Furniture protector against bed bugs and other crawling insects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021000098-A1
Application number	US-202017023760-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Pitfall traps, coasters, devices, apparatus, systems and methods for capturing crawling insects, such as bed bugs, and/or for preventing the insects from climbing up furniture legs to furniture such as beds, cots, chairs and any type of furniture where a person would rest or sleep. Smooth slick surfaces and/or pesticide treated surfaces can be located on underside facing horizontal or angled surfaces used with or without sticky surfaces which all can be used to prevent insect and bed bug travel and assist in helping trap the insects and bed bugs.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A trap barrier for insects, comprising:
a barrier wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; an upper ledge comprising a first upper ledge portion and a second upper ledge portion, the first upper ledge portion extending perpendicularly from the inner surface at a top portion of the barrier wall, and the second upper ledge portion extending away from the first upper ledge portion at an angle; and a lower ledge comprising a first lower ledge portion and a second lower ledge portion, the first lower ledge portion extending perpendicularly from the inner surface at a bottom portion of the barrier wall, and the second lower ledge portion extending away from the first lower ledge portion and towards the upper ledge, wherein furniture placed adjacent to the outer surface of the barrier wall is protected from insects.

2 . The trap barrier of claim 1 , wherein the upper ledge and the lower ledge form a channel being defined by the inner surface of the barrier wall, a bottom surface of the first upper ledge portion, a top surface of the first lower ledge portion, a first side inner surface of the second upper ledge portion, and a second side inner surface of the second lower ledge portion.

3 . The trap barrier of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bottom surface of first upper ledge portion, the inner surface of the barrier wall, the first side inner surface or the second side inner surface comprises a smooth slick surface for both preventing insects from traveling and capturing insects within the channel.

4 . The trap barrier of claim 3 , wherein the smooth slick surface comprises at least one of plastic, glass, Teflon coated metal, polished metal, smooth painted surface or smooth varnished surface.

5 . The trap barrier of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the first lower ledge portion comprises a pesticide treated surface.

6 . The trap barrier of claim 5 , wherein the pesticide treated surface is selected from one of pyrethroids, organophosphates, repellants, and plant oils.

7 . The trap barrier of claim 1 , wherein the barrier wall is formed by interconnecting a first barrier rail member with a second barrier rail member.

8 . The trap barrier of claim 7 , wherein the first barrier rail member comprises a mirrored configuration of the second barrier rail member.

9 . The trap barrier of claim 7 , wherein the first barrier rail member and the second barrier rail member each a respective plurality of mating extensions and a respective plurality of mating recesses, the first barrier rail member being interconnected with the second barrier rail member by aligning and engaging the mating extensions of the first barrier rail member with the mating recesses of the second barrier rail member.

10 . A trap barrier assembly for insects comprising:
a plurality of trap barrier rails interconnected to one another, individual trap barrier rails of the plurality of trap barrier rails comprising: a barrier wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; an upper ledge comprising a first upper ledge portion and a second upper ledge portion, the first upper ledge portion extending perpendicularly from the inner surface at a top portion of the barrier wall, and the second upper ledge portion extend downwardly at an angle from a bottom surface of the first upper ledge portion; and a lower ledge comprising a first lower ledge portion and a second lower ledge portion, the first lower ledge portion extending perpendicularly from the inner surface at a bottom portion of the barrier wall, and the second lower ledge portion extending upwardly at an angle from a top surface of the first lower ledge portion, and wherein furniture surrounded by the trap barrier assembly is protected from insects.

11 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of trap barrier rails comprises a first linear barrier rail, a second linear barrier rail, and an angled barrier rail.

12 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 11 , wherein the angled barrier rail comprises a first mating extension extending from a first side of the barrier wall and a second mating extension extending from a second side of the barrier wall.

13 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first linear barrier rail and the second linear barrier rail each comprise a respective first end vertical recess along a respective first end side surface of the barrier wall and a respective second end vertical recess along a respective second end side surface of the barrier wall.

14 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first mating extension of the angled barrier rail is engaged with and coupled to the first linear barrier rail via the respective first end vertical recess and the second mating extension of the angled barrier rail is engaged with and coupled to the second linear barrier rail via the respective second end vertical recess.

15 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first linear barrier rail and the second linear barrier rail each comprise a respective first barrier rail member interconnected with a respective second barrier rail member.

16 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 15 , wherein the respective first barrier rail member and the respective second barrier rail member each a respective plurality of mating extensions and a respective plurality of mating recesses along a respective longitudinal length of the first barrier rail member and the second barrier rail member, the first barrier rail member being interconnected with the second barrier rail member by aligning and engaging the mating extensions of the first barrier rail member with the mating recesses of the second barrier rail member, the barrier wall being formed through an interconnection of a first wall portion of the first barrier rail member and a second wall portion of the second barrier rail member.

17 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 11 , wherein the individual trap barrier rails further comprise a channel defined by the inner surface of the barrier wall, a bottom surface of the first upper ledge portion, a top surface of the first lower ledge portion, a first side surface of the second upper ledge portion, and a second side inner surface of the second lower ledge portion.

18 . The trap barrier assembly of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the bottom surface first upper ledge portion, the inner surface of the barrier wall, the first side inner surface or the second side inner surface comprises a smooth slick surface for both preventing insects from traveling and capturing insects within the channel.

19 . A trap barrier rail for insects, comprising:
a first rail member; and a second rail member being configured to interconnect with the first rail member, wherein the first rail member comprises:
a first barrier wall section having a first inner surface and a first outer surface;
a first ledge extending perpendicular from the first inner surface of the first barrier wall section; and
a first plurality of mating recesses and a first plurality of mating extensions being alternatively disposed along a bottom surface of the first barrier wall section;
wherein the second rail member comprises:
a second barrier wall section having a second inner surface and a second outer surface;
a second ledge extending perpendicular from the first inner surface of the first barrier wall section; and
a second plurality of mating recesses and a second plurality of mating extensions being alternatively disposed along a top surface of the

Assignees

• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Koehler Philip G
• Pereira Roberto M
• Levi Enrico Paolo

Classifications

• Y02A50/30

  Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change · CPC title

• A01M1/20

  Poisoning, narcotising, or burning insects {(fumigation apparatus A01M13/00)} · CPC title

• A01M1/103 Primary

  for crawling insects · CPC title

• A01M1/14

  Catching by adhesive surfaces · CPC title

• A01M2200/011

  Crawling insects · CPC title