Patent ID: 6202340
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
An electronically actuated animal trap comprising(a) an enclosure having a base, side walls, a roof, a rear wall, and a front end provided with an animal access opening;(b) a vertically sliding door panel mounted to said animal access opening having at least one door aperture dimensioned to receive at least one retention pin oriented in a substantially perpendicular fashion to said sliding door panel said sliding door panel having a first raised configuration and a second lower configuration;(c) a biasing means adapted to urge said at least one retention pin through said at least one door aperture while said sliding door panel is in said first raised configuration;(d) a solenoid adapted to retract said at least one retention pin from said at least one door aperture when a voltage is applied to said solenoid;(e) a voltage source adapted to power said solenoid through a circuit;(f) an animal trigger switch disposed within said enclosure, said animal trigger switch adapted to close upon movement by an animal within said enclosure;(g) a means for connecting said animal trigger switch to said circuit whereby said sliding door panel being vertically positioned in said first raised configuration when said at least one retention pin is received through said at least one door aperture thereby securing said sliding door panel in said first raised configuration and providing access to said enclosure via said animal access opening;(h) whereby movement within said enclosure triggers said animal trigger switch thereby closing said circuit so that said solenoid receives power from said voltage source causing said at least one retention pin to retract from said at least one door aperture thereby causing said sliding door panel to vertically drop from said first raised configuration to said second lowered configuration wherein said animal access opening is closed off by said sliding door panel.