Pest prevention device

Abstract

To provide a harmful animal intrusion prevention device which can effectively prevent the intrusion of harmful animals including bears and is easy to install and remove. [Solution] The pest intrusion prevention device 1 comprises a frame body 2 having a planar extent, and a plurality of openings 3 arranged lengthwise and widthwise. The device may comprise an angular member disposed inside each of the openings and extending from the bottom surface of the frame body toward the top surface of the frame body. Alternatively, the device may comprise a sphere disposed at the upper end of the angular member and freely rotate relative to the angular member. Alternatively, the device may comprise a stand that raises one end of the frame body and lowers the other end relative to the ground at the installation location. The openings may be rectangular, triangular, or hexagonal in plan.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pest intrusion prevention device that prevents the intrusion of pests. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the intrusion of wild animals into human living spaces has become a problem. In particular, wild animals invade orchards around so-called Satoyama areas and damage fruit trees. In this case, the wild animals, such as bears, wild boars, and deer, are called pests. There is a demand for a pest intrusion prevention device that prevents pests from invading human living spaces.

[0003] Metal fences have been used as devices to prevent the intrusion of pest animals. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an animal intrusion prevention fence that has an animal contact part whose upper end is tilted outward and a horizontally arranged insertion part. The animal contact part and the insertion part are configured by combining rod-shaped steel materials of about several millimeters in a lattice shape, and the animal contact part is connected to the lower end edge and the inner end edge of the insertion part. The animal intrusion prevention fence described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a guide part that supports the animal contact part and the insertion part so that they can be raised and lowered freely.

[0004] Because of this configuration, when the nose of a target animal hits the animal contact part of the animal intrusion prevention fence described in Patent Document 1, the animal contact part and the insertion part are lifted upward, and as a result, the front legs of the target animal are caught between the lattice squares of the insertion part. The startled target animal retreats. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-173978 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The animal intrusion prevention fence described in Patent Document 1 is considered to be sufficiently effective when targeting wild boars and the like. However, its effectiveness when targeting bears is questionable. Bears can climb over fences, and with a bear's physical strength, it is not that difficult for them to destroy a fence.

[0007] Furthermore, the animal intrusion prevention fence described in Patent Document 1 requires assembly at the installation site, which is problematic in that installation is time-consuming. Furthermore, because the animal intrusion prevention fence also prevents human passage, if it is necessary to temporarily allow human passage, the animal intrusion prevention fence must be temporarily removed and then restored. There is also the problem that such temporary removal and subsequent restoration are time-consuming.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a pest prevention device that can effectively prevent the intrusion of vermin, including bears, and is easy to install and remove. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the pest intrusion prevention device according to the present invention comprises a frame body having a planar extent and a plurality of openings arranged vertically and horizontally. The pest intrusion prevention device may comprise horn-shaped members disposed inside each of the openings and extending from the bottom surface of the frame body to the top surface of the frame body. Alternatively, the pest intrusion prevention device may comprise a sphere disposed at the top end of the horn-shaped member and freely rotating relative to the horn-shaped member. Alternatively, the pest intrusion prevention device may comprise a stand that raises one end of the frame body and lowers the other end relative to the ground at the installation location.

[0010] The opening may be rectangular or triangular in plan view, or the opening may be hexagonal in plan view. Effect of the Invention

[0011] When a vermin such as a bear walks on the frame of the vermin intrusion prevention device according to the present invention and tries to climb over the frame, the vermin's feet easily fall into the opening. Or rather, it is quite difficult to walk on the frame without dropping its feet into the opening. When a vermin drops its feet into the opening, it loses its balance and falls. Then, the fallen vermin senses danger and runs away. As a result, the intrusion of the vermin is prevented. Furthermore, the vermin that has run away learns that the vermin intrusion prevention device is dangerous to itself, and will not approach the vermin intrusion prevention device thereafter.

[0012] Furthermore, by providing a horn-shaped member inside the opening, or by providing a sphere at the tip of the horn-shaped member, the danger of the pest intrusion prevention device can be made even more apparent to pests. In this way, the pest intrusion prevention device of the present invention can effectively prevent the intrusion of pests, including bears. Furthermore, the pest intrusion prevention device of the present invention is easy to install, since it can be installed simply by placing it on the ground at the installation location. The pest intrusion prevention device of the present invention is easy to remove, since it can be removed simply by lifting it from the installation location. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1A is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the pest intrusion prevention device. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the pest intrusion prevention device shown in FIG. 1B along the line CC'. [Diagram 2] 1(A) is a cross-sectional view equivalent to FIG. 1(C) showing the configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device according to a first modified example, and FIG. 1(B) is a front view showing the configuration of an antler member provided in a pest intrusion prevention device according to a second modified example. [Diagram 3] 13(A) is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device according to a third modified example, and (B) is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 4] 13(A) and 13(B) are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device according to a fifth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The configuration and operation of the pest prevention device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that in each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are given the same reference numerals.

[0015] Fig. 1(A) is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1(B) is a plan view of the pest intrusion prevention device 1. Fig. 1(C) is a cross-sectional view of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 taken along the plane indicated by line CC' in Fig. 1(B).

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1(A), the pest intrusion prevention device 1 includes a frame body 2. The frame body 2 has a planar extent. A plurality of openings 3 are arranged vertically and horizontally in the frame body 2. In this embodiment, the frame body 2 has an external dimension of about 1 m in plan view, and 100 openings 3 are arranged in 10 rows and 10 columns in the frame body 2. In this embodiment, the frame body 2 is a wooden frame or a metal frame formed by assembling elongated square timbers or plate materials in a lattice shape. The height of the frame body 2 is, for example, 4 to 16 cm, for example, 10 cm. As shown in FIG. 1(B), the frame body 2 includes a plurality of vertical frames 4 and horizontal frames 5 arranged at equal intervals vertically and horizontally. The vertical frames 4 and horizontal frames 5 are perpendicular to each other. In this embodiment, the opening 3 is surrounded by the vertical frames 4 and horizontal frames 5 to form a rectangle in plan view. In this embodiment, the dimension of one side of the planar shape of the opening 3 is, for example, 4 to 26 cm, for example, about 10 cm.

[0017] Since the pest intrusion prevention device 1 is constructed as described above, a cavity 6 is formed below the opening 3 as shown in FIG. 1(C). In this embodiment, the depth of the cavity 6 is about 10 cm. Therefore, it is difficult for a bear to walk on the pest intrusion prevention device 1 without dropping its foot into the cavity 6, that is, without stepping off the vertical frame 4 and the horizontal frame 5. In many cases, as shown in FIG. 1(C), the bear's foot 7 gets stuck in the cavity 6. If one of the feet 7 gets stuck in the cavity 6, and the bear makes an irregular movement while trying to remove the foot 7 from the cavity 6, the other foot 7 gets stuck in another cavity 6, and the bear cannot move. Or the bear loses its balance and falls. In any case, when the bear tries to walk on the pest intrusion prevention device 1, the bear has an unpleasant experience. If the bear has such an experience repeatedly, the bear recognizes that the pest intrusion prevention device 1 is a dangerous existence for the bear, and therefore does not approach the pest intrusion prevention device 1. In the first place, it is said that bears dislike walking on such unstable ground.

[0018] Therefore, for example, by installing the pest intrusion prevention device 1 in places where bears are expected to pass, such as animal trails, it is possible to prevent bears from invading human living areas. The effectiveness of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 can be increased by installing multiple pest intrusion prevention devices 1 side by side in the direction in which pests pass. The pest intrusion prevention device 1 is easy to install, as it can be installed simply by placing it on the ground. It is also easy to temporarily remove and restore. Furthermore, the pest intrusion prevention device 1 has a simple structure, so it is easy to manufacture and does not easily break. Therefore, it is not easily destroyed even if attacked by a bear.

[0019] The size of the opening 3 must be appropriately selected according to the size of the pest's feet, which is the target of intrusion prevention. If the opening 3 is too small compared to the size of the pest's feet, the pest's feet will not fall through the opening 3, and the pest will not sense danger. If the opening 3 is too large compared to the size of the pest's feet, even if the pest's feet get stuck in the cavity 6, it will be able to easily escape. In this case, too, the pest will not sense danger. In this way, if the pest cannot sense danger, the intrusion prevention effect will not be achieved. In short, in the pest intrusion prevention device 1, the size of the opening 3 must be selected according to the size of the pest's feet, which is the target of intrusion prevention.

[0020] FIG. 2(A) is a cross-sectional view equivalent to FIG. 1(C), showing the configuration of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to the first modification. As shown in FIG. 2(A), the pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to the first modification is characterized by having a horn-shaped member 8 inside the opening 3, that is, inside the cavity 6. The horn-shaped member 8 is a horn-shaped member fixed to the bottom surface of the frame body 2 and extending toward the upper surface of the frame body 2. By providing the horn-shaped member 8, it is possible to give the bear a greater sense of discomfort when its paw 7 gets stuck in the cavity 6. Not limited to bears, animals dislike having their paws scratched, so when their paws hit the horn-shaped member 8, the bear feels very uncomfortable. As a result, the intrusion prevention effect is improved. Note that multiple horn-shaped members 8 may be arranged in one opening. The tip of the horn-shaped member 8 may be sharp. In this case, it is desirable that the tip of the horn-shaped member 8 is a size that does not protrude from the frame body 2.

[0021] Fig. 2(B) is a front view showing the configuration of horn-shaped member 8 provided in pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to the second modification. In the second modification, as shown in Fig. 2(B), a sphere 9 is rotatably supported on the upper end of horn-shaped member 8. By providing rotatable sphere 9 on the upper end of horn-shaped member 8, when a bear's paw 7 gets stuck in cavity 6, it becomes easier for the bear's paw 7 to slip against horn-shaped member 8, making it difficult to pull the bear's paw 7 out of cavity 6. As a result, a greater sense of discomfort can be caused to the bear, improving the intrusion prevention effect.

[0022] FIG. 3(A) is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to a third modified example, and FIG. 3(B) is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to a fourth modified example.

[0023] In the above, an example was described in which the opening 3 of the frame 2 has a rectangular shape in plan view, but the planar shape of the opening 3 is not limited to a rectangle. The planar shape of the opening 3 can be selected arbitrarily. As shown in Fig. 3(A), the planar shape of the opening 3 may be a triangle, or as shown in Fig. 3(B), the planar shape of the opening 3 may be a honeycomb shape, i.e., a hexagon. Alternatively, a round shape or the like may be used.

[0024] As explained above, the pest intrusion prevention device 1 has a simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost. Basically, the installation work of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 is completed simply by placing it at the installation location, that is, in a location where pests are expected to pass through, so the cost of installation work is low. In addition, temporary removal and restoration are also easy. Also, unlike a fence, there is little risk of it being broken by the target animal ramming into it, etc.

[0025] Although the basic installation work is completed by placing the pest intrusion prevention device 1 on the ground at the installation location, it is also possible to dig into the ground at the installation location and bury the base of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 in the ground. Alternatively, a spike-shaped rod may be driven into the ground and the pest intrusion prevention device 1 may be fastened to the rod to prevent the pest intrusion prevention device 1 from shifting sideways.

[0026] 4(A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of a pest intrusion prevention device 1 according to a fifth modified example. As shown in Fig. 4(A) and (B), the pest intrusion prevention device 1 may be provided with a stand 11 that makes one end of the frame body 2 higher and the other end lower relative to the ground 10 at the installation location. By providing the stand 11, the end portion corresponding to the entrance of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 can be lowered when viewed from the direction of intrusion of the pest, so that the target rod can be attracted to the pest intrusion prevention device 1. Similarly, as shown in Fig. 4(A) and (B), multiple pest intrusion prevention devices 1 with stands 11 may be arranged in series.

[0027] In the above, an example was given in which bears were the target of the pest intrusion prevention device 1, but the target of the pest intrusion prevention device 1 is not limited to bears. The pest intrusion prevention device 1 can be used for various animals. However, as mentioned above, the size of the opening 3 needs to be selected according to the size of the target animal's feet.

[0028] In the above, a wooden frame 2 is exemplified, but the material of the frame 2 is not limited to wood. Any of various materials can be selected as the material of the frame 2. The frame 2 may be a molded product made of a plastic material, or may be made of a metal member.

[0029] A substance that bears dislike, such as a bear repellent, may be attached to the pest intrusion prevention device 1. The substance is not limited to a dedicated bear repellent. If a substance that emits an odor that bears dislike, such as various pesticides, insecticides (e.g., malathion), or herbicides, is attached to the pest intrusion prevention device 1, it is possible to suppress bears from approaching.

[0030] The external dimensions of the pest prevention device 1 are not particularly limited, but it is desirable that the dimensions are sufficient to prevent the passage of target animals and that the device can be transported and installed manually. This is because it is difficult to transport and install the device by machine in the mountains. In addition, multiple pest prevention devices 1 may be installed in an array or linked together.

[0031] In any case, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the present invention can be freely modified, applied, or improved within the scope of the technical idea described in the utility model registration claims.

[0032] The inventor of this invention has been developing an artificial ski slope using a honeycomb structure for about 30 years, and has filed four patent applications. The inventor got the idea for this invention from the artificial ski slope using a honeycomb structure. That is, the inventor saw how dogs disliked walking on the depressions in the honeycomb structure of the artificial ski slope, and thought that this could also be used to control pests. However, since the technical fields, purposes, actions, and effects of an artificial ski slope and a pest prevention device are completely different, it is not easy for even a person skilled in the art to come up with the idea of ​​a pest prevention device from an artificial ski slope.

[0033] Furthermore, the usefulness of the development of the artificial ski slope was recognized, and on March 31, 1990, the Research Development Corporation of Japan (now the Japan Science and Technology Corporation) awarded us a research grant ("Application of the Theory of Artificial Ski Slopes" serial number 89340). This invention is, so to speak, a by-product of the aforementioned research, and so it can be said to have been subsidized by the Research Development Corporation of Japan. I would like to express my gratitude for this.

[0034] [Acknowledgements] From the conception to completion of this invention, we received great help from the following two people. We would like to express our gratitude by listing their names here. Hata Gen Woodworks Ltd. Representative Director Masakazu Hata Masato Mizoguchi, PhD, Counselor, Toyama Prefecture New Industry Organization, Public Interest Foundation [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 pest prevention device, 2 frame body, 3 opening, 4 vertical frame, 5 horizontal frame, 6 cavity, 7 legs, 8 angular member, 9 sphere, 10 ground, 11 mounting base

Claims

1. A frame body having a planar extent, A frame body having a plurality of openings arranged vertically and horizontally is provided. Pest prevention device.

2. a corner member disposed within each of the openings and extending from a bottom surface of the frame toward a top surface of the frame; The pest prevention device according to claim 1.

3. A sphere is disposed at the upper end of the horn-shaped member and is freely rotatable relative to the horn-shaped member. The pest prevention device according to claim 2.

4. A stand is provided for raising one end of the frame body and lowering the other end of the frame body relative to the ground at the installation location. The pest prevention device according to claim 1.

5. The opening has a rectangular shape in plan view. The pest intrusion prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The opening is triangular in plan view. The pest intrusion prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The opening is hexagonal in plan view. The pest intrusion prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images