Method of protecting buildings from termite attack
First Claim
1. A method of protecting a building from damage, by termites, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting the presence of termites within the building or a close vicinity thereof;
(b) infusing a protected region of ground below the building with ozone by delivering ozone into said protected region to create a superatmospheric pressure field below the building, the delivery at a determined concentration which is less than that at which its presence would cause detrimental effects on humans occupying the building, and sufficient to cause the termites to vacate the protected region,(c) discontinuing delivery of ozone upon departure of the termites, thereafter maintaining ozone delivery turned off and allowing termites to return to the protected region,(d) recommencing delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the termites have returned to the protected region and continuing delivery until the termites again vacate said protected region,(e) repeating said discontinuing and delivering steps for as long as the termites return into said protected region wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.
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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 (10) from damage or degradation by termites. The method comprises 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 (12) which creates a superatmoshpheric pressure field (40) in this region. Treatment agents (31) 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 (46) of the habitable region (18) within which the apparatus of the present invention resides.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of protecting a building from damage, by termites, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting the presence of termites within the building or a close vicinity thereof; (b) infusing a protected region of ground below the building with ozone by delivering ozone into said protected region to create a superatmospheric pressure field below the building, the delivery at a determined concentration which is less than that at which its presence would cause detrimental effects on humans occupying the building, and sufficient to cause the termites to vacate the protected region, (c) discontinuing delivery of ozone upon departure of the termites, thereafter maintaining ozone delivery turned off and allowing termites to return to the protected region, (d) recommencing delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the termites have returned to the protected region and continuing delivery until the termites again vacate said protected region, (e) repeating said discontinuing and delivering steps for as long as the termites return into said protected region wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 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 region below the building; determining, from physical parameters of the building; (a) a maximum safe delivery rate at which ozone can be delivered through said introduction pathway while maintaining a concentration of ozone below a safety threshold level in 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 safe delivery rate will achieve a substantially complete saturation of said region for a time sufficient to affect 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; introducing ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum safe delivery rate into said introduction pathway to create a superatmospheric pressure field in the region below the building for said determined infusion duration period, thereafter discontinuing introduction of ozone for a discontinuance period not less than said deterrence period that has been determined; recommencing introduction of ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum safe delivery rate for a further said infusion duration period, and repeatedly cycling periods of infusion and discontinuance, wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing a presence of termites or termite activity within the building or within a vicinity thereof, (b) preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a region below the building, (c) infusing said region with ozone by delivering ozone through said introduction pathway into said region to create a superatmospheric pressure field below the building but at a rate and at a concentration which results 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 the termites to vacate the building, (d) continuing said ozone delivery for a period greater than that likely to result in substantially complete vacation of the building and said region by termites, (e) thereafter discontinuing said ozone delivery for a time period greater than that likely to be taken by termites to reinfest said building, and (f) recommencing said delivery of ozone into said introduction pathway and repeating said infusion and discontinuance steps wherein the ozone concentration is varied below a safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification