Patent Description:
Rodents such as rats and mice along with other animals are a frequent pest animals in many locations. Conventional attempts to control pests have been commonly divided into either trapping or poisoning them. Such conventional approaches have not been satisfactory. In particular, it has been found that use of poisons risks poisoning or killing other species which can also consume the poisoned bait or the bodies of the dead animals after they are killed by the poison.

Furthermore, conventional traps have also been unsatisfactory. In particular, a common styles of rodent traps utilize a spring loaded arm released by a catch which is intended to catch and usually kill the animal. One disadvantage of such traps is that they can only be used a single time before being required to be checked and reset by a user.

Applicant is aware of attempts to correct the aforementioned defects by providing an automatic rodent trap utilizing a trigger rod positioned in a chamber into which a rodent is drawn by a bait. The trigger rod, when rotated by the rodent releases a valve thereby releasing a spring loaded kill mechanism operable to impact and kill the rodent in the chamber. An example of such device can be found in <CIT> Disadvantageously, such devices rely upon movement of the trigger rod which can be prone to false results due to movement of the device or the presence of other objects. Furthermore, such devices allowed the body of the rodent to fall on the ground below the device such that it is intended that predators will remove and eat them. However, such removal of the bodies prevents their collection for the purpose of studying the efficacy of such a device. Further examples of an apparatus for controlling animal pests are described in <CIT> or <CIT>.

The invention solves the problems of the prior art devices by providing an apparatus and a method for controlling animal pests according to claims <NUM> and <NUM>. Further details of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. According to a first embodiment, there is disclosed an apparatus for controlling animal pests comprising a housing or casing having a passage extending into the housing from an entrance, an impacting member movable across the passage and a planar sensor spaced apart from the kill bar or impacting member by a predetermined distance along the passage towards the entrance, the planar sensor configured to sense the presence of the animal pest across a sensing plane extending across the passage wherein the impacting member is operable to be released to rapidly move across the passage when the planar sensor indicates the presence of the animal pest as passed through the sensing plane.

The planar sensor can be selected from the group consisting of infrared, ultrasonic and laser. The planar sensor can be limited to the sensing plane. The planar sensor can include a lense thereover which substantially blocks sensing thereby except for through a slot defining the sensing plane. The planar sensor can comprise a transmitter and a receiver. The apparatus further comprises a controller or control system operable to cause the impacting member to move across the passage, impacting the animal pest upon receipt of a signal from the planar sensor.

The passage has a front and rear wall and can be formed with a floor. The floor can be rotatable from a horizontal to a dropped vertical position. The floor can be caused to rotate to the dropped vertical position after the impacting member impacts the animal pest. The floor can be released by a catch to drop to the vertical position. The apparatus can further comprise a reset lift adapted to reset the floor to the horizontal position. The apparatus can further comprise a collection bin located below the floor wherein animal pest carcasses are deposited thereinto by the floor.

The apparatus can further comprise two planar sensors spaced to opposite sides of the impacting member along the passage. The impacting member can be configured to impact the animal pest when both planar sensors indicate the presence of the animal pest at the sensing plane thereof. The two planar sensors can be spaced equal distance away from the impacting member. The two planar sensors can be spaced away from impacting member by a distance corresponding to a distance from the nose to the neck of the target animal pest.

The impacting member comprises a bar or arm extending substantially vertically.

The impacting member is movable between first and second positions on opposite sides of the passage. The apparatus further comprises a drive or retraction mechanism for moving the impacting member between first and second positions along an animal striking path.

The drive mechanism comprises a spring. The apparatus can further comprise a reset motor adapted to move the impacting member to the first position. The animal striking path can be linear. The animal striking path can be arcuate. The animal striking path can be substantially horizontal. The animal striking path can be substantially vertical. However, the latter alternative is not covered by this invention.

The apparatus further comprises an immovable surface or anvil opposite to the first position wherein the second position is towards the immovable surface.

The passage can include substantially transparent walls. The apparatus can further comprise a bait dispenser operable to discharge a bait into the passage.

According to the invention, there is also disclosed a method for controlling animal pests comprising providing an apparatus for controlling animal pests, the apparatus comprising a housing having a passage extending thereinto from an entrance, sensing with a first planar sensor the presence of the animal pest at a sensing plane extending across the passage and causing an impacting member to rapidly move across the passage in response to the first planar sensor detecting the presence of the animal pest at the sensing plane, wherein the impacting member is located at a distance from the sensing plane towards the entrance, this distance can be selected to correspond to the distance between the nose and the neck of the animal pest.

The method can further comprise providing a second planar sensor spaced apart from the impacting member by the same distance as the first planar sensor. The method can further comprise providing a second entrance to each end of the passage.

According to a further embodiment not covered by the present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus for controlling animal pests comprising a housing having a passage thereinto, the passage having a floor member and an animal killing mechanism located within said path, the path having a rotatable floor operable to rotate downward after the killing mechanism kills the animal pest.

The apparatus can further comprise a collection bin located below the floor.

The housing can be spaced above a ground surface to deposit killed animal pests therebelow.

The animal killing mechanism can be located within the floor. The animal killing mechanism can comprise electrically charged plates operable to deliver a fatal charge to an animal thereon. However, such an electrical killing mechanism is not part of the present invention.

The accompanying drawings constitute part of the disclosure. Each drawing illustrates exemplary aspects wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,.

Aspects of the present disclosure are now described with reference to exemplary apparatuses, methods and systems. Referring to <FIG>, an exemplary apparatus for controlling an animal pest according to a first embodiment is shown generally at <NUM>. The apparatus <NUM> comprises a housing or casing <NUM> having a passage (<NUM>) therethrough as will be more fully described below. The passage <NUM> includes an impacting member <NUM> positioned to move across the passage <NUM> so as to kill the rodent before dropping it into a container in the bottom of the apparatus.

As utilized herein, the term animal pest will be understood to mean any animal population which is desirous of being controlled. In particular, the term animal is not meant to be limiting but can be used to describe any animal, including without limitation, birds, rabbits, rodents, such as by way of nonlimiting example, rats, mice, squirrels, marmots or any other animal species considered to be a pest.

The casing <NUM> can be formed of any suitable shape and extend between top and bottom, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively, first and second sides, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively and front and rear, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. The casing <NUM> can be made of any suitable material including by way of non-liming example, plastics, metal or composite materials. The casing <NUM> includes a passage, generally indicated at <NUM> in <FIG>, comprising a passage extending between the first and second sides <NUM> and <NUM> proximate to the front <NUM>. The passage <NUM> is substantially closed off from the remainder of the casing <NUM> so as to prevent a rodent which enters the passage <NUM> from entering the remaining areas of the casing <NUM>. Each of the first and second sides <NUM> and <NUM> includes an aperture or entrance <NUM> therethrough so as to permit access of a rodent into the passage <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> can further include ramps or tubes <NUM> so as to assist entrance of a rodent into the passage <NUM>. The tubes <NUM> can be substantially flexible so as to permit the open end thereof to be located at any desired location around the apparatus thereby increasing flexibility in the location of the apparatus relative to the inlet location. Although the present description contemplates the apparatus being used to catch rats, it will be appreciated that it can also be utilized to catch other types of rodents, including, without limitation, mice, squirrels, as well as other pests including birds such as pigeons and the like.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the passage <NUM> is formed through the top front of the casing <NUM> by top and bottom walls, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively and front and rear walls, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. As illustrated in <FIG>, the top and front walls <NUM> and <NUM> are transparent for illustrative purposes although they can be of any opacity level. In particular, it has been found that transparent top and front walls <NUM> and <NUM> can be advantageous for reducing stress of the target animal. Furthermore, one or more of the top or front walls <NUM> and <NUM> can be formed with openings therethrough so as the top and front walls <NUM> and <NUM> can also form the top and front <NUM> and <NUM> top of the casing <NUM> or can be separate from those portions forming the casing. The top and bottom walls <NUM> and <NUM> and front and rear walls <NUM> and <NUM> form the passage <NUM> through the casing. The passage <NUM> selected to have dimensions suitable for the desired rodent to pass through. By way of non-limiting example, for use as a rat trap, the passage <NUM> can have a width between <NUM> and <NUM> inches (<NUM> and <NUM> mm) and a height between <NUM> and <NUM> inches (<NUM> and <NUM> mm) for use with catching rats although it will be appreciated that other dimensions can be useful as well for use with catching different animals. The bottom wall <NUM> forms a walking surface on which the rodent walks and will therefore be formed to have sufficient strength to support the weight of the rodent. The bottom wall <NUM> can also be formed to have a surface that is relatively smooth to permit a dead rodent to be slid off into a catchment container <NUM> as will be more fully described below.

As illustrated, in <FIG>, the top and front and rear walls <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are divided into portions extending from each of the first and second sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the casing with a gap, generally indicated at <NUM> therebetween. A slidable arm <NUM> extends to a free distal end <NUM> through the gap from the rear wall <NUM> towards the front wall <NUM> along a path substantially planar to the top wall <NUM>. An impactor <NUM> extends downwardly from the slidable arm such that as the slidable arm <NUM> is slidably displaced along its longitudinal path the impactor <NUM> moves from a position substantially planar to the front wall <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> to a position proximate to the rear wall <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. It will be appreciated that at the retracted position illustrated in <FIG>, the impactor <NUM>, will pinch or otherwise impact the neck of a rodent against the rear wall thereby breaking it and humanely killing the rodent. The rear wall <NUM> can include a strengthened or reinforced portion or anvil <NUM> adapted to resist movement as the rodent is forced thereinto by the movement of the impactor <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> includes a sensor <NUM> along the passage <NUM> to each side of the gap <NUM>. The sensors <NUM> can be selected to be of any suitable type to indicate the presence of a rodent or other animal proximate thereto. In particular, the sensors can comprise infrared sensors so as to detect the body heat of the rodent. As illustrated in <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> can comprise a transmitter such as a light source <NUM> on one side of the passage with a receiver, such as a light sensor <NUM> on an opposite side wherein the presence of an animal between the light source and the receiver is operable to trigger operation of the impacting member. The light source and receiver can be on the same side of the passage so as to detect a reflection of light off of the target animal. In operation, the controller or control system <NUM> will be configured to activate the slidable arm <NUM> and impactor only when both sensors <NUM> are indicating the presence of a rodent thereunder. In such a manner, one sensor will indicate the presence of a rodent's body and the other will indicate the presence of the rodent's head such that the neck of the rodent is located between the impactor <NUM> and the anvil <NUM>. It will also be appreciated that the sensors can also be used to indicate which direction the rodent entered the apparatus from by indicating which sensor <NUM> detected the rodent first. It will also be observed that having openings <NUM> in each end of the passage <NUM> with sensors <NUM> an equal distance from the slidable arm <NUM> will allow the apparatus to kill a rodent entering the apparatus from either direction. In practice it has been found that locating the sensors away from the slidable arm by a distance selected to be between <NUM> and <NUM> inches (<NUM> and <NUM> mm) has been suitable for use in catching rats, although it will be appreciated that other distances can be useful as well for different animals.

Although infrared sensors are described above it will be appreciated that the sensor <NUM> can also be selected to be any other type including, motion, ultrasonic, laser or optical sensors. In particular, the sensors <NUM> can form an infrared curtain across the passage <NUM> as generally indicated as <NUM> in <FIG>. In particular, according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to <FIG>, the sensors <NUM> can be selected to form the curtain <NUM> across the path by applying a lense <NUM> thereover. In particular the lense <NUM> can be selected to be a Fresnel lense as are commonly known. The lense can have two blacked out or otherwise side portions <NUM> with an open region <NUM> therebetween so as to restrict the sensing region to the curtain <NUM>. It will be appreciated that a Fresnel lense is known to create a wide dispersal pattern such that the majority of the passage <NUM> will be covered by the curtain <NUM>. Although the sensor <NUM> is illustrated in the top wall <NUM>, it will be appreciated that it can also be located in other positions including the rear wall <NUM>, bottom wall <NUM> or front wall <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, the retraction mechanism, <NUM> for the slidable rod <NUM> is illustrated. In particular the slidable rod <NUM> is supported by at least two supports <NUM> and <NUM>. The supports can include bushings or linear bearings so as to permit free slidable movement of the slidable rod <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, one of the supports <NUM> is integrated into the rear wall <NUM> or anvil <NUM>. The slidable rod <NUM> includes a notch <NUM> therein cooperating with a release pin <NUM>. The release pin <NUM> can be retraced by a solenoid <NUM> so as to retracted upon receiving a signal from the control system as will be more fully described below. The retraction mechanism <NUM> includes a spring <NUM> extending from the slidable rod <NUM> to the support <NUM> or another fixed body in the apparatus. When the release pin <NUM> is retraced by the solenoid <NUM>, the spring <NUM> rapidly retracts the slidable rod <NUM> so as to bring the impactor <NUM> towards the anvil <NUM> striking the neck of a rodent therebetween.

Once retracted, the control system <NUM> activates a motor <NUM> (not shown in <FIG>) connected to a reset arm <NUM>. The reset arm <NUM> includes a wheel <NUM> or other bearing surface at a distal end thereof. The reset arm rotates in a direction generally indicated at <NUM> in <FIG> to contact an extension <NUM> or other portion of the slidable arm <NUM> so as to push it back to the initial position shown in <FIG> whereupon the release pin <NUM> is reengaged within the notch <NUM> preparing the slidable arm for another movement.

Turning back to <FIG>, the bottom wall <NUM> of the passage <NUM> can be hinged to the casing <NUM> such that it is operable to rotate downward when a rodent has been killed by the impactor <NUM>. As illustrated, the bottom wall can include a tab <NUM> extending upwardly therefrom at a position wherein the impactor <NUM> does not permit rotation while the slidable rod <NUM> is retained in the initial position. When the slidable rod <NUM> is released by the release pin <NUM>, the impactor <NUM> will be pulled back from the tab <NUM> thereby permitting the tab and bottom wall <NUM> to rotate downward as illustrated in <FIG>. As the slidable rod <NUM> is moved back to the initial position, the impactor <NUM> will then push the tab <NUM> and therefore also the bottom wall <NUM> back to the initial position reforming the passage <NUM>. A catchment area <NUM> can be located below the bottom wall <NUM> configured to catch and retain the bodies of the rodents for further study and disposal. The catchment area <NUM> can be formed into a drawer <NUM> for ease of removal. The casing <NUM> can be provided with at least one leg as illustrated in <FIG> so as to space the casing above a ground surface such that killed animals are deposited onto the ground under the casing thereby permitting other animals and scavengers to consume and/or remove the carcases.

Turning now to <FIG>, a controller <NUM> for operating the apparatus is illustrated. The controller <NUM> includes a processor adapted to control the operation of the various components and store and transmit information as can be recorded by the apparatus as set out below. More generally, in this specification, including the claims, the term "processor " is intended to broadly encompass any type of device or combination of devices capable of performing the functions described herein, including (without limitation) other types of microprocessors, microcontrollers, other integrated circuits, other types of circuits or combinations of circuits, logic gates or gate arrays, or programmable devices of any sort, for example, either alone or in combination with other such devices located at the same location or remotely from each other, for example. Additional types of processor will be apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of this specification, and substitution of any such other types of processor circuits is considered not to depart from the scope of the present disclosure. In particular, the processor <NUM> is in communication with the sensors <NUM> and the solenoid <NUM> and motor <NUM> to control the operation thereof when both sensors <NUM> detect the presence of a rodent across their respective curtains <NUM>. The control system can also include a battery <NUM> providing power to the various components and a network connection <NUM> such as a radio transmitter, Ethernet adapter or the like for providing communication for providing communication between the processor <NUM> and one or more remote computers or users. The control system <NUM> can include one or more additional sensors <NUM> adapted to sense and transmit to the processor <NUM> one or more conditions including, without limitation, time of day, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure or the like. It will be appreciated that this information can be recorded by the processor along with records of each rodent caught so as to provide additional detail for scientific and research purposes as to the effectiveness of placement, timing and other data concerning the operation of the apparatus.

Although a slidable arm <NUM> is described above, it will be appreciated that other movement types for the impactor can be utilized. As illustrated in <FIG> a rotary arm <NUM> can be utilized having a pivot point about an axis <NUM>. The rotary arm <NUM> will include a spring such as a tension or rotary spring to pull the impactor <NUM> towards the anvil <NUM>. The impactor <NUM> can also be rapidly moved towards the anvil <NUM> by any other means including a solenoid or the like. In some embodiments, the impactor and/or the anvil can be shaped such as, by way of non-limiting example by the inclusion of a ridge or other suitable shape so as concentrate the force applied thereby or to align with each other so as to provide an increased spinal column separating force to the target animal. As illustrated in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> can include a bait <NUM> located at any position within the apparatus so as to entice the rodents into the passage <NUM>. In particular openings <NUM> from the bait into the passage <NUM> can be provided to attract the rodents into the path. Examples of suitable bait materials are well known in the art. The bait can be a solid bait type dispensed by an auger into the passage or can also be a liquid or gel type bait dispensed by a pump such as, by way of non-limiting example, a peristaltic pump. The apparatus <NUM> can further include more than one bait <NUM> module which can be selectively covered or uncovered by the processor <NUM> to vary or change between one or more different type of bait.

Although the passage <NUM> is illustrated as having a substantially uniform cross section, it will be appreciated that the path can be provided to have a greater width proximate to the first and second sides <NUM> and <NUM>. Bristles or other flexible members can extend from one or more sides of the passage <NUM> to provide an appearance of a smaller path without obstructing it to the passage of larger rodents for rodents that prefer smaller spaces.

With reference to <FIG>, according to a further embodiment which is not part of the present invention, the pest animal control apparatus <NUM> comprises a casing <NUM> having at least one passage <NUM> formed thereinto. As illustrated, the passage <NUM> can extend from entrances <NUM> at each end of the passage <NUM> but can also extend only from one side. The passage <NUM> includes a rotatable floor <NUM> having at least one electric shock delivery pad <NUM> thereon. The electric shock delivery pads <NUM> can be connected to an electrical source, such as by way of non-limiting example an electrical outlet, battery or capacitor so as to be operable to deliver a killing electrical charge to the target animal. As illustrated in <FIG>, the pads <NUM> can be arranged in pairs such that the charge is delivered to the animal when both pads are stepped on and can be arranged logintudinally or transversely within the passage. The floor <NUM> can be configured to drop after the delivery of the fatal charge to the animal similar as set out above. As illustrated in <FIG>, the casing <NUM> can be spaced above a ground surface with legs <NUM> or the like so as to permit the dead animals to be deposited below the casing <NUM> or can include a container therein adapted to receive and store the dead animals.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>) for controlling animal pests comprising:
a casing (<NUM>) having a passage (<NUM>) extending into the casing from an entrance (<NUM>) of the casing, the passage having a front wall (<NUM>) and a rear wall (<NUM>);
an impacting member movable across the passage from a first position adjacent to the front wall to a second position adjacent to the rear wall, the impacting member having a slidable arm (<NUM>) extending out from the rear wall and having a free distal end (<NUM>) having an impactor (<NUM>) extending downwardly from the free distal end of the slidable arm at the front wall when the impacting member is in the first position, said slidable arm (<NUM>) includes a notch (<NUM>) therein cooperating with a release pin (<NUM>) of the apparatus (<NUM>), said release pin is adapted to be retracted by a solenoid (<NUM>) of the apparatus upon receiving a signal from a control system (<NUM>) of the apparatus, said control system (<NUM>) comprising a processor (<NUM>);
an anvil (<NUM>) positioned on the rear wall with the impactor capable of impacting the anvil;
at least a first support (<NUM>) and a second support (<NUM>) supporting the slidable arm;
said first support (<NUM>) is integrated into the front wall (<NUM>) and said second support (<NUM>) is integrated into the anvil (<NUM>);
a retraction mechanism (<NUM>) comprising a spring (<NUM>) adapted for retracting the slidable arm (<NUM>) when the release pin (<NUM>) is retracted by the solenoid (<NUM>);
a planar sensor (<NUM>) spaced apart from the impacting member by a predetermined distance along the passage towards the entrance, the planar sensor configured to sense a presence of an animal pest across a sensing plane in the form of a curtain (<NUM>) that is extending across the passage at a predefined distance from the impacting member; and the processor (<NUM>) is in communication with the sensor (<NUM>) and the solenoid (<NUM>) to control the operation of the solenoid when the sensor detects the presence of an animal pest across the sensing plane,
wherein the impacting member is configured and operable to be released to rapidly move across the passage from the first position adjacent to the front wall toward the second position and the anvil when the planar sensor (<NUM>) indicates the presence of the animal pest as passed through the sensing plane.