Rodent Trap with Post-Covered Trigger and Over-Center Spring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal traps are inefficient in capturing rodents of varying sizes and are sensitive to vibrations, leading to low capture rates and accidental capture of non-target animals, with complex setup and release mechanisms and potential for bleeding or soiling.
Innovation Solution
An animal trap design featuring a fixed jaw and a moving jaw activated by a spring and step trigger, where the bait is positioned to require the rodent to step on the trigger while raising its head, and the trigger is covered with posts to prevent flat placement, ensuring the rodent cannot spring away, combined with an adjustable mechanism for varying trigger sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complex catch mechanism is added to improve selectivity, then selectivity is improved, but device complexity increases and release becomes less predictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex catch mechanism from the trap design entirely. Instead of adding a separate catching component, the trap uses the spring's elastic energy and geometric configuration to directly achieve both capture and release functions, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining selectivity through proper spring positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the spring mechanism with the jaw closure mechanism into a unified system. The spring serves dual purposes: providing the closing force and acting as the release mechanism through its over-center positioning, eliminating the need for separate catch and release components.
2Productivity
If wire traps are used to capture rodents, then capture capability is achieved, but the traps are difficult to set and tend to be unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is designed to set itself automatically when the animal triggers it. The spring's over-center positioning creates a self-latching mechanism that requires no manual adjustment or setting by the user, eliminating the complexity of manual setup while maintaining reliable capture function.
3Productivity
If common mechanical traps are used, then rodent capture is achieved, but they tend to capture clothing, children and domestic pets due to non-selectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective triggering through the specific positioning of the spring relative to the pivotal axis. The spring is positioned to create a trigger zone that responds only to the weight and pressure distribution of target rodents, while the jaw geometry and spring force are calibrated to be insufficient for larger animals, achieving species and size selectivity.
4Force
If the spring is positioned far from the pivotal axis, then closure force is increased, but the trap becomes more sensitive to vibrations and movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the dynamic principle of over-center positioning, where the spring's position relative to the pivotal axis changes during operation. The spring starts in a stable open position, transitions through an unstable trigger point when activated, and settles into a stable closed position, providing both sufficient closure force and vibration resistance through this dynamic stability mechanism.
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 achieves high capture rates with reduced manual dexterity required for setup and release, ensuring humane and sanitary termination of the animal without breaking skin, and is selective to the target animal size, minimizing exposure to diseases.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is engaged with the fixed jaw and distal thereto is engaged with the moving jaw. The spring is adapted to operatively apply a closure force to move the moving jaw towards the fixed jaw
Implementation Method 2
A step trigger is located between the moving jaw and fixed jaw, to selectively trigger application of the closure force responsive to being stepped upon by the animal
Data Source
AI summary
An animal trap has a fixed jaw that serves as a base, and an opposed moveable jaw that operatively closes down upon the base. A trigger is provided between the base and moveable jaw. A bait holder is provided within the moveable jaw, most preferably at a location that requires a rodent or other animal to step upon the trigger while both raising their head and twisting their neck to try to reach the bait. The trigger may be covered with a set of posts that are sized and spaced from each other to prohibit any flat placement of paws onto the trigger, thereby forcing the animal to grasp the post tops, while allowing a paw to slip between and potentially be trapped by adjacent posts if the animal tries to move suddenly.