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Termite presence monitor and method

  • US 20070209271A1
  • Filed: 05/22/2006
  • Published: 09/13/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A termite-monitoring device with an integral termite presence indicator for use in determining a presence of termites in ground beneath a pavement or in ground adjacent an in ground located termite lure, comprising:

  • a closure component, a termite presence indicator mechanism, and a trigger mechanism;

    the closure component being for housing the termite presence indicator mechanism and for closing an upper end of a paving or termite lure hole in which the termite-monitoring device is mounted;

    the closure component comprising an upper end portion, a tubular housing portion extending downward from the upper end portion, and a lower end portion;

    the upper end portion of the closure component closing an upper end and the lower end portion of the closure component closing a lower end of the tubular housing portion of the closure component to form a chamber within the closure component for housing the termite indicator mechanism;

    the upper end portion of the closure component being sufficiently transparent that an interior of the closure component chamber can be viewed through the upper end portion;

    the upper end portion of the closure component having a greater outside diameter than an outside diameter of the tubular housing portion of the closure component whereby an annular peripheral portion of the upper end portion of the closure component forms an annular flange with a bottom surface for engaging a surface surrounding and adjacent a hole in which the termite-monitoring device is mounted, the termite presence indicator mechanism comprising an indicator component and a coil actuating spring;

    the indicator component having a top indicator button and a shank portion depending from the indicator button;

    the indicator button of the indicator component being slidably housed within the chamber of the closure component and having a greater outside diameter than an outside diameter of the shank portion of the indicator component whereby an annular peripheral portion of the indicator button of the indicator component forms an annular flange extending outward from the shank portion;

    the coil actuating spring being mounted on the shank portion of the indicator component and extending between a bottom surface of the annular flange of the indicator button of the indicator component and an upper surface of the lower end portion of the closure component;

    the shank portion of the indicator component extending from the chamber of the closure component down through a hole in the lower end portion of the closure component and being slidably received within the hole in the lower end portion of the closure component;

    the trigger mechanism comprising a rod and a retaining component means;

    an upper end portion of the rod is secured to the indicator component and the rod extends downward from the indicator component and a bottom surface of the closure component whereby the rod will extend downward into a hole in which the termite-monitoring device is mounted;

    a lower end portion of the retaining component means is secured to a lower end portion of the rod and an upper end of the retaining component means engages the bottom surface of the closure component whereby the retaining component means retains the coil actuating spring of the termite presence indicator mechanism in a compressed state while the rod is whole;

    the rod of the trigger mechanism comprising, at least in part, a termite food source portion that when being consumed by termites weakens until the rod is separable at the termite food source portion by opposing forces applied to the rod by the retaining component means of the trigger mechanism and the coil actuating spring of the termite presence indicator mechanism; and

    when the rod is separated by the opposing forces of the retaining component means of the trigger mechanism and the coil actuating spring of termite presence indicator mechanism, the coil actuating spring moving the indicator component from a retracted position in the chamber where the indicator button is spaced downward from the top end portion of the closure component and less visible through the top end portion of the closure component up through the chamber to an extended position where the indicator button is adjacent the top end portion of the closure component, significantly more visible through the top end portion of the closure component than in the retracted position, and readily visible through the top end portion of the closure component to indicate the presence of termites.

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