Patent Application
20210092945
This invention relates to an insect eradication device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an elastic powered insect eradication device.
The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Certain insects or bugs, such as, flies, are a nuisance to humans and can spread diseases to people and domestic animals by biting or carrying disease causing pathogens. Conventionally a number of implements for swatting insects, such as, flyswatters require the user to chase down the fly and physically hit or smash the fly. This can create a situation where clean-up is required if the fly is actually hit/caught and killed. Insecticides or bug sprays use potentially harmful chemicals. Flytraps and fly tapes can be unsightly. Bug zappers may require batteries or electricity for operation. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for an insect eradication device which can kill bugs which is safe, environment friendly, convenient, portable and cost effective.
There is a need for an insect eradication device that overcomes the above stated drawbacks of the conventional devices and methods for eradicating the insects. In particular, there is a need an insect eradication device that can kill bugs and is safe, environment friendly, convenient, portable and cost effective.
An improved insect eradication device is provided to solve the above described limitations of conventional devices presently known in the art to exterminate winged insects, such as, mosquitoes and flies. According to an embodiment, the disclosed insect eradication device uses salt to eradicate the insects. Salt is known to kill pests, such as slugs and snails, by absorbing fluids from their body and causing them to die of dehydration. The present device is configured to use salt as a projectile in order to kill insects/winged insects and bugs. However, the device can be used to shoot any other suitable materials, such as coarse salt, rock salt, BBs, airsoft BBs, plastic balls, pellets, dirt and sand as a projectile to kill insects.
According to an embodiment, the proposed insect eradication device can be configured to expel a projectile, such as but not limited to salt, from a front side of the projectile shooting assembly; and a grip assembly configured for detachable attachment to the projectile shooting assembly. The grip assembly includes a grip having a ring shaped holding portion and a generally Y shaped locking member. The ring shaped holding portion of the grip has an aperture and is configured to engage with an external circular lip on a rear side of the projectile shooting assembly, when the projectile shooting assembly is inserted therein from a front side of the grip.
The locking member is configured to be fitted on the grip such that, when fitted the on the grip, the locking member locks the projectile shooting assembly in position in engagement with the holding portion of the grip.
The locking member and the grip may incorporate matching male and female engagement features that allow the locking member lo be slid up relative to the grip after the male and the female engagement features have been aligned. After the locking member has been fully moved up, an upper portion of the locking member overlaps with a front side of the projectile shooting assembly to lock the projectile shooting assembly in position.
The upper portion of the locking member may be substantially semicircular that gives the locking member the Y shape.
The grip may be hollow from inside such that the inner hollow can store the projectile for use with the projectile shooting assembly. The grip may include at least one opening to fill and remove the stored projectile from inner hollow. There may be silicon plugs provides to close each of the at least one opening.
According to an embodiment, the projectile shooting assembly includes a generally round shape housing having a thickness along an axis of the housing, a front side and a rear side. Both the rear side and the front side respectively have a rear opening and front opening that are concentric to the axis of the housing. The projectile shooting assembly further includes a pouch holder that is configured for being accommodated within the housing; and a projection pouch configured for fitment at a rear end of the pouch holder such that when the pouch holder is accommodated within the housing, a major portion of the projection pouch projects out of the rear side of the housing. The projection pouch is configured such that when a rear tip of the projection pouch is pulled back and released, the projectile filled in the projectile shooting assembly gets expelled from the front side of the device to eradicate insects.
The projectile shooting assembly may include a front cover that can be pivotally fixed to the front side of the housing. The front cover can have a cover opening that is concentric to the axis of the housing. The front cover, when in a closed position, can cover the front opening of the housing.
The pouch holder may be of annular shape and may include a groove on outer periphery near a rear end of the pouch holder. The groove can be configured for fitment of a front end of the projection pouch.
The rear end of the pouch holder may larger than a front end, such that the pouch holder works to converge the shot being expelled from the projectile shooting assembly.
The pouch holder may include a plurality of lugs located on an outer periphery of the pouch holder such that, when the pouch holder is fitted within the housing, the plurality of lugs engage with corresponding recesses in the housing to locate the pouch holder in the housing.
In an embodiment of the pouch holder, the pouch holder may have a single piece/unit construction (that is, it may be formed from a single unit). In an alternate embodiment, the pouch holder can involve a two piece construction comprising a front pouch holder that has a shape that converges toward the front side, and a rear pouch holder having the groove on outer periphery for fitment of the projection pouch. The front pouch holder and the rear pouch holder may be configured for assembly to each other through a combination of lugs and recesses provided on outer peripheries of the front pouch holder and the rear pouch holder.
The projectile shooting assembly may further include a cone shaped nozzle configured for fitment in the housing towards a front side of the pouch holder. The nozzle may be configured such that in a first mode of fitment its narrower end is towards the front side of the projectile shooting assembly and projects out of the front cover. In a second mode of fitment the nozzle can be fitted with its larger end toward the front side of the projectile shooting assembly and the nozzle is fully accommodated within the housing to enable closing of the front opening of the front cover.
The projectile shooting assembly may include a front cap to close the front cover opening of the front cover after the nozzle has been fitted in the second mode of fitment, and a rear cap to close the rear opening of the hosing after the projection pouch has been compressed within the housing.
The projection pouch is reinforced with a plurality of longitudinally ribbed elements, and a rear tip of the projection pouch may be reinforced to protect against wear and tear.
The projectile shooting assembly may include a picatinny rail or bracket configured to receive at least one apparatus selected from a group consisting of a laser, a flash light, a pointer, an aiming apparatus, a camera, a phone and a LED light.
Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components
The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Each of the appended claims defines a separate invention, which for infringement purposes is recognized as including equivalents to the various elements or limitations specified in the claims. Depending on the context, all references below to the “invention” may in some cases refer to certain specific embodiments only. In other cases it will be recognized that references to the “invention” will refer to subject matter recited in one or more, but not necessarily all, of the claims. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. “such as”) provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.
Various terms are used herein. To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent art have given that term as reflected in printed publications and issued patents at the time of filing.
Conventional devices used for eradicating harmful insects and bugs have many drawbacks. For example, it is not easy to swat insects using a fly swatter as the user is required to chase the fly and physically hit or smash the fly, reducing the chances of the targeted insect being hit. A more convenient method to eradicate insects is to use insecticides. However, the insecticides have harmful effect on human, if exposed. After spraying the insecticide, the area is out of bonds for some time. Flytraps and fly tapes affect aesthetics, and bug zappers require batteries or electricity for operation.
The insect eradication device disclosed herein can be used for eradicating insects in a manner overcomes the above stated drawbacks of conventional devices for eradicating insects. The insect eradication device is ergonomically convenient to hold while in use. It is light weight and can also be conveniently carried around by the user. The insect eradication device also allows for projectile storage inside the device or in a grip attached to the device. Conveniently, the insect eradication device can use commonly available table salt as a projectile. The insect eradication device is also easy to assemble and disassemble.
In an embodiment, the disclosed insect eradication device (also referred to simply as device hereinafter) uses salt as a projectile. The kinetic energy/impact of the salt results in killing or eradicating the target insect. It is to be appreciated that the terms projectile and salt are used interchangeably in this document. The term “projectile”, as used in this document, includes common table salt, coarse salt, rock salt, metallic ball projectiles such as BBs, airsoft BBs, plastic ball projectiles, pellets, dirt, sand and other material that can be used as a projectile to kill insects.
In an embodiment, the disclosed device includes a generally round shaped projectile shooting assembly (also referred to simply as shooting assembly and the two terms used interchangeably hereinafter) that is detachably coupled to a grip assembly. The grip assembly is ergonomically designed and is configured to store projectile for use with the projectile shooting assembly.
In another embodiment, the projectile shooting assembly is operated by pulling a projectile pouch (also referred to simply as pouch and the two terms used interchangeably hereinafter) towards rear, i.e. towards a user of the device, and released, which causes projectiles/salt filled in the projectile shooting assembly to be expelled towards front through a nozzle that can be pointed to the insects to be eradicated. The projectile shooting assembly can also include an aiming device fitted on a rail, such as, a picatinny rail, of the projectile shooting assembly to direct the projectile to a targeted position.
Referring now to
According to an embodiment, when the shooting assembly 200 is not in use, the nozzle 204 can be fitted in the housing in a manner that it does not project out of the front cover 216, and thereafter the front cap 218A can be fitted to close the cover opening.
According to an embodiment, the housing 208 can include a rail 214, such as a picatinny rail, fitted on an upper side of the housing, and the rail 214 can be configured to hold an aiming device 400, such as but not limited to a laser and pointer. The rail 214 may also be used to fix other apparatuses such as a flash light, a pointer, a camera, a phone or a LED light.
Referring to
Shown in
For facilitating the detachable coupling of the grip assembly 300 and the projectile shooting assembly 200, the grip 302 can include a ring shaped holding portion 312. The holding portion 312 of the grip 302 has an aperture 320 and is configured to engage with an external circular lip on a rear side of the projectile shooting assembly 200, i.e. on the housing 208. When the projectile shooting assembly 200 is inserted in the aperture 320 from a front side of the grip 302, the holding portion 312 restricts further travel of the projectile shooting assembly 200. Forward travel of the projectile shooting assembly 200 is restricted by the locking member 304, when fitted as shall be described in subsequent paragraphs. Further, for fitment of the locking member 304 with the grip 302, the grip 302 includes a male engagement feature 314 that matches a corresponding female engagement feature 316 of the locking member 304, shown in
In an embodiment, pouch 202 can be made in different sizes to meet the requirement of amount of projectile and the distance to which the projectile is to be shot. In certain embodiments, the tip 206 of the pouch can include a colored end/tip. This facilitates proper holding of the pouch. The pouch 202 can also include printed line/lines which glow in the dark for aiming. This aiming line can continue from the pouch to over the device body.
In an alternate embodiment, the pouch holder can be a single piece pouch holder having same shape as of the assembled two-piece pouch holder 220 with lugs, which are similar in outer profile to the female lugs 242, located on the outer periphery, and can have the groove 230 located on the rear side of the shooting assembly 200.
According to an embodiment, the nozzle 204 can be placed within the housing 208 in two different modes of fitment comprising a first mode of fitment with a narrower side of the nozzle 204 positioned towards front side of the projectile shooting assembly 200, i.e. the side on which the front cover 216 is placed, as shown in
Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved and lightweight insect eradication device that overcomes drawbacks of conventional devices for eradicating insects. The disclosed device 100 includes an ergonomically convenient to hold grip that can also store the projectiles, such as salt. The device 100 is easy to assemble and disassemble.
While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/548,618 which claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/721,406, filed Aug. 22, 2018, and entitled “INSECT ERADICATION DEVICE”, and Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/769,734, filed Nov. 20, 2018, and entitled “INSECT ERADICATION DEVICE”, the entire contents and disclosures of which, both express and implied, are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62721406 | Aug 2018 | US | |
| 62769734 | Nov 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16548618 | Aug 2019 | US |
| Child | 17104135 | US |
