Spring-Loaded Rodent Trap With Conductive Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring-loaded strike traps for small animals, such as rats and mice, are cumbersome to handle, require complex assembly, and are prone to faulty triggering, especially when dealing with small prey, and lack integrated monitoring and notification capabilities for fluid leaks.
Innovation Solution
A spring-loaded strike trap with modular components, including a detachable inner inset and indicators made of flexible conductive materials, allows for reliable triggering and monitoring of fluid presence, forming a network for notification without additional sensors, and ensuring accurate detection of trapped prey size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional spring-loaded strike traps use complex multi-part structures, then they can achieve reliable triggering mechanism, but they become difficult to handle and require cumbersome arming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is divided into modular components including a detachable inner inset with spring and striker bar, separate housing, and removable battery compartment. This segmentation allows for easier assembly, disassembly, and maintenance while maintaining reliable triggering through precise mechanical connections between modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The trap integrates multiple functions into a single device: rodent trapping, water leak detection, and electrical circuit monitoring. The same mechanical components serve dual purposes - the striker bar both kills rodents and acts as a circuit breaker, while the trigger mechanism both activates the trap and detects water presence through conductive materials.
2Ease of operation
If traditional traps use simple structures, then they are easy to handle, but they are prone to faulty triggering especially with small prey
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger plate incorporates a localized water-sensitive region made of conductive material that specifically detects water presence without requiring complex sensors. This local quality enhancement maintains simplicity while improving triggering accuracy for small prey through precise mechanical response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical triggering with a hybrid system where conductive materials detect water presence and trigger the mechanical striker bar. This substitution improves reliability for small prey by using electrical conductivity rather than solely mechanical pressure, while maintaining ease of operation through automatic triggering.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traps are designed solely for pest killing, then they have simple functionality, but they lack monitoring and notification capabilities for fluid leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The trap serves multiple functions: rodent trapping, water leak detection, and electrical circuit protection. The conductive trigger plate acts as both a mechanical trigger and a water sensor, while the striker bar functions as both a killing mechanism and a circuit breaker. This multi-functionality enhances adaptability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trap monitors water presence and circuit status automatically without external sensors or power sources. The conductive materials and mechanical components self-regulate based on environmental conditions, providing monitoring capabilities through the existing structure rather than adding separate monitoring systems.
4Measurement precision
If traps use rigid indicators for position detection, then they provide clear indication, but they are sensitive to deformations and less tolerant to variations
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator is made from flexible conductive material that can deform slightly while maintaining electrical contact. This flexibility allows the indicator to accommodate variations in position and deformation while still providing clear indication through circuit completion, enhancing both measurement precision and adaptability.
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 provides a user-friendly, reliable, and efficient means of capturing small animals while monitoring fluid leaks, reducing faulty triggering, and enabling networked communication for leak detection without external sensors.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring (2), a housing (3), at least one striker bar (10), at least one arming bar (20)
Implementation Method 2
the indicators (100, 101, 110, 120) that are conductively connected forming a closed circuit when the water or the like conductive fluid has reached the certain/predetermined level (42)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns an animal trap (1) and a system or network of such traps. The trap (1) is a spring-loaded strike rat trap comprising at least one spring (2), a housing, at least one striker bar (10), at least one arming bar (20), at least one trigger plate (30) and at least one trigger (40). The spring is configured for biasing the bars moving them from one position, where the arming bar and trigger plate is releasably held by the trigger and in contact with a ready indicator (101) to indicate that the spring-loaded strike trap is armed, into at least one other position where the movement of each bar is stopped, after the spring-loaded strike trap has been triggered releasing the bars.