Electrified
Cover For Animal And Pest Control
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About This Idea
I am publishing this idea to set a "Prior Art" condition and to allow
all persons, companies, organisations and other bodies to freely use
this idea.
Establishing Prior Art prohibits anyone from taking out Patents or
other protective mechanisms that would limit others from freely using
and implementing any part of this idea.
When and Why This Idea Originated
This idea was originaly thought of by me in July 2020. It is the
result of posts in "The UK Eriba Forum" by a member who was fed up with
his caravan cover being destroyed by cats.
See: This
Posting and This Posting.
The idea was formerly put in writing on 1st September 2020 in Emails
copies of which I retain with all official mail server headers to prove
origin.
If You Use This Idea
If you use this idea then it would be really nice if you would kindly DONATE
to the DEBRA charity.
Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Research Association
I support the DEBRA Charity
through my Free Software and Ideas by asking users to please DONATE.
The Electrified Cover Idea
As mentioned cats and other animals can do significant damage to
caravan, motor vehicle, boat and other expensive covers.
The purpose of this idea is to electrify these covers using proper and
safe animal control eletric fencing materials and components.
The idea is very simple.
You are probably aware that car and caravan covers are often badly
damaged by cats and other critters that sleep, sunbath and more
importantly use them as scratching pads.
Now not every owner suffers from this but I believe, based on my own
experience and that of others that for some this is a real problem.
For our convertible car hood we use a simple "Scat Mat" (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mrinb-Deterrent-Anti-Cats-Network-Protective/dp/B082CZWBX4)
and is 100% successful. However for a caravan cover or full car,
boat or other complex shape this type of prickle control is not
feasible or practical.
The idea is that onto the outer side of the cover is sewn electric
fence rope or tape. (https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/electric-fence.html).
More ambitious manufactured solutions would be to embed the conductors
in the outer layer material of a multi-layered cover.
Electric fence material, power units, etc. are all well established
products from numerous manufacturers and the ropes and tapes are very
cost affordable.
The costs (time, effort and money) involved in this idea are:
1) Design layout and end termination
2) Manufacturing cost of laying and sewing the conductors to the cover
or having them integrated into the fabric itself
The main disadvantage is basically aesthetic looks for surface mounted
conductors.
On caravan and motor home covers then roof lines are not normally
seen. However full roof coverage would require larger quantities
of conductor material. However upper "guard rings" (2 +Ve and 2
-Ve) would be quite acceptable and use far less material.
For cars/low item covers then guard rings would not work and upper
surface coverage would be required.
As the Polyethylene can be coloured then one could have these conductor
ropes and tapes to match your covers.
There is also the option for flatter and less profiled areas (such as
caravan roof) to have basically a mat that can be suitable attached to
a cover.
As such this idea is not novel and thus not patentable. There is
also prior art to the concept of electric mats.
From a company's point of view I am not aware of any cover manufacturer
using this idea or similar.
In terms of a trial prototype development sample then material costs
(with power unit) would be around £200 to £250 so certainly far cheaper
than many prototype development projects.
The power unit would be a once off lifetime purchase of around
£150. The conductor costs are, for small quantities, around
10 pence per metre and for the tape around 6 pence per meter.
A typical car cover is around 6m of top side length and 3m wide. To
cover this with 10mm tape at 10mm spacing would require 15 x 6m lengths
costing (15 * 6 * 6) £5.40. Or £1.80 per square metre.
Regarding safety then these electric fences are perfectly safe however
one would need some appropriate visible labels sewn in on
production/sold covers. Again not a show stopper.
Also an interesting anti tamper / theft deterrent as well.
Summary:
The idea is simple and easily implemented at very reasonable cost for
individuals and companies alike.
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© Nick Bailey 2020