Pest Trap

Abstract

A flying pest trap (10) comprises a plurality of LEDs (38) and an immobilisation element retaining means (46) for retaining an immobilisation element (12) in a non-planar configuration.

Claims

1. A flying pest trap comprising a plurality of LEDs and an immobilisation element retainer an immobilisation element in a non-planar configuration.

2. The flying pest trap according to claim 1, wherein the immobilisation element retainer is configured to retain the immobilisation element in a configuration wherein openings in the immobilisation element align with the LEDs.

3. The flying pest trap according to claim 1, wherein the immobilisation element retainer is configured to retain the immobilisation element in a curved configuration.

4. The flying pest trap according to claim 1, wherein the immobilisation element retainer comprises at least one rail, the rail defining a slot between a surface of the flying pest trap and the rail, the slot being for receiving an edge of immobilisation element.

5. The flying pest trap according to claim 4, wherein the rail is curved.

6. The flying pest trap according to claim 4, wherein the surface of the flying pest trap is curved.

7. An immobilisation element for a flying pest trap, the immobilisation element comprising a plurality of openings therein for passage of light from a rear side of the immobilisation element to a front side of the immobilisation element, and the immobilisation element being adapted to be retained in a flying pest trap in a non-planar configuration, wherein the immobilisation element is flexible.

8. The immobilisation element according to claim 7, wherein the immobilisation element is adapted to be retained in a curved configuration.

9. The immobilisation element according to claim 7, wherein the immobilisation element is biased in a curved configuration.

10. A kit of parts comprising a flying pest trap and an immobilisation element, the flying pest trap comprising a plurality of LEDs and an immobilisation element retaining means, wherein the immobilisation retaining means is configured to retain the immobilisation element in the trap in a non-planar configuration.

11. A method of operating a flying pest trap comprising inserting an immobilisation element into the flying pest trap and retaining the immobilisation element in the flying pest trap, wherein the immobilisation element is retained in a non-planar configuration.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the flying pest trap comprises a plurality of LEDs and the immobilisation element comprises a plurality of openings, wherein inserting the immobilisation element into the flying pest trap comprises aligning the openings in the immobilisation element with the LEDs in the flying pest trap.

13. (canceled)

Description

[0034] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a front view of an example of a flying pest trap;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the flying pest trap;

[0037] FIGS. 3A and 3B show side view of the flying pest trap;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the flying pest trap;

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the flying pest trap with an immobilisation element partly inserted; and

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a flying pest trap without an immobilisation element.

[0041] FIGS. 1-6 show an example of a flying pest trap system 1 comprising a flying pest trap 10 and an immobilisation element 12.

[0042] The flying pest trap 10 comprises a housing 14 and two attracting elements 16. The housing 14 forms a casing or enclosure configured to support the immobilisation element 12 and the attracting elements 16.

[0043] The housing 14 comprises a front portion 18 and a rear portion 20. The rear portion 20 is configured to be secured to a wall or other surface. The rear portion 20 comprises a mounting portion 22 provided on a rear side of the rear portion 20, as shown in FIG. 2. The mounting portion 22 comprises holes 24 arranged to receive bolts, screws or other fixing means for securing the rear portion to a wall or for mounting to a mounting bracket.

[0044] The front portion 18 forms at least part of a front wall of the housing 14 and defines two apertures 26 for the egress of light from the attracting elements 16, so that flying pests may be lured to the flying pest trap system 1. Furthermore, the apertures 26 may allow the ingress of flying pests to the trap system 1, so that the flying pests may come into contact with the immobilisation element 12. The apertures 24 each take the form of horizontal elongate slots. It is known that flying pests are more attracted to horizontally orientated light sources, and therefore these horizontal elongate slots convey the impression of a horizontal light source to the flying pest.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the front portion 18 is hingedly connected to the rear portion 20, so that the housing 14 can be opened to allow access to the interior thereof. The front portion 18 is pivotably mounted along a lowermost edge of the housing 14, so that the front portion 18 is arranged to pivot downwards and forwards in order to open. Accordingly, the housing 14 comprises hinges 28 formed on the lowermost edge of the housing 14.

[0046] The housing 14 comprises suitable means for securing the front portion 18 in the closed position. The front portion 18 comprises latches 30 provided at opposing sides of the front portion 18, on an inside surface 32 of the front portion 18. The rear portion 20 comprises complementary receivers 34 for receiving the latches 30, the receivers 34 provided at opposing side of the rear portion 20, as shown in FIG. 4. Other means for securing the front portion 18 in the closed position may be employed, for example clips or nuts and bolts, or the hinges 28 may be friction hinges, which allow the rotation of the front portion when a force is applied by a user, but are adapted so as to retain the front portion 18 in position once the user releases the front portion 18.

[0047] The flying pest trap 10 comprises two attracting elements 16, which are disposed at positions corresponding to the apertures 26 in the front portion 18. Each attracting element 16 comprises an elongate strip 36. A plurality of LEDs 38 are provided on the strip 36. The LEDs 38 are configured to emit UV light. The LEDs 38 are disposed on the strip at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof. The elongate strip 36 of each attracting element 16 comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) connecting the LEDs 38. Each attracting element 16 comprises eight LEDs 38. However, other exemplary attracting elements may comprise more or fewer than eight LEDs.

[0048] The attracting elements 16 are removable from the housing 14. Each attracting element 16 comprises electrical contacts (not shown), disposed at an end of the elongate strip 36 and for coupling to corresponding electrical contacts (not shown) provided in the housing 14. The housing 14 comprises a power supply (not shown), and so the attracting element 16 may receive electrical power from the housing 14 through the electrical contacts. Power received at the electrical contacts of the attracting element 16 is supplied to the LEDs 38 to illuminate the LEDs 38.

[0049] The trap 10 comprises a plurality of resiliently deformable spring clips 40 for removably securing the attracting elements 16 to the housing 14.

[0050] The flying pest trap system 1 comprises an immobilisation element 12, which is insertable and removable from the flying pest trap 10. The immobilisation element 12 takes the form of a glue board. The immobilisation element 12 comprises a forward facing surface 42, with an adhesive provided on the forward facing surface 42. The adhesive is configured to retain the pests when they make contact with the immobilisation element 12.

[0051] The immobilisation element 12 comprises a plurality of holes 44 formed through the immobilisation element 12. The holes 44 are configured to allow light emitted from the attracting elements 16 to pass through. The holes 44 are formed in two rows that extend horizontally across the immobilisation element 12. Each row of holes 44 is arranged to coincide with the position of a respective attracting element 16 in the trap 10 and a respective aperture 26 in the front portion 18 of the housing 14.

[0052] The immobilisation element 12 is detachably securable to the trap 10, so that the immobilisation element 12 can be removed from the trap 10 to be replaced when the immobilisation element 12 has become saturated with flying pests.

[0053] The trap 10 comprises retaining means for retaining the immobilisation element 12 within the trap 10. The retaining means are rails 46 provided at a left side and a right side of the front surface 48 of the rear portion 20 of the housing 14. A space is provided between the rails 46 and the front surface 48 of the housing, defining a slot in which an edge 50 of the immobilisation element 12 is insertable, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0054] The rails 46 are curved for retaining the immobilisation element 12 in a curved configuration in the trap 10. The front surface 48 of the rear portion 20 of the housing 14 is correspondingly curved.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the immobilisation element 12 may be inserted into the trap 10 by sliding the immobilisation element 12, such that the edges 50 of the immobilisation element 12 are provided within the slot between the rails 46 and the front surface 48 of the rear portion 18. The immobilisation element 12 is thereby held in a curved configuration, wherein a central portion 52 of the immobilisation element is further from the inside surface 32 of the front portion 18 than the upper and lower edges of the immobilisation element 12.

[0056] The immobilisation element 12 is flexible. The immobilisation element 12 is biased in a curved configuration. For example, the immobilisation element may be inherently biased into a curved configuration due to how the immobilisation element is manufactured or stored before being inserted into the trap. When the immobilisation element is inserted into the trap, the upper and lower ends of the edges 50 press against the rails while a central part 52 of the immobilisation element 12 presses against the central part 54 of the front surface 48 of the rear portion 20 of the housing 14, due to the biasing nature of the immobilisation element 12. The immobilisation element 12 may thereby be retained in the trap 10.

[0057] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0058] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0059] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0060] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.