Abstract:
An insect entrapment apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the insect entrapment apparatus includes a bag formed of a mesh material having a mesh sized to pass airflow from an interior of the bag through the mesh while entrapping insects entrained within the airflow within the interior of the bag. The bag forms an enclosed interior with an entry to admit airflow into the interior of the bag, in various aspects. The bag, in various aspects, includes an elastic material disposed about the entry of the bag to grippably compressionably secure the entry to a housing of a fan assembly with the interior of the bag in fluid communication with the fan assembly. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the methods of use and related apparatus disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority and benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/166,926 filed 27 May 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field 
         [0003]    This disclosure relates to insect control, and, more particular, to apparatus and related methods for the capture of flying insects. 
         [0004]    Related Art 
         [0005]    Insect control in the outdoor environment, particularly at various outdoor public venues such as parks, stadiums, grandstands, ballparks, and racetracks, may be challenging. The use of insecticides to control insects, particularly biting or noxious flying insects such as flies and mosquitos, may pose various health risks. For example, certain people may be particularly sensitive to insecticide, so that exposure to insecticide may precipitate various allergic responses. Long term exposure or exposure to large quantities of insecticide may pose a risk of cancer or other disease. Furthermore, insecticides may damage the ecosystem, and insecticides may pose other undesirable consequences to the environment. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for improved apparatus as well as related methods for the control of insects in the outdoor environment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    These and other needs and disadvantages may be overcome by the apparatus and related methods of use disclosed herein. Additional improvements and advantages may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of the present disclosure. 
         [0008]    An insect entrapment apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the insect entrapment apparatus includes a bag formed of a mesh material having a mesh sized to pass airflow from an interior of the bag through the mesh while entrapping insects entrained within the airflow within the interior of the bag. The bag forms an enclosed interior with an entry to admit airflow into the interior of the bag, in various aspects. The bag, in various aspects, includes an elastic band disposed about the entry of the bag to grippably compressionably secure the entry to a housing of a fan assembly with the interior of the bag in fluid communication with the fan assembly. 
         [0009]    This summary is presented to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein as a prelude to the detailed description that follows. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates by perspective view an exemplary implementation of a insect entrapment apparatus; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  illustrates by perspective view an exemplary bag that forms a portion of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  illustrates by magnified plan view portions of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates by cut-away perspective view portions of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates by side cross-sectional view portions of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates by plan view portions of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6A  illustrates by perspective view an exemplary bag that forms a portion of another exemplary insect entrapment apparatus. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 6B, 6C, and 6D  illustrate by plan view exemplary stages of formation of the exemplary bag component of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7A  illustrates by perspective view another exemplary insect entrapment apparatus including an exemplary bag; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7B  illustrates by perspective view the exemplary bag component of the exemplary insect entrapment apparatus of  FIG. 7A ; and, 
           [0020]      FIGS. 7C and 7D  illustrate by plan view exemplary stages of formation of the exemplary bag of  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
       
    
    
       [0021]    The Figures are exemplary only, and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the Figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. Use herein of relative terms such as generally, about, approximately, essentially, may be indicative of engineering, manufacturing, or scientific tolerances such as ±0.1%, ±1%, ±2.5%, ±5%, or other such tolerances, as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    An insect entrapment apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the insect entrapment apparatus includes a bag that forms an enclosed interior with an entry to admit airflow into the interior of the bag. The bag is formed of a mesh material having a mesh sized to pass airflow from the interior through the mesh while entrapping insects entrained within the airflow within the interior, in various aspects. An elastic material disposed about the entry of the bag to grippably compressionably secure the entry to a housing of a fan assembly with the interior of the bag in fluid communication with the fan assembly. 
         [0023]    The bag may be formed of various mesh materials having a mesh that allows airflow to pass through the mesh while entrapping insects entrained in the airflow within the interior of the bag. The mesh material may be, for example, fiberglass mesh, plastic mesh, or metal mesh, and the mesh may be sized to entrap insects of a desired type. In various implementations, the mesh material may be cellulose based. In various implementations, the mesh material may be cloth formed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or both natural and synthetic fibers, and the mesh material may be compliant and foldable. In various implementations, the mesh material may be cheesecloth and the cheesecloth may include cotton. In various implementations, the mesh material may be formed of cheesecloth and the cheesecloth may essentially comprise cotton. In various implementations, the mesh material may include 90-weight close weave fine cheesecloth. In various implementations, the mesh material may be biodegradable. 
         [0024]    The insect entrapment apparatus may include a fan assembly that includes housing surrounding fan blades powered by an electric motor. The fan assembly may include a light to attract insect to the vicinity of the fan assembly where the insects may be sucked into the bag by entrainment in airflow generated by the fan blades of fan assembly. Various wheels, handles, controls, and so forth may be provided about the fan assembly that facilitate handling or operation of the insect entrapment apparatus including the bag, in various implementations. 
         [0025]    Insects may include mosquitos, flies, no-see-ums (ceratopogonidae), gnats, and other biting or noxious flying insects. The insects may be vectors of various diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, zika fever, yellow fever, worms, parasites, and protozoan diseases, and the insect entrapment apparatus including the bag may be used for disease control by eliminating these vectors. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  illustrates an implementation of insect entrapment apparatus  10  that includes fan assembly  25 , light  40 , and bag  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , fan assembly  25  includes housing  27  and fan blades  35 , with fan blades  35  powered by an electric motor (not shown). When fan blades  35  are rotating under power, airflow, as indicated by arrow  101  in  FIG. 1 , is sucked into housing  27  by fan blades  35  from the exterior environment through entry  37  and then ejected out exit  39  of housing  27  into bag  50 . Insects, such as insect  105 , may be entrained in the airflow to be sucked into housing  27  and then ejected into bag  50  for capture in interior  57  of bag  50 . 
         [0027]    Fan assembly  25 , in this implementation, includes grating  33  though which the airflow passes propelled by fan blades  35 . Grating  33  encloses fan blades  35  to prevent objects larger than the aperture  34  of the grating  33  from engaging the fan blades  35  particularly when the fan blades  35  are rotating, in this implementation. Aperture  34  of grating  33  may be sized, in some implementations, to prevent large insects such as butterflies and moths from being sucked into fan assembly  25  through fan blades  35  and then into bag  50 . 
         [0028]    Fan assembly  25 , in this implementation, includes wheels  29 ,  31  rotatably secured to housing  27  to allow fan assembly  25  to be positioned about. Note that the fan assembly  25 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is exemplary. Other implementations of fan assembly  25  may include, for example, various handles, wheels, grates, switches, controls, and may be configured in various ways, as would be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. 
         [0029]    Light  40 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is positioned proximate entry  37  of housing  27  to attract insects, particularly flying insects, to the vicinity of the entry  37 . Light  40  may be electrically powered, and may be hung onto housing  27  of fan assembly  25  to lie over portions of grating  33 , as illustrated, or otherwise secured about fan assembly  25  generally proximate entry  37 . Light  40  may variously emit light in the visible, ultraviolet, or infrared spectra as selected to attract selected insects. 
         [0030]    Bag  50  is secured to exit  39  of housing  27  of fan assembly  25  using cord  55  that is slidably secured within sleeve  58  (see  FIG. 2 ) of bag  50  proximate end  51 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Bag  50  may be secured to exit  39  of housing  27  using various ties, hooks, fasteners, elastic material(s), or adhesive, in various implementations. Cord  55  may be a rope, strap, cord, or similar, and cord  55  may be formed of an elastic material. Cord  55  may be tensionably engaged with flange  28  (see  FIG. 3 ) formed in housing  27  in order to secure removably bag  50  to exit  39  of housing  27 . Flange  28 , as illustrated, is located generally proximate exit  39  of fan assembly  25 . Flange  28  may be formed as a flange, channel, ridge, chamfer, bevel, or other structure formed in housing  27  that may be engaged by cord  55 . (See  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4 ) Clamp  60 , as illustrated, releasably secures cord  55  in tension thereby securing cord  55  and, hence, bag  50  in tensioned removably secured engagement with housing  27  of fan assembly  25 . 
         [0031]    Cinch rope  70 , which is attached to bag  50  by mount  75  in this implementation, may be used to tie off bag  50  to retain insects within the portion of the interior  57  of bag  50  generally proximate end  53  when bag  50  is removed from housing  27  of fan assembly  25 . 
         [0032]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the fan blades rotating under power draw airflow along with insects attracted by the light through fan assembly  25 , as indicated by arrow  101  and bag  50 . The airflow passes through bag  50 , as indicated by arrows  103 , leaving the insects entrapped within interior  57  of bag  50 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2A  further illustrates bag  50  of insect entrapment apparatus  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , portions of bag  50  proximate end  51  are doubled back upon itself and hemmed with hem  59  to form sleeve  58 . Cord  55  is slidably disposed within sleeve  58 , as illustrated. Sleeve  58 , in this implementation, extends circumferentially around bag  50  to allow the circumference of bag  50  at end  51  to be engaged with housing  27  of fan assembly  25  throughout the perimeter of housing  27  at exit  39  by cord  55 . Note that the circumference of bag  50  at end  51  may be engaged with the perimeter of housing  27  in implementations of housing  27  having a square, rectangular, oval, or other shape. 
         [0034]    Clamp  60  is releasably slidably engaged with cord  55  proximate ends  64 ,  66  of cord  55  as illustrated in  FIG. 2A . Clamp  60  may be released allowing cord  55  to be slid through clamp  60  by pushing button  61 . Release of button locks cord  55  in clamp  60 . Sleeve  58  of bag  50  may be drawn about housing  27  and then locked to housing  27  to secure bag  50  to housing  27  by drawing ends  64 ,  66  of cord  55  away from sleeve  58  and then locking cord  55  with clamp  60 . Sleeve  58  may be released from housing  27  to release bag  50  from housing  27  by releasing cord  55  from clamp  60 . In other implementations, cord  55  may be knotted to position cord  55 . Bag  50  may be secured to housing  27  by other mechanisms, for example, hook and loop fasteners, eyes, loops, hooks, or adhesive, in various implementations. 
         [0035]    Bag  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , has a cylindrical shape, but may have other shapes in other implementations, such as in insect entrapment apparatus  100 ,  200  described herein. Interior  57  is defined by surface  54  of bag  50 , and insects are collected within interior  57  when bag  50  is in use. End  53  of bag is enclosed by the mesh material  80  of bag  50 , and end  51  of bag is open to form entry  91  into interior  57  of bag  50 . Airflow may pass though the open end  51  of bag  50  into interior  57  of bag  50 , while the airflow must pass through the mesh material  80  of bag  50  to exit bag  50  circumferentially, through end  53 , or both circumferentially and through the mesh material  80  of end  53  thus entrapping insects within interior  57  of bag  50 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 2B  illustrates exemplary mesh material  80  of bag  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , mesh material  80  is formed of threads  82   a,    82   b,    82   c,    82   d,    82   e  woven together and having mesh  83 . In various implementations, the mesh  83  ranges is size from 0.01 mm to 1.6 mm. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate in detail the attachment of bag  50  to housing  27  of fan assembly  25 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4 , bag  50  is attached peripherally about exit  39  of housing  27 . Cord  55 , in this implementation, engages surface  36  including flange  28  of housing  27 . Cord  55  is releasably held in tension against surface  36  including flange  28  by clamp  60  so that bag  50  is fixed to housing  27  when airflow passes through fan assembly  25  and through bag  50 . 
         [0038]    Cinch rope  70 , which is attached to bag  50  by mount  75 , may be used to enclose bag  50  to retain insects within the portion of bag  50  generally proximate end  53  when bag  50  is removed from housing  27 .  FIG. 5  illustrates bag  50  enclosed by cinch rope  70  to retain insects including other debris within the portion of interior  57  of bag  50  generally proximate end  53 . Cinch rope  70 , as illustrated, is wound circumferentially around bag  50  and then knotted to itself to enclose the interior  57  of bag  50  proximate end  53  to prevent the escape of insects from interior  57 , for example, during removal of bag  50  from housing  27  of fan assembly  25 . Cinch rope  70  may be made, for example, of nylon or cotton, and may be formed as a rope, strap, line, or other such securement. Cinch rope  70  passes through mount  75  that is formed as a rectangular strap secured to side  52  of bag  50 . Mount  75  is illustrated as located approximately halfway between ends  51 ,  53  of bag  50 , but mount  75  may be positioned closer to either of ends  51 ,  53  in other implementations. Chord  55  may be drawn to enclose interior  57  of bag  50 , and cord  55  may then be secured, for example, by knot or by clamp, such as clamp  60 . Clamp  60  may be omitted, in some implementations, and cord  55  may be knotted or otherwise secured. 
         [0039]      FIG. 6A  illustrates exemplary insect entrapment apparatus  100  including exemplary bag  150 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , cord  155  is slidably engaged within sleeve  158  of bag  150  at end  151 . Hem  159  encloses sleeve  158 , as illustrated. Sleeve  158 , in this implementation, extends circumferentially around bag  150  to allow cord  155  to engage the circumference of bag  150  at end  151  with the perimeter of a housing, such as housing  27 , of a fan assembly, such as fan assembly  25 . Clamp  160  is releasably slidably engaged with cord  155 , in the illustrated implementation. 
         [0040]    Bag  150 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6A , has a conic shape that tapers from end  151  toward end  153 , and end  153  of bag  150  is enclosed by the mesh material of bag  150 . Insects are collected within interior  157 . Airflow from a fan assembly, such as fan assembly  25 , may pass though the open end  151  of bag  150  into interior  157  of bag  150 , while the airflow must pass through the mesh material of bag  150  to exit bag  150  circumferentially, through end  153 , or both circumferentially and through the end  153 . The mesh material of bag  150  filters insects entrained within the airflow from the airflow entrapping the insects within bag  150 . Cinch rope  170 , which is attached to bag  150  by mount  175 , may be used to enclose bag  150  to retain insects within the portion of bag  150  generally proximate end  153 . 
         [0041]      FIGS. 6B, 6C, and 6D  illustrate an exemplary construction of bag  150 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 6B, 6C , pieces  180 ,  190  are generally triangular and conform to one another in size and shape. As illustrated in  FIG. 6D , piece  180  is then overlain upon piece  190  and side  183  is seamed to side  193  and side  185  is seamed to side  195  to form bag  150 . Sides  187 ,  197  are unattached to one another to form end  151  with entry  191 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6D . Sleeve  158 , cord  155  and so forth may be formed or attached, as convenient. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrated exemplary insect entrapment apparatus  200  including bag  250 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7A , bag  250  is secured to exit  239  of housing  227  of fan assembly  225 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7A , airflow along with insects entrained in the airflow is drawn through entry  237  of housing  227  if fan assembly  225 , as indicated by arrow  201 . The airflow exits fan assembly  225  passing through bag  250 , as indicated by arrows  203 , leaving the insects entrapped within interior  257  (see  FIG. 7B ) of bag  250 . Bag  250  is secured to housing  227  via elastic band  255  disposed about at least portions of end  251  of bag  250 . Elastic band  255  grippably compressionably releasably engages bag  250  with housing  227  proximate exit  239 . 
         [0043]    Bag  250 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , has generally a crescent shape with a generally circular cross-section. Interior  257  of bag  250  is defined by surface  254  of bag  250 , and insects are collected within interior  257  when bag  520  is in use. End  251  of bag  250  is open to form entry  291  into interior  257  of bag  250 , as illustrated. Airflow may pass though entry  291  of bag  50  into interior  257  of bag  50 , while the airflow must pass through the mesh material of bag  250  to exit bag  250  so that insects entrained within the airflow are captured within interior  257  by the mesh material of bag  250 . 
         [0044]    Bag  250  may be formed as illustrated in  FIGS. 7C and 7D . At exemplary first stage of formation, illustrated in  FIG. 7C , mesh material  275  from which bag  250  is formed is rectangular with length L and width W. Elastic band  255  is attached along portions of side  271  so that elastic band  255  extends along about half the length L of side  271 , and side  271  may be gathered about elastic band  255 . At exemplary second stage of formation illustrated in  FIG. 7D , mesh material  275  is then folded in half (along dashed line  277  in  FIG. 7C ) so that side  272  meets side  274 . Side  273  is then seamed to itself and sides  272 ,  274  are seamed to one another to form bag  250  that encloses interior  257 , in this implementation. Side  271  including elastic  255  forms end  251  with entry  291 , in this implementation. When deployed, bag  250  may have generally the crescent shape as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
         [0045]    In operation, an end, such as end  51 ,  151 ,  251  of a bag, such as bag  50 ,  150 ,  250  may be secured to a housing, such as housing  27 , of a fan assembly, such as fan assembly  25  using a cord, such as cord  55 ,  155 , so that fan assembly ejects airflow into the entry, such as entry  91 ,  191 ,  291  of the bag. Alternatively, the end of the bag may be attached to the housing by an elastic band disposed about the end for that purpose. As a further alternative, the end of the bag may be attached to the housing by an adhesive strip disposed about the end for that purpose. With the bag secured to the housing, the insect entrapment apparatus, such as insect entrapment apparatus  10 ,  100 ,  200  attracts various insects, particularly flying insects such as insect  105 , with a light, such as light  40 . Then, the rotation of fan blades, such as fan blades  35 , of the fan assembly under power sucks the insects, such as insect  105 , entrained in the airflow through the fan assembly and into the bag though the entry. The mesh material that forms the bag is selected to allow airflow to pass through while straining the insects from the air. The mesh material may be formed as a mesh with size selected to capture certain selected insects including vectors of certain diseases. The insects are then entrapped within the interior, such as interior  57 ,  157 , of the bag. The light  40  may attract various insects to be then entrained within the airflow. 
         [0046]    A cinch rope, such as cinch rope  70 ,  170 , may be used to enclose the interior of the bag in order to contain the entrapped insects within interior proximate the closed end, such as end  53 ,  153 , of the bag. With insects contained within the interior of the bag by cinching of the bag with the cinch rope, the bag may be removed from the housing. The insects within the interior of the bag may be disposed of following removal of the bag from the housing. The cinch rope may be released to allow the insects to be dumped out of the bag. The bag may be reused multiple times, in various implementations. The cord may also be drawn to enclose the bag. In other implementations, the bag with the insects entrapped within may be disposed of and another bag affixed to the housing. In other implementations, the bag may be biodegradable and may be disposed of with insects entrapped within, for example, by landfill disposal or by internment in the ground in a garden or other agricultural setting. 
         [0047]    The foregoing discussion along with the Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. These implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Upon study of this disclosure and the exemplary implementations herein, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.