Ventilated Pest Barrier With Repellent Zone and Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical barriers for preventing pest entry through building openings, such as weep holes and sub-floor vents, are ineffective due to gaps and inadequate ventilation, allowing pests like termites, rodents, and reptiles to enter and cause structural damage.
Innovation Solution
A pest barrier comprising a body with integrated pest repellent, such as bifenthrin, that extends a predetermined distance from the opening to deter pests, and a resilient fringe for secure installation, ensuring effective pest deterrence while maintaining ventilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical barrier such as mesh is installed in the opening to inhibit pest entry, then pest protection is improved, but gaps remain between the mesh and the walls of the cavity allowing pests to enter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible foam material that can be compressed and inserted into the opening, then expands to fill gaps between the barrier and wall surfaces. This flexible film approach eliminates the gap problem inherent in rigid mesh barriers while maintaining pest protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier is divided into two functional segments: a mesh component for pest filtration and a foam component for gap sealing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function optimally - the mesh blocks pests while the foam eliminates gaps between the mesh and surrounding structures.
2Reliability
If a mesh barrier is installed to block pests, then pest entry is inhibited, but ventilation through the opening is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier structure applies different properties to different zones: the mesh provides pest blocking at the opening plane, while the foam provides gap sealing only where needed at the periphery. This local differentiation maintains open central areas for ventilation while providing pest protection and gap sealing only where required.
3Reliability
If the opening size is reduced to prevent pest entry, then pest protection is improved, but ventilation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The foam material acts as an intermediary substance that fills the space between the mesh barrier and the wall opening. This intermediary allows the mesh to maintain larger openings for ventilation while the foam eliminates gaps that would otherwise allow pest bypass, thus decoupling the trade-off between opening size and pest protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A pest barrier (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″, 10″″), comprising a body (12, 112) for installation in or over an opening in a building to inhibit passage of pests through the building opening (200, 302). Body (12, 112) is formed from one or more components and comprises one or more first opening (18, 28, 29, 116) extending therethrough to facilitate ventilation through the building opening when the body is installed therein or thereover. A pest repellent is carried by at least part of body (12, 112) and has efficacy within a first zone extending a predetermined first distance inwardly from a perimeter of the one or more first opening (18, 28, 29, 116) to deter one or more target pest species from passing through the one or more first opening and/or within a second zone extending a predetermined second distance outwardly from the body (12, 112) toward the periphery of the building opening (200, 302) to deter said one or more target pest species from passing through each of one or more second opening in the second zone.