CPU-controlled, rearming electronic animal trap with three-killing-plate configuration
AssigneeWoodstream Corporation
InventorsChristopher T. Rich, Larry L. Harman, David L. Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic animal trap with a CPU-controlled, rearming, three-killing-plate configuration and extended killing cycle for trapping and exterminating larger rodents such as rats. The high-voltage output circuit is connected to a pair of killing plates which are activated with a high-voltage pulse train for a killing cycle when a pest of known impedance is sensed across said pair of plates. A third killing plate, electrically coupled to a first plate of said pair of plates, is brought to the voltage level of the first plate within approximately 1 msec of circuit activation for increased kill and escape-prevention capabilities.
Claims20
An electronic pest trap comprising:
- a trap body having a power source and a switch mechanism for placing said trap into an active standby mode;
- first, second and third spaced killing plates positioned within said trap body, said third killing plate electrically connected to said first killing plate;
- and
- a high-voltage automatic rearming circuit coupled to said first and second spaced killing plates, said circuit including,
- an element for sensing, with said trap in said active standby mode, a pest across said first and second killing plates as a positive load input, a body of said pest across said first and second killing plates closing said circuit to thereby effect automatic activation thereof such that said power source delivers a high-voltage pulse train through said circuit to said first and second killing plates for a time period corresponding to a killing cycle, voltage delivered to said first killing plate activating said third killing plate electrically connected thereto;
- and
- a timing mechanism for terminating current flow to said killing plates upon completion of said killing cycle.
An electronic pest trap comprising:
- a trap body having a power source and a mechanism for placing said trap into an active standby mode;
- a plurality of killing plates positioned within said trap body;
- a high-voltage automatic rearming circuit coupled to said killing plates, said circuit, with said trap in said active standby mode, automatically activating in response to closure of said circuit by a pest body across a pair of said killing plates such that said power source delivers a high-voltage pulse train through said circuit to said killing plates for a time period;
- a timing mechanism for terminating current flow to said killing plates upon completion of said time period;
- and
- said circuit being configured to automatically rearm said trap to said active standby mode in response to detecting an absence of a pest body across said killing plates.
A method for exterminating a pest using an electronic pest trap having a high-voltage rearming circuit electrically coupled to a plurality of killing plates, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) placing the trap into an active standby mode in which said circuit is open due to separation of said killing plates;
- b) automatically activating said circuit in response to closure of said circuit by a pest body across a pair of said killing plates;
- c) delivering, by said circuit upon said automatic activation, a high-voltage pulse train to said pair of killing plates;
- d) terminating current flow to said killing plates after a specified time period;
- and
- e) automatically rearming said trap to said active standby mode upon detecting an absence of a pest body across said killing plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.