BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to the field of electronic rodent traps and, more particularly, to an electronic rodent trap with an internal barrier structure that reduces escapes and thereby improves the rate of catch.

Description of the Related Art

Electronic rodent traps like those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,899 (“the '899 patent”) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,947 (“the '947 patent”), which are commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention, include a pair of spaced killing plates. When a rodent makes contact with both plates simultaneously, a killing cycle is triggered during which a high voltage pulse train is delivered to the plates to electrocute the rodent. The '899 patent and the '947 patent are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein.

It has been found that with some electronic rodent trap designs, particularly those for rats, the rat is able to escape by jumping rearward out of the trap when the killing cycle is initiated. This can occur even with a trap having a three-killing-plate design like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,466 (“the '466 patent”) which is also commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention; the '466 patent is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

The trap design disclosed in the '899 patent includes multiple barrier elements but, having a hinged cover with a barrier, is best suited for mice. In addition, the barrier elements are placed with respect to only two plates, also best suited for mice.

Accordingly, a need exists for an electronic rat trap that reduces or eliminates rodent escapes during delivery of the high voltage killing cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to an enclosure-type electronic rat trap having an interior accessed through a trap entrance and a rat pathway that leads from the entrance to a baited end opposite the entrance. Along the rat pathway between the entrance and the baited end are three plates in spaced relationship and a barrier that extends into and constricts the pathway to reduce the ability of the rat to escape the trap once the rat has traveled along the pathway sufficiently to engage the barrier.

As described in the '466 patent, the three plates are coupled to a high voltage circuit and include a center ground plate flanked on its forward or inner side with a first high voltage plate and on its rearward or outer side with a second plate that is electrically coupled with the first plate. As used herein, “forward”, “front” and “inner” refer to that side nearest the closed or baited end of the trap, and “rearward”, “rear” and “outer” refer to that side nearest the open or entrance end of the trap.

According to one embodiment, the barrier includes a baffle wall that extends downwardly from the trap ceiling into the trap enclosure so that the bottom edge of the baffle wall is positioned at a specific height above the plates and at a specific longitudinal distance from the forward edge of the center ground plate. More particularly, the vertical distance between the bottom edge of the baffle wall and the ground plate is between about 1.00 inch and about 2.50 inches, and preferably is about 1.78 inches, and the horizontal distance between the bottom edge of the baffle wall and a vertical plane in alignment with the forward edge of the center ground plate is at least 1.50 inches, and preferably is about 2.34 inches.

In use, when a killing cycle is initiated in response to the rat coming into contact with the forward and center plates simultaneously, the position of the rat in the trap is such that the bottom of the barrier pins the torso of the rat against the floor so that it cannot jump up in an effort to move rearwardly and escape being shocked.

According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the baffle wall has a blade-like edge that digs into the rat's torso to more effectively immobilize the rodent during the killing cycle. The baffle wall may be planar or may have a tapered or top-down diminishing thickness with the bottom or lowermost end forming the blade-like edge. The barrier could also be formed as a plurality of individual members that extend downwardly in a stalactite manner and are laterally spaced from, but sufficiently close to, one another so as to form a grate-like wall for confining the movement of a rat's body within the trap in like manner to the solid barriers described herein.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic rat trap having a housing body that defines a trap enclosure with a ceiling and a floor, the trap floor having at least three or more plates on the floor of the rat pathway for receiving a high voltage pulse train upon activation of a killing cycle, and a barrier extending downwardly from the ceiling, a bottom end of the barrier being positioned at a specific height above the plates and in a particular longitudinal relationship therewith to prevent upward movement of a rat when its position in the trap activates the killing cycle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic rat trap in accordance with the preceding object in which the trap has three killing plates including a center ground plate flanked by front and rear high voltage plates, the lowermost edge of the bottom end of the barrier being between about 1.00 inch and about 2.50 inches, and preferably about 1.78 inches, in vertical distance above the center plate, and at least about 1.50 inches, and preferably about 2.34 inches, rearwardly of a vertical plane that extends upwardly from the forward edge of the center ground plate.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic rat trap in accordance with the preceding objects in which the barrier includes a baffle wall having a blade-like lowermost edge that digs into the torso of the rodent should the rodent attempt to jump upwardly upon trap activation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic rat trap in accordance with the preceding objects in which the baffle wall has a tapered or top-down diminishing thickness with the bottom or lowermost end narrowing to the blade-like edge.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic rat trap in accordance with the preceding objects that is cost effective to make and use, reliable in operation, and which effectively prevents rodent escape upon initiation of a killing cycle.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

