Patent ID: 6112454
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
An insect trap for capturing numerous species of the Coleopteran order, said insect trap comprising:(a) a plastic base member that is injection molded as one piece by using a single mold and that comprises:(i) a top,(ii) an open bottom,(iii) a tubular vertical body extending from the open bottom to the top, and(iv) a number of openings in the top;(b) a plastic guiding member that is removably connected to the top of and supported by the base member, that is injection molded as one piece by using a single mold and that comprises:(i) a lower ring that has a sloped ringular body and that is larger in diameter than the top of the base member,(ii) an upper ring that is smaller in diameter than the lower ring and that comprises a cylindrical outer vertical surface, a horizontal, ringular top surface extending inwards from top of the outer vertical surface towards central vertical axis of the guiding member and a number of apertures in the top surface,(iii) plastic meshes that comprise a lower section, extending from and connecting the lower ring to the upper ring and having the same slope as the lower ring, and an upper section, extending upwardly from and above the upper ring as a conical body that has an apex and an orifice at the apex,(iv) connecting means that extend downwardly from the lower section of the plastic meshes and that each comprises a hollow upper extension, having an open top that forms a discontinuation in the plastic meshes of the lower section and serving as a supporting vertical column, and a bottom extension, comprising a round bottom portion and a cross-sectional, upwardly-extending blade that has a smaller horizontal surface area than the round bottom portion has and that extends upwardly from the round bottom portion to and above the bottom of the hollow upper extension, such that a space exists between the round bottom portion and bottom of the hollow upper extension and such that a gap forms between the lower ring of the guiding member and the tubular vertical body of the base member when the bottom extension is removably inserted into the corresponding opening of the top of the base member, and(v) a number of wings that extend from the upper section of the plastic meshes above and upon the top surface of the upper ring, but that do not reach the number of apertures of the top surface of the upper ring; and(c) a capture chamber that is removably connected to the upper ring of and supported by the guiding member and that comprises:(i) a cylindrical upright body that has an open bottom end, that is sufficiently large to enable a simple, quick positioning of the open bottom end of the cylindrical, upright body around the number of wings of the guiding member, and that is sufficiently long to ensure that the upper section of the plastic meshes rests in the capture chamber and that some free space remains between the upper section of the plastic meshes and the capture chamber,(ii) a perforated top end that is an extension of the cylindrical upright body,(iii) a bottom ring that is an extension of the cylindrical upright body at the open bottom end, that encircles the open bottom end of the cylindrical upright body and that is positioned upon the upper ring of the guiding member when the insect trap is assembled,(iv) locking elements that extend downwardly from the bottom ring and are inserted into the corresponding apertures of the upper ring of the guiding member,(v) a set of retention blades that extend downwards from the perforated top end,(vi) a number of perforations in the bottom ring, and(vii) a set of pockets that extend from the cylindrical upright body;such that the base member, the guiding member and the capture chamber are co-axially aligned along their central axis when the guiding member is mounted on the base member and the capture chamber is mounted on the guiding member.