Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02881172 2015-02-09
TITLE: APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR KILLING BEDBUGS USING
HYDRONIC HEATING
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the area of pest control and a
system to
eliminate bedbugs different from traditional heat treatment options of tenting
and heating
areas using electric fans.
[0002] More specifically this disclosure relates to portable apparatus that
uses hydronic
heating to target a particular area of bed bug infestation.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Bedbugs are small biting insects that multiply quickly and travel
easily. They can
be difficult to identify and can be found in private homes, condos, hotels,
and even
businesses and offices. Bed bugs are difficult to detect and hard to
eliminate. Professional
pest removal services are necessary to adequately remove bed bug infestations.
Common
removal options are pesticides and heat treatment. Heating an area to 120
degrees
Fahrenheit (or more) is an effective way to kill bed bugs in that area.
[0004] Heat treatment of bed bugs can be targeted to specific areas such as
pieces of
furniture or the treatment can be for an entire room. The first method
involves putting a
couch or bed in a heating chamber or furniture bag. Hot air is then pumped in
to kill the
bed bugs. Another method uses hydronics, glycol, and electric fans to heat air
in an entire
room. It takes an extended period of time for the room to stay at the higher
temperature.
[0005] Both methods require professional pest control services which could be
expensive
depending on the size of the infestation, and the scheduling of eradication is
out of the
home owner's control. The bag heating option is limited to size of the bag,
and cannot
target other areas such as cracks. The room heating that uses fans take a long
time to heat
and maintain the temperature in the room and are also noisy.
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[0006] Other portable heating pest control methods use a flow of water through
a heat
exchanger, combined with fans to move hot air. The water is continuously
running and is
drained which can use a large quantity of electricity and water.
[0007] Some disadvantages of pest removal companies include high costs, long
treatment
times, potential dangers of pesticides, and inconvenience in scheduling.
[0008] There is need for a system that could allow building owners to address
bed bug
problems without the expense and inconvenience of using professional pest
control
companies.
SUMMARY
[0009] The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus (collectively a
system) to
exterminate a targeted bed bug infestation using hydronic heating.
[0010]In one embodiment the system includes a heating unit to continually heat
and
recirculate water (hydronic heating) through a hose. The hose is looped around
the
periphery of the infected area and over the surface of infected items through
the targeted
area. Heated water running through the hose heats the surface of items
infected and air
immediately above the surface to a temperature greater than required to kill
the bed bugs
namely 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
[0011] Further features of the invention will be described or will become
apparent in the
course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In order that the disclosure may be more clearly understood,
embodiments thereof
will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0013] Fig 1 is a schematic in cross section of one embodiment of a fluid tank
and heating
unit for apparatus according to the present disclosure.
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[0014] Fig 2 is a front schematic of a cart design that has the fluid tank and
heating unit
of Fig 1 together with a hose reel.
[0015] Similar references are used in different figures to denote similar
components
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] The description which follows and the embodiments described therein
are
provided by way of illustration of an example or examples of particular
embodiments of
principles and aspects of the disclosed system. These examples are provided
for the
purposes of explanation and not of limitation of those principles and of the
disclosed
system.
[0017] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, an embodiment of apparatus (collectively a
system) to
exterminate a targeted bed bug infestation using hydronic heating is generally
indicated at
1. The apparatus comprises a water tank 2 having heating element 3 for heating
water in
the tank 2. Heating means 3 can be an electrical element. A hose 4 is wound on
to reel 5.
The hose 4 in the embodiment illustrated is flexible and kink-resistant. The
inlet end 6 of
hose 4 is connected to the outlet 7 of supply water outlet tube 8. The outlet
end 9 of hose
4 is connected to the inlet 10 of return water inlet tube 11. The return water
inlet tube 11
is illustrated in the embodiment in Fig 1 to have its outlet 11B at adjacent
the bottom of
tank 2. The water tank 2 and hose reel 5 are shown in Fig 2 mounted on a
moveable
portable cart 12.
[0018] A supply hose 13 can have one end 14 connected to an inlet valve 15 on
supply
water outlet tube 8. The other end 16 is connected to an external water source
such as a
=
sink tap (not shown). The external water source is initially used to fill
water tank 2. After
the tank 2 is full, the external water source can be used to top up the water
level in the
tank 2 if required. The inlet 17 of supply water outlet tube 8 is in
communication with the
interior of tank 2. A pump 18 is used to circulate heated water from tank 2
through hose 4
and return to tank 2. The water Between pump 18 and inlet valve 15 on supply
water
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outlet tube 8 are a check valve 19 and flow switch 20. Temperature gauge 21
indicates
the temperature of the water leaving tank 2.
[0019] Tank 2 is provided with a drain valve 22 in order to drain water from
the tank 2
after use. A high limit sensor 23 is provided to monitor water temperature and
shut off
the heating element 3 if water temperature exceeds a set limit such as 200 F.
As
additional security to prevent heating element 3 and/or pump 18 from operating
if water
levels in the tank fall below a desired level, a low water cut off 24 is
provided. An air
eliminator valve 25 and pressure relief valve 26 are also provided on tank 2.
[0020] To exterminate a targeted bed bug infestation using hydronic heating,
the
apparatus 1 is placed near the target area. The water tank 2 is filled using
supply hose 8
connected to a convenient water source such as a kitchen tap. The hose 4 is
unwound
from reel 5 and positioned around the periphery of the targeted infestation
area and then
over the floor, furniture and other surfaces where the bed bugs are located.
Water in the
tank 2 is heated and circulated through the hose 4, heating the corresponding
contacting
surface area adjacent the hose to kill bedbugs in that targeted area. By
placing the hose 4
around the periphery of the target area, the bed bugs cannot escape from the
target area
without being killed.
[0021] The apparatus disclosed herein eliminates the need to heat an entire
room.
Heating air in an entire room is an inefficient and expensive way of targeting
bed bugs.
Where fans are used to heat the air they can be noisy. Putting infected
furniture items into
a bag or other containment unit and then heating the air in the bag is also
not an optimum
way of eliminating bed bugs as it may ignore infestations in cracks in the
floor or other
areas.
[0022] While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in
connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such
embodiments are
by way of example and are not limiting As is evident from the foregoing
description,
certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular
details of the
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mobile stand illustrated in the drawings. Other modifications and
applications, or
equivalents, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms "having",
"comprising" and
"including" and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used
in the sense
of "optional" or "may include" and not as "required". Many changes,
modifications,
variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will,
however,
become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the
specification and
attached drawings. For example, liquids other than water such as oil or glycol
can be used
as long as it flows through the hose and can be heated to the desired
temperature. Use of
other liquids may eliminate the need for some of the described components in
Fig 1 such
as water supply hose 13, etc. All such changes, modifications, variations and
other uses
and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
invention are
deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims that
follow.
The scope of the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments
shown
herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims,
wherein reference
to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one"
unless
specifically so stated , but rather one or more. All structural and functional
equivalents to
the elements of the embodiment described throughout the disclosure that are
known or
later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly
incorporated
herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the claims.
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