Insect Bait Station with Snap-Open Cartridge and Ramp
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insect bait stations are difficult to deploy, fail to provide sufficient access to bait, and accumulate dead insects, leading to reduced effectiveness due to chemical scents deterring other insects.
Innovation Solution
A prefilled insect bait station with a sealed cartridge and cradle system, featuring a snap-open tab closure and internal ramp for easy ingress and egress, ensuring continuous bait access and preventing dead insect accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional bait station designs are used, then bait containment is achieved, but deployment difficulty increases and access to bait is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bait station is divided into a cartridge component and a base component. The cartridge is pre-filled with bait and can be easily inserted into or removed from the base, simplifying deployment and replacement while maintaining effective bait containment through the base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge is pre-filled with bait during manufacturing before deployment. This preliminary action eliminates the need for users to handle toxic bait materials, reducing deployment complexity and safety risks while ensuring proper bait containment from the start.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sealed bait containment is used, then environmental protection is improved, but insect access to bait is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The base structure provides sealed containment for environmental protection, while the cartridge design incorporates an opening or access point that allows insect entry. This local differentiation enables simultaneous achievement of environmental protection through sealing and insect access through targeted openings.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple bait station design is used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but dead insect accumulation occurs reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is designed to be removable from the base, enabling dynamic replacement. When the cartridge becomes contaminated with dead insects, it can be easily removed and replaced with a fresh cartridge, maintaining effectiveness without complex cleaning mechanisms or sophisticated manufacturing requirements.
4Productivity
If continuous bait access is provided, then insect attraction is improved, but dead insect accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable cartridge design enables easy discarding of contaminated cartridges and replacement with fresh ones. This allows continuous bait access to be maintained by replacing cartridges before dead insect accumulation reaches levels that would deter additional insects, eliminating the need for complex waste removal mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An insect bait station that is pre-filled with a suitable bait, preferably a combination of attractant and toxicant, and is activated for use by a snap-open closure that exposes an entrance/exit disposed on the upper part of the bait station for providing insects with access to the bait. The entrance is disposed above the level of the contained bait and an internal ramp structure allows insects to traverse downward to the bait from the opening, as well as upward to exit the bait station. Providing a ramp structure ensures continual access even as the level of the bait within the station drops, due to evaporation, consumption, spillage etc. By enabling egress from the bait station, the ramp further prevents the accumulation of dead insects inside the bait station, the scent of which, would nullify effectiveness. A cradle is provided for receiving the bait station in two alternate configurations, namely a non-activated and sealed stowed configuration and an activated and un-sealed deployed configuration. The cradle further provides a structure that stabilizes the bait station while providing additional mounting options, and a ramp that leads upward from the underlying surface to the bait station entrance. The cradle may be structured such that the bait station is activated by opening of the closure upon insertion of the bait station into the cradle.