottom portion 16, as is
 inner cylinder 14. The base 12 thereby forms a leakproof container having
 a substantially toroidal containing region. Located within the containing
 region of the base 12 is an odorous substance 22 which, in a preferred
 embodiment, may be a liquid or solid. The odorous substance 22 is
 preferably a material having either a pungent odor known to repel unwanted
 animals, or a captivating odor to attract desirable creatures. Ammonia has
 been found to be a particularly effective deterrent material, but moth
 balls, pepper, soap, dried blood, human and dog hair, and tobacco may also
 be used, as well as other known deterrents such as commercially available
 products sold under the trademarks THIRAM.TM. and HINDER.TM., and products
 having similar characteristics. Effective attractants may include sweet
 smelling substances such as honey and essence of citrus. In general, the
 type of odorous substance selected will depend upon the requirements of
 each user application.
 In order to prevent the gravitational accumulation of rainwater or other
 material in the base 12, the pest control device 10 includes a cap 24
 which covers the open top of the base 12. The cap 24 is shaped to match
 the shape of the base 12, but is preferably wider in diameter to provide
 an overhang which extends beyond the upwardly projecting sidewalls of the
 base 12. Thus, moisture runs off the edge of cap 24 and drips to the
 ground below rather than finding its way into the container formed in the
 base 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top surface of the cap 24 is
 preferably elevated in the middle to promote the gravitational runoff of
 moisture due to the pitch of the cap 24. The cap 24 shown in FIG. 1 is
 shaped somewhat like an inverted cone, but other shapes, such as a dome or
 a pyramid, provide a similar effect.
 To prevent the cap 24 from becoming dislodged from the base 12, a removable
 connection is provided to hold the base and cap together. A threaded
 center portion 26 is sized to mesh with threads 28 located on the inner
 cylinder 14. In the embodiment shown, the threads on the inner portion 26
 are on an outside surface, while the threads on the inner cylinder 14 are
 on an inner surface, although the reverse could just as easily be true. In
 operation, after filling the container with the desired odorous material
 22, the cap 24 is screwed into the base by meshing the threads 26 and 28
 and rotating the cap accordingly.
 In a preferred embodiment, the threads on both the inner portion 26 and the
 inner cylinder 14 are sufficiently long to allow the cap to be screwed
 down to the base 12 to the point where a flat surface on the underside of
 the cap 24 contacts an upper rim of the base 12. When screwed all the way
 down in this manner, the odorous substance 22 is sealed within the pest
 controller 10, and the device is effectively disabled. This feature may be
 particularly desirable to a user who is working in the vicinity of the
 device (as when working in the garden), and who does not wish to be
 exposed to offensive odors which the pest control device 10 may otherwise
 produce. In addition, varying the distance between the rim of the base 12
 and the sealing surface of the cap 24 allows a user to control the potency
 of the pest control device 10 by changing the size of the opening through
 which the odor permeates.
 The pest control device may also include a threaded mounting hole 30 which
 is located in the cap 24. The mounting hole 30 is cut to a standard size,
 and allows the insertion of a suspension mechanism such as a hook or, in
 this case, an eyelet 32. The eyelet 32 may also be made integral with the
 cap 24, if so desired. With the cap 24 attached to the base 12, the pest
 control device 10 may be suspended by the eyelet 32. This allows the pest
 control device 10 to be suspended in a tree or other area where it is
 desirable to deter birds or climbing animals.
 FIG. 3 illustrates another pest control device embodiment having a base 50
 which forms a substantially toroidal containing region. The toroidal shape
 of the containing region surrounds a substantially cylindrical stake
 guideway 52 in the center of the base, and into which a stake 54 may be
 removably inserted to secure the base to the ground.
 To allow the stake 54 to be interchangeably added and removed, a tab
 channel 55 is provided within which a tab 56 of the stake 54 may be
 inserted as the stake 54 is inserted into the stake guideway 52. As the
 stake 54 is inserted into stake guideway 52, the tab 56 is inserted past a
 tab lock 58, which projects across only part of the tab channel 55. This
 partial coverage is demonstrated by the isolated, cross-sectional top view
 of FIG. 3A. Once the tab 56 is past the tab lock 58, the stake 54 is
 rotated within the stake guideway 52, such that, the tab 56 is positioned
 above the tab lock 58. In this position, movement of the stake 54 away
 from the base 50 is prevented until the stake is subsequently rotated in
 an opposite direction to free the tab 56 from the obstruction of the tab
 lock 58.
 The removable stake 54 of FIG. 3 is advantageous for allowing the simple
 hand-held attachment and removal of the stake to the base 50, as well as
 providing ease of manufacture for the base 50 and the stake 54. For
 example, both the base 50 and the stake 54 can be injection molded at a
 low cost. An additional feature of this embodiment is a suspension
 mechanism (e.g., an eyelet 62) which is integral with the device which
 secures the cap and base together. In this case, the eyelet 62 is integral
 with a securing rod 64 which passes through the cap down to the upper
 surface of the stake guideway 52. A lower end of the rod 64 has screw
 threads 66 which mate with corresponding threads 68 formed in the top
 surface of stake guideway 52.
 The separation between the cap 60 and the base 50 is maintained by cap
 supports 70 and cap posts 74. The cap supports 70 are both rigidly
 connected to a support bracket 72. In practice, the cap 60 is located such
 that the cap posts 74 contact the top of the cap supports 70. Rod 64 is
 then inserted through the top of the cap 60, and the threads 66 of rod 64
 mesh with the threads 68 by hand tightening the eyelet 62 to secure the
 cap to the base. Once the cap 60 is securely connected to the base 50, the
 pest control device may be suspended by the eyelet 62, or the stake 54 can
 be inserted into the stake guideway 52 to secure the device to the earth.
 If the pest control device is placed on a hard planar surface, the stake
 54 may be omitted, and the base unit 50 simply laid on the desired
 surface.
 Another feature shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3 is the use of an
 absorbent material 76 in the containing region of the base 50. A
 sponge-like material may be used, although alternative absorbing materials
 may be equally effective. The absorbent material 76 provides a porous
 framework within which an odorous fluid substance may reside. This
 framework helps to prevent spillage of the odorous substance 78 and helps
 to slow evaporation.
 FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the pest controller suitable to
 mounting to virtually any surface. The embodiment in FIG. 4 is
 substantially the same as the embodiment in FIG. 3 with the exception that
 the embodiment in FIG. 4 includes a plate 77 which extends from the lower
 surface of the base. The plate 77 includes a plurality of holes 79 which
 allows the device to be securely mounted to a windowsill (e.g., to deter
 nesting birds) using nails, or to virtually any other surface including
 the ground. The underside to the plate 77 may also be compatible with
 various adhesives to allow the device to be mounted using an adhesive,
 rather than a fastener.
 FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention in which
 the stake guideway consists of a channel 82 running through a base 80, as
 well as a coaxial channel 86 through a cap 84. The two channels 82, 86 are
 aligned with each other when the cap posts 74 are positioned atop the cap
 supports 88 of mounting bracket 90. A full length stake 92 may then be
 passed through both the cap 84 and the base 80 and pressed into a surface
 below the base 80, such as the earth. An advantage of this embodiment is
 that the full length stake 92 secures the cap 84 to the base 80, and
 secures the entire device to the earth below. A stake removal ring 94 is
 attached to the top of the full length stake 92 to allow user to easily
 withdraw the stake 92 from the earth. The stake removal ring 94 is
 preferably attached to the top of the full length stake 92 by a lateral
 hinge 96 which allows the ring 94 to be folded down against the top of the
 stake 92, thus reducing the height of the pest control device and
 improving its aesthetic appearance.
 The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 illustrates a feature that can be combined
 with each of the other embodiments described herein. Shown in FIG. 6 is a
 pest control device having a cap 98 with a sliding door 102 which is
 attached to the cap 98 in a manner conventional in the art of sliding
 doors. A projecting knob 104 on the door 102 provides a handle by which a
 user may slide the door 102 open or closed. When the door 102 is open, the
 odorous substance can be easily added to the container formed in the base,
 without having to remove the cover. When closed, the door completes the
 surface of the cap 98 to protect the odorous substance in the container
 from rainwater or other settling material. It is contemplated that various
 other embodiments may be used including a hinged door or a removable door,
 or any other protective barrier which allows easy access to the container.
 FIG. 7 is a cross-section illustration of still another embodiment of the
 invention. A fan 106 is mounted in a cap 108 of the pest control device.
 The fan 106 is electrically powered and enhances the circulation of odor
 to the external ambient environment, thereby increasing the coverage area
 and the effectiveness of the device.
 Preferably, the electrical power to drive the fan 106 is provided by a
 solar panel 112 and the fan 106 is electrically connected to the solar
 panel 112 by wires 114. A battery (not shown) may also be used, alone, or
 in conjunction with the solar array 112, to store electrical power to
 drive the fan 106.
 To further facilitate the permeation of odors from the device, FIG. 8
 illustrates a top view of a pest control device 116 cover having a
 plurality of sheltered openings 118 formed therein. Each opening includes
 an overhang 120 which prevents rain water and the like from flowing in
 through the openings, while allowing odorous vapors which may accumulate
 along the inside of the cover to easily exit the device.
 The pest control device of the present invention can also be used in large
 industrial applications. FIG. 9 is an illustration of such an embodiment
 33 in which the base unit 34 is an oblong trough. Because the trough 34 is
 typically much longer than it is wide or high, the center portion of the
 device is cut away in the figure to allow it to be shown at a larger
 scale. It will be understood that the center portion which is cut away is
 simply a continuation of the shape and composition of the portions of the
 base unit 34 which are shown.
 The base unit 34 is filled with the odorous substance 22 which extends all
 the way along the length of the trough 34. The odorous substance 22 is the
 same as that of the previous embodiments, and the same variety of odorous
 substance choices are therefore available. Mounted above the trough 34 is
 a roof 36 which covers the trough 34 and prevents the gravitational
 accumulation of rainwater and/or other material. The roof 36 is supported
 by a plurality of supports 38, which will vary in number depending on the
 length of the trough 34. An underside of the roof 36 rests on supports 38,
 or is permanently affixed thereto.
 A preferred use for the trough embodiment of FIG. 9 is shown in the
 isometric view of FIG. 10. As shown, a field of crops 40 is surrounded on
 four sides by a plurality of pest control devices 33. Arrangement of the
 devices 33 in this manner provides a pest control barrier about the entire
 perimeter of the growing area of the field 40. It will be quickly
 recognized by those skilled in the art that the formation of such a
 perimeter barrier may be made with other shapes and configurations of the
 present invention. For example, the devices 33 might be circular in shape
 surrounding a circular parcel of land, or the trough portions 34 might be
 linked together in a square or rectangular shape to provide a continuous
 enclosure surrounding the growing field 40. Any of these variations is
 within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the system may
 include pumping stations, reservoirs, and other components necessary for
 large applications.
 Although the present invention has been shown in a number of embodiment
 herein, there are many other modifications and embodiment which are within
 the scope of the present invention. As an example, the pest control device
 is not limited to operating as either a repellent or an attractant. The
 pest control device may include both a repugnant substance to repel
 certain creatures, and a captivating substance to attract other types of
 creatures. The pest control device is also not limited to being suspended
 from its cover; the device may be suspended from supports in the base or
 the upwardly facing sidewalls. The pest control device may also be
 incorporated into an ornamental lawn figure, and may include a marker to
 facilitate quickly locating the device in a garden.
 In addition, while the invention has been particularly shown and described
 with references to the preferred embodiments herein, it will be understood
 by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be
 made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
 defined by the appended claims. For example, mixing and matching of the
 foregoing embodiments provides devices having a desired combination of
 features. Therefore, any such combination is likewise considered to be
 within the scope of the present invention.