Abstract:
A device for holding an odor-producing repellent. The device comprises two oppositely disposed compartments for holding the repellent and a pair of substantially parallel strips connecting the pods together. Each pod includes a cap for enclosing each pod and a plurality of slots on both the pods and the caps for allowing the odor-repellent to be released into the immediate atmosphere. The device is flexible and can be secured to a treebranch by twisting one pod and placing it between and through the connecting strips. Once through, the pod is secured in place and cannot return through the strips, thereby securing the device to a treebranch.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/423,486, filed Nov. 4, 2002, under Title 35, United States Code, Section 119(e). 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a device for holding and emitting a substance that serves as an animal repellent. More particularly, the present invention is a device for housing an animal repellent that is able to be secured around a fixed object outdoors.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0003]    There exists in the art many devices that serve the purpose of hanging or securing an object from or to another object. There also exists in the art hanging devices for providing a repellent for animals or insects in order to repel those animals or insects away from a particular location or area. Animal and insect repellants are desirable in order to maintain and ensure the safety, health and well being of adults, children and pets that are present in that particular area. Such unwanted animals often times carry fleas and ticks or other insects that can cause disease in humans and pets. Those same animals and insects also often times transport other diseases, such as west Nile virus, rabies, malaria, etc. that can seriously harm, or even kill, humans and pets. Such repellants are also desirable in order to prevent unwanted animals or insects from trekking onto a garden or other area of foliage growth, where those animals or insects may potentially disturb or destroy the plants, vegetables, fruit, flowers, etc. that are being cultivated in that area.  
           [0004]    A variety of devices and methods currently exist which repel animals from a particular area. Such devices and methods include scarecrows (both stationary and robotic), odor emitters, such as in the form of pellets where the animal being repelled associates the odor with a predator, sprays and organic sprays, such as hot pepper wax which is made from extracted hot cayenne pepper and combined with food-grade wax, and an oil mix or spray repellent that can be applied directly onto a pet or person.  
           [0005]    Various problems exist with such methods. For example, with scarecrows, animals are either not deterred at all or else become acclimated to them over time and learn that the device is not a threat and thus, in time, are no longer deterred. Sprays can be washed away by rainwater or can be blown away by the wind. Oils and sprays that are applied to a person or pet are troublesome in that they can be an irritant and will ultimately have to be washed off, which can be a nuisance in that a residue may be leftover. They can also get on or stain clothing and can cause undesirable odors at inopportune times. Repellents in the form of pellets tend to quickly deteriorate due to handling and the weather elements, such as rain, snow and wind. Many of these devices are also directly applied to either the ground, plants or elsewhere on the area being protected from unwanted animals and insects. This direct exposure to the elements facilitates the breakdown of these devices.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is directed to a device for providing a repellent, such as an odor-producing repellent, for discouraging the presence of particular animals and/or insects from a desired area. The present invention is further directed to a device for sufficiently protecting the odor producing repellent from the weather elements while maintaining sufficient amounts of odor to the surrounding atmosphere.  
           [0007]    According to the present invention, a device is provided having at least one, and preferably two, oppositely placed reservoirs, or pods, into which may be placed a repellent that provides an odor that repels animals or insects from a particular location. The pods are connected by two parallel, flexible, resilient strips that can be easily bent. The reservoirs, or pods, have variably placed slots or vents to allow the escape of the odor from within the pods. A removable cap is provided for capping the pod in order to prevent children, insects or animals from accessing the substances held within the pod. The cap also is provided with a plurality of vents so as to not impede the of the odor repellent generated within the pod. The odor is ideally generated by providing a stable substance, such as paraffin or a gel, having been impregnated with essential oils for producing aromas, odors, scents and the like. The paraffin or gel itself is anchored into the reservoir by means of an anchoring mechanism on the bottom of the pod, such as a knob, which extends upwardly from the bottom of the pod. The scent-producing substance is formed around the knob where it hardens, thereby securing the substance in the pod.  
           [0008]    The device according to the present invention is adapted so as to be easily placed outside, such as hung from or otherwise secured to a treebranch or a fence. The device can be wrapped around a treebranch and one pod is placed through the parallel strips thereby securing the device around the branch. In addition, gutters are employed on each pod to prevent rain water from accumulating on the cap or pod and dripping into the pod itself.  
           [0009]    It is an object of the invention to provide a device for repelling animals and/or insects from a desired area.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for holding a stable substance having an impregnated scent producing material therein.  
           [0011]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for repelling animals or insects from a particular location that can be employed outdoors.  
           [0012]    It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a device that can be easily secured to a tree, post, fence and the like.  
           [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for holding an insect or animal repellent that is inexpensive.  
           [0014]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for holding an insect or animal repellent that is easily accessible for placement of the repellent inside the device, but not easily accessible for animals or children.  
           [0015]    Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding a scent-producing animal or insect repellent that is highly impervious to the weather elements. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a top view of the device of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the device shown according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a top view of a cover for employment with the device of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a top view of a single, uncovered pod of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a single pod of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a top, operational view of the cover shown in FIG. 3 and a single pod according to the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the device according to the present invention, showing one mode of operation.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device according to the present invention, showing an alternative mode of operation.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the device according to the present invention showing an additional alternative mode of operation.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the device according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    The present invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, and for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.  
         [0027]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the present invention is shown and referred to generally at numeral  10 . Device  10  comprises a first compartment or pod  12   a  disposed opposite from a second compartment or pod  12   b . For purposes of explanation herein, device  10  is shown as having two pods  12   a  and  12   b  disposed opposite from each other; however it should be appreciated that any number of additional pods can be employed being placed adjacent to pods  12   a  and  12   b  in an outwardly spaced manner. In addition, for purposes of explanation, only one pod will be described; but it should be appreciated that the pod disposed oppositely therefrom contains substantially the same elements and details that pertain to the pod being described herein.  
         [0028]    Pod  12   a  comprises an upper ridge  14  having a substantially ovoid shape which defines the shape of pod  12   a . Of course ridge  14  and pod  12   a  can have any other shape, such as oval, circle, square, etc. A substantially circular inner sidewall  16  extends downwardly from upper ridge  14  and converges at a bottom wall  22  of pod  12   a . Bottom wall  22  comprises the floor of pod  12   a  and has an underside  30  (FIG. 2) that is preferably flat, but can be curved or also have any other appropriate shape known in the art. In addition, pod  12   a  can be of any size so that it can be easily placed and secured to an object outside, such as a treebranch, fence or post. In addition, device  10  can be made of any material known in the art, such as a thermoplastic.  
         [0029]    Pod  12   a  further comprises a plurality of slots placed on the upper portion of sidewall  16  near ridge  14 . Some slots, denoted at numeral  21 , are slots for engaging a tab  44  (FIG. 3) located on a cap  40  (FIG. 3) for locking cap  40  into place on pod  12   a . Tab  44  and cap  40  will be described in more detail below. Additional slots, denoted at numeral  20 , are also located on the upper portion of sidewall  16  near upper ridge  14 . Slots  20  facilitate the exit of the repelling scent that is generated and released from inside pod  12   a  into the surrounding atmosphere and do not help secure cap  40  in place on pod  12   a.    
         [0030]    Still referring to FIG. 1, a connecting member  26   a  is provided on the outside of sidewall  14 . Extending outwardly from connecting member  26   a  is a pair of parallel strips  24   a  and  24   b , collectively referred to at numeral  24 . Pair of parallel strips  24  extends outwardly and connects to a second connecting member  26   b  located on second pod  12   b , which, as stated supra, is disposed opposite from first pod  12   a . Any distance between strip  24   a  and  24   b  may be employed, such as the distance demonstrated at D 1 . However, it is preferable that the distance between strip  24   a  and strip  24   b  be less than the length of pod  12   a , where that length is shown at numeral D 2 . As will be explained later, the distance between strip  24   a  and strip  24   b  should be such that one of the pods, such as pod  12   b , can be easily twisted by twisting strips  24  and can be slipped through the space that is defined by strips  24 . Pod  12   b  can then be straightened to its original position thereby locking it in place so that it cannot slip back through strips  24 . This construction allows device  10  to be easily looped and secured around an object such as a treebranch. In addition, a gutter  46  is provided on pod  12   a  for diverting the flow of water away from pod  12   a  so that water may not accumulate on pod  12   a.    
         [0031]    Turning now to FIG. 3, as stated above, device  10  comprises a cap  40  that is provided for each pod  12   a  or  12   b . Cap  40  can be secured onto and cover pod  12   a  so that the repellent therein is maintain inside pod  12   a  and so that children or other animals not affected by the repellent are not able to come into contact with the repellent. Cap  40  additionally comprises a plurality of vents  42  for allowing the scent generated by the repellent inside pod  12   a  to escape into the surrounding atmosphere. Lid  40  is shown having  4  substantially oval vents  42 , however any number of vents having any shape and configuration may be employed.  
         [0032]    Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, device  10  having a repellent  50  situated therein will now be described. Repellent  50  is secured in pod  12   a  by being formed around a nodule or anchor  18 . Once repellent  50  harden in place, anchor  18  maintains a secure engagement with repellent  50  so that repellent  50  does not become displaced from the outside elements, such as wind.  
         [0033]    The repellent  50  itself that is employed can be any typical odor-creating substance known in the art that creates a smell that is repulsive to either animals or insects or both and is formed within a solid structure. It should be appreciated that smell is the effective means of device  10 . For example, repellent  50  itself can be a blend of impregnated paraffin having essential oils or it can be an impregnated gel with essential oils. Such essential oils for generating scent are common in the fragrance industry, such as Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemon grass) or an oil from the Brassicaceae family of plants, such as mustard oil. Of course the oils can be either naturally occurring or synthetically fabricated. It is the aroma of the essential oils that serves as the repellent.  
         [0034]    Turning now to FIG. 6, the placement of cap  40  onto pod  12  is shown. After repellent  50  has been secured within pod  12 , cap  40  (shown in ghost form) is taken and placed onto pod  12 . Tabs  44  snap into place with corresponding slots  20  so that cap  40  is adequately secured on pod  12 , thereby ensuring that repellent  50  is safely secured inside pod  12 . Of course cap  40  can be easily removed by displacing tab  44  from its respective slot  20 . With cap  40  removed, pod  12  can be cleaned and refilled with a new supply of repellent  50 .  
         [0035]    Turning now to FIG. 7, device  10  of the present invention is shown in one mode of operation. Device  10  is placed adjacent to a treebranch  60  to which it is desired that device  10  be secured. Pod  12   b  is twisted and moved around branch  60  so that pair of parallel strips  24  create a substantial loop around branch  60 . Pod  12   b , having been twisted approximately 45°, is able to easily be slipped through the space  28  that is defined by parallel strips  24 . Upon completely traversing space  28 , pod  12   b  is returned to substantially its original configuration so that it can not come back through space  28 . With pod  12   b  being locked in place, device  10  is secured to treebranch  60  and repellent  50  inside each of pod  12   a  and  12   b  can be efficiently utilized.  
         [0036]    Turning now to FIG. 8, an alternative mode of employment of the device of the present invention is shown and described. In this mode, either pod  12   a  or  12   b  is secured over a small branch  62  that extends off a larger branch  60 . In other words, pair of parallel strips  24  acts as a hooking apparatus and is hooked over branch  62 . Branch  62  extends through space  28 , thereby securing device  10  to the tree and allowing for efficient utilization of repellent  50  inside each of pod  12   a  and  12   b . It should be appreciated that although device  10  of the present invention was illustrated in combination with a treebranch, it can be employed with any other outdoor fixture, such as a fence post, doorway, etc.  
         [0037]    Turning to FIG. 9, yet another alternative mode of the present invention is shown and described. In this mode of operation, device  10  includes the same features as described above. Device  10  further includes a rivet assembly  70  (or any other comparable securing device) having a female portion  72  and a male portion  74 , one being on pod  12   a  and the other being on pod  12   b . Device  10  is wrapped around a branch  60  and rivet assembly  70  is secured by the engagement between female portion  72  and male portion  74 , thereby securing device  10  to the branch  60 .  
         [0038]    Turning lastly to FIG. 10, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown and described. In this embodiment, each of the features of device  10  described above are included. However, device  10 , in this embodiment, only includes one pod  12 . Just as described above, a first connecting member  26   a  is secured to the side of pod  12  and a pair of parallel strips  24   a ,  24   b  extend outwardly from first connecting member  26   a . Rather than extending towards a second connecting member  26   b , and in turn a second pod  12   b , as above, strips  24   a ,  24   b  extend towards a securing band  64 . Securing band  64  is preferably the same material as strips  24   a ,  24   b  and is perpendicular to strips  24   a ,  24   b . In turn, band  64  is parallel to connecting member  26   a . In this embodiment, device  10  functions in the same manner as above and can be secured to a treebranch, fence and the like in any of the same manners as described above.  
         [0039]    What has been described above are preferred aspects of the present invention. It is of course not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, combinations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.