Patent Publication Number: US-2020296952-A1

Title: Rodent Trap

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     There are many different types of rodent traps capable of catching, for example, mice and rats. Oftentimes these rodent traps are designed to catch and kill the rodent. As a mere example, there is the spring-loaded bar trap. The spring-loaded bar trap has a spring-loaded arm that when activated by the rodent, releases a hammer, which kills the rodent. 
     There are electric rodent traps. An electric rodent trap has two electrodes located between the entrance and the bait. When the rodent enters the electric rodent trap, it completes the circuit and a lethal dose of electricity is delivered to the rodent. 
     There are hundreds of different types of rodent traps both kill and no-kill traps for use in stopping rodent manifestation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Furthermore, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a rodent trap in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 1  showing the lid inserted on a bottle. 
         FIG. 3  is side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 1  showing the lid removed from the bottle. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the lid shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 1  showing the lid inserted on the bottle. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure using wires as protrusions. 
         FIG. 7  is side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 1  showing the lid of  FIG. 6  removed from the bottle. 
         FIG. 8  is a side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 1  showing the lid of  FIG. 6  inserted on the bottle. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the rodent trap of  FIG. 8  showing the lid coupled to the bottle. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing the lid of  FIG. 10  coupled to a mouth of a bottle. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of an exemplary lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the lid of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is another side view of the lid of  FIG. 12  at a different angle. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of a rodent trap in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure shewing the lid of  FIG. 12  coupled to a bottle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure describes a rodent trap in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The rodent trap comprises a generally cylindrical bottle with threads on the opening tor receiving a lid having threads. The lid comprises a plurality of protrusions that are angularly placed inwardly. Further, the lid comprises an opening. In use, a rodent enters the lid through live opening to obtain bait placed in the generally cylindrical bottle. Once the rodent is inside the bottle, the rodent is unable to escape because of the angularly placed protrusions. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rodent trap  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The rodent trap  100  comprises a generally cylindrical bottle  101  that further has a generally circular and cylindrical opening  110 . On an outside surface  112  of the opening  110  are a plurality of threads  106  for receiving threads of a lid  111 . 
     The rodent trap  100  further comprises a lid  111 . The lid  111  comprises a cylindrical collar  102 . The cylindrical collar  102  comprises an inside opening circular surface  104 , and on this surface  104  are threads for mating with the threads  106  of the opening  110  of the bottle  100 . 
     Additionally, the lid  111  comprises a single-molded piece  105  that comprises a collar  107  to which a plurality of protrusions  103  are integrally formed therewith. As will be shown further, these protrusions  103  are disposed at an acute angle relative to the lid  111  so that the protrusions extend inwardly toward the center of the bottle  101 . Note that in one embodiment the protrusions are metal. However, in other embodiments other types of material may be used, e.g., plastic. Further note that the protrusions may be triangularly shaped. However, they may be shaped differently in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the rodent trap  100 . The rodent trap comprises the bottle  101  and coupled to the bottle is the lid  111 . Notably, threads  201  of the lid  111  couple with the threads  106  in the outside surface  112  ( FIG. 1 ) of the circular opening  110 . 
     The lid  111  further comprises a cylindrical collar  102  that forms an opening  104  to the inside of the bottle  101 . Further, the lid  111  comprises a collar  107  that is integrally formed with the plurality of protrusions  103 . Note that the protrusions  103  are placed at an acute angle θ relative to the lid  111  so that the protrusions extend inwardly and toward the center of the bottle  101 . 
     Thus, during use a rodent may be able to enter the bottle  101  through the opening  104 . However, once the rodent is in the bottle, he will be unable to get out because the angled protrusions block his way to the opening  104 . This is a catch and release form of a rodent trap. 
       FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap  100  with the lid not inserted. The rodent trap  100  comprises the bottle  100  that has the opening  110  and a plurality of threads on the outside surface of the opening  110 . The threads  106  are configured for receiving respective threads on the lid  111 . 
     The lid  111  comprises the collar  102  that forms an opening  104 . Within the collar  102  is a single-molded piece  105  comprising a collar  107  and a plurality of protrusions  103  that extend from the collar  107 . Note that these protrusions  103  extend at an acute angle θ relative to the lid  111  so that they are oriented toward the center of the bottle  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of a lid  111 . The top view shows the opening  104  and the plurality of protrusions that extend toward the center of the bottle  100 . 
       FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the rodent trap  100  with the lid  111  inserted. The rodent trap  100  comprises the bottle  100  that has the opening  110  and a plurality of threads  106  on the outside surface of the opening  110 . The threads  106  are configured for receiving respective threads  201  on the lid  111 . 
     The lid  111  comprises the collar  102  that forms an opening  104 . Within the collar  102  is a single-molded piece  105  comprising a collar  107  and a plurality of protrusions  103  that extend from the collar  107 . Note that these protrusions  103  extend at an acute angle θ relative to the lid  111  so that they are oriented toward the center of the bottle  100 . 
       FIG. 6  is another embodiment of a lid  311  for use in a rodent trap. The lid comprises a collar  300  with an inside surface  301 . The inside surface comprises a plurality of threads  707 . The lid  311  further comprises a plurality of protrusions  302  that are coupled to an inside surface  301  of the lid  311 . Note that in one embodiment, the protrusions  302  may be made of metal. However, other types of material are possible in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 7  is a rodent trap  700  using the lid  311  also shown in  FIG. 6 . The rodent trap  700  comprises a bottle  701 . The bottle  701  has a generally circular and cylindrical opening  702 . On an outside surface of the opening  702  are a plurality of threads  706 . 
     The lid  311  comprises a collar  300  and on an inside surface of the collar are a plurality of threads  707  for making with the threads  706  of the opening  702  of the bottle  701 . Further, coupled to the inside surface of the collar  300  are a plurality of wires. These wires  302  are disposed at an acute angle ∅ relative to the lid  311 . 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the lid  311 . The lid comprises a collar, and a plurality of wires are coupled to an inside surface  800  of the lid  311 . Note that the wires are positioned so that they extend inward into the bottle  701 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the rodent trap  700  showing the lid  311  coupled to the bottle  701 . In the embodiment shown, the wires  302  extend an acute angle ∅ relative to the lid  311 . The wires  302  are coupled to the inside surface  800  of the collar  300 . Thereby, creating an opening  301  in the lid  311 . 
     In use, a rodent enters the bottle  700  through the opening  301 . He travels past the wires  302  to bait (not shown) contained within the bottle  701 . Because the wires  302  are disposed at an acute angle relative to the lid  311  so that they extend toward the center of the bottle  701 , the rodent cannot escape once he is trapped in the bottle. This type of rodent trap serves as a catch and release. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a lid  1004  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lid  1004  is comprised of a cap  1000  and a cap insert  1001 . The cap insert  1001  is affixed to the cap  1000 , for example via epoxy. There are openings  1006  and  1008  in the cap  1000  and cap insert  1001  through which rodents may travel. 
     The cap insert  1001  comprises a collar  1007  integrally formed with a plurality of spiked protrusions  1003 . These protrusions  1003  are disposed at an angle, e.g., an acute angle, relative to a collar relative to the collar  1007  so that the protrusions  1003  extend inwardly into a bottle when the lid  1004  is placed on a bottle (not shown). Note that in one embodiment the protrusions are metal. However, in other embodiments other types of material may be used, e.g., plastic. Further note that the protrusions may be triangularly shaped. However, they may be shaped differently in other embodiments. 
     The cap  1000  comprises a plurality of threads  1002  on an inside surface  1005  of the cap  1000 . In this regard, the cap  1000  and the attached insert  1001  can be threadedly coupled to a bottle, which is shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the lid  1004  comprising the cap  1000  and the insert  1001  is coupled to a bottle  1100 . In this regard, the threads  1002  on the cap  1000  threadedly couple to the threads  1101  on the bottle  1100 . 
     In use, bait (not shown) is put in the bottle  1100 . The lid  1004  is coupled to the bottle  1100 . The bottle is placed on its side. A rodent can then enter the bottle  1100  through the openings  1006  and  1008 . The rodent is able to enter the bottle  1100  through the flexible protrusions  1003 . However, once the rodent is in the bottle  1100 , he cannot exit because of the angular disposition of the protrusions  1003 . The opening created by the protrusions  1003  is not large enough for the rodent to exit the bottle  1100 . In this regard, when a rodent is entering the bottle  1100  the protrusions expand thereby allowing the rodent to enter. However, once the rodent is in the bottle  1100 , the protrusions contract making the exit way smaller. Thus, the rodent cannot escape. 
       FIG. 12  is a top view of an exemplary lid  1200  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lid  1200  is coupled with a cap, and the lid and the cap are placed on a bottle. 
     The lid  1200  comprises a circular collar  1205  and an opening  1215  therein. Embedded within the circular collar  1205  are a plurality of wires  1201 - 1203 . Note that the lid  1200  may be made of plastic. However, other materials are possible in other embodiments. Further, the wires  1201 - 1203  may be made of metal. However, other materials are possible in other embodiments. 
     Each wire  1201 - 1203  is curved and bent such that two portions of each of the wires  1201 - 1203  protrude from the collar  1205  and bent portions  1206 - 1208  are embedded in the collar  1205 . 
     Note that the portions of the wires  1201 - 1203  that extend from the collar  1205  are bent inward at an acute angle relative to collar  1205 . Those bends in the wires  1201 - 1203  ensure that a rodent cannot escape once the rodent has entered the bottle. 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of the lid  1200 . Notably, the curved and bent portion  1206  of the wire  1201  is embedded in the collar  1205 . Further, two portions  1300  and  1301  of the wire  1201  protrude from the collar  1205  at an angle θ. The two portions  1300  and  1301  of the wire  1201  protrude from the collar  1205  are also bent toward each other. 
       FIG. 14  is a side view of the lid  1200  taken from a different perspective than the view in  FIG. 13 . In this regard, embedded in the collar  1205  are wires  1201  and  1202 . Notably, the curved and bent portion  1206  of the wire  1201  is embedded in the collar  1205 , and the curved and bent portion  1207  of the wire  1201  is embedded in the collar  1205 . Further, portions  1301  and  1401  of the wires  1201  and  1202 , respectively protrude at an angle θ from the collar  205  such that the wire  1301  extends toward wire  1401  and wire  1401  extends toward wire  1301 . 
       FIG. 15  is a rodent trap  1505  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The rodent trap  1505  comprises the cap  1504  on which are threads  1503 . The rodent trap  1505  further is coupled to the lid  1200  that is coupled to the inside of the cap  1504  via an attachment mechanism, e.g., epoxy. 
     The rodent trap  1505  further comprises the bottle  1502 . On its outside surface, the bottle comprises a plurality of threads  1501 . 
     In use, bait is put in the bottle  1502 . The cap  1500  with the lid  1200  coupled therein is attached to the bottle  1502  by the threads  1501  on the bottle and threads  2503  on the cap  1500 . The bottle  1502  is strategically placed on its side. When a rodent goes though the openings  1215  and  1216  to retrieve the bait, they fit in the bottle  1502 , because the wires  1201 - 1203  ( FIG. 12 ) axe slightly flexible and expand as the rodents move through the wires  1201 - 1203 . The wires  1201 - 1203  separate when the rodent is entering the bottle  1502 . However, once the rodent is in the bottle  2502  the wires  1201 - 1203  contract to their resting positions, thereby narrowing the pathway so that the rodent cannot escape.