Abstract:
An improved fly swatter with an elongated handle portion and insect engaging section having means for collecting swatted insects. A plastic mesh swatting element is detachably affixed to the elongate handle and a replaceable stack of individually disposed adhesive pads comprises the opposite side of the swatting element. This eliminates the distasteful practice of hand collection of killed insects.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in U.S. Provisional Patent No. 60/704,629 filed on Aug. 2, 2005. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to fly swatters, and, more particularly, to a fly swatter having means to collect and dispose of swatted insects and debris in a sanitary method. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The presence of flies, insects, and debris in a residential building or elsewhere is very unpleasant. Many devices for capturing or killing flies have been disclosed in the prior art. General recourse to their killing and removal from a household is to first kill them with a fly swatter, a rolled-up newspaper, etc., or by stepping on them if the insect is on the floor, and then removing the remains with a piece of paper, tissue or some implement. Such action generally results in the insect being partially or wholly squashed and thus smeared on the ceiling, wall, floor, etc. The practice of disposing swatted flies, insects, and debris is unhygienic and distasteful. 
     Several attempts have been made in the past to assist individuals in a more sanitary and effective manner in picking up and disposing of dead insects when struck with a fly swatter. U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,379 issued in the name of Nelson discloses a device for manually capturing and restraining intended insects comprising a pad of stacked singular sheets made of a collapsible sheet construction. The Nelson device is not designed to work concurrently with a fly swatter and is suited for use with live insects and is thus not in the scope of the present invention. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,862, also issued in the name of Nelson, describes a device similar to that mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,379 and attachable to an elongated rod such as a fly swatter. This invention is not attached to the striking end of a fly swatter as in the present invention and also cannot be used concurrently as the striking surface to capture insects during the act of striking. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,328 issued in the name of Sing discloses a multi-functioning fly swatter and broom for swatting and sweeping struck flies and bugs away. The Sing device dose not include adhesive collecting means for grasping and disposing of struck insects as in the present invention. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,092 issued in the name of Cobble describes a trap structure configured as a fly swatter with a tubular handle with an attracting light leading the insect to an adhesive screen removable from a frame for removing the captured insect. The Cobble device does not provide for the added convenience of a stack of removable adhesive sheets such that the user can quickly provide another sheet for use. Also, the Cobble device utilizes an attractant to capture the insect and is therefore not under the scope of the present invention. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,018 issued in the name of Reaver et al. discloses a hand-held fly swatter with a transparent rigid housing on a distal end of a handle and defining a trap to capture live insects for subsequent disposal. The Reaver et al. device also does not utilize a stack of adhesive sheets to collect struck insects either on a planar surface or during the act of flight. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,150 issued in the name of Pierce discloses a fly or insect catcher having an appearance of a fly swatter comprising a sheet of adhesive material disposed on the head and a hingeably connected cover to cover the head when not in use. The Pierce design also utilizes an insecticide disposed on the cover to aid in the killing of the insect and is thus not in the scope of the present invention. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,314 issued in the name of Frascone describes a one-piece, folding, adhesive insect catcher with a head portion comprising adhesive disposed on the inside of the head portion and a handle. The Frascone device does not provide means to removably detach and dispose of a singular adhesive sheet with a struck insect thereon as in the present invention. 
     Accordingly, there has been a need for a simple, hygienic, and convenient apparatus which provide the means for disposal of flies, insects, and debris in a simple, effective, and convenient manner and eliminate the distasteful practice of hand collection and disposal of swatted flies, insects, and debris. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, it has been observed that there is need of a device to assist in the sanitary and effective means to pick up and dispose of struck insects and other animals such as spiders, centipedes, and the like. 
     It has also been observed that there is a need to combine grasping and disposing articles with a conventional fly swatter such that both commonly used devices are combined into a common apparatus. 
     Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a fly swatter which not only provides the means for disposal of flies, insects, and debris in a simple, effective, and convenient manner but also eliminates the distasteful practice of hand collection and disposal of swatted flies, insects, and debris. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a fly swatter system comprises: a head portion having a reinforcing portion that have a bottom central portion with an extension thereof, a tapered neck portion extends from the bottom central portion, a mesh grid pattern having a plurality of grid holes to generate additional speed during operation of the system, a replaceable stack of singularly disposed double-sided adhesive sheet pads, each of the sheet pad has a plurality of orifices and a pull tab mounted on the sheet pad to facilitate removal of the sheet pad from the remainder of the stack, and a connection flange for coupling the head portion and the handle. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a fly swatter system comprises: a detachable elongate handle having an upper and a lower portion, a mounting formed on the opposite end of the head portion to hang the system off a hook or similar apparatus, a flared neck portion and a groove for coupling the head portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention 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: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fly swatter with integral insect disposal system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental view of the elongate handle portion  15 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 3   a  is front view of the head portion  20 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 3   b  is a rear view of the head portion  20 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  fly swatter with integral insect disposal system 
               11  mounting means 
               12  flared neck 
               13  groove 
               14  reinforcing solid portion 
               15  elongate handle swatter head 
               21  grid hole 
               22  mesh grid 
               23  tapered neck 
               24  adhesive sheet orifices 
               26  pull tab 
               27  adhesive sheet stack 
               28  connection flange 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3   b . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a system and method that discloses an improvement over the conventional fly swatter. The fly swatter with integral insect disposal system (herein described as the “system”)  10  comprises an elongate handle  15 , a detachable head portion  20  comprising a stack of double-sided adhesive sheets  27 , and an integral insect disposing means. The elongate handle portion  15  is envisioned to be fabricated of plastic in an injection molding process or made of metallic wire in a bending and forming process. The swatter head  20  of the system  10  is envisioned to be fabricated of plastic in an injection molding process. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , views of the system  10  and an elongate handle portion  15  of the present invention is disclosed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The elongate handle portion  15  comprises a lightweight, solid, and sturdy ergonomic design formed in a long, narrow, and thin shape with a rounded bottom end and an opposite flared neck end  12 . The rounded end has mounting means  11  formed therethrough, illustrated as such in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as a hole for receiving a nail, hook, or other such device to hang and store the system  10 . The opposite flared neck end  12  has means for accepting the connector of the head portion  20 , illustrated herein as a groove  13  that roughly matches the corresponding flanged end  28  of the head portion  20 . The flared end  12  is hollow up until the point at which the groove  13  is located; thereafter the elongate handle  15  is solid. The hollow flared neck end  12  has interior walls on opposing sides of both the hollow and the groove  13 . A tapered neck portion  23  extends from the bottom central portion of the reinforcing solid portion  14  and is an extension thereof. The neck  23  tapers down to a formed flange  28  or similar structure roughly of the same diameter as that of the groove  13  located in the flared neck portion  12  of the elongate handle  15 . The upper diameter of the tapered neck  23  should generally match that of the outer diameter of the flared neck  12  to provide a seamless connection when the head  20  is affixed to the handle  15 . The swatting head  20  is substantially removably attached thereto the elongate handle  15  at the proximal end. 
       FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  illustrate the head portion  20  of the system  10 , which is shaped and sized in a generally trapezoidal structure typical to that seen in conventional fly swatter heads. The head  20  comprises a lightweight and sturdy material similar to that used for the elongate handle  15  and arranged in a grid-like or mesh pattern  22  with holes  21  to enable the user to generate additional speed during operation of the device. Formed across the bottom of the head  20 , beneath the mesh grid pattern  22 , is a reinforcing solid portion  14 , providing weight, strength, and striking balance for the head  20 . 
     Affixed to one (1) side of the head  20  is a stack of double-sided adhesive sheets  27 . Each adhesive sheet  24  are adhesively coupled thereto the adjacent adhesive sheet  24 . Specifically, each unitary sheet  24  comprises a front surface designed for striking and adhesively receiving an insect and a back surface designed to removably be attached to the front surface of the adjacent unitary sheet  24 . Each unitary sheet  24  has a general shape to match that of the head  20  and has a pull tab  26  situated in a corner of the sheet  24  to facilitate removal of a single sheet  24 . The pull tab  26  is devoid of adhesive to enable the user to manipulate the sheets  24  without having the sheet  24  adhere to the user&#39;s hand. The adhesive sheet  24  is typically thin and of a low density material with interstitial orifices  25  formed throughout the sheet  24  to facilitate removal of a single sheet  24  from the remainder of the stack  27 . On both sides of the sheet  24  displaced thereon or impregnated therein is an adhesive comprising similar properties to that of conventional masking tapes and the like and need not be of a particular bond strength; although, a range of adhesives may generally be utilized for use with the system  10  without leaving the scope of the invention  10 . It is envisioned that the entire sheet  24  is coated uniformly with adhesive; although, a plurality of adhesive distributions may be utilized such as, but not limited to, stripes, dots, grids, and more. The stack of adhesive pads  27  is replaceable in the system  10  as needed. 
     An alternate embodiment of the present invention  10  may disclose a stack of double-sided adhesive sheets  27  removably attached to each of the two (2) planar surfaces of the swatter head  20 . 
     Another alternate embodiment of the present invention  10  may disclose usage of the system  10  to catch insects in mid-flight by swinging the system  10  relative to the handle portion  15  and the head portion  20  comes in contact with a fly, bee, or other insects of flight while in flight. The outwardly adhesive sheet  24  captures the fly, bee, or other insects of flight without coming in contact with a surface. 
     Yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention  10  may disclose an adhesive sheet  24  comprising a corrugated surface such as fibers spanning across said sheet  24  to provide an increased frictional engagement to the insect. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the system  10 , it would be configured as indicated in  FIGS. 1 through 3   b.    
     It is a benefit of the present invention  10  to enable the user to collect and dispose of swatted insects and debris in a sanitary method. The head portion  20  is essentially a plastic injection-molded device formed as a mesh  22 . On one side of the head portion  20  is a stack  27  of singularly disposed double-sided adhesive sheets  24 . The head portion  20  is easily detachable from the elongate handle portion  15  by placing the head portion  20  within the flared neck  12  portion of the hollow upper body of the handle  15  until the flange  28  on the tapered neck  23  engages and rests therein the corresponding groove  13  within said handle  15 . 
     Once the head  20  has been attached to the handle  15  the user utilizes the system  10  as one would use a conventional fly swatter—by grasping the handle  15  and bringing the head  20  down with the mesh side  22  in a striking motion onto the target insect. Once the insect has been struck, killed, and is prone, the user then grasps a single adhesive sheet  24  by the non-stick tab  26  and places it over said struck insect. The sheet  24  captures the insect and any fluid or parts expelled outwardly upon a successful strike. This enables the user to properly dispose of the struck insect in safe and sanitary way. The system  10  may be utilized to capture and/or exterminate a plurality of insects. 
     When the device is not in use, mounting means  11  is formed in the handle  15  on the opposite end of the head portion  20 ; typically envisioned to hang the device off a hook or similar apparatus. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.