Patent Publication Number: US-2009229170-A1

Title: Bait station for eliminating rodents

Description:
This invention concerns a bait station for use in eliminating rodents, in particular for eliminating mice and/or rats. 
     As is known, a technique for eliminating rodents consists of placing comestible bait in the rooms to be freed from rodents, the bait having been treated with suitable poisonous substances which cause the animal&#39;s death, preferably with a delay, thus allowing the animal to leave the site undisturbed and then die far away from the bait. 
     Usually, poisoned baits are placed inside special bait stations, which comprise a protective container, the container being provided with an entrance and an exit for the rodent, and being further provided with a openable lid, through which an operator arranges the bait inside a small internal bait-holder, and then checking from time to time whether the bait has been consumed, before beginning the search for the bodies of dead animals. The openable lid is generally provided with a safety lock, so that it can only be opened by an operator who is familiar with the effects of the poisons being used, and is therefore also familiar with the precautions which must be taken when preparing and/or manipulating poisoned bait. 
     For this reason, bait stations in the prior art can only be used within the ambit of a professional rodent elimination operation which is carried out and controlled by professional experts: bait stations of this known type are totally unsuitable for domestic use by unskilled users. 
     The aim of this invention is therefore to provide a bait station for rodent elimination, the use of which does not require the user to prepare or handle poisoned bait, and which can therefore be used safely by non-professional users, for example in the ambit of a do-it-yourself rodent elimination operation. 
     A further aim of the invention is to provide a bait station in which the poisoned bait is inaccessible both to the user and any unsuspecting persons who might handle the station, for example children, thus removing the risk of accidental contact with the poison. 
     A third aim of the invention is to provide a bait station which can be sold without any restrictions and without causing risks to distributors and retailers, and which preserves the effectiveness of the poisoned bait for the entire time span between production of the bait station and its use, this time span for example comprising a period for storage in a warehouse, transport and sale of the bait station. 
     A further aim of the invention is to achieve the above-mentioned objectives within the ambit of a simple, rational and low-cost solution. 
     These aims are achieved by the characteristics of the invention described in independent claim  1 . The dependent claims delineate preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention. 
     In detail, the invention makes a bait station of a substantially disposable type available, comprising an unopenable container which is provided with at least one opening through which a rodent can enter and exit, a poisoned bait which is housed within the container in such a way that the bait cannot be touched by a user&#39;s hands, and means for sealing the poisoned bait inside the container which means can be opened from outside the container. 
     This solution enables all the aims delineated in the preamble to be achieved. Use of an unopenable container effectively prevents an unskilled user or any unsuspecting person from voluntarily or accidentally coming into contact with the poisoned bait, either during placement of the bait station, or while the bait station is left in the room which is to be cleared of rodents, thus preventing any contact with the poison and consequently preventing any risk of poisoning. 
     The means for sealing also ensure that the poisoned bait is completely enclosed within the container during all the phases of distribution and marketing of the bait station, thus avoiding any danger for those working in these sectors, and at the same time protecting the bait and preserving it from deterioration and consequently from any possible loss of effectiveness. 
     The means for sealing which are openable from the exterior also allow the bait station to be put in place and activated without the user having to handle the poisoned bait directly, so that the station is entirely suitable for domestic use, within the ambit of a do-it-yourself rodent elimination operation. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for sealing comprise a tray, and a removable film which encloses the poisoned bait in the tray. The tray is housed inside the container, while the removable film is provided with a free tab which projects from the container, in such a way that a user can grip and pull the tab with the fingers in order to open the tray and thus activate the station. 
     Alternatively, the poisoned bait can be freely exposed inside the container, and the means for sealing can comprise individual removable portions of film which are fixed to the exterior of the container to close the access apertures, or otherwise, a single openable wrapping made for example of cellophane, which is wrapped around the container, and encloses it. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, the container comprises at least one transparent window, through which the user can see whether the poisoned bait has been consumed, before proceeding to search for dead rodent bodies. 
     In a further preferred aspect of the invention, the container also contains an insecticide device which attracts and kills insects, preferably crawling insects such as cockroaches, and therefore the container is also provided with small openings to allow the insects to enter the container. 
     In this way, the bait station of the invention becomes an effective multifunctional device, which not only eliminates mice and rats, but also insects. 
    
    
     
       Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description, which is provided by way of a non-limiting example, with the aid of the appended figures of the drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bait station of the invention, shown in an assembled condition. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a bait station of the invention, which is shown partially disassembled in order to illustrate some of the characteristics of the invention more clearly. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the tray which holds the poisoned bait. 
         FIGS. 4 to 7  are orthogonal projection views of the bait station of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of only the lower half of the bait station of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of the bait station taken along the plane IX-IX of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 1 to 9  illustrate a disposable bait station  1  which can be used to exterminate rodents, especially mice and/or rats. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     Schematically, the bait station  1  comprises an external container  2  which is unopenable, that is, not easily opened by a user by hand, unless obviously by intervening with force or destructively. 
     A poisoned bait  3  is received and fixed inside the container  2  in such a way that it cannot exit from the container  2 , or be reached or touched by the user by hand. 
     Preferably, the poisoned bait  3  is a comestible substance with a doughy consistency, and which is particularly attractive to rodents, one or more toxic substances which are lethal to rodents, such as for example anticoagulants such as bromodiolone, brodifacoum, difenacoum or the like, having been added to the comestible substance. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the poisoned bait  3  is contained and sealed in an impermeable tray  40  which is preferably made of plastic material using a thermoforming process, the mouth of the tray exhibiting a flat perimetral edge  41  which is folded towards the exterior, and to which a removable film  42  is welded, the removable film  42  for example being made of plastic material or of aluminium and hermetically sealing the poisoned bait  3  inside the tray  40 . In detail, the removable film  42  exhibits a free tab  43  of rather large dimensions (see  FIG. 2 ), which can be gripped and pulled with the fingers, in such a way as to remove the film  42  from the tray  40 , thus making the poisoned bait  3  accessible from the exterior. 
     The container  2  is substantially conformed as a rigid shell which encloses the tray  40  on all sides, thus delimiting an inner chamber which a rodent can enter in order to eat the poisoned bait  3 . 
     In general, the container  2  must be provided with at least one access opening which allows a rodent to enter and exit. However it is preferable for the container  2  to be provided with at least two access openings, each of which is visible from the other, since it is known that rodents are wary of entering closed environments from which they cannot identify at least one escape route. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the described container  2  exhibits a substantially square exterior form, with a flat bottom and top, and four side walls which give the container  2  a generally rectangular plan shape, in this particular instance square, the tray  40  with the poisoned bait being arranged at the centre of the rectangle. 
     Each side wall affords an access opening  20  leading to the internal chamber, which chamber is positioned in such a way that from the chamber it is possible to see the access openings  20  afforded in the adjacent side walls. 
     In particular, the container  2  is provided with two access openings  20  exhibiting a curved shape and afforded in two oppositely-positioned side walls, and two trapezoidal access openings  20  afforded in the remaining side walls. 
     In this way, the container  2  can be rested on the floor and be placed near a corner in the room to be cleared of vermin, attracting little attention and occupying little space, without being any the less effective. The walls of the room at the corner thereof will in effect close two access openings  20  on two consecutive sides of the container  2 , leaving open the access openings  20  on the two opposite sides however, which access openings  20  are both reciprocally visible. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the container  2  comprises two half-shells, a lower half-shell  21  which comprises the base wall, and an upper half-shell  22  which comprises the top wall, which half-shells  21 ,  22  are preferably made of injection-moulded plastic material, and are coupled together by inseparable connecting means. 
     The connecting means are of the snap-tab variety, that is, they comprise a plurality of snap-in tabs  12  which are afforded along two sides of the upper half-shell  22  and which couple with corresponding seatings  13  afforded in the lower semi-shells  21 , in such a way that after coupling, the snap-in tabs are not accessible from the outside and the tabs can therefore not be freed from the respective seatings  13 . 
     Alternatively, the connecting means could comprise a weld, joining the two semi-shells  21  and  22  along the perimetral edges which are reciprocally in contact. 
     Note that in the example shown in  FIG. 5 , the perimetral edges which are reciprocally in contact lie in an inclined plane. This does not however mean that the two edges might not lie in a horizontal plane, that is, parallel to the base and summital walls. 
     The lower half-shell  21  comprises four thin ascending walls  23 , preferably all the same as each other, extending from the base wall and projecting towards the interior of the chamber of the container  2  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). 
     In plan view the ascending walls  23  are positioned at the centre of the container  2 , where they delimit an open enclosure, which snugly receives the tray  40  containing the poisoned bait  3 . 
     In the example shown, the tray  40  exhibits a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, such that the four ascending walls  23  are arranged along the four sides of a rectangular enclosure. 
     In detail, the upper flat surfaces of the ascending walls  23  contemporaneously and restingly receive the folded edge  41  of the tray  40 , and are singly provided with one or more projecting teeth  24 , which are singly inserted in a corresponding slot which is afforded in the folded edge  41 , such as to fix the tray  40  in a position with its mouth and the removable film  42  facing upwards (see also  FIG. 2 ). 
     In turn, the upper half-shell  22  comprises four slim descending walls  25  (see  FIG. 9 ), which extend from the top wall and project towards the interior of the chamber of the container  2 . 
     The descending walls  25  in plan view are positioned at the centre of the container  2 , such that each of them can be aligned with and can perfectly complement a respective ascending wall  23  of the lower half-shell  21 . 
     The lower flat surfaces of the descending walls  25  press the inclined edge  41  of the tray  40  against the upper surfaces of the ascending walls  23 , and are singly provided with at least one cavity which receives the projecting tooth  24  of the relative ascending wall  23 . 
     In this way, the descending walls  25  delimit an upper enclosure which surrounds the tray  40 , but which, being partially open on all sides, nevertheless allows a rodent to reach the poisoned bait  3 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 8 , each ascending wall  23  is positioned substantially in front of a respective opening access  20 , where together with the relative descending wall  25  it forms a single continuous membrane which extends for the entire height of the container  2  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     In this way, the ascending walls  23  and the descending walls  25  do not serve only as support for the edge  41  of the tray  40 , but also have the important function of preventing contact from the exterior with the tray  40  containing the poisoned bait  3 . 
     In fact a user who voluntarily or accidentally inserted fingers into the access openings  20  would touch the membranes formed by each ascending wall  23  and by the relative descending wall  25 , which membranes together extend for the entire height, without ever being able to reach the tray  40 . 
     Note however that the number of ascending wall  23  and thus of the corresponding descending walls  25  is purely illustrative. In general in fact, two ascending walls alone  23 , supporting two opposite sides of the inclined edge  41  of the tray  40 , or else a single ascending wall exhibiting a profile in plan view which extends along at least three consecutive sides of the inclined edge  41 , might be sufficient. 
     Note also that the ascending walls  23  and/or the descending walls  25  could effectively be replaced by other projecting elements which support and tightly grip the inclined edge  41  of the tray; for example they could be replaced by two or more cylindrical columns. 
     Further, the container  2  exhibits a side wall which affords a slit  26 , through which the free tab  43  of the removable film  32  which closes the tray  40  is inserted and projects externally. 
     In this way, a user can easily open the tray  40  by pulling the projecting portion of the free tab  43  from the outside, without coming into contact with the poisoned bait  3 , the tray  40  being enclosed and blocked in position inside the container  2 . 
     Preferably the slit  26  is defined by the interface between the two half-shells  21  and  22 , in such a way as to be open on the side when the two half-shells are separated (see  FIG. 2 ) 
     In this way, the bait station  1  can be assembled very easily and rapidly. 
     When the half-shells  21  and  22  are separated, a closed tray  40  containing the poisoned bait  3  is restingly placed on the ascending walls  23  of the lower half-shell  21 , with the slots of the inclined edge  41  inserted on the projecting teeth  24 , the tray  40  being oriented in such a way that the free tab  43  of the film  42  rests on the outer edge of the half-shell  21 , in the tract in which the slit  26  will be defined. 
     Then the upper half-shell  22  is coupled on, taking care that the projecting teeth  24  of the ascending walls  23  couple with the corresponding cavities of the descending walls  25  and that the slit  26  is defined around the free tab  43  of the film  42 . 
     Finally, the two half-shells  21  and  22  are joined together inseparably, by being snapped together or by welding as previously mentioned. 
     The upper half-shell  22  is further provided with a transparent window  27 , realised for example in a thin sheet of transparent plastic and positioned at the centre of the top wall, in such a way as to overlie the tray  40  of poisoned bait  3 . 
     In a variant of the invention, not illustrated, the transparent window  27  is afforded in the lower half-shell  21 , or in both half-shells  21  and  22 . 
     The presence of one or more transparent windows  27  enables a user to check periodically whether the rodents have consumed the poisoned bait  3 , without the user needing to have access to the inner chamber of the container  2 , and therefore without coming into direct contact with the poisoned bait  3 . 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, at the centre of the enclosure defined by the ascending walls  23 , the base of the lower half-shell  21  affords a depression  28  which is beneath the tray  40  of poisoned bait  3 , and which in plan view exhibits a substantially four-lobed shape (see  FIG. 8 ). 
     The central surface of the depression  28  is substantially flat, while the surfaces of the lobes are slightly inclined, thus defining connecting ramps which are oriented upwardly from the central surface of the depression  28  towards the surface surrounding the base of the lower half-shell  21 . 
     A special insecticidal substance is applied on the base surface, in this example associated to a card  5  or other adhesive element, the substance being specially designed to attract and eliminate crawling insects, typically cockroaches or the like. 
     For this reason, the container  2  is provided with a plurality of small slits  29  which are aligned along the side walls, substantially at the base of the lower half-shell  21 , and are designed to allow crawling insects to enter, so that the insects can reach the centre of the chamber and be trapped. 
     The tray  40  of poisoned bait  3  further exhibits four lateral feet, which rest on the base surface of the lower half-shell, and a central raised portion, the distance of which from the surface of the depression  28  is generally no less than 1 cm. 
     In this way, a space is defined between the central portion of the tray  40  and the depression  28 , which space is sufficiently large to allow the passage of insects with feelers, such as cockroaches. 
     Preferably, the tray  40  of poisoned bait  3  is made of a transparent material, such that by looking through the window  27  of the container  2 , a user can also check whether insects have been trapped in the depression  28 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a bait station  10  which corresponds to an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
     The bait station  10  comprises an external container  2  which in every respect is similar to the external container  2  described above, is provided with at least two access openings  20 , and defines an inner chamber in which a poisoned bait  3  is contained in such a way as to be out of the reach of a user&#39;s hands. 
     In this embodiment, the poisoned bait  3  exhibiting a doughy consistency can be placed in the tray  40  without the removable film  42 , or else it can be shaped into a substantially cylindrical form, and be stuck on a skewer which is stably fixed inside the container  2 , in such a way that the poisoned bait  3  is in any case in a position where it can be reached by a rodent. 
     The poisoned bait  3  is sealed inside the container  2  by a single openable wrapping  11  which wraps the container  2  exteriorly, thus enclosing it, the wrapping for example being made of cellophane or other suitable material. 
     In this way, the user can tear and thus open the external wrapping  11  only when the user needs to put the bait station  10  in place and activate it. 
     Alternatively, the poisoned bait  3  could be sealed inside the container  2  by a plurality of individual removable films, for example made of flexible plastic material, each of which being arranged to close a respective access opening  20 , and being removably attached to the external surface of the container  2 , for example by gluing or hot-welding. 
     Each removable film must be provided with at least one free tab, which a user can pull with the fingers so as to tear and remove the film, in order to open the access openings  20  from outside, thus setting the bait station  10  in operation and activating it only when it is necessary to do so. 
     In a further variant of the invention, schematically illustrated in  FIG. 11 , retaining means  50  are associated to the external surface  2  of the container, which retaining means  50  comprise a tab  51  which derives from the external surface of the container  2  and which exhibits a hole  52  for housing a fixing element, not illustrated as of known type, such as a nail or a picket, destined to fixe the container to the rest surface. 
     Obviously, a person skilled in the art could introduce numerous technical/applicational modifications to the bait stations  1  and  10  described above, without thereby forsaking the ambit of the invention as claimed herein below.