Trap door multi-catch rodent trap

Abstract

A trap door rodent trap rests on a bucket and including bait for attracting rodents to climb entry ramps reaching up to the trap. Blue colored entries visible to the rodents creates confidence to continue onto the trap. A center trap door opens from the weight of the rodent and the rodent falls into a bucket supporting the trap. Euthanasia of the trapped rodents is delayed to avoid noxious odors preventing trapping additional rodents, and the bucket may contain food and water for sustain the rodents for a period of time before euthanizing.

Claims

1. A trap door rodent trap, comprising: a trap rim configured to reside on top of a bucket; at least one ramp configured to reside outside the bucket, the ramp configured to reach up proximal to the trap rim; a top opening in the trap rim; an entry reaching in and down from the top opening, the entry having an open bottom; an entry passage through the open bottom of the entry; a column reaching down from the entry passage; column perforations in the column; a column interior of the column continuing down from the entry passage through the column to a bottom of the column; a platform at the bottom of the column; a platform opening in the platform aligned with the column interior; and bait trays on the platform and outside the column, the bait trays in fluid communication with the column interior through the column perforations, wherein: the bait trays are configured to reside on the platform between a bucket interior surface of the bucket and the column; and an inner surface of the bait trays includes bait tray perforations cooperating with the column perforations and a bait tray interior is in fluid communication with the column interior serially through the bait tray perforations and the column perforations.

2. The rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the entry is a lens reaching in and down from the trap rim.

3. The rodent trap of claim 2, wherein the lens is a piano-convex lens having a convex top surface, the piano-convex lens being thicker at a center and thinner at a top and a bottom, having a first slope approaching the trap rim and a second slope approaching the column, the second slope being steeper than the first slope.

4. The rodent trap of claim 2, wherein each bait tray resides entirely below the lens.

5. The rodent trap of claim 4, wherein each bait tray is made of a blue material.

6. The rodent trap of claim 2, wherein the lens is thicker at a center portion and thinner at a top and a bottom.

7. The rodent trap of claim 6, wherein the lens is generally frusto-conical in shape.

8. The rodent trap of claim 1, further including a trap door hingedly attached to the platform, wherein the trap door is urged by a counter weight to close upward against a platform bottom closing the platform opening.

9. The rodent trap of claim 1, further including a trap door hingedly attached to the platform, wherein the trap door is urged by a spring to close upward against a platform bottom closing the platform opening.

10. The rodent trap of claim 1, wherein a bait tray cover closes a top of each bait tray.

11. The rodent trap of claim 10, wherein the bait tray cover is made of a blue transparent material.

12. The rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the bait trays comprise four bait trays.

13. The rodent trap of claim 1, wherein each bait tray includes a closed bottom, closed sides, a closed outer surface and the perforated inner surface.

14. The rodent trap of claim 1, wherein the column is a vertical cylinder.

15. The rodent trap of claim 1, further including the trap door hingedly attached to the platform and urged to close upward, closing the platform opening.

16. A trap door rodent trap, comprising: a trap rim residing on top of a bucket; at least one ramp outside the bucket, the ramp configured to reach up proximal to the trap rim; a top opening in the trap rim; a transparent piano convex lens reaching in and down from the top opening; a lens passage through an open bottom of the piano convex lens; a vertical column reaching down from the lens passage; column perforations in the column; a column interior of the column continuing down from the lens passage through the column to a bottom of the column; a platform at a bottom of the column; a platform opening in the platform aligned with the column interior; bait trays on the platform, the bait trays outside the column and in fluid communication with the column interior through the column perforations; and a trap door hingedly attached to the platform and urged to close upward against the platform closing the platform opening.

17. A trap door rodent trap, comprising: a trap rim residing on top of a bucket; at least one ramp outside the bucket, the ramp configured to reach up proximal to the trap rim; a top opening in the trap rim; a transparent piano convex lens made of transparent blue material and reaching in and down from the top opening; a lens passage through an open bottom of the piano convex lens; a vertical column reaching down from the lens passage; column perforations in the column; a column interior of the column continuing down from the lens passage through the column to a bottom of the column; a rimmed horizontal platform at a bottom of the column; a platform opening in the platform aligned with the column interior; bait trays resting on the platform, the bait trays residing between an outside rim of the platform and the column; an inside radius of the bait trays including bait tray perforations cooperating with the column perforations and a bait tray interior in fluid communication with the column interior serially through the bait tray perforations and the column perforations; and a trap door hingedly attached to the platform and urged to close upward against the platform closing the platform opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective top and side view of a trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2A is a perspective top and side view a first capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 2B is a perspective top view the first capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(5) FIG. 2C is a perspective bottom and side view the first capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 3A is a side view the first capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention

(7) FIG. 3B is a bottom view the first capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention

(8) FIG. 4A is a perspective bottom and side view a second capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(9) FIG. 4B is a side view the second capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(10) FIG. 4C is a bottom view the second capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(11) FIG. 5 is a perspective top view of a perforated center column of the first capture portion and bait trays resting on the platform, according to the present invention.

(12) FIG. 6 is a side view of the second capture portion of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention showing bait trays under the piano-convex lens.

(13) FIG. 7 shows one bait tray and a bait tray platform and a perforated center column of the trap door rodent trap according to the present invention.

(14) FIG. 8A shows a side view of the trap door rodent trap containing the bait trays according to the present invention.

(15) FIG. 8B shows a top view of the trap door rodent trap containing the bait trays according to the present invention.

(16) FIG. 9A shows a side view of a ramp section according to the present invention.

(17) FIG. 9B shows a front view of the ramp section according to the present invention.

(18) FIG. 9C shows a rear view of the ramp section according to the present invention.

(19) FIG. 9D shows a top view of the ramp section according to the present invention.

(20) FIG. 10 shows a top and front view of the bait tray according to the present invention.

(21) FIG. 11A shows a side view of a trap door and weight of the first capture portion according to the present invention.

(22) FIG. 11B shows a top view of the trap door and weight of the first capture portion according to the present invention.

(23) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(24) The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

(25) Where the terms “about” or “generally” are associated with an element of the invention, it is intended to describe a feature's appearance to the human eye or human perception, and not a precise measurement, or typically within 10 percent of a stated value.

(26) A perspective top and side view of a trap door rodent trap assembly 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The trap door rodent trap assembly 10 includes a capture portion 10a or 10b resting on top of a bucket 12 containing rodent food 11, and entry ramps 14. The entry ramps 14 preferable are assembled from ramps sections 14a. The bucket 12 has an interior surface 12a and a top edge 12b.

(27) A perspective top and side view a first capture portion 10a of the trap door rodent trap assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 2A, a perspective top view the first capture portion 10a of the trap door rodent trap assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 2B, a perspective bottom and side view the first capture portion 10a of the trap door rodent trap assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 2C, a side view the first capture portion 10a of the trap door rodent trap assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 3A, and a bottom view the first capture portion 10a of the trap door rodent trap assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 3B.

(28) The first capture portion 10a includes a piano-convex lens 13 having a convex curved top 13a (see FIG. 8A) reaching in and down from a rim 16 to a passage 17. The piano-convex lens 13 starts with a gradual slope at the rim 16 which increases towards the passage 17. The gradual slope gives a feeling of safety to rodents, and when the rodents proceed further, the steep slope near the passage 17 causes the rodents to stumble through the passage 17 and into the bucket 12 below. The piano-convex lens 13 preferably is a clear blue colored transparent material and includes a closed perimeter. The weight of the rodent opens a trap door 30 under the passage 17. Pairs of pin holes 18 in the rims 16 are provided to attach the ramps 14.

(29) A perforated center column 24 is below the piano-convex lens 13 and includes perforations 26 allowing rodents to sense rodent attracting scents from bait trays 20 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The trap door 30 under a rimmed, horizontal platform 15 at the base of the passage 17 is biased to a horizontal position closing the passage 17 by a weight 34. The trap door 30 is preferrably blue. The weight 34 is attached to an arm 32 reaching opposite to the trap door 30. The trap door 30, arm 32, and weight 34 pivot about an axle 31. The weight 34 is preferably about 200 grams or about 52 mm long and 25 mm in diameter and is preferably a metal rod. The rimmed, horizontal platform 15 at the bottom of the perforated center column 24 supports the bait trays 20 (see FIG. 6).

(30) A perspective bottom and side view a second capture portion 10b of the trap door rodent trap 10 is shown in FIG. 4A, a side view the second capture portion 10b is shown in FIG. 4B, and a bottom view the second capture portion 10b is shown in FIG. 4C. The second capture portion 10b includes the piano-convex lens 13, the perforated center column 24, and the rimmed, horizontal platform 15 of the first capture portion 10a, but the trap door 30 is biased to the horizontal position by a spring 36. The platform 15 includes an outside rim 15a.

(31) A perspective top view of the perforated center column 24 and bait trays 20 resting on the platform 15 is shown in FIG. 5. The perforations 26 in the perforated center column 24 are aligned with the bait tray perforations 26 to release attracting scents from bait 28 in the bait trays 20 into the passage 17 to attract rodents.

(32) A side view of the second capture portion 10b showing bait trays 20 under the piano-convex lens 13 is shown in FIG. 6. The rim 16 has an outside diameter D1, the piano-convex lens 13 has an outside diameter D2 and inside diameter D3, the perforated center column 24 also has the diameter D3, and the platform 15 has an outside diameter D4. The piano-convex lens 13 has a height H1. The diameter D1 is preferably about 31 cm. The diameter D2 is preferably about 28 cm. The diameter D3 is preferably about 15 cm. The diameter D4 is preferably about 28 cm. The height H1 is preferably about 6.25 cm.

(33) A bait tray 20 including a cover 21 is shows above the bait tray platform 15 in FIG. 7. The cover 21 is a transparent blue material to allow rodents to see the bait 28 (see FIG. 5) inside the bait tray 20. The perforated center column 24 has a height H2 of preferably about 4.75 cm and includes perforations 26.

(34) A side view of the capture portion 10a, the bait trays 20, and the ramps 14, are shown in FIG. 8A and a top view of the second capture portion 10b showing the bait trays 20 is shown in FIG. 8B. The bait trays 20 form a circle around the perforated center column 24 and bait tray perforations 26 are aligned with the perforations 26 (see FIG. 7) in the perforated center column 24 to release attracting scents from bait 28 in the bait trays 20 into the passage 17.

(35) A side view of a ramp section 14a of the ramps 14 is shown in FIG. 9A, a front view of the ramp section 14a is shown in FIG. 9B, a rear view of the ramp section 14a is shown in FIG. 9C, and a top view of the ramp section 14a is shown in FIG. 9D. Pins 48 reaching down from the upper mouth 52 engage the pin holes 18 in the rim 16 (see FIGS. 2B and 4C) to attached the ramps 14 to the capture portion 10a or 10b. The ramp section 14a has an overall height H3, an upper mouth 52 height H4 and width W1, a lower mouth 54 height H5 and width W2. The height H3 is about 24 cm, the weight H4 is about 6 cm, the width W1 is about 5 cm, the height H5 is about 5 cm, and the width W2 is about 4 cm

(36) A top and front view of the bait tray 20 with the cover 21 removed is shown in FIG. 10. An inner surface of the bait tray 20 includes the bait tray perforations 26. The bait tray 20 has a height H6, an inner radius R1 and outer radius R2, and an angular extent A1. The height H6 is preferably about 4.75 cm, the inner radius R1 is preferably about 7 cm, the outer radius R2 is preferably about 14 cm, and the angular extent A1 is preferably about 90 degrees.

(37) A side view of the trap door 30 and weights 34 is shown in FIG. 11A and top view of the trap door 30 and weights 34 is shown in FIG. 11B. The trap door 30 has a diameter D5 and an edge of the trap door 30 approximately reached to the axle 31. The weight 34 is a height H7 below the axle 31 opposite to the trap door 30. The diameter D5 is preferably about 14 cm and the height H7 is preferably about 4.5 cm.

(38) All or part of the rim 16, Plano-convex lens 13, platform 15, center column 24, and platform 15, are preferably a single piece of transparent, blue PET plastic. The bait containers 20 and covers are also preferrably made of transparent, blue PET plastic. The trap door 20 and ramp sections 14 are preferably made of blue HDPE plastic.

(39) While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.