Box trap
The box trap with a reinforced plastic door and guide members provides stability and rapid closure, addressing installation challenges in narrow spaces and improving capture success.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025003748U
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-25
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-10-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing box traps, particularly those with folding doors, are not suitable for installation in narrow spaces and have a low success rate due to their lightweight construction and slow closing action, leading to potential escape of captured animals.
A box trap design featuring a rectangular housing with plastic plates and a rotatable folding door, reinforced by aluminum frames and guide members, ensuring stability and rapid closure, suitable for narrow spaces and comparable capture success to traditional trap door traps.
The design allows for stable installation in narrow spaces and achieves a high capture success rate by preventing escape and ensuring rapid door closure, even with violent animals.
Smart Images
Figure 0003254154000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a box trap, and more particularly to a box trap that is suitable for installation and use in narrow spaces. [Background technology]
[0002] Box traps are used to capture wild animals such as bears, as well as escaped cats, dogs, and other animals. Many box traps have sides and backs made of wire or metal mesh, and a trapdoor-style door at the front. When an animal enters the trap beyond a certain point and a footplate-type or bait-type trigger is activated, the trapdoor drops from its raised position, blocking the front of the trap and capturing the animal.
[0003] Until now, trap door type box traps have been widely used, but because trap door type box traps are installed by lifting the trap door upwards, space is required above the trap to lift the trap door. For large animals, the space above the trap door is not a major concern due to their size. However, small animals such as escaped house cats often pass through narrow spaces, and it can be difficult to set up a box trap in their path.
[0004] Box traps that use systems other than trap doors have also been proposed. For example, URL: https: / / nekokaramesen.com / torasuke / (Non-Patent Document 1) describes a box trap for cats that uses a folding door instead of a trap door. The box trap described in Non-Patent Document 1 is made entirely of metal mesh, with a folding door located in front of it. When a cat enters the trap and activates the trigger, the folding door drops downward to form a flat door, closing the trap.
[0005] The box trap described in Non-Patent Document 1 is also capable of capturing small animals adequately, but the entire trap is made of lightweight metal mesh, and the folding door itself is also made of metal mesh. Because of this, even though the trap is lightweight, if an animal trapped in the trap becomes violent and the trap itself tips over, the folding door may open, allowing the small animal to escape. Furthermore, because the folding door is not heavy enough, the closing action is relatively slow, resulting in a low success rate for capture. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]
[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] https: / / nekokaramesen.com / torasuke / Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0007] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned prior art, and the problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a box trap that is suitable for installation and use in narrow spaces and has a success rate of capture that is comparable to that of a trap door type box trap. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] This invention is A box trap for capturing animals, comprising: a rectangular housing formed by a rectangular frame; a plastic plate held by the rectangular housing and defining a top surface, a bottom surface, both sides, and a rear surface; The front has a space for animals to enter, a folding door made of a plastic plate, which is rotatably attached to the upper inside portion of the front surface of the rectangular housing and has an upper plate and a lower plate rotatably hinged; Equipped with A box trap is provided which has an arrangement in which the upper plate covers the upper end of the lower plate when the folding door is in a closed state.
[0009] In this invention, the space on the front side is an opening formed in a plastic plate held outside the folding door.
[0010] In this invention, a guide member is provided at the lower end of the bottom of the folding door, and guides the folding door along the vertically extending rectangular frame that forms the front surface. In the present invention, a gap is formed between the guide member and the rectangular frame disposed on the bottom side. [Effects of the Invention]
[0011] The present invention provides a box trap that is suitable for installation in narrow spaces and has a success rate of capture comparable to that of a trap door type box trap. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a box trap 100 according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation mechanism of the box trap 100 when an animal 120 enters the box trap 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows the position of the folding door 107 of the box trap 100 after an animal has been captured. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the configuration (set state) of the box trap 100 of this embodiment when viewed from the front. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows the box trap 100 of this embodiment with the front closed by the folding door 107. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the box trap 100 of this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a box trap 100 according to this embodiment. The box trap 100 according to this embodiment has a generally rectangular housing formed by a rectangular aluminum frame. The box trap 100 is formed by closing the back, both sides, bottom, and top of the trap by holding plastic plates in gaps formed in the aluminum frame. Because the box trap 100 according to this embodiment is not intended for euthanizing captured animals, the top surface 101, bottom surface 104, and back surface do not have mesh openings like wire mesh. Furthermore, examples of suitable plastic plates with appropriate strength include acrylic, polycarbonate, polystyrene, ABS, PP, PET, and PE, but the present invention is not limited to the type of plastic plate.
[0014] Support members 105 for setting up the box trap 100 are installed at the four corners of the rectangular frame that forms the bottom surface 104 of the box trap 100. These support members 105 may be screwed into the rectangular frame so that the stability during installation can be improved by adjusting the height as needed.
[0015] A gap is formed between the top surface 101 of the box trap 100 and the rectangular frame, allowing air to pass through the inside and outside of the box trap 100. For reference, Fig. 1 also shows the cross-sectional shape 116 of the rectangular frame used in this embodiment and the structure of the groove 116a formed in the rectangular frame 116.
[0016] To explain the structure of the box trap 100, the box trap 100 has a top surface 101, a front surface 102 with a space to allow animals to enter, a back surface 103 positioned opposite the front surface 102, a bottom surface 104, and both side surfaces 118a and 118b with plastic plates held to rectangular frames on both sides between the top surface 101 and the bottom surface 104.
[0017] The top surface 101, back surface 103, bottom surface 104, and both side surfaces 118a, 118b extending in the direction of the paper surface of Figure 1 are configured to be able to isolate the box trap 100 from the outside by holding plastic plates in grooves 116a formed at the sides of the rectangular frame. Furthermore, as mentioned above, a gap is provided between the top surface 101 and the rectangular frame that forms the top surface 101, allowing air to circulate. Small air holes can also be provided at appropriate positions in the plastic plates that form each surface.
[0018] The box trap 100 of this embodiment is made of a rectangular aluminum frame and plastic plates, so it can be heavier than a box trap made entirely of wire mesh. This means that it can be installed stably and will not tip over even if a captured small animal crashes into a wall. In addition, because each surface is made of plastic plates, it is possible to prevent small animals from being injured by scratching the wall.
[0019] Reinforcing frames 106a and 106b for reinforcing the box trap 100 are arranged on the top surface 101 of the box trap 100, thereby increasing the strength of the box trap 100.
[0020] Furthermore, no plastic plate is installed between the reinforcing frames 106a, 106b on the top surface 101, providing a gap for air circulation. The reinforcing frames 106a, 106b are arranged to extend perpendicular to the surface of the paper on the top surface 101, with both ends fixed to and held by the upper rectangular frame that forms both side portions 118a, 118b. A handle 117 is arranged in the center of the reinforcing frames in the width direction for easy carrying.
[0021] The front surface 102 of the box trap 100 allows an animal to enter, and when an animal enters and activates the trigger, a folding door 107 moves down to close the front surface. The folding door 107 of this embodiment will be described below. The folding door 107 includes an upper plate 107a and a lower plate 107b, and the upper part of the upper plate 107a is rotatably fixed to a rectangular frame by a hinge 108.
[0022] A lower plate is rotatably fixed to the middle of the upper plate 107a by a hinge 109. The lower end of the upper plate 107a extends downward beyond the position of the hinge 109. Because the lower end of the upper plate 107a extends beyond the position of the lower plate 107b, an overlapping portion is formed between the upper plate 107a and the lower plate 107b when the folding door 107 is closed, and even if an animal 120 lunges towards and collides with the folding door 107, the door will not bend outward, providing a better closed state.
[0023] Hinge 109 can be made of a transparent resin so as not to give the animal a visual sense of incongruity, and hinge 108 does not need to be made of a transparent resin, but can be made of a transparent resin as long as it does not affect strength or other aspects.
[0024] A guide member 115 is disposed at the lower end of the lower plate 107b and is housed in a groove 116a of a rectangular frame extending vertically that defines the front surface 102. The guide member 115 can be in the form of a rod extending along the lower end of the lower plate 107b, or a protrusion is formed at a corresponding position on the lower part of the lower plate 107b, and this protrusion is housed in the groove 116a of the rectangular frame extending vertically that forms the front surface, thereby stabilizing the closing action of the folding door 107 and restricting the action of the entire door moving excessively inward of the box trap 100 when the folding door 107 is closed, which would impair the closing ability of the door.
[0025] 1, a trigger piece 110 is installed at an appropriate position on the upper plate 107a. The trigger piece 110 is connected to a foot plate 112 via a connecting member 111 such as a thin wire, line, or metal rod, and a pulley or the like.
[0026] In Figure 1, the trigger is described as a trigger piece 110, a connecting member 111, and a footplate 112, but this is not limited to this and an electronic trigger using an infrared sensor or the like can also be used, and there are no particular restrictions on the trigger mechanism used.
[0027] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the operating mechanism of the box trap 100 when an animal 120 enters the trap. Note that in Figure 2, the reference numerals of some members and elements unnecessary for explanation have been omitted for the sake of clarity of the snow surface. The animal 120 is attracted by the bait 114 and enters the trap, and when it reaches the main bait 113, the animal 120 pushes down the footboard 112. When the footboard 112 is pushed down, the trigger piece 110 attached to the top plate 107a is pulled in the direction of arrow A and released, and the folding door 107 moves downward in the direction of arrow B to close the front surface 102.
[0028] Figure 3 shows the position of the folding door 107 of the box trap 100 after an animal has been captured. As shown in Figure 3, the upper plate 107a rotates from the hinge 108 to a position where it is tilted slightly outward. The lower plate 107b is positioned with the guide member 115 at its lower end and tilted slightly inward to the position of the hinge 109. In this state, as shown in Figure 1, the upper plate 107a and lower plate 107b move slightly toward the rectangular frame, blocking the front. This prevents the captured animal 120 from inserting its claws into the gaps in the folding door 107, improving capture performance.
[0029] Furthermore, since the folding door 107 is made of a plastic plate, it has a certain amount of weight, and since there are no openings like in a wire mesh, the folding door 107 closes faster from an aerodynamic standpoint, further improving capture performance. Note that an appropriate gap can be left between the guide member 115 of the folding door 107 and the rectangular frame located below the guide member 115 to prevent injury even if the animal's tail gets caught in the folding door 107.
[0030] Even if an animal tries to insert its paw into the gap formed at the bottom of the front surface 102 and lift it up, the weight of the folding door 107 and the folding door 107 itself will be displaced inward. Therefore, the animal 120 will be startled by the movement of the folding door 107 and will step back, eliminating the possibility of escape.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows the configuration (set state) of the box trap 100 of this embodiment as seen from the front. The front of the box trap 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a plastic plate 121 held by a rectangular frame separately from the folding door 107, and an opening 121a is formed in this plastic plate 121 as a space through which an animal can enter. As shown in FIG. 4, the folding door 107 is set so that it is not visible to rods when folded. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the hinge 109 is made of a transparent resin material, so that an animal is unlikely to notice the presence of the folding door 107. In FIG. 4, the dashed line shown at the top of the plastic plate 121 indicates the position of the lower end of the top plate 107a of the folding door 107.
[0032] In this state, when an animal enters the box trap 100 through the opening 121a and activates the trigger, the folding door 107 unfolds in the direction of the arrow C, closing off the space in front of the box trap 100. By this action, the animal is captured inside the box trap 100.
[0033] Figure 5 shows the box trap 100 of this embodiment with the front closed by the folding door 107. The folding door 107 unfolds in a generally flat state, with the guide member 115 lowered to the position of the rectangular frame that forms the bottom surface. In this state, the folding door 107 can be freely pushed toward the inside of the box trap 100, so there is no obstacle to removing a captured animal. It is also possible to install a removable plastic plate on the top surface, and to remove an animal from the box trap 100, simply release an appropriate portion of the top surface 101.
[0034] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the box trap 100 of this embodiment. Figure 6(a) shows the state when the folding door 107 is set, Figure 6(b) shows the state when the folding door 107 is in the middle of closing, and Figure 6(c) shows the state when the folding door 107 is completely closed.
[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the folding door 107 deploys to a position that completely closes the front of the box trap 100 and prevents trapped animals from escaping. According to experiments conducted by the inventors, it took just under one second for the trap to move from the set state shown in Figure 6(a) to the closed state shown in Figure 6(c), confirming a sufficiently fast operation. Note that the term "approximately" used in this specification includes a tolerance range of ±20% from the stated numerical value.
[0036] As explained above, the present invention provides a box trap that is suitable for installation in narrow spaces and has a success rate of capture comparable to that of a trap door type box trap. [Explanation of symbols]
[0037] 100: Trap 101:Top surface 102:Front 103: Back 104: Bottom 105: Support member 106a: Reinforcement frame 106b: Reinforcement frame 107: Bifold door 107a: Upper board 107b: Lower plate 108: Hinge 109: Hinge 110: Trigger piece 111: Connecting member 112: Tread 113: Main bait 114: Bait 115: Guide member
Claims
1. A box trap for capturing animals, comprising: a rectangular housing formed by a rectangular frame; a plastic plate held by the rectangular housing and defining a top surface, a bottom surface, both sides, and a rear surface; The front has a space for animals to enter, a folding door made of a plastic plate, which is rotatably attached to the upper inside portion of the front surface of the rectangular housing and has an upper plate and a lower plate rotatably hinged; Equipped with A box trap having an arrangement in which the upper plate covers the upper end of the lower plate when the folding door is in a closed state.
2. 2. The box trap according to claim 1, wherein the space on the front side is an opening formed in a plastic plate held outside the folding door.
3. 2. The box trap according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member disposed at the lower end of the bottom of the folding door and guiding the folding door along a vertically extending rectangular frame that forms the front surface.
4. The box trap according to claim 3, wherein a gap is formed between the guide member and a rectangular frame disposed on the side of the bottom surface.