Non-Planar Glue Board Alignment for LED Pest Traps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fluorescent UV tubes in flying pest traps cause the glue board to prematurely dry due to heat emission, reducing the trap's effectiveness, and replacing them with LED light sources poses a challenge in maximizing light output as the immobilisation element tends to bow and misalign with the LEDs over time.
Innovation Solution
A flying pest trap design featuring a non-planar configuration for the immobilisation element, using rails and securing means to maintain the glue board in a curved position, ensuring alignment with LEDs and maximizing light passage without enlarging the openings, thus maintaining adhesive surface area and trap efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional fluorescent UV tubes are used as the attracting element, then UV light is emitted to attract pests, but heat is emitted causing the glue board to prematurely dry out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful thermal radiation property from the light source by replacing fluorescent UV tubes with LED-based UV light sources. The LED technology provides the necessary UV illumination while significantly reducing heat emission, thereby eliminating the cause of premature glue drying while maintaining the pest-attracting UV light function.
2Illumination intensity
If the immobilisation element is made planar with openings aligning with LEDs, then light passage is maximized initially, but the element bows over time causing misalignment and reduced light passage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-curving the immobilisation element before installation. This pre-deformation compensates for the expected thermal bowing that occurs during operation, ensuring that the openings remain aligned with the LED light sources throughout the operational lifetime of the trap, thereby maintaining optimal light passage without requiring adjustment mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the immobilisation element is retained in a non-planar curved configuration, then alignment with LEDs is maintained over time, but the structure becomes more complex requiring rails and securing means
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing the immobilisation element with a pre-curved non-planar configuration that matches the expected thermal deformation. This curved design, when combined with simple rail guides and securing means, allows the element to maintain alignment with LED openings throughout operation. The curvature transforms a potential stability problem into a solution, requiring minimal additional structural complexity.
4Illumination intensity
If openings in the immobilisation element are enlarged to compensate for misalignment, then light passage is maintained, but the adhesive surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-curving the immobilisation element during manufacturing, the patent ensures that the openings remain properly aligned with the LED light sources throughout the operational lifetime of the trap. This preliminary action eliminates the need to enlarge openings as a compensation mechanism, thereby preserving the maximum adhesive surface area while maintaining optimal light passage for pest attraction.
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 non-planar configuration prevents deformation of the immobilisation element, maintaining alignment with LEDs and maximizing light emission through the adhesive surface, enhancing the trap's effectiveness and longevity without enlarging the openings.
Implementation Method 1
Over time, an immobilisation element tends to bow, caused by heating of the immobilisation element by the light source
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
A flying pest trap (10) comprises a plurality of LEDs (38) and an immobilisation element retaining means (46) for retaining an immobilisation element (12) in a non-planar configuration.