AU2985101A - Electronic animal trap - Google Patents

Description

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P/00/oil1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: Electronic Animal Trap The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1

BACKGROUND:

Field of the Invention: This invention relates to an electronic animal trap that will allow for the containing of undesired animals but which can also be used to trap and hold protected species. In particular the invention S relates to an animal trap for containing stoats.

Prior Art: Mechanical traps have been used for centuries for trapping animals. These range from metal jaws, to elaborate mesh. steel or wooden traps for containing and/or destroying animals.

*o Following the colonisation of New Zealand a number of species of predatory animals were i".i introduced including cats. stoats, ferrets, weasels, mice, ships rats, kiore, Norway rats and opossums. These introduced animals, in particular, feral cats and stoats, have destroyed and all but destroyed many native species of birds, in particular ground nesting birds.

S9*** New Zealand has now lost over 40% of the pre-human land bird fauna and there is no country in the world that has a greater proportion of its surviving fauna classed as threatened.

99 O these surviving 287 native new Zealand bird species. 150 of them are classed as threatened and 45 are classed as threatened in the I U C N red list. 41 of the threatened species are endemic.

There have been similar but less well documented impacts of introduced animals on other native New Zealand animals including reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

The several trap systems available in the market place have been designed to capture and hold or destroy predatory animals. These traps all have a mechanism designed to operate when tripped or I'V M-'\l'i'ps lICIt triggered by an animal entering the trap causing the containing of the animal inside the trap, or in most cases the containing or killing of the animal in the steel jaws designed for this purpose.

Examples of such traps are available from the Department of Conservation and include traps made S out of wire-netting in a tunnel shape. braced at each end with strong wire and having a double fenn set and egg lure in the centre thereof. Such a trap is for capturing mustelids on a run through basis.

Another trap also made of metal wire is used for capturing ferrets and stoats and has a smaller I( entrance for stability and to prevent non-target entry. Again there is egg lure and a collapsible i tunnel assembled with twist ties.

More permanent traps such as for capturing stoats live are made out of metal or wood in a tunnel shape ending in a lure and having trip wire which is activated by the stoat. The trip wire causes 5 the trap door to close over the tunnel entrance.

All presently available traps require the physical triggering of a mechanical system to cause the animal entering the trap to be contained or killed outright.

*20 It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic animal trap that allows for trapped animals to be released as necessary as the trap contains an animal that enters and causes no physical damage to the animal.

It is a further object of the invention to allow for the detection of an animal within the electronic animal trap from a distance. without the need to physically inspect the trap.

In one broad aspect of the invention there is provided an electronic animal trap comprising an animal containment compartment having two openings each with its own co operating closure I C 1 -4means hinged or pivotally mounted adjacent said openings, an infra-red beam coupled with a motion sensor for the detection of an animal within a trap so that a current is caused to flow from the power source to a solenoid which will trigger the closure means.

Preferably the motion sensor is calibrated for a minimum body length of the animal.

Preferably the trap has a sensor so that cold blooded creatures will not activate the animal trap.

Preferably the trap when triggered emits a radio signal to a distant base so that detection of an animal within the trap can be noted. without the physical inspection of the trap.

Preferably the power source for the trap is a battery or solar panel.

1 Preferably the trap can be scented prior to being located in position.

S Preferably the trap can be positioned above the ground.

The invention will now be described with particular reference to the trapping of stoats. It is to be understood that this is by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Fi,. 1 Is an electronic trap of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 Is a detail view of the closure means of the trap In Fig. I there is shown a trap for stoats generally indicated by the number 1. This trap comprises a containment compartment 2 which is rectangular having four sides 3, 4, 5 and 6 and two openings 7 and 8 at either end of the containment compartment 2. Placed between the openings 7 and 8 is a solenoid 12. Adjacent the solenoid 12 and exterior the containment compartment 2 is a body portion 20 having a power source in the form of a battery 21 or solar panel (not shown).

his battery 21 is connected by known means to an electronic motion by known means to an electronic motion and heat detection sensor 22 which is located such that when an animal is within 1:1 1 IC Ic the trap the sensor can trigger the solenoid 12 which will activate the mechanism to close the openings.

In Fig. 2 is shown the mechanism to close the openings. This comprises a closure means pivotally attached by hinge means adjacent to the opening 7. A rod 31 is attached to the solenoid release mechanism and to the pivot means so that when the motion and heat detection sensor 22 activates the solenoid 12 the solenoid 12 in turn activates the drawing rods 31 from the hinged spring loaded closure means 30 urging it to close over the opening 7.

I I) At the other end the opening 8 can be closed by a hinged door.

S It is to be understood that modifications and variations can be made to the size and shape of the trap and to the electronic activation and detection means without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example the animal trap may comprise a non-opening grill at one end and hav1ing a closure at the other end which is internal to the trap. The closure means closing under its own weight and being directly, to the solenoid means, without the use of rods.

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Claims (7)

1. An electronic animal trap comprising an animal containment compartment having two openings each with its own co-operating closure means hinged or pivotally mounted adjacent said openings, an infra-red beam coupled with a motion sensor for the detection of an animal S within a trap so that a current is caused to flow from the power source to a solenoid which will trigger the closure means.

2. An animal trap according to Claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is calibrated for a minimum body length of the animal.

3. An animal trap according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the trap has a heat sensor so that cold blooded will not activate the animal trap.

4. An animal trap as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the trap when triggered emits a radio signal to a distant base so that detection of an animal within the trap can be noted, without the physical inspection of trap.

An animal trap according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the power source for the trap is I5 a battery or solar panel.

6. An animal trap according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the trap can be scented prior to being located in position.

7. An animal trap substantially as herein described with reference to the attached drawings. 2() PIPERS Attorneys for the Applicants AGNEW, Warren and CHITTENDEN, Mark Lewis -Cv '-I~CU'