Abstract:
Apparatus and method for protecting against and stopping an attack by stinging flying insects. The apparatus is modular and activated by an operator of a mobile conveyance turned victim of an insect attack. A tank contains an insect killing solution, and the tank is fluidly connected by a hose with a delivery system that is characterized by a plurality of spray nozzles. In response to an attack by stinging flying insects, an operator activates an electric pump that delivers the solution from the tank to the delivery system under pressure via the hose. The pump, hose and delivery system are incorporated into the tank, with the hose and delivery system disposed in channels on the surface of the tank, in order to create a modular assembly that may be mounted to the mobile conveyance.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 11/346,035, filed on Feb. 2, 2006 now abandoned and entitled “Apparatus for Protecting Against Insect Attacks.” 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to protecting against stinging flying insects, and more particularly relates to apparatus for thwarting attacks of stinging flying insects. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a modular apparatus for delivering a spray or mist of a surfactant solution to stop an attack of stinging insects and to assist victims in evading such attacks. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Despite their value as pollinators and producers of honey and wax, bees are generally unwelcome in the vicinity of people because of the possibility that the bees may swarm, attack, and repeatedly sting those nearby. Bees may attack unsuspecting persons without provocation, and leave the person without a defense to the swarm. Increasing the concerns associated with bee attacks is the migration of “Africanized” honeybees into the southern regions of the United States. These Africanized honeybees attack with more intensity and persistence than the indigenous species of honeybee, often stinging their victim hundreds of times. With the movement of Africanized honeybees, or so-called “killer bees,” into an area, it becomes even more important to make available means to protect against and end attacks by swarming bees before the results are fatal. 
     Research has shown that a person may defend against attacks from certain bees by exposing the bees to a surfactant spray or mist. In some instances, the surfactant may comprise a mixture of soap and water. The soap, upon contacting a bee, breaks down the waxy protective covering of the bee&#39;s breathing system, thereby drowning the bees in the water. Sprayer devices that deliver a low volume flow of a surfactant spray or mist in response to an attack are effective for controlling and killing certain less aggressive, indigenous bees. However, a low volume surfactant spray or mist response may not be suitable to combat an attack by a swarm of more aggressive “killer bees” given the greater intensity and persistence of attack. 
     A surfactant spray or mist method of bee protection may be effective and practicable in situations where a capable sprayer device is readily available and can be quickly moved into proximity to apply the surfactant spray or mist to the person under attack. Even then, however, a person under attack by stinging bees may become incapacitated and unable set up and operate the equipment alone, and thus must to wait for help to arrive. The victim is typically forced to wait for the arrival of the fire department or another responder with the capability to rescue a victim from a stinging flying insect attack. To further compound the problem, attacks by aggressive bees often occur in remote locations where prompt response from the fire department or other responder is unlikely or even impossible, thereby making the chance of a high volume sprayer device arriving in time to end the attack unreliable. Ranchers and farmers, for example, are frequently alone when attacked, such as when operating a tractor, entering a remote barn or shed, cutting brush, or fixing fences. As such, a need exists for a mobile modular system that can provide a spray or mist of surfactant with enough intensity to effectively protect against and stop a large swarm of aggressive killer bees, and that can be integrated into a mobile conveyance and arranged to be self-administered with little thought or coordinated effort when under the stress of an attack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiments of the described herein are directed to apparatus for delivering a spray or mist of an insect-killing solution, such as a surfactant, to a person being attacked and stung by the insects. It is desired to provide a modular flying insect protection device that is mobile, self-contained, and can deliver a flow of surfactant spray or mist sufficient to quickly kill and/or thwart a large swarm of aggressive bees. The embodiments of the modular flying insect protection device described herein allow for use of the modular flying insect protection device in various environments and applications that can be utilized when rapid outside rescue response is not reliably available. 
     In one embodiment, the modular flying insect protection device includes a tank, an electric pump, a tubular member, a delivery system, and a surfactant solution. The tank may be comprised of plastic or fiberglass and may be sized according to the desired level of portability for each embodiment of the device. The electric pump is desired to have enough power to deliver the surfactant solution at a flow rate of 1-3 gallons per minute (GPM) and may be mounted to or located within the tank. The tubular member may be a hose connected between the tank and the delivery system and may be mounted to the tank. The tubular member allows for fluid communication between the tank and delivery system. The delivery system is characterized by a plurality of spray nozzles that may be mounted to the tank, through which the surfactant solution is expelled. The surfactant solution is contained in the tank, and may be comprised of a mixture of soap and water. In certain embodiments, the tank is mounted to a mobile conveyance and is positioned behind an operator such that the nozzles of the delivery system are directed to expel the surfactant solution on the operator. An alternative embodiment includes an additional handheld delivery system that may be stored within the tank. In such embodiments, an additional coiled hose may be provided to supply the handheld delivery system, wherein the coiled hose may be self-retracting within a separate compartment of the tank. 
     When an operator in proximity of a modular flying insect protection device is attacked by a swarm of bees or other flying stinging insects, the operator may engage an actuator to activate the electric pump, thereby pressurizing the surfactant solution. The surfactant solution is pumped from the tank by the electric pump through the tubular member and to the delivery system. The surfactant solution is atomized when pumped through the plurality of spray nozzles of the delivery system, creating a surfactant spray or mist that is directed to surround and soak the operator under attack. The operator under attack is enveloped in the overlapping spray and mist fields of the delivery system, such that the operator is covered with the surfactant solution. The surfactant spray or mist also contacts the bees attacking the operator, killing the stinging bees and stopping the attack. 
     Thus, the embodiments described herein comprise a combination of features and characteristics that are directed to overcoming various shortcomings of prior devices. The various characteristics described above, as well as other features, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and be referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more detailed description of the embodiments, reference will now be made to the following accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic elevation view of the modular flying insect protection device disposed on a farm tractor; 
         FIG. 2A  is a schematic view of the tank of the modular flying insect protection device; 
         FIG. 2B  is a schematic side view of the tank of the modular flying insect protection device; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a handheld pressure sprayer embodiment of the delivery system; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a coiled hose of the modular flying insect protection device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the drawings and description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form, and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. Further, use of any form of the terms “connect”, “engage”, “couple”, “attach”, or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. The various characteristics mentioned above, as well as other features and characteristics described in more detail below, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1A , modular flying insect protection device  100  is shown. Modular flying insect protection device  100  includes tank  10 , electric pump  12 , tubular member  20 , delivery system  30 , and surfactant solution  40 . Tubular member  20  and delivery system  30  are mounted on an outer surface  11  of tank  10 . Electric pump  12  is preferably a self-priming, diaphragm pump that is mounted on an outer surface of or within tank  10 , and is preferably powered by a DC motor (not shown). Tank  10  is mounted directly to a mobile conveyance, such as tractor  500  shown in  FIG. 1A . The DC motor driving electric pump  12  is preferably powered by connection to the battery (not shown) of tractor  500 . In certain embodiments, tank  10  is comprised of plastic, such as LDPE, or may alternatively be comprised of fiberglass or any other suitable light-weight material. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , tank  10  is characterized on at least one outer surface by channel  14 . Channel  14  is preferably formed on outer surface  11  of tank  10  during the manufacturing process, and is approximately one and a half inches deep and one and a half inches wide. Channel  14  is oriented in a vertical position on outer surface  11  of tank  10 , and has a first and second end from which branches  15   a  and  15   b  are formed. Branches  15   a  and  15   b  are formed on outer surface  11  of tank  10  during the manufacturing process, and are the same depth and width as channel  14 . Branch  15   a  may be positioned in a horizontal orientation relative to the operational position of tank  10 , while branch  15   b  may be positioned in a diagonal orientation relative to the operational position of tank  10 . Tubular member  20  is positioned and secured on the outer surface  11  of tank  10  within channel  14  and branches  15   a  and  15   b . Tubular member  20  is fluidly connected between fluid reservoir  16  of tank  10  and delivery system  30 . Tubular member  20  enters tank  10  through a threaded grommet (not shown) and extends into fluid reservoir  16 . In certain embodiments, tubular member  20  is a hose, and may be comprised of rubber, plastic, or other suitable flexible tubular material. Tubular member  20  may likewise be comprised of rigid or non-rigid conduit. 
     Fluid reservoir  16  of tank  10  is filled with surfactant solution  40  and may have a volumetric capacity in the range of four to thirty gallons. The size of tank  10  in the varying embodiments of modular flying insect protection device  100  is dependent upon the anticipated and/or desired use. In this particular embodiment, tank  10  preferably has a volumetric capacity of sixteen gallons. Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in the present embodiment tank  10  is mounted to a wheeled vehicle or a mobile conveyance, such as tractor  500 . The configuration of tank  10  is such that it may be connected to tractor  500  with components tubular member  20 , delivery system  30 , electric pump  12 , and surfactant solution  40  integrally attached to tank  10 , thereby providing the modular characteristic of the present embodiment. Tank  10  is preferably positioned in an area behind the operator of tractor  500 , and is oriented in such a manner so that outer surface  11  of tank  10 , characterized by channel  14  and branches  15   a  and  15   b , is adjacent to and faces the back of the operator. 
     In certain embodiments, delivery system  30  may be comprised of a plurality of nozzles  35 . Nozzles  35  are mounted to tank  10  in proximity to the operator of tractor  500  and are fluidly connected to the portions of tubular member  20  positioned in branches  15   a  and  15   b . As used herein, the phrase “fluidly connected” means that the components are interconnected in a manner that permits fluid flow there between. More specifically, in certain embodiments nozzles  35  may be situated at four locations within branches  15   a  and  15   b  on tank  10 , and are directed toward the operator. The four locations of nozzles  35  may be distributed across the length and width of tank  10 , such that a first pair of nozzles  35  are located at a first, upper elevation within branch  15   a , and a second pair of nozzles  35  are located at a second, lower elevation within branch  15   b . Further, one of each of the first pair and second pair of nozzles  35  are located to the left side and right side of the centerline of tank  10 , thereby providing a source of surfactant solution  40  that is capable of surrounding the operator on at least three sides. Surfactant solution  40  is delivered from tank  10  via tubular member  20  to nozzles  35  under pressure from electric pump  12 , and is expelled from nozzles  35  in the direction of the operator. Nozzles  35  may be comprised of brass, and may deliver a wide-field, conical-shaped spray (as illustrated by the dashed lines in  FIG. 2B ) of surfactant solution  40 , a more concentrated direct stream of surfactant solution  40 , or some combination thereof. 
     When an operator riding a mobile conveyance such as tractor  500  equipped with a modular flying insect protection device  100  is attacked by stinging flying insects, device  100  is utilized to deliver a spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  from nozzles  35  that envelopes the operator under attack. Electric pump  12  pressurizes surfactant solution  40  contained in fluid reservoir  16  of tank  10 , delivering surfactant solution  40  under pressure through tubular member  20  located in channel  14  and branches  15   a  and  15   b  to nozzles  35 . The pressure on surfactant solution  40  created by electric pump  12  forces surfactant solution  40  through nozzles  35 , thereby delivering surfactant solution  40  in a stream, spray, mist or small droplets. As the field of spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  is applied to and envelops the operator under attack, the spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  also contacts the attacking bees in the vicinity. The attacking bees exposed to the spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  from nozzles  35  are stopped and killed. 
     It is preferred that electric pump  12  deliver the spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  through spray nozzles  35  at a flow rate of 1-3 gallons per minute. Referring now to  FIG. 2B , the spray or mist of surfactant solution  40  provided by delivery system  30  preferably has a maximum linear range of  6  to  8  feet, and provides a coverage area based on a spray angle between forty-five (45) and one hundred twenty (120) degrees, as designated by arrows  42  in  FIG. 2B , and more preferably, about ninety (90) degrees. In certain embodiments, surfactant solution  40  is a soap-water mixture, wherein the ratio of soap to water is 1:15. For example, surfactant solution  40  may be comprised of a mixture of 1 gallon of ZEP® liquid soap with 15 gallons of water. Alternatively, surfactant solution  40  may also be comprised of a 1:15 mixture of detergent and water, or a 1:15 mixture of shampoo and water, as further examples. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an alternative embodiment of device  100  may entail the use of delivery system  50  shown therein. In this embodiment, delivery system  50  may be included concurrently with, and as a supplement to, delivery system  30 , and includes a grip  51 , trigger  52 , spray jet  53 , hose couple  54 , and an internal valve (not shown). Delivery system  50  may also be provided independent of and apart from delivery system  30 . Delivery system  50  may be generally “L-shaped” and in the style of a pressure-washer sprayer, with spray jet  53  disposed at one end and hose couple  54  disposed at a second end. Hose couple  54  is connected at one end of grip  51  and provides an entry port for surfactant solution  40  to enter delivery system  50 . A coiled hose  60  attaches to hose couple  54  via fitting  62 , thereby fluidly connecting grip  51  and tank  10 . Coiled hose  60  may be stored in an internal compartment (not shown) within tank  10  separate from fluid reservoir  16 . Coiled hose  60  is preferably self-retracting, may be comprised of rubber, plastic, or other suitable flexible tubular material, and may be capable of being extracted up to 20 inches out of tank  10 . Trigger  52  is disposed on grip  51 , and trigger  52  is activated to open and close the internal valve located in the internal passage of grip  51  to control fluid flow. 
     The internal valve is opened by actuating trigger  52 . Depressing trigger  52  further activates a switch (not shown) that energizes electric pump  12 , which pressurizes surfactant solution  40  in tank  10 . Surfactant solution  40  is delivered under pressure via coiled hose  60  to delivery system  50 , and flows through grip  51  to spray jet  53 . Surfactant solution  40  is expelled through spray jet  53  as a spray and a stream, and is directed to the operator under attack by stinging bees. Delivery system  50  may be directed so that surfactant solution  40  encompasses the operator or other person in proximity concurrently under attack, and also contacts the stinging bees, thereby stopping the attack and killing the bees. 
     All of the above-described embodiments mounted to a portable platform allow the modular flying insect protection device  100  to be portable and easily accessible to an operator within a short time of a bee attack. Further, these embodiments allow an operator to engage the device by a simple pull of a trigger or the pressing of a switch. Importantly too, the embodiments discussed herein allow a victim to operate the device despite the stress of the attack and without the need of outside intervention and independent of rescue efforts. 
     While preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or teaching herein. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only and are not limiting. It will be appreciated that many other modifications and improvements to the disclosure herein may be made without departing from the inventive concepts herein disclosed. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the present inventive concept, including equivalent structures or materials hereafter thought of, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.