WO1991015951A1

WO1991015951A1 - Bait station

Info

Publication number: WO1991015951A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/002178
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mahmood Haidari
Original assignee: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
Priority date: 1990-04-23
Filing date: 1991-03-28
Publication date: 1991-10-31
Also published as: PT8392U; GB9009046D0; AU7683491A; PT8392T; ZA913044B; NZ237671A

Abstract

A bait station (10) for the control of crawling insects having a cover portion (12) and a base portion (14), both in the general shape of a truncated cone. The base portion (14) has a series of ramped surfaces (22) surrounding a central bait placement area (26). The base portion (14) also has support projections (28) that hold the cover portion (12) and the base portion (14) in a spaced-apart configuration which allows insect access to the bait.

Description

Bait Station Technical Field This invention relates to the field of devices for 5 controlling insects and more particularly to a simple, inexpensive device having a ramped base portion having a central bait area at its center and a cover portion, the base portion having a plurality of projections support upon which the cover portion rests. 10 Background Art

Many devices for holding a poisonous bait to control crawling insects are known, ranging from simple cardboard tubes open at both ends with the bait glued inside to more elaborate structures that have a centrally enclosed bait 15 accessible by periphal openings.

Early insect traps, as stated, lacked features to prevent access to the poisoned bait. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 1,372,780, which discloses a bellshaped top having side apertures, which fits over and clamps to a dish shaped base, 20 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,995, which discloses a flat piece of sheetmetal which is bent over an insecticidal substance to partially cover the substance while allowing insects direct access.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,836 to Woodruff et al. discloses an 25 insect feeding station comprised of a simple cover which fits over a base, the base having external wall segments with entrance gaps between them and interior walls placed opposite the gaps and surrounding a central bait area.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 278,032 and 278,842 discloses designs for 30 insect feeding stations, similar to those of the '836 patent, having a cover over a base with baffle means.

Pending U.K. patent application No. GB2128463A, discloses an insect feeding station having an aperture- containing cover placed over a base, the base having baffle

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U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,669 to De arest et al. discloses an insect bait device which has two substantially identical housing portions which are joined together to enclose an insecticide, the two housing portions together forming access apertures for insects. The possibility of multiple unit array manufacture is disclosed.

U.S. Pat,. No. 4,837,969 to Demarest discloses a bait station having a ramped structure surrounding a recessed bait well having a cover with multiple lobes. The lobes overlie inner walls on the base and have access apertures. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective drawing of the assembled bait station.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the cover portion and the base portion of the bait station.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the top portion of the bait station. Plan views taken from the top or the bottom of the top portion appear similar.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bottom portion of the bait station.

Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the assembled bait station taken along section line 5-5 indicated on Figure 1. Figure 6 is a side sectional view of the top portion of the bait station, taken along section line 6-6 indicated on Figure 2.

Summary Disclosure of Invention The bait station of the present invention has a cover portion in the general shape of a wide truncated cone, with a flattened central section and in the middle of the central section a central recess, the central recess forming, on the inner surface of the cover portion, a conical projection. The bait station has a base portion also having the general shape of a wide truncated cone with a flattened central section. The cone has around its circumference a series of concentric ramps progressively rising to the central area. Rising from the outer perimeter of the bait station and from the perimeter of the central area of the bait station are support projections.

When the cover portion is placed onto and attached to the base portion, the support projections serve to separate the two portions and to allow crawling insects to access a bait tablet placed into the central area of the base portion. The ramp structure of the base, however, prevents direct access to the bait tablet by fingers, sticks, or the like. Best Mode For Carrying Out The Invention Figure 1 shows assembled bait station 10 which is 5 comprised of cover portion 12 and base portion 14. Figure shows an exploded perspective view of cover portion 12 and base portion 14.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, cover portion 12 has the general shape of a shallow truncated cone having a centrally

10 located top area 16 with a central recess 18 therein.

Base portion 14, also in the general shape of a shallow truncated cone, has base outer perimeter 20 and, rising from base outer perimeter 20, ramped surface 22. Ramped surface 22 has upon its surface a series of ramped steps 24 in the

15 form of concentric raised ridges. Base portion 14 has a centrally located bait placement area 26. Round surface 22 extends above centrally located bait placement area 26, creating a recess into which a bait tablet containing an insect toxicant is placed. Spaced around base outer

20 perimeter 20 are a first plurality of support projections 28 and, spaced around centrally located bait placement area 26, are a second plurality of support projections 30.

When cover portion 12 is placed over base portion 12, both first plurality of support projections 28 and second

25 plurality of support projections 30 serve to hold base portion 12 and cover portion 14 in a spaced apart configuration. This spaced apart configuration allows crawling insects to enter to the station, ascend ramped surface 22 and eat the bait tablet placed in centrally

30 located bait placement area 26. The bait tablet so placed may be fastened to centrally located bait placement area 26 by glue or other fastening means, and the bait tablet is further secured by being surrounded by a second plurality of support projections 30.

35 Figure C shows cover portion 12 in side --.e Lional view. As can best be seen in this figure, central recess 18 forms a downwardly pointing projection.

When cover portion 12 is placed over base portion 14, as is seen by the side sectional view of the assembled station shown in Figure 5, the projection formed by central recess 18 extends downwardly over centrally located bait placement area 26, thus forming a contact point to hold the bait tablet placed therein from the top. Preferably, cover portion 12 and base portion 14 are formed from plastically deformable material. Manufacture and packaging of the bait stations in a blister pack array is possible.

Other modifications of the bait station of the prsent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from an examination of the above patent Specification and drawings. Therefore, other variations of the present invention may be made which fall within the scope of the following claims even though such variations were not specifically discussed above.

Industrial Applicability The bait station of the present invention its intended for placement wherever control of crawling insects id desired. It is intended to be manufactured as a simple, inexpensive, one-time use device. Its inner ramp feature prevents direct access to the bait by children and thus constitutes a built-in safety feature. Its open configuration allows insects of varying sizes to access the bait.

Claims

What I Claim :

1. A bait station having a base portion and a cover portion, the base portion characterized by an outer perimeter, a ramped surface rising from the outer perimeter toward the ^ 5 centrally located bait placement area, the bait placement area being recessed below the level of the ramped surface, a ^fi first plurality of support projections spaced around the outer perimeter of the base portion, and a second plurality of support projections spaced around the bait placement area,

10 both the first plurality and the second plurality of support projections serving when the cover portion is placed over and upon the base portion, to hold the cover portion in a position spaced apart from the base portion, thus allowing insects to access a central bait placement area within the

15 station, the cover portion characterized by an outer perimeter located at a distance above the outer perimeter in such a manner that the cover portion has the general shape of a shallow truncated cone, a centrally located top area, the top

20 area having therein a central recess, the central recess forming a bait-contacting projection that, when a solid of insect bait is placed in the bait placement area of the base portion and the cover portion is placed over and upon the base portion, the bait-contacting projection contacts and

25 holds the bait tablet in position.

2. A bait station according to Claim 1 wherein the ramped surface of the base station has formed thereupon a series of ramped steps, the ramped steps being formed by a series of concentric raised ridges formed into the ramped surface.

30 3. A bait station according to Claim 1 wherein the base portion and the cover portion are formed from plastically deformable material.

4. A bait station according to Claim 1 wherein the first plurality of support projections comprises three egually

35 spaced projections rising a_*--»ovε ι_he outer pβiiϊuet.er of the ⁷ base section and the second plurality of support projections comprises three equally spaced projections rising above and surrounding the centrally located bait placement area of the base portion.