Mosquito breeding prevention device and system

Abstract

A device for insertion into an open end of a length of pipe to prevent mosquitoes from entering the pipe is provided. The device includes a piece of flexible foam material having a front face, a rear face and one or more edges joining the front face to the rear face. A plurality of indentions, preferably three, are formed in the front face of the piece of flexible foam material to allow a user to quickly and easily grip the device to insert or remove it from the pipe. The piece of flexible foam material preferably comprises open cell foam sized to permit water to flow through while preventing insects from passing through. The device may be used in connection with a system to prevent mosquitoes from entering into a rain gutter drain extension or a rain barrel system.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device for insertion into an open end of a length of pipe to prevent insects from entering the pipe comprising:
 a piece of flexible foam material having a front face, a rear face and one or more edges joining said front face to said rear face; and   a plurality of indentions in the front face of said piece of flexible foam material for a user to readily grip the front face of said piece of flexible foam material to insert or remove the piece of flexible foam material from said open end of the length of pipe, said plurality of indentions not passing entirely through the piece of flexible foam material.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein three indentions are formed in the front face of said piece of flexible foam material. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said piece of flexible foam material comprises open cell foam. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the open cell foam is polyether plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the open cells are sized to permit water to flow through while preventing insects from passing through. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the open cells range in size from 10 cells per square inch to 20 cells per square inch. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the front face and rear face are circular in shape and a singular, continuous edge connects said front face to said rear face. 
     
     
         8 . A system for preventing insects from entering into a system for transferring liquid from one location to another, said system comprising:
 a drain inlet opening in a first end of the system for transferring liquid from one location to another;   a drain outlet opening in a second end of the system for transferring liquid from one location to another;   a piece of flexible foam material having a front face, a rear face and one or more edges joining said front face to said rear face, said piece of flexible foam material being removably positioned in one of said inlet opening or said outlet opening, wherein the piece of flexible foam material further includes a plurality of indentions in the front face thereof for a user to readily grip the front face of said piece of flexible foam material to insert or remove the piece of flexible foam material from said open end of the length of pipe.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the entire length of said one or more edges of said piece of flexible foam material engages an inner surface of said one of said inlet opening or outlet opening. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein a second piece of flexible foam material is removably positioned in the other of said inlet opening or said outlet opening. 
     
     
         11 . A system for preventing insects from entering into a system for transferring liquid from one location to another, said system comprising:
 a rain gutter having a drain outlet connected to a drain inlet of a downspout pipe;   a drain extension pipe having an inlet opening connected to an outlet of the downspout, and an outlet opening;   a first piece of flexible foam material having a front face, a rear face and one or more edges joining said front face to said rear face, said first piece of flexible foam material being removably positioned in the outlet opening of said drain extension pipe.   
     
     
         12 . The system for preventing insects from entering into a system for transferring liquid from one location to another according to  claim 11 , wherein the first and second pieces of flexible foam material further include a plurality of indentions in the front face thereof for a user to readily grip the front face of said first or second piece of flexible foam material. 
     
     
         13 . The system for preventing insects from entering into a system for transferring liquid from one location to another according to  claim 11 , further comprising a second piece of flexible foam material having a front face, a rear face and one or more edges joining said front face to said rear face, said second piece of flexible foam material being removably positioned in the drain outlet of the rain gutter.