Fruit Fly Trap Using Pumped Solution Flow and Vacuum Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for removing fruit flies from food service environments often rely on toxic chemicals or unsightly physical traps, posing health risks and sanitation issues.
Innovation Solution
Design of fly traps that use non-toxic solutions and intermittent pumping mechanisms to capture flies within a contained environment, allowing for easy setup, cleaning, and reuse, without the need for toxic chemicals or unsightly designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional physical traps (dangling adhesive tapes) are used to capture flies, then flies are removed from the environment, but the traps become unsightly and create sanitation issues in public areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a transparent or translucent container that allows the trapping mechanism to be visually concealed while remaining functional. The container acts as a flexible shell that encloses the trapping elements (adhesive surfaces or vacuum mechanism) making them invisible or aesthetically acceptable in public dining areas, thus resolving the contradiction between effective fly capture and maintaining sanitary aesthetics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the unsightly trapping elements (adhesive tapes or vacuum components) and places them inside a concealed container, separating the functional trapping mechanism from the visible public space while maintaining its capture effectiveness
2Productivity
If toxic chemicals are used in fly traps, then flies are effectively killed and removed, but health risks arise if chemicals are not handled or disposed of properly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of chemicals into a beneficial mechanical or physical trapping method. Instead of using toxic substances, the invention employs mechanical capture mechanisms (adhesive surfaces, vacuum suction, or water traps) that eliminate flies without introducing chemical hazards, thus maintaining effectiveness while removing the health risk
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical killing mechanisms with mechanical trapping systems. The invention uses physical forces such as suction (vacuum), adhesion (sticky surfaces), or drowning (water traps) to capture and eliminate flies, substituting the chemical action with mechanical action that achieves the same result without toxic exposure
3Productivity
If traditional trap systems are used, then flies are captured, but the traps require frequent disposal and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reusable trap design where the container and trapping mechanism can be emptied, cleaned, and refilled multiple times. The transparent container allows users to monitor fly accumulation and easily empty the trap by removing a bottom section or lid, then clean and reuse it, eliminating the need for frequent disposal and replacement of entire trap units
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a universal trap system with a reusable container that can accommodate different trapping mechanisms (adhesive surfaces, vacuum components, or water collection). This multi-functional design allows the same basic structure to be used repeatedly with different internal components, reducing waste and maintenance 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
Effectively captures fruit flies without using toxic chemicals, maintaining a sanitary and aesthetically pleasing environment, while being easy to operate and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
a pump configured to be submersed in the solution and coupled to the conduit, and a timer for intermittently activating the pump. When activated, the pump causes solution to travel up the conduit and to flow along the inner surface of the upper trap portion
Implementation Method 2
Any flies that have landed on the inner surface of the upper trap portion are captured by the flowing solution
Implementation Method 3
The vacuum is coupled to the fluid trap and removes air from the fluid trap to cause air and flies to flow from the gathering vessel, through the conduit, and into fluid inside the fluid trap
Data Source
AI summary
Fly traps that do not require toxic chemicals and that can un-intrusively be present in public areas. An example trap includes a housing to contain a solution and including opening(s) for ingress of flies, a conduit or nozzle, a pump to cause solution to flow via the conduit/nozzle and along the inner surface of the housing to capture flies, and a timer to activate the pump. Another example trap includes a gathering vessel, conduit coupled to the vessel and to be submerged in a fluid trap, a vacuum to remove air from the fluid trap, and a timing device to activate the vacuum. Another example trap includes an outer wall to contain a solution, an inner wall extending into the solution, an air pump and conduit(s) to form bubbles in the solution that rise in a space between the outer and inner walls and cascade down the inner wall.