Patent Application
20150320028
Electronic insect killing devices have existed in different forms. Traditional bug zappers are sizeable appliances powered by mains electricity and typically hung. A light source attracts the bugs and, when sufficiently close, the bugs are electrocuted. By contrast, electronic flyswatters are handheld and battery-powered, and are generally used to swat at flying insects. But such devices have various drawbacks, including their failure to combine certain features of bug zappers and electronic flyswatters.
The present invention is directed to an electronic insect killing apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a base housing a power source; a racket assembly coupled to the base, the racket assembly comprising: an insulating frame forming a central opening; an electrically conductive grid assembly operably coupled to the power source, the electrically conductive grid assembly positioned within the central opening of the insulating frame; at least one insulating strut located within the central opening, the at least one insulating strut formed of a phosphorescent material; and at least one electromagnetic radiation source operably coupled to the power source, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the at least one insulating strut.
In another embodiment, the base comprises an upper and lower surface, wherein a center of gravity vector of the electric insect killing apparatus intersects the lower surface of the base when the lower surface of the base is in surface contact with a horizontal surface, thereby supporting the electric insect killing apparatus in a free-standing arrangement.
In another embodiment, the electronic insect killing apparatus comprises a base housing a power source, the base comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; a racket assembly coupled to and extending upward from the upper surface of the base, the racket assembly comprising: an insulating frame forming a central opening; an electrically conductive grid assembly operably coupled to the power source, the electrically conductive grid assembly positioned within the central opening of the insulating frame; and at least one electromagnetic radiation source operably coupled to the power source, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto portions of the electrically conductive grid assembly.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front” and “rear” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” “secured” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are described by reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated herein. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments, even if indicated as being preferred. The discussion herein describes and illustrates some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.
In the exemplified embodiment, the racket assembly 100 has a first depth measured from a front surface of the insulating frame 110 to a rear surface of the insulating frame 110; wherein the base 200 has a second depth measured from a front surface of the base 200 to a rear surface of the base 200; and wherein the first depth is less than one-half of the second depth. Further, as shown in
In the exemplified embodiment, as shown in
As also shown in
Returning to
The racket assembly 100 comprises an electrically conductive grid assembly 150 operably coupled to the power source 204. As will be discussed in further detail below, the electrically conductive grid assembly 150 is located within the central opening 112 of the insulating frame 110 and provides an electrical charge for electrocuting an insect. The discussion below describes the exemplified embodiment for such an electrically conductive grid assembly, though any well-known arrangement using an electrically conductive grid to electrocute an insect could be considered an electrically conductive grid assembly 150.
Further, insulating struts 130 are located within the central opening. The invention can include one or more insulating struts 130. The struts 130 can be made of any phosphorescent material that can also function as a dielectric. In certain embodiments, the struts 130 provide insulation such that components of the electrically conductive grid assembly 150 remain spaced sufficiently apart, such that electrons do not flow between them. In other embodiments, the struts 130 can be located on the exterior of the electrically conductive grid assembly 150. The struts can be made of any phosphorescent material. Phosphorescent material is to be understood as material that uses phosphorescence to absorb radiation and re-emit that radiation at a lower intensity after the original excitation. In the preferred embodiment, only the insulating struts 130 are made of phosphorescent material. In alternative embodiments, the base 200 and/or insulating frame 110 can also be constructed of phosphorescent material.
Further, electrical wires 220 electrically couple the power source 204 to the at least one source of electromagnetic radiation 170. The electrical wires 220 are at least partially located within a channel 114 of the insulating frame 110.
In the exemplified embodiment, the at least one insulating strut 130 comprises a first insulating strut 132 and a second insulating strut 134. A first one of the plurality of light sources (first light source 174) emits light onto the first insulating strut 132 and a second one of the plurality of light sources (second light source 176) emits light onto the second insulating strut 134. The first and second insulating struts 132, 134 are non-intersecting. Further, each of at least two of the plurality of light sources 172, 174 emit light onto the top area of at least one strut 132. In other embodiments, such as the alternative embodiment shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the electronic insect killing apparatus 10 comprises a switch 212 on the base 200 for coupling and decoupling the electrically conductive grid assembly 150 and the at least one source of electromagnetic radiation 170 from the power source 204. In alternative embodiments, the switch 152 can be positioned at other locations on the electronic insect killing apparatus 10, such as on the racket assembly 100. In certain embodiments, the switch 212 is activated by a push button. In other embodiments, the switch 212 can be a slide-actuated switch or another type of switch. The preferred embodiment further comprises a high voltage circuit 202 located within the base and operably coupled to the electrically conductive grid assembly 150 and the power source 204. In an alternative embodiment, the circuit 202 can be located outside the base 200, for example in the insulating frame 110.
In the exemplified embodiment, when switched on, the circuit takes power from the two C batteries in series (approximately 3.0 volts) and boosts the voltage. The boosted voltage can be 500 to 2500V, or any voltage necessary to electrocute the targeted insect. This voltage is then provided to the third grid (the “positive grid”) 156. The first and second grids (the “negative grids”), 152, 154, by contrast, are connected with the negative terminal of the power source 204. The positive grid 156 is separated from the negative grids 152, 154 at a sufficient distance to prevent shorting the circuit during normal handling. But when an insect makes contact with the positive grid 156 and one of the negative grids 152, 154, the insect creates a low resistance path in between the positive grid 156 and negative grid 152, 154 such that electricity passes through the insect and the insect is electrocuted. The circuit 202 also provides power to the light sources 172.
In the exemplified embodiment, the first, second, and third grids 152, 154, 156 are planar. In alternative embodiments, the grids 152, 154, 156 could take non-planar shapes provided that the grids are a sufficient distance apart to both (1) allow insects to contact a positive and negative grid to be electrocuted and (2) prevent a short during normal handling.
In the exemplified embodiment, the first insulating spacer 140 comprises a first annular portion 144 nesting within a channel 114 of the insulating frame 110, the first strut portion 138 of the first insulating spacer 140 coupled to the first annular portion 144; and wherein the second insulating spacer 142 comprises an annular portion 146 nesting within the channel 114 of the insulating frame 110, the first strut portion 136 of the second insulating spacer 142 coupled to the second annular portion 146. In alternative embodiments, the annular portion could be omitted in favor of any other attachment mechanism, such as periodic snaps or adhesive.
Priority is claimed U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/991,411, filed May 9, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61991411 | May 2014 | US |
