Patent Publication Number: US-2013232848-A1

Title: Trap Attachment for a Soup Can

Description:
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/607,986 filed on Mar. 7, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally an apparatus for a trap. More specifically, the present invention is an apparatus for a soup can trap that utilizes an average soup can. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Most standard traps require a raccoon or other animal to actually enter the trap, triggering a door to be closed behind the animal. Often, however, animals are smart and become suspicious about standard trap designs, making the design less effective. Additionally, animal traps are often harmful to the animal by having sharp clamps that snap and attach to the animal&#39;s leg. It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a new safe design for a trap that can be easily camouflaged which can catch the animal by the hand and keep the animal in place until captured by a user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the present invention in the set position. 
         FIG. 2  is a back perspective view of the present invention in the set position. 
         FIG. 3  is a back perspective view of the present invention in the sprung position. 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the face plate, the hollow body, the first axle mechanism, and the second axle mechanism for the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a back perspective view of the face plate, the hollow body, the first axle mechanism, and the second axle mechanism for the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the trap door for the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the torsion spring for the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the trigger for the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the present invention is a trap attachment for a soup can, which is inserted into the soup can in order to create an animal trap. The present invention is designed to appear like the natural habitat of bait. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is specifically designed to catch the paw of a raccoon and to appear like the natural habitat of a crawfish. Also in the preferred embodiment, the present invention is designed to prevent the capture of a dog or other domestic animal. The present invention mainly comprises a face plate  1 , a trap hole  5 , a hollow body  6 , a centering gap  8 , a latch protrusion  9 , a torsion spring  10 , a trap door  14 , a trigger  18 , a first axle mechanism  22 , and a second axle mechanism  23 . The hollow body  6  allows the present invention to be inserted into a soup can or any other kind of hole. The face plate  1  has an unusual shape and is used as a stop to prevent the hollow body  6  from being inserted too far into the soup can. The latch protrusion  9  is used to keep the soup can situated on the present invention once the hollow body  6  is inserted into the soup can. The centering gap  8  allows the present invention to be orientated in a particular way while the hollow body  6  is traversing into the soup can. The trap hole  5  allows an animal to insert their paw through the face plate  1  and into the hollow body  6 . The first axle mechanism  22  allows the pan  15  and the torsion spring  10  to freely rotate within the hollow body  6 . The second axle mechanism  23  allows the trigger  18  to freely rotate within the hollow body  6 . The first axle mechanism  22  and the second axle mechanism  23  allow the trap door  14  and the trigger  18  to engage and disengage from each other. Once the animal&#39;s paw trips the trigger  18 , the torsion spring  10  pushes the trap door  14  against the face plate  1  in order to close off the trap hole  5 . 
     The face plate  1  and the hollow body  6  are used as the structural components of the present invention so that the other components can be properly positioned and connected to the present invention. The face plate  1  and the hollow body  6  are shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The face plate  1  comprises a left extended portion  2  and a right extended portion  2 . The left extended portion  2  and the right extended portion  2  provide the face plate  1  with an irregular shape and prevent the present invention from rolling within the soup can. The irregular shape also deters animals from digging out the present invention. The left extended portion  2  and the right extended portion  2  is positioned opposite to each other across the face plate  1 . In addition, the left extended portion  2  and the right extended portion  2  each comprise an attachment hole  4 , which is used to attach a chain or any other kind of restraint and holds the present invention in place. The attachment hole  4  of the of the left extended portion  2  is centrally positioned on the left extended portion  2 , and the attachment hole  4  of the right extended portion  2  is centrally positioned on the right extended portion  2 , which allows both attachment holes  4  to evenly distribute the restraining force on the face plate  1 . The hollow body  6  is used to house the mechanical components of the present invention and is used to structural support the lateral wall of the soup can. The hollow body  6  is concentrically connected to the face plate  1  so that the hollow body  6  remains in between the left extended portion  2  and the right extended portion  2 . The hollow body  6  comprises a tapered section  7 , which allows the hollow body  6  to be more efficiently inserted into the soup can. Consequently, the tapered section  7  is positioned on the hollow body  6  opposite to the face plate  1 . In the preferred embodiment, the face plate is made of 12 gauge metal and the trap body is made of 16 gauge metal. 
     This configuration for the face plate  1  and the hollow body  6  creates the framework that can be used to connect and to position all of the other components. The trap hole  5  is used as the entrance to the hollow body  6  and is positioned to traverse through the face place and into the hollow body  6 . The latching protrusion is used as the means to secure the present invention to the soup can and is positioned to exteriorly connect to the hollow body  6  adjacent to the face plate  1 . Thus, once the hollow body  6  traverses into the soup can, the open end of the soup can will be pressed against the face plate  1 , and the inner rim of soup can will be notched in between the face plate  1  and the latch protrusion  9 . In terms of the centering gap  8 , a different protrusion can be built into a soup can, wherein this protrusion is pointed towards the center axis of the soup can. The centering gap  8  is used to engage this protrusion so that the hollow body  6  has the proper angular orientation within the soup can. The centering gap  8  traverses from the tapered section  7  towards the face plate  1 . For functional efficiency, the centering gap  8  and the latch protrusion  9  is diametrically opposed to each other around the hollow body  6 . In the preferred embodiment, the trap hole  5  is 1.625 inches in diameter, which ideal for a raccoon&#39;s paw, and the hollow body  6  is 2.75 inches in diameter, which is ideal to fit into a soup can. 
     In reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first axle mechanism  22  and the second axle mechanism  23  are also positioned in terms of the framework of the face plate  1  and the hollow body  6 . The first axle mechanism  22  is interiorly connected to the hollow body  6  adjacent to the face plate  1  so that the first axle mechanism  22  can guide the rotational movement of the trap door  14  and the torsion spring  10 . The second axle mechanism  23  is interiorly connected to the hollow body  6  adjacent to the tapered section  7  so that the second axle mechanism  23  can guide the rotational movement of the trigger  18 . The first axle mechanism  22  and the second axle mechanism  23  are aligned to each other along the hollow body  6 , which allows the trap door  14  and the trigger  18  to properly engage and disengage from each other. Furthermore, the first axle mechanism  22  and the second axle mechanism  23  each comprise a left axle tab  24 , a right axle tab  25 , and a shaft  26 . The rotational movement of the trigger  18 , the trap door  14 , or the torsion spring  10  occurs about the shaft  26 . In order to facilitate this rotational movement without interference from the inner surface of the hollow body  6 , the shaft  26  must be spaced away from the inner surface of the hollow body  6 . The left axle tab  24  and the right axle tab  25  position the shaft  26  away from the inner surface of the hollow body  6 . The left axle tab  24  and the right axle tab  25  are parallel with each other and are connected adjacent to inner surface of the hollow body  6 . The shaft  26  is perpendicularly positioned to both the left axle tab  24  and the right axle tab  25  and opposite to the inner surface of the hollow body  6 , which enables the proper rotational movement between the trap door  14 , the torsion spring  10 , and the trigger  18 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the trap door  14  is designed to engage the trigger  18  and to completely close off the trap hole  5 . The trap door  14  comprises a pan  15 , a left door tab  16 , and a right door tab  17 . The pan  15  is flat piece of material and is sized to be able to freely swing within the hollow body  6 . The pan  15  should be large enough to cover the trap hole  5  with some overhang, but the pan  15  should be small enough to touch the inner surface of the hollow body  6 . In the preferred embodiment, the pan acts a guide for a raccoon&#39;s paw so that the raccoon&#39;s paw stays centered along the hollow body  6 . Once the trap door  14  is activated, the pan  15  prevents the animal from gaining access to the inner mechanical components in order to free itself from the present invention. The left door tab  16  and the right door tab  17  properly position the pan  15  away from the first axle mechanism  22  so that the pan  15  does not interfere with the rotational movement of the trap door  14 . Thus, the left door tab  16  and the right door tab  17  are connected adjacent to the pan  15  and are positioned normal to the pan  15 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , the torsion spring  10  forces the trap door  14  to seal off the trap hole  5  once the trap door  14  disengages the trigger  18 . The torsion spring  10  comprises a first leg  11 , a second leg  12 , and a coil  13 . The coil  13  is used to store the potential energy when the trap door  14  is engaged to the trigger  18 . A twisting force can be applied on the coil  13  through the first leg  11  and the second leg  12 . Consequently, the first leg  11  is connected adjacent to the coil  13 , and the second leg  12  is connected adjacent to the coil  13  opposite to the first leg  11 . The first leg  11  is pressed against the pan  15 , and the second leg  12  is pressed against the hollow body  6 . The first leg  11  and the second leg  12  squeeze together and twist the coil  13  in opposite directions as the trap door  14  engages the trigger  18 . The coil  13  is also positioned in between the left door tab  16  and the right door tab  17  so that first axle mechanism  22  can uniformly rotate both the trap door  14  and the torsion spring  10 . Thus, the left door tab  16 , the right door tab  17 , and the coil  13  are rotatably connected to the first axle mechanism  22 , which allows the trap door  14  and the torsion spring  10  to be rotatably connected to the first axle mechanism  22 . More specifically, the left door tab  16 , the right door tab  17 , and the coil  13  are positioned in between the left axle tab  24  and the right axle tab  25  of the first axle mechanism  22 . This allows the shaft  26  of the first axle mechanism  22  to traverse through the left axle tab  24  of the first axle mechanism  22 , the left door tab  16 , the coil  13 , the right door tab  17 , and the right axle tab  25  of the first axle mechanism  22 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the trigger  18  holds the trap door  14  in place, until an animal presses the trigger  18  and releases the trap door  14  from the trigger  18 . The trigger  18  comprises a hooked portion  19 , a pivot portion  20 , and a pair of tines  21 . The pivot portion  20  allows trigger  18  to be rotatably connected to the second axle mechanism  23 . The pair of tines  21  is stretched across the interior of the hollow body  6 , which allows an animal to trip the trigger  18  by pressing against the pair of tines  21 . The pair of tines  21  maximize the probability of the trigger  18  is tripped by the animal. The pair of tines  21  will rotate when an animal presses against them because the pair of tines  21  is connected adjacent to the pivot portion  20 . The hooked portion  19  is positioned toward the first axle mechanism  22  and allows the trigger  18  to grasp the edge of the pan  15 . The hooked portion  19  will also rotate when an animal presses against the pair of tines  21  because the hooked portion  19  is connected adjacent to the pivot portion  20 . The hooked portion  19  is positioned along the pair of tines  21  so that the pan  15  is perpendicularly positioned to the pair of tines  21  while the edge of the pan  15  engages the hooked portion  19 . The pivot portion  20  must be rotatably connected to the second axle mechanism  23 , which allows the trigger  18  to be rotatably connected to the second axle mechanism  23 . More specifically, the left axle tab  24  and the right axle tab  25  of the second axle mechanism  23  are positioned within the pivot portion  20 . This allows the shaft  26  of the second axle mechanism  23  to traverse through the left axle tab  24  of the first axle mechanism  22 , the right axle tab  25  of the second axle mechanism  23 , and the pivot portion  20 . Consequently, this configuration allows the hooked portion  19  to be engaged by the pan  15  and allows the hooked portion  19  to be disengaged from the pan  15  when the pair of tines  21  is rotated by an animal. Furthermore, the trigger  18  is moved into the set position simply by using gravity to swing the trigger  18  under the pan  15  when the pan  15  is fully depressed into the hollow body  6 . The top of the trigger  18  is formed to allow the trigger  18  to swing forward and backward, as well as to toggle slightly side to side for increased stability. 
     The present invention can be used on anything with about a three inch opening and sufficient room for the trigger to actuate such plastic pipes or steel cylinders. The present invention is not intended to only be used with a soup can, but may be used with any type of container device of sufficient size to insert the present invention inside of an opening in the container. If desired, the present invention may also be used without inserting the present invention into the soup can or container. The present invention comprises the following uses that are possible when using the soup can:
         1. The present invention can be laid right on the ground out in the open.   2. The trap is fixed to a wooden object with the use of the additional 0.25 inch hole on the face plate.   3. The trap is suspended from the ground by use of a chain or any other means.   4. The most significant advantage of this design of trap is that it can be placed at the water&#39;s edge of any body of water with a soil composition that allows the user to push the trap vertically into the ground up to just before the top of the soup can. This allows the bottom of the trap to be under the water level, and does not allow the water to enter the trap. This keeps bait fresh and makes the present invention looks like natural habitat. Specifically, the present invention looks like a crawdad holes. This further allows the user to conceal the trap.   5. Another significant use for the trap is to dig the trap into the side of a bank, where the soil allows the user to actually just push the trap right into the mud.   6. The trap can be set vertically, horizontally, or virtually any way as long as there is access to the opening.   7. The trap can be suspended by either an attachment point and it will hang at about a sixty degree angle to the ground. This keeps even dry bait in the trap and doesn&#39;t allow it to roll out.       

     In addition, the present invention comprises the following uses that are possible without using the soup can:
         1. The present invention can be placed in any matter the trapper believes it will work for their intent.   2. The present invention can be placed into any material with a hole of roughly three inches and a depth which will allow the trigger sufficient room to actuate.       

     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.