Motion Sensor Animal Trap with Electromechanical Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal traps often fail to properly activate when an animal engages bait, leading to premature triggering or failure to detect the animal, and many are inhumane as they kill or harm the animal in the trapping process, making them unsuitable for non-lethal pest removal or relocation.
Innovation Solution
A non-lethal animal trap with a motion sensor that detects animal presence within the cage, using an electromechanical latch and microprocessor to trigger a trap door closure without harming the animal, allowing for humane capture and relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bait-triggered trap mechanisms are used, then the trap can be activated when an animal takes bait, but the animal can remove the bait without triggering the trap, rendering it ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical bait-triggered activation system with an electronic motion detection system. The motion sensor detects animal movement within the cage interior and sends signals to a microprocessor, which then activates the electromechanical latch to close the trap door. This substitution eliminates the problem of animals removing bait without triggering the trap, as the motion sensor detects any movement regardless of bait interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a motion sensor as an intermediary detection device between the animal and the trap activation mechanism. The sensor acts as a mediator that detects animal presence and movement, converting physical motion into electrical signals that trigger the microprocessor and subsequent latch activation. This intermediary system provides more reliable detection compared to direct mechanical triggering by the animal.
2Productivity
If lethal trap mechanisms are used, then the animal can be trapped and eliminated, but the animal is killed or maimed in the process, which is inhumane and unsuitable for relocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lethal killing mechanism from the trap system, retaining only the capture and containment functions. The trap door closes to enclose the animal within the cage, but no mechanical arms, cutting blades, or suffocation chambers are present. The electromechanical latch secures the door, and the animal remains alive and unharmed, enabling humane relocation while maintaining effective pest removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful closing action of the trap door into a beneficial containment mechanism. Instead of using the door closure to kill or harm the animal through crushing, cutting, or suffocation, the closed door simply secures the animal within the cage for safe transport and relocation. The same mechanical action that could cause harm is redesigned to provide harmless containment.
3Measurement precision
If conventional motion-activated traps are used, then the trap can detect animal presence, but they often trigger prematurely or fail to detect the animal, resulting in false triggers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-controlled detection and activation system. The motion sensor continuously monitors the cage interior for animal movement, and when motion is detected, the signal is sent to the microprocessor which then activates the electromechanical latch. This feedback loop ensures that the trap activates only when actual animal presence is confirmed, eliminating premature or false triggers while maintaining timely response to genuine targets.
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 solution effectively prevents animals from removing bait without triggering the trap and ensures humane capture by using a motion sensor to activate the trap door, reducing false triggers and enabling safe, efficient trapping of animals for relocation.
Implementation Method 1
The trap utilizes a motion sensor that detects motion within the interior of the cage
Implementation Method 2
an electrically actuated housing closure means that traps the animal within the cage
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a non-lethal animal trap that comprises a housing, a mechanically actuated trap door, a motion sensor, and a microprocessor controlled tripping mechanism. The trap includes a pathway having a first and second entrance and a first and second trap door. The pathway includes animal bait therein, whereabove a motion sensor detects objects and motion within the pathway such that the entrances to the pathway are closed by the trap doors. The motion sensor sends signals to the microprocessor, which in turn activates an electrical latch mechanism that releases the trap door mechanism from its set position to its closed position. Once closed, each trap door includes a brace that prevents the animal from forcibly opening the door. The animal is then trapped for later disposal or relocation. A plurality of indicator lights provides notification of the device operational state, including device standby, triggered, and trapped animal notification.