Electric fence to prevent animal damage

Abstract

To provide an electric pasture fence for preventing invasion of a wild boar, operating effectively in early morning or evening time zone when a wild boar is active in each season.SOLUTION: In an electric pasture fence for preventing invasion of a wild boar or the like, an impulse voltage is generated in a time zone when a wild boar appears, and the impulse voltage is not generated in a time zone when a person works outdoors for farm operation or the like, and further, an extension time of impulse voltage generation is determined automatically according to a season, to thereby prevent waste of electric power consumption, with less risk of electric shock.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[0001] Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical field] The present invention relates to an electric fence for preventing damage caused by wild animals, such as wild boars, that invade orchards, fields, etc. and cause damage to agricultural crops. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric fences are used to prevent the intrusion of wild boars and other animals. Proposals for preventing intrusion without reducing the efficiency of field utilization and without incurring large costs for preventing animal damage, and for increasing safety when people come into contact with the animals, are described in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] A typical example, as shown in Figure 1, is composed of an electric fence main body 1, posts 2, insulators 3, bare electric wires 4, and an earth 5. When installing it, the posts 2 are erected at regular intervals around the perimeter of the field, the insulators 3 are attached to them, and the bare electric wires 4 are fixed to the insulators 3 to set up the fence around the perimeter of the field.

[0004] When using this device, an impulse voltage (pulse-like) generated by the electric fence device main unit 1 is applied to the bare electric wires 4 that are strung around the fields. Any wild boar that touches this bare electric wire 4 receives an electric shock and retreats. The effect of the electric fence device is that the wild boar, having received the electric shock and learning about the electric shock, becomes afraid of the bare electric wires 4 and will not approach them, and this is the effect of the electric fence device, which is why it is widely used in farmland in mountainous areas.

[0005] Wild boars have traditionally been said to be nocturnal, but recent research has confirmed that they are active during the day as well. According to Non-Patent Document 1, wild boars are very cautious and usually do not show themselves in front of people. They run away when they sense the sound or smell of human footsteps approaching from afar, and are the animals that fear humans the most.

[0006] The wild boars appear at times when people are not seen outdoors, and in farmland in mountainous areas, they have been reported to appear at times when people are not engaged in outdoor farm work.

[0007] Nighttime is the time when people are not engaged in agricultural work outdoors. Because the time when people are not active during agricultural work coincides with nighttime, people were mistakenly led to believe that nighttime is the time when wild boars are out and about, which led to the mistaken belief that wild boars are nocturnal.

[0008] Based on the understanding that wild boars come out at night but not during the day, electric fences with built-in light sensors have been developed and are being used, as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. This system detects brightness with a light sensor and stops the main body of the electric fence as inoperative during the day, and when it gets dark, the light sensor signals that it is night and generates an impulse voltage from the electric fence to prevent wild boars from entering fields.

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Application No. 52-44335

[0010] [Patent Document 2] Application No. 60-98299

[0011] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Protecting Farmland from Wild Boars: Interesting Ecology and Clever Prevention Methods" by Yusuke Eguchi (Published by Rural Culture Association, March 10, 2003) Problems that the Invention is Trying to Solve

[0012] However, in recent years, wild boar intrusions have become more noticeable in the early morning when it is light outside and the electric fence stops working, eliminating the shock voltage.

[0013] Non-Patent Document 1 describes that wild boars appear at times when people are not active outdoors. Outdoor activities such as farm work are not carried out at night. People rarely carry out outdoor activities at dawn in the morning, and do not carry out activities for 1-2 hours after dawn. Outdoor activities such as farm work start 1-2 hours after dawn and continue until it is almost dark in the evening.

[0014] Electric fences equipped with optical sensors are activated in the evening when it gets dark. Since wild boars only come out after dusk when no farm work is being done, electric fences are activated in the evening. However, when the surroundings get bright at dawn, the optical sensor detects this and stops generating the shock voltage from the electric fence. This is the time period when wild boars come out as humans are not active outdoors for one to two hours after dawn. With conventional electric fences equipped with optical sensors, wild boars come out and are active during the one to two hours after dawn when humans start their outdoor activities, and the electric fence is in an inactive state during the time when wild boars are about to enter the fields, which is a problem. There is also the problem of people returning home from the fields early at dusk in winter, allowing wild boars to enter the area.

[0015] From this perspective, it is most effective to operate the electric fence during the time when wild boars are likely to invade. [Patent Document 3] Published 2005-013136

[0016] In Patent Document 3, a device has been developed that is equipped with a timer that detects this dawn and extends the time by a certain period of time. In this case, it is a fixed time extension, and the desired operating time of the electric fence changes depending on the season. In the case of a fixed time extension, an extension in winter means that the electric fence will be operated for a longer period of time. For example, in Kagoshima Prefecture, sunrise time in June is around 5:15. Extending it by two hours makes it 7:15. This almost coincides with the start of agricultural work. In December, sunrise time is around 7:15, and extending it by two hours from this time makes it 9:15. Agricultural work has already started, which increases the risk of people receiving electric shock. It also has the disadvantage of being a waste of electricity. For this reason, it is necessary to shorten the extension time in winter.

[0017] The object of the present invention is to provide an electric fence that operates effectively during the early morning and evening hours each season when wild boars are active (hours when people are not working on farms) and prevents wild boars from invading during those hours.

[0018] The present invention is an electric fence having an impulse voltage generator electrically connected to a light sensor and a night time measurement circuit, and the light sensor detects a change from a light surrounding state to a dark surrounding state and activates the impulse voltage generator (electric fence), while the night time measurement circuit counts the operation time at night. The count is made up of the time from the surroundings changing from a dark surrounding state to a light surrounding state. When the surroundings change from a dark surrounding state to a light surrounding state, the light sensor circuit stops the impulse voltage generator. The night time measurement circuit compares the night time measurement result with the internal memory and the night time to calculate the seasonally appropriate extension time for the day, the daytime standby time, and the early extension time at dusk.

[0019] After deciding the extension time according to the season, it sends an operation signal to the electric fence. After the extension time ends, the signal is stopped, and after the daytime standby time, an operation signal is sent to the electric fence for the early start extension time in the evening. It is characterized by the ability to display dawn extension time and pre-dusk extension time.

[0020] Typically, a shock voltage is generated between dawn and when people begin to move around outdoors, preventing wild boars from entering the area. Because the time from dawn until a person begins outdoor activities varies depending on the season, the system measures the time at night and compares it with an internal setting to determine the season and then finds the optimal time from dawn until a person begins outdoor activities on that day in that season. At dusk, because it is not possible to return home in the dark, the early activation time is calculated according to the season and an activation signal is sent to the electric fence so that farm work can be finished early.

[0021] In other words, this invention is a device that electrically connects a light sensor, generates an impulse voltage when it gets dark in the evening using the signal output by this light sensor, stops the impulse voltage when it gets light at dawn, and calculates the morning extension time, daytime standby time, and early start time for each season of the day from the nighttime time measurement, and sends an operation signal to the electric fence again. It is a device that outputs an operation signal separately from the light sensor signal.

[0022] The night time measurement circuit that can be used in the present invention uses a microcomputer.

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Example 1 FIG. 5 shows an example of a circuit in which a nighttime time measuring circuit shown in FIG. 3 is added to the conventional electric fence circuit shown in FIG. 1 to obtain a circuit as shown in FIG.

[0025] In Figure 1, C is a light sensor circuit that outputs 12V at night and 0V during the day.

[0026] In Figure 1, D is a circuit that receives a 12v signal from the light sensor circuit and generates an impulse voltage. E is the output line for the impulse voltage. Connect it to the fence wire and to the ground.

[0027] In Figure 1, F is a storage box for the electric fence.

[0028] In FIG. 3, G is a microcomputer. H is a circuit that receives the night signal from the light sensor and a circuit that receives the periodic impulse voltage signal from the impulse voltage generator. Part I is a voltage output circuit that controls the impulse voltage generator.

[0029] In FIG. 3, part J is a switch circuit that selects between morning extension and morning and evening extension. Part K is a circuit that supplies electricity from 12v to the microcomputer.

[0030] Figure 4 is a circuit block diagram incorporating the night time measurement circuit shown in Figure 3 into an electric fence.

[0031] The operation will be explained using the circuit block diagram shown in FIG.

[0032] During the day, the signal from the light sensor is 0V, so the impulse voltage generator is stopped and the nighttime time measurement circuit is also stopped. L is a diode that separates the light sensor, the impulse voltage generator, and the night time measurement circuit.

[0033] When the light sensor detects night and outputs 12V, the impulse voltage generator starts operating and outputs an impulse voltage to the fence wire.

[0034] When the light sensor detects night and outputs 12V, the night signal is also input into the night time measurement circuit.

[0035] The night time measurement circuit receives 12v from the light sensor and starts counting the night time.

[0036] When the light sensor detects dawn, the sensor output becomes 0V, the impulse voltage generator stops, and the impulse voltage is no longer supplied to the fence wire.

[0037] When the light sensor detects dawn, the sensor output becomes 0V and the night time measurement circuit stops counting to confirm dawn.

[0038] The night time measurement circuit compares the night time measurement results with the data stored in the computer to determine the season and calculate the optimal morning and evening extension times for that day. The daytime standby time is calculated using the following formula. Daytime standby time = 24 hours - nighttime time + morning extension time + evening extension time When dawn is detected from the light sensor, the sensor output of 0V is received and the computer immediately calculates and sends an operating signal of 12V to the shock voltage generator as a restart signal.

[0039] The impulse voltage generating unit receives a start signal from the night time measuring circuit and starts operating, outputting an impulse voltage to the fence wire.

[0040] After the morning extension time, the night-time measuring circuit outputs a 0V signal and the impulse voltage generator goes into daytime standby mode. When the daytime standby time elapses and it becomes evening extension time, the night-time measuring circuit outputs a 12V signal, and the impulse voltage generator receives the signal from the night-time measuring circuit, starts operating, and outputs an impulse voltage to the fence wire.

[0041] During the evening extension time, when the light sensor detects night and outputs a 12V signal, the night time measurement circuit receives the signal, resets the program, and starts a new night time measurement.

[0042] In FIG. 3, the J section is a switch circuit that selects between morning extension and morning and evening extension, and can be selected by the user. If the morning extension is selected, the night time measurement circuit resets the program at the same time as the morning extension ends, and waits until the light sensor detects night and outputs 12V. Effects of the invention The electric fence for preventing intrusion of wild boars and the like of the present invention recognizes that the time period when people are not active outdoors for farm work, etc. is the time period when wild boars and the like appear, and generates impulse voltage during the time when people are not active outdoors for farm work, etc., i.e., the time period when wild boars appear, and does not generate impulse voltage during the time when people are active outdoors for farm work, etc., and automatically determines the extension time of the impulse voltage generation depending on the season, thereby preventing waste of power and reducing the risk of electric shock, making it a very efficient electric fence for preventing intrusion of wild boars and the like. [Brief description of the drawings] [Figure 1] A typical example of a conventional electric fence for preventing wild boars from entering is shown below. [Diagram 2] 1 shows the circuit of a conventional electric fence for preventing wild boars from entering. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 shows the night time measurement circuit that is added. [Figure 4] An embodiment of the present invention will be described. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of time according to the present invention. [Explanation of symbols] 1 Electric fence unit 2 pillars 3. Insulators 4. Bare Wires C Light sensor circuit D Impulse voltage generator E Impulse voltage output line F Electric fence G Microcomputer H Microcomputer input signal shaping circuit I Signal output circuit (time extension operation signal) J Morning extension Morning / evening extension selection circuit K Microcomputer power supply circuit L Isolation Diode M Night time measurement circuit

Claims

1. An electric fence for preventing the intrusion of pests, comprising an impulse voltage generating unit electrically connected to a light sensor and a night-time measuring circuit, wherein the night-time measuring circuit measures a reference night-time based on the detection of the light sensor, compares the measured night-time with internal data, performs calculations to determine the season, calculates the extended time in the morning and the early start time in the evening on that day, and sends an operating signal to the impulse voltage generating unit based on the results.

2. An electric fence for preventing the intrusion of pests, comprising an impulse voltage generating unit electrically connected to a light sensor and a night-time measuring circuit, wherein the night-time measuring circuit measures a reference night-time time based on the detection of the light sensor, compares and calculates the measured night-time time with internal data to determine the season, calculates the extended morning time of the day, and sends an operating signal to the impulse voltage generating unit based on the result.

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