Bird and animal repellent device

Abstract

Even when installing bird and animal repellent devices in high-temperature areas, it suppresses the occurrence of abnormalities in the light-emitting section. [Solution] The bird and animal repellent device 10 is a bird and animal repellent device capable of automatic operation in which a light emitting unit 12 rotates while emitting light. The base unit 11 is provided with a box-shaped casing 22 having a through hole 22b formed therein, and the main unit 20, in which the light emitting unit 12 and the drive unit 30 are integrated, is housed in the casing 22 with the light emitting unit 12 exposed to the outside of the casing 22 through the through hole 22b, and is further provided with a transparent cover 25 that covers the light emitting unit 12 exposed from the through hole 22b, the inner space of the transparent cover 25 is in communication with the inner space of the casing 22 through the through hole 22b, and the casing 22 is provided with a first ventilation unit 56 and a second ventilation unit 57, and a blower 71 for introducing air into the inside of the casing 22 from one of the first ventilation unit 56 and the second ventilation unit 57 and discharging air to the outside of the casing 22 from the other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bird and animal repellent device that emits light repellent to birds and animals.

Background Art

[0002] Damage caused by wild birds and animals has become a problem. For example, there are damages such as crops being eaten by birds and animals, and products and stored items being soiled by bird droppings when birds such as crows and pigeons invade buildings such as warehouses and factories. As a countermeasure for the latter, anti-bird nets are installed on the ceiling surface inside the building.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a bird and animal repellent device that projects sheet-shaped sheet light. In this bird and animal repellent device, a sheet light projection device is provided so as to be able to repeatedly reciprocate between a right end position and a left end position. Further, by adjusting the bending state of the projection device fixing portion with respect to the pedestal fixing portion, the projection direction of the sheet light projected from the sheet light projection device can be adjusted on a plane perpendicular to the movement surface of the crank arm that reciprocates and rotates.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, this type of bird and animal repellent device may be installed at a high place such as near the ceiling inside a building (for example, a warehouse or a factory). The applicant of the present application installed a bird and animal repellent device near the ceiling surface of a building during the prototype production process of the product, and an abnormality occurred in the light emitting portion in summer.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to suppress the occurrence of abnormalities in the light-emitting part even when a bird and animal repellent device is installed in a high-temperature area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first invention is a bird and animal repellent device comprising a base, a light emitting unit movably attached to the base and emitting light that repels birds and animals, and a drive device for rotating the light emitting unit relative to the base, wherein the device is configured to perform automatic operation in which the light emitting unit rotates and emits light by the driving force of the drive device, the base is provided with a box-shaped casing having a first main surface with a through hole formed therein, the main unit in which the light emitting unit and the drive device are integrated is housed in the casing in a state in which at least the light emitting unit is exposed to the outside of the casing through the through hole, and the device further comprises a transparent cover that covers the light emitting unit exposed through the through hole, the inner space of the transparent cover is in communication with the inner space of the casing through the through hole, the casing is provided with a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part that connect the inside and outside of the casing, and a blower for introducing air into the inside of the casing from one of the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part and discharging air to the outside of the casing from the other, the bird and animal repellent device.

[0008] The second invention is that, in the first invention, a circulator is provided in the inner space of the transparent cover.

[0009] The third invention is that, in the second invention, the circulator is attached to the light emitting section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] In this invention, a box-shaped casing having a first main surface with through holes is provided with a first ventilation section and a second ventilation section, and a blower for introducing air into the inside of the casing from one of the first and second ventilation sections and discharging air to the outside of the casing from the other. Furthermore, the inner space of the transparent cover that covers the light-emitting section exposed through the through holes is in communication with the inner space of the casing through the through holes. Therefore, when the blower is operated during the automatic operation of the bird and animal repellent device, the inside of the casing where part of the main unit is located can be cooled, and the inner space of the transparent cover can also be cooled by the exchange of air between the inner space of the transparent cover and the inner space of the casing through the through holes. According to this invention, even when the bird and animal repellent device is installed in a high-temperature area, the temperature rise of the light-emitting section inside the transparent cover can be suppressed, and the occurrence of abnormalities in the light-emitting section can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1(a) is a perspective view of a bird and animal repellent device relating to a reference form, Figure 1(b) is a diagram illustrating the maximum lateral movement range of the light emitting part, etc., and Figure 1(c) is a diagram illustrating the maximum vertical movement range of the light emitting part, etc. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the installation state of a bird and animal repellent device according to a reference configuration. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing other installation configurations of the bird and animal repellent device according to the reference configuration. [Figure 4] Figure 4(a) is a schematic side view of the bird and animal repellent device according to the embodiment, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the light emitting section. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a bird and animal repellent device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic side view showing another bird and animal repellent device according to the first modified embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments and modifications are examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0013] <Reference form> Before describing the embodiments, we will first describe some reference forms that may serve as a reference for the embodiments.

[0014] [Configuration of the bird and animal repellent device] This reference embodiment is a bird and animal repellent device 10 that emits light that repels birds and animals. As shown in Figure 1(a), the bird and animal repellent device 10 comprises a base portion 11 having a mounting structure 33 for mounting to a desired installation location such as a wall or ceiling, a light emitting portion 12 that is movably attached to the base portion 11 and emits light that repels birds and animals, a first drive unit 13 that rotates the light emitting portion 12 in a lateral direction (e.g., horizontal direction) relative to the base portion 11, a second drive unit 14 that rotates the light emitting portion 12 in a vertical direction (e.g., vertical direction) relative to the base portion 11, and a remote control 15 equipped with an angle adjustment switch 52 for remotely operating the second drive unit 14. The first drive unit 13 and the second drive unit 14 correspond to drive devices 30 that rotate the light emitting portion 12 relative to the base portion 11.

[0015] The base portion 11 comprises a base body 21 having the mounting structure 33 described above, and a box-shaped casing 22 integrated with the base body 21. The base body 21 comprises a flat plate-shaped case mounting portion 31 to which the casing 22 is attached on the front side, and a plurality of legs 32 that support the case mounting portion 31. In this reference embodiment, the case mounting portion 31 and a pair of legs 32 are formed by bending a rectangular metal plate at four points (see Figure 1(a)). Each leg 32 has a contact portion 32a that contacts the mounting location, and a connecting portion 32b that extends from the case mounting portion 31 to the back side and connects to the contact portion 32a. The contact portion 32a is elongated and flat. The contact portion 32a is provided with a mounting structure that includes a portion for forming a plurality of through holes 33 through which screws are inserted.

[0016] The casing 22 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. Electrical components such as a control board are housed inside the casing 22 (not shown in the figure). A first power switch 41 and a first angle adjustment switch 42 are provided on the outer surface (for example, the side surface) of the casing 22. The casing 22 is attached to one side of the case installation portion 31. Note that the case installation portion 31 may constitute the bottom surface of the casing 22.

[0017] A through hole 22b for inserting the main unit 20 in which the light emitting unit 12, the first driving unit 13, and the second driving unit 14 are integrated is formed in the first main surface 22a of the casing 22 (the surface opposite to the case installation portion 31 side). The main unit 20 is fixed to the pedestal portion 11 (the bottom surface of the casing 22) in a state of passing through the through hole 22b, and at least the light emitting unit 12 is exposed to the outside of the casing 22 from the through hole 22b.

[0018] The bird and animal repellent device 10 further includes a dome-shaped transparent cover 25 that covers the light emitting unit 12 exposed from the through hole 22b. The transparent cover 25 has a dome shape that bulges from the first main surface 22a. For example, the transparent cover 25 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape. The transparent cover 25 is attached to the front side of the casing 22.

[0019] The light emitting unit 12 is, for example, a laser device that emits laser light. That is, the light that birds and animals avoid is laser light. For the light emitting unit 12, a device with an output having an irradiation distance of about 100 m in a dark room (for example, an attic) can be used. Also, for the light emitting unit 12, a device that emits laser light that spreads toward the emission side in a side view (laser light having a predetermined beam divergence angle) can be used.

[0020] The first driving unit 13 includes a rotating pedestal 16 that rotates about a first rotation axis 61 extending in the vertical direction (height direction), and a first motor 17 that rotates the rotating pedestal 16 about the first rotation axis 61. The first motor 17 is fixed to the casing 22 (for example, the bottom surface of the casing 22).

[0021] The maximum movable range of the light-emitting unit 12 (movable range of the rotating base 16) by the first drive unit 13 is 270 degrees or more, which is the angular range in which it can rotate laterally. In this reference embodiment, this angular range is 300 degrees. However, in installation locations where it is not necessary to rotate the light-emitting unit 12 widely laterally, the bird and animal repellent device 10 can be configured to have a limited range of motion, as shown in Figure 1(b), by restricting the maximum movable range and setting the movable range of the light-emitting unit 12 during use to a range narrower than the maximum movable range. This setting may be done by physically restricting it with a stopper, or by controlling the first motor 17 (the restriction may also be done control-wise).

[0022] In the bird and animal repellent device 10, the laser light emission side of the light emission unit 12 at the center of the above-mentioned angular range is the "front side" (right side in Figures 1(a) and (b)), and the opposite side is the "rear side".

[0023] The second drive unit 14 includes a movable member 18 that is rotatably connected to the rotating base 16 around a second rotating shaft 62 that extends laterally, and a second motor 19 that rotates the movable member 18 around the second rotating shaft 62. The movable member 18 has a mounting surface for the light emitting unit 12. The light emitting unit 12 is fixed to this mounting surface.

[0024] The movable range of the light-emitting unit 12 (movable range of the movable member 18) controlled by the second drive unit 14 is 80 degrees or more in the vertical direction. In this reference embodiment, this angular range is 90 degrees, and the angle of the light-emitting unit 12 in the vertical direction (laser beam emission angle) can be adjusted from horizontal to an elevation angle of 90 degrees. However, in locations where the bird and animal repellent device 10 does not need to be rotated significantly in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 1(c), the maximum movable range can be restricted, and the movable range of the light-emitting unit 12 during use can be set to a range narrower than the maximum movable range. This setting may be done by a stopper that physically restricts the range, or by controlling the second motor 19 (the restriction may be controlled).

[0025] The remote control 15 is connected to the casing 22 via a connection cord 23. The length of the connection cord 23 is, for example, 3m or more. In this reference embodiment, the remote control 15 is wired, but it may also be wireless.

[0026] A power cord 24 is connected to the remote control 15, and power is supplied via the power cord 24. The power supplied to the remote control 15 is then supplied to the light emission unit 12, the first motor 17, and the second motor 19 via a connection cord 23 and a control board (not shown) inside the casing 22. The remote control 15 is equipped with a second power switch 51 and a second angle adjustment switch 52. The second power switch 51 controls the same functions as the first power switch 41. The second angle adjustment switch 52 controls the same functions as the first angle adjustment switch 42.

[0027] [Operation of the bird and animal repellent device] Each power switch 41, 51 is, for example, a two-contact switch, and can be switched between an ON state and an OFF state. When power switches 41, 51 are switched to the ON state, the bird and animal repellent device 10 switches to an automatic operation state in which laser light is emitted from the light emitting unit 12. In automatic operation, power is supplied to the light emitting unit 12 and the first motor 17, but no power is supplied to the second motor 19. In automatic operation, the light emitting unit 12 emits laser light while continuously rotating in the horizontal direction (horizontal rotation) by the driving force of the first motor 17, with its vertical angle fixed.

[0028] In autonomous operation, the first motor 17 switches its rotation direction at regular intervals of a certain rotation angle (the angle within the range of angle in which lateral rotation is possible (the angle of the movable range during use)), and the light emitting unit 12 also switches its rotation direction at regular intervals of a certain rotation angle. For example, in the installation state shown in Figure 2, the irradiation spot of the laser beam L reciprocates along the length of the beam (member on which the bird 1 perches) 9 that extends along the ceiling surface 6.

[0029] In automatic operation, power may also be supplied to the second motor 19, so that the light emitting unit 12 emits light while changing its vertical angle by the driving force of the second drive unit 14 and continuously rotating horizontally by the driving force of the first drive unit 13. In this case, in automatic operation, it may be possible to switch ON / OFF whether or not the vertical angle of the light emitting unit 12 is changed by the driving force of the second drive unit 14.

[0030] Each angle adjustment switch 42, 52 is a 3-contact switch and can be switched between a first ON state, a second ON state, and an OFF state. When each angle adjustment switch 42, 52 is switched to the first ON state, the second motor 19 rotates in the first rotation direction, which increases the elevation angle of the light emitting unit 12. When each angle adjustment switch 42, 52 is switched to the second ON state, the second motor 19 rotates in the second rotation direction (opposite to the first rotation direction), which decreases the elevation angle of the light emitting unit 12. By operating each angle adjustment switch 42, 52, it is possible to adjust the angle of the light emitting unit 12 in the vertical direction (the emission angle of the laser light L in the vertical direction of the light emitting unit 12 during automatic operation). This adjustment can also be applied when changing the vertical angle of the light emitting unit 12 during automatic operation. In this case, for example, the center angle within the vertical movable range (movable range during use) of the light emitting unit 12 will be adjusted.

[0031] [Installation and angle adjustment of bird and animal repellent devices, and the effectiveness of this reference configuration] The bird and animal repellent device 10 has a base portion 11 attached to a wall or ceiling surface at a distance from the ground by a mounting structure 33. The bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed, for example, near the ceiling surface 6 of a building 5. In Figure 2(a), the bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed with its front side facing upwards. The bird and animal repellent device 10 is fixed to a member 8 fixed to the building 5 by bolts 34 passed through each through hole 33 of the leg portion 32.

[0032] After the bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed, the angle of the light-emitting section 12 in the vertical direction is adjusted to a desired angle (for example, an angle that points towards the place where a bird 1 might perch) using the angle adjustment switches 42 and 52. By adjusting the angle of the light-emitting section 12, the emission angle (elevation angle) of the laser light L in the vertical direction is adjusted. For example, a worker who has installed the bird and animal repellent device 10 at a height can adjust the angle of the light-emitting section 12 in the vertical direction by operating the first angle adjustment switch 42.

[0033] However, after this adjustment, it may be necessary to readjust the angle of the light-emitting section 12 in the vertical direction. For example, if there are no birds 1 at the time of the initial adjustment, but birds 1 fly in after the work at height is completed, the building manager may want to readjust the angle of the light-emitting section 12 in the vertical direction when viewed from the floor side of the building 5.

[0034] In such a case, the present reference embodiment is provided with a second drive unit 14 for rotating the light emitting unit 12 in the vertical direction, and a remote control 15 having a second angle adjustment switch 52 for remotely operating the second drive unit 14. Therefore, the angle of the light emitting unit 12 in the vertical direction can be readjusted by remotely operating the second drive unit 14.

[0035] The bird and animal repellent device 10 can be installed in various configurations depending on the conditions of the building 5. For example, as shown in Figure 3(a), the bird and animal repellent device 10 may be installed on the ceiling surface 6. The bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed with its front side facing downwards. In this case, since the light emitting part 12 of the bird and animal repellent device 10 can rotate at an angle range of 270 degrees or more in the lateral direction, by positioning it near the center of the ceiling surface 6, the irradiation spot of the laser light L can be moved over a wide area, and the area required for installing bird netting on the ceiling 6 can be significantly reduced.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3(b), the bird and animal repellent device 10 may also be installed on the wall surface 7. The bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed so that its front side faces downward. In this case, in this reference embodiment, the angle range in which the light emitting unit 12 can rotate in the vertical direction is 90 degrees from horizontal to elevation, so in Figure 2(a), the emission angle of the laser light L can only be adjusted upward, but in Figure 3(b), the emission angle of the laser light L can be adjusted downward. In this reference embodiment, the angle of the light emitting unit 12 in the vertical direction can only be adjusted towards the elevation side, but it may also be possible to adjust it towards the inclined angle side.

[0037] <Embodiment> The bird and animal repellent device 10 according to this embodiment has a cooling function added to the reference embodiment for cooling the light emitting unit 12. The light emitting unit 12 is equipped with multiple light emitting units that emit laser light of different colors from each other. For example, the light emitting unit 12 is composed of a first light emitting unit 12a that emits red laser light, a second light emitting unit 12b that emits blue laser light, and a third light emitting unit 13c that emits green laser light (see Figure 4(b)).

[0038] In the prototype stage of the product, the applicant installed the bird and animal repellent device 10 near the ceiling surface 6 of building 5, and during the summer, an abnormality occurred in the light emitting unit 12. Specifically, the first light emitting unit 12a stopped emitting red laser light. This embodiment aims to suppress the occurrence of abnormalities in the light emitting unit 12 even when the bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed in a high-temperature area inside building 5, and therefore provides a cooling function to cool the light emitting unit 12.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4(a), the casing 22 is provided with a first ventilation section 56 and a second ventilation section 57 that connect the inside and outside of the casing 22, and a first blower 71 for introducing air into the inside of the casing 22 from one of the first ventilation section 56 and the second ventilation section 57 and discharging air to the outside of the casing 22 from the other. The first ventilation section 56 and the second ventilation section 57 are each composed of a plurality of ventilation openings. The first ventilation section 56 and the second ventilation section 57 are provided on different sides (for example, sides facing each other). The first blower 71 is positioned, for example, on the inside of the side of the casing 22 where the first ventilation section 56 is formed.

[0040] In this embodiment, a second blower 72, which functions as a circulator, is provided in the inner space of the transparent cover 25. The second blower 72 is mounted on the upper surface of the light emitting section 12 (the side opposite to the rotating base 16). The inner space of the transparent cover 25 is separated from the outer space of the transparent cover 25 and communicates with the inner space of the casing 22 through the through hole 22b.

[0041] [Effects of this embodiment] In this embodiment, the first blower 71 and the second blower 72 can be operated during automatic operation. When the first blower 71 is operated, air is introduced from the outside to the inside of the casing 22 through the first ventilation section 56, and air is discharged from the inside to the outside of the casing 22 through the second ventilation section 57. In addition, air is exchanged between the inner space of the casing 22 and the inner space of the transparent cover 25 through the through hole 22b. Therefore, even when the bird and animal repellent device 10 is installed in a high-temperature area, the temperature rise of the light emitting section 12 inside the transparent cover 25 can be suppressed, and the occurrence of abnormalities in the light emitting section 12 can be suppressed.

[0042] Furthermore, when the second blower 72 is operated, air is circulated in the inner space of the transparent cover 25, and air exchange between the inner space of the casing 22 and the inner space of the transparent cover 25 is promoted through the through-hole 22b. As a result, the temperature of the air in contact with the light-emitting section 12 can be effectively reduced. In Figure 4(a), the white arrows represent the airflow.

[0043] Furthermore, the second blower 72, which functions as a circulator, is directly attached to the light-emitting section 12. The second blower 72 is formed, for example, in the shape of a plate, and as shown in Figure 4(a), it draws in air from the top side (the side opposite to the light-emitting section 12) and blows out air from the side. The air inside the second blower 72 that is in contact with the light-emitting section 12 is constantly replaced. As a result, heat does not easily accumulate in the second blower 72, and the light-emitting section 12 can be effectively cooled.

[0044] <First modified example of this embodiment> The modified animal repellent device 10 is configured such that the rotation shaft 61 of the first drive unit 13 can be rotated vertically by the second drive unit 14.

[0045] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the second drive unit 14 may include, in addition to the movable member 18 and the second motor 19, a fixed member 40 fixed to the casing 22, a motor mounting section 45 to which the first motor 17 is fixed, and a third motor 46 that rotates the motor mounting section 45 vertically relative to the fixed member 40. In this case, the motor mounting section 45 is rotatably connected to the fixed member 40 around a third rotation axis 63 extending in the horizontal direction. Note that, as shown in Figure 6, the movable member 18 and the second motor 19 may be omitted.

[0046] According to this modified example, the irradiation spot of the laser light L emitted by the light emitting unit 12 can be easily moved in two dimensions, vertically and horizontally, when viewed from the side. In this case, by controlling the first motor 17 and the third motor 46, the irradiation spot of the laser light L may move randomly during automatic operation, or the irradiation spot of the laser light L may move in a wave-like manner, or the irradiation spot of the laser light L may be scanned horizontally at various angles in the vertical direction.

[0047] [Other variations] In the above embodiment, a solar power generation system may be connected as the power source for the bird and animal repellent device 10.

[0048] In the embodiment described above, the bird and animal repellent device 10 may further include a timer and a switch for operating the timer (not shown). For example, when this switch is turned ON, the timer operates, and when the timer's set time (e.g., 24 hours) has elapsed, the power is turned OFF. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, the operation may be stopped if there is no bird 1 in the area through which the light emitted by the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 12 passes, and the operation may be restarted when a bird 1 flies in. [Industrial applicability]

[0050] This invention is applicable to bird and animal repellent devices that emit light that repels birds and animals. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 10. Bird and animal repellent devices 11. Base 12 Light-emitting section 13 First drive unit 14. Second drive unit 21 Base 22 Casing 22a First main surface 22b Through hole 25 Transparent cover 30 Drive unit 56 First ventilation section 57 Second ventilation section 71. First blower (blower) 72. Second blower

Claims

1. The base and A light-emitting unit is movably attached to the aforementioned base and emits light that repels birds and animals, The system includes a drive device that rotates the light-emitting part relative to the base portion, A bird and animal repellent device configured to perform automatic operation in which the light emitting unit rotates and emits light by the driving force of the drive device, The base portion is provided with a box-shaped casing having a first main surface in which through holes are formed. The main unit, which integrates the light emitting section and the drive device, is housed in the casing such that at least the light emitting section is exposed to the outside of the casing through the through hole. The system further includes a transparent cover that covers the light-emitting portion exposed through the through-hole, The inner space of the transparent cover communicates with the inner space of the casing through the through hole. A bird and animal repellent device, wherein the casing is provided with a first ventilation section and a second ventilation section that connect the inside and outside of the casing, and a blower for introducing air into the inside of the casing from one of the first ventilation section and the second ventilation section and discharging air to the outside of the casing from the other.

2. The bird and animal repellent device according to claim 1, wherein a circulator is provided in the inner space of the transparent cover.

3. The bird and animal repellent device according to claim 2, wherein the circulator is attached to the light emitting section.

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