Flying Insect Trap With Modular Attractant System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insect traps for flying insects like paper wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets lack flexibility in attractant types and combinations, which can limit their effectiveness in trapping these pests.
Innovation Solution
The insect trap features a closed-top entrapment chamber with a large bottom opening and small top opening, an entry cone with retaining tabs, a base with multiple entrance apertures, and a lower container for liquid attractants, along with a holder for volatile solid attractants, allowing for the use of both liquid and solid attractants and creating a vapor plume to attract insects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single type of attractant is used in the trap, then the trap structure is simple, but the effectiveness in trapping flying insects is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is divided into separate functional modules: a lower container for liquid attractants and a separate holder for solid attractants. This segmentation allows independent selection and replacement of different attractant types without complicating the overall trap structure, resolving the contradiction between attractant versatility and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trap design incorporates multiple attractant delivery systems (liquid and solid) within a single unified structure. The lower container and holder can work together or independently, providing multi-functional attractant options while maintaining a consistent trap architecture, thus achieving versatility without excessive complexity.
2Productivity
If only liquid attractants are used, then the trap structure is simple, but the trapping efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges liquid and solid attractant systems into a single trap design. The lower container for liquid attractants and the holder for solid attractants are integrated such that both can function together to enhance trapping efficiency, while the modular design prevents the complexity from becoming unmanageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The trap system allows users to change the state and type of attractants (liquid, solid, volatile) to optimize trapping efficiency for different insect populations. This parameter flexibility enables enhanced productivity without being locked into a single attractant configuration.
3Reliability
If multiple attractant types are incorporated, then the trapping effectiveness improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the attractant system into separate lower container and holder components, the trap achieves multiple attractant types while maintaining clear organizational boundaries. This segmentation makes the complexity manageable and allows for easy maintenance and replacement without overwhelming user confusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder for solid attractants is designed to fit within or alongside the lower container structure, creating a nested arrangement. This nesting approach allows multiple attractant components to occupy minimal space within the overall trap structure, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining trapping effectiveness.
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
This design enhances the trap's effectiveness by allowing greater flexibility in attractant types and combinations, improving the trapping efficiency of flying insects by using both vapor and solid attractants, combining the benefits of wet and dry traps.
Implementation Method 1
When liquid is provided in the lower container, vapors from the lower container enter the base, and generate a vapor plume at one or more of the insect entrance apertures
Implementation Method 2
providing a volatile solid attractant in the entrapment chamber such that vapors from the liquid attractant can mix with vapors from the solid attractant
Data Source
AI summary
An insect trap (100) having a transparent or translucent entrapment chamber (110) with a closed upper end, an entry cone (130) disposed therein, a base (140) removably attachable to the entrapment chamber, and a lower container (180) for holding a liquid attractant removably attachable to the base (140), such that evaporating attractant from the container enters the entrapment chamber. The base includes a plurality of entry apertures (150) adapted to permit target insects to enter the trap. A support such as a slotted cone (160) is disposed in the entrapment chamber, and supports a vial (170) of solid attractant. The liquid and solid attractants are able to mix in the trap, and gradually escape through the entry apertures, to generate a plume to attract the target insects toward the entrance apertures.