Bait Station Blocking Members Prevent Rodent Bait Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rodent bait stations face issues with rodents carrying toxic bait away from the station, leading to reduced effectiveness in population control, and lack of secure anchoring, which can result in bait stations being moved or accessed by unintended animals or children.
Innovation Solution
A bait station design featuring enclosed structures with feeding conduits and blocking members that prevent bait removal and anchor the station to the ground, ensuring the bait remains within the station and is accessible only to intended pest animals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pelletized bait is used in an open container, then animals can easily access and consume the bait, but animals tend to carry the bait away to storage locations
Solution Approach 1:
The bait station is divided into separate functional components: an enclosed body housing the bait supply, feeding conduits providing access points, and blocking members positioned within conduits. This segmentation allows the bait to be protected while still providing controlled access, preventing animals from carrying bait away as the enclosed structure and internal blocking members restrict movement of bait outside the station.
Solution Approach 2:
Blocking members serve as intermediary elements positioned within the feeding conduits. These members allow animals to access and consume bait at the feeding location but prevent them from carrying bait away from the station. The blocking members mediate between bait accessibility and bait protection, enabling consumption while restricting removal.
2Loss of substance
If larger blocks of bait are used, then more bait must be consumed before an animal can carry it away, but the bait station needs secure anchoring to prevent dislocation
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking members are combined with anchoring features that extend below the bait station into the ground. This merging of functions allows the same structural elements to serve dual purposes: blocking bait removal and anchoring the station securely. The blocking members with downward extensions integrate the bait protection function with the anchoring function, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking members are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they block animals from carrying bait away, provide structural support for the bait station, and serve as anchors when extended into the ground. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall device while addressing both bait protection and anchoring requirements.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the bait station is securely anchored to the ground, then the station cannot be dislocated or tipped, but access to the bait must remain available to target animals
Solution Approach 1:
The bait station is segmented into an enclosed body, feeding conduits with openings, and blocking members with anchoring extensions. This segmentation allows the anchoring extensions to provide stability while the feeding conduits with openings maintain accessibility. The separated functional zones enable simultaneous achievement of station stability and bait accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Feeding conduits serve as intermediary structures connecting the enclosed bait supply to the external environment. These conduits with controlled openings allow animals to access bait while the enclosed body and anchoring extensions maintain station stability. The feeding conduits mediate between the need for accessibility and the need for stability.
4Reliability
If the bait station is enclosed, then bait is protected from environmental degradation, but animals must be able to enter to reach the bait
Solution Approach 1:
The bait station enclosures are segmented with controlled feeding conduits and openings. This segmentation allows the majority of the structure to remain enclosed for bait protection while specific localized openings provide animal access. The enclosed body protects bait from environmental degradation while feeding conduits with openings enable targeted animal entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The bait station has different structural qualities in different locations: the majority of the structure is enclosed for protection, while specific feeding conduits have controlled openings for access. This local differentiation of structural quality allows simultaneous achievement of bait protection and animal access, with each zone optimized for its specific function.
Data Source
AI summary
A bait station for feeding toxic bait to pest animals. The bait station is a generally enclosed structure having one or more open entrances where a pest animal can enter the bait station and feed on toxic bait at a feeding location. Blocking members are disposed in the conduits leading from an entrance to the feeding location. The blocking members prevent the feeding animal from removing bait in stick form from the bait station, and can optionally extend down, outside the bait station, such that the extensions of the blocking members can be used to anchor the bait station to the ground.