A TRAP AND A METHOD FOR USING A TRAP

Abstract

A trap for exterminating pests, preferably rats in sewers, said trap comprising: a trap housing and a bait mechanism. The trap also has a trigger mechanism capable of detecting the presence of a rat and releasing a killer mechanism when the rat is within the total range of the killer mechanism; and a trapper mechanism capable of detaining an animal. The trap may also convey a killed animal from a first position, in which discharge of the killed animal will not entail that it is conveyed away by water running through the sewer, to a second position, in which discharge of the killed rat will entail that it is conveyed away by water running through the sewer.

Claims

1. A trap for exterminating animals causing damage, preferably rats in sewers, said trap comprising: a trap housing; a bait mechanism; a trigger mechanism capable of detecting the presence of a rat and releasing a killer mechanism when the rat is within the total range of the killer mechanism; a trapper mechanism capable of detaining a rat; a conveyor mechanism capable of transporting a killed rat from a first position, in which discharge of the killed rat will not entail that it is conveyed away by water running through the sewer, to a second position, in which discharge of the killed rat will entail that it is conveyed away by water running through the sewer; a programmable control unit connected to and adapted to: the trigger mechanism, the killer mechanism, the trapper mechanism, and the discharge mechanism to the effect that the control mechanism activates the trapper mechanism such that it detains a rat when the latter is detected by the trigger mechanism within the total range of the killer mechanism, said control unit also activating the killer mechanism and the conveyor mechanism to the effect that trapped and killed rats are conveyed from the first position to the second position; a unit for activating the trap.

2. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the trap housing is configured cylindrically, and that the trapper mechanism of the trap sits in an end portion of the trap housing.

3. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the trapper mechanism can discharge the rat when it is in the first position and in the second position.

4. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the trapper mechanism can discharge the rat when it is any position between the first position and the second position.

5. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor mechanism of the trap comprises a hinge mechanism around which the trap can pivot, said hinge mechanism being adapted to be such that pivoting of the trap entails that a trapped rat is moved from first position to second position.

6. A trap according to claim 2, wherein, the trap's conveyor mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism deployed at that end portion of the trap housing which is opposite the trapper mechanism.

7. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a telescopic mechanism capable of advancing the trapper mechanism such that it is moved from first position to second position.

8. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism and a telescope mechanism, and that they cooperate to move the trapper mechanism such that it is moved from first position to second position.

9. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism and a telescopic mechanism that are capable of moving the trapper mechanism independently of each other.

10. A trap according to claim 1, wherein the killer mechanism also serves as trapper part.

11. A method for exterminating sewer rats by means of a trap according to claim 1, said method comprising the following actions and measures: deployment of the trap in a first area of a sewer where the water does not have its natural course through the sewer; adjustment of conveyor mechanism such that it is capable of conveying a rat from a first area of the sewer without water to another area of the sewer, said second area of the sewer being located such that discharge of a rat means that the rat is discharged in a part of a sewer pipe through which water flows and is hence flushed away by the water; activation of the trap, whereby the killer mechanism, trigger mechanism, holder mechanism, and conveyor mechanism are activated whereby the trap is able to detect, kill and detain a rat in the first area of the sewer; activation of the bait mechanism; killing and detention of the rat; movement of the rat from first area to second area; discharge of the rat in the second area of the sewer; activation of the trap.

12. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the trapper mechanism can discharge the rat when it is in the first position and in the second position.

13. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the trapper mechanism can discharge the rat when it is any position between the first position and the second position.

14. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the conveyor mechanism of the trap comprises a hinge mechanism around which the trap can pivot, said hinge mechanism being adapted to be such that pivoting of the trap entails that a trapped rat is moved from first position to second position.

15. A trap according to claim 3, wherein, the trap's conveyor mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism deployed at that end portion of the trap housing which is opposite the trapper mechanism.

16. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a telescopic mechanism capable of advancing the trapper mechanism such that it is moved from first position to second position.

17. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the conveyor mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism and a telescope mechanism, and that they cooperate to move the trapper mechanism such that it is moved from first position to second position.

18. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a hinge mechanism and a telescopic mechanism that are capable of moving the trapper mechanism independently of each other.

19. A trap according to claim 2, wherein the killer mechanism also serves as trapper part.

20. A method for exterminating sewer rats by means of a trap according to claim 2, said method comprising the following actions and measures: deployment of the trap in a first area of a sewer where the water does not have its natural course through the sewer; adjustment of conveyor mechanism such that it is capable of conveying a rat from a first area of the sewer without water to another area of the sewer, said second area of the sewer being located such that discharge of a rat means that the rat is discharged in a part of a sewer pipe through which water flows and is hence flushed away by the water; activation of the trap, whereby the killer mechanism, trigger mechanism, holder mechanism, and conveyor mechanism are activated whereby the trap is able to detect, kill and detain a rat in the first area of the sewer; activation of the bait mechanism; killing and detention of the rat; movement of the rat from first area to second area; discharge of the rat in the second area of the sewer; activation of the trap.

Description

[0026] An embodiment of the invention will now be explained with reference to the figures, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the trap deployed in the first position thereof;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the trap deployed in a sewer where the trap's trapper/killer mechanism is not released;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the trap deployed in a sewer wherein the trap's conveyor mechanism has conveyed the dead rat to second position;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the trap arranged in a sewer wherein the trap's killer/trapper mechanism has discharged a rat in second position;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the trap, wherein the pivoting mechanism is combined with a telescopic mechanism.

[0032] In large sewer pipes, it may be associated with difficulties to secure a trap in the sewer pipe as such, and moreover problems may arise if there are differences between pipe dimension and trap dimension, since a trap having a comparatively small dimension seen relative to the pipe may enable the rats present in the pipes to simply bypass the trap. By the invention it is found that this problem can be solved by means of a trap configured with a conveyor mechanism. Thereby the trap can be deployed in a position in which it can/is to trap the rats, and by means of the transport mechanism it can release/discharge the rats in an another position.

[0033] Typically, the killing itself will take place in approximately the same position as the trapping, and usually it will happen in a dry area of the well. This means an area where water is not running during normal operation of the sewer. When the conveyor mechanism is activated, the rat will be conveyed from this dry area in the sewer to an area where the water runs in the sewer during normal operation, following which the dead rat will be removed by the water running in the sewer.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a trap for extermination of pest, preferably rats. The trap is shown deployed in a sewer well (1). Sewer wells are usually configured with round-going sidewall (10), and normally one or more sewer pipes traverse such wells at the bottoms thereof. One such sewer pipe (3) will also appear at the bottom of FIG. 1. The trap comprises a trap housing (4) containing is the necessary electronics, motors and power supply. To the person skilled in the art it is obvious how to provide a trap with motors and power supply and control, which is why those means are not shown in the figures, and they will not be described in further detail. In the shown example, the trap housing (4) is suspended on the wall of the well by means of a fitting (8,9) comprising a bearing (7) to which the trap is secured. The trap housing is capable of rotating about that bearing.

[0035] Moreover, the trap comprises a bait mechanism which is also not shown in the figures. The bait mechanism will usually comprise a box containing a mechanism capable of emitting a smell which is attractive to rats. In its simplest form, the bait mechanism may be a passage in which rats may seek shelter.

[0036] Besides, the trap comprises a trigger mechanism (also not shown) capable of detecting the presence of a rat and releasing a killer mechanism when the rat is within the total range of the killer mechanism. Typically, this trigger mechanism is configured with an infrared sensor detecting the body heat from a rat. In the figures, the killer mechanism is a claw (9) also functioning as a holder/trapper mechanism.

[0037] As will appear from the figures, the dry area may be the bottom part of a sewer well (1) on/along a sidewall (10), and, as it will also appear from FIGS. 1-5, the area in which the water (3) flows may be a traversing pipe deployed centrally at the bottom of the well. The use of the trap according to the invention is, of course, not limited to this.

[0038] In FIG. 1, a trap (2) is shown deployed on and secured to a sidewall in the sewer. As can be gathered at reference numeral (6), the trap is provided with a claw-like mechanism which is not released in FIG. 1. If we now proceed to FIG. 2, it will appear, again at reference numeral (6), that the claw-like mechanism is now released and squeezes around the rat (5). The release as such of the claw (6) takes place by means of a trigger mechanism which is typically based on infrared measurement of the body heat from an animal. However, it is of course possible to use other kinds of trigger mechanisms.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a trap according to the invention, wherein the conveyor mechanism is activated. In the shown example of FIG. 3, it is a tilting mechanism capable of tilting the entire trap housing (4) about a hinge (7). The degrees as such (the angle) to be/capable of being travelled by the trap in order for it to move a detained animal to a position above the pipe (3) is, in one version of the invention, programmed into the control of the trap whereby the trap can be adapted to different sizes of sewer wells.

[0040] Now, FIG. 4 shows that the squeezer/killer mechanism (6) is released and has hence discharged the killed rat (5) whereby it has dropped down into the pipe (3). Now the trap will automatically revert to the starting position (as shown in FIG. 1) and activate/reactivate itself to enable killing of yet an animal/a rat.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the trap wherein the pivoting mechanism is combined with a telescopic mechanism. By combining the pivoting mechanism with a telescopic mechanism it is obtained that the trap can be used in sewer pipes in which it could otherwise not have been used. As it is, sometimes traps need to be used in sewer wells having a dimension not making it possible that a mere pivoting of the trap, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, can cause a killed rat to move beyond a centrally arranged pipe (3). In the example shown in FIG. 5, the trap is therefore also provided with a telescopic mechanism comprising two pipes (11 and 12) that can shifted mutually, in and out of each other, and hence extend the trap (the trap housing).

[0042] If the trap is provided with both a telescopic mechanism and a pivoting mechanism, they may operate in dependence of, but also independently of, each other, ie the mechanisms can be combined, but need not be.

[0043] Claims and specification describe a trap for rats in sewers. The trap is not limited to such use. Moreover, specification and claims use the terminology: bait mechanism; trigger mechanism; killer mechanism; trapper mechanism;

[0044] conveyor mechanism, and activator mechanism.

[0045] By the term bait mechanism is intended any kind of mechanism capable of containing a bait that can lure a rat into the trap. Typically such bait mechanism will comprise a box in which a means emitting a smell which is attractive to the rat can be arranged.

[0046] By trigger mechanism is intended the mechanism that triggers the trap, ie a mechanism that is activated by the rat as such. Typically the trigger mechanism will comprise an infrared sensor whichwhen it detects body heat from a rat (or some other animal)activates one or more parts of the trap. However, the trigger mechanism may also comprise other means, such as eg an impedance measurement device, sound-level meter, or a trapdoor/tilting mechanism activing one or more of the trap's other parts.

[0047] By the term killer mechanism is intended the mechanism that kills the rat, and it will typically be of a mechanical or electrical nature, such as something that squeezes the rat to death or kills by electrocution or a combination of such means. However, the killer mechanism is not limited thereto; rather it may in principle be everything that can kill a rat in the trap.

[0048] By the term trapper mechanism is intended a mechanism capable of detaining a rat, and it may be constituted by a variety of means, such as a clap mechanism as is known from the conventional rat/mouse traps. However, it may also comprise means that shut in the rat by closing off a part of the trap.

[0049] By the term conveyor mechanism is intended the mechanism that enables capturing of the rat in one place and subsequently conveying it to another place when it has been killed. Typically the distances which the rat is moved are within the ranges of from 0 cm-150 cm, 10 cm-100 cm, or 25 cm-150 cm. The specification describes in particular one conveyor mechanism, and that conveyor mechanism conveys the trapper mechanism. This will be the usual way in which to configure the trap, but the conveyor mechanism may also be made such that it is an independent conveyor unit capable of transporting a dead rat from one position to another position. Such conveyor unit usually cooperates with the trapper mechanism in that the trapper mechanism delivers the dead rat to the conveyor mechanism; however, the delivery as such between trapper mechanism or killer mechanism and conveyor mechanism may also take place via an intermediary part delivering the rat from trapper/killer mechanism to the adjustable conveyor mechanism. The essential aspect here is that the distance from capturing to delivery is adjustable and can be adapted to the surroundings thereby enabling use of the trap in different contexts, including in particular different sewer sizes. The type as such of detainer mechanism or killer mechanism is thus also not a determining factor since a conveyor mechanism can be used with any kind of trap; including but not limited to eg traps that kill by means of electricity.

[0050] Moreover, the trap is described as a rat trap, and the term rat appears frequently. Of course, this is not intended to constitute a limitation towards the trap being suitable for use for the killing of rats only. As it is, the trap can readily be used to kill other rodents/pests, eg mice.

[0051] The phrase activation also appears in is claims 1 and 9, and by that is merely intended that the trap is activated. The claims do not set forth a requisite sequence of the actions, meaning that such action can also be the first one to be performed when the trap is to be used, eg the first time, in a new place or following servicing operations. The phrase activation may also mean that the trap is reactivated which will necessarily be the case in case the trap has killed and becomes (self)activated again after that killing.