AUTOMATIC RECHARGEABLE TRAP CONFIGURED FOR DETERMINING ITS RATS AND MICE KILLS

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic rechargeable trap comprising a spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means; and species monitoring means configured for determining the species by monitoring the degree of advancement of the killing means during an individual triggering.

Claims

1. An automatic rechargeable trap, comprising: a) a spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means; and b) species monitoring means configured for determining the species by monitoring the degree of advancement of the killing means during an individual triggering.

2. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, further comprising c) kill monitoring means configured for determining the number of kills by monitoring the number of triggering of the killing means.

3. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, further comprising d) a transmitter unit configured for receiving monitoring data from the species monitoring means and/or from the kill monitoring means, and configured for transmitting the received monitoring data.

4. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, further comprising a housing with a rat and mouse entry opening positioned in the side wall and/or in the bottom wall; and wherein the spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means is positioned at a level above the level of the rat and/or mouse entry opening, such that a rat or mouse can reach the killing means when standing within the housing on their hind legs.

5. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, wherein the spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means comprises a piston, and wherein the piston, after a triggered release, is configured to hold its position for a predefined period of time.

6. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 5, wherein the species monitoring means is configured for monitoring the degree of advancement of the piston during the predefined period of time that the piston holds its position during a triggered release.

7. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, further comprising a counter configured for calculating the number of rats and mice killed by said killing means during a period of time.

8. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, wherein the spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means comprises a piston, and wherein the piston, after a triggered release, is returned to a charged position within a piston bore by a motor unit, and wherein a) the motor operating time needed to return the piston to a charged position and/or b) the force needed by the motor to return the piston to a charged position and/or c) the number of motor shaft revolutions needed to return the piston to a charged position and/or d) measuring the power consumption needed to return the piston to a charged position, are used by the species monitoring means for monitoring the degree of advancement of the piston.

9. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, wherein the species monitoring means is configured for differentiating between rats and mice by using the degree of advancement of the piston during a triggered release.

10. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 1, wherein the spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means is a piston unit comprising: a piston; and a piston bore; Wherein the piston bore comprises: a1) a threaded cylindrical rod adapted to rotate around its central axis within the piston bore cavity; wherein the first end of the threaded cylindrical rod is adapted for engagement with a motor unit, and wherein the second end is a free end; b1) a spring positioned within the piston bore cavity, and around or alongside the threaded cylindrical rod; and c1) a lock plate comprising i) a threaded opening configured for receiving the threaded cylindrical rod; and ii) a protrusion extending radially away from the threaded opening; and wherein the piston comprises: a2) a central channel adapted for receiving the threaded cylindrical rod, and wherein the upper part of the central channel further comprises a recess configured for receiving a protrusion of the lock plate; wherein the bottom part of the recess comprises a cavity configured for receiving said protrusion of the lock plate in a locking configuration when the lock plate is rotated around the central axis of the threaded cylindrical rod.

11. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 11, wherein the piston further comprises a peripheral channel running peripherally to the central channel, and configured for receiving one of the spring end portions.

12. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 11, wherein the first end of the threaded cylindrical rod is configured as a toothed wheel adapted for engagement with a motor unit.

13. An automatic rechargeable trap according to claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the piston bore comprises one or more guide tracks, and wherein the outer surface of the piston comprises one or more protrusions configured for slidably engaging with said guide tracks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an automatic rechargeable trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of an automatic rechargeable trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a piston unit in a charged position in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, as well as a cross-section of said view;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 3;

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a piston unit in a released position in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, as well as a cross-section of said view;

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 5;

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a close-up view of FIG. 6;

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a side view of a piston unit during a recharging operation in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, as well as a cross-section (A-A) of said view;

[0043] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 8;

[0044] FIG. 10 shows a close-up view of FIG. 9;

[0045] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section (B-B) of the piston unit in FIG. 8, as well as a perspective view of said cross-section (B-B);

[0046] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of an automatic rechargeable trap comprising a killing means comprising a piston unit in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

[0047] FIG. 13 is a cross-section of an automatic rechargeable trap comprising a killing means comprising a piston unit in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

REFERENCES

[0048] 100 Automatic rechargeable trap

[0049] 110 Motor unit

[0050] 120 Housing

[0051] 130 Rat and mouse entry opening

[0052] 140 Side wall

[0053] 150 Base wall

[0054] 160 Trigger rod

[0055] 200 Spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means, or piston unit

[0056] 210 Piston

[0057] 211 Central channel

[0058] 212 Recess

[0059] 214 Cavity

[0060] 220 Peripheral channel

[0061] 230 Protrusion

[0062] 300 Piston bore

[0063] 310 Threaded cylindrical rod

[0064] 312 First end

[0065] 313 Toothed wheel

[0066] 314 Second end

[0067] 320 Spring

[0068] 330 Lock plate

[0069] 332 Protrusion

[0070] 340 Guide track

[0071] 400 Species monitoring means

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0072] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an automatic rechargeable trap in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The automatic rechargeable trap 100 comprises a spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means 200; and species monitoring means 400 configured for determining the species by monitoring the degree of advancement of the killing means 200 during an individual triggering. The automatic rechargeable trap is shown comprising a housing 120 with a rat and mouse entry opening 130 positioned in the side wall 140 and in the bottom wall 150 (FIG. 2). FIG. 2 is a cross-section of an automatic rechargeable trap. The spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means 200 is positioned at a level above the level of the rat and mouse entry opening 130, such that a rat or mouse can reach the killing means when standing within the housing 120 on their hind legs, while activating a trigger rod 160 with its head.

[0073] The spring driven and/or gas pressure driven killing means 200 comprises a piston 210 supported by a piston bore 300. After a triggered release, the piston 210 is returned to a charged position within the piston bore 300 by a motor unit 110.

[0074] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a piston unit 200 (killing means) in a charged position, as well as a cross-section of said view. The piston unit 200 comprises a piston 210 and a piston bore 300.

[0075] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 3. The piston bore 300 comprises a threaded cylindrical rod 310 adapted to rotate around its central axis within the piston bore cavity. The first end 312 of the threaded cylindrical rod 310 is adapted for engagement with a motor unit, and the second end 314 is a free end. The piston bore 300 also comprises a spring 320 positioned within the piston bore cavity, and around the threaded cylindrical rod 310. The piston bore 300 further comprises a lock plate 330 comprising a threaded opening (the threaded cylindrical rod 310 is positioned therein) configured for receiving the threaded cylindrical rod 310; and a protrusion 332 extending radially away from the threaded opening (here shown in a configuration with two protrusions).

[0076] The piston 210 comprises a central channel 211 adapted for receiving the threaded cylindrical rod 310. The upper part of the central channel 211 further comprises a recess 212 configured for receiving a protrusion 332 of the lock plate 330. The bottom part of the recess 212 comprises a cavity 214 configured for receiving the protrusion 332 of the lock plate 330 in a locking configuration when the lock plate 330 is rotated around the central axis of the threaded cylindrical rod 310.

[0077] The first end 312 of the threaded cylindrical rod 310 is configured as a toothed wheel 313 (the teeth are not shown) adapted for engagement with a motor unit.

[0078] The piston 210 is also shown with a peripheral channel 220 running peripherally to the central channel 211, and configured for receiving one of the spring 320 end portions. The spring 320 is compressed when the piston unit 200 is charged, and partly forces the piston 210 out of the piston bore cavity when the piston bore 300 is triggered to release. The piston 210 will thereby break the neck of the rodent.

[0079] The cavity 214 serves two functions. The first function is when the piston unit 200 is in a charged state, where the piston 210 is retracted into the piston bore cavity, and the spring 320 is compressed. Here, the cavity 214 serves as a part of the trigger. When the protrusion 332 is moved out of the cavity 214 during a triggering, the piston 210 is forced out of the piston bore 300.

[0080] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a piston unit in a released position in accordance with various embodiments of the invention, as well as a cross-section of said view. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 shows a close-up view of FIG. 6.

[0081] The cavity 214 displaces the same distance as the piston 210, as it is part thereof. In order to recharge the piston unit 200, the lock plate 330 must find its way back to the cavity 214. This is done by continuing to rotate the threaded cylindrical rod 310, whereby the lock plate 330 travels towards the free end of said threaded cylindrical rod 310 until it reaches the bottom of the recess 212, and the protrusion 332 enters the cavity 214. The rotation of the threaded cylindrical rod 310 must then be reversed in order for the lock plate 330 to retract the piston 210 into the piston bore 300. FIG. 8 shows a side view of a piston unit during a recharging operation, as well as a cross-section (A-A) of said view. FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the cross-section in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 shows a close-up view of FIG. 9. Here, the lock plate 330 has just reached the bottom of the recess 212.

[0082] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section (B-B) of the piston unit in FIG. 10, as well as a perspective view of said cross-section (B-B). The inner surface of the piston bore 300 is shown with two guide tracks 340, and the outer surface of the piston 210 is shown with two protrusions 230 configured for slidably engaging with said guide tracks 340. This configuration avoids that the piston 210 will rotate within the piston bore 300 during the recharging operation.

[0083] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of an automatic rechargeable trap comprising a killing means comprising a piston unit in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

[0084] FIG. 13 is a cross-section of an automatic rechargeable trap comprising a killing means comprising a piston unit in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The automatic rechargeable trap 100 comprises a housing 120 with a rat and mouse entry opening 130 positioned in the side wall 140 and in the base wall 150. The piston unit 200 is positioned at a level above the level of the rat and/or mouse entry opening 130, such that a rat or mouse can reach the piston 210 when standing within the housing 120 on their hind legs, while activating a trigger rod 160 with its head.