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EP-3417705-B1 - INSECT TRAP DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING

EP3417705B1EP 3417705 B1EP3417705 B1EP 3417705B1EP-3417705-B1

Inventors

  • SANDFORD, ANDREW
  • LAZARCHIK, Daniel
  • LIEBERWIRTH, LARS
  • SCHAEFER, Hans Peter

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20140228

Claims (16)

  1. A removable insect trap cartridge (814) for use with a base portion ( 812) having a lighting element ( 826) and a docking switch (820), said docking switch (820) being configured to activate said lighting element (826) when the cartridge is correctly engaged with the base portion, the cartridge comprising: an enclosure defining the cartridge, the enclosure having an adhesive surface and a first opening; wherein the adhesive surface is at least partially contained within the enclosure and is configured to adhere to an insect; wherein the first opening is configured to allow an insect to enter the enclsoure, and wherein the enclosure is configured to provide light in a predetermined pattern within the enclosure; characterized by a docking switch activator (818) configured to activate the docking switcl (820) when the cartridge is correctly engaged with the base portion ( 812).
  2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises: a front housing portion having a first internal surface; and a rear housing portion having a second internal surface, wherein the front and rear housing portions are matingly engaged with each other to form the enclosure, and wherein at least one of the first or second internal surfaces is configured to manipulate light.
  3. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first or second internal surfaces includes an adhesive surface.
  4. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-3, wherein light is transmitted through the adhesive surface to illuminate the adhesive surface and attract insects.
  5. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the enclosure comprises a bottom surface ( 850) configured to be removably received in a pluggable base.
  6. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the enclosure comprises biodegradable materials.
  7. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the cartridge further comprises an insect attractant.
  8. The cartridge of claim 7, wherein the insect attractant is selected from sorbitol, coleopteran attractants, dipteran attractants, homopteran attractants, lepidopteran attractants, straight-chain lepidopteran pheromones, eugenol, methyl eugenol, and siglure.
  9. The cartridge of claim 7 or 8, wherein the insect attractant is detectable by an insect at a distance of approximately 2 meters from the cartridge.
  10. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the enclosure includes a textured surface configured to increase the surface area of the enclosure.
  11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the textured surface comprises ribs extending at least a portion of the length of the enclosure.
  12. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-11, further comprising a light-conducting body located within the enclosure and configured to receive and distribute light in a predetermined pattern within the enclosure.
  13. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the enclosure includes an inner sleeve configured to be received into and aligned with an outer sleeve.
  14. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a face plate having an opening corresponding to an enclosure opening, the openings providing an alignment means.
  15. The cartridge of claim 13 or 14, wherein the inner sleeve comprises a tab for holding the inner sleeve.
  16. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-15, wherein the docking switch activator comprises a mechanical switch, optical switch, electronic switch, electromechanical switch, or Hall effect sensor.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure is related generally to an insect trap, more particularly, to a removable insect trap having a minimal footprint and an aesthetically pleasing design. BACKGROUND Flying insect pests have long been a nuisance and a health hazard. Since ancient times, insect traps have been used to eliminate flying insects, and hundreds of different traps have been proposed and developed over the centuries. There has always been a need to eliminate flies and mosquitos that inevitably find their way into homes. Recent US outbreaks of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile virus and harmful E. Coli infections, public health threats that can be spread by flying insects, have only increased this need. Because insects may see and be attracted to a combination of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, an indoor insect trap may have its own UV and visible light sources. Insect traps commonly have a fluorescent tube that emits both UV and visible light to attract insects and a glue board to trap them. However, insect traps incorporating fluorescent tubes and the transformers that power them may be too large to fit wherever they're needed and too expensive to afford one for every room in the house. In addition, insects may contact the fluorescent tube and over time it may accumulate dust and insect debris, blocking the light and reducing the trap's effectiveness. Furthermore, the glue board may be difficult to remove and replace without touching trapped insects and adhesive. Document US5915948 discloses an insect trap which comprises a base mounted to a wall or other suitable surface. The insect trap has a insect attractant light which is operatively connected inside the base and a reflector which is suitably positioned adjacent the wall such that the lights from the ligth source is at least partially transmitted onto the reflector and then reflected away from the wall. Document US6393759 discloses an electronic fly trap apparatus with a cover. The trap has a housing with a cover placed over the top portion of the housing, and at least on flying insect access aperture extends through a portion of the cover. Another insect trap is known from US2002/0139040 A1, which discloses a cover for a socket with a lighting element, wherein glue boards are arranged in the enclosure formed by the cover. SUMMARY An insect trap device and methods of using the device are described herein. The insect trap may effectively attract and trap insects indoors and may be manufactured and sold at a lower cost than commercially available traps. The insect trap device may be smaller than competing indoor insect traps, and may be conveniently movable from one location to another. The insect trap device may be easier to clean and maintain without contacting trapped insects. The invention is described in the independent claim. Further preferred embodiments are defined by the dependent claims. In accordance with the invention, a removable insect trap cartridge is disclosed including: an enclosure defining the cartridge, the enclosure having an adhesive surface and a first opening, wherein the adhesive surface is at least partially contained within the enclosure and is configured to adhere to an insect, wherein the first opening is configured to allow an insect to enter the enclosure, and wherein the enclosure is configured to provide light in a predetermined pattern within the enclosure. In an embodiment, the enclosure includes: a front housing portion having a first internal surface; and a rear housing portion having a second internal surface, wherein the front housing portion and rear housing portion are matingly engaged with each other to form the enclosure; and wherein at least one of the first or second internal surfaces is configured to manipulate light. In an embodiment, at least one of the first or second internal surfaces includes an adhesive surface. In an embodiment, the rear housing portion has a concave surface, the concave surface configured to reflect light evenly within the enclosure. In an embodiment, light is transmitted through the adhesive surface, illuminating the adhesive surface to attract an insect to the adhesive surface. In an embodiment, the enclosure includes: a front housing portion having a first internal surface; a rear housing portion having a second internal surface; and a divider portion disposed at least partially between the front housing portion and rear housing portion, wherein the front housing portion and rear housing portion are matingly engaged with each other to form the enclosure; and wherein the divider portion divides the enclosure into a front enclosure portion and a rear enclosure portion. In an embodiment, the divider portion includes a rear surface having translucent material and includes a front surface having an adhesive surface. In an embodiment, the second internal surface of the rear housing portion includes a concave surface, the concave surface configured to reflect light on