Dual Pressure Plate Snake Trap for Targeted Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The presence of invasive Burmese pythons in Florida's wetland areas poses a significant ecological threat, and existing trapping methods are inadequate for safely and efficiently capturing large snakes without inadvertently trapping smaller animals.
Innovation Solution
A trap designed with a trap door assembly and pressure-sensitive elements that require simultaneous depression of both proximal and distal plates to spring the trap, ensuring only large snakes can activate it, thereby preventing non-targeted animals from being caught.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single pressure-sensitive element is used to trigger the trap, then the trap can be activated by smaller animals, but this results in non-targeted animals being inadvertently trapped
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is divided into multiple independent pressure-sensitive elements (proximal and distal plates) positioned at different locations within the trap body. Each plate is connected to separate trip mechanisms, so that activation requires multiple discrete sensing points to be triggered simultaneously by a single object, thereby ensuring the object meets minimum size requirements for target species
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple pressure-sensitive elements and their associated trip mechanisms are merged into a coordinated system where all elements must be activated simultaneously to trigger the trap door. This combination of multiple sensing requirements ensures that only objects of sufficient size (target species) can activate the trap, while excluding smaller non-targeted animals
2Productivity
If the trap is designed to capture large snakes, then the trap structure must be robust and large enough, but this increases the complexity and size of the trapping apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The trap body is designed with a mesh construction that serves multiple functions: it provides structural strength to contain large snakes, allows visibility for monitoring trapped animals, and permits airflow. The pressure-sensitive plates serve dual purposes as both activation mechanisms and size-filtering devices, reducing the need for additional complex components
3Device complexity
If the trap door is held open by a simple latch mechanism, then the mechanism is simple, but it may not reliably prevent the trap door from opening during the trapping process
Solution Approach 1:
The trap door is pre-loaded with spring pressure that automatically engages the latch mechanism when the door is in the closed position. This preliminary mechanical bias ensures the door remains firmly held shut until the pressure-sensitive plates are activated, at which point the trip mechanisms disengage the latch and allow the spring to rapidly close the door
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
The trap effectively captures large snakes while preventing smaller animals from being inadvertently trapped, addressing the ecological threat by ensuring targeted species are removed without harming native wildlife.
Implementation Method 1
The trap comprises a trap door assembly in communication with proximal and distal pressure-sensitive elements
Data Source
AI summary
Snake trap primarily designed to capture relatively long and heavy snakes such as the Burmese Python. The trap is specifically configured to avoid inadvertently capturing non-targeted animals by using at least two weight/pressure-sensing plates. Each pressure plate has an independent release mechanism so that both pressure plates must be in a depressed position to spring the trap.