Abstract:
A signaling device that indicates actuation of a remotely located mousetrap comprises a base that supports the trap, a power supply, and a mounted electrical interface switch. The switch is held open by a non-conductive interrupter positioned between the switch contacts and connected to the bail of the trap. The bail dislodges the interrupter and closes its switch when the trap is actuated, producing a visual flashing light at the users location. The signaling device can be tested by a test actuator switch located at the users location. A tether clips the signaling device to the trap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/603,610, filed Feb. 27, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Animal traps may optionally be combined with a signaling device to indicate when the trap has been “sprung” or “tripped” by an animal. 
     Mechanical means have been proposed to provide a visual indication when a vermin trap has been sprung. For details of an example technology, refer to patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,606. Unfortunately, this type of visual signal is useful only if the trap can be viewed directly, and provides no benefit when the trap is placed out of sight. 
     Electronic circuits to signal when a trap has been tripped have been proposed. For additional details, refer to patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,017, U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,767, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,635, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,415. These proposals are disadvantaged by requiring impractical modifications of conventional traps, or the signal circuits are unreasonably expensive as they incorporate significant electronics. Additionally, these proposals do not provide a way to remotely verify the signaling mechanism is in good operational condition. This is inconvenient when the trap is deployed in a hidden spot because the trap must be removed from the hidden spot to be tested to ensure the battery has not run down. 
     The use of remote visual indication of a trap being tripped has been proposed, using both wired and wireless signaling. For additional details, refer to patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,416 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,026,942, and publications US 2009/0151221 and US 2011/0083358. The proposed remote visual indicators are expensive systems that are not economically reasonable for consumer use or industrial use, or they require impractical modifications of conventional traps. Additionally, these proposals do not provide a way to remotely verify the signaling mechanism is in good operational condition. This is inconvenient when the trap is deployed in a hidden spot because the trap must be removed from the hidden spot to be tested to ensure the battery has not run down. 
     What is needed is a way to visually signal when a trap has been sprung that can be perceived even when the trap is placed out of sight, and which is easily used with unmodified conventional traps. What is also needed is a device to provide a remote visual signal that a trap has been sprung, along with a way to remotely verify the device is in good operational condition. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention is the use of a non-conducting ratcheted fastener, such as a plastic zip tie, for fastening to the bail of a mousetrap to provide a mechanical interface between the trap and an electrical continuity switch. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is the placement of a battery check switch remotely from the mousetrap and the electrical power source using a cable of indefinite length. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is the placement of a signal light remotely from the mousetrap using a cable of indefinite length. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a signaling device has a base adapted to support a vermin trap and a clip affixed to the base by a tether for clipping the vermin trap to the base. On the base is a trap interface switch that has opposed contacts biased toward one another in a normally closed configuration. A nonconductive interrupter securely attaches to the bail of the trap and is sized to fit between the opposed contacts to hold the trap interface switch in an electrically open position. An electrical power supply is attached to the base and is electrically connected in series with the trap interface switch and a visible beacon. The visible beacon has a LED and a periodic pulse generator circuit connected to the LED so as to periodically energize the LED to produce light pulses. A normally open test switch is electrically connected in parallel with the trap interface switch. A cable of substantial length provides series electrical connection of the visible beacon with the trap interface switch and the power supply, and provides parallel electrical connection of the test switch with the trap interface switch. 
     Visual signaling according to embodiments of the present invention is useful with a wide variety of traps, of various sizes and bail configurations. 
     Visual signaling according to embodiments of the present invention has the advantage of being easy to use by providing an easy way to dispose of the remains of any vermin caught in a trap. 
     Visual signaling according to embodiments of the present invention has the advantage of implementing remote access using an indefinitely long signal cable so that the trap can be hidden or placed in a difficult to access spot while the signal light is placed where it can be easily seen. 
     Visual signaling according to embodiments of the present invention provides reliable lighting of a signal lamp when the trap is sprung. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  provides a perspective view of a signaling device according to some embodiments of the present invention, with a conventional mousetrap (shown in phantom) atop the signaling device. 
         FIG. 2  provides an electrical schematic representative of some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  provides an electrical schematic representative of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  provides a detail view of the mechanical interface of the signal switch and the nonconductive interrupter of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4   a  provides a detail view of the mechanical interface of an alternative embodiment of the signal switch and the nonconductive interrupter. 
         FIG. 5  provides a detail view of the mechanical interface of a nonconductive interrupter, according to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with a conventional mousetrap (shown in phantom). 
         FIG. 6  provides a detail view of the mechanical interface of a spring clip, according to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with structure of a conventional mousetrap (shown in phantom). 
         FIG. 7  provides an electrical schematic representative of another alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a signaling device  100  according to at least one embodiment of the present invention is shown. A conventional mousetrap  200  (shown in phantom) is shown in relationship to the signaling device  100 . 
     The signaling device  100  has a battery holder  110  and a trap interface switch  130  fastened to one side of a generally flat base  120 . A clip  140  suitable for clipping onto a trap is disposed at the end of a tether  150  that is fastened to the base  120 . The base  120  is sized to have sufficient mass to ensure inertial decoupling from the trap  200  when the trap is tripped. The base  120  may also be sized to provide a convenient space on which the trap  200  may sit. 
     A cable  160  is mechanically fastened near one of its ends to the base  120 . The cable  160  provides electrical connection of the battery holder  110  and the trap interface switch  130  on the base  120  with a flashing LED  170  and a test switch  180  disposed at the other one of the cable&#39;s ends. A nonconductive interrupter  190  is fastened to the bail  210  of the trap  200  with a free end available to provide circuit interruption at the trap interface switch  130 . See  FIG. 4 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , an electrical schematic diagram indicates electronic implementation of one embodiment of the present invention. A battery  112  provides electromotive potential for the circuit. The circuit is completed by closure of either of the parallel-connected trap interface switch  130  or test switch  180 . The trap interface switch  130  is a spring biased normally closed (N.C.) electrical switch that has openly accessible contacts to provide for circuit interruption by placement of a nonconductive member between the contacts. See  FIG. 4 . The test switch  180  is a spring biased normally open (N.O.) electrical switch that closes upon press of a button. 
     Closure of either the trap interface switch  130  or the test switch  180  energizes the flashing LED  170  to provide a visual signal. The broken line rectangle indicates which components of the circuit are located at the base  120  (the battery  112  and the trap interface switch  130 ), in contrast to those that are located remotely (the test switch  180  and the flashing LED  170 ). 
     The flashing LED  170  is a commercially available component (e.g., at Radio Shack) that combines an LED, a flash timing circuit, and current limiting resistance in a single package. These combined functionalities may all be implemented in alternative formats, for example as described elsewhere in this disclosure. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the mechanical interface of the signal switch  130  and the nonconductive interrupter  190  is shown as a detail view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The trap interface switch  130  has a lower switch contact  132  and an upper switch contact  134  that are spring biased to contact one another in a normally closed mode of operation. A nonconductive interrupter  190  is interposed between the switch contacts  132 ,  134  to open the switch  130  and thereby interrupt the electrical path that the switch would otherwise complete. When the interrupter  190  is removed from between the switch contacts  132 ,  134 , the switch  130  immediately closes. 
       FIG. 4   a  discloses an alternative embodiment of the trap interface switch  130 ′. Upper and lower contacts  134 ′ and  132 ′ are flat conductive strips, with an outer end  135  of upper contact  134 ′ being upturned to permit the strip  190  to be wedged between end  135  and the lower contact  132 ′. 
       FIG. 5  shows a detail view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  to provide a clear illustration of the mechanical interface of the interrupter  190  with the bail  210  (shown in phantom) of a conventional mousetrap. The interrupter  190  is electrically nonconductive and is securely fastened to the bail  210  so that when the bail  210  moves, the interrupter  190  is certain to move along with it. The interrupter  190  is shown as being an elongated member that is looped around the bail  210  and threaded through a ratcheted fastener  192  integrally disposed at one end of the interrupter. Commonly made from nylon or other flexible polymer resin, fastening devices like the interrupter  190  shown here, having an elongate body with an integral ratcheted fastener, are commercially available under the “cable tie” product name. Alternatively, other electrically nonconductive articles may be used for this purpose. For example, the interrupter  190  is alternatively embodied using plastic garbage bag ties. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a detail view shows the mechanical interface of the spring clip  140 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , with structure of a conventional mousetrap. The clip  140  is secured to one end of a tether  150 , the other end of which is secured to the base  120  of the signaling device (see  FIG. 1 ). An anchor  220 , an element of the trap used to retain the bail in the armed position, is useful as an attachment point for the clip  140 . By attaching the clip  140  to the trap  200 , for example at the anchor  220 , the trap is tethered to the signaling device  100 . Tethering of the trap  200  to the signaling device  100  is intended to solve the problem of a wounded mouse escaping with the trap still attached. This will prevent the unfortunate scenario of the wounded mouse wandering off to die and decay in an unknown and difficult to find location. This feature is also useful for retrieval of the trap from its deployed location since one feature of the present invention is that it enables deployment of the trap in hard-to-see and hard-to-access locations. 
     Before arming the trap  200 , the interrupter  190  is secured to the bail  210  and the clip  140  is attached to the trap at the anchor  220 . The trap  200  is then baited and armed in the conventional way and the interrupter  190  is placed between the switch contacts  132 ,  134  of the switch  130 . The trap  200  and signaling device  100  are deployed together into a location where vermin are likely to encounter the trap. The cable  160  is placed to extend from the deployed location so that users can easily observe the LED  170  without need for them to directly observe the trap itself. 
     When the trap  200  is sprung the bail  210  moves, which moves the interrupter  190  removing it from between the switch contacts  132 ,  134 . Removal of the interrupter  190  from the switch  130  closes the switch and energizes the signaling circuit so that the LED  170  begins to flash. Without need to directly observe the trap, operation of the signal device  100  provides a user with information of when the trap has been sprung. 
     The cable  160  is a feature of the signal device  100  that enables the base  120  and the trap  200  to be deployed at location that is difficult or impossible to visually observe while providing an instantaneous visual indication of the trap&#39;s status at a location that is easy to observe. 
     A user&#39;s anxiety about the charge state of the battery  112  is relieved by operation of the battery test feature of the signal device  100 . There is no need to retrieve the trap from its remotely deployed location to check the battery because actuation of the test switch  180  temporarily energizes the signal circuit long enough to see if there is sufficient battery power to cause the LED  170  to flash. 
     An electrical schematic diagram according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3 . A battery  312  provides electromotive potential for the circuit. The circuit is completed by closure of either of the parallel-connected trap interface switch  330  or test switch  380 . The trap interface switch  330  is a spring biased normally closed (N.C.) switch analogous in structure and function to the interface switch  130  described above. The test switch  380  is a spring biased normally open (N.O.) switch analogous in structure and function to the test switch  180  described above. 
     Closure of either the trap interface switch  330  or the test switch  380  energizes a flashing timer  370 , a flashing LED  374 , and a current limiting resistor  376  to provide a visual signal. The flashing timer  370  provides a low duty cycle pulse (e.g., 20 ms pulse per 3 s cycle period) to drive the LED  374  and current limiting resistor  376  to provide a low current drain beacon signal. The flashing timer  370 , flashing LED  374 , and current limiting resistor  376  need not be arranged in series, nor in the particular order illustrated. Practice of this embodiment of the present invention can be accomplished so long as the components are related so that the LED  370  light source is current limited and biased on only intermittently so as to limit energy usage. As an example, the timer  370  may be readily implemented using an LM555 timer type circuit to provide a periodic beacon pulse as is well understood in the electronics art. 
     The broken line rectangle indicates which components of the circuit are located at the base  320  (the battery  312 , the timer  374 , and the trap interface switch  330 ), in contrast to those that are located remotely (the test switch  380  and the LED  370 ). Optionally, the current limiting resistor  376  may be disposed at either location, and in the illustrated embodiment is located remotely from the base  320 . 
       FIG. 7  provides an electrical schematic representative of another alternate embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the only circuit element disposed on the base  420  is the trap interface switch  430 . The battery  412 , blink timer  474 , LED  470 , current limiting resistor  476 , and test switch  480  are all disposed remotely from the base  420  and electrically connected via a lengthy cable to the trap interface switch  430 . Since the battery  412  is more readily accessible to the user, the test switch  480  may be optionally omitted with this embodiment. 
     Aside from the arrangement of the components, the circuit shown in  FIG. 7  is electrically similar to and functionally the same as those shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Factors to consider when deciding at which end of the long cable to place components are: ease of manufacture, overall manufacturing cost, form factor requirements of different size traps, and form factor requirements of intended deployment locations. 
     An advantage of the signal device embodiments described above is that the traps themselves may be treated as being disposable to avoid undue contact with the trapped animals. Limiting contact with vermin such as rats and mice is prudent since they do pose a health risk as disease vectors. Also disposable is the interrupter that is fastened to the bail of the trap. The interrupter is an inexpensive piece of plastic that need not be reused and may be disposed of along with the trap and the animal carcass. 
     A signal device has been described in this disclosure in various exemplary embodiments, but it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in this art that the disclosed invention is not limited by this description. Various modifications and variations of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.