Insect Trap for Fleas or the Like

The present invention generally relates to insect traps. More specifically the invention is directed to a trap for luring and exterminating insects, particularly fleas, by use of a self-activating, gradually decaying, light source.

It is known in the art of insect traps to utilize an electrically energized light source for attracting insects and a sticky substance beneath the light source for trapping the insects. It has also been known to suspend an electrically energized light source of a selected color beneath a reflective surface and direct the reflected light towards a sticky substance to trap insects. However, all such forms of electrically energized insect traps have the disadvantage of requiring an electric power source and the cautions that must accompany the use of any type of electrically powered insect trap. An oil lamp has also been used as an insect trap light source but has the disadvantage, among others, of requiring a source of oil and replenishment of the oil or other fuel.

Chemiluminescent and tritium tube light sources have been employed as emergency light sources. Certain special forms of chemiluminescent light sources have also been employed as a submersible lure for attracting fish. However, so far as is known neither the chemiluminescent type of light source or the type of light source provided by a sealed glass tube internally coated with phosphor and filled with tritium gas or any similar self-contained, self-activated light source has been recognized as a useful light source for luring and trapping insects, particularly non-flying, wingless fleas.

In accordance with the invention applicants provide an insect trap of broad application but designed primarily for entrapment and extermination of non-flying, wingless fleas. The insect trap of the invention in one embodiment comprises a sticky liquid or other sticky substance accessible to a source of fleas to be trapped and a light source in the form of a chemiluminescent light emitting tube, light emitting tritium tube or any similar self-activated, self-contained light source positioned so as to attract fleas or other insects to the sticky substance or other trapping mechanism. Various embodiments illustrate various forms of associating the light source with the trapping surface or other trapping mechanism. The need for an electrical or fuel supply for the light source has thus been eliminated and a relatively inexpensive, relatively long life, self-contained insect trap has been achieved all of which is believed to represent a significant advance in the art.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a first embodiment of the invention insect trap in a first form without a housing.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a second form of the first embodiment of the insect trap.

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a light source support for a third form of the first embodiment of the insect trap.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the third form of the first embodiment of the insect trap utilizing the light source support of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of a fourth form of the first embodiment of the insect trap.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of a second embodiment of the insect trap utilizing a first form of housing.

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of the second embodiment of the insect trap utilizing a second form of housing.

FIG. 8 is a pictorial view of the second embodiment of the invention utilizing a third form of housing.

Referring to the drawings, an insect trap 10 constructed in accordance with the first form of a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a relatively rigid panel 12 formed of paperboard or the like having a flypaper like sticky substance 14 and a self-activated light source 16. Light source 16 is secured to the panel 12 by means of an adhesive, not shown, or other suitable means and in FIG. 1 the light source 16 is illustrated as being secured to one extreme end of panel 12. In the illustration of FIG. 1, panel 12 is illustrated as being tilted against a room wall surface 18 such that fleas on the floor 20 of the same room tend to jump towards light source 16 to be trapped and exterminated by means of the sticky trapping surface 14 it being desirable that source 16 be at least slightly elevated relative to the floor 20 on which the fleas reside.

In the first and all other embodiments to be described herein, the light source 16 is intended to represent a self-activated, self-contained, gradually decaying, light source operable independent of any electric or fuel source such as provided by a chemiluminescent light source as described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,987 and preferably of a green color suited to attracting fleas and is illustrated as being in tubular form. Other colors, though discovered to be less effective, are deemed to be within the scope of the invention. Another type of self-activated light source suited to the invention is the tritium tube type light source such as sold by Saunders Roe Development, Ltd., of Middlesex, England. A chemiluminescent tube sold under the trademark "Cyalume" by the American Cynamid Company and typically for use as a submersible fishing lure when obtained in the form which gives off a green color or glow and in a larger size than is typically used for a fishing lure, when mounted in the manner of

FIG. 1 has proven to be effective for purposes of the invention. A 5" long, 1/2" outside diameter "Cyalume" light stick has been employed. A "Betalight" glass sealed tritium tube about 23/4" long and 1/4" outside diameter made by Saunders Roe Development, Ltd., and typically sold as an emergency light source for signs has also proven effective for the same purpose. Such tubes typically radiate radially outwardly in all directions unless purposely shielded.

In another form of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a triangular support structure 30 formed of a relatively rigid panel material such as paperboard is coated with a suitable sticky substance 32 and the light source 16 is suitably supported at the apex of the triangular support 30 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and a few inches, e.g., three inches, above the floor 20. In use, as pictorially illustrated in FIG. 2, the support structure 30 rests on the floor surface 20 enabling the fleas to jump from either side of the support structure 30 towards the elevated light source 16 onto the trapping surface 32 on the side illustrated or on the opposite side which is provided with a similar trapping substance though not shown in FIG. 2.

In the form of the first embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tubular light source 16 is removably supported at an elevated position, e.g., three inches above floor level, on a wire formed leg support 36, above a rigid panel member 40 provided with a trapping substance 42. In the form of FIG. 4, it will be understood that the fleas on the floor 20 tend to jump towards the elevated light source 16 to be trapped by the trapping substance 42.

In the fourth form of the first embodiment in FIG. 5, two opposed panels 22, 24 having outer sticky surfaces 26, 28 (not shown) drape on a support stick 27 below the light source 16. This form of the invention might be useful near a dog kennel or the like.

In various forms of a second embodiment the light source is supported in a housing. In the first form of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the light source 16 is removably supported by clips 83 in a housing comprising a wall mounted receptacle 80 which also supports within the receptacle 80 a replaceable sheet of flypaper 82 or other sticky substance. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the receptacle 80 is mounted within the wall 81 and slightly above floor surface 20 such that the fleas are able to hop towards the light source 16 to be trapped by the sticky substance 82. A reflective surface 86, preferably of a green color enhances the trapping effect. Receptacle 80 is secured by means of screws 84 and fixed to the wall 81.

In a second form of housing for the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, a carrier 60 molded of plastic, metal or other suitable material includes a handle 62 secured to the top 64, four supporting corner legs 66 and a bottom wall 68 on which is placed a sheet of replaceable sticky flypaper 70 or the like. The light source 16 is removably suspended below the top 64 in clips 63, 65 only one of which is shown and below a reflective material 74, preferably of a green color, such as aluminum green sheet or the like and which is secured to the inner surface of top 64 above the light source 16 so as to direct light from light source 16 towards the trapping surface 70. The support 60 has four open sides as illustrated such that when placed on any floor 20, ground surface or the like having a collection of fleas, the fleas are allowed to jump over the shallow walls 72 above the floor 68 of the carrier 60 to be trapped by the sticky substance 70.

In a third form of housing for the second embodiment as seen in FIG. 8, the light source 16 is removably suspended by clips 51 beneath a cover 50 supported by wire formed supports 52 above a shallow pan 54 containing a replaceable sheet of sticky flypaper 56 or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,789, incorporated herein by reference, may be referred to for this type of shallow pan-cover-support configuration. Cover 50 has an inner reflective surface 53, preferably green, so as to reflect and supplement the radiated light produced by the light source 16 towards the trapping surface 56. In use, the shallow pan 54 resting on the floor 20 enables any fleas on floor 20 to sense both the radiated and reflected light and jump towards the light source 16 to be trapped by the trapping surface 56. In other forms of the invention as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 7, both directly radiated and reflected light is produced and the fleas are able to sense both forms of radiation. In some experiments, the radiation produced by an extensively used light source 16 of the invention even though not visible to the human eye as light has nevertheless continued to attract and trap fleas even though at a rate substantially less than when the light source 16 is fresh and produces a light visible to the human eye. Thus, the "color" may at times be invisible but effective. The fact that the light source is tubular and radiates in all directions around the tube periphery is also helpful.

In summary, an improved insect trap has been provided which is particularly useful for trapping non-flying, wingless fleas. The improved insect trap is effective independent of any electrical or fuel supply and thus avoids all the disadvantages of such requirement. An economical, easily produced, self-activated and self-contained trap is obtained. The trap may be made in a single use, inexpensive, disposable form as in FIGS. 1-5 or in a form so as to be reusable, as in FIGS. 6-8, by replacing the light source and sticky paper when needed.

While primarily directed to trapping wingless, non-flying insects, the invention contemplates that any insect attracted to the unique light source of the invention could be trapped either by the sticky trapping surface illustrated or by other means such as a funnel trap or the like suited to the particular insect and its type of movement whether in the nature of hopping or flying. Based on those experiments thus far completed it has been observed that the gradually decaying, chemiluminescent light source of the type described and in the form presently commercially available will have a substantially shorter effective life for attracting insects, measured in hours, than will the tritium tube light source which may prove to have an effective life of several years. With an intense concentration of fleas however, a substantial number can be trapped with either light source in a very short period of time. Either light source gives the advantage of being self-contained and operable independent of an electrical or fuel supply and to be readily replaceable in the reusable form of the invention trap.