ADAPTABLE PEST CONTROL APPARATUS

Abstract

The present disclosure includes pest management apparatuses for trapping pests. For example, some embodiments of the pest control apparatuses comprise a sidewall surrounding an interior region, the sidewall including a bottom edge and multiple inwardly-extending tabs, each tab having a bottom surface and at least a portion of each of the tab bottom surfaces being co-planar with each other, the sidewall being releasably couplable to a floor, and a lid coupled to the sidewall. The floor may be releasably coupled to the sidewall, so as to form a base, the base having a bottommost surface, wherein the floor comprises a substrate to which an adhesive layer is permanently attached, the substrate having a bottom surface that comprises the bottommost surface. The lid and the base may cooperate to form a chamber that includes the interior region.

Claims

1. A pest management apparatus comprising: a sidewall surrounding an interior region, the sidewall including a bottom edge and multiple inwardly-extending tabs, each tab having a tab bottom surface and at least a portion of each of the tab bottom surfaces being co-planar with each other, the sidewall being releasably couplable to a floor; and a lid coupled to the sidewall.

2. The pest management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a floor releasably coupled to the sidewall so as to form a base having a bottommost surface; wherein the floor comprises a substrate to which an adhesive layer is permanently attached, the substrate having a bottom surface that comprises the bottommost surface, and the lid and base cooperate to form a chamber that includes the interior region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adhesive layer is configured to attract pests.

4-5. (canceled)

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a lid sidewall.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lid sidewall comprises a left lid sidewall and a right lid sidewall.

8-10. (canceled)

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the lid comprises a recess extending from the right lid sidewall to the left lid sidewall.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the top surface of the lid comprises a protrusion corresponding to the recess.

13. (canceled)

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises one or more arch-shaped openings defined at least in part by the sidewall.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sidewall comprises a left sidewall and a right sidewall.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the base comprises two or more polygon-shaped openings such that the right sidewall and left sidewall each comprise at least one of the two or more polygon-shaped openings.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the multiple inward-extending tabs is positioned at a lowermost portion of one of the one or more arch-shaped openings or one of the two or more polygon-shaped openings such that at least a portion of the tab bottom surface touches the floor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the tab bottom surface does not touch the floor.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a left tab and a right tab.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the right and left tabs comprise a distal portion having a tooth that extends longitudinally towards the chamber.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each tooth is configured to fit through at least one of the two or more polygon-shaped openings such that the tooth interferes with the sidewall to resist separation of the lid and the base in response to pulling the lid and the base in opposite directions.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid is coupled to the base such that the lid is moveable relative to the base from an open position to a closed position.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a top edge portion of the sidewall comprises a tooth that extends away from the chamber.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the lid comprises one or more protrusions, and the one or more protrusions and the sidewall are configured to secure the lid to the base.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises one or more frangible tabs at least partially disposed within a recess.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of each of the one or more frangible tabs aligns with at least a portion of one of the one or more arch-shaped openings.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a handle that extends laterally away from the chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The following drawings illustrate by way of example and not limitation. For the sake of brevity and clarity, every feature of a given structure is not always labeled in every figure in which that structure appears. Identical reference numbers do not necessarily indicate an identical structure. Rather, the same reference number may be used to indicate a similar feature or a feature with similar functionality, as may non-identical reference numbers. The figures are drawn to scale, unless otherwise noted, meaning that in each of the figures the sizes of the elements are accurate relative to each other at least for the depicted embodiments.

[0031] FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a first embodiment of one of the present pest management apparatuses in the closed position.

[0032] FIG. 2A is an isometric perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the open position.

[0033] FIG. 2B is a bottom perspective view of the sidewall of the apparatus of FIG. 2A.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the closed position.

[0035] FIGS. 4-7 are left, right, front and back views, respectively, of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 8 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the open position.

[0037] FIG. 9 is an isometric perspective view of a second embodiment of the present pest management apparatuses in the closed position, the second embodiment differing from the first embodiment only with respect to the configuration of the lid and the presence of tabs.

[0038] FIG. 10 is an isometric perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 9 in the open position.

[0039] FIGS. 11-14 are left, right, front and back views, respectively, of the apparatus of FIG. 9.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 9 in the closed position.

[0041] FIG. 16 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 9 in the open position.

[0042] FIG. 17 is an isometric perspective view of an alternate (e.g., snap-on) lid that can be used with the base of the first embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 18 is a top view of the snap-on lid of FIG. 17.

[0044] FIGS. 19-22 are front, back, left, and right, views, respectively, of the snap-on lid of FIG. 17.

[0045] FIG. 23 is an isometric perspective view of a third embodiment of the present pest management apparatuses in the closed position.

[0046] FIG. 24A is an isometric perspective view of a third embodiment of the present pest management apparatuses in the open position.

[0047] FIG. 24B is a bottom perspective view of the sidewall of apparatus of FIG. 24A.

[0048] FIG. 25 is a top view of the apparatus in FIG. 23 in the closed position.

[0049] FIGS. 26-29 are front, back, left, and right views, respectively, of the apparatus of FIG. 23.

[0050] FIG. 30 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 23 in the open position.

[0051] FIGS. 31-32 are left and right views, respectively, of the apparatus of FIG. 23 in the open position.

[0052] FIG. 33A is an isometric perspective view of an alternate sidewall of the third embodiment of the pest management apparatus.

[0053] FIG. 33B is a bottom perspective view of the alternate sidewall of FIG. 33A.

[0054] FIG. 34 is a side view of the sidewall of FIG. 33.

[0055] FIG. 35 is a top view of the sidewall of FIG. 33.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0056] Referring now to the drawings, shown therein and designated by the reference numeral 10a is a first embodiment of the present pest management apparatuses. As reflected in FIGS. 1-8, apparatus 10a comprises base 11 and lid 14 that is coupled to the base 11. Base 11 comprises (e.g., is formed by) floor 12 releasably coupled to sidewall 13. The floor 12 comprises substrate 23 to which adhesive layer 15 is permanently attached-in other words, floor 12 may take the form of a glue board. Substrate 23 has bottom surface 53 that comprises the bottommost surface of floor 12. In some configurations, the portion of the substrate that extends laterally beyond the adhesive layer may be removed (e.g., cut off) and/or configured to be removable from the apparatus and/or removed prior to, during, or after use of the apparatus. Such removability may, for example, be facilitated by perforating the substrate near the perimeter of the adhesive layer (not shown), so that the excess substrate can be more easily removed.

[0057] As shown in the figures, the shape of the outer perimeter of adhesive layer 15 is the same as or similar to the shape of the outside of the bottom edge of sidewall 13, such that little if any portion of adhesive layer 15 sticks out past the outside of the bottom edge of sidewall 13 after sidewall 13 has been placed against (and releasably attached to) adhesive layer 15 of floor 12. Adhesive layer 15 is sufficiently sticky that after sidewall 13 is releasably attached thereto, sidewall 13 and any lid attached to sidewall 13 will remain attached to floor 12 during normal use of apparatus 10a (e.g., during shipment and placement of the apparatus in a desired location for catching pests) but may be removed from floor 12 after the desired use is complete (e.g., after a sufficient number of pests have been caught via adhesive layer 15) and apparatus 10a is replaced with a new floor 12 and re-used. Adhesive layer 15 may be configured to attract and immobilize pests such that pests (e.g., insects, mice, and/or rats) that enter apparatus 10a through an opening of base 11 thereof and travel onto the adhesive of floor 12 become trapped thereon. Lid 14 is coupled to base 11 with a living hinge having multiple living hinge portions 40 such that lid 14 is moveable relative to base 11 between closed and open positions (see, e.g., FIGS. 1-2). In other embodiments (not shown), the lid and sidewall may be coupled with a hinge having multiple hinge portions that involve lid and sidewall portions that couple together through a snap-fit or the like but are not molded together to form a living hinge. Sidewall 13 is preferably molded from a suitable plastic material as an integral unit. In the closed position, base 11 and lid 14 cooperate to define chamber 30 (see, e.g., FIG. 2).

[0058] Lid 14 comprises one or more openings 16 (e.g., eight openings 16) that begin at inner surface 17 of lid 14 and progressively expand outward in diameter to top surface 18 of lid 14. The funnel shape of openings 16 is configured to better direct insects into apparatus 10a generally, and chamber 30 specifically, than if the openings had the same shapes in both the inner and top surfaces of the lid. Lid 14 comprises lid sidewall 19 spanning the front and left and right sides of the lid, but not the back. Lid sidewall 19 comprises left lid sidewall 19a and right lid sidewall 19b (see, e.g., FIGS. 4-7). The lid's inner surface 17 comprises recess 20 extending from right lid sidewall 19b to left lid sidewall 19a. The lid's top surface 18 comprises protrusion 21 that corresponds to recess 20.

[0059] Base 11 comprises one or more arch-shaped openings 24, or openings with a curved shape along the top of each opening, defined at least in part by sidewall 13 (e.g., two arch-shaped openings as shown in, e.g., FIG. 2). Sidewall 13 surrounds an interior region and comprises left sidewall 13a and right sidewall 13b, and one arch-shaped opening 24 is positioned in each of left sidewall 13a and right sidewall 13b, both such openings being nearer the back of the sidewall than the front of the sidewall. Base 11 may also comprise two or more polygon-shaped openings 25 such that left sidewall 13a and right sidewall 13b each have at least one of polygon-shaped openings 25 and the front of sidewall 13 has three such openings (see, e.g., FIG. 2).

[0060] Sidewall 13 includes multiple inwardly-extending tabs such that each tab is disposed within chamber 30 when the sidewall is coupled to the floor and the lid is in the closed position (e.g., apparatus 10a includes seven such tabs). Each inwardly-extending tab has a tab bottom surface and at least a portion of the tab bottom surfaces are co-planar with each other (see e.g., FIG. 2A). Each of the tabs is positioned at a lowermost portion of either an arch-shaped opening 24 or a polygon-shaped opening 25. Each of tabs 26 positioned at a lowermost portion of a polygon-shaped opening 25 has first (e.g., proximal) portion 26a where the tab bottom surface is in contact with floor 12 and serves to keep the sidewall secured to the adhesive layer of the floor, and second (e.g., distal) portion 26b that extends away from floor 12 (e.g., at a non-vertical angle to the floor) where the tab bottom surface does not touch floor 12. Each of tabs 34 positioned at a lowermost portion of an arch-shaped opening 25 has first (e.g., proximal) portion 34a that, like portion 26a of each tab 26, has a tab bottom surface that is in contact with floor 12 and serves to keep the sidewall secured to the adhesive layer of the floor, and second (e.g., distal) portion 34b that, like portion 26b of each tab 26, extends away from floor 12 (e.g., at a non-vertical angle to the floor) such that the tab bottom surface of portion 26b does not touch floor 12. As reflected in, e.g., FIG. 4, the bottom of each of the arch-shaped openings and the polygon-shaped openings is floor 12 and, more specifically, adhesive layer 15 of the floor.

[0061] As shown, for example, in FIG. 1, protrusion 21 of lid 14 comprises one or more openings 27 (e.g. four openings 27 shown in FIG. 1). Apparatus 10a also includes one or more tabs 28 (e.g., two, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2), each of which is at least partially disposed within recess 20. A portion of each tab may be inserted into opening 27 and a friction fit between the opening and such portion may be sufficient to keep the tab coupled to the lid. In other embodiments (not shown), the one or more tabs may be formed integrally with the lid. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, at least a portion of each tab 28 aligns with at least a portion of one of arch-shaped openings 24. This prohibits larger pests, such as rodents, from entering chamber 30 and coming into contact with adhesive layer 15. The tabs can be removed by a usersuch as by pulling them out of openings in the lid in the embodiment shown in, e.g., FIGS. 1-8 or by twisting or bending them so as to break them off the lid in embodiments in which they are integrally formed with the lidto allow larger pests such as rodents to enter the chamber, allowing the user to customize the apparatus for a particular type of use.

[0062] As shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2A, 4, and 5, lid 14 comprises a resilient lip 29 that extends from bottom edge 59 of at least a portion of lid sidewall 19. The lid, and more specifically the top edge of the lid, comprises a slit or opening 31. Sidewall 13, and more specifically a top edge portion of sidewall 13, comprises a portion (e.g., a projection) in the form of tooth 32 that extends away from chamber 30. Tooth 32 is configured to fit into slit 31 when the lid is in the closed position to help secure the lid to the base. Lid 14 comprises one or more protrusions 33. At least a portion of each of these protrusions contacts sidewall 13 when the lid is in the closed position. The configuration of each protrusion 33 and the configuration of lip 29 help to secure lid 14 to base 11 when lid 14 is in the closed position. As shown, lid sidewall 19 preferably extends around the front and left and right sides of lid 14.

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 9-16, shown is a pest management apparatus 10b that is substantially similar to apparatus 10a, the only exceptions being the configuration of the lid 14b and the absence of tabs 28. Lid 14b of apparatus 10b lacks one or more openings 27 of lid 14, and apparatus 10b lacks one or more tabs 28 of apparatus 10a.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present pest management apparatuses, the lid of the apparatus is coupled (and held) to the base of the apparatus via snap-on features. An example of such a lid is lid 114 shown in FIGS. 17-22. Lid 114 is configured to be coupled, and held, to sidewall 13 (and therefore base 11) with left and right tabs 64 and 65, respectively. Each of left and right tabs 64 and 65 includes a portion (64a and 65a, respectively) that extends downwardly from the underside of lid 114 and slightly inwardly toward the chamber formed when the lid and base are coupled together. Each of left tab 64 and right tab 65 also include another portion (tooth 36) that extends inwardly toward the chamber formed when the lid and base are coupled together (and optionally also slightly upwardly) such that each tooth 36 fits through one of polygon-shaped openings 25 and interferes with sidewall 13 to resist separation of the lid and the base when the two are pulled in opposite directions. Lid 114 has fewer openings 16 than does lid 14, but may have the same or more such openings in other embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, lid 114 comprises one or more rectangularly shaped openings 22 (e.g. two rectangularly shaped openings 22 shown on the alternate snap-on lid depicted in FIGS. 17-22). Further, while lid 114 is depicted without a hinge or hinge portion(s) (either a living hinge (having one or more living hinge portions integrally formed with corresponding living hinge portions of the sidewall) or hinge portion(s) separate from (but non-destructively removably couplable to) corresponding hinge portion(s) of the sidewall), lid 114 may include them in other embodiments; likewise, other embodiments of lid 14 may include tabs similar to (or the same as) left and right tabs 64 and 65.

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 23-32 shown therein and designated by the reference numeral 410 is another embodiment of the present pest management apparatuses.

[0066] Apparatus 410 comprises base 411 and lid 414 that is coupled to the base 411. Base 411 comprises (e.g., is formed by) floor 412 releasably coupled to sidewall 413. Floor 412 comprises substrate 423 to which adhesive layer 415 is permanently attached-in other words, floor 412 may take the form of a glue board. Substrate 423 has bottom surface 453 that comprises the bottommost surface of floor 412. As shown in the figures, the shape of the outer perimeter of adhesive layer 415 is the same as or similar to the shape of the outside of the bottom edge of sidewall 413, such that little if any portion of adhesive layer 415 sticks out past the outside of the bottom edge of sidewall 413 after sidewall 413 has been placed against (and releasably attached to) adhesive layer 415 of floor 412. Adhesive layer 415 is sufficiently sticky that after sidewall 413 is releasably attached thereto, sidewall 413 and any lid attached to sidewall 413 will remain attached to floor 412 during normal use of apparatus 410 (e.g., during shipment and placement of the apparatus 410 in a desired location for catching pests) but may be removed from floor 412 after the desired use is complete (e.g., after a sufficient number of pests have been caught via adhesive layer 415) and apparatus 410 is replaced with a new floor 412 and re-used. Adhesive layer 415 may be configured to attract and immobilize pests such that pests (e.g., insects, mice, and/or rats) that enter apparatus 410 through an opening of base 411 thereof and travel onto the adhesive of floor 412 become trapped thereon. Lid 414 is coupled to base 411 with a living hinge having multiple living hinge portions 440 such that lid 414 is moveable relative to base 411 between closed and open positions (see, e.g., FIGS. 23-24A). In other embodiments (not shown), the lid and sidewall may be coupled with a hinge having multiple hinge portions that involve lid and sidewall portions that couple together through a snap-fit or the like but are not molded together to form a living hinge. Sidewall 413 is preferably molded from a suitable plastic material as an integral unit. In the closed position, base 411 and lid 414 cooperate to define chamber 430 (see, e.g., FIG. 23).

[0067] Lid 414 comprises one or more openings 416 (e.g., six openings 416) that begin at inner surface 417 of lid 414 and progressively expand outward in diameter to top surface 418 of lid 414. The funnel shape of openings 416 is configured to better direct insects into apparatus 410 generally and chamber 430 specifically than if the openings had the same shapes in both the inner and top surfaces of the lid. Lid 414 comprises lid sidewall 419 spanning the front and left and right sides of the lid, but not the back.

[0068] Base 411 comprises one or more openings 424, defined at least in part by sidewall 413 (e.g., four openings as shown in, e.g., FIG. 24). Sidewall 413 comprises multiple inwardly-extending tabs 426 such that each tab is disposed within chamber 430 when the sidewall is coupled to the floor and the lid is in the closed position (e.g., apparatus 410 includes four such tabs). Each of the tabs is positioned at a lowermost portion of an opening 424. Each inwardly-extending tab 426 has a tab bottom surface and at least a portion of the tab bottom surfaces are co-planar with each other (see e.g., FIG. 24B). Each of the tabs positioned at a lowermost portion of an opening 424 has first (e.g., proximal) portion 426a having a tab bottom surface that is in contact with floor 412 and serves to keep the sidewall secured to the adhesive layer of the floor, and second (e.g., distal) portion 426b that extends away from floor 412 (e.g., at a non-vertical angle to the floor) such that the tab bottom surface of portion 426b does not touch floor 12. As reflected in, e.g., FIG. 30, the bottom of each of the openings 424 is floor 412 and, more specifically, adhesive layer 415 of the floor.

[0069] As shown, for example, in FIGS. 23, 24, 26, 28, and 29, lid 414 comprises a resilient lip 429 that extends from bottom edge 459 of at least a portion of lid sidewall 419. The lid, and more specifically the top edge of the lid, comprises a slit or opening 431. Sidewall 413, and more specifically a top edge portion of sidewall 413, comprises a portion (e.g., a projection) in the form of tooth 432 that extends away from chamber 430. Tooth 432 is configured to fit into slit 431 when the lid is in the closed position to help secure to the lid to the base. As shown, lid sidewall 419 preferably extends around the front and left and right side of lid 414.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present pest management apparatuses, the sidewall of the apparatus comprises handle 514. An example of such a sidewall is sidewall 513 shown in FIGS. 33-35. Sidewall 513 comprises handle 514 that extends laterally away from chamber 430 (e.g. handle 514 on sidewall of third embodiment depicted in FIGS. 33-35). Handle 514 may be nonlinear or have a wave-like shape and is not positioned above or below floor 412. Sidewall 513 is configured to be coupled to lid 414 (not depicted in FIGS. 33-35) and adhered to floor 412, and, more specifically, to adhesive layer 415 attached to substrate 423 of floor 412 (not depicted in FIGS. 33-35).

[0071] The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the structure and use of illustrative embodiments. Although certain embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this invention. As such, the various illustrative embodiments of the apparatuses and methods are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, they include all modifications and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims, and embodiments other than the one shown may include some or all of the features of the depicted embodiment. For example, elements may be omitted or combined as a unitary structure, and/or connections may be substituted. Further, where appropriate, aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form further examples having comparable or different properties and/or functions, and addressing the same or different problems. Similarly, it will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments.

[0072] The claims are not intended to include, and should not be interpreted to include, means-plus-or step-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase(s) means for or step for, respectively.