Retracting tunnel rodent trap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10512259-B2
Application number	US-201514946927-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 10, 2013
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A rodent trap having a covered base defines an enclosed interior accessible through a sliding plastic tunnel defining a passageway for rodents into the interior. The tunnel has a projecting strike member, and is biased by an underlying spring to a retracted position. A trigger engaging member extends from the tunnel to be retained by a catch on a trigger mounted to the base. When a rodent passes through the tunnel into the base interior, it is directed by barriers towards a rodent attracting bait. To reach the bait, the rodent must press against a pivotably mounted trigger, thereby dislodging the trigger from the trigger engaging member which releases the tunnel to be driven by the spring to retract along parallel tracks to bring the strike plate forcibly against the rodent within the trap, usually killing it, and closing the trap.

First claim

We claim:

1. A rodent trap comprising:
a base having an interior wall which defines a base interior and having an opening which communicates with the base interior;
a strike member comprising a tunnel element defining a passageway which passes through the interior wall opening to communicate with the base interior, the tunnel element extending through the opening in the interior wall, the tunnel element defining at least one entryway through which a rodent gains access to the passageway, the strike member being mounted to the base for linear travel between a first extended position and a second retracted position, the at least one entryway being exterior to the base interior when the strike member is in the first extended position;
a biasing member arranged to bias the strike member toward the retracted position; and
a trigger coupled to the rodent trap and having a trigger catch positioned outside the strike member when the strike member is in the first extended position and the second retracted position and arranged to hold the strike member in the first extended position, wherein a rodent moving through the passageway into the base interior and against the trigger will dislodge the trigger catch from the strike member to release the strike member to linearly travel to the second retracted position to strike the rodent between the strike member and the base, and wherein the trigger is coupled to the rodent trap when the strike member is in the second retracted position.

2. The rodent trap of claim 1 further comprising a trigger spring which biases the trigger towards the strike member.

3. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the base has a platform which projects beyond the base interior, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring, and wherein a channel in the base platform receives the spring, and wherein at least one guide track is formed in the base to receive a projection from the strike member to guide it along a desired path.

4. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the trigger extends in generally the same direction as the passageway and is spaced sidewardly therefrom.

5. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the strike member has a trigger engaging member which engages the trigger catch, and wherein an entrance compartment is defined within the base interior in communication with the passageway, and wherein a trigger compartment is alongside the entrance compartment and in communication therewith, wherein the trigger engaging member has a horizontal wall which projects from a side wall of the strike member, and a vertical wall which extends upwardly from the horizontal wall to face towards a rodent entering the trigger compartment from the entrance compartment.

6. The rodent trap of claim 5 wherein a strike plate extends from the trigger engaging member vertical wall and the strike plate is positioned to strike a rodent within the base interior when the trigger is triggered.

7. The rodent trap of claim 1 further comprising a bait cup positioned within the base interior between the trigger and the strike member.

8. The rodent trap of claim 1 further comprising a lid which is connected to the base to define the base interior, the lid having a barrier wall which extends downwardly into the base interior, and wherein the base has a barrier wall which extends upwardly into the base interior, the lid barrier wall and the base barrier wall extending between an entrance compartment and a trigger compartment, the trigger being pivotably mounted to the base.

9. The rodent trap of claim 1 further comprising:
indicia associated with the base to indicate whether the trap is set or has been activated, the indicia being spaced from one another; and
indicator portions of the strike member which extend outside the base interior and which point to one of the spaced indicia depending on whether the strike member is in the first extended position or the second retracted position.

10. The rodent trap of claim 1 ,
wherein the base has at least one guide track which extends outside the base interior;
wherein the tunnel element is mounted to the base, the tunnel element further comprising portions which extend into the at least one base guide track, wherein the tunnel element is mounted for travel on the base between the first extended position in which the at least one entryway is accessible by a rodent exterior to the base interior, and the second retracted position;
wherein the biasing member comprises a spring extending between the base and the tunnel element;
wherein the spring biases the tunnel element towards the second retracted position; and
wherein the tunnel element is configured to travel, guided by the at least one guide track, to the second retracted position under the urging of the spring, such that the tunnel element will strike portions of the rodent upon release of the strike member by dislodgement of the trigger catch by the rodent.

11. The rodent trap of claim 10 wherein the base has a platform which projects beyond the interior wall, and wherein the at least one guide track is formed on the base platform.

12. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the trigger is positioned outside the strike member when the strike member is in the first extended position and the second retracted position.

13. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the rodent moving through the passageway into the base interior and against the trigger will dislodge the trigger catch from an outer surface of the strike member to release the strike member to linearly travel to the second retracted position.

14. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the trigger does not contact the strike member when the strike member is in the second retracted position.

15. The rodent trap of claim 1 wherein the strike member has a trigger engaging member that projects from the strike member tunnel element, the trigger engaging member engaging the trigger catch when the strike member is in the first extended position.

Assignees

• Oms Invest Inc

Inventors

• Walsh James R
• Johnson Daniel C

Classifications

• A01M23/36 Primary

  with arrangements for piercing the victim · CPC title

• A01M23/16 Primary

  Box traps · CPC title

• A01M23/00

  Traps for animals · CPC title

• A01M23/30 Primary

  Break-back traps {, i.e. mouse-trap type} · CPC title