Vermin trap with magnetic release

{
  "publication_number": "US11758898B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Vermin trap with magnetic release",
  "abstract": "A trap for collecting animals includes a bin and a frame mounted above the bin's open top. A panel is mounted to the frame and pivots with respect to the stationary frame via a connection to a hinge. The frame includes a bait compartment at a first end of the panel that lures an animal to climb the frame and traverse the panel to get to the bait. The panel is held level by a magnet when the panel is unweighted, but when an animal attempts to cross the panel the weight of the animal overcomes the bias of the magnet and the panel tips downward, delivering the animal into the bin.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A trap for collecting animals, comprising: a bin having a floor, an open top, and vertical walls; a frame mounted above the open top, the frame including flat members intersecting at multiple locations on the open top; a cylinder mounted to a rod spanning the frame at a central position and the cylinder configured for vertical pivoting about a first connection point and free rotation; a bait compartment disposed on the frame opposite the first connection point; and a first magnet mounted on the frame and attachable to the rod, the magnet attracting the rod to maintain the cylinder in a horizontal position in absence of an animal on the cylinder; wherein, when an animal is positioned on the cylinder adjacent the bait compartment, a weight of the animal overcomes an attractive force between the first magnet and rod, and the cylinder drops downward or spins to deliver the animal into the bin."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "It has been said that if you build a better mouse trap, the world will beat a path to your door. Maybe because of this, many have tried to improve on the traditional mouse trap device. The problem with many animal traps is are that they are messy, violent, and torture or mortally wound the animal and/or use poisons, and require contact and/or clean up after completing the task. Few people want to deal with extracting the corpse, disposing of it, and cleaning the eventual mess that occurs. What is needed is an animal trap that is clean, efficient, humane, poison-free, easy to assembly and use, and does not require contact with the animal after death. The present invention addresses each of these needs.\n\nThe present invention is a trap for use with vermin of various sizes and it can be scaled to capture smaller animals such as mice and rats, up to larger pests such as possums. The trap collects the animal in a bin that can be used to transport the animal safely to another area if desired, or it can be filled to drown the animal. The device uses the bin below a pivoting panel mounted above the bin. The panel is held level by a magnet to prevent the panel from prematurely tipping when the pest first steps on the panel. Only when the pest has reached the end of the panel near the bait does the weight of the animal overcome the magnet's attraction, cause the panel to tip downward and drop the animal into the bin. In a preferred embodiment, the magnet does not directly attach to the panel but rather the attractive force is applied across a small gap between the magnet and the panel.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01M 23/04",
    "A01M 23/10",
    "F16B 2001/0035",
    "F16B 2200/83"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01M 23/04",
    "A01M 23/10",
    "F16B 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Stephen P Shoemaker Trust"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr."
  ],
  "filing_date": "2023-01-05",
  "publication_date": "2023-09-19",
  "grant_date": "2023-09-19",
  "priority_date": "2023-01-05",
  "application_number": "US-202318093804-A",
  "family_id": "88067810",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
  "citations": [
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  ]
}