Patent Publication Number: US-2022225582-A1

Title: Insect Barrier Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to barrier devices and more particularly pertains to a new barrier device for inhibiting crawling insects from climbing a trunk of a tree. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to barrier devices including a variety of tree protection rings that include a sloped top side to inhibit crawling insects from climbing the trunk of a tree. The prior art discloses a tree protection ring that holds water and that includes a fastener that penetrates the trunk of a tree for attaching the tree protection ring to the trunk of the tree. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pair of first shells that is each removably attached together to form a closed ring around a trunk of a tree. Each of the first shells is concavely hollow thereby facilitating each of the first shells to be fillable with water. In this way the first shells inhibit crawling insects from crossing the first shells and subsequently climbing the trunk of the tree. A pair of second shells provided and each of the second shells is removably attached together to form a closed ring around the trunk of the tree. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an insect barrier assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a pair of first shells of an embodiment of the disclosure showing the first shells forming a closed ring. 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of a pair of second shells of an embodiment of the disclosure showing the second shells being detached from each other. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new barrier device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the insect barrier assembly  10  generally comprises a pair of first shells  12  that can be removably attached together to form a closed ring. In this way each the first shells  12  can be positioned around a trunk  14  of a tree  16 . Each of the first shells  12  is concavely hollow thereby facilitating each of the first shells  12  to be fillable with water  18 . In this way the first shells  12  inhibit crawling insects from crossing the first shells  12  and subsequently climbing the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Thus, the crawling insects are inhibited from eating leaves and fruit on the tree  16 , thereby enhancing the health of the tree  16 . 
     Each of the first shells  12  has a first end  20 , a second end  22  and an outer surface  24  extending therebetween, and each of the first shells  12  has a front edge  26  and a back edge  28  each extending between the first end  20  and the second end  22 . Each of the first shells  12  is curved between the first end  20  and the second end  22  such that each of the first shells  12  forms a semi-circle. The outer surface  24  has top side  30  and the top side  30  of the outer surface  24  of each of the first shells  12  is concavely arcuate between the front edge  26  and the back edge  28 . Each of the first end  20  and the second end  22  of each of the first shells  12  abuts each other to form the closed ring thereby facilitating the first shells  12  to be positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Additionally, each of the first end  20  and the second end  22  of each of the first shells  12  may be comprised of a resiliently compressible material thereby facilitating the first end  20  to form a fluid impermeable seal with the second end  22  to inhibit the water  18  from leaking out of the first shells  12 . Additionally, each of the first shells  12  may have a width of at least 3.0 inches to ensure insects cannot cross the first shells  12 . 
     A pair of first receivers  32  is each coupled to the first end  20  of a respective one of the first shells  12 . A pair of first ratchets  34  is each coupled to the second end  22  of a respective one of the first shells  12 . Each of the first ratchets  34  has a distal end  36  with respect to the second end  22  of the respective first shell  12 . Moreover, each of the first ratchets  34  has a plurality of teeth  38  extending between the distal end  36  and the second end  22  of the respective first shell  12 . Each of the first receivers  32  insertably receives a respective one of the first ratchets  34 . Moreover, a respective one of the teeth  38  on each of the first ratchets  34  engages a respective first receiver  32  thereby facilitating an adjustable diameter of the closed ring formed by the first shells  12 . In this way the first shells  12  can accommodate a variety of sizes of trunks  14 . 
     A pair of first cushions  40  is provided and each of the first cushions  40  is coupled to a respective one of the first shells  12 . Each of the first cushions  40  is aligned with the front edge  26  of the respective first shell  12  and each of the first cushions  40  abuts the trunk  14  of the tree  16  when the first shells  12  are positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Each of the first cushions  40  extends between the first end  20  and the second end  22  of the respective first shell  12 . Each of the first cushions  40  is comprised of a resiliently compressible material such as foam rubber or the like. Each of the first cushions  40  has a thickness that is sufficient to accommodate variations in the trunk  14  of the tree  16  thereby ensuring that no gaps exist between the first cushions  40  and the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . 
     A pair of second shells  42  is provided and of the second shells  42  is removably attached together to form a closed ring. In this way each the second shells  42  can be positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Each of the second shells  42  has a primary end  44 , a secondary end  46  and an outside surface  48  extending therebetween, and each of the second shells  42  has a front edge  50  and a back edge  52  each extending between the primary end  44  and the secondary end  46 . Additionally, each of the second shells  42  is curved between the primary end  44  and the secondary end  46  such that each of the second shells  42  forms a semi-circle. 
     The outside surface  48  has top side  54  and the top side  54  of the outside surface  48  of each of the second shells  42  is convexly arcuate between the front edge  50  and the back edge  48  of the second shells  42 . Each of the primary end  44  and the secondary end  46  of each of the second shells  42  abuts each other to form the closed ring. In this way the second shells  42  can be positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16  having each of the second shells  42  being positioned above the pair of first shells  12 . Thus, the second shells  42  inhibit leaves or other particles from filling the first shells  12  and potentially forming a bridge across which the insects could cross the first shells  12 . 
     A pair of second receivers  56  is each coupled to the primary end  44  of a respective one of the second shells  42 . A pair of second ratchets  58  is each coupled to the secondary end  46  of a respective one of the second shells  42 . Each of the second ratchets  58  has a distal end  60  with respect to the secondary end  46  of the respective second shell  42 . Additionally, each of the second ratchets  58  has a plurality of teeth  62  extending between the distal end  60  and the secondary end  46  of the respective second shell  42 . Each of the second receivers  56  insertably receives a respective one of the second ratchets  58 . Moreover, a respective one of the teeth  62  on each of the second ratchets  58  engages a respective second receiver  56  thereby facilitating an adjustable diameter of the closed ring formed by the second shells  42 . In this way the second shells  42  can accommodate a variety of sizes of trunks  14 . 
     A pair of second cushions  64  is each coupled to a respective one of the second shells  42 . Each of the second cushions  64  is aligned with the front edge  26  of the respective second shell  42  to abut the trunk  14  of the tree  16  when the second shells  42  are positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Moreover, each of the second cushions  64  extends between the primary end  44  and the secondary end  46  of the respective second shell  42 . 
     In use, each of the first shells  12  is positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16  such that each of the first ratchets  34  engages a respective one of the first receivers  32 . Thus, the first shells  12  form a closed ring extending around the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Each of the first shells  12  is subsequently filled with water  18  thereby inhibiting crawling insects from being able to cross the first shells  12 . In this way the first shells  12  inhibit the crawling insects from climbing the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . Each of the second shells  42  is positioned around the trunk  14  of the tree  16  such that each of the second ratchets  58  engages a respective one of the second receivers  56 . Thus, the second shells  42  form a closed ring around the tree  16 . Additionally, the second shells  42  are positioned above the first shells  12  on the trunk  14  of the tree  16 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.