Method of protecting buildings from termite attack
First Claim
1. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:
- infusing, for a first predetermined period of time, a protected region of ground below the building with ozone by delivering the ozone into said protected region at a determined concentration of up to 0.1 ppm which is less than that at which its presence would cause harmful effects on humans occupying the building and sufficient to cause termites that may be present to vacate said protected region,discontinuing the delivery of ozone to said protected region after the first predetermined period of time for a second predetermined period of time,recommencing, for a third predetermined period of time, delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the second predetermined period of time, andrepeating the steps of delivering and discontinuing delivery of of ozone wherein the said first, second and third predetermined periods of time are of respective irregular durations, whereby to reduce the likelihood of termites becoming resistant or tolerant to the arrangement of the delivery of the ozone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for protecting the lower regions of and structure of a building from damage or degradation by termites. The method comprising for the steps of creating a region in the ground below the building having properties hostile to termites whereby to discourage them from approaching the vicinity of the building. In one embodiment means for creating a hostile region in the ground below the building are provided by a pump which creates a superatmospheric pressure field in this region. In another embodiment, treatment agents such as ozone may be delivered to the ground region in order to provide a hostile effect to the termites by affecting their pheromone chemistry and/or their reproductive or communicative behavior. A secondary function of the present invention relates to the creation of a forced ventilation of the habitable region within which the apparatus of the present invention resides.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:
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infusing, for a first predetermined period of time, a protected region of ground below the building with ozone by delivering the ozone into said protected region at a determined concentration of up to 0.1 ppm which is less than that at which its presence would cause harmful effects on humans occupying the building and sufficient to cause termites that may be present to vacate said protected region, discontinuing the delivery of ozone to said protected region after the first predetermined period of time for a second predetermined period of time, recommencing, for a third predetermined period of time, delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the second predetermined period of time, and repeating the steps of delivering and discontinuing delivery of of ozone wherein the said first, second and third predetermined periods of time are of respective irregular durations, whereby to reduce the likelihood of termites becoming resistant or tolerant to the arrangement of the delivery of the ozone. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of protecting a building from damage, by termites, comprising the steps of:
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infusing a protected region of the ground below the building with ozone by delivering ozone into said protected region, for a first predetermined period of time at a determined concentration of up to 0.1 ppm, which is both less than that at which its presence would cause detrimental effects on humans occupying the building, and sufficient to cause termites that may be present to vacate the protected region, discontinuing the delivery of ozone after the first predetermined period of time and, thereafter, maintaining the ozone delivery turned off for a second predetermined period of time; recommencing the delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the second predetermined period of time for a third predetermined period of time; repeating said delivering and discontinuing steps, wherein said first, second and third predetermined periods of time are of respective irregular durations, whereby to reduce the likelihood of termites becoming resistant or tolerant to the arrangement of the delivery of the ozone. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:
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preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a ground region below the building, infusing said ground region with ozone by delivering ozone to said introduction pathway into said region at a rate and at a concentration of up to 0.1 ppm which is likely to result in an ozone concentration in habitable parts of the building which is less than that at which its presence would cause harmful effects on humans occupying said habitable parts of the building and sufficient to cause termites to vacate the building, continuing said ozone delivery for a first time period greater than that likely to result in substantially complete vacation of the building and said ground region by termites, thereafter discontinuing said ozone delivery for a second time period greater than that likely to be taken by termites to reinfest said building, then recommencing said delivery of ozone into said introduction pathway and repeating said infusing and discontinuing steps indefinitely wherein said first and second periods of time are of respective irregular durations, whereby to reduce the likelihood of termites becoming resistant or tolerant to the arrangement of the delivery of the ozone. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites comprising the steps of:
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preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a ground region below the building; determining, from the physical parameters of the building; a) a maximum delivery rate, up to 0.1 ppm, at which ozone can be delivered through said introduction pathway while maintaining a concentration of ozone below a safety threshold in the habitable parts of the building such as to allow continuous uninterrupted occupation by humans; b) an infusion duration period for which infusion at said maximum delivery rate will achieve a substantially complete saturation of said region for a time sufficient to affect the behavior of any termites present in said region; c) a deterrence period during which termites will be deterred from re-entry into said region by residual pheromones secreted by departing termites; and introducing ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum delivery rate into said introduction pathway for said determined infusion duration period, thereafter discontinuing the introduction of ozone for a discontinuance period not less than said determined deterrence period, then recommencing the introduction of ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum delivery rate for a further said infusion duration period, and repeatedly cycling the periods of infusion and discontinuance for an indefinite period or until it is determined that the risk of termite attack has ceased wherein said infusion and discontinuation periods are of respective irregular durations, whereby to reduce the likelihood of termites becoming resistant or tolerant to the arrangement of the delivery of the ozone. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification