Pest Electrocution Device with Infrared Detector
First Claim
1. A device for electrocuting pests, comprising(a) first and second electrodes,(b) an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest, said infrared detector providing output signals indicative of the presence of a pest, and(c) a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of a pest in contact with the electrodes, said circuit providing high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the output signals and the sensing current is indicative of a pest being in contact with the electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for electrocuting pests includes first and second electrodes and an infrared detector. The infrared detector is responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest and provides output signals indicating the presence of a pest. A circuit responsive to the output signals and responsive to sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes, which indicates that a pest is present and in contact with the electrodes, provides high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the output signals and the sensing current indicates that a pest is in contact with the electrodes.
25 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A device for electrocuting pests, comprising
(a) first and second electrodes, (b) an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest, said infrared detector providing output signals indicative of the presence of a pest, and (c) a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of a pest in contact with the electrodes, said circuit providing high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the output signals and the sensing current is indicative of a pest being in contact with the electrodes.
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6. A device for electrocuting pests, comprising
(a) two spaced apart electrodes electrically isolated from one another and arranged to be both contacted by a pest to be electrocuted, (b) an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by a pest and located to detect proximity of a pest to the electrodes, said infrared detector generating output signals representative of the proximity of the pest to the electrodes, (c) a resistance sensor in electrical communication with the electrodes and with the infrared detector for causing a sensing current imperceptible to the pest to flow between the first and second electrodes when contact between the pest and the electrodes forms a circuit path, the sensing current having a magnitude indicative of the presence of a pest being in contact with the electrodes, and (d) a control circuit in electrical communication with the resistance sensor and the infrared detector for activating a high-voltage generator in response to one of the sensing current and the infrared detector output signals, (e) said high-voltage generator being activated by the control circuit to provide high voltage across the electrodes for a predetermined time period, the duration of the predetermined time period and the magnitude of the high voltage being sufficient to electrocute the pest.
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10. A method of electrocuting a pest comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a device having first and second electrodes, an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by the pest and generating output signals indicative of the presence of the pest, and a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of the pest in contact with the electrodes, (b) comparing the infrared detector output signals with an infrared threshold, (c) comparing the sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes with a current threshold, and (d) causing said circuit to provide high voltage across the first and second electrodes when a selected one of the infrared detector output signals and the sensing current between the electrodes exceeds its respective threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of electrocuting a pest comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a device having first and second electrodes, an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation emitted by the pest and generating output signals indicative of the presence of the pest, and a circuit responsive to said output signals and responsive to a sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes indicative of the presence of the pest in contact with the electrodes, (b) comparing the infrared detector output signals with an infrared threshold, (c) comparing the sensing current flowing between the first and second electrodes with a current threshold, and (d) causing said circuit to provide high voltage across the first and second electrodes when both the infrared detector output signals and the sensing current between the electrodes exceed their respective thresholds.
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Specification