HK1118421B - Device for attracting insects - Google Patents

Description

Device for attracting insects

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device for attracting insects, according to the general concept of claim 1

Background

Flying insects can be identified as a real nuisance to humans and animals, which should be protected against.

Besides the common housefly, the mentioned fly is not only a disturbance for humans, but it is also known as a carrier of pathogens. Humans therefore want to keep such flies away from those areas where food is available, as flies lay eggs in food, from which maggots hatch, which ultimately grow into flies.

In order to protect against these flying insects, fly traps have been developed which are particularly effective when they emit ultraviolet light (DE3840440C2, WO98/53677) or release attractants (US-5635174A, US5770189A, EP0768823B1, US 5683687). As the flies are attracted by the uv light, and the attractant, they fly towards the fly trap where they are caught by the adhesive tape placed in the fly trap.

Also, mosquitoes are not favored by humans and animals, especially when they transmit diseases that often result in death. Unfortunately, these mosquitoes feel well as not being attracted to ultraviolet light. But other attractants necessary for flies cannot attract mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can be captured only poorly by conventional fly traps.

However, it is known that CO₂Is a more effective attractant for mosquitoes, as it presents the presence of warm-blooded animals to mosquitoes. Thus allowing passage of dry ice (solid CO)₂) To attract mosquitoes because the dry ice sublimes above-78.5 ℃. It is therefore proposed to combine standard light sources with CO₂A source to attract mosquitoes (R.R. Carestia und Linnaeus B.Savage, efficiency of Carbon Dioxide as a Mosquito activator in the CDC Miniature Light Trap, Mosquito News, Vol.27, 1967, S.90-92).

Another mosquito biological attractant is lactic acid, which is of three types. It was thus found that D-lactic Acid, L- (+) lactic Acid, a decomposition product of human body, attracted mosquitoes (F.Acree, Jr., R.B.Turner, H.K.Gouck, M.Beroza: L-Lacted Acid: A Mosquito Atlantisalate from Humans, Science, Vol.161, 1968, S.1346-1347).

However, vitamin B or cholesterol also has the ability to attract mosquitoes (SPIEGELONLINE 34/1999).

It has further been found that alternative benzene derivatives, such as are also present in secretions of carnivorous plants, attract not only flies and bees, but also mosquitoes (WO 97/03561).

A trap for flying insects by which it can be used to trap both flies and mosquitoes, uses these scientific wisdom (EP1213958B 1). The trap, like a conventional fly trap, has an ultraviolet light source (UV light source) with adhesive tape, wherein an open container for receiving substances that attract mosquitoes is additionally provided. Flies and mosquitoes will be caught by the tape once they touch it.

Also disclosed is a device for attracting insects, which has a cylindrical body with a tube (US 5943815A). The tube has a plurality of openings from which CO can be volatilized₂。

In a further disclosed insect trap, a heating element is provided, which heats the CO₂Source (US2003/0070345A 1).

Further disclosed is an insect trap with a container for an attractant (DE10259651a 1).

Finally, an insect trap is disclosed which has a belt or filter paper equipped with an attraction (WO 00/59300A; US 4283878A).

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the invention is to provide a mosquito trap with a high trapping rate.

The object is achieved according to the features of claim 1

The invention therefore relates to a device for attracting insects, in which a receptacle for a dispenser is provided, which can release at least one attractant. The receiving device is arranged on a closed hollow body which is open at one point. Through this opening it can cover the heat source, which is at the same time a support for the hollow body. A known device for catching flies can be converted into a device for catching mosquitoes by means of a receiving device for the dispenser.

The advantage achieved by the invention is, in particular, that the fly trap can be retrofitted to a mosquito trap merely by means of an additional attachment.

The attachment part has a receiving device, in which the dispenser can be inserted. The dispenser has a preferred attractant for mosquitoes and may also have an attractant for other insects. By placing the dispenser in the vicinity of the UV-lamp, the attractant will be continuously evaporated by the heat generated by the lamp. Of course, the majority of the heat is not generated by the UV lamp itself, but by the ballast. A ballast may be understood as a current limiting device for a gas discharge lamp. It may involve a pre-choke for the ballast. But the electronic ballast can also be put into use.

The invention provides for easy replacement of the dispenser. The plurality of adhesive tapes provided on the device according to the invention not only increases the trapping rate of attracted mosquitoes, but also the trapping rate of flies.

Drawings

Specific embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and are described further below. Shown here are:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known fly trap housing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mosquito catching device that can be coupled to a fly catching device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the insect trapping device functionally as a mosquito trapping device;

fig. 4 is a top view of the insect trapping device shown in fig. 3 with the cover removed.

Detailed Description

In fig. 1 is a perspective view of a frame 3 of a known insect catching device 1 (compare fig. 1 and 4 in EP1213958B 1). The frame 3 has a frame 9, 10, 11 which rests on the base 2. The housing 3 is of a semi-elliptical configuration. The frame 9, 10, 11 and the base 2 enclose a wall 16 with an inner side 4 having three areas: two curved regions and one planar region. The inner side 4 of the wall 16 is intended to receive an adhesive film, which is applied against the inner side and is fixed by means of the projections 22 to 25. Furthermore, the wall 16 has recesses 12 to 15, by means of which it can be easily removed again by pressing on an adhesive film not shown in fig. 1.

The UV-light source 43 is located on the base 2. It consists of two tubular sections 5, 6 extending parallel to each other, wherein the tubular sections 5, 6 are arranged on a lamp base 7. The two tubular sections 5, 6 are connected to each other by a connecting piece 19.

The UV-light source 43 is surrounded on three sides by the frame 9, 10, 11 and the inner side 4 of the wall 16. In addition, a cable 8 is provided on the base 2, by means of which the UV-light source 43 can be supplied with power. A UV-light source 43 driven by a battery may also be considered. Preferably, however, a heat generating ballast, not shown, is located in the base 2.

Fig. 2 shows a mosquito catching device 17 which can be inserted into the insect catching device 1 according to fig. 1. The mosquito trap 17 is essentially composed of a closed hollow body 44 with a cover 18 resting thereon and a receiving device 20 for the diffuser 21, which is attached to the hollow body 44. The receiving means 20 is arranged on a wall 31, which constitutes a rear wall 31 when the mosquito catching device 17 is placed in the insect catching device 1 shown in fig. 1. The receiving means 20 for the dispenser 21 has two side walls 33, 34, which are connected to the rear wall 31. Each of these walls 33, 34 has a recess 41, 42, which is formed by the partitions 36 to 39. The recesses 41, 42 are arranged substantially parallel to each other so that the dispenser 21 can be inserted into said recesses and can be fixed. The two walls 33, 34 are interconnected via a bottom 40 and a partition 35. The compartment 35 makes the receiving means 20 for the dispenser 21 more stable.

When the mosquito catching device 17 is placed in the housing 3 of the insect catching device 1, the receiving device 20 is located directly in front of the inner side 4 of the insect catching device 1. The cover 18 has a catch 28 and locking devices 26, 27 by means of which an adhesive film provided on the cover 18 can be fixed.

The hollow body 44 of the mosquito trap 17 has two substantially semicircular side walls and a front wall, of which only the side wall 32 is visible in fig. 2. Additional adhesive films can be provided on the side walls and the front wall, which are secured by means of clips 29, 30. The adhesive film thus surrounds the hollow body 44 almost completely.

The dispenser 21 is comprised of a breathable material having substantially the smallest pore size. The dispenser has at least one attractant of particular interest to mosquitoes. However, there may be multiple attractants in the dispenser 21 that attract a wide range of flying insects. Once the dispenser loses its efficacy, it can be easily replaced with a new dispenser.

Fig. 3 shows the insect catching device 1 with the base 3 and the mosquito catching device 17 placed in. The base 3 and the removable mosquito catching device 17 are located on the base 2. While the mosquito catching means 17 completely surround the UV-light sources 5, 6, 19.

To the frames 9, 10, 11 walls 16 are connected, which constitute an important part of the housing 3. However, the frame 10 is not visible here, since there is a cover 18 thereon. The base 2, the frames 9 to 11, and the cover 18 are constructed substantially in a semi-elliptical shape. The cover 18 can directly close the frames 9, 10, 11; the cover may also have other shapes, as shown here, so that it only partially covers the frame 10.

Three possibilities for arranging the adhesive film can be seen here. One is to arrange an adhesive film on the inner side 4 of the wall 16, wherein the adhesive film is fixed by means of the protrusions 22 to 25. This adhesive film is mainly used for catching flies and is white, that is to say it reflects light. If the insect trapping device is used as a mosquito trapping device, the adhesive film is black. Furthermore, a black adhesive film can be attached to the cover 18 of the mosquito trap 17 and to the hollow body 44 of the mosquito trap 17 by means of the catches 28, 29, 30 arranged there, preferably by means of clamps, wherein only the catches 28, 29 are visible.

In addition to the catches 28, projections 26, 27 are provided on the cover 18, which serve as guide locations for the film.

The insect trapping device may be constructed of any material. Preferably, it is made of plastic.

Fig. 4 shows a top view of the insect catching device 1 with the cover 18 of the mosquito catching device 17 removed.

It can be seen how the mosquito catching means 17 completely enclose the base 7 with the UV-light source 43. On the rear wall of the mosquito catching device 17, the receiving device 20 and the dispenser 21 arranged thereon can be seen. The dispenser 21 has such an adjacent area with respect to the mosquito catching means 17 that the heat emitted by the UV-light source 43 and the ballast arranged in the base 2 can reach said adjacent area, which heat converts the substance located in the dispenser 21 into the gaseous state. This continuously converts such a sufficient amount of substances into the gaseous state that the mosquitoes can detect these released substances.

The operation and working principle of the insect catching device 1 will be further described below.

In the first "fly catching" mode of operation, in the insect catching device 1 according to fig. 1, a light-reflecting adhesive film will be placed in the frame 9, 10, 11 and on the inner side 4. The UV-light source 5, 6, 19 is now switched on so that the flies are attracted by the UV-light and are adhered to the adhesive film.

In a second "mosquito trap" mode of operation, the mosquito trap 17 according to fig. 2 (which is completely black on its outside) is equipped with a dispenser 21, wherein the dispenser 21 is inserted into the receptacle 20. The mosquito catching device 17, whose lower side of the hollow body 44 is open, is now covered on the UV light sources 5, 6, 19 according to fig. 1, so that the UV light sources 5, 6, 19 are completely enclosed and only act as heat sources and no longer as light sources. In addition, a heat-generating ballast is embedded in the base 2. The heat generated from the light source and ballast is sufficient to slowly and continuously convert the substance in the dispenser 21 into a gaseous state, thereby attracting mosquitoes.

The mosquito living organisms thus attracted fly toward the insect catching device 1 and are immediately stuck once they contact the adhesive film.

The mosquito catching device 17 according to fig. 2 can be used to some extent as an attachment to the insect catching device 1 according to fig. 1. The insect trap 1 can be used as a fly trap on the one hand and as a mosquito trap on the other hand.

The insect trap may also operate as both a mosquito and fly trap. This is achieved by having the dispenser contain a substance that attracts both mosquitoes and flies.

Claims (13)

1. Mosquito catching device (17) for a fly catching device (1), wherein the fly catching device (1) has a base (2), a heat source (5, 6, 7, 19) and a wall (16) on the base, wherein the wall (16) is arranged behind and to the side of the heat source (5, 6, 7, 19); and

the mosquito trap (17) has a closed hollow body (44), wherein the closed hollow body (44) has an opening at a point and the closed hollow body has a receptacle (20) for a diffuser (21) on the outside thereof, and the closed hollow body is closed on the upper side opposite the opening by a cover (18) having a contour corresponding to the contour of the base (2).

2. The mosquito trap of claim 1, wherein the opening of the hollow body (44) is located at a bottom side.

3. The mosquito trap of claim 1, wherein the cover (18) has an area at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the hollow body (44).

4. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that an adhesive is provided on at least one area of the outside of the hollow body (44).

5. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the circumference of the hollow body (44) clamping elements (27, 28, 29, 30) are provided for holding an adhesive film.

6. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving device (20) is U-shaped in side view, wherein one leg (36, 37) of the U-shape is shorter than the other leg (38, 39).

7. Mosquito catching device according to claim 6, characterized in that two U-shaped parts (33, 38; 34, 36) are arranged parallel to each other and connected by means of a partition (35, 40).

8. The mosquito trap of claim 1, wherein the outside of the hollow body (44) is black.

9. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat source (5, 6, 19) is used as a hollow body support.

10. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat source comprises a UV-light source (43).

11. Mosquito catching device according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional heat source is installed in the base (2).

12. Mosquito catching device according to claim 11, characterized in that the additional heat source in the base (2) is a ballast.

13. Mosquito catching device according to claim 10, characterized in that the UV-light source (43) serves as a support for the hollow body (44).