Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to pest control devices, and more particularly to devices for monitoring termite activity.  
           [0002]    Infestation and damage caused by wood-destroying insect pests, particularly subterranean termites, is a continuing problem in buildings having wood structure. Infestation may result in significant structural damage requiring expensive repairs. Since termite infestation and resultant damage is generally not readily apparent, it is difficult to detect, especially when infected parts of a structure are not readily accessible for inspection. While structures may be professionally inspected from time to time for termite infestation and damage, it would be desirable to detect potential problems at a lower cost and before substantial damage has been done.  
           [0003]    Bait stations for monitoring insect infestation, including termites, are known. Typically, the devices require physical monitoring by a user, which typically entails physical inspection by the user, and sometimes removal of a bait element from the station, to determine a presence or absence of insects. Aside from inconvenience of having to check and re-check the bait station for insect infestation, these devices can be difficult to access when inserted into the ground, and sometimes may even be difficult to find when located outdoors.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    In one aspect, an indication device for monitoring a presence of a pest in a designated area is provided. The indication device comprises a housing comprising a longitudinal axis and a plurality of openings therethrough. An element, sometimes referred to herein as a trigger, is positioned within the housing and is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis. An indicating member is coupled to the trigger and is axially aligned therewith, and a bias element is coupled to the indication member and is coaxial to the longitudinal axis.  
           [0005]    In another aspect, an indication device for monitoring insect infestation is provided. The indication device comprises a housing comprising a longitudinal axis and a plurality of openings therethrough. An indicating member is coupled to the housing and is axially aligned therewith, and the indication member includes an axial bore aligned with the longitudinal axis. A trigger is received in the bore and is aligned with the longitudinal axis.  
           [0006]    In another aspect, an indication device for monitoring termite infestation is provided. The indication device includes a housing comprising a central longitudinal axis and a plurality of openings therethrough. An indicating member is extends into the housing and is coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and the indicating member comprises a bore therein. A trigger is received in the bore and extends coaxial with the indication member. A collar is secured to an end of the housing, and the indicating member extends through the collar. A bias element is coupled to the indication member and is coaxial therewith. A bias element retainer element is secured to the bias element, and the bias element retainer element is positioned between the collar and the housing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary insect infestation indicating device.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional schematic view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is another cross sectional view of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is partial schematic assembly view of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bias element retaining member for the device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional schematic view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the device in an indicating position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary insect infestation indicating device  10  particularly suited for detecting, monitoring, and indicating the activity of invasive destructive organisms and insects, such as termites in an exemplary embodiment. For the reasons explained below, device  10  is constructed to reliably and consistently indicate infestation while offering ease of manufacturing and assembly at a relatively low cost.  
         [0014]    The indicating device  10  includes a generally elongated cylindrical housing  12  having an elongate main cavity therein for receiving a trigger, described below. A plurality of entrance passages or openings  16  are formed in a side wall  18  of the housing  12  for admitting the destructive organisms (not shown) and allowing access to the trigger therein. A cover or collar  20  is affixed to an upper end of housing  12 , and a shield  22  is received over housing  12  and accepts collar  20 . An outer perimeter of shield  22  is substantially circular in an illustrative embodiment and provides a stable base for supporting housing  12  at ground level in use. Shield  22  includes a number of channels  24  in an outer surface  26  thereof, and channels  24  extend substantially radially from a center of shield  22  toward the outer perimeter thereof to facilitate drainage of water from the vicinity of collar  20  in use. Additionally, shield  22  includes a number of recesses or indentations  28  extending inward from an outer perimeter of the shield  22 . Recesses  28  assist in removing device  10  from the ground by permitting fingers or perhaps a tool to be inserted under shield  22  for extraction from the ground.  
         [0015]    While the illustrated embodiment includes an elongated cylindrical housing and a substantially circular shield, it is recognized that in further and/or alternative embodiments, other relative shapes of the housing and shield may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, it is recognized that shield  22  need not be present to achieve the advantages of the invention, and that other types and configurations of shields may be employed for other purposes and applications in lieu of monitoring subterranean insects. In other words, while the invention is described and illustrated in the context of a termite stake, it is understood that the invention is not limited to any particular application or end use. Device  10  is therefore provided by way of illustration rather than limitation of the invention.  
         [0016]    An indicating member  30  extends through a top surface  32  of collar  20  and is positioned in a recessed or inactivated position wherein an end of indicating member  30  is substantially flush with collar top surface  32 . As explained in some detail below, the indicating member  30  is positionable in an extended or activated position (not shown in FIG. 1 but described below) protruding upward from collar  20  when the trigger is sufficiently consumed by destructive organisms and insects, such as termites, to release a trigger mechanism within housing  12  that displaces indicator member  30  to the activated position. In an exemplary embodiment, device  10  is placed in a substantially upright position such that housing  12  extends downward into the ground and the shield  22  extends substantially parallel to and just above a surface of the ground. As such, device  10  presents little interference with movement across the ground surface while providing a visible indication above the ground when device  10  is activated. It is recognized, however, that device  10  may be employed above-ground for other desired applications, provided that organisms, insects, etc. to be monitored have sufficient access to device  10  to enter housing  12  through openings  16 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional schematic view of device  10  with shield  22  removed and illustrating indicating member  30  in the retracted or inactivated position. Indicating member  30  extends through and is supported by collar  20  in a substantially centered position over an upper end of housing  12 . Indicating member  30  includes an elongated shaft portion  40  extending downward into an interior hollow cavity  42  defined by side wall  18  of housing  12 . A trigger element  44  is coupled to indicating member  40  and is axially aligned therewith along a longitudinal axis  46  extending through a center of housing  12 . A bias element  48  is maintained in tension between a retaining washer  49  located beneath collar  20  and a lower end of indicator member  30  as described below. A lower end of trigger  44  is coupled to a pointed lower end  50  of housing  12  and is retained thereto with a retaining washer  52 . In the position illustrated in FIG. 2, bias element  48  is pre-loaded in tension, and when released as further described below, bias element  48  recoils and displaces indicating member  30  to the activated or extended position.  
         [0018]    Trigger  44  may be fabricated from a number of known materials edible by termites and capable of withstanding the force exerted by the bias element. A number of materials familiar to those in the art may be employed to fabricate trigger  44 . In an exemplary embodiment, trigger  44  is an elongated wooden rod or dowel fabricated from pine, although it is appreciated, that rolled cardboard, cardboard strips, and composite materials formed of wood, saw dust, corn cob grit, pecan hulls, paper, other cellulose-based material and the like may be employed.  
         [0019]    Additionally, a bait material (not shown) may be employed in conjunction with trigger  44  and surrounding trigger  44  to attract termites, for example. Trigger  44  may be impregnated or coated, for example, with a suitable attractant such as phermone, aspartic acid, termiticides, preservatives, humectants or the like. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, trigger  44  is an elongated wooden rod and is surrounded by rolled cardboard. It is recognized that the sensitivity of the device  10  is a function of the configuration of the trigger  44 , dimensions of the housing  12  forming cavity  42  and the number of openings  16  through the housing side wall  18 . Any of these attributes may be varied to suit the needs of a particular application.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional interface between indicating member  32  and trigger  44  which forms a portion of a trigger mechanism for device  10 . In an illustrative embodiment, indicating member  30  is fabricated from a known resilient material and includes a rounded head portion  58  extending from an upper end  60  of shaft portion  40 , and a coupler portion  62  extending form a lower end of shaft portion  40 . Coupler portion  62  includes outwardly projecting flares  64  that provide a seat for bias element  48  (shown in FIG. 2). Flares  64  are outwardly tapered (i.e., increase in outer dimension) from a free end  66  of coupler portion  62  toward shaft portion  40 . Indicating member  30  further includes an annular notch  68  extending about the circumference of shaft portion  40  adjacent coupler portion  62 . Notch  68  permits some flexibility and freedom of movement of indicating member shaft portion  40  relative to coupler portion  62 . As such, some misalignment of indicating member  30  and/or trigger  44  is tolerable without impairing the function of indicator member  30 .  
         [0021]    In an exemplary embodiment, coupler portion  62  of indicating member  30  further includes a central bore  70  extending inward a predetermined distance from coupler portion free end  66  toward shaft portion  40 . Bore  70  is inwardly tapered from free end  66  to provide a guide surface for an end  72  of trigger  44  when end  72  is inserted into bore  70 . In an exemplary embodiment, end  72  of trigger  44  is adhesively attached to coupler portion  62  when end  72  is received in bore  70 . It is appreciated, however, that other connection schemes known in the art may be employed to securely connect trigger  44  to coupler portion  62 , including but not limited to interference fit engagement, tongue and groove or latch detent arrangements, and the like.  
         [0022]    Notably, by coupling trigger  44  and indicating member  30  through bore  70  of coupler portion  62 , the trigger  44  and shaft portion  40  of indicating member  30  are substantially axially and longitudinally aligned with respect to longitudinal axis  46  of device  10 . Axial aligument of the trigger mechanism facilitates reliable indication action of device  10  by preventing jamming of indicating member  30  when bias element  48  (shown in FIG. 1) is released.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is partial schematic assembly view of device  10  illustrating the trigger mechanism. The indicating member  30  is connected to trigger  44  as described above, and bias element  48  is seated upon an outer surface of flares  64  (shown in FIG. 3) on end thereof. An opposite end of bias element  48  is positioned above a retaining washer  49  that is fitted over indicating member shaft portion  40 .  
         [0024]    Bias element  48  is illustrated in FIG. 4 in a relaxed state, and in an illustrative embodiment bias element  48  is a known coil spring element helically extending about an outer surface of indicating member  30  and extending concentrically with element  44  and indicating member  30 . Bias element  48  is tapered from one end to the other in an illustrative embodiment. In other words, an outer diameter of the coils of spring element  48  increases along the length of the spring element relative to longitudinal axis  46 , with the larger diameter portion coupled to the retaining washer  49 . Tapering of bias element  48  facilitates self-centering of the trigger mechanism as bias element  48  is released and further prevents jamming of the indicating member  30  when the trigger mechanism is activated. Washer  49  is received between the coils of the larger diameter end of the spring element, and as washer element  49  is moved axially along indicating member shaft portion  40  toward head portion  58 , bias element  48  is loaded in tension.  
         [0025]    Retaining washer element  49  is supported on an upper end  80  of housing  12 . As element  44  is extended into cavity  42  of housing  12 , retaining washer element  49  contacts upper end  80  and bias element  48  is stretched to the loaded inactivated position (shown in FIG. 2) as retaining washer element  49  is axially displaced away from element  44  and toward collar  20 . Notably, and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, bias element  48  is axially aligned with longitudinal axis  46  of device  10 . Bias element  49 , element  44 , and indicating member  30  are therefore axially aligned along a common axis, which facilitates reliable indicating action without jamming, and also facilitates assembly of the device  10 .  
         [0026]    Collar  20  is fitted over indicating member shaft portion  40 , and collar  20  includes an internal side wall  82  circumferentially surrounding an outer surface of indicating member shaft portion  40 . Side wall  82  forms a guide surface and support for shaft portion  40  of indicating member  30 , and prevents misalignment of indicating member  30  with respect to collar  20  that could cause jamming of the indicating member. Outer side walls  84  extend from collar top surface  32  and are dimensioned to engage side walls  18  of housing  12  as device  10  is assembled.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of bias element retaining member  49  in an exemplary embodiment. Retaining member  49  is a relatively thin member having a body  100  shaped like a horseshoe, and inwardly depending fingers  102  extending inwardly from the legs of the horseshoe shaped body. The fingers  102  are further downwardly turned out of the plane of the horseshoe shaped body  100 , and an interior surface of the fingers define a receptacle  104  dimensioned to receive indicating member shaft portion  40  together with the curved portion of the horseshoe shaped body  100 . As device  10  is assembled, fingers  102  are resiliently depressed and secure bias element  48  to retaining member  49 .  
         [0028]    In an exemplary embodiment, retaining element  49  is integrally formed with shield  22  and is punched from an interior portion of the shield  22  wherein collar  20  is received as shown in FIG. 1. Material savings may therefore be realized.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 illustrates device  10  in the extended or activated position wherein the trigger mechanism has been operated. Element  44  is severed or broken due to consumption by, for example, tennites that have structurally weakened the trigger to the point where it can no longer withstand the applied force of bias element  48  in the loaded or inactivated position (shown in FIG. 2). In the activated position, bias element  48  returns to its relaxed configuration (shown in FIG. 4), thereby displacing indicating member  30  upwardly through collar  20 . By virtue of the axial alignment of the bias element  48 , the element  44  and the indicating member  30 , together with side wall  82  (shown in FIG. 4) of collar  20  and the tapered bias element  48 , indicating member  30  is sufficiently self-centered to prevent jamming of the indicating member. Reliable displacement of indicating member  30  is therefore ensured, and consistent and uniform indication is provided.  
         [0030]    Having now described device  10  in detail, an exemplary method of manufacturing and assembling device  10  will now be described. The shield  22  (shown in FIG. 1) and spring retaining washer  49  (shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and  5 ) are integrally fabricated from a known material, including but not limited to thermoplastic materials according to a known process, and the integral spring retaining washer  49  is removed from the interior of the shield  22  by snapping retaining tabs joining the two together during formation of the integral shield  22  and retaining member  49 . Indicating member  30  (shown in FIGS.  2 - 4 ) is inserted through collar  20  (shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  4 ), and a small amount of epoxy glue into is introduced into bore  70  (shown in FIG. 3) of coupler portion  62  of indicating member  30 . End  72  (shown in FIG. 3) of trigger  44  (shown in FIGS.  2 - 4 ) is then inserted into bore  70  and the glue is set to securely couple element  44  to coupler portion  62  of indicating member  30 .  
         [0031]    Once element  44  and indicating member  30  are securely coupled, bias element  48  (shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) is installed over coupler portion  62  with the small diameter end seating on flares  64  (shown in FIG. 3), thereby establishing an interference fit between flares  64  and the small diameter end of bias element  48 . Bias element retaining member  49  is then installed onto the large diameter end of bias element  49  with about 2 to about 4 spring coils extending over the top of retaining member  49 .  
         [0032]    If desired, a rolled up piece of cardboard may be inserted into housing  12 , and trigger  44  is inserted into the open end  80  (shown in FIG. 4) of housing  12  until element  44  extends through an opening in pointed end  50  (shown in FIG. 2) of housing  12 . Grasping the protruding element  44  and pulling it through the housing  12  until the bias element retaining washer  49  contacts the end  80  of housing  12  begins to load spring element  48 . When the spring retaining washer  49  is centered on the end  80  of housing  12 , collar  20  may be pushed onto housing  12  until it is snapped over a retaining collar of housing  12 .  
         [0033]    Continuing to pull element  44  through housing  12  until head portion  58  (shown in FIGS.  2 - 4 ) of indicating member is flush with collar  20  fully loads bias element  48 . Once bias element  48  is fully loaded, retaining washer  52  is inserted over the protruding end of element  44 , and element  44  is pulled through the washer  52  until pointed end  50  of the housing  12  abuts the washer. Element  44  is then trimmed to a substantially flush position with tapered end  50  tapered tip of the stake housing. Pointed end  50  is then dipped in an epoxy and cured to complete the assembly.  
         [0034]    According to the method set forth above, bias element  48  may be reliably coupled to the trigger mechanism and uniformly loaded to produce reliable infestation indication with little variation between different devices  10 . Axial alignment of the trigger mechanism components to avoid jamming is achieved, and the method maybe implemented in a straightforward manner at a relatively low cost.  
         [0035]    While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Technology Category: 1