Electronic Animal Trap With Baffle And Automatic Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric animal traps often fail to ensure effective electrocution as animals may jump or back out, leading to escape, and require manual servicing after use.
Innovation Solution
An electronic animal trap with spaced electrodes, a mechanical switch, and a diverter plate that automatically rearms and activates high voltage upon contact, allowing multiple kills without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the trap uses spaced electrodes to electrocute the animal, then the electrocution effectiveness is improved, but the animal may jump or back out leading to escape
Solution Approach 1:
A conductive bridge element is introduced as an intermediary between the two spaced electrodes. This bridge ensures that when the animal contacts both electrodes, electrical continuity is maintained through the bridge, guaranteeing effective electrocution. The bridge acts as a mediator that prevents the animal from escaping by jumping or backing out, as the electrical circuit remains closed through the bridge structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical circuit is segmented into two separate electrodes with a conductive bridge connecting them. Instead of using a single continuous electrode, the circuit is divided into distinct segments (electrode 1 and electrode 2) that are spatially separated but electrically connected through the bridge. This segmentation allows the animal to contact both electrodes while maintaining circuit continuity through the bridge, improving electrocution reliability while preventing escape.
2Productivity
If the trap requires manual servicing after each use, then the trap can be reset and reused, but the maintenance time and human intervention increase
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is designed with an automatic reset mechanism that enables self-service operation. After the high-voltage cycle is completed and the animal is dispatched, the system automatically resets the circuit breaker and prepares the electrodes for the next cycle without requiring human intervention. This self-service capability allows the trap to be reused continuously, eliminating the time loss associated with manual servicing while maintaining full productivity.
3Reliability
If the animal remains in contact with the plates after electrocution, then the electrocution is complete, but the trap requires manual servicing before it can be reset
Solution Approach 1:
The manual reset operation is replaced with an automatic electronic reset mechanism. A circuit breaker monitoring system automatically detects when the electrocution cycle is complete and when the animal has been dispatched. The system then automatically resets the circuit breaker and prepares the electrodes for the next cycle, eliminating the need for manual intervention. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated electronic control maintains reliable electrocution completion while significantly improving ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures efficient and reliable electrocution of animals with reduced servicing requirements, as the trap can detect the absence or presence of an animal and rearm itself for multiple kills, minimizing escape risks and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a high voltage generator electrically coupled to the mechanical switch and adapted to produce a high voltage potential difference between the two electrodes
Implementation Method 2
sensing of the animal as a resistance value to activate the electrodes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
An electric or electronic animal trap with a CPU-controlled, rearming, multiple killing plate (18,22,24) configuration and automatically resetting mechanical switch (32) for triggering a high voltage cycle. A high-voltage output circuit (10) is connected to killing plates which are activated with a high-voltage pulse train when a pest closes the mechanical switch (32). The trap is configured to automatically rearm an indefinite number of times until a first dispatch is detected. Once the first dispatch is detected, the circuit will automatically rearm twice more. Accordingly, a plurality of mice may be dispatched and retained within the trap before the trap requires servicing.