A RECHARGEABLE TRAP CONFIGURED FOR IDENTIFYING THE SPECIES OF ITS KILLS

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of vibration and/or shock data measured in a rechargeable trap during activation of the trap's killing means to identify the size and/or species of a target animal killed during said activation.

Claims

1. Method of using vibration and/or shock data measured in a rechargeable trap during activation of the trap's killing means to identify the size and/or species of a target animal killed during said activation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said identification comprises comparing data representing said measured vibration and/or shock with previously measured vibration and/or shock data for said killing means' impact with specific target animals.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said previously measured data are measured in a trap with a killing means that is identical to the one in said rechargeable trap.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said previously measured data are measured in an identical trap to said rechargeable trap.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said vibration and/or shock data are measured and generated with one or more accelerometers.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein both acceleration and deacceleration are measured with said one or more accelerometers to generate said vibration and/or shock data.

7. An automatic rechargeable trap (100) comprising: i) a spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means; and ii) a target species monitoring unit configured for determining the type of target species killed by said killing means by measuring the vibration and/or shock that is created by said killing means, when triggered, upon impact with a target animal, and comparing data representing said measured vibration and/or shock with previously measured vibration and/or shock data for said killing means' impact with specific target animals.

8. The automatic rechargeable trap (100) according to claim 7, wherein said target species monitoring unit (300) comprises one or more accelerometers.

9. The automatic rechargeable trap (100) according to claim 8, wherein the target species monitoring unit comprises an electronic memory configured to store data from the one or more accelerometers corresponding to the detected vibration or shock when the detected vibration or shock exceeds a predefined threshold of the accelerometer.

10. The automatic rechargeable trap (100) according to claim 9, wherein said one or more accelerometers include a first threshold for vibration or shock detection during transportation and/or service of said trap (100) and a second threshold for vibration or shock detection when said trap is stationary, e.g. during normal use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective of a trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 3 is an exemplary circuit of an accelerometer.

REFERENCES

[0036] 100 Trap [0037] 110 Entrance [0038] 120 Trigger rod [0039] 130 Gas tank [0040] 140 Lure and/or bait chamber [0041] 142 Container/insert [0042] 150 Control unit [0043] 151 Housing [0044] 152 NFC device [0045] 153 Flange [0046] 154 Antenna [0047] 155 Accelerometer [0048] 156 Battery [0049] 160 Spring [0050] 170 Kill zone chamber [0051] 180 Piston or spear

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The trap 100 is here shown with a killing means in the form of a piston/spear 180. The piston 180 is both gas and spring driven. The spring 160 retains the piston 180 in a retracted position before a triggering.

[0053] When triggered, the forces (increased pressure) from the released gas drives the piston or spear 180 forward, thereby forcing the spring 160 to extend. The increased gas pressure behind the piston 180 is then reduced, e.g. through a valve, and the spring 160 can then retract. The gas tank 130 and the spring 160 are shown. The piston 180 is shown in a retracted position and is activated by the trigger rod 120 (trigger mechanism). The piston 180 is preferably made from a polymeric material that is preferably injection mouldable, such as plastic, e.g. polyethylene, polyoxymethylene, or polyethylene. The piston 180 could though be made of metal, such as steel or the like. The trap 100 also comprises a housing with an entrance 110 leading to a kill zone chamber 170, wherein, in this embodiment, the trigger rod 120 is positioned. The kill zone chamber 170 is where the target animal is killed. A detachable lure and/or bait chamber 140 is directly connected to the kill zone chamber 170. A container 142 for lure and/or bait may be seen positioned within the lumen of the lure and/or bait chamber 140. A control unit 150 is shown attached to the lure and/or bait chamber 140. The control unit 150 comprises an accelerometer 155 in the form of an electromechanical device that senses dynamic forces of acceleration and deacceleration, including vibrations and movement. The acceleration and deacceleration is measured on three axes. Triple axis accelerometers are well-know within the art of accelerometers. The control unit 150 comprises a battery 156 driven wireless near-field communication device 152 with an antenna 154. FIG. 3 is an exemplary circuit of an accelerometer. The control unit 150 may of course be provided with another means for sending and receiving information, e.g. means adapted for transmitting via 4G, 3G, 5G, radio link, GSM, LTE, UMTS and/or through an internet-of-things (IoT) network.