Insect trap

Abstract

A trap for catching insects may include a back housing, a plurality of lights and a cover. The trap may be adapted for ease of servicing and jet cleaning via a plurality of shields. Each of the plurality of shields may sealably protect, from water ingress, the plurality of lights at a position where the plurality of lights connect to a plurality of electrical fittings.

Claims

1. A trap for catching insects, comprising: a back housing supporting at least one insect capture surface; a plurality of lights; and a cover; wherein said trap is adapted for ease of servicing and jet cleaning via a plurality of shields each of which sealably protect, from water ingress, the plurality of lights at a position where the plurality of lights connect to a plurality of electrical fittings.

2. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shields are secured in position by at least one manually releasable fittings.

3. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the back housing supports at least two insect capture surfaces, a first surface including a first color and a second surface including a second color different from the first color.

4. The trap according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of shields includes a shaped housing having a plurality of arcuately shaped recesses for receiving the plurality of lights.

5. The trap according to claim 4, further comprising at least one of a silicon sealing member and a gasket fitted about the plurality of lights, wherein the plurality of recesses receive the at least one of the silicon sealing member and the gasket to generate a water tight seal protecting the plurality of electrical fittings.

6. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shields respectively include a shield housing, wherein each shield housing includes at least one recess defining an arcuate profile corresponding to a profile of the at least one light, wherein the at least one recess of the respective shield housings engage over the at least one light to generate a seal.

7. The trap according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lights extend across a longitudinal axis of the back housing and the plurality of electrical fittings are disposed at opposing longitudinal ends of each of the plurality of lights, wherein the plurality of shields includes one shield disposed at a first longitudinal end of the plurality of lights and another shield disposed at a second longitudinal end of the plurality of lights opposite the first longitudinal end.

8. The trap according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of shields respectively include a housing defining a plurality of recesses each associated with at least one of the plurality of lights, the plurality of recesses having a profile complementary to a profile of the at least one associated light, wherein the plurality of recesses sit over the at least one associated light to protect the position where the plurality of lights connect to the plurality of electrical fittings from water ingress.

9. The trap according to claim 8, further comprising a sealing member arranged on each of the plurality of lights at the position where the plurality of lights connect to the plurality of electrical fittings, wherein the plurality of recesses engage the plurality of sealing members to generate a fluid-tight seal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The various aspects of the invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the following figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is perspective view of an insect trap according to the first aspect of the invention with the cover on and frame slightly open;

(3) FIG. 2 is perspective view of an insect trap according to the first aspect of the invention with the cover removed;

(4) FIG. 3 is perspective view of the insect trap of FIG. 1 with the cover and frame open to a much greater extent and with no glue paper present;

(5) FIG. 4 is rear view of the insect trap of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the insect trap of FIG. 1 showing the cover being removed and the frame slightly open (without the shields of the second aspect);

(7) FIG. 6 is view of the rear of the back housing with the lower left side shown enlarged;

(8) FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the insect trap of FIG. 1 showing the cover being removed and the frame slightly open (with the shields of the second aspect in place);

(9) FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the insect trap of FIG. 1 with the cover removed, the frame slightly open and the shield of the second aspect of the invention about to be fitted;

(10) FIG. 9 is a detailed partial view of the shield of the second aspect of the invention in its fitted position;

(11) FIG. 10 is a schematic showing two traps linked back to back for suspension mounting; and

(12) FIG. 11 is perspective view of the insect trap of FIG. 3 with an insect catching means of the third aspect of the invention being fitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) Referring to the Figs an insect trap (10) according to a first aspect of the invention comprises three basic components: a back housing (12); a frame (14) and a cover (16). These are clearly illustrated in FIG. 5. The frame (14) is a perimeter frame (FIG. 3), comprising upper (14a) and lower (14b) frame members and two side members (14c; 14d). The perimeter frame (14) is swing, swivel or hinge mounted to the back housing (12) via a swing mechanism (20) which is substantially hidden (FIG. 2).

(14) A plurality of 15 W or 25 W UV lights (22), three are illustrated in the example, are connected to paired electrical fittings (24a; 24b) (FIG. 2), and wiring (not shown) runs in channels or conduits (not shown) which are sealed by rubber or silicon gaskets (not shown) and enclosed by fascia plates (26) (FIG. 3) which are preferably metallic such that they provide rigidity to the moulded plastics frame. The metal also allows the frame to be held shut against a magnetic contact (28) provided on the back housing (12). The wiring runs through the swing mechanism (20) (which is hollow) into the back housing (12) where it exits the rear face (30) at an IEC socket (32) (FIGS. 4 and 6). The back housing is additionally provided with one or more key hole apertures (34) to facilitate mounting, ventilation conduits (36) and cable stowage arms (38). It also comprises a space (40) for a heat sink (not shown) and fluorescent high frequency electronic ballast (42).

(15) Behind each light (22) there is provided a reflector (44) which is held in place by stops (46) which enable the reflectors to be sprung mounted thereby facilitating ease of removal for cleaning (FIG. 2). An insect capturing means (100), in the form of e.g. a castellated adhesive paper (FIG. 11) can be easily fitted and/or removed by swinging open the frame (14) and cover (16) of the closed trap (FIG. 1) by placing ones fingers under a flange (48) which extends from the perimeter frame member (14c) opposite the hinged frame member (14a) to an open position as shown in FIG. 3. An adhesive paper (100) can then be fitted to the inner face (50) of the back housing (12) over ridges (52) by pushing it over shaped retaining pegs (54) and moving it in a downwardly direction such that the paper is held in place by the pegs (54). To remove the paper the paper is lifted to align the castellation with the pegs before pulling it over the pegs.

(16) The cover (16) is made of a translucent material and has an innermost surface which is shaped or roughened to maximise the transmission of UV light as set out in EP1457111. The openings (18) which allow insects in are louvered and are angled to prevent the lights (22) being visible when viewed substantially perpendicularly to the normal plane of the back housing (12). The general principle of maintaining a pleasant appearance of trap is set out in EP0947134 but the use of louvers is a further improvement in this regard. In particular, the louver openings (18) are paired about a centre axis (x-x) to provide a downward and upward inflexion respectively of between 30 and 60?.

(17) The second and an independent aspect of the invention illustrated by the insect trap is most clearly illustrated with reference to FIGS. 7-9. It relates to a trap which need not comprise a frame (14) swing mounted to the back housing (12) as per the first aspect of the invention. It addresses the issue of trap serviceability and simplifies the seal mechanism around a trap comprising a plurality of lights (22) and paired electrical fittings (24a; 24b) making the trap well suited to jet washing (to IP65 requirements). Rather than seeking to place a sealed fitting around each contact point, instead shields (60) are fitted around a plurality of lights (22) and a plurality of electrical fittings (24a or 24b) to sealable protect a plurality of contacts simultaneously against water ingress. In this manner two single shields (60) can be removed to access a plurality of lights. In addition to speeding up the process of changing the lights the provision of two manually operable screw fittings (62), which face outwardly and are readily accessible to service personnel, simplifies the change. Thus, each shield (60) comprises a shaped housing (64) comprising a plurality of generally arcuately shaped recesses (66) which are designed to sealingly sit over silicon sealing members or gaskets (68) (FIG. 9) which are fitted about the lights (22) such that when the shields are secured in place over the sealing members (68) the connections are made water tight.

(18) The traps are designed such that two traps can be connected via a connector (80) (FIG. 10) which slots into apertures (82) in the rear face (30) of the back housing (12). The connector (80) comprises a plurality of apertures (84) running there through allowing cables (86) to be used to suspend the traps.

(19) Referring to FIG. 11, the insect capture means (100), according to the third aspect of the invention, is designed to facilitate identification of and/or counting of captured insects and record keeping. It comprises at least two insect capture surfaces (102; 104), a first surface of which (102) is one colour or shade, preferably black or a dark colour, and a second surface (104) of which is designed to facilitate ease of counting and or identification of captured insects and which is most preferably white or a light shade, as most insects are dark.

(20) Preferably, the second surface (104) is easily detached or otherwise separated from the first surface (102) for record keeping, there being a line of perforations (106) or other means facilitating folding and separation, between the first (102) and second (104) surface.

(21) The second surface includes a non-glued area (108) outside of grid lines (110) for insertion of data, such as date of use information. The grid lines are of a regular size, e.g. 2.5 mm.sup.2 to facilitate data capture, such as, number of insects per given area.

(22) The second surface (104) can be at any position but it is preferred to position it within the trap at a position which reflects either average or maximum capture. Maximum capture is likely to occur at the bottom of the trap and accordingly, in the embodiment illustrated, the second surface is the surface which folds to catch falling insects.