Abstract:
A electronic insect barrier is provided that includes individual units, powered by electrical current supplied through power cords or network connections to power electronic circuits contained in housings, shielded by circuit board covers, units having a base with a bed leg anchor, supporting and stabilizing a bed leg away from electrical conductors separated by insulators, a means for killing insects particularly bedbugs who enter the housing through crawl holes and an opening, said bugs coming in contact with conductors as they egress a bed.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/413,118 filed Nov. 12, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application relates to devices for creating insect barriers and more particularly for creating a bed bug barrier between the floor and the bed. 
         [0003]    Reports of bedbug infestations continue to rise since about 1995 and numerous systems have been used to rid a home of an infestation. The most common type of bedbug is Cimex lectularius. The term usually refers to species that prefer to feed on human blood. All insects in this family live by feeding exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals Bed bugs, though not strictly nocturnal, are mainly active at night and are capable of feeding unnoticed on their hosts. 
         [0004]    Pesticides that have historically been found to be effective include: pyrethroids, dichlorvos and malathion. Resistance to pesticides has increased significantly over time and there are concerns of negative health effects from their use. More recently, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has become involved in indoor use of chemicals, reducing, limiting and in some instances banning there use because of potential toxicity to children after chronic exposure to some chemicals. 
         [0005]    Mechanical approaches such as traps, coasters, vacuuming up the insects and heat treating or wrapping mattresses have been recommended to keep bedbugs from entering the bed. The problem with these mechanical systems, however, is that they are not entirely effective. 
         [0006]    As such, there is a need for a device that prevents bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed leg and onto the mattress by using electricity to destroy the bed bugs or otherwise. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In at least one embodiment, an insect barrier device is provided that includes: a base; a housing coupled to the base; and a stack of a plurality of planer conductors located within the barrier device between the base and the housing. The housing and the each of the plurality of planer conductors have an inner hole therein aligned for a leg of an item of furniture to pass there through onto the base. 
         [0008]    In at least one embodiment, the planer conductors are essentially horizontal when in use. 
         [0009]    In at least one embodiment, the housing creates at least one hole between the housing and the base for insects to enter the device. 
         [0010]    In at least one embodiment, the planer conductors are located within the device such that insects entering the at least one hole between the housing and the device must walk across at least one side of the stack with exposed ends of the plurality of planer conductors to progress toward the leg of the item of furniture. 
         [0011]    In at least one embodiment, the device comprises a power unit that creates an electrical potential between pairs of conductors. 
         [0012]    In at least one embodiment, the power unit creates sufficient potential for a spark to travel through the bug without the bug having to touch both of a pair of conductors. 
         [0013]    In at least one embodiment, the base comprises a tubular anchor that separates the leg of the item of furniture from the plurality of planer conductors. 
         [0014]    In at least one embodiment, the base and the housing are removable coupled to each other with at least a pair of columns 
         [0015]    In at least one embodiment, the columns pass through and locate each of the plurality of planer conductors within the housing. 
         [0016]    In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one spacer located between pairs of the planer conductors. 
         [0017]    In at least one embodiment, an insect barrier system is provided that includes a plurality electrically coupled individual units, each of the plurality of units including: a base; a housing coupled to the base; and a stack of a plurality of planer conductors located within the barrier device between the base and the housing. The housing and the each of the plurality of planer conductors have an inner hole therein aligned for a leg of an item of furniture to pass there through onto the base. 
         [0018]    In at least one embodiment, the planer conductors are essentially horizontal when in use. 
         [0019]    In at least one embodiment, the housing creates at least one hole between the housing and the base for insects to enter the device. 
         [0020]    In at least one embodiment, the planer conductors are located within the units such that insects entering the at least one hole between the housing and the units must walk across at least one side of the stack with exposed ends of the plurality of planer conductors to progress toward the leg of the item of furniture. 
         [0021]    In at least one embodiment, the units comprise a power unit that creates an electrical potential between pairs of conductors. 
         [0022]    In at least one embodiment, the power unit creates sufficient potential for a spark to travel through the bug without the bug having to touch both of a pair of conductors. 
         [0023]    In at least one embodiment, the base comprises a tubular anchor that separates the leg of the item of furniture from the plurality of planer conductors. 
         [0024]    In at least one embodiment, the base and the housing are removable coupled to each other with at least a pair of columns. 
         [0025]    In at least one embodiment, the columns pass through and locate each of the plurality of planer conductors within the housing. 
         [0026]    In at least one embodiment, the units include at least one spacer located between pairs of the planer conductors. 
         [0027]    Additional aspects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a cross section view taken from  FIG. 3  of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
           [0032]    FIGS.  5  and  5 A- 5 D show a schematic diagram of the device electronic circuit. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a top view of one embodiment of a device conductor. 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a top view of one embodiment of a device insulator. 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is a cross section view taken from  FIG. 8  of a device for preventing bed bugs from crawling from the floor to the bed according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0037]    The device of the present application is designed to kill crawling insects  30  more specifically it targets bed bugs  30 . That is, the electronic insect barrier  10  is designed to surround a bed leg  14  and intersects the path bedbugs  30  most typically take to egress a bed. In their path of travel, the insects  30  or bed bugs  30  enter an individual unit  12  through the crawl holes  36  or opening  32  and crawl over electrified metallic conductors  18  that kill them on contact. Alternatively, crawl holes  36  may be a continuous opening around the perimeter of the individual units  12 . In this instance, the opening  36  may be continuous to give insects  30  less access to crawl up housing  16  toward opening  32 . The device uses a power source such as alternating or direct current, AC and/or DC, and an electronic circuit  24  as an electrocution means. In one embodiment the electronic insect barrier  10  has an input voltage of 12 volts DC and an output voltage of 2,400 volts DC to kill insects  30  and more specifically bedbugs  30 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 1  the electronic insect barrier  10  consists of individual units  12  used to surround each of the typically four bed legs  14 . More units  12  may be used to accommodate beds that have five, six, or more bed legs  14 . Each unit has a housing  16  or container that surrounds/creates a barrier around the bed leg  14 . The housing  16  may be made of any material, but is preferably made from plastic, it is about 1 to 4 inches tall, is circular in shape, and the diameter is about 4 to 10 inches. The housing  16  is preferably made of one or more components, to shelter the conductors  18  for safety, to prevent bedding material from falling into the device, and to prevent people and pets from making contact with the conductors  18 . This housing  16  has an about 2-8 inch diameter opening  32  with circular shape to accommodate the bed leg  14 . 
         [0039]    The housing  16  further includes a base  22  that will receive the weight of the bed leg  14 , passing through the housing  16 . The bed leg  14  is bounded by the bed leg anchor  34 , attached to base  22 . The purpose of the bed leg anchor  34  is to prevent the bed leg  14  from coming into contact with conductors  18 . Another purpose of the bed leg anchor  34  is to assist in maintaining a distance of no less than one inch between the bed leg  14  and the perimeter of opening  32 , inhibiting the jumping of bedbugs  30  from the housing  16  to the bed leg  14 . The housing  16  and the base  22  may be connected with an arced or tubular housing  16  wall, as shown in the drawings. The housing  16  may be removably coupled to the base  22 , for example, for cleaning. The housing  16  may alternatively or additionally be connected to the base  22  with a plurality of columns The columns may be located within the perimeter of the conductors  18 . In this respect, bugs entering the crawl hole or holes  36  cannot climb up the columns without first being exposed to the conductors  18 . The columns may also serve to locate the conductors  18  within the housing  16 . 
         [0040]    Within the housing  16  is one or more electrified metal conductors  18  that are about 4 to 8 inches across, have a 2 to 5 inch hole in the middle to accommodate the bed leg  14  and the leg anchor  34 . The electrified metal conductors  18  are comprised of an upper electrified metal conductor  18  and a lower electrified metal conductor  18  that are electronically insulated/spaced away from each other by one or more insulators  20 . The conductors  18  and/or insulators  20  maybe planer structures, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , stacked over each other, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Pairs of conductors  18  preferably have opposite polarities. The voltage potential between a pair of conductors is preferably such that a bug walking across the surface created with the stack of the conductors will cause a current to travel through the bug. Both the upper and lower conductors  18  have holes through the center of them. The holes in both conductors  18  are of sufficient size to allow a bed leg  14  to pass through the holes. Both the upper and lower conductors  18  are secured within the housing  16 , surrounded by the housing  16  perimeters. 
         [0041]    The conductors  18  may have variable diameters/sizes to create a meandering pattern that bugs must traverse to make it through the individual unit  12  before reaching the bed leg  14 . For example, the edges of the conductors  18  and insulators  20  could create an inclined ramp or stairs for the insects  30  to crawl, as opposed to the vertical wall shown in  FIG. 4 . This would be accomplished by differences of diameter of the conductors  18  and insulators  20 . The shape of the perimeter of the housing  16 , metal conductors  18  and insulators  20  may be circular, square, elliptical or rectangular or many other shapes, and the size of the conductors  18  may vary considerably. In any event, the units  12  create a  360  degree barrier around the bed leg so that bugs attempting to reach the leg  14  will be subject to electrocution. The conductors  18  may be solid plates or be formed from interwoven conductors  18 . 
         [0042]    The electrical components inside each unit are typical electrical components that are used in many other electronic devices. The electrical components in the preferred embodiment of the electronic insect barrier  10  and individual units  12  are designed to accept a low voltage input and then increase the voltage to a very high voltage that is sufficient to kill an insect  30  or bed bug  30  when it walks on or makes contact with the electrified metal conductors  18 . In alternate embodiments of the device, the power may be supplied to the electrified metal conductors  18  directly from a high voltage source and without the need for voltage amplification. 
         [0043]    Referring to FIGS.  5  and  5 A- 5 D, in one embodiment,  120  volts AC is dropped to 12 volts DC by a switching circuit. A square wave pulse train is created. The circuit is tunable that the voltage can be adjusted in a range from approximately 200 volts to 2400 volts DC. Using alternating polarity two or more conductors  18  are wired in parallel. The insect  30  is killed by conducting current through its body when it comes in contact with the conductor pairs  18  on the side of the stack with exposed ends of the conductor  18  pairs. 
         [0044]    The size and shape of the device  10  and individual units  12  and all its components can be varied by to accommodate different size and shape bed legs  14 . The electrical components may be varied or changed to make the device more safe and effective. 
         [0045]    In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the electronic insect barrier  10  uses four individual units  12  to surround four bed legs  14 . Each individual unit  12  is plugged into and powered by a power cord  26  containing a single transformer  42  that plugs into an electrical wall outlet. Further variations of this invention may include four or more individual units  12 , each of which has its own batteries for its power source. Additionally, the units  12  may plug into and derive power from a hub transformer  42  by network connection  28 , allowing the device  10  to be scalable, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0046]    The electronic circuit  24  is shielded from contact by the circuit board cover  40 . The power on indicator  38  alerts the on looker an electronic insect barrier  10  or individual unit  12  is operational. 
         [0047]    While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure, that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.