Patent Abstract:
A device can capture small pests with a sheet overlaying a perforated panel. The sheet may be one layer or several separable and disposable layers with pest detaining adhesive applied to at least a portion of an outer side. The sheet has a marginal recess with a deflected pull tab that is no longer or wider than the recess. The perforated panel has a handle and a peripheral wall with a first and a second section rising in opposite directions from the panel. The panel has at least one overhang projecting inwardly from the peripheral wall for holding the sheet in place. The outer side of said sheet is adhesive free in a region located under the overhang. A cover can fit on the panel and at least partially cover it. The cover has at least one internal detent for engaging the panel and holding it in place.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to fly swatters and devices for capturing small pests, and in particular, devices using an adhesive to capture small pests 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Flying insects, spiders and other small pests are not only annoying but can carry disease, bite, and present other health hazards. Using an insect spray to exterminate these pests may be undesirable inside a home because of concerns with environmental pollution or contamination of foodstuffs. 
         [0005]    House flies can be captured by an adhesive strip that is suspended from the ceiling. This stationary strip can be scented or otherwise impregnated to attract flies. Flies landing on the strip are caught on the adhesive and eventually die. While effective, the sight of several dead flies stuck to an adhesive strip is somewhat repulsive. Moreover, one cannot know in advance where the house fly will appear and suspending multiple strips in every room adds to the unpleasantness and cost of these adhesive strips. 
         [0006]    The well-known fly swatter may have a handle supporting a plastic perforated panel. With this device a user attempts to quickly swat the fly after it lands on a flat surface. Unfortunately, the fly can land behind Venetian blinds, inside a lamp shade or in a crevice of an uneven surface, safe from the swatter. Also, the user may be unable to use the swatter without causing damage if the fly should land on something fragile such as a light fixture. 
         [0007]    See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 834,039; 884,213; 1,005,443; 1,083,179; 1,604,460; 1,718,805; 1,802,774; 2,437,447; 2,618,882; 2,015,092; 3,449,856; 4,120,114; 4,653,222; 4,759,150; 4,787,171; 4,905,408; 4,907,367; 5,269,092; 5,630,290; 6,055,767; 6,067,746; 6,957,510; and 7,165,355. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a device for capturing small pests. The device has a sheet with an outer side and a panel with a handle. The panel has at least one overhang for holding the sheet in place. The sheet is mounted on the panel. The outer side of the sheet is partially coated with a pest detaining adhesive but is adhesive free in a region located under the overhang. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for capturing small pests. The device includes a sheet having a margin with a marginal recess and an outer side coated at least partially with a pest detaining adhesive. The sheet has a pull tab in the recess that is no longer or wider than the recess. The device also has a panel with a handle and adapted to hold the sheet. 
         [0010]    According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for capturing small pests. The device includes a sheet having a separable stack of disposable layers each with pest detaining adhesive applied to at least a portion of an outer side. The layers each have a margin with a marginal recess. Each of the layers has a deflected pull tab in the recess that is no longer or wider than the recess. The device also has a perforated panel with a handle. The panel has a peripheral wall with a first and a second section rising in opposite directions from the panel. The panel has at least one overhang projecting inwardly from the peripheral wall for holding the sheet in place. The sheet is mounted on the panel. The outer side of the sheet is adhesive free in a region located under the overhang. The device has a cover arranged to fit on the panel and at least partially cover the panel. The cover has at least one internal detent for engaging the panel and holding the panel in place. 
         [0011]    Devices of the foregoing type offer a safe and effective way of capturing small pests, avoiding many of the disadvantages and unpleasantness associated with the prior art. In a disclosed embodiment a handle supports a perforated panel that is overlaid with a sheet. The outer side of this sheet has a pest detaining adhesive. Accordingly, the user can use the handle to swing the adhesive sheet to intercept and capture a flying insect. The adhesive sheet can then be removed from the panel, discarded and replaced with a fresh adhesive sheet. In some cases, the outside of the replacement sheet may be covered with a removable protective film that covers the pest detaining adhesive to facilitate handling during installation. 
         [0012]    In a disclosed embodiment the adhesive sheet lies within the borders of a peripheral wall on the panel. The peripheral wall allows the user to lay the device down on a surface without fear of the adhesive sheet sticking to the surface. Also, the device may be simply placed over a crawling insect such as a spider whose escape route is then blocked by the peripheral wall. Eventually this crawling insect will climb the peripheral wall only to be captured on the adhesive. 
         [0013]    In addition, this peripheral wall helps to center the sheet and keep it in position. Also to keep the sheet in place, the peripheral wall may have an inwardly projecting overhang in the form of a tab that hangs over the adhesive sheet. The outside of the adhesive sheet may have adhesive-free regions under the overhanging tabs to avoid sticking to the tabs during sheet removal. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments the peripheral wall can extend in opposite directions from the panel thereby defining bordered regions on opposite sides of the panel that may each contain an adhesive sheet. This doubles the effectiveness of the device, which now can be swung in either direction. 
         [0015]    Moreover, some embodiments may use sheets in the form of a stack of layers each coated with a pest detaining adhesive. The layers may have a removable film to allow easy separation of the layers. Accordingly, stack can be installed on the panel of so that used layers can be easily removed and discarded. 
         [0016]    In a disclosed embodiment the adhesive sheet has a pull tab to facilitate sheet removal. To make the pull tab less obtrusive, it is placed in a recess along the margin of the sheet. To make a pull tab more accessible it is bent or deflected upwardly, making it easier to grab. In embodiments where the sheet is composed of a stack of layers, each of the pull tabs is aligned and deflected upwardly from aligned marginal recesses. 
         [0017]    The disclosed embodiment also employs a cover in the form of a five sided box having an open side into which the panel is inserted. The cover can hide captured insects and also avoid inadvertent touching of or contact with the adhesive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The above brief description as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a device in accordance with principles of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a detail, fragmentary view of a portion of the device of  FIG. 1  with its sheet removed; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the panel of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a detailed, fragmentary view of the sheet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is an edge view of the sheet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a sheet having a stack of layers on a backer, which is an alternate to the sheet shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the device of  FIG. 1  (a portion of the handle broken away for illustrative purposes) and a cover for covering the panel; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is an end view of the cover of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the illustrated device has a tapered handle  10  rounded on one end where a hang hole  12  is located. Handle  10  has an H-shaped cross-section. Handle  10  supports a rectangular panel  14  having a perforated deck  16  surrounded on four side by peripheral wall  18 . In some embodiments panel  14  may have an outline that is another polygonal shape, semicircular, round, oval, etc. The joint between handle  10  and panel  16  is reinforced with a pair of triangular reinforcing webs  19  extending between handle  10  and the adjacent portion of wall  18 . 
         [0028]    Deck  16  has a number of perforations  20  generally arranged as concentric arcs separated into four different quadrants, although other embodiments may have a simpler or more complex hole pattern. The perforations are optional but do help reduce weight and material costs. 
         [0029]    Wall  18  has sections  18 A and  18 B rising in opposite directions from deck  16 , although in some embodiments the wall may rise in just one direction. Inwardly projecting from wall  18 A are four overhangs  22 , shown as rounded cantilevered tabs. A complimentary arrangement of four tabs  22  also projects inwardly from wall  18 B. There is clearance between tabs  22  and deck  16  to hold a pair of sheets  24  one on each side of deck  16 . 
         [0030]    The number, placement, dimensions and shape of the tabs  22  may be different in different embodiments. Also, in a given embodiment the tabs need not have the same shape. In embodiments where only a single sheet will be placed on one side of deck  16 , wall  18  will only project in one direction and therefore tabs will be located only on one side of the deck. In some embodiments tabs  22  may be replaced with L-shaped fingers rising from deck  16 . In still other embodiments tabs  22  may be replaced with undercuts at the base of walls  18 A and  18 B. Also, various types of mechanical clips and holding devices may be used in other embodiments as well. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , sheet  24  comprises paper layer  24 A, but other embodiments may employ instead a plastic film, cardboard or other sheet material. Sheet  24  has a rectangular margin  24 D with rounded corners all designed to fit in the boundary of wall  18 . The outer side of sheet  24  will be coated with a pest detaining adhesive  24 C. The inner side  24 B of sheet  24  will be uncoated. Adhesive  24 B will be strong enough to capture pests that land or walk on the adhesive. 
         [0032]    Adhesive  24 C may be the type of adhesives commonly used in commercially available flypaper although any type of adhesive may be used that is strong enough to immediately capture the targeted pest. In this embodiment adhesive  24 C is strong enough to capture flies, wasps, mosquitoes, ants, roaches, spiders, and the like. In some embodiments the adhesive  24 C may be impregnated with a substance that attracts or lures the pest. The substance can emit an odor associated with a food source, an intraspecies signal, etc. In many embodiments the adhesive  24 C will be made washable and with a stickiness that reduces the tendency to stick to furniture, clothing, etc. 
         [0033]    The regions  26  of sheet  24  under overhangs  22  are adhesive free to prevent sheet  24  from sticking to the overhangs. 
         [0034]    Another adhesive free region  28  is associated with pull tab  30 , which is located in marginal recess  32 . Eliminating adhesive in the region  28  allows a user to grasp pull tab  30  without the mess of touching the adhesive. Tab  30  is shown with rounded corners and may be about 318 inch (10 mm) long and ¼ inch (6 mm) wide although other dimensions and shapes may be employed in other embodiments. 
         [0035]    Pull tab  30  does not extend beyond marginal recess  32  to simplify the overall shape of sheet  24  and to avoid interfering with wall  18 . In fact, pull tab  30  is recessed slightly from margin  24 D by for example 1/16 inch (1.6 mm). Also, in this embodiment tab  30  is deflected or curled so its distal end has a higher elevation than margin  24 D, making the tab easier to grasp. 
         [0036]    Sheet  24  has an optional removable covering  25  made of a substance (or impregnated or coated) in order to avoid sticking to adhesive  24 C. Covering  25  can protect and preserve adhesive  24 C, avoid unnecessary finger contact, and allow similar sheets to be stacked without sticking together. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the illustrated sheet  224  replaces the previously described sheet (sheet  24  of  FIG. 5 ) with a stack of disposable layers  124  (seven layers in this exemplary embodiment). Each of the layers  124  will be paper that is coated on one side with a pest detaining adhesive (the same adhesive  24 C illustrated in  FIG. 5 ). Again, instead of paper, the layer  124  may employ a plastic film, cardboard or other sheet material. This adhesive coating will be formulated to allow easy separation of the individual layers  124  when used in a manner to be described presently. Also in some embodiments, a single removable cover (similar to cover  25  of  FIG. 5 ) may be placed atop the uppermost layer  124 A to allow easy handling and to allow similar stacks to be bundled without sticking together. 
         [0038]    In this embodiment, the underside of the lowermost layer  124 B is attached to a backer  134  made of a thicker material, for example, cardboard. The separable stack of disposable layers  124  and backer  134  may have the same outline as the previously mentioned sheet (sheet  24  of  FIG. 1 ). In particular, pull tabs  130  may have the same outline and may be located in a marginal recess. Also as before, pull tabs  130  are deflected or curled so that their distal ends have a higher elevation, making them easier to grasp. Tabs  130  are shown herein deflected about 30°, although other manners and degrees of deflection are contemplated. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , cover  36  is a hollow five-sided rectangular case having an open side for receiving panel  14 . Cover  36  is sized slightly larger than panel  14  and has two pairs of opposing internal detents  38 . Detents  38  are shown in this embodiment as round nubs protruding from the inner surfaces of the larger opposing sides of cover  36 . Detents  38  are offset from the closed end of cover  36  a distance slightly greater than the thickness of wall sections  18 A and  18 B to allow the detents to ride over and snap around the wall sections. Instead of dome-shaped detents, in some embodiments the detents may be eliminated or replaced with alternate detents such as spring clips. 
         [0040]    Instead of a five sided case, the disclosed cover can be a clamshell design with six sides and a hole for the handle. In some cases the cover may be five sided with a hole on one side so the cover can be slipped over the handle  10  and slid over the panel  14 . In this latter embodiment, the cover may be a secured to a vertical surface and then used as a holster for the device. 
         [0041]    To facilitate an understanding of the principles associated with the foregoing apparatus, its operation will be briefly described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1 through 8 . Sheet  24  is placed inside wall  18  on one side of panel  14  with pull tab  30  adjacent handle  10  (although sheet  24  could in fact be rotated 180°, or for square sheets ±90°). In particular, opposite edges of sheet  24  are inserted under overhangs  22  by bowing the sheet slightly and releasing it. Sheet  24  may alternatively be inserted under overhangs  22  by angling the edge of sheet  24  opposite pull tab  30  under the pair of overhangs closest to handle  10 . Sheet  24  is then slid upward toward the end of panel  14  opposite handle  10 . Sheet  24  is lightly pressed against deck  16  as it is slid to ensure that the edge of sheet  24  opposite pull tab  30  slides between deck  16  and the pair of overhangs  22  located furthest from handle  10 . 
         [0042]    An additional sheet (not shown) is similarly inserted on the opposite side of panel  14 . The protective covers  25  are then removed from both sheets  24  exposing the pest detaining adhesive  24 C, although some users may prefer to remove covers  25  before installing sheets  24  onto panel  14 . 
         [0043]    A user may grasp handle  10  and swing panel  14  toward insects flying nearby. Insects impacting sheet  24  are captured on the pest detaining adhesive  24 C. In some cases, panel  14  may be placed over a small pest on a surface so that peripheral wall  18 A (or  18 B) and sheet  24  form a cage containing the pest (not necessarily an insect but some other small pest, such as a spider). Panel  14  is held in place until the pest moves about and becomes stuck on the pest detaining adhesive  24 C. Moreover, panel  14  may be slid while pressing wall  18 A down, in order to agitate the pest and cause it to move into contact with the adhesive  24 C. 
         [0044]    In some cases a flying insect may land on an uneven or fragile surface where the panel  14  may not be placed effectively or safely. In this case, the user may simply quickly bring the panel  14  nearby and the insect may still contact adhesive  24 C and be captured anyway. 
         [0045]    When not in use, the device may be placed upon a level surface with wall section  18 A (or  18 B) resting on the surface. Advantageously, wall  18  elevates sheet  24  and its adhesive  24 C to avoid contact with the resting surface. Also, if captured pests are on only one side, they can be positioned facing down and therefore hidden from view. 
         [0046]    When the user is finished catching insects, panel  14  may be inserted in cover  36  for storage. Panel  14  is inserted into the open end of cover  36  until the edges of walls  18 A and  18 B contact detents  38 . The user continues to push panel into cover  36  causing detents  38  to snap over wall  18 . Wall  18  is retained between the closed end of cover  36  and detents  38 . Thus positioned, cover  36  thereby conceals the pests trapped on sheet  24  and shield the adhesive  24 C. A user may later grasp and pull handle  10  away from cover  36  when the device is to be used again. 
         [0047]    With the cover  36  removed, a user may remove sheet  24  by grasping pull tab  30  and lifting sheet  24  away from deck  16  and then pulling toward handle  10  until the edge of sheet  24  opposite pull tab  30  clears overhangs  22 . Sheet  24  may also be removed from panel  14  by grasping pull tab  30  and pulling perpendicular to deck  16  until the edges of sheet  24  clear overhangs  22 . The used sheet may then be discarded and replaced with a new sheet using one of the methods previously described. 
         [0048]    The multilayered sheet  224  of  FIG. 5  may also be placed on each side of panel  14  instead of sheet  24 . The insertion of sheet  224  is similar to that of sheet  24  previously described. When the user wants to expose a fresh layer of adhesive, the uppermost layer  124 A may be removed by grasping its pull tab  130  and peeling it away from the sheet located directly beneath it. Layers  124  may be removed from the stack as necessary until the last layer  124 B is used. At this time, the user may remove the last layer  124 B together with backer  134  and install a new separable stack  224  as previously described. 
         [0049]    It is appreciated that various modifications may be implemented with respect to the above described embodiments. For example, the pull tabs may extend beyond the margin of the sheet and may also bend outwardly to allow easy grasping. In some embodiments the single optional pull tab can be replaced with multiple pull tabs at different positions on the same sheet. For embodiments having multiple separable layers, the pull tabs may be located at different spaced positions for each layer. In some cases the overhangs may be replaced with a snap-in ring for holding the sheet in place. Alternatively, the underside of the sheet may have a light adhesive coating for temporarily holding the sheet onto the panel. In addition, different type of types of sheets may be placed on opposite sides of the panel so that one side may target large flying insects while the other side targets small spiders. Moreover, the two oppositely projecting wall sections may have different heights to accommodate different size pests. In fact, in some embodiments there may be no wall projecting from one side even though an adhesive sheet is placed on that side. 
         [0050]    Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0