Bee vacuum

Abstract

The bee vacuum may comprise a first bucket, a second bucket, a lid, an intake hose, a vacuum pump, and a battery pack. The bee vacuum may be adapted to collect a plurality of bees from a swarm so that the swarm may be relocated. The vacuum pump located in the bottom of the first bucket be energized by the battery pack to drawn air and the plurality of bees into the second bucket via the intake hose. The second bucket may be smaller than the first bucket and may be nested within the top of the first bucket. The air may pass through a plurality of air apertures in the second bucket to reach the vacuum pump, leaving the plurality of bees in the second bucket.

Claims

1. A bee vacuum consisting of: a first bucket having a circular footprint, a bottom portion housing a vacuum pump and a battery pack, an annular seal disposed at an upper end of interior side walls of the first bucket, the first bucket further having a battery bay formed in a bottom side wall thereof, the battery bay configured to house and electrically couple the battery pack; a second bucket removably nested within and supported by the first bucket, the second bucket having a smaller diameter and volume than the first bucket, and consisting of: an open top adapted to be covered by a lid; and, a plurality of apertures disposed exclusively through a bottom and lower one-third of side walls of the second bucket, wherein the apertures are smaller in diameter than bees to prevent passage therethrough; a lid removably coupled solely to the open top of the second bucket, said lid consisting of: a single bee intake aperture; and, a hose coupler surrounding said single bee intake aperture, adapted for attachment of an intake hose; an intake hose having a first end detachably coupled to said hose coupler on the lid and a second free end adapted to be placed adjacent bees for collection; a vacuum pump disposed entirely within a bottom portion of the first bucket beneath the second bucket, and operable to draw air through the intake hose and into the second bucket, thereby confining bees in the second bucket; and the battery pack located within said battery bay, said battery pack energizing said vacuum pump; and, wherein air drawn through the intake hose passes through apertures of the second bucket and exits the bee vacuum via the vacuum pump, thereby trapping bees within the second bucket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The advantages and features of the present device will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a bee vacuum 100, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(3) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a bee vacuum 100, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of a bee vacuum 100, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(5) FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a bee vacuum 100, according to an embodiment of the present device, illustrating the second bucket 220;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side detail view of a bee vacuum 100, according to an embodiment of the present device.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

(7) 100 bee vacuum 200 first bucket 202 seal 204 battery bay 206 first handle 210 first cavity 212 second cavity 220 second bucket 222 plurality of air apertures 226 second handle 240 lid 242 hose coupler 250 intake cap 252 intake screen 260 vacuum pump 262 battery receiver 264 air moving device 266 air intake 268 air exhaust 270 electric motor 274 power switch 280 intake hose 282 lid coupler 284 free end 288 battery pack

DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE

(8) The present device is directed to a bee vacuum (herein sometimes described as the device) 100. The bee vacuum 100 may comprise a first bucket 200, a second bucket 220, a lid 240, an intake hose 280, a vacuum pump 260, and a battery pack 288. The bee vacuum 100 may be adapted to collect a plurality of bees from a swarm so that the swarm may be relocated. The vacuum pump 260 located in the bottom of the first bucket 200 may be energized by the battery pack 288 to drawn air and the plurality of bees into the second bucket 220 via the intake hose 280. The second bucket 220 may be smaller than the first bucket 200 and may be nested within the top of the first bucket 200. The air may pass through a plurality of air apertures 222 in the second bucket 220 to reach the vacuum pump 260, leaving the plurality of bees in the second bucket 220.

(9) The first bucket 200 may be an open-top container having a circular footprint. The first bucket 200 may house the vacuum pump 260 and the battery pack 288 within the bottom portion of the first bucket 200. The first bucket 200 may comprise a seal 202 applied to the top of the interior side walls of the first bucket 200. The seal 202 may create an airtight coupling between the first bucket 200 and the second bucket 220 when the second bucket 220 is in place at the top of the first bucket 200. As a non-limiting example, the seal 202 may be made from plumber's felt.

(10) The first bucket 200 may comprise a battery bay 204. The battery bay 204 may be an alcove in the bottom side wall of the first bucket 200. The battery bay 204 may reduce the distance that the battery pack 288 extends out of the first bucket 200 by substantially housing the battery pack 288 within the battery bay 204. The battery bay 204 may maintain the integrity of the airtightness of the first bucket 200 such that air is prevented from entering the first bucket 200 via the battery bay 204.

(11) The first bucket 200 may comprise a first handle 206. The first handle 206 may be adapted to be grasped by a user in order to move the first bucket 200.

(12) The second bucket 220 may be an open-top container having a circular footprint. The second bucket 220 may be sized to fit within the top of the first bucket 200 supported by the side walls of the first bucket 200 such that the second bucket 220 is prevented from falling into the first bucket 200. The second bucket 220 may be smaller in capacity than the first bucket 200. In a preferred embodiment, the first bucket 200 may have a capacity of five gallons (5 Gal) and the second bucket 220 may have a capacity of two to two and one-half gallons (2-2 Gal). The combination of the second bucket 220 nested within the first bucket 200 may define a first cavity 210 and a second cavity 212. The first cavity 210 may be defined by the interior of the second bucket 220. The second cavity 212 may be defined by the interior space of the first bucket 200 that is located beneath the second bucket 220. Air drawn into the bee vacuum 100 may pass first through the first cavity 210 and then into the second cavity 212. The plurality of bees may be confined to the first cavity 210.

(13) The second bucket 220 may comprise the plurality of air apertures 222. The plurality of air apertures 222 may be distributed over the bottom of the second bucket 220 and over the lower one-third () of the side wall of the second bucket 220. The plurality of air apertures 222 may permit air to pass from the first cavity 210 into the second cavity 212. The plurality of air apertures 222 may have a diameter smaller than the size of any of the plurality of bees to prevent the plurality of bees from passing through the plurality of air apertures 222. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of air apertures 222 may be one-eighth of an inch ( in.) in diameter.

(14) The second bucket 220 may comprise a second handle 226. The second handle 226 may be adapted to be grasped by the user in order to move the second bucket 220. As a non-limiting example, the second handle 226 may be used to remove the second bucket 220 from the first bucket 200.

(15) The lid 240 may removably couple to the top of the second bucket 220. The lid 240 may comprise a bee intake aperture. The bee intake aperture may be surrounded by a hose coupler 242. The intake hose 280 may removably couple to the hose coupler 242 such that the plurality of bees may be drawn through the intake hose 280 and into the first cavity 210 within the second bucket 220 via the bee intake aperture.

(16) The intake hose 280 may be detached from the hose coupler 242 and the hose coupler 242 may be covered by an intake cap 250 to retain the plurality of bees within the second bucket 220. The second bucket 220 may be removed from the first bucket 200 with the intake cap 250 in place such that the plurality of bees may be relocated and then released into a hive. The intake cap 250 may detachably couple to the hose coupler 242. The intake cap 250 may comprise an intake screen 252 that may prevent the plurality of bees from exiting the second bucket 220 through the bee intake aperture while allowing air to circulate through the second bucket 220 during transport. As a non-limiting example, the intake screen 252 may be a one-eighth of an inch ( in.) mesh. In some embodiments, the intake cap 250 may be tethered to the lid 240 to prevent loss of the intake cap 250.

(17) The intake hose 280 may be a semi-rigid tube for directing the flow of air into the bee vacuum 100. One (1) end of the intake hose 280 may comprise a lid coupler 282 that may detachably couple to the hose coupler 242 on the lid 240. The opposite end of the intake hose 280 may comprise a free end 284 that may be adapted to be moved by the user such that the free end 284 may be placed adjacent to the plurality of bees. The flow of air into the free end 284 and through the intake hose 280 may draw the plurality of bees into the bee vacuum 100. The free end 284 may be moved around until most of the plurality of bees are vacuumed into the bee vacuum 100.

(18) The vacuum pump 260 may be operable to draw air through the bee vacuum 100. Along with the air, the vacuum pump 260 may draw the plurality of bees into the bee vacuum 100. The vacuum pump 260 may draw air along a path that passes through the intake hose 280, through the first cavity 210, through the second cavity 212, and then out of the bee vacuum 100. The vacuum pump 260 may comprise an air moving device 264 and an electric motor 270.

(19) The air moving device 264 may force the movement of air from an air intake 266 to an air exhaust 268. The air intake 266 may be located within the second cavity 212 such that the vacuum pump 260 may draw air through the intake hose 280, through the second bucket 220, and through the first bucket 200. The air exhaust 268 may be located outside of the first bucket 200 and may expel the air outside of the bee vacuum 100. The air moving device 264 may be driven by the electric motor 270. As non-limiting examples, when activated, the electric motor 270 may rotate an impeller, may spin fan blades, may cause reciprocation of a piston, or may move other mechanical parts to force air from the air intake 266 to the air exhaust 268. The electric motor 270 may be energized by the battery pack 288 and controlled by a power switch 274. The battery pack 288 may detachably couple to a battery receiver 262 that is accessible via the battery bay 204 and is electrically coupled to the vacuum pump 260.

(20) The electric motor 270 may convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. The electric motor 270 may cause rotation of the air moving device 264 when the electrical energy is applied to the electric motor 270.

(21) In use, the second bucket 220 may be inserted into the top of the first bucket 200 and the lid 240 may be placed onto the second bucket 220. The intake hose 280 may be coupled to the hose coupler 242 on the lid 240. The battery pack 288 may be coupled to the vacuum pump 260 by inserting the battery pack 288 into the battery bay 204 such that the battery pack 288 electrically couples to the battery receiver 262. The vacuum pump 260 may be energized by moving the power switch 274 to the ON position to energize the electric motor 270.

(22) The air moving device 264, driven by the electric motor 270, may draw air into the air intake 266 and exhaust the air via the air exhaust 268. The air drawn into the air intake 266 may pass into the free end 284 of the intake hose 280 and may travel through the intake hose 280 into the first cavity 210 located within the second bucket 220. The free end 284 of the intake hose 280 may be placed adjacent to a swarm such that a plurality of bees may be drawn into the second bucket 220 with the air. Air may pass through the plurality of air apertures 222 located at the bottom of the second bucket 220, however the plurality of air apertures 222 may be too small to pass the plurality of bees. The plurality of bees may therefore be confined to the interior of the second bucket 220. The air that passes through the plurality of air apertures 222 may enter the second cavity 212 located at the bottom of the first bucket 200 and may then pass into the air intake 266.

(23) Once the swarm has been collected, the vacuum pump 260 may be turned off. The intake hose 280 may be decoupled from the lid 240 and the intake cap 250 may be placed onto the hose coupler 242 to prevent the plurality of bees from exiting the second bucket 220. The second bucket 220 may be removed from the first bucket 200 and moved to a different location. As a non-limiting example, the swarm may be transported in the second bucket 220 to a hive and released into the hive.

(24) The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the bee vacuum 100 may vary upon manufacturing. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present device have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the device to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the device and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the device and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.