An octopus trap that includes a housing defining an interior containment space; an entrance opening to the interior containment space through which an octopus may enter the interior containment space; a trap door assembly that includes a trap door that is biased toward a first, closed position in which the entrance opening is blocked, the trap door being displaceable between the closed position and a second, open position in which the entrance opening is revealed; a trigger assembly that is capable of retaining the trap door in its open position against its bias, and that is capable of being triggered by an octopus from inside the containment space such that, when triggered, it causes the trap door to displace from its open position to its closed position and wherein the trigger assembly is capable of retaining the trap door in its closed position once triggered.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/AU2016/050556, filed Jun. 29, 2016, designating the United States of America and published in English as International Patent Publication WO 2017/015699 A1 on Feb. 2, 2017, which claims the benefit under Article 8 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty to Australian Patent Application Serial No. 2015903022, filed Jul. 29, 2015.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to traps for capturing marine species. In particular, the application relates to a trap that is useful for capturing an octopus.

BACKGROUND

There is an ongoing need to provide improvements in traps for capturing marine species such as octopuses, or to provide an alternative trap having useful features, at least to provide users with a useful choice. Octopus species are extremely difficult to capture, given that they easily slip out of narrow openings and have been known to unlock or open traps set by fisherman. This means that traps can be rather heavy and convoluted, are easily filled with sand that is difficult to remove, and are difficult to re-set when retrieved. This disclosure addresses at least some of these issues.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a trap for catching an octopus that includes:a housing defining an interior containment space with an entrance opening to the interior containment space through which an octopus may enter the interior containment space;a trap door assembly that includes a trap door that is biased toward a first, closed position in which the entrance opening is blocked, the trap door being displaceable between the closed position and a second, open position in which the entrance opening is revealed; a trigger assembly that is capable of retaining the trap door in its open position against its bias, and that is capable of being triggered by an octopus from inside the containment space such that, when triggered, it causes the trap door to displace from its open position to its closed position, thereby capturing the octopus within the interior containment space of the housing, and wherein the trigger assembly is capable of retaining the trap door in its closed position once triggered.

The trap door may be mounted onto a front end wall of the housing in a manner such that the trap door is capable of being displaced face-to-face or co-terminously with the front end wall between its closed position and open position. The trap door and end wall may be shaped and sized so that the trap door is capable of being displaced face-to-face or co-terminously with the front end wall between its closed position and open position while remaining coextensive with the front end wall, so as to avoid protruding beyond an outer peripheral boundary of the front end wall. The housing may be shaped and sized so that the interior space expands in transverse section from the entrance opening to form a funnel space that widens and transitions into a tunnel space. More particularly, the housing may include an elongated box-shaped tunnel member having an open end, a funnel member that includes the front end wall that defines the entrance opening and that includes a funnel formation that has a relatively narrower mouth-end that is shaped so as to fit over the entrance opening and that extends away from the end wall with its relative wider mouth terminating into the tunnel member, thereby forming the funnel space that widens and transitions into a tunnel space.

The trigger assembly may be capable of being triggered by an octopus from a position proximal or toward the funnel space of the housing. In another embodiment, the trigger assembly may be capable of being triggered by an octopus from a position distal from the funnel space of the housing. The trigger assembly may include a trigger arm that interacts with the trap door for retaining the trap door in its open position against its bias, and when triggered, to cause the trap door to displace from its open position to its closed position. The trigger assembly may include a link member that is attached at its one end to the trigger arm, and at its other end to a lure or bait, such that when the lure or bait is moved in a way that tensions the link member, the trigger arm is triggered, which causes the trap door to displace from its open position to its closed position. The bait may be positioned proximal to, or toward, the funnel space of the housing in one embodiment, while in another embodiment, it may be positioned distal to the funnel space of the housing, toward an opposed end of the housing. When the bait is positioned distal to the funnel space, the link member may be slidably contained by a guide attached to a rear wall of the housing, through which the link member may be passed.

The funnel member and trigger assembly may form an assembly unit that is removably receivable in an associated end portion of the tunnel member. The funnel member and trigger assembly unit may be removably secured within the housing by a biased latch in the form of a resiliently flexible base or sheet member. The resiliently flexible base or sheet member may be biased toward an interior of the housing, the latch being capable of interlocking with a catch formation protruding from a lower surface of the assembly unit when the assembly unit is positioned inside the housing. More particularly, the bottom wall of the tunnel member may define a cut-out that opens toward a front end of the bottom wall, with a generally rectangular-shaped sheet being mounted onto the bottom wall near a rear edge of the cut-out. The sheet may be shaped and sized so as to substantially span the cut-out and further may comprise a front end portion that slants slightly downward.

The sheet further may define a transversely extending slot spaced inwardly from the front end portion of the sheet, the sheet being formed from a material that enables the sheet to be resiliently deflectable downwardly while in use. In another embodiment, the assembly unit may be removably secured to the housing by way of a retaining member such as a screw that interferes with the removal of the assembly unit. A bottom wall of the housing includes slots to fill the interior space of the trap with water so as to cause sinking of the trap into the water, and to drain water from the interior space, usefully also allowing for the drainage of sand from the interior space when the trap is removed from the water.

The disclosure will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the following drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIGS. 1 to 15, reference numeral10generally refers to a trap, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, for capturing marine animals, such as an octopus. Broadly, as shown in various figures, the trap10includes a housing, generally referred to by reference numeral12, defining an interior containment space13and an entrance opening26to the interior containment space13through which an octopus (not shown) enters the interior containment space13. The trap10also includes a trap door assembly, generally indicated by reference numeral15, that includes a trap door18that is biased toward a closed position (seeFIG. 7) in which the entrance opening26is blocked and wherein the trap door18is displaceable between its first, closed position and a second, open position (seeFIG. 8) in which the entrance opening26is revealed. Further, the trap10includes a trigger assembly, generally indicated by reference numeral30(best seen inFIGS. 9 to 12 and 14), that is capable of retaining the trap door18in its open position against its bias, and that is capable of being triggered by an octopus (not shown) from inside the containment space13such that, when triggered, it causes the trap door18to displace from its open position to its closed position, thereby capturing the octopus within the interior containment space13of the housing12. The housing12includes an elongated, generally rectangular, box-shaped tunnel member16that includes a rectangular-shaped top wall36and two rectangular-shaped opposing side walls38, a bottom wall40, a front end wall32, and a rear end wall42.

The top wall36defines a rectangular access opening39toward the rear end wall42. A complementarily shaped access door24is provided for closing and opening the access opening39. The access door24is connected to the top wall36with a hinge44at an operatively frontward edge of the access opening39. The access door24also includes a catch formation41that snap-fits onto an upper rear edge of the tunnel member16. In another embodiment (not shown), the access door24can be mounted to the top wall36to be displaceable in a manner other than hinging, for example, the access door can be mounted in a manner that the access door24is opened and closed by sliding relative to the top wall36.

The bottom wall40of the tunnel member16defines a rectangular cut-out46that opens toward a front end, at48, of the bottom wall40. A generally rectangular shaped sheet50is mounted, at its rear-end portion56, to the bottom wall40near a rear edge of the cut-out46. The sheet50is shaped and sized so as to substantially span the cut-out46, and a front-end portion54of the sheet50slants slightly downward to facilitate re-insertion of the trigger assembly30, if the trigger assembly30has been removed for cleaning or replacement. The sheet50defines a transversely extending slot52spaced inward from the front-end portion54of the sheet50. The sheet50is formed from a material that enables the sheet50to be resiliently deflectable downward (see arrow45) if the trigger assembly needs to be removed or inserted. Both the bottom wall40and the sheet50define an array of slots51that allows sand to pass through from the interior of the tunnel member16into the ocean, and also serves to drain any excess water when the traps are removed from the water. The tunnel member16also includes two feet members58in the form of elongated rectangular bars that extend transversely across an underside of the bottom wall40and that are spaced apart from each other. The feet members58are used to secure one or more traps10to a cradle (not shown) so as to form a battery of traps10that can be raised or lowered in unison.

FIGS. 7 to 15show an assembly unit (also previously referred to as an “interior containment space”), generally indicated by reference numeral13, which includes the trap door assembly15, the trigger assembly30, and a funnel member14that forms part of the housing12. The funnel member14includes a funnel formation60and a front wall62. The front wall62is generally rectangular in shape and is sized and dimensioned so as to fit snugly within and across a front end portion of the tunnel member16, thereby forming a front wall for the housing12. The front wall62defines the entrance opening26that is generally rectangular in shape and extends across a major part of an upper half of the front wall62. The funnel formation60includes a generally rectangular top wall63and two opposing side walls64and a bottom wall66. Each side wall includes a generally rectangular trapezium-shaped middle part68and a relatively large rectangular-shaped part71at a relatively wider mouth end of the funnel formation60and a relatively smaller rectangular-shaped part72at a relative narrower mouth end of the funnel formation60. When the funnel formation60is seen in its operatively upright orientation, the bottom wall extends along lower edges of the relatively smaller rectangular parts72of the side wall and further along an angled side edge of the trapezium middle part68of the side wall, so as to form a bottom wall66of which a substantive portion slants downwardly rearward. The funnel formation60is generally rectangular in cross-section and dimensioned to be complementarily shaped to a transverse section of the tunnel member16, such that the funnel formation60fits snugly within the tunnel member16(seeFIG. 2).

Moreover, as can be seen in the drawings, a relatively narrower mouth end of the funnel formation60fits over the entrance opening26and the relative wider mouth end of the funnel formation60terminates into the tunnel member16, thereby forming a funnel space that widens and transitions into an elongated tunnel space. The front wall62also includes a catch formation70in the form of a rectangular bar formation that extends along a middle part of a lower edge of the front wall62and that is complementarily shaped and sized to be caught or engaged by the slot52, so as to snap-fit into position when the assembly unit13is inserted into the tunnel member16of the housing12. Broadly, the trap door assembly15is configured so that the trap door18forms a sliding trap door contained wholly within the outer periphery of the trap10whether in an open or closed position. The trap door assembly15includes sliding grooves74that extend along lateral side edges of the front wall62. The grooves74are formed by two elongated formations76, one each that extends along an associated lateral side edge on a front face of the front wall62. Each elongated formation76is generally L-shaped in cross section and orientated so that the grooves74face each other. The grooves74are complementarily shaped and dimensioned such that side edge portions of the trap door18are received within the grooves74. In this way, the trap door18is capable of sliding upward and downward between its closed and opened positions (see arrow20). The trap door18is biased by way of a length of elastic cord, colloquially referred to as shock cord, that is attached at its respective ends at respective rear end corners, at80, of the funnel formation60, that the elastic cord extending along upper side edge of the funnel formation60into the grooves74and along side edges of the trap door18and along a lower edge of the trap door18, so that that the elastic cord82resiliently urges the trap door toward its closed position. In that regard, the trap door18includes a complementarily-shaped groove84that extends along side edges of the trap door18and that extends along a bottom edge of the trap door18to assist with keeping the elastic cord in its position against the trap door18. To this end, the trigger assembly30includes a trigger arm88that is in the form of an L-shaped flat bar. A long leg90of the trigger arm88extends transversely across and adjacent a rear face of the front wall62and a short leg92of the trigger arm projects away from the rear face of the front wall62. A catch formation91in the form of a generally rectangular shaped bar projects from a front side of the long leg90of the trigger arm88through a slot opening96that is defined by the front wall62.

In this embodiment, the trigger arm88and the slot opening96is positioned so that the catch formation91projects through the front wall62at a position more-or-less halfway between upper- and lower edges of the front wall62. The catch formation91is shaped and dimensioned so that it interferes with displacement of the trap door18. A corner94of the trigger arm88is pivotally mounted, at95, to the front wall62with a hinge98. The hinge98includes two spaced apart cleats100and a hinge pin102that extends through the cleats100and the corner94of the trigger arm88. That way, the trigger arm88is able to hinge or pivot about the hinge pin102(see arrow104). The angle of hinging is sufficient to withdraw the catch formation91in a rearward direction to a position in which the catch formation91avoids interference with the trap door18when displaced.

The trigger arm88is biased toward a position in which the catch formation91interferes with displacement of the trap door18by way of an elastic cord106that extends between an end of the short leg92of the trigger arm88and a rear of the front wall62. A tether link108in the form of a cord or tether extends from an end of the long leg90through an opening, at110, in the bottom wall66of the funnel formation60into the containment space13of the housing12for attaching to a lure or bait inside the containment space13.

In use, a lure or bait112is attached to that end of the tether108that is inside the containment space13of the housing12. The trap door18is then set in its open position by first hinging the trigger arm88(see arrow104) against the bias of the elastic cord106so that the catch formation91is held in a withdrawn position that permits sliding of the trap door18to its open position (seeFIG. 8). The trap door18is displaced against the bias of the elastic cord82to its open position and held in place until the trigger arm88is released so that it returns to its resting position in which the catch formation91protrudes through the slot96. Then, if the trap door is released, the catch formation91interferes with an upper edge of the trap door18, thus preventing the trap door18from displacing under influence of its bias to the closed position. Then, the assembly unit13is inserted into the tunnel member16(see arrow22inFIG. 2), and pushed rearward into the tunnel member16until the catch formation70engages the slanted front portion of the sheet50, which causes the sheet50to deflect downwardly, permitting the assembly unit13to be pushed further into the tunnel member16until the catch formation70engages the slot52, which causes the assembly unit13to snap fit in position so that it is secured from sliding out of the tunnel member16while in use. Instead of removing the assembly unit13from the tunnel member16to reset the door18, it is also possible to access the interior space from the access opening39, and to pull the tether108so as to withdraw the catch formation91. The trap10is then placed underwater with the entrance opening26in the open position and the openings or slots51in the bottom wall40permitting water to rapidly fill or drain from the containment space13of the trap10and also allowing for entrapped sand to be drained from the interior of the trap. The trap10can be lowered underwater (not shown). Once lowered into the water, an octopus can now enter the interior space13of the housing12through the entrance opening26. When the octopus is inside the interior space13it can engage the lure or bait112. When the lure or bait112is pulled in such a way that the tether108is tensioned, then the tether108pulls the end of the long leg90of the trigger arm88, which causes the trigger arm to hinge against the bias of the elastic cord106(see arrow104). That causes the catch formation91to withdraw rearwardly until it avoids interfering with the trap door18, which releases the trap door18to be displaced to its closed position under influence of the bias of the elastic cord82. The octopus is thereby trapped within the trap10.

The trap10, when removed from the water, allows the water and sand to rapidly exit the interior space13though the openings or slots51in the bottom wall40. The catch formation41of the access door24is then detached from the upper rear edge of the tunnel member16and opened so that the octopus can be removed through the access opening39. The access door24is then closed again and secured with the catch formation41that snap fits onto the upper edge of the tunnel member16. The trap can then be reset by lowering the door18while pulling on the tether108, before allowing the catch formation to return to its original position in which it holds the door18against its bias. Alternatively, this can also be done by removing the assembly30by deflecting the sheet50until the catch formation70is released from the slot52so that the assembly unit13can be removed from the tunnel member16.

InFIGS. 16 to 23, reference numeral120generally refers to another embodiment of a trap in accordance with the disclosure. Some of the components of the trap120are either not shown or partly obscured in those figures, such as a trigger assembly, a biasing part of the door assembly, and an access door for the access opening in the top wall of the tunnel member, and the like. Those parts form part of trap120and are similar to the ones described with reference to trap10. It follows that those parts described with reference to trap10that are operationally required for the working of trap120are meant to form part of trap120. It will be appreciated that some modification of those parts may be needed to adapt them for working with trap120.

The trap120includes a housing, generally indicated by reference numeral122. The housing122includes an elongated, generally rectangular, box-shaped tunnel member124that includes a rectangular-shaped top wall126and two opposing side walls128, and a bottom wall130, and a rear end wall132. In this embodiment, a front end, at134, of the tunnel member124slants upwardly rearward. The top wall126defines a rectangular access opening136toward the rear end wall132that is closed and opened with an access door137that can be hingedly or slidably attached to the top wall126. For ease of explanation, the access door137is not shown inFIGS. 17 to 23. The bottom wall130defines a plurality of slots138toward a rear end of the housing122and rectangular openings140that are lengthwise spaced apart more-or-less on a front half portion of the bottom wall130. The housing122also includes an inner wall142that is orientated generally face-to-face or co-terminously with the top wall126, and that extends transversely across the contained space144of the tunnel member124, slanting downwardly toward the rear of the housing122. That way the housing122, not unlike housing12, also defines an interior space that includes a funnel space that widens from the front end of the housing122into a rearward tunnel space of the housing122.

The housing122further includes a front wall148that defines an upper entrance opening162. The front wall also includes an array of slots158and an elongated catch formation156at an upper edge of the front wall148that cooperates with a complementarily shaped slot164provided in the top wall126of the tunnel member124for keeping the front wall148in position when it is mounted into the front end portion of the tunnel member124. The front wall148also includes a stop member toward an upper edge for the front wall for retaining the trap door165in its closed position.

Trap120includes a trap door assembly that is similar to that of trap10, and includes a trap door165, and groove formations152that define grooves154within which the trap door165slides up and down face-to-face with the front wall148. The trap door165also includes a handle150.

Although the triggering assembly is largely obscured from view inFIGS. 16 to 23, a catch formation160is shown that projects from a trigger arm of the trigger assembly through the slot167in the front wall148, and operates similarly to that described in relation to trap10above. A link, rope, cable, or the like that forms a tether170for the trap120extends from the trigger arm to the rear end of the housing122and is routed through a formation127that assists with holding the tether170in its operational position. The trap10,120is useful in that its interior space defines a funnel space that widens from a relatively constricted entrance opening into a wider rearward extending tunnel space that resembles a tunnel rock formation that widens into a tunnel space through a relatively smaller opening, which appeals to an octopus and, therefore, enhances the efficiency of the trap10,120. With reference to trap10, it is also useful in that the lure or bait112can be positioned near the funnel space and the depth of the tunnel space is such that an octopus can enter the interior space and move toward the rear of the tunnel member where it can turn around and engage the lure or bait112from behind, and as such, accommodates the natural behavior of the octopus. In addition, the sloping or slanting walls66,142resist obscuring the lure or bait112as it otherwise would have been if it was positioned close to the front wall62,148, thus, in these embodiments, the lure or bait is more conspicuous to an octopus swimming past the open entrance opening26,162. The trap10,120is also useful in that the door18,165remains face-to-face within a boundary of the front wall62,148, and as such, does not project beyond the front wall, which avoids water currents acting on the trap door18,165in a manner that can move or tilt the trap10,120. For the avoidance of doubt, it is to be appreciated that reference to a face-to-face arrangement specifically refers to a substantially co-planar and co-terminous relationship between the door18,165and the front wall62,148. The Applicant(s) believes it advantageous that the trap10finds particular application in that it is not readily affected by water currents, i.e., the door18,165is co-terminous with, and does not protrude from, the front wall62,148when in the open position. Such protrusion of the door from the front wall can act as a “sail,” where water currents impact on the protruding door (known in the art) to potentially move or tilt the trap10,120.

The trap10,120, is also useful in that the bottom wall of the housing includes slots to fill the interior space of the trap10,120with water so as to cause sinking of the trap into the water, and to drain water from the interior space. Usefully, the slots also serve to remove sand from the interior space of the trap10,120. Yet further, the trigger assembly and door assembly form an assembly unit13for the trap10that facilitates the ease of replacement of a faulty assembly unit13. Also, the trap10,120is substantially formed from a high-density plastics material that is durable and lightweight for ease of handling and transport. In another embodiment (not shown), the funnel formation60can be mounted fixedly inside the tunnel member16, as opposed to being mounted to the front wall62. In the specification, including the claims, where the context permits, the term “comprising” and variants thereof such as “comprise” or “comprises” are to be interpreted as including the stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers. It is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The described embodiment is intended to be illustrative of the disclosure, without limiting the scope thereof. The disclosure described herein is capable of being practiced with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The use of words that indicate orientation or direction of travel is not to be considered limiting. Thus, words such as “front,” “back,” “rear,” “side,” “up,” “down,” “upper,” “lower,” “top,” “bottom,” “forward,” “backward,” “toward,” “distal,” “proximal,” “in,” “out” and synonyms, antonyms and derivatives thereof, have been selected for convenience only, unless the context indicates otherwise. The applicants envisage that various exemplary embodiments of the claimed subject matter can be supplied in any particular orientation and the claimed subject matter is intended to include such orientations. Thus, regardless of the content of any portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, description, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, such as via explicit definition, assertion, or argument, or clearly contradicted by context, with respect to any claim, whether of this application and/or any claim of any application claiming priority hereto, and whether originally presented or otherwise:a. there is no requirement for the inclusion of any particular described or illustrated characteristic, function, activity, or element, any particular sequence of activities, or any particular interrelationship of elements;b. no characteristic, function, activity, or element is “essential”;c. any elements can be integrated, segregated, and/or duplicated;d. any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any activity can be performed in multiple jurisdictions; ande. any activity or element can be specifically excluded, the sequence of activities can vary, and/or the interrelationship of elements can vary.