Retracting tunnel rodent trap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12382946-B2
Application number	US-202117536488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2021
Priority date	Jan 10, 2013
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A rodent trap includes a base, a strike member, a biasing member, and a trigger. The base defines a base interior and an opening. The strike member is movably coupled to the base for linear travel between an extended position and a retracted position. The strike member comprises a tunnel element extending through the opening of the base. The strike member defines an entryway that communicates with the base interior. The biasing member is coupled to the base and the strike member. The biasing member is configured to bias the strike member toward the retracted position. The trigger is movably coupled to the base. The trigger is configured to contact an outer surface of the strike member in the extended position. When the trigger dislodges from the outer surface of the strike member, the strike member linearly travels to the retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rodent trap comprising:
a base defining a base interior and an opening;
a strike member movably coupled to the base for linear travel between an extended position and a retracted position, the strike member comprising a tunnel element extending through the opening of the base and into the base interior, the tunnel element defining an entryway that communicates with the base interior, wherein the entryway is exterior to the base interior when the strike member is in the extended position;
a biasing member coupled to the base and the strike member, the biasing member configured to bias the strike member toward the retracted position; and
a trigger pivotably coupled to a pin extending vertically from the base, wherein the trigger is configured to contact an outer surface of the strike member in the extended position and, when the trigger dislodges from the outer surface of the strike member, the strike member linearly travels to the retracted position.

2. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the entryway is in the base interior when the strike member is in the retracted position.

3. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the trigger and the strike member are spaced apart when the strike member is in the retracted position.

4. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the strike member has a trigger engaging member that projects from an outer side of the tunnel element of the strike member, wherein the outer surface of the strike member includes an outer surface of the trigger engaging member, the trigger engaging the outer surface of the trigger engaging member when the strike member is in the extended position.

5. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a platform projecting beyond the base interior.

6. The rodent trap of claim 5 , wherein the base includes a base floor, the platform extending from the base floor, and wherein the strike member linearly travels along the platform and the base floor to the retracted position.

7. The rodent trap of claim 5 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring, and the platform of the base defines a channel that receives the spring.

8. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein a guide track is formed in the base to receive a projection from the strike member to guide it along a desired path.

9. The rodent trap of claim 1 , further comprising a trigger spring biasing the trigger towards the strike member.

10. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the tunnel element defines a passageway that communicates with the base interior, and the trigger is spaced outside of the passageway and sidewardly from the tunnel element.

11. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein the base defines within the base interior an entrance compartment and a trigger compartment, the trigger compartment being alongside the entrance compartment and in communication therewith, wherein the tunnel element of the strike member extends into the entrance compartment and the trigger is in the trigger compartment.

12. The rodent trap of claim 11 , wherein the trigger includes a trigger catch, the outer surface of the strike member includes a trigger engaging member that engages the trigger catch, wherein the trigger engaging member has a horizontal wall projecting from an exterior side wall of the strike member from the entrance compartment into the trigger compartment, and a vertical wall extending upwardly from the horizontal wall to face towards a rodent entering the trigger compartment from the entrance compartment, the vertical wall being in the trigger compartment.

13. The rodent trap of claim 12 , wherein a strike plate extends from the vertical wall of the trigger engaging member, and the strike plate is positioned to strike the rodent within the base interior when the trigger is triggered.

14. The rodent trap of claim 11 , further comprising a lid connected to the base, the lid having a lid barrier wall extending downwardly into the base interior, and wherein the base has a base barrier wall extending upwardly into the base interior, the lid barrier wall and the base barrier wall extending between the entrance compartment and the trigger compartment.

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

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

17. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein:
the base has a guide track extending outside the base interior;
the tunnel element is mounted to the base, the tunnel element further comprising portions extending into the guide track, wherein the tunnel element is mounted for travel on the base between the extended position in which the entryway is accessible by a rodent when it is exterior to the base interior, and the retracted position;
the biasing member comprises a spring extending between the base and the tunnel element;
the spring biases the tunnel element towards the retracted position; and
the tunnel element is configured to travel, guided by the guide track, to the 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 by the rodent.

18. The rodent trap of claim 17 , wherein the base has a platform projecting beyond the base interior, and wherein the guide track is formed on the platform of the base.

19. The rodent trap of claim 1 , wherein a rodent moving through the entryway into the base interior and against the trigger will dislodge the trigger from the outer surface of the strike member to release the strike member to linearly travel to the retracted position.

Assignees

• Oms Invest Inc

Inventors

• Walsh James R
• Johnson Daniel C

Classifications

• A01M23/30 Primary

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

• A01M23/00

  Traps for animals · CPC title

• A01M23/36 Primary

  with arrangements for piercing the victim · CPC title

• A01M23/16 Primary

  Box traps · CPC title