Vacuum Trap with Detector-Controlled Valve for Vermin Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum-based vermin traps lack consistency in maintaining a vacuum and are inflexible for use across large areas, such as industrial settings, due to their stand-alone design and inertia issues with motor activation.
Innovation Solution
A modular vacuum trap system with a vacuum chamber, conduit, and valve mechanism that uses a vacuum source to maintain a consistent vacuum, coupled with a detector and control box to instantaneously activate the valve upon vermin detection, allowing for flexible deployment and efficient vermin capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vacuum-based vermin traps use stand-alone units with self-contained motors, then the device is self-sufficient and portable, but the motor inertia causes delayed response time when vermin are detected
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum motor operates continuously to maintain a pre-charged vacuum state in the chamber before vermin are detected. This preliminary action ensures that when the detector triggers, the vacuum is already established and ready to immediately capture vermin, eliminating the delay caused by motor startup inertia.
2Ease of manufacture
If vacuum traps are designed as stand-alone units, then they are easy to deploy individually, but they lack flexibility for coverage across large areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular components: a central vacuum source that can serve multiple chambers, and individual chambers that can be distributed across different locations. This segmentation allows the vacuum source to be shared while maintaining the ability to target specific areas, providing both ease of deployment and flexibility for large-area coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum source is designed to serve multiple functions and multiple chambers simultaneously. A single vacuum source can maintain vacuum in multiple chambers or switch between them, making the system versatile for covering large areas while reducing the total number of vacuum sources needed.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the vacuum motor is triggered on-demand, then energy consumption is reduced, but the motor must overcome inertia each time causing time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum motor runs continuously to maintain the vacuum state rather than starting and stopping with each detection event. This continuous operation eliminates the time loss from overcoming motor inertia while the system only actively captures vermin when needed, balancing energy use with response time requirements.
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
Enables rapid and consistent vermin capture with reduced time loss and increased flexibility for use across large areas, improving the effectiveness of vermin control by maintaining a pre-charged vacuum and utilizing a detector-controlled valve mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
A vacuum source maintains a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber immediately prior to the valve opening. The vacuum is sufficient to draw a vermin through an opening in the conduit.
Implementation Method 2
The vacuum is sufficient to draw a vermin through an opening in the conduit
Implementation Method 3
The detector may be an infrared sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum trap has a vacuum chamber and a conduit having at least one first opening open to atmosphere and a second opening connected to the vacuum chamber. A valve connects the conduit to the vacuum chamber and seals the vacuum chamber. A vacuum source maintains a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber immediately prior to the valve opening, the vacuum being sufficient to draw a vermin through an opening of the conduit. A detector detects the presence of vermin, the valve opening in response to a signal from the detector when vermin are detected.