Composable inserts for DIY traps
OwnerNick Suteerawanitinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composable insert system for converting a standard container, such as a storage tote, into a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) live trap. The system includes three modular components: a main flange body with an external thread and receiving slots, a plurality of individual thorny spike elements with bases that snap into the slots, and a lock nut. When assembled through an aperture cut into a container, the flange body is secured by the lock nut, and the attached spikes form a conical, one-way passage into the container's interior. The modular design allows for cost-effective manufacturing via simple molds and provides a versatile, scalable solution for users to create customized traps of various sizes for pests like rodents and fish. For aquatic use, the resulting trap can be made buoyant with foam or weighted to sink.
Claims20
A pest-prevention assembly comprising:
- a flange body having an external thread and a central opening;
- a flange extending radially outward from a distal end of the flange body for engaging a container surface;
- a plurality of slots distributed around the circumference of the flange body;
- a plurality of spike elements, each spike element including a base configured to interlock with a corresponding slot and an elongated body terminating in a pointed end, the plurality of spike elements collectively forming an inwardly-projecting barrier that permits entry into the container while obstructing exit;
- and
- a lock nut having an internal thread configured to mate with the external thread of the flange body, the lock nut being operable to secure the flange body to the wall of the container.
A pest-prevention assembly for constructing a rodent trap, comprising:
- a cylindrical flange body having an external thread with a major diameter of approximately 3 inches and a central opening defining an entry diameter of approximately 2.5 inches;
- a flange extending radially outward from a distal end of the flange body, said flange including a plurality of teeth configured to grip an exterior container surface to prevent rotation;
- a plurality of slots distributed around the circumference of the flange body;
- a plurality of individual spike elements, each spike element including a base configured to interlock with a corresponding slot and an elongated, tapered body terminating in a pointed end, the plurality of spike elements collectively forming an inwardly-projecting conical barrier that permits rodent entry while obstructing exit;
- and
- a lock nut having an internal thread configured to mate with the external thread of the flange body and a textured outer surface to facilitate hand-tightening, the lock nut being operable to secure the flange body to a wall of a container.
A method for repurposing a commercially available storage container into a pest trap using a standard power drill and hole saw, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a commercially available storage container having an interior volume and at least one wall;
- creating a circular aperture of a predetermined diameter through the wall of said container using a standard hole saw bit attached to a power drill;
- inserting a modular flange body, having an external thread dimensioned to correspond with said predetermined diameter, through said aperture from an exterior of the container;
- assembling an inwardly-projecting conical barrier by attaching a plurality of discrete spike elements to the flange body from an interior of the container;
- and
- securing the flange body to the wall of the container by threading a lock nut onto the external thread from the exterior of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.