WO2008073121A2

WO2008073121A2 - Insect trap

Info

Publication number: WO2008073121A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/061884
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim Kwee Ng
Original assignee: Kim Kwee Ng
Priority date: 2006-12-11
Filing date: 2006-12-11
Publication date: 2008-06-19
Also published as: WO2008073121A3; WO2008073121B1

Abstract

An insect trap comprises a crawl path (420) which is made of a plurality of resilient deflectable strips (20). An enclosure (450) forms a hallway (40) to engage the crawl path (420) to form a complete enclosure. The exit gate of the hallway (40) to the interior of a chamber (10) is normally closed by the crawl path (420) which constitutes the bottom portion of the enclosure (450). An insect enters through an aperture (60) and alights on the crawl path (420). The crawl path (420) is deflected downwardly to reveal an opening at the end of the hallway (40). The insect departs at the distal end of the crawl path (420) into the chamber (10). The crawl path (420) returns to its closed position with the enclosure (450) upon the departure of the insect into the confined chamber (10).

Description

Insect trap

Background of the Invention

1. Field of the invention: The invention relates to an insect trap for trapping flies and flying insects for collection and subsequent disposal.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Many insect traps have relied on the use of baffles, baits, insecticides, sticky disposable trap and the like to trap and kill flies. U.S. Patent Number 5,239,771 of Beardsley has proposed a trap having a plurality of baffles to guide flies through an aperture into a housing body. Many entry chambers and passageways are provided in the housing body, the flies are eventually led to a storage chamber. A hood obscures the exit from the storage chamber. A transparent back has inclined portions to discourage fly exit.

Other methods for controlling the insects include spraying of insecticides, use of poisonous bait and the like. Use of the insecticides is often dissatisfactory, it is not only polluting the environment and producing annoying smell, but has also often given rise to a new generation of insects having developed antibodies to the toxic chemicals used in the spray or baits.

Brief Summary of the Invention

An insect trap comprises a plurality of resilient deflectable strips which are grouped together as a bunch to form an enclosed tapered empty corridor. The tapered corridor, which is an enclosed converging hallway surrounding a deflectable crawl path, starts from an aperture where an insect enters and terminates at the distal ends of the deflectable strips where the crawl path is closed.

The insect is lured by an insect attractant placed inside a confined chamber. The insect enters through the aperture and lands on the crawl path which is usually composed of one or more of the deflectable strips in the bunch. The deflectable strips onto which the insect has landed are deflected downwardly and disjoint from the bunch to reveal an opening into the interior of the chamber. The insect departs from the bunch into the confined chamber. The deflected strips deflects upwardly to return to its original undisturbed position after the insect has departed.

A slidable tray with a removable transparent cross-wired mesh cover contains an insect attractant to attract the insect. Food attractant, which is placed adjacent to sticky material inside a removable cartridge, lures the hungry insect into the cartridge.

A bottomless wall enclosure having a bottom floor substituted by a plurality of deflectable strips can also be employed as a hallway for the insect to crawl before departing into the trapping chamber.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an insect trap for trapping insects without the use of poisonous baits and complicated mechanical moving parts in the device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved device which is relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description of the invention. Brief Description of the Drawing

Figure 1 is a simplified diagram of a first preferred embodiment showing a chamber with an exposed section revealing the inner structure of the chamber.

Figure 2 is a simplified diagram showing a plurality of deflectable strips being mounted to one of the walls of the chamber of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a simplified diagram of a second preferred embodiment comprising a bottomless wall enclosure.

Figure 4 is a simplified diagram of a cut-away section of the bottomless wall enclosure having a plurality of deflectable strips.

Figure 5 is a simplified diagram of a third preferred embodiment comprising a cylinder and a deflectable crawl path.

Figure 6 is a simplified diagram of a fourth preferred embodiment comprising a plurality of upwardly directing deflectable strips.

Figure 7 is a simplified diagram of a fifth preferred embodiment showing a cylindrical chamber with a light bulb and a scent attractant.

Detailed Description of the Invention

A more complete understanding of my invention may be obtained through the study of this description when taken together with the appended drawings, wherein like reference symbols refer to like elements of the drawings.

Referring now to the first preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 1, wherein an insect trap 5 having a hollow chamber 10 comprises a plurality of sufficiently long, resilient and deflectable strips 20 which are bundled as a bunch 30 to form a tapered hallway 40. The terminal end 50 of the bunch 30 is dispersed and terminated around the periphery 55 of a through opening, which is an aperture 60 on a side wall 70 of the chamber 10. The bunch 30 is converged and closed at the opposite distal end 80, creating the tapered hallway 40 inside the bunch 30. The deflectable strip 20 is preferably made of a flexible resilient fiber, thin and flexible metal strip or the like.

In the upper portion of the bunch 30, the deflectable strips 20 forming the outer most layer of the bunch 30 are linked together by a plurality of short flexible strips 90. In the lower portion of the bunch 30, a plurality of sharp tines 100 mounted to some of the deflectable strips 20 is pointing outwardly from the bunch 30 to deter the flies from attaching themselves to the deflectable strips 20.

A slidable tray 110 containing an insect attractant 120 is inserted into the chamber 10 through a through opening 125 on the front wall 140 of the chamber 10. A board 150 having a knob 160 is slidable between a pair of opposing guard rails 170. The tray 110 comprises a slot 180 behind the front wall 190 of the tray 110. The board 150 is lowered into the slot 180 after the tray 110 has been pushed into the chamber 10. The board 150 engages the tray 110 and prevents the tray 110 from further movement. A transparent cross-wired mesh removable cover 210, comprising an array of closely spaced crossed wires, is used to cover the tray 110. The cross- wired mesh cover 210 prevents the flies from eating the insect attractant 120. The tray 110 rests on a removable bottom plate 220 of the chamber 10, to allow easy maintenance and cleaning of the chamber 10.

The tray 110 can be withdrawn from the chamber 10 and the board 150 is lowered to engage the bottom plate 220 of chamber 10. Alternatively, the cross-wired mesh cover 210 can be inserted to cover the top of the tray 110, the flies are denied direct access of the food to survive. The flies would die of hunger and dehydration.

Another approach for collection of the flies is to use a disposable cartridge. The chamber 10 comprises a disposable hollow cartridge 230. The cartridge 230 is preferably a hollow rectangular box, which is generally made of thin paper cardboards and the like. The cartridge 230 includes a plurality of rectangular cut-out sections 240, 250 on the front 260 and the bottom 270 of the cartridge 230. The cartridge 230 is inserted vertically into the chamber 10 through an opening 280 on the top wall 290 of chamber 10, with the bottom end 270 touching the side wall 300, which is preferably made of a translucent or transparent material.

The cartridge 230 is lowered to engage a slot 310 formed by a raised wall 320 on the bottom 220 of the chamber 10. The front cut-out sections 240 on the front 260 of the cartridge 230 are displaced with respect to the location of the rear cut-out sections 250 on the bottom 270 of the cartridge 230. The light penetrates the side wall 300 of chamber 10 and enters the cartridge 230 through the rear cut-out sections 250 on the bottom 270 of the cartridge 230. The light is diffused inside the cartridge 230. A fly 330 attracted by the light and the insect attractant 340 placed inside the cartridge 230 enters the cartridge 230 through one of the front cut-out sections 240 on the front 260 of the cartridge 230.

The fly 330 is hungry if the tray 110 is withdrawn from the chamber 10 or covered by the cross- wired mesh cover 210. The fly 330 would tend to move toward the insect attractant 340 inside the cartridge 230. Discrete segments of adhesive, sticky material 350 and insect attractants 340 are placed alternately and adjacent to each other on the bottom 270 of the cartridge 230. The fly 330 would get trapped by the sticky material placed inside the cartridge 230.

To remove the disposable cartridge 230, a board 360 which is constrained between a pair of guard rails 370 is slid by pushing a knob 380 away from the side wall 300. The cartridge 230 is exposed for replacement. The wall 390 of the chamber 10 comprises an array of small orifices 400 for venting.

Referring now to Fig. 2, wherein the bunch 30 employed in Fig. 1 is shown in detail. A plurality of deflectable strips 20 constituting the bunch 30 is mounted to the side wall 70 of the chamber 10 of Fig. 1, the fly 330 attracted by an insect attractant 120 of Fig. 1, alights on the crawl path 420 through the aperture 60. The crawl path 420 is formed by a first set of the deflectable strips 20 which are twisted together to allow the fly 330 to crawl. The crawl path 420 is sufficiently long for the fly 330 to crawl and bend downwardly. The fly 330 crawls along the crawl path 420 inside the hallway 40. When the fly 330 lands on the crawl path 420, the first set of the deflectable strips 20 constituting the crawl path 420 is deflected downwardly and disjoint from other deflectable strips 20 in the bunch 30, thereby creating an opening 440 to the interior of the chamber 10 at the distal end 80 of the bunch 30. The size of the opening 440 increases by the insect's weight as the fly 330 continues to crawl toward the distal ends 480 of the deflected strips 20. After the fly 330 has departed from the deflected strips 20 into the chamber 10 of Fig. 1, the deflected strips 20 constituting the crawl path 420 are deflected back upwardly upon the departure of the fly 330 into the chamber 10. The crawl path 420 is closed at the distal end 80 of the bunch 30 when the deflected strips 20 return to their initial closed position with other members of the deflectable strips 20 in the bunch 30.

An enclosure 450 comprising a second set of the deflectable strips 20 is employed to encompass the crawl path 420. The enclosure 450 is configured to form the inner tapered hallway 40. The tapered hallway 40 which leads from the aperture 60 is decreasing in size in the cross-sectional area in a direction from the aperture 60 to the distal end 80 of the deflectable strips 20. The crawl path 420 is closed at the distal end 80 of the deflectable strips 20. The distal end 480 of the crawl path 420 changes from a closed position to an open position to reveal an opening 440 leading into the chamber 10 when the fly 330 lands on the crawl path 420, and the strips 20 constituting the crawl path 420 are deflected downwardly. The crawl path 420 is closed to the fly confined to the interior of chamber 10 when the fly 330 departs and the deflected strips 20 are restored to their original configuration.

The strips 20 in the outermost layer and the upper part of the bunch 30 are linked together by a plurality of short flexible strips 90, which prevent the fly 330 from penetrating the enclosure 450. The enclosure 450 is impenetrable by the insect 330. The lower portion of the enclosure 450 is populated with a plurality of tines 100 mounted onto the underside surface 490 of the enclosure 450. The underside surface 490 is coated with slippery oil material 500.

Fig. 3 shows the second preferred embodiment for a bottomless wall enclosure 450 to be used in the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. A bottomless wall enclosure 450 having an open bottom end 650 and an open rear end 660 encompassing the aperture 60 comprises solid walls, 670, 680, 690 and a front wall 700. The walls of the enclosure 450 are impenetrable by the insect 330. A plurality of deflectable strips 20 having terminal end portions 50 mounted to the wall 70 of Fig. 1 is employed to constitute the bottom floor 650 of the bottomless wall enclosure 450. The deflectable strips 20 are arranged in a layer-like structure, forming a flat bunch 730 covering the open bottom end 650 of the bottomless wall enclosure 450. The deflectable strips 20 engage the enclosure 450 to form a complete enclosure impenetrable by the insect 330. The front wall 700 of the enclosure 450 is preferably made of translucent material to provide sufficient light into the enclosure 450.

The deflectable strips 20 where the fly 330 has landed deflect downwardly, the distal end 80 of the flat bunch 730 descends below the bottom edge 570 of the front wall 700 to reveal an opening 440 for the fly 330 to exit. The fly 330 departs from the deflected strips 20 into the chamber 10 of Fig. 1.

To discourage the fly 330 from attaching itself to the underside surface of deflectable strips 20, The underside surface 490 of each of the deflectable strips 20 in the lowest most layer of the flat bunch 730 exposing to the interior of the chamber 10 of Fig. 1 is coated with a thin layer of sticky material, grease, or preferably a slippery oily material 500 to deter the flies from mounting onto the deflectable strips 20.

A plurality of spikes or tines 100 is mounted beneath the walls 670, 690, 700. The front wall 700 comprises a plurality of through openings or orifices 750, which allow the air and the scent coming from the insect attractant 120 to flow between the enclosure 450 and the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. The deflectability of the deflectable strips 20 is chosen so that the opening 440 created by the deflected strips 20 is only big enough to allow the fly 330 to exit. The fly 330 would tend to squeeze itself into the chamber 10 of Fig. 1, when the fly 330 is attracted by the scent of the food attractant 120, air and light coming through the orifices 750. It is clear that the aperture 60 is well protected by the enclosure 450 and the deflectable strips 20 constituting the bottom floor of the enclosure 450. The aperture 60 and the distal end 80 of the flat bunch 730 are well hidden from flies and other insects trapped inside the chamber 10 of Fig. 1.

The deflectable strips 20 which constitute the bottom floor 650 of the enclosure 450 cooperate with the enclosure 450 to define a hallway 40 that starts with an entrance at the aperture 60. The hallway 40 is closed and terminates at the distal end 80 of the bunch 730.

When the strips 20 are bent downwardly, a gap is created between the distal end 480 of the deflected strips 20 and the inner surface 550 of the front wall 700. The gap may be sufficiently large enough just to allow the fly 330 to squeeze itself out into the interior of the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. It is shown in this case that the entrance gate to the interior of the chamber 10 is well hidden behind the front wall 700 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 shows the exposed section of the bottomless wall enclosure 450 of Fig. 3, with the front wall 700 removed from the diagram. The thin deflectable metallic strips 20 are used to populate the bottom portion of bottomless wall enclosure 450. A plurality of sharp tines 100 are mounted outwardly from the bottom surface of the deflectable strips 20. The hallway 40 of the deflected strips 20 expands in size at the distal end 480 of the crawl path 420, as the weight of the insect 330 pushes the strips 20 downwardly at the distal end 480 of the deflected strips 20.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the third preferred embodiment having a cylinder 710 for use as the enclosure 450 of Fig. 1. The cylinder 710 is mounted to the wall 70 of Fig. 1, with its proximal open end encompassing the aperture 60 and its distal end closed by a cap 740. The cylinder 710 comprises a longitudinal slit 730 in the bottom portion of the cylinder 710. The slit 730 is covered by a plurality of deflectable strips 20 forming the crawl path 420. The end of the deflectable crawl path 420 engages the inner end cap 740 of the cylinder 710. The enclosure 450 forming the hallway 40 engages the crawl path 420 to form a complete enclosure. A flange 750 attached to the bottom of the end cap 740 is used to block the view of the crawl path 420 from other insects trapped in the chamber 10. A plurality of tines 100 is mounted outwardly from the enclosure 450 to deter the flies from coming too close to the enclosure 450. Some sticky glues 770 are applied to the underside surface of the cylinder 710 and the flange 750.

As the insect 330 crawls along the crawl path 420, the deflectable strips 20 are deflected downwardly to reveal an opening near the end cap 740. The insect 330 departs at the distal end of the crawl path 420 and the deflected crawl path 420 returns to its original undisturbed closed position with the cylinder 710.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the fourth preferred embodiment having an upwardly directing deflectable strips 20 to be used in the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. A bending bunch 830 having a terminal end portion 50 terminating at the wall 70 of Fig. 1 comprises a plurality of deflectable strips 20. The distal end portion of the bunch 830 is configured to bend upwardly from the substantially horizontal position to a vertical position. The distal end 80 of each of the deflectable strips 20 is oriented upwardly and aligned with each other to form a closed path 835 to thwart the flies

10 from entering. Furthermore, some of the distal ends 80 of the deflectable strips 20 are shaped to have pointed ends, a tine-like structure 590 to discourage the flies from entering the bunch 830.

Some insects and mosquitoes tend to fly upwardly. When the fly 330 moves upwardly through the strips 20 along the vertical columns 840 formed by the deflectable strips 20 near the distal end 80 of the bending bunch 830, the fly 330 tends to push the strips 20 aside, squeezing its way up into the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. The deflectable strips 20 are deflected or swung to one side to reveal an opening 440 into the chamber 10. The fly 330 departs from the bunch 830 upon exiting from the distal end 80 of the bunch 830. The deflected strips 20 are deflected back to return to their un-disturbed configuration. The distal end portion 80 of the bunch 830 resumes its initial position which is closed to the flies trapped inside the chamber 10 of Fig. 1. The dispersed portion of the deflectable strips 20 are each inter-linked with a plurality of short flexible strips 90 to prevent the penetration of the insect 330 through the enclosure 450.

Referring now to the fifth preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 7, wherein an insect trap 5 having a cylindrical housing 850 comprises a lighted tube 860 which emits attractive light to lure the files into the housing 850. The lighted tube 860 is connected to a power source (not shown) via electrical wires 870. The lighted tube with its supporting structure 880 is rested on a base 890, which is made of an array of spaced-apart wires. The wires are spaced to provide sufficient clearance for the flies to drop through the openings to the bottom of a collection chamber 900, which is positioned immediately below the base 890. The bottom of the collection chamber 900 comprises a detachable cover 910 for easy removal of dead flies from the chamber 10.

11 A scent-producing insect attractant 950 is placed on the supporting structure 960 to attract the flies. A fly 330 enters the housing 850 through the aperture 60 and lands on the crawl path 420. The deflectable strips 20 constituting the crawl path 420 inside the bunch 30 are deflected downwardly for the fly 330 to exit the bunch 30 into the housing 850.

The distal end portion 80 of the bunch 30 acts as a closure to the aperture 60 when the distal end portion 80 of the bunch 30 is closed to the flies trapped inside the interior of the housing 850. The distal end portion 80 of the bunch changes from a closed position to an open position when the fly 330 lands on the crawl path 420 inside the bunch 30. The end portion 80 of the bunch 30 returns

1 from the open position to the closed position again when the fly 330 departs from the bunch 30.

Based on the description of the invention and its preferred modes of operation in sufficient detail as shown above, it will be obvious to those of normal skill in the art to make certain changes and variation in the specific elements of the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. It is clear that the foregoing disclosure is merely an illustration of the principles of the present invention. Numerous alternatives, modifications and additions, apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made without deviating from the spirit and broader aspects of this invention as denned in the appended claims.

12

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. An insect trap for luring and trapping a flying insect therein, comprising:

a) an aperture in a hollow chamber of said trap;

b) a first set of deflectable strips having terminal ends of said strips dispersed and terminated around said aperture for constituting a crawl path to lead from said aperture into the interior of said chamber;

c) an enclosure for forming a hallway which is impenetrable by said insect and for engaging said crawl path to form a complete enclosure; and

d) an insect attractant to lure said insect;

wherein said insect enters said aperture, said crawl path is deflected and disjoint from said enclosure upon landing of said insect to reveal a small opening at the distal end of said crawl path, said insect crawls toward said distal end of said crawl path, the size of said opening increases by the continued crawling of said insect, said deflectable strips constituting said crawl path change from an initial closed position with said enclosure upon the landing of said insect to an open position to allow said insect to enter said chamber, said deflectable strips return to said initial closed position with said enclosure upon the departure of said insect from said deflectable strips.

2. The trap of claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises a second set of deflectable strips interlinked together by short strips to form an enclosed hallway which closes at a distal end of said crawl path.

13

3. The trap of claim 1, wherein said enclosure comprises a plurality of walls enclosing said crawl path.

4. The trap of claim 1, wherein said trap includes an array of tines mounted outwardly from said enclosure.

5. The trap of claim 1, wherein said trap includes an oily material coated to the underside surfaces of said enclosure.

6. The trap of claim 1 including a slidable tray containing said insect attractant.

7. The trap of claim 1, wherein said trap includes a light tube emitting light to attract said insect.

8. The trap of claim 1, wherein said trap includes a hollow cartridge containing discrete segments of adhesive, sticky material.

14

9. An insect trap for luring and trapping a flying insect therein, comprising:

a) an aperture in a hollow chamber of said trap;

c) an impenetrable enclosure comprising a second set of deflectable strips interlinked together by short strips to form an enclosed hallway which closes at a distal end of said crawl path; and

d) an insect attractant to lure said insect;

10. The trap of claim 9, wherein said trap includes an array of tines mounted outwardly from said enclosure.

15

11. An insect trap for luring and trapping a flying insect therein, comprising:

a) an aperture in a hollow chamber of said trap;

b) a plurality of deflectable strips having terminal ends of said strips dispersed and terminated around said aperture for constituting a crawl path to lead from said aperture into the interior of said chamber;

c) an impenetrable enclosure comprising a plurality of walls for engaging said crawl path to form a complete enclosure; and

d) an insect attractant to lure said insect;

12. The trap of claim 11, wherein said trap includes an array of tines mounted outwardly from said enclosure.

16