Rodent Trap Retainer Mechanism for Safe Arming and Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Setting up, transporting, and positioning rodent traps can be difficult and dangerous due to sensitive trigger mechanisms that increase the risk of accidental trap activation, particularly when setting up rodent traps with spring-loaded kill bars.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held rodent trap-setting device with a base, handle, and releasable trap retainer that securely engages the rodent trap platform or arm bar structure, allowing safe arming and deployment of the trap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the arm bar placement is made sensitive to small movements of the trigger paddle to prevent rodents from getting bait without triggering the trap, then the trap effectiveness is improved, but the risk of the kill bar snapping onto the user's hand while the trap is being set increases
Solution Approach 1:
A safety arm is introduced as an intermediary component between the trigger paddle and the kill bar. The safety arm must be deliberately moved to a specific position to enable the kill bar to rotate and become operational. This intermediary mechanism prevents accidental discharge by requiring a conscious, deliberate action to activate the trap, while still allowing the sensitive arm bar placement to function effectively for catching rodents.
2Device complexity
If conventional rat traps are used without additional safety mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the safety during setup and positioning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety arm is positioned to preliminarily prevent the kill bar from rotating into its operational position. By default, the safety arm blocks the kill bar's path, requiring deliberate user action to move the safety arm and permit rotation. This preliminary protective measure is built into the trap's operation, providing safety during setup and positioning without requiring separate external safety devices or complex additional mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held rodent trap setting device includes a base supporting a rodent trap, a handle, and a releasable trap retainer that user-releasably secures the rodent trap to the platform. The device allows a user to arm the trap near a delivery location, and place the trap even in relatively inaccessible locations. The retainer may include a clamping arm that presses down on the top surface of the trap base, a spring-loaded ball that presses up on the underside of the trap base, and/or a magnet that attaches to a metallic part of the rodent trap such as the arm bar hinge. A trap release such as a clamping arm actuator, a longitudinal plunger, and/or a slidable magnet support allows detaching the rodent trap after arming. A spring-loaded safety catch allows automatically securing the kill bar of the trap when the trap is being armed while secured to the platform.