Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a barrier against arthropod crawling along a structure. The barrier comprising an outer housing defining a cavity and an access opening. An inner shaft is disposed along a common axis with the outer housing having a mounting member for connecting to an associate structure. An arthropod deterring ingredient is disposed in the cavity for creating an arthropod deterring environment. A baffle cap is slidable along the inner shaft and moveable from and extended position abutting a baffle platform and collapsible to engage the outer housing in a closed position, each position having a snap close fit. Positioning lugs are adapted to fasten the baffle cap in the extended position. The positioning lugs comprise a radial protuberance that is perpendicularly extended from the common axis along the inner shaft.

Description:
This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/409,156, filed Nov. 2, 2010, entitled “ASSURED SNAP ENCLOSURE APPARATUS AND IMPROVEMENT”, which application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present exemplary embodiment relates to an assured snap enclosure apparatus and improvement therefrom. It finds particular application in conjunction with arthropod barriers to interrupt the route of travel and to prevent access by an arthropod to structures where they are not wanted, and will be described with particular reference thereto. The purpose of the disclosure is to repel (or to destroy) arthropods such as insects, and spiders that crawl along elongated structures to get from one point to another. However, this disclosure is more particularly adapted to prevent ants from accessing nectar from hummingbird feeders. It is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications. 
     It should be appreciated that the scope and content of the prior art pertains to the inventions described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,622 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,416 which are hereinafter incorporated by reference. This disclosure particularly improves on the AntGuard® product that is currently sold and marketed by LineGuard, Inc. based in Elyria, Ohio. The AntGuard® product relates to an ant preventer for hummingbird feeders and comprises an outer housing having a solid end wall and a generally continuous side wall defining a cavity and an access opening axially opposite the solid end wall. This structure resembles an inverted cup. An inner shaft is disposed within the outer housing. The shaft and the sidewall share a common axis. The product has a top hook by which it is supported and a bottom hook used to support a feeder. An arthropod deterring ingredient is disposed within the cavity for creating an arthropod deterring environment therein. A baffle cap is also provided for covering the access opening about the outer housing and is moveable along the inner shaft to abuttingly engage the edge of the side wall or open the cavity. 
     However, the AntGuard® product has experienced moments of inefficiency due to associate forces and other natural environmental effects. Namely, the baffle cap freely moves between a closed position adjacent the access opening and an open position adjacent the mounting hook to allow for access to the cavity and the arthropod deterring ingredient disposed therein. The intended purpose of the baffle cap is to enclose the cavity during periods of non use and to open the cavity and expose the arthropod deterring ingredient while in use. However, wind and other environmental effects sometimes move the baffle cap along the inner shaft to close the distance to the outer housing thereby reducing the size of an aperture between the baffle cap and the outer housing. This allows arthropods to crawl over the aperture and to access the hummingbird feeder. 
     Therefore, for the foregoing reasons, there remains a need to prevent the wind and other environmental effects from repositioning the baffle cap from its intended resting position thereby reducing the size of the aperture while the AntGuard® product is in use. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a barrier against arthropods crawling along a structure. The barrier comprising an outer housing having a solid end wall and a generally continuous side wall defining a cavity, the continuous side wall further defining an access opening axially opposite the solid end wall, the access opening is generally defined by an edge of the side wall. Also provided is an inner shaft disposed along a common axis with the outer housing side wall having mounting members for connecting the barrier to the structure. The mounting members are typically hooks positioned on each end of the inner shaft wherein the hook adjacent to the access opening is spaced from the outer housing. 
     An arthropod deterring ingredient, such as a layer of permethrin and piperonyl butoxide in an inert carrier (or other known repellant or insecticide), is disposed in the cavity for creating an arthropod deterring environment inside the outer housing. A baffle cap adopts a similar shape as the access opening for covering the cavity. The baffle cap is slidable along the inner shaft and moveable from an extended position abutting a baffle platform on a first hook and collapsible to engage an edge of the side wall in a closed position. In an extended position, an aperture is created between the baffle cap and the outer housing for access to the arthropod deterring environment. The baffle cap includes an insert wall having at least one cap tab adapted to frictionally engage an inner wall surface of the outer housing for a snap closed fit. 
     In one embodiment, at least one positioning lug is adapted to fasten or even lock the baffle cap in the extended position. The positioning lug comprises a radial protuberance that is perpendicularly extended from the common axis. A baffle platform is provided at a first end of the inner shaft and is axially spaced from the edge of the side wall. The baffle cap is adapted to slide past the radial protuberance and abuttingly engage the baffle platform in the extended position. Here, the radial protuberance abuts a first side of the baffle cap while the baffle platform abuts a second side of the baffle cap, the first side is opposite the second side. 
     An advantage of the present disclosure is to provide an arthropod barrier to prevent arthropod access to structures which is wind resistant. 
     Another advantage of the present disclosure provides a barrier that preserves an arthropod deterring ingredient by closing the baffle cap in a snap lock orientation. 
     Yet another advantage of the present disclosure relates to positioning lugs for fastening the baffle plate in an extended position while the barrier is in use to prevent arthropods from bridging an aperture between the baffle cap and access opening to the cavity. 
     Still other features and benefits of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of the assured snap enclosure apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the assured snap enclosure apparatus with the baffle cap in the extended position; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the assured snap enclosure apparatus with the baffle cap in the closed position; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the front of the assured snap enclosure apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It is to be understood that the detailed figures are for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the drawings are not to scale and that portions of certain elements may be exaggerated for the purpose of clarity and ease of illustration. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a preferred embodiment of an arthropod barrier  100  is disclosed. Arthropod barrier  100  comprises an outer housing  105  with an elongated cylindrical shape defining a substantially hollow cavity. The cavity opens downwardly. A solid end wall  110  is provided at the top of outer housing  105  and prevents crawling arthropod from continuing along an elongated path or structure such as a rope or cord. In one embodiment, a generally continuous side wall  115  defines the elongated cylindrical shape having a substantially hollow cavity within and continuously extends from solid end wall  110 . Continuous side wall  115  is substantially parallel to a common axis  120  that defines an axial center of arthropod barrier  100 . Solid end wall  110  is generally perpendicular to both the continuous side wall  115  and common axis  120 . However, other embodiments can have like shapes and arrangements wherein the barrier  100  is not limited as such. 
     Continuous side wall  115  further defines an access opening  125  that is disposed opposite solid end wall  110 . In one embodiment, access opening  125  is generally defined by an edge  130  and is substantially circular. However, the access opening  125  and edge  130  may comprise different shapes as well. 
     In one embodiment, a structural portion of the barrier  100  is disposed along axis  120  and includes several major elements: a top or first hook  175 , an inner shaft  135 , a baffle platform  180  and a bottom or second hook  170 . The top hook  175  allows one to suspend the product from a rope, cord, wire or other resilient member. The outer housing  105  is mounted on the inner shaft  135  adjacent the top hook  175 . The inner shaft  135  extends downwardly through the outer housing  105  and beyond the bottom of the outer housing  105 . The baffle cap  140  slides along this portion of the inner shaft to baffle platform  180 . The baffle platform  180  is a disk formed near the bottom of the inner shaft  135 . The bottom hook  170  is formed at the bottom of inner shaft  135 . A humming bird feeder or the like is suspended from the bottom hook by a cord, wire or other resilient member. 
     Inner shaft  135  comprises two intersecting elongated planes that are perpendicular relative to one another and define an x-shaped cross-section. This feature generally allows a baffle cap  140  to slidably engage the inner shaft  135  through a similarly arranged x-shaped slot in baffle cap  140 . The x-shaped aperture is located along common axis  120 . The x-shaped cross section and slot feature prevents rotation of the baffle cap  140  during axial movement along the inner shaft  135 . Additionally, the slot within baffle  140  generally circumscribes inner shaft  135  whereby a minor gap is provided between a shaft edge  145  and baffle cap  140 . A plurality of thickened edge portions (not shown) may be optionally provided on baffle cap  140  along a slot edge between each perpendicular plane of inner shaft  135 . The thickened edge portions guide the baffle cap  140  axially along the inner shaft  135  while preventing unwanted non-linear movement of baffle plate  140  along inner shaft  135 . 
     Baffle cap  140  is provided with an insert wall  150  that is adapted to at least partially engage an inner wall surface of outer housing  105 . In one embodiment, insert wall  150  is generally circular and positioned inwardly within an outer baffle edge  155  to fit within access opening  125  while at least partially engaging the inner wall surface of outer housing  105 . The baffle cap  140 , insert wall  150  and outer baffle edge  155  are configured in a similar shape as the edge  130  of the continuous side wall  115  such that the access opening  125  is covered by the baffle cap  140  when in a closed position. 
     The insert wall  150  is also provided with at least one cap tab  160 ,  165  adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall surface of outer housing  105  to provide a snap closed fit between the baffle cap  140  and the continuous side wall  115  when in the closed position. The cap tabs  160 ,  165  resemble radially extending teeth which engage the inside surface of the side wall  115 . 
     An arthropod deterring ingredient (not shown) is provided within the hollow cavity for creating an arthropod deterring environment inside outer housing  105 . The arthropod deterring ingredient is well known in the art and may be formed into a disc shaped wafer or any other assimilated embodiment to allow for a stable installation within outer housing  105 . In one embodiment, the arthropod deterring ingredient comprises a combination of permethrin and piperonyl butoxide along with other inert ingredients that has been formed into a solid form and positioned within a retaining member along inner shaft  135  within outer housing  105 . However, the disclosure is not limited to the described arthropod deterring ingredient combination or arrangement. 
     First hook  170  is a mounting member and is disposed along common axis  120 . The first hook  170  is attached to a first end  185  of inner shaft  135  at the baffle platform  180 . Baffle platform  180  has a substantially planar orientation having a length depicted to be larger than a length of first hook  170 . However, the baffle platform  180  can be any desired shape. In one embodiment, the baffle platform  180  includes a size that is configured to support the baffle cap  140  in the extended position such that the baffle cap is in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to the common axis  120 . 
     Second hook  175  is substantially aligned with solid end wall  110  along common axis  120 . First hook  170  is adapted to operably connect to an associate hummingbird feeder. Second hook  175  is adapted to operably connect to an associate resilient member. However, although the mounting members described are hooks in the preferred embodiment, any other mounting members known in the art are covered by this application. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the arthropod barrier is shown with the baffle cap in the closed position. At least one positioning lug  190  extends outwardly from the inner shaft  135  spaced slightly above the baffle platform  180 . A first distance  205  from the top of the baffle platform  180  to the bottom of the lugs  190  is approximately the same as the thickness of the baffle cap  140 . This arrangement creates an aperture between baffle cap  140  and outer housing  105  for access to the arthropod deterring environment. Positioning lugs  190  may comprise a radial protuberance or a bump formed about inner shaft  135  along the shaft edge  145 . The radial protuberance is shaped in such a way as to allow baffle cap  140  to slide over the radial protuberance and abuttingly engage baffle platform  180 . In one embodiment, positioning lugs  190  are located along inner shaft  135  at the first distance  205  substantially equal to the axial height of baffle cap  140 . In the extended position, baffle cap  140  abuts at least a portion of positioning lug  190  at a first side  195  of baffle cap  140  wherein baffle platform  180  abuts a second side  200  of baffle cap  140 . First side  195  and second side  200  are opposite one another on baffle cap  140 . This fastening arrangement prevents unwanted axial movement of baffle cap  140  along inner shaft  135  thereby preventing arthropods from bridging the aperture thereby avoiding exposure to the arthropod deterring ingredient. 
       FIG. 1  indicates a top portion of barrier  100  wherein solid end wall  110  is shaped in a substantially round orientation.  FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of first hook  170  and clearly indicates one embodiment whereby positioning lugs  190  and baffle platform  180  are disposed along inner shaft  135 . Notably, baffle platform  180  has a substantially circular configuration with a larger diameter than first hook  170  wherein baffle cap  140  is prevented from nonlinear axial motion along inner shaft  135  when baffle cap  140  is fastened between positioning lugs  190  and the baffle platform  180 . It should be appreciated that slot gaps are provided at baffle cap  140  to allow for manual engagement and disengagement of baffle cap  140  over positioning lugs  190 . The slot gaps comprise a space between shaft edge  145  and baffle cap  140  and are specifically dimensioned to allow the barrier  100  to be arranged in both the extended position and the closed position. 
     The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiment be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.