Rotating Trapdoor Mechanism for Muridae Catching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal traps, particularly for muridae, face challenges in catching rats due to recognition of danger, require frequent maintenance, and are cumbersome or ineffective for larger animals or fail to catch mice due to insufficient weight or friction issues.
Innovation Solution
A trap design featuring a gangway with rotatable trapdoors and a counterweight system, combined with a feed-box and ultrasound exit holes to increase catch probability, and a shield to maintain bait freshness without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the trapdoor is made longer to accommodate larger animals, then the trap can catch larger animals, but the trap becomes very cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The trapdoor is divided into two separate trapdoors instead of one long single trapdoor. Each trapdoor is shorter and can be independently positioned, allowing the trap to accommodate larger animals while avoiding the cumbersomeness of a single long trapdoor. The two trapdoors work together to form the closing mechanism.
2Device complexity
If the trapdoor length is reduced for smaller mice, then the trap becomes less cumbersome, but the mice weight is sometimes not sufficient to tilt the trapdoors
Solution Approach 1:
A counterweight system is introduced to balance the trapdoor mechanism. The counterweight compensates for the insufficient weight of small mice, allowing even light mice to trigger the trapdoor closure. This involves positioning the trapdoor pivot point and using the weight distribution between the trapdoor and counterweight to achieve proper triggering sensitivity.
3Reliability
If friction between trapdoor and fixed structure increases, then the trapdoor is harder to trigger, but this prevents accidental triggering, however it causes mice to eat bait without being caught
Solution Approach 1:
The friction-based triggering mechanism is replaced by extracting the triggering function to a separate bait container system. The bait container is designed to become unbalanced and tilt when the mouse interacts with it, which then triggers the trapdoor closure. This separates the triggering mechanism from the trapdoor itself, eliminating the friction issue while maintaining reliability.
4Reliability
If the trap requires periodic checking and bait reintegration, then maintenance time and costs increase, but this ensures the trap remains functional
Solution Approach 1:
The bait container is designed to be self-contained and self-sufficient for extended periods. It includes features such as a protective shield that maintains bait freshness without manual intervention, and an automatic triggering mechanism that doesn't require monitoring. The design allows the trap to operate autonomously for longer durations without human intervention for bait replacement or maintenance.
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 catch probability for both mice and rats without maintenance needs, ensuring effective operation across various animal sizes and reducing false triggers and bait replenishment requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The trapdoors, after the catch of the mouse, return to their original horizontal position, respectively because of a counterweight
Implementation Method 2
The trapdoors, after the catch of the mouse, return to their original horizontal position, respectively because of a counterweight and a spring
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A trap (1) for catching animals, in particular muridae, is provided with a tank (2) and a passageway (8), which extends above the tank (2) from an entry (10) and has, at the end, a container (13) for a bait; the floor of the passageway (8) is defined by a gangway (3), which opens to let an animal fall into the tank (2) and is provided with two trapdoors (14,15) hinged to one another; the first of said trapdoors (14) is hinged about a horizontal axis (16), so as to tilt from a substantially horizontal position during the opening of the gangway (3), and has a counterweight (18) to reclose the gangway (3); the gangway (3) has an attach device (24) which connects the second trapdoor (15) to a fixed retaining device (25), so as to support the first trapdoor (14) in its substantially horizontal position even when the first trapdoor (14) is subject to a weight; the attach device (24) is releasable when the weight rests on the second trapdoor (15).