METHOD OF PROTECTING BUILDINGS FROM TERMITE ATTACK
First Claim
1. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites comprising the steps of:
- preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a region below the building;
determining, from the physical parameters of the building;
(a) the maximum safe delivery rate at which ozone can be delivered through the said introduction pathway while maintaining the concentration of ozone below a safety threshold level in the habitable parts of the building such as to allow continuous uninterrupted occupation by humans;
(b) the infusion duration period for which infusion at the said maximum delivery rate will achieve a substantially complete saturation of the said region for a time sufficient to affect the behavior of any termites present in the said region;
(c) the deterrence period during which termites will be deterred from re-entry into the said region by residual pheromones secreted by departing termites;
introducing ozone at a rate not greater than the said determined maximum safe delivery rate into the said introduction pathway for the said determined infusion duration period, thereafter discontinuing the introduction of ozone for a discontinuance period not less than the said determined deterrence period;
recommencing the introduction of ozone at a rate not greater than the said determined maximum safe delivery rate for a further said infusion duration period, andrepeatedly cycling the periods of infusion and discontinuance.
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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
33 Claims
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1. 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 the physical parameters of the building; (a) the maximum safe delivery rate at which ozone can be delivered through the said introduction pathway while maintaining the concentration of ozone below a safety threshold level in the habitable parts of the building such as to allow continuous uninterrupted occupation by humans; (b) the infusion duration period for which infusion at the said maximum delivery rate will achieve a substantially complete saturation of the said region for a time sufficient to affect the behavior of any termites present in the said region; (c) the deterrence period during which termites will be deterred from re-entry into the said region by residual pheromones secreted by departing termites; introducing ozone at a rate not greater than the said determined maximum safe delivery rate into the said introduction pathway for the said determined infusion duration period, thereafter discontinuing the introduction of ozone for a discontinuance period not less than the said determined deterrence period; recommencing the introduction of ozone at a rate not greater than the said determined maximum safe delivery rate for a further said infusion duration period, and repeatedly cycling the periods of infusion and discontinuance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing the presence of termites or termite activity within the building or within the vicinity thereof, (b) preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a region below the building, (c) infusing the said region with ozone by delivering ozone through said introduction pathway into said region at a rate and at a concentration which is likely to result in an ozone concentration in the habitable parts of the building which is less than that at which its presence would cause harmful effects on humans occupying the 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 the 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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. 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 the close vicinity thereof; (b) infusing a protected region of the ground below the building with ozone by delivering ozone into the said protected region at a determined concentration which is both 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 the delivery of ozone upon departure of the termites, thereafter maintaining the ozone delivery turned off and allowing termites to return to the protected region, (d) recommencing the delivery of ozone at the said determined concentration after the termites have returned to the protected region and continuing delivery until the termites again vacate the said protected region, (e) repeating the said monitoring and delivering steps for as long as the termites return into the said protected region. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Apparatus for protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising:
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(a) means defining an introduction pathway to a region below the building; (b) ozone delivery means for delivering ozone into the said introduction pathway at a rate such as to maintain the concentration of ozone within the habitable parts of the building below a safe threshold level for uninterrupted human habitation; (c) control means for controlling the said ozone delivery means whereby periodically to deliver ozone for an infusion duration period and to discontinue delivery for a discontinuance period not less than a previously-determined or estimated deterrence period, the said control means acting to cycle the said ozone delivery means through repeated said infusion duration periods and discontinuance periods. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification