Bug trap with flexible two-piece handle

An apparatus for catching bugs is provided which includes a catch box having an interior region and an elongated handle attached to the catch box. The elongated handle includes a flexible tube member and a flexible rod member disposed within the flexible tube member. The apparatus includes a trap adapted to move back and forth within the interior region of the catch box. The flexible tube member is attached to the catch box and the flexible rod member is attached to the trap. The flexible rod member is adapted to provide back and forth movement of the trap within the interior region of the catch box to thereby define a closed chamber in the interior of the box for trapping bugs.

FIELD

The present subject matter relates to a bug trap for catching and subsequently releasing live bugs.

BACKGROUND

Small invertebrate creatures such as different types of insects, spiders, and numerous other types of bugs can be a nuisance in any outdoor or indoor setting. Such pests often make individuals feel uncomfortable and may even be hazardous to certain individuals. Conventional bug eliminating devices such as fly swatters are ineffective for catching and releasing bugs, due to the mechanism and force required to attack the pests, which often kill them. Further, known fly swatters and other known insect catching devices require one to kill a bug or bugs by smashing against a surface or by crushing within the device. As a result, the killing of a bug or bug using known devices leaves an unsightly and unsanitary residue on either or both of the device and the killing surface. In addition, killing the bug or bugs may not be desired. As a result, there is a need for an efficient, easy to use bug catching device for capturing and releasing a plurality of different types of bugs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus for catching bugs which includes a flexible handle attached to a catch box and a trap.

In one aspect, a bug trap comprises a box including an upper wall and four side walls extending down from the upper wall. The upper wall and four side walls define a lower opening providing access to an interior of the box. The apparatus includes a trap arranged on the box and moveable relative to the box. The bug trap includes an elongated handle including a flexible tube attached to a side wall at the back of the box, and a flexible rod disposed within the tube, attached to the trap, and moveable relative to the tube. When the flexible rod is moved relative to the tube, the trap is moved relative to the box to thereby define a closed chamber in the interior of the box for trapping a bug.

As will be realized, the subject matter described herein is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the claimed subject matter. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus for catching or trapping and releasing small invertebrate creatures such as different types of bugs, insects, spiders, etc., hereinafter referred to generally as bugs. The apparatus is adapted to be able to catch and release bugs without causing them harm.

The apparatus is a bug trap including a catch box, which is placed over or around the unwanted bug, wherein the bug is positioned within an opening of the catch box. The portion of the handle attached to the trap is manipulated (e.g. pushed forward towards the catch box) in order to close the trap and catch the bug inside the catch box. The trap can move forward to close off the interior of the catch box, and backward to open up the interior of the catch box. As used herein, “close” or cognate terms, refers to the trap being moved relative to the catch box in order to cover over the opening in the catch box, thereby defining a closed chamber for securing the bug inside the catch box. As used herein, “open” or cognate terms, refers to the trap being moved relative to the catch box in order to no longer cover over the opening in the catch box and no longer defining a closed chamber, thereby providing access through the opening to the inside the catch box. The trap can be moved or guide along two tracks, one on each side of the catch box in order to trap an unwanted bug, insect, spider, etc. inside the catch box.

After a bug is secured inside the catch box, the bug can be release by manipulating (e.g. pulling backward away from the catch box) the portion of the handle attached to the trap so that the trap no longer covered the opening in the catch box and the unwanted bug or spider can be released from the opening in the catch box and disposed of.

In certain embodiments of the apparatus, the handle is comprised of two flexible pieces, one hollow tube and one solid rod. The tube is attached to a back side of the catch box, and the solid rod passes through the hollow tube and is attached to the trap. The hollow tube is fixed in relation to the catch box while the solid rod can move relative to the catch box and travel back and forth axially inside the hollow tube to move the trap relative to the catch box to open and close the trap. The flexible handle, comprising the flexible hollow tube and flexible rod, has a wide range of motion making it easy to place the catch box flat against most flat and hard surfaces, such as walls or ceilings such that the opening can be properly positioned over the unwanted bug. Accordingly, the trap can work in all directions, including upside down and in tight spots.

In some embodiments, the bug catching apparatus comprises a catch box including an inside or interior region; an elongated handle, at least a portion of which is attached to the catch box, the elongated handle including a flexible tube member and a flexible rod member disposed within the flexible tube member; and a trap adapted to move within the interior region of the catch box; wherein the flexible tube member is attached to the catch box, and the flexible rod member is attached to the trap and used for imparting movement of the trap relative to the catch box. The flexible rod member is adapted to provide the back and forth movement of the trap within the interior region of the catch box to close off and open up the opening in the catch box. The catch box and the trap can be made of optically transparent material.

In accordance with additional aspects of the present disclosure, the bug catching apparatus further comprises one or more tracks on the catch box adapted to guide the back and forth movement of the trap within the interior region of the catch box. In this regard, one or more guide rails on the trap can be adapted to cooperate with the one or more tracks on the catch box.

Further aspects of the apparatus include the flexible rod member having a length greater than a length of the flexible tube member. In some embodiments, the length of the flexible rod member is from about 16 inches to about 20 inches and the length of the flexible tube member is less than the length of the flexible rod member and is from about 12 inches to about 16 inches.

Referring now toFIGS. 1-5, wherein illustrative aspects of an apparatus100for catching and releasing bugs are shown. The apparatus100generally includes a catch box110, a handle120, and a trap140. During operation, the catch box110and trap140coordinate to catch and temporality store an unwanted bug until it can be released and disposed of wherever the user desires. The handle120is adapted to place the catch box110in position over an unwanted bug. The handle120can be manipulated to activate the trap140by advancing the trap forward within the catch box110, thereby closing the trap140and capturing and restraining the unwanted bug. The handle can then be manipulated to open the trap140so that the bug can be disposed of.

The catch box110is generally an opened-bottom box including an upper closed wall112, a lower opening114, and four sidewalls116a,116b,116c,116dextending downward from the upper closed wall to define an interior region118. The interior region118is of a sufficient size to initially capture and restrain numerous bugs, whether small or large, therein. While the catch box110is illustrated as having an open cuboid shape, it is contemplated that the catch box may be of any other suitable shape and size such that the interior region118can restrain bugs of many different sizes. The closed upper wall112and sidewalls116a,116b,116c,116dof the catch box110can be formed from any suitable rigid material such as plastic or the like. In some embodiments, the catch box110can be formed from optically transparent (i.e. a clear) material which advantageously reduces the visibility of the catch box to bugs, thereby increasing their ease of capture, while simultaneously allowing a user to see the bug through the catch box to ensure that the bug has been trapped inside the catch box.

The handle120comprises an elongated flexible tube member122and an elongated flexible rod member124disposed within the tube member. The elongated flexible tube member122extends between a first distal portion126and a second distal portion128. The first distal portion126is fixed to one of the sidewalls116a,116b,116c,116dof the catch box110. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the first distal portion126of the flexible tube member122is fixed to sidewall116bvia an attachment means130. The attachment means130can be any fastening hardware known to those having skill in the art, such as rivets, screws, nuts and bolts, glue, etc. The elongated flexible rod member124extends between a first distal end132and a second distal end134to define a length which is longer than a length of the flexible tube member122. The first distal end132is generally adjacent the first distal portion126of the tube member122and is fixed to the trap140. The second distal end134is generally adjacent the second distal portion128of the tube member122. The second distal end134is axially pushed forward or backward along the length of the tube member122by a user of the apparatus100, causing the rod member124to slide back and forth within the tube member122, thereby causing the first distal end132to advance the trap140forward or backward, respectively, within the catch box110. In other words, the elongated flexible tube member122is generally stationary with respect to the catch box110, while the elongated flexible rod member124is movable with respect to the catch box110. The handle120including the tube member122and rod member124, can be formed from any suitable flexible material such as plastic or the like.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the handle120is flexible, and may be bent from its original straight arrangement shown inFIG. 3. The flexible nature of the handle120advantageously permits a wide range of motion, making it easy to place the catch box110flat against most flat and hard surfaces such as walls, windows, and ceilings without necessarily requiring the handle120to also be flat against the same surface. The flexible handle120also advantageously permits the use of the bug catching apparatus100in difficult-to-access areas, such as under furniture, behind household fixtures such as toilets, or difficult-to-reach areas like high walls or high ceilings.

The handle120including the tube member122and rod member124can comprise any suitable length desired for use of the bug catching apparatus in the aforementioned wide range of motions and in difficult-to-access areas. The length of the rod member124is generally always longer than the length of the tube member122. In some embodiments, the elongated flexible tube member122has a length of about 12 inches to about 16 inches or greater, and the elongated flexible rod member124has a length that is longer, and of about 16 inches to about 20 inches or greater. In some particular embodiments, the tube member122has a length of about 14 inches and the rod member124has a length of about 18 inches.

Details of the trap140are best shown with reference toFIGS. 3-4. In particular, the trap140generally comprises an C-shaped structure including a back wall142extending between an upper wall144and a lower wall146, and an open front147. The back wall142, upper wall144, and lower wall146define a C-shaped profile of the trap140having the open front147. The back wall142includes a mounting hole148for attaching the first distal end132of the flexible rod124thereto. The flexible rod124can be attached to the trap140via attachment means150. The attachment means150can be any fastening hardware known to those having skill in the art, such as rivets, screws, nuts and bolts, glue, etc.

The trap140is generally sized such that it can be received within the interior region118of the catch box110and can move forward and backward therein when the flexible rod124is respectively pushed forward or backward. In this regard, the trap140can slide on one or more tracks152,154located on one or more of the sidewalls116a,116b,116c,116dof the catch box110. The trap140also includes one or more guide rails156,158which cooperate with the one or more tracks152,154to permit and guide the forward and backward movement of the trap within the catch box110.

The guide rails156,158are illustrated inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4Bas being located on the upper wall144of the trap140, however it is contemplated that the guide rails could alternatively be located on the lower wall146. In addition, a first set of guide rails156,158could be located on the upper wall144and a second set of guide rails (not shown) could be located on the lower wall146. The trap140can be formed from any suitable rigid material such as plastic or the like. Preferably, the trap140is formed from the same material as the catch box110. Accordingly, the trap140can also be formed from an optically transparent material.

During use, the trap140is pushed forward by movement of the flexible rod member124until the open portion147of the C-shaped trap abuttingly engages sidewall116d. Sidewall116dand portions of sidewalls116a,116cof the catch box110, along with the back wall142, upper wall144, and lower wall146of the trap140together define a closed chamber (not shown) within the interior region118of the catch box110. The closed chamber temporarily traps or restrains the unwanted bug within the interior region118of the catch box110, without causing harm to the bug. When it is desired to dispose of the unwanted bug, the flexible rod member124is pulled backward to open the trap140, thereby causing the chamber to open such that the unwanted bug can be released via the lower opening114of the catch box110.