Electric Multi-catch Rodent Trap

Abstract

An electric rodent trap includes bait attracting rodents to climb entry ramps reaching up to entries, and a high voltage grid in a housing bottom portion to euthanize the rodents. The entries may include interior ramps sloping down and into the trap and the ramps may include a low voltage grid to stun the rodents causing them to stumble into the trap while remaining alive. A manual switch is later activated to energize the high voltage grid in the housing bottom portion to euthanize the rodents, and the dead rodents are removed.

Claims

1. An electric rodent trap, comprising: a housing; an entry reaching inward into the housing from a housing exterior wall; a housing bottom portion of the housing below the entry; a high voltage electrical signal sufficient to euthanize rodents; housing connectors inside the housing and electrically connected to receive the high voltage electrical signal through a switch; at least one food tray is removable from and insertable into the housing bottom portion, and the at least one food tray is configured to contain food for consumption by rodents captured in the trap; a high voltage grid on a floor of the at least one food tray; and positive and negative connectors reside on each of the at least one food tray making electrical contact with the housing connectors when the at least one food tray is inserted inside the housing.

2. The electric rodent trap of claim 1, further including a high voltage amplifier in the housing providing the high voltage electrical signal.

3. The electric rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the at least one food tray is inserted laterally into the housing bottom portion.

4. The electric rodent trap of claim 3, wherein: the at least one food tray includes food tray connectors on a food tray bottom; a housing connector is electrically connected to the high voltage electrical signal; and when the at least one food tray is inserted into the housing bottom portion, the food tray connector electrically connects to the housing connector electrically connecting the high voltage electrical signal to the high voltage grid.

5. The electric rodent trap of claim 3, wherein: the at least one food tray includes food tray connectors on a food tray end, the connectors electrically connected to the high voltage grid; and when the at least one food tray is inserted into the housing bottom portion, the food tray connectors electrically connect to the housing connectors.

6. The electric rodent trap of claim 5, either the housing connectors or the food tray connectors are biased by springs to electrically connect.

7. The electric rodent trap of claim 5, either the housing connectors or the food tray connectors are spring metal biased to electrically connect.

8. The electric rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the at least one food tray is inserted vertically into the housing bottom portion.

9. The electric rodent trap of claim 8, wherein: the at least one food tray includes food tray connectors facing upward, mechanically connected to the food tray, and electrically connected to the high voltage grid; and when the at least one food tray is inserted into the housing bottom portion, the food tray connectors electrically connect to the housing connectors.

10. The electric rodent trap of claim 9, either the housing connectors or the food tray connectors are biased by springs to electrically connect.

11. The electric rodent trap of claim 9, either the housing connectors or the food tray connectors are spring metal biased to electrically connect.

12. The electric rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the entry including an interior ramp reaching inward and downward into the housing

13. The electric rodent trap of claim 12, further including a pivoting door at an interior end of the interior ramp, the pivoting door configured to pivot from an original door position into the housing to allow rodents to fall into the housing bottom portion.

14. The electric rodent trap of claim 13, wherein the pivoting door is configured to return to the original door position after the rodent falls into the housing bottom portion to block escape from the housing.

15. The electric rodent trap of claim 12, further including a low voltage electrical grid on top surfaces of interior ramp floors of the interior ramp continuously electrically connected to a low voltage signal when an ON/OFF switch is in an ON position, the low voltage signal sufficient to stun rodents on the interior ramp floors but not euthanize the rodents, the low voltage electrical grid including alternating positive and negative electrodes residing on the interior ramp floor.

16. The electric rodent trap of claim 5, wherein: a housing top cover is configured to switch the ON/OFF switch from ON to OFF when the housing top cover is opened; and the housing top cover is configured to switch the ON/OFF switch from OFF to ON when the housing top cover is closed.

17. The electric rodent trap of claim 2, wherein: the entry includes an entry ceiling above the entry; the a bait container is in a housing top portion directly above the entry ceiling; and perforations in the entry ceiling under the bait container are configured to release bait odor downward into the entry to attract the rodents.

18. The electric rodent trap of claim 1, wherein: a momentary switch configured to electrically connect the high voltage electrical signal to the housing connectors; and the manual switch is inside the housing accessible only when a top cover of the housing is open.

19. An electric rodent trap, comprising: a housing; an entry reaching inward into the housing from a housing exterior wall; a housing bottom portion of the housing below the entry; a high voltage electrical signal sufficient to euthanize rodents; housing connectors inside the housing and electrically connected to receive the high voltage electrical signal through a switch; at least one food tray vertically downward removable from and vertically upward insertable into the housing bottom portion, the at least one food tray is configured to contain food for consumption by rodents captured in the trap; a high voltage grid on a floor of the at least one food tray; positive and negative food tray connectors making electrical contact with the housing connectors when the at least one food tray is inserted into the housing; and the positive and negative food tray connectors residing on an exterior surface of a food tray wall or attached to the food tray and facing up.

20. An electric rodent trap, comprising: a housing; an entry reaching inward into the housing from a housing exterior wall; a housing bottom portion of the housing below the entry; a high voltage electrical signal sufficient to euthanize rodents; housing connectors inside the housing and electrically connected to receive the high voltage electrical signal through a switch; at least one food tray laterally removable from, and laterally insertable into, the housing bottom portion, the at least one food tray is configured to contain food for consumption by rodents captured in the trap; a high voltage grid on a floor of the at least one food tray; positive and negative food tray connectors electrically connected to the high voltage grid and residing on each of the at least one food tray making electrical contact with the housing connectors when the at least one food tray is inserted laterally into the housing; and the positive and negative food tray connectors residing on an exterior surface of a food tray bottom, or on an exterior surface a food tray wall, or attached to the food tray and facing one of the housing exterior walls.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0022] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows an end view of the electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a top view of a pair of food trays with high voltage electrodes.

[0028] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the food tray with the high voltage electrodes.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows an electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention including a vertically insertable food tray.

[0030] FIG. 7A shows the vertically insertable food tray according to the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 8 shows an electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention including a laterally insertable food tray.

[0032] FIG. 8A shows a bottom view of the laterally insertable food tray according to the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 9 shows an electric multi-catch rodent trap according to the present invention including a second laterally insertable food tray.

[0034] FIG. 9A shows the second laterally insertable food tray according to the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 10 shows a coil spring biased connector according to the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 11 shows a spring metal biased connector according to the present invention.

[0037] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

[0039] Where the terms “about” or “generally” are associated with an element of the invention, it is intended to describe a feature's appearance to the human eye or human perception, and not a precise measurement, or typically within 10 percent of a stated value.

[0040] A side view of an electric multi-catch rodent trap 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, a top view of the trap 10 is shown in FIG. 2, and an end view of the trap 10 is shown in FIG. 3. The trap 10 includes a housing 10′, a housing top portion 10a, a housing bottom portion 10b, and an opening top cover 10c. The trap 10 includes entry ramps 20 including ribs 21 facilitating rodents climbing up the entry ramps 20 to reach entries 11. Guides 22 at tops of the ramps 20 guide rodents into the entries 11. A handle 62 is provided for shipping and handling and a chain or the like may be attached to the handle 62 to prevent or reduce the chance of theft. The trap 10, not including the entry ramps 20 and guides 22, has a length L of about 36 inches, a width W of about 12 inches, and a height H of about 16 inches. The entries have heights W1 of about 3 inches and widths W1 of about 3 inches. The trap 10 shown in the drawings includes eight entries 11, four at each end, but a trap with at least one entry is intended to come within the scope of the present invention and singular language in the description is not intended to be limiting.

[0041] A cross-sectional view of the trap 10 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4. Bait areas 31 in the housing top portion 10a contain bait 30 for attracting rodents. The entries 11 slope down and into the housing 10′ starting from housing exterior walls 15. Perforations 12 in entry ceilings 11a carry odors from the bait 30 into the entries 11 to attract the rodents. Doors 14 at entry bottoms open to allow rodents to fall into the housing bottom portion 10b. Food trays 51 may be provided in the housing bottom portion 1b to contain food to further attract rodents.

[0042] The trap 10 includes a battery 43, and/or a 110/220 VAC to 12 VDC adapter 41 connecting to a 110/220 VAC power source. The adapter 41 may be electrically connected to a 12 VDC automatic charging control board 42 to charge the battery 43, and/or directly provide 12 VDC electrical power to the trap 10. An LED charging indicator 42a flashed red while the control board 42 is charging the battery 43, and blue when the battery 43 is fully charged. While a low voltage of 12 VDC is described here, those skilled in the art will recognize that a range of low voltages which stun but do not kill rodents are appropriate and a trap with other low voltages is intended to come within the scope of the present invention.

[0043] The battery 43 and/or adapter/charger 42 provide low voltage power to low voltage electrode 13a and 13b for stunning rodents, and high voltage through the high voltage amplifier 47 to electrode 52 and 53 substantially covering a housing floor 60 of the housing 10 for euthanizing rodents. A momentary switch 46 inside the housing 10′, and accessible when the top cover is open, switches power to the high voltage amplifier 47 to generate high voltage for electrodes 52 and 53. The high voltage amplifier 47 increases voltage for euthanizing, for example, from 12 VDC to between 20,000 VDC and VDC.

[0044] A main ON/OFF switch 44 switches power to the low voltage electrodes 13a and 13b. An LED 44a is on when the switch 44 is ON. A switch 48 may be included inside the housing 10′ in series with the ON/OFF switch 44 to switch to OFF when the top cover 10c is opened.

[0045] The inward and downward sloping entries 11 having downward sloping interior ramp floors b including the positive and negative low voltage (e.g., 12 VDC) electrodes 13a and 13b spaced apart on top surfaces of the interior ramp floors b. The low voltage is provided to the electrodes 13a and 13b when the switch 44 is ON, and the top cover 10c is closed if the switch 48 is present. Rodents entering the entry are stunned by the low voltage sufficiently to stumble and fall forward and down the interior ramp floor b and through the door 14 into the housing bottom portion 10b. The door 14 opens from weight of the rodent, and closes after the rodent falls into the housing bottom portion 10b, and the door 14 is blocked from opening into the entry prevent escape of the rodent.

[0046] A top view of a pair of food trays 51 is shown in FIG. 5 and a perspective view of the food tray 51 is shown in FIG. 6. High voltage electrodes 52 and 53 are preferably attached to the food trays 51, but are only required to reside in the housing bottom portion 10b. The high voltage electrodes 52 and 53 are electrically connected to the high voltage amplifier 47 which provide sufficient current and voltage to euthanize rodents. Connectors 54 and 55 may extend up on walls 58 of the food trays 51 from the high voltage electrodes 52 and 53 to connect to connectors 47a and 47b connected to the high voltage amplifier 47. The food trays 51 may include handles 56 to facilitate removal.

[0047] A electric multi-catch rodent trap 70a including a upward vertically insertable food tray 51a is shown in FIG. 7 and the food tray 51a is shown in FIG. 7A. The trap 70a includes housing connecters 72a′ and 72b′ facing down to electrically connect to food tray connecters 54a and 54b on the food tray 51a when the food tray 51a is inserted vertically into the housing bottom portion 10b. The food tray connecters 54a and 54b connected by leads 73 to the high voltage grid 52, 53 (see FIG. 5). Either the housing connecters 72a′ and 72b′ may be biased downward, or the food tray connecters 54a and 54b may be biased upward, to make electrical contacts, for example, by springs 74 or by a spring material 78 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

[0048] An electric multi-catch rodent trap 70b including a laterally insertable food tray 51b is shown in FIG. 8 and a bottom view of the laterally insertable food tray 51b is shown in FIG. 8A. The food tray connecters 54a′ and 55a′ may reside on a bottom surface 71 of the food tray 51b, or food tray connecters 54a″ and 54a″ may reside on a wall surface 58 of the food tray 51b. The housing connecters 72a″ and 72b″ may reside on the housing floor 60 of the trap 70b or may reside on a wall 15 of the trap 70b. When the food tray 51b is inserted into the housing bottom portion 10b, the food tray connecters 54a′ and 54b′ or 54a″ and 54b″ electrically connect to the housing connecters 72a″ and 72b″.

[0049] An electric multi-catch rodent trap 70c including a second laterally insertable food tray 51c is shown in FIG. 9 and the second laterally insertable food tray 51c is shown in FIG. 9A. Food tray connecters 54a′″ and 54b′″ reside on an end wall 58 of the food tray 51c, and housing connecters 72a′ and 72b′ reside on a corresponding wall 15 of the bottom portion 10b of the trap 70b. When the food tray 51c is inserted into the housing bottom portion 10b, the food tray connecters 54a′″ and 54b′″ electrically connect to the housing connecters 72a′ and 72b′. The housing connecters 72a′ and 72b′, or the food tray connecters 54a″ and 55a″, may be biased by a spring 74 or a spring metal 78 (see FIGS. 10 and 11) to make electrical contact.

[0050] A coil spring biased connector 72a′ or 72b′ is shown in FIG. 10. A contact 76 is biased against a cooperating connector by a spring 74.

[0051] A spring metal biased connector 72a or 72b is shown in FIG. 11. A spring metal contact area 79 is biased against a cooperating connector by the spring metal 78 material of the connector 72a or 72b.

[0052] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.