LIVE TRAP FOR CATCHING LIVING INSECTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a live trap for catching living insects, particularly fruit flies, comprising a catch container, a base and a funnel-shaped insert in the catch container having a plurality of slits in the funnel wall and a funnel exit opening, the insects to be caught being able to slip through the funnel exit opening, but not through the slits. Furthermore, the live trap comprises an attractant container in the catch container and/or in the base having a liquid attractant and a wick. The insects are attracted by the scent of the liquid attractant evaporating from the attractant container and fly or crawl through the funnel exit opening into the catch container, where they become trapped. The user can then carry the live trap outside, remove the funnel-shaped insert, and release the captured insects alive outside. In this way, the insects can be kept out of human living and working spaces without killing the insects.

Claims

1. A live trap for catching living insects, particularly fruit flies, comprising: a catch container having an outer peripheral wall; a base, and a funnel-shaped insert comprising: a funnel entry opening; a funnel tip disposed opposite the funnel entry opening with respect to a longitudinal axis of the funnel-shaped insert; a funnel wall with a plurality of slits, the funnel wall connecting the funnel entry opening to the funnel tip and tapering from the funnel entry opening to the funnel tip; and a funnel exit opening arranged on the funnel tip, wherein the funnel-shaped insert is inserted into an upward-facing upper opening of the catch container in an operational position such that the funnel entry opening points upward and the funnel tip points downward when in the operational position, wherein the catch container stands on or in the base in the operational position, and wherein the live trap comprises an attractant container that is at least partly arranged in the catch container and/or at least partly in the base, and the attractant container has a liquid attractant and a wick.

2. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the outer peripheral wall of the catch container further comprises a lower opening that points downward in the operational position.

3. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein part of the attractant container is arranged in the catch container and partly in the base.

4. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a depression and a raised floor in said depression, and wherein the attractant container sits on a bottom of the depression and the catch container sits on the raised floor.

5. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the outer peripheral wall of the catch container is substantially cylindrical or conical and a longitudinal axis of the catch container is arranged substantially vertically in the operational position.

6. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein in the operational position a surface area of the funnel entry opening amounts to at least 50% of a surface area of a largest horizontal cross section of an inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the catch container within a vertical extension of the catch container.

7. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the funnel-shaped insert is connected to the catch container by means of a plug connection, a latching connection, a screw connection, or a bayonet connection.

8. The live trap according to claim 7, wherein the base is connected to the catch container by means of a plug connection, a latching connection, a screw connection, or a bayonet connection.

9. The live trap according to claim 8, wherein the connection of the funnel-shaped insert to the catch container and the connection of the base to the catch container are of identical design.

10. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the catch container is discretely rotationally symmetrical with respect to an axis that is oriented horizontally in the operational position.

11. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the catch container, the funnel-shaped insert, and the base are not all made of the same material.

12. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein the base is produced from a single cut and folded sheet of cardboard and has the shape of a box.

13. The live trap according to claim 11, wherein the catch container and the funnel-shaped insert are made of plastic and the base is made of cardboard.

14. The live trap according to claim 7, wherein the funnel-shaped insert is connected to the catch container at an edge of the outer peripheral surface of the catch container, wherein the edge is pointed upward in the operational position.

15. The live trap according to claim 8, wherein the base is connected to the catch container at an edge of the outer peripheral surface of the catch container, wherein the edge is pointed downward in the operational position.

16. The live trap according to claim 1, wherein in the operational position a surface area of the funnel entry opening amounts to at least 80% of a surface area of a largest horizontal cross section of an inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the catch container within a vertical extension of the catch container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the figures. Thereby shown are:

[0050] FIG. 1a a funnel-shaped insert of a fruit fly trap according to the invention in a perspective view at a diagonal angle from below;

[0051] FIG. 1b a funnel-shaped insert of the inventive fruit fly trap in a perspective view at a diagonal angle from above;

[0052] FIG. 2 a catch container of the inventive fruit fly trap in a perspective view at a diagonal angle from above;

[0053] FIG. 3 a base and an attractant container of the inventive fruit fly trap in a perspective view at a diagonal angle from above;

[0054] FIG. 4 the base of the inventive fruit fly trap in the unfolded state;

[0055] FIG. 5 a fully assembled fruit fly trap according to the invention in a partly perspective side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2 and 3 show the components of the fruit fly trap according to the invention, namely the funnel-shaped insert 1, the catch container 2, the base 3 and the attractant container 4, wherein FIGS. 1b, 2 and 3 together constitute an exploded view of the fruit fly trap.

[0057] All of the figures except for FIG. 4 are depicted in the fruit fly trap's operational position. Designations in the following such as “above,” “below,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” etc., are also in reference to this operational position.

[0058] The funnel-shaped insert 1 (FIGS. 1a and 1b) exhibits a conical funnel wall 14 surrounding a funnel entry opening 11 at its top and tapering toward the funnel tip 12 at its bottom. A vertically aligned funnel exit opening 13, which is just large enough to enable a fruit fly to slip through, is arranged in the funnel tip 12.

[0059] An annular, horizontally arranged funnel flange 16 adjoins the funnel entry opening 11 radially outwardly by its inner edge. A downward-aligned skirt 17 of small vertical extension is arranged at the outer edge of the funnel flange 16. A plurality of latch receivers 18 (four in the present implementation) are distributed around the circumference of the funnel flange 16, these to be described in greater detail further below.

[0060] The funnel wall 14 is interrupted by a plurality of slits 15. Each slit 15 is of such narrow width that a fruit fly cannot slip through it. The slits 15 are arranged horizontally in the conical funnel wall 14 and thus each in the shape of a circular arc. In particular, the slits 15 are arranged in the funnel wall 14 in concentric horizontal rings. Each ring has four individual slits 15 in the circumferential direction which are separated from one another by vertical webs, whereby the webs increase the stability of the funnel-shaped insert 1.

[0061] The funnel-shaped insert 1 is in this implementation made from a transparent plastic, preferably from PET and further preferably from PET recyclate. Of course, different materials other than plastic can also be used for the funnel-shaped insert 1 such as glass, metal, ceramic or cardboard.

[0062] The catch container 2 (FIG. 2) has a cylindrical, vertically aligned outer peripheral wall 21 with an upper edge 22 and a lower edge 23. The upper and lower face sides of the outer peripheral wall 21 are open and form an upper opening 26, or respectively lower opening 27, of the catch container 2.

[0063] Evenly distributed over the circumference of the upper edge 22 and the lower edge 23 of the catch container 2, a plurality of upper latching projections 22, or lower latching projections 25 respectively (in the present implementation, four), project radially outward from the upper edge 22 or lower edge 23 respectively.

[0064] The upper latching projections 24 form the counterpart to the latch receivers 18 of the funnel-shaped insert 1 and can be connected thereto via a type of bayonet coupling. To that end, the funnel-shaped insert 1 is set onto the upper opening 26 of the catch container 2, whereby the latch receivers 18 and the latching projections 24 initially have different angular positions. The funnel flange 16 and the skirt 17 thereby enclose the upper edge 22 of the catch container 2 from above or radially outwardly respectively.

[0065] Each latch receiver 18 is configured as a slit-shaped opening having an open end and a closed end in the circumferential direction, forming a stop, and which tapers slightly in the circumferential direction from the open to the closed end.

[0066] If the funnel-shaped projection 1 is now rotated about its longitudinal axis in a specific direction, preferably clockwise, wherein it is guided by the funnel flange 16 and the skirt 17 on the upper edge 22 of the catch container 2, each upper latching projection 24 then sets into a specific latch receiver 18 until it strikes against the stop in the circumferential direction and is concurrently wedged in the latch receiver 18 by the tapering slit. A simple bayonet coupling is thereby realized between the funnel-shaped insert 1 and the catch container 2.

[0067] The upper edge 22 of catch container 2 with the upper latching projections 24 and the lower edge 23 of catch container 2 with the lower latching projections 25 are of identical design. The catch container 2 can thus even be used when rotated 180 degrees about a horizontal axis running through its center plane so that the lower latching projections 25 then latch into the latch receivers 18 of funnel-shaped insert 1.

[0068] The catch container 2 in this implementation is made from the same material as the funnel-shaped insert 1, wherein the alternatively mentioned materials for the funnel-shaped insert 1 can of course also be a possibility.

[0069] The base 3 (FIGS. 3 and 4) has the basic shape of a low cuboid with a square surface area, whereby the lateral length of the base in this implementation is approximately three and a half times as large as the height of the cuboid. The base 3 thus comprises four outer lateral surfaces 31, one upper lateral surface 32 and one lower lateral surface 37. The base 3 is produced from a single cut and stamped sheet of cardboard which is folded, glued and stuck together in order to obtain its three-dimensional form (see the description on FIG. 4 below).

[0070] The upper lateral surface 32 comprises a circular upper opening 34 which has a somewhat larger diameter than the lower edge 23 of the catch container 2. The depression in the base 3 unblocked by the upper opening 34 is continuously open to its lower lateral surface 37. Furthermore, the upper lateral surface 32 comprises a radially outward aligned latch opening 33 which has the same shape and is somewhat larger than the lower latching projections 25 of the catch container 2.

[0071] The base 3 comprises a raised floor 35 in the depression between the upper lateral surface 32 and the lower lateral surface 37 which runs parallel to the upper lateral surface 32 and the lower lateral surface 37 and is arranged at a short distance below upper lateral surface 32. The raised floor 35 has a circular opening 36 which is concentric to the upper opening 34 of the base 3 but has a somewhat smaller diameter than the lower edge 23 of the catch container 2.

[0072] The base 3 is depicted again in FIG. 4 in an unfolded position as a flat cardboard sheet, wherein the interior of the base is visible in FIG. 4.

[0073] In FIG. 4, the latch opening 33 points toward the center of a longitudinal side of the upper lateral surface 32 and not, as in FIGS. 3 and 5, toward a corner of the upper lateral surface 32. The circumferential position of the latch opening 33 on the edge of the upper opening 34 in the upper lateral surface 32 is, however, obviously of no relevance to the connection between the catch container 2 and the base 3 and is therefore freely selectable.

[0074] The produced form as depicted in FIG. 4; i.e. cut and stamped cardboard sheet, is now inwardly “rolled up” around an imaginary axis along the horizontal direction in FIG. 4. The cardboard sheet is thereby folded 90 degrees inward on all the marked vertical lines representing the transitions from one respective wall section of the base 3 to a neighboring wall section.

[0075] The cardboard sheet is initially rolled up until the adhesive surfaces 38a and 38b lie on top of each other (adhesive surface 38b is on the reverse side of the cardboard sheet opposite the side visible in FIG. 4). The adhesive surfaces 38a and 38b are glued together in this state.

[0076] The cardboard sheet is now rolled up further in the cited direction so that the upper lateral surface 32 covers the raised floor 35 with a slight space in between.

[0077] Lastly (or even prior to rolling up), the two outer lateral surfaces 31 bordering the raised floor 35 above and below are likewise folded by 90 degrees. Ultimately, all the fixing tabs 39 are inserted into the (not shown) slits provided for the purpose, thus fixing the base 3 in its box shape.

[0078] This results in the initially described base 3 in the form of a box, more precisely in the form of a low cuboid with a square surface area, having the described openings.

[0079] For usage of the fruit fly trap, the attractant container 4 is placed into the depression in the base 3 on its lower lateral surface 37. The catch container 2, connected to the funnel-shaped insert 1 as described above, is then placed on the base 3 and the lower latching projections 25 of the catch container 2 are successively inserted through the latch opening 33 into the upper lateral surface 32 of the base 3 by carefully turning the catch container 2 until the catch container 2 sits on the raised floor 35. The catch container 2 is then further rotated a certain angle so that no lower latching projection 25 is aligned with the latch opening 33 of the base 3. The catch container 2 is thereby fixed between the upper lateral surface 32 and the raised floor 35 of the base 3 and thus secured against being pulled out of the base 3.

[0080] The attractant container 4 has a substantially cylindrical attractant reservoir 41 filled with a liquid attractant such as apple cider vinegar adjoined by an upward tapering neck 45 having an external thread 42. A wick 43 sealed off from the neck 45 by seal 44 extends upward through the neck 45 from the attractant reservoir 41 and protrudes upward over the neck 45. The wick 43 consists predominantly of natural fibers. By means of the wick 43, a consistent quantity of liquid attractant is conveyed from the attractant reservoir 41 and evaporated into the surroundings. A (not depicted) cap can be screwed onto the external thread 42 of the neck 45 over the wick 43 in order to seal the wick 43 against the environment and thus prevent evaporation of liquid attractant when the fruit fly trap is not in use.

[0081] The diameter of the attractant reservoir 41, and thus the largest diameter of the attractant container 4, is somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the outer peripheral wall 21 of the catch container 2 so that the catch container 2 can be loosely placed on the attractant container 4. The gap between the outer side of the attractant container 4 and the inner side of the outer peripheral wall 21 of the catch container 2 is thereby so small that fruit flies are not able to slip through said gap.

[0082] The attractant container 4 can also be made from PET recyclate or from a plastic having a high PET recyclate content.

[0083] After realizing the above-cited steps, the fruit fly trap is fully assembled, whereby part of the attractant container 4 is arranged in the depression of the base 3 and part in the catch container 2.

[0084] The fruit flies are then attracted by the liquid attractant evaporated into the surrounding air crawl through the funnel entry opening 11 into the funnel-shaped insert 1 and slip through the funnel exit opening 13 at the funnel tip 12 into the catch container 2 where they become trapped.

[0085] Once enough fruit flies are caught, the user can either carry the entire fruit fly trap with the base 3 and the attractant container 4 outside, remove the catch container 2 from the base 3—or the funnel-shaped insert 1 from the catch container 2—in reverse order as described above, and release the fruit flies.

[0086] The user can, however, also first remove the catch container 2 with the funnel-shaped insert 1 from the base 3 and then take the catch container 2 outside. Since fruit flies are generally upward-oriented, it is unlikely they will escape again in the short time in which the catch container 2 is open at the bottom.

[0087] Depending on the severity of the fruit fly infestation, the captured fruit flies can be released for example on a daily basis.

[0088] FIG. 5 shows an inventive fruit fly trap again in its fully assembled and ready-to-use state.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0089]

TABLE-US-00001  1 funnel-shaped insert  3 base 11 funnel entry opening 31 outer lateral surface 12 funnel tip 32 upper lateral surface 13 funnel exit opening 33 latch opening 14 funnel wall 34 upper opening 15 slit 35 raised floor 16 funnel flange 36 opening in raised floor 17 skirt 37 lower lateral surface 18 latch receiver 38a,b adhesive surfaces  2 catch container 39 fixing tab 21 outer peripheral wall  4 attractant container 22 upper edge 41 attractant reservoir 23 lower edge 42 external screw 24 upper latching projection 43 wick 25 lower latching projection 44 seal 26 upper opening 45 neck 27 lower opening