Abstract:
An insect trap having a cylindrical tubular body with a top end and a bottom end and an oval flexible flapper removably mounted in regions adjacent the bottom end whereby the peripheral edge of the flapper is in contact with the inside surface of the body for the condition of no air blowing down the body and the peripheral edge of the flapper spaced from the inside surface of the body for the condition of air blowing down the body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the insect trap art and more particularly to the traps utilized to retain insects therein for further examination to determine, for example, the types of insects that are in a specific geographical location. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Insect traps of various kinds and configurations have been widely used to determine the particular types of insects that are in a given geographical area at a particular time. In some prior art insect traps, such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) insect traps which are operated by a 6 volt battery electrical supply, the traps are operated at night from dusk to dawn. The user of these traps must visit the traps on at regular intervals to replace the batteries and retrieve the insects captured by the trap. However, if the battery power is lost between the visits, or there is some other planned shutdown, the insects in the traps may escape through the trap entrance. 
     In order to overcome the deficiencies of such CDC traps, there has heretofore been utilized a battery powered insect trap having a battery powered light source mounted above the trap body which, for example, may be a section of an acrylic tube. A fan is mounted in the trap body in close proximity to the top of the trap body to blow ambient air downwardly through the trap body thereby creating a low pressure area adjacent the top of the trap body. As the light attracts insects to the area in the vicinity of the top of the trap body, the insects are caught in the downwardly flowing air generated by the fan and are moved axially downwardly towards the bottom of the trap body. A mesh catch bag is connected to the bottom of the trap body and the downwardly flowing air, which carries the insects therein that have been attracted by the light source, flows out of the mesh bag and the insects are contained in the mesh bag. 
     In order to prevent the escape of the insects out of the top of the trap body in the event the fan becomes inoperable due to loss of battery power or otherwise, these prior insect traps were provided with a bridge extending diametrically across the inside of the trap body and secured by glue to the inside surface of the trap body at the bottom thereof. A flexible flapper, which often was a thin sheet of mylar film, was secured to the bridge and the flexible flapper had a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the inside of the tap body. While the fan was operating and blowing air down the trap body, the flexible flapper bends about the bridge and the peripheral edges of the flexible flapper are moved out of contact with the inside surface of the trap body to allow the air flow and the insects contained therein to flow into the mesh bag. When the fan was not operating the flexible flapper would return to the condition where the peripheral edges were in contact with the inside surface of the trap body, thereby preventing the insects from moving upwardly in the trap body and escaping from the top thereof. 
     In some applications, however, it was found that insects could push their way past the flexible flapper at the peripheral edge on the inside surface of the trap body and thus migrate up the trap body and escape from the top. Similarly, because of manufacturing tolerances or distortion of the flexible flapper over time it was found that in some applications there was not a perfect engagement of the peripheral edge of the flexible flapper with the inside surface of the trap body thereby providing a path to allow the insects to escape. Further, it has been found that the width of the bridge often prevented full contact of the peripheral edge of the flexible flapper with the inside surface of the trap body. 
     Since the flexible flapper was permanently affixed to the bridge and the bridge was permanently secured to the trap body, if there were to be damage to the flexible flapper or the bridge, the entire trap body required replacement. 
     Thus, there has long been a need for an insect trap in which the trapped insects are more substantially prevented from escaping from the trap once contained within the trap. Also, it has long been desired that the damage to a small portion of the components of the trap did not require replacement of a major portion of the trap. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved insect trap. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved insect trap in which once an insect is trapped therein, the opportunities for escape of the insect from the trap are substantially reduced. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved insect trap in which damage to small portion of the overall components of the trap does not require replacement of the entire trap. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in a preferred embodiment thereof are achieved in a preferred embodiment of the present invention by providing a body member having a generally tubular cylindrical wall configuration having a preselected axial length. The body member has a top edge and a bottom edge and a preselected wall thickness. The body member may be fabricated from a clear acrylic tube on the order of 3½ inches in diameter. A battery operated fan and, if desired, a light that emits electromagnetic radiation in a preselected wavelength or group of wavelengths may be mounted at regions adjacent the top of the body member for blowing ambient air into the body member in a downward direction from the top edge towards the bottom edge. 
     The body member has a pair of slots in diametrically opposed relationship in regions adjacent the bottom edge of the body member. The slots extend partially through the body member from the inner surface towards the outer surface. A bridge member is snugly and removably mounted in the slots on the body member by screws extending through the wall of the body member and into the bridge. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the top edge of the bridge is narrower in width than the width of the remainder of the bridge. 
     A flexible flapper member is mounted on the top edge of the bridge. The flexible flapper member is generally oval in shape and has a minor axis slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the body member and a major axis slightly greater than the inside diameter of the body member. For example, for a trap body having an outside diameter of 3.50 inches and a wall thickness of 0.125 inches the inside diameter if the trap body is 3.25 inches. The flexible flapper is oval with a minor diameter of 3.22 inches and a major diameter of 3.33 inches. As a result of the oval configuration, the flapper member will remain in a concave downward configuration with the peripheral edge against the inner surface of the body member, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, which provides improved flap deflection and a better seal to prevent trapped insects from escaping during certain operating conditions of the trap. The narrow width of the top of the bridge member provides greater deflection of the flexible flap and thus improved sealing of the trap. 
     The flexible flapper member may be fabricated from a thin sheet of mylar, for example on the order of 0.002 inches thick. It has been found that this thickness of the flapper member provides the desired operation in the present invention. If the flexible flapper or the bridge were to become damaged or distorted during use, the bridge and the flexible flapper may be easily removed and replaced with a new assembly thus saving the cost of replacing the entire trap. 
     A mesh catch bag is mounted on the body member at the top edge of the mesh bag in regions adjacent the bottom edge of the body member and the mesh bag extends any desired axial length to hold the insects trapped in the trap. A cup shaped member may be attached to the bottom edge of the mesh bag to provide a weight sufficient to extend the mesh bag to the desired axial length thereof as well as hold the trapped insects in the mesh bag. 
     In operation, the light and the fan are generally left in a non-operating condition thereof so that the fan and the light are not turned “on”. At dusk, or any other desired time, the light and the fan are turned “on”. The light attracts particular insects, and the fan is blowing air axially downward from the top of the body member thereby creating a suction or lower pressure at the top edge of the body member. The insects attracted by the light are drawn into the trap and carried downward by the sir flow. The air flow deflects the flexible flap so the peripheral edge is not in contact with the inside surface of the body member for substantial portions thereof and the insects are carried into the mesh bag. As long as the fan is blowing the air downwardly, the insects cannot escape from the mesh bag. When the fan is turned “off”, the peripheral edge of the flexible flapper member returns to a position of engagement with the inside surface of the body member thereby preventing insects from escaping from the mesh bag through the top of the body member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other embodiments of the present invention my be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a bridge member useful in the practice of the present invention showing the attachment of the bridge to the trap body; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the bridge taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view showing the flexible flapper in the sealing position for the condition of the fan not operating and not blowing air downwardly in the trap body; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view showing the flexible flapper in the free flow position for the condition of the fan operating and blowing air downwardly in the trap; and, 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a flexible flapper useful in the practice of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in  FIG. 1  a preferred embodiment, generally designated  10 , of an insect trap  12  according to the principles of the present invention. the trap  12  has a body member  14  which may be made of a clear acrylic tube of 3.50 inches in outside diameter and a 0.25 inch wall thickness indicated at “T” of the body wall  15  to provide a 3.25 inch inside diameter indicated at “D” at the inside surface  16  of the body member  14  defining a volume  18 . The body member  14  has a top  26  and a bottom  28  separated by the axial length indicated a “L” which may be on the order of 3.0 inches to 5.0 inches. 
     A fan  20  is mounted in the volume  18  between the top  26  and bottom  28  of the body member  14  and the fan  20  is powered by an electrical motor  22  supported in the volume  18  by a bracket  24  extending through the wall  15 . The motor  22  is powered by batteries indicated at  30  through wires  32  and there may also be provided an “ON-OFF” switch indicated at  34 . For the condition of the fan in the “ON” condition, air is drawn by the fan  20  and is driven downwardly in the body member  14  as indicated by the arrow  25 . 
     An electrically powered light source as indicated at  33  is mounted in regions near the top  26  of the body member  14  and emits electromagnetic radiation in one or more frequencies to attract the desired insect species or multiple species as may be desired in particular applications. 
     A bridge member  36  is removably mounted in the volume  18  of the body member at the bottom  28  thereof as described below in greater detail in connection with  FIGS. 2 and 3 . A flexible flapper  40  is mounted, for example by cement, on the top of the bridge  36  as described below, and the flexible flapper is fabricated from a thin sheet of mylar for example on the order of 0.002 inches thick. The relative thickness of the flexible flapper  40  is exaggerated in the various Figures of the drawing for clarity in explanation of the function thereof. 
     A mesh bag  44  is connected to the body member  14  art the bottom  28  and extends any desired axial length. The mesh bag is air flow porous so that air may pass therethrough but insects inside the mesh bag cannot escape therethrough. A cup like member  46  is connected to the bottom of the mesh bag  44  to help maintain the mesh bag  44  extended to the desired axial length. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there is illustrated the bridge  32  and its attachment to the body member  14 . The flexible flapper is omitted from  FIGS. 2 and 3  for clarity. The body member  14  has slot walls  50  defining a pair of slots  52  and  54  in diametrically opposed relationship at the inner surface  16  at the bottom  28  of the body member  14 . The bridge  26  has a base portion  56  and a mounting portion  58  at the top  56 ′. The bridge has shoulder portions  60  and  62  which fit into slots  52  and  54 , respectively, and are removably retained therein by screws  64 . If the bridge  36  and/or the flexible flapper  40  were to become damaged during use, the screws  64  may be removed, the damaged bridge  36  removed and replaced with a new bridge without the necessity of replacing the entire body member  14  or even the entire trap  12 . The flexible flapper  40  is mounted on the top  58 ′ of the mounting portion  58  of bridge  36  by cement or any other desired method of attachment. 
     The flexible flapper  40 , according to the principles of the present invention, is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . As shown thereon, the flexible flapper  40  is slightly oval having a minor diameter as indicated at D′ and a major diameter as indicated at D″. For the above mentioned body member  14  having an inner diameter D of 3.25 inches, the minor diameter D′ of the flexible flapper is 3.220 inches slightly less than the inside diameter D′ of 3.250 inches and the major diameter D″ is on the order of 3.330 inches or slightly larger than the inside diameter of 3.250 inches. The flexible flapper  40  is bonded to the top  58 ′ of the mounting portion  58  of the bridge  36  along the minor diameter D′ as indicated by the dotted lines  70 . The flexible flapper  40  has a peripheral edge  40 ′ for selectively engaging the inside surface  16  of the body member during non-operation of the fan  20  and separating therefrom throughout a substantial extent thereof during the operation of the fan  20 . The oval shape of the flexible flapper  40  provides that in a direction perpendicular to the bridge  36  the flexible flapper is bent downwardly so that the flexible flapper  40  does not lie in a planar position in the volume  18  of the body member  14  but is in an arcuate position. The narrow width of the bonding portion  58  of the bridge  36  allows greater deflection of the flexible flapper  40  therefrom during operation of the fan  20 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of regions adjacent the bottom  28  of the body member  14  for the condition of the fan  20  in the “OFF” position and no air is flowing downwardly in the volume  18  in the direction of the arrow  25 . As shown, the flexible flapper  40  is in an arcuate configuration and the peripheral edge  40 ′ thereof is in contact with the inside surface  16  of the body member  14 . the contact of the peripheral edge  40 ′ with the inside surface  16  of the body  14  prevents insects contained with in the mesh catch bag  44  from escaping upwardly to the top  26  and thus from the trap  12 . 
       FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view of regions adjacent the bottom  28  of the body member  14  for the condition of the fan  20  in the “ON” condition thereof. As shown, the air driven by the fan  20  in the direction of the arrow  25  deflects the flexible flapper  40  so that the peripheral edge  40 ′ is bent downwardly away from the inside surface  16  to open an air flow passage  70  substantially all around the inside surface  16  so that the air together with any insects therein flows therethrough as indicated by the arrow  25 ′ into the mesh bag  44  and through the porous mesh catch bag  44 ″ to regions external thereof, leaving the insects in the mesh bag  44 . 
     In operation of the trap  12 , the fan  20  and the light  33  are turned “ON”, usually at dusk and left “ON” until dawn. The light  33  attracts insects thereto and the lowered pressure of the air at the top  26  of the body member  14  sucks the insects into top  26  of the body member  14  from where the insects are carried downwardly by the air flowing in the direction of the arrow  25  past the fan  20 , through the opening  70  and into the mesh catch bag  44 . The air flows through the mesh catch bag  44  leaving the insects therein. When it is desired to check the contents of the mesh bag  44 , if at night, the light  33  and the fan  20  are turned “OFF”, the flexible flapper  40  returns to the position shown in  FIG. 4  and the trap taken to any desired location for removal of the mesh catch bag  44  and counting of the insects therein. 
     Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the various Figures of the drawing, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.