Cone-Guided Insect Trap for Wider Attraction and Stable Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insect traps are inefficient in creating a large-sized area for attracting and trapping insects, particularly mosquitoes, due to limited radiation zones, ineffective air flow management, and excessive consumption of carbon dioxide and attractants, leading to reduced trapping efficiency and dispersion of gases and attractants.
Innovation Solution
A trap design incorporating an elongated housing with a truncated cone-shaped air flow guide, dual intensity infrared radiation sources, and a control unit to manage fan revolutions, along with carbon dioxide spraying, to create a large trapping area and optimize insect attraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional traps use a combination of light sources and fans to attract and catch insects, then insects are attracted to the trap, but the effective trapping area is limited and insects can escape after the device is switched off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the collection container is positioned within the housing, the cone-shaped guide is nested within the receiving chamber, and multiple radiation sources are arranged within the guide. This nesting allows multiple functional elements to occupy compact space while maintaining their individual effectiveness, thereby expanding the overall trapping area without proportionally increasing device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension to insect retention by implementing a cone-shaped guide that directs insects downward into a collection container at the bottom of the housing. This vertical arrangement, combined with the receiving chamber above it, creates a multi-level trapping system that prevents escape routes and maintains retention reliability while expanding the effective trapping volume in three-dimensional space.
2Productivity
If traps use carbon dioxide spraying to enhance insect attraction, then insect attraction is improved, but gas dispersion increases and attractant consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the cone-shaped guide as an intermediary element between the carbon dioxide spray source and the surrounding environment. The cone concentrates and directs the sprayed gas along its surface toward the insect attraction zone, preventing random dispersion. This intermediary structure enhances attraction efficiency while minimizing attractant loss to the surrounding air.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies carbon dioxide spraying locally at specific positions along the cone-shaped guide rather than diffuse spraying throughout the housing. This localized application, combined with the cone's geometry, concentrates the attractant where it is most needed (along the insect pathway) and reduces overall consumption while maintaining high attraction efficiency.
3Length of stationary object
If traps use multiple radiation sources to attract insects from larger distances, then attraction range is extended, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by using the cone-shaped guide to serve multiple purposes: it acts as a structural support for mounting radiation sources, provides a surface for carbon dioxide spray concentration, guides insect movement, and defines the receiving chamber boundary. This multi-functional design allows multiple radiation sources to be integrated without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges several functional elements into the cone-shaped guide structure itself, which serves as both a structural component and a functional element for gas concentration and insect guidance. By combining multiple functions into unified structures rather than separate components, the patent extends radiation zone extent while controlling overall device complexity.
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
Enhances insect trapping efficiency by maintaining airflow stability, focusing insects on a central collection point, and minimizing gas dispersion, thereby increasing the effective trapping area and reducing attractant consumption.
Implementation Method 1
Two infrared radiation sources having different intensities are arranged inside and outside along an external surface of the guide
Implementation Method 2
The light source is arranged inside the incoming air flow guide and is a broadband light source providing a radiation in both infrared and ultraviolet spectra simultaneously
Implementation Method 3
An axial fan having an outlet that is connected to the insect collection container is arranged in an upper portion of the housing
Implementation Method 4
visible and ultraviolet light which have a spectrum that may be detected by the insects from a large distance
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an insect trapping device comprising an elongated hollow housing (1) having a control unit (10) with a power supply unit arranged therein, an insect collection container (15), an axial fan (16), a carbon dioxide reservoir (17) having at least one sprayer (4) that is arranged on an external surface of an upper portion of the housing (1) over an inlet of the fan (16), a receiving chamber (8) having meshy external walls (7), and a light source (12) and an incoming air flow guide (14) arranged in the receiving chamber. According to the invention the incoming air flow guide (14) is shaped as a truncated cone having a vertex that is oriented towards the fan (16) inlet. A wall of the incoming air flow guide (14) is made lightproof and equipped with the heating element (13) along the external surface. The light source (12) is arranged inside the guide (14) and is a broadband light source providing both infrared and ultraviolet spectra radiations. Therewith, the infrared radiation of the light source (12) and the infrared radiation of the heating element (13) have different intensities, thereby forming areas having different temperatures. The control unit (10) with the power supply unit is configured to reduce the revolutions of the fan (16) lower than nominal ones before the sprayer (4) is switched on and to subsequently increase the revolutions of the fan (16) up to the nominal ones in 20-60 seconds, and the operation duration of the sprayer (4) is 1-6 seconds. This structure enables to create the effective trap in which a creation of a large-sized area for attracting and trapping of the insects is achieved.