Abstract:
A repeating animal trap is described that humanely captures animals and allows for their safe release. In one embodiment, the animal trap includes a wire body that forms a cage. The cage includes one or more animal entrances. The one or more animal entrances are each configured such that an animal enters from outside the cage and traverses a passageway that ends about the middle of the cage. The natural instincts of the animal causes the animal to go toward the perimeter and corners of the cage to escape. The natural instinct assists in keeping the animals from finding their way back into the passageway to leave the cage. To further keep animals from leaving the cage via the passageway, a passageway door is provided for each passageway. Each door is configured with a bias and a shape that precludes the animal from opening the passageway door once inside the cage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Divisional patent application from Ser. No. 11/130,510, filed May 16, 2005 now still pending. The entire contents of the patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Embodiments of the invention generally relate to animal traps and cages configured to humanely capture animals. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Generally, animal traps are used to capture animals that are either wild and/or are a nuisance. For example, animal traps are used to capture squirrels, mice, and other types of animals that may be a nuisance. Generally, trap housings are sized to accommodate the size of the animal to be trapped. In the case of traps designed for chipmunks, mice and other small animals, the trap housings are usually oversized in order to permit baiting of the trap because a trap housing sized for a chipmunk would be too small to accommodate an adult hand. Animal traps used to capture nuisance animals are generally configured to allow the animal to be captured without harm and then be relocated. These types of traps are generally referred to as humane animal traps. 
         [0006]    Conventional humane animal traps are well-known and generally include two types of trap, the non-repeating trap and the repeating trap. To trap animals In the non-repeating trap, homeowners and trappers generally often rely on animal traps that are operated by raising a trap door, in slides, to an open position, setting the door in the open position by means of the trigger mechanism and baiting the trap on triggering mechanism, such as a bait pan. When an animal is lured into the trap by the bait and steps on the bait pan, the trigger mechanism is sprung allowing the door to drop closed under gravity and trap the animal. Unfortunately, many triggering mechanisms are complicated and therefore difficult and expensive to manufacture. Many non-repeating traps are difficult to set and unreliable in operation. Often, it is desirable to capture more than one animal at time. Unfortunately, non-repeating traps require resetting once the trap has been sprung. 
         [0007]    With regard to conventional repeating traps, the commercial embodiments of such traps currently available comprise a housing defining an enlarged enclosure with one, or perhaps two, inclined plane trap assemblies communicating the interior of the enclosure with the exterior of the housing via an elongated passageway. An inclined plane tilting floor member is positioned in the passageway of each trap assembly and is adapted to lift a door to block an entrance opening when an animal, such as a rodent, passes beyond a pivot point. The blocked entrance limits the animal&#39;s ability to escape from the enclosure. When the animal exits the passageway into the enclosure, the door falls by gravity on the entrance end of the tilting floor to reset the trap and the raised end of the tilting floor limits the ability of captured animal to return to the passageway. 
         [0008]    Once trapped, captured animals will usually attempt to escape in any way possible. For example, captured squirrels and other rodents in conventional repeating traps will try to grasp the inner end of the tilting floor to regain access to the passageway. In some instances, animals on the tilting floor have been able to grasp the side or top edges of the door with their claws or teeth to pull the door down against their own weight, and thereby escape from the trap. The trapping industry has attempted to limit access to the tilting floor and the door of conventional repeating traps by incorporation of various flanges or lips on the trap assembly walls or roof, but such efforts have had limited success. One reason for the limited success is that when traps are sized to hold only a few animals at a time the animals are constrained to remain in the area of the door through which they have just entered. Moreover, the animal perceives the door as being between it and a path to escape. Natural instinct compels the animal to attack the door in an attempt to move towards the outside. Eventually, with conventional trap designs the animal finds a combination of acts that opens the door, thus permitting escape. 
         [0009]    Another problem associated with conventional repeating animal traps is the tendency of a captured animal to crawl under, or nest in, the space between the bottom wall of the trap housing and the undersurface of the raised end of the tilting floor when the trap assembly has been reset. The presence of an animal in this location prevents another animal attempting to enter the trap assembly from tilting the floor and, thereby, being captured. Further, a dead animal in this space effectively destroys the use of the repeating animal trap without extensive maintenance. 
         [0010]    Yet another problem associated with conventional repeating animal traps is that many are sized to hold only a few animals. Once full, other animals are no longer tempted to enter or even capable of entering. An effective repeating animal trap may be capable of capturing many animals, even dozens of animals, without resetting or other human intervention. Thus, many potential animals being targeted for trapping remain uncaptured. 
         [0011]    Therefore, there is a need for an animal trap that humanely captures one or more animals without resetting while effectively preventing the animals from escaping once trapped and has a capacity to hold many animals at a time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    An embodiment of the present invention is an animal trap apparatus. The animal trap includes an enclosure having at least one passageway configured to receive at least one animal to be trapped therein. The at least one at least one passageway being configured to direct the at least one animal toward the center of the enclosure. The animal trap apparatus includes a door disposed within the at least one passageway. The door being configured with a pivotal end to allow the animal to enter the enclosure by pivoting the door from a closed position to an open position. The door being sized to block the at least one passageway sufficiently to prevent the at least one animal from escaping from the enclosure once the at least one animal has entered the enclosure and the door has returned to the closed position. The animal trap apparatus also includes a bias mechanism integral to the pivotal end. The bias mechanism is configured to bias the door in the closed position. The animal trap apparatus includes an extension end of the door disposed distal the pivot end. The extension end is configured to extend beyond a wall defining at least a portion of the enclosure. The extension end is further configured to prevent the at least one animal trapped within the enclosure from operating the door once the animal has entered the enclosure and the door is biased to the closed position. 
         [0013]    Another embodiment of the present invention is an animal trap that includes an enclosure having at least one entrance passageway. The entrance passageway is configured to direct at least one animal toward the center of the enclosure. The apparatus includes a passageway door configured to be repeatedly opened inwardly relative the center of the enclosure to expose the entrance passageway and allow the at least one animal to pass therethough into the enclosure. A bias apparatus is coupled to the passageway door. The bias apparatus is configured to bias the passageway door sufficiently to allow the at least one animal to open the passageway door and enter the entrance passageway. The bias apparatus may be configured to bias the door to a closed position to obstruct the entrance passageway and prevent the animal from exiting the enclosure once the animal has passed the passageway door and into the entrance passageway leading to the center of the enclosure. The apparatus also includes an extension member extending from an end of the passageway door distal a rotational axis of the passageway door. The extension member is configured to extend through an opening in the enclosure and extend externally therefrom. The apparatus includes a stop member disposed across the passageway door. The stop member is configured to cooperate with the extension member to prevent the passageway door from being opened by the at least one animal once the at least one animal has passed the passageway door allowing the passageway door to rotate to the closed position. 
         [0014]    Another embodiment of the present invention is an enclosure that includes a means for directing one or more animals to a center portion of the enclosure and a means for enclosing an end of the directing means while allowing the one or more animals to enter the enclosure. The enclosing means may be configured to prevent the one or more animals from escaping the enclosure once they have passed the enclosing means. The enclosure includes a means for biasing the enclosing means such that the enclosing means may be repeatedly opened to accept the one or more animals without being reset. The enclosure also includes a means for extending a portion of the enclosing beyond a wall of the enclosure. The extended portion of the enclosing means being configured to cooperate with the enclosure such that the one or more animals may open the enclosing means to enter the enclosure. The one or more animals also are prevented from escaping the enclosure by opening the enclosing means once they have passed the enclosing means and the enclosing means has moved to a closed position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    A further understanding of the present invention can be obtained by reference to embodiments set forth in the illustrations of the accompanying drawings. Although the illustrated embodiments are merely exemplary of systems for carrying out the present invention, both the organization and method of operation of the invention, in general, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, may be more easily understood by reference to the drawings and the following description. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is set forth with particularity in the claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplify the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a high-level perspective view of one embodiment of an animal trap apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a high-level top plan view of one embodiment of an animal trap apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a high-level side elevation view of one embodiment of an animal trap apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of one embodiment of an animal trap apparatus formed from a mesh material in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5A  is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly for the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5B  is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly for the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6A  is a side view of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly for the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in a closed position in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6B  is a side view of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly for the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in an open position in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7A  is a partial enlarged view of one embodiment of the hinge mechanism in a closed position in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7B  is a partial enlarged view of one embodiment of the hinge mechanism in an open position in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is a high-level perspective view and  FIGS. 2A and 2B  are a top plan view and a side elevation view respectively of one embodiment of an animal trap apparatus  100  in accordance with embodiments of the invention. The animal trap apparatus  100  includes an enclosure  101 . The enclosure  101  may be formed of a variety of rigid materials that may be used to advantage. The enclosure  101  may be formed with sidewalls that are solid, lattice, etc. and combinations thereof that are configured to trap animals therein while allowing for adequate ventilation as described further below. For clarity, the enclosure  101  is shown formed in a general rectangular shape, however, other shapes such as round, square, triangular, etc., are contemplated. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, the enclosure  101  includes a bottom structure  120 , a mid structure  110 , and a top structure  104 . The bottom structure  120  is configured to support the weight and movement of animals trapped within the enclosure  101 . The mid structure  110  includes one or more entrance openings  111 A and  111 N where N is defined as the “nth” entrance opening. The entrance openings  111 A and  111 N are sized to allow one or more of a subject animal such as for example, hogs, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, muskrats, prairie dogs, pine martens, ferrets, mink, rats, mice, and the like, to enter the enclosure  101 . 
         [0029]    The enclosure  101  includes passage walls  121 A-D. The passage walls  121 A-D extend about perpendicular between the bottom structure  120  and the top structure  104 . Adjacent pairs of the passage walls  121 A-D, extend from a respective entrance opening  111 A-N. The pairs of the passage walls  121 A-D in cooperation with the bottom structure  120  and top structure  104 , form one or more passageways  130 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , passageway  130 A is formed from passage walls  121 A and  121 D in cooperation with bottom structure  120  and top structure  104 , and passageway  130 N is formed from passage walls  121 B and  121 C in cooperation with bottom structure  120  and top structure  104 . Passageways  130 A and  130 N extend from the respective entrance openings  111 A and  111 N, respectively, toward the center of the enclosure  101 . In one embodiment, the passageways  130  are configured to direct the animals entering the animal trap apparatus  100  toward the center of the enclosure  101 . Some bait  140  may be placed inside enclosure  101  proximate the center of the enclosure  101  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , or scattered around the interior of enclosure  101 . Bait  140  encourages the subject animals to enter the animal trap apparatus  100  through passageways  130 . Once an animal has entered the enclosure  101 , and has become a captured animal its natural instinct is to go toward the periphery and particularly toward the corners of the enclosure  101  to escape. Therefore, a majority of the captured animals captured move away from the center of the enclosure  101  and are generally compelled by natural instinct to remain at the periphery and corners of the enclosure  101 . This instinct is particularly effective when the periphery of the enclosure  101  is far enough removed from the center to permit movement without returning to the center. For example when the periphery of the enclosure  101  is about one or more body lengths of the subject animal away from the passageway  130  and passageway door  112 , such as in a cage sized to hold ten to twenty or more of the subject animals, the captured animals at the periphery and corners may move around and continue searching for escape paths without approaching the center region of the enclosure  101 . Such captured animals have no occasion to consider the center of enclosure  101  as an escape path. Thus, captured animals have no incentive to attempt to open and escape through the passageway door  112 . This is confirmed in practice by the observation that invariably the captured animals are found to be grouped around the perimeter and particularly at the corners of the enclosure  101 . Moreover, it is evident from the pattern of scratches in dirt underlying the animal trap apparatus  100  that the captured animals have spent a great majority of their time while captured near the perimeter and corners of the enclosure  101 . 
         [0030]    The enclosure  101  includes a passageway door assembly  112  disposed along each of the passageways  130 . The passageway door assemblies  112  are configured such that an animal may open such passageway door assemblies  112  to enter the enclosure  101  via passageway  130  to get to bait  140  located inside the enclosure  101 . Once the animal is within the passageway  130  and past the passageway door assembly  112 , the passageway door assembly  112  is configured with a bias to move to a closed position awaiting the next animal to open such passageway door assembly  112 . The passageway door assemblies  112  are rotatably attached on one end to the top structure  104 . The bias is provided by a hinge assembly  115 , examples of which are described below. The passageway door assemblies  112  extend inside the passageways  130  and beyond the bottom structure  120 . 
         [0031]    In one aspect, the hinge assembly  115  is spring biased to provide the passageway door assembly  112  a closing rotational force to keep the passageway door assembly  112  in a normally closed position when not activated on by an outside force such as an animal pushing on the passageway door assembly  112 . For example, passageway door assembly  112 A may be coupled on one end to the top structure  104  with hinge  115 A and rotate about hinge assembly  115 A within passageway  130 A. Hinge assembly  115 A is configured to bias the passageway door assembly  112 A in a closed position. When an animal pushes on passageway door assembly  112 A with sufficient force to overcome the spring bias, the passageway door assembly  112 A opens upwardly toward the top structure  104  allowing the animal to enter the passageway  130 A. Once the animal releases pressure on the passageway door assembly  112 A, the bias force rotates the passageway door assembly  112 A back to a closed position. Another advantage of the bias is that passageway door assemblies  112  will remain closed and operational even when the trap apparatus is inadvertently deployed upside down. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  are exploded views of one embodiment of the animal trap apparatus  100  formed from a mesh material in accordance with embodiments of the invention. For example, the enclosure  101  may be formed of a mesh material such as a rigid wire mesh, plastic mesh, hard wood lattice, and the like, that may be used to advantage to form a cage. As illustrated in  FIG. 3-4 , the enclosure  101  may be formed from a single mesh material, and/or formed from segments of mesh material connected together as is known. The enclosure  101  may be formed of mesh material having one or more ventilation holes and/or a lattice formation that is configured to prevent animals trapped therein from escaping. To keep the animals from suffocating, the enclosure  101  may also be configured to provide adequate ventilation by selecting the size of the lattice formation and/or ventilation holes as needed. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment, the top structure  104  includes an animal release opening  105  disposed therein. The animal release opening  105  is sized to allow an animal to be released or removed from the enclosure  101  upon opening a release door  102  disposed adjacent thereto. The release door  102  may be sized to cover the animal release opening  105 . In one embodiment, the release door  102  may be hingedly attached on one side to the top structure  104  with a hinge  107 . While in alternative embodiments, the release door  102  may be configured to slide or to be latched on two or more sides, the hinge  107  allows the release door  102  to be more easily opened and closed. The release door  102  may be latched on one end in a closed or open position by a latch  103 . Latch  103  may be virtually any latching apparatus configured to latch the release door  102  in a closed or open position. Latch  103  may be configured to hang the animal trap apparatus  100  using a hanging member  106 . 
         [0034]    The entrance openings  111 A and  111 N may be covered by one or more entrance opening seals  310 A and  310 N, respectively. For convenience, such opening seals may be deployed during an animal storing/carrying operation. In one embodiment, the entrance opening seals  310  may be configured with similar material to that of the enclosure  101 , such as a mesh material. The entrance opening seals  310  may be hingedly affixed on one end to the enclosure  101  such that the entrance opening seals  310  may be moved to a closed position and an open position. The entrance opening seals  310  may also be configured with a latching apparatus to secure the entrance opening seals  310  in the closed position or the open position for advantage. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  are partial perspective views of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly  112  for the animal trap apparatus  100  in accordance with embodiments of the invention.  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate the passageway door assembly  112  rotated in a closed position. In one embodiment, the passageway door  112  includes a spring member  501 . Spring member  501  may be formed integral with the body of the passageway door assembly  112 . Spring member  501  may be shaped from a semi-circular or bowed elongated member to generate some spring resilience. As illustrated in  FIG. 5B , spring member  501  is disposed about parallel to and tied to a cross member  505  of the top structure  104  using one or more ties  503 . In alternative embodiments, spring member  501  may be a coil spring, a torsion bar, a leaf spring, an elastic member, or other structure having spring properties capable of biasing passageway door  112  in a closed position. For example, spring member  501  may be a coil spring positioned to wind tighter as the passageway door  112  is moved from a closed position to an open position. In this example, the spring coil provides some rotational coil tension when the passageway door  112  is in the closed position. The coil spring continues to provide closing force as the passageway door  112  is rotated from the closed position to the open position. In a leaf spring configuration, for example, the spring member  501  may be formed of spring metal such that as the passageway door  112  is rotated to an open position, the spring member  501  generates a bias force in the closing direction. 
         [0036]    Spring member  501 , cross-member  505 , and ties  503  cooperatively form the hinge assembly  115 . The passageway door assembly  112  also includes an extension end  502 . The extension end  502  is configured to extend though the enclosure  101  to the outside. The extension end  502  may be integral to the passageway door assembly  112 . The extension end  502  may be configured as a fork structure capable of extending though the mesh material of the bottom structure  120 . The bottom of the passageway door assembly  112  adjacent the extension end  502  contacts a stop member  510  to keep passageway door assembly  112  in a closed position and from rotating further. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  are side views of one embodiment of the passageway door assembly  112  for the animal trap apparatus of  FIG. 3  in a closed position and open position respectively, in accordance with embodiments of the invention. The passageway door assembly  112  slopes from hinge assembly  115  downward toward bottom structure  120 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , in one embodiment, the extension end  502  extends below the bottom structure  120 , bearing on and being constrained by the stop member  510 . The passageway door assembly  112  may be configured to slope downward toward the direction of the center of the enclosure  101 . After an animal passes beyond the passageway door assembly  112 , it is unlikely that the animal will try to escape back through the passageway  130 , as discussed above. However, if the animal does attempt to escape through the passageway  130  the animal must pull the passageway door assembly  112  toward itself to open the passageway door assembly  112 . However, the because the extension end  502  extends beyond the bottom structure  120  the animal is precluded from reaching the end of the extension end  502  to open the passageway door assembly  112 . Moreover, if the animal succeeds pulling the passageway door assembly  112  towards itself, the animal&#39;s body would interfere with the extension end  502 , further preventing the passageway door assembly  112  from opening. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are a partial enlarged views of one embodiment of the hinge mechanism  115  in a closed position and open position respectively in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment, the hinge mechanism  115  cooperates with top structure  104 , cross member  505  and ties  503  to form the biasing force. For example, the spring member  501  in the closed position is disposed just below the top structure  104  and is constrained proximate cross member  505  by ties  503 . When the passageway door assembly  112  is opened as illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the spring member  501  impinges on a lower portion of the top structure  104 . In one embodiment, the spring member  501  bears against the top structure  104  and, due to force provided by being constrained by ties  503  proximate the cross-member  505 , spring member  501  deflects under the rotational pressure. The deflection provides the passageway door assembly  112  with the closure bias force. In another embodiment, the top structure  104  deflects when the spring member  501  is pressed up against the top structure  104  as the passageway door assembly  112  is rotated from a closed position to an open position. In yet another embodiment both top structure  104  and spring member  501  may deflect under rotational pressure as the passageway door assembly  112  is rotated from a closed position to an open position. 
         [0039]    The inventor has noted that in operation, embodiments of the present invention have been exceedingly effective in humanely capturing large numbers of subject animals. For example, farmers and ranchers have routinely captured one to two dozens of animals, or more, at one time in the same cage. Customers frequently report being able to remove over eighty percent of a squirrel population infesting their orchards, farms, and ranches, overnight. Recent articles in professional journals have reported instances of farmers clearing their property of over ninety-five percent of the squirrel population within days using embodiments of the present invention when no other traps were effective at removing more than one or two at a time. 
         [0040]    While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.