Back to results
US 9,414,550 B2Granted
Dry chamber slug and snail barrier
OwnerRobert P. Chiltoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing a barrier that deters or prevents terrestrial molluscs, such as slugs and snails, from entering a garden or other vegetation area. A barrier may include an inverted channel, a portion of which forms a dry chamber configured to retain salt, rock salt, a salt-based mollusc deterrent, or other mollusc deterrents, poisons, and/or baits. Mesh may be used to retain the deterrent within the dry chamber. In various embodiments, a bead or other feature may help prevent liquids, such as water, from wicking into the dry chamber.
Claims19
An elongated terrestrial mollusc barrier for deterring terrestrial molluscs from entering a protected region, comprising:
- an elongated wall portion configured to extend from a surface along a length of a perimeter of a region to be protected;
- an attachment member configured to attach the elongated wall portion to a landscape barrier;
- a granular mollusc deterrent;
- an inverted channel defined by at least a portion of the wall portion and a downward depending barrier portion, wherein the inverted channel is configured to receive the granular mollusc deterrent, and wherein the downward depending barrier portion is configured to reduce liquid intrusion and dissolution of the granular mollusc deterrent;
- and
- a mesh retainer extending along at least a portion of the inverted channel, wherein the mesh retainer has aperture sizes corresponding to a size of the granular mollusc deterrent to retain the granular mollusc deterrent within an inverted dry chamber portion of the inverted channel, such that there is a path for a terrestrial mollusc to directly contact retained mollusc deterrent exposed through the mesh retainer and fall from the retained mollusc deterrent to the surface when the elongated wall portion is substantially vertical, and
- wherein the mesh retainer exposes at least some of the retained, granular mollusc deterrent along an inverted surface-facing opening of the inverted channel, such that the retained granular mollusc deterrent is configured to directly contact a terrestrial mollusc attempting to surmount the elongated barrier.
4 more elements
A terrestrial mollusc barrier deterrent comprising:
- an elongated barrier adapted to extend along a perimeter of an area designated for protection from terrestrial molluscs;
- a granular mollusc deterrent;
- an attachment member configured to attach said elongated barrier to a pre-installed landscape barrier extending from a surface,
- said elongated barrier comprising an outwardly extending and downwardly depending portion creating an inverted dry chamber located opposite said attachment member with respect to said designated area, and
- said inverted dry chamber configured to receive the granular mollusc deterrent for deterring terrestrial molluscs from traversing said inverted dry chamber;
- and
- a mesh extending along an inverted portion of said inverted dry chamber, wherein the mesh has aperture sizes corresponding to a size of the granular mollusc deterrent so as to retain said granular mollusc deterrent suspended above the surface of said designated area and within said inverted dry chamber and to provide a path for a terrestrial mollusc to directly contact retained mollusc deterrent exposed through the mesh retainer, such that a terrestrial mollusc can fall from the exposed, suspended, and retained mollusc deterrent to the surface.
4 more elements
An elongated barrier for deterring terrestrial molluscs from entering a protected region, comprising:
- an elongated wall portion configured to extend along a length of a perimeter of a region to be protected, wherein the wall portion is configured to extend upward from a surface of the protected region;
- at least one ground-insertion feature adapted for insertion into the surface and configured to secure the wall portion in an upright state relative to the surface of the protected region;
- an inverted channel defined by at least a portion of the wall portion and a a granular mollusc deterrent;
- downward depending barrier portion, wherein the inverted channel is configured to receive the granular mollusc deterrent proximate an apex of the inverted channel;
- and
- a mesh retainer extending along at least a portion of the inverted channel,
- wherein the mesh retainer has apertures corresponding to a size of the granular mollusc deterrent to retain the mollusc deterrent within a dry chamber portion of the inverted channel, and
- wherein the mesh retainer is configured to expose at least some of the mollusc deterrent through the mesh apertures along an opening of the inverted channel, such that a mollusc traversing exposed, but retained, mollusc deterrent within the dry chamber can fall from the mollusc deterrent to the surface.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.