Flying insect eliminator

• US 4,819,370 A
• Filed: 09/21/1987
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James L. Woodruff
• Original Assignee: James L. Woodruff
• Inventors: Woodruff, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowan, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US07/098,788
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 43/107, 43/111, 43/113, 43/139
• US Class Current: 43/113
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/08 Attracting and catching insects by using combined illumination or colours and suction effects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/012 Flying insects

Abstract

A fan blows air and insects in the direction of the screen. A flexible monofilament rotates adjacent the screen on the opposite side of the fan. Lights within a box attract insects, and the fan draws the insects onto the screen. The rotating monofilament kills the insects and cleans the screen, and the insects remains are swept into circular gutters and fall into a collection drawer.

Claims

1. Insect killing apparatus comprising a frame, support means connected to the frame for supporting the frame, a front face having a circular opening, a fine screen mounted within the circular opening, and a circular gutter having a U-shaped cross-section surrounding a front of the screen, an opening and a chute in a lower portion of the circular gutter and a collector supported in the frame having an opening adjacent the chute, a motor supported by the frame and a fan drivingly connected to the motor and positioned inside the screen and the circular opening, a shaft projecting through a central opening in the screen and a monofilament mounted on a front end of the shaft for rotating the monofilament adjacent a front of the screen as the fan rotates adjacent a rear of the screen, whereby flying insects are drawn toward the screen by the fan, and the monofilament rotating adjacent the outside of the screen kills insects near or on the screen and sweeps the insects into the gutter and directs the insects through the chute into the upward opening of the collector for subsequent removal of insect remains, lamp means mounted within the frame, an electrical power supply connected to the lamp means and to the motor for supplying power to the lamp means and to the motor and a relatively large aperture rear access screen closure releasably attached to a rear of the frame for permitting access to the lamp means and for permitting flow through the frame of air drawn into the frame by the fan.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the frame is rectangular with substantially flat and rectangular top, bottom and side walls and wherein the support means comprises legs extending downward from the bottom wall and a handle centrally positioned on the top wall and extending upward therefrom and wherein the face is generally recentangular with a circular, central cutout portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the gutter extends around the circular central cutout portion of the face and between a rear inner side of the face and a front of the screen.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a removable circular grate connected to the face and extending forward therefrom for preventing large objects, such as papers, from being drawn on to the screen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the monofilament extends generally diametrically from the shaft to positions substantially near the gutter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rear access screen closure is hinged to the frame.

7. Flying insect eliminating apparatus comprising a fine screen for permitting passage of air and preventing passage of flying insects, means for supporting the screen, a drive motor, a fan connected to the drive motor, drive motor and fan support means for supporting the fan in alignment with the screen, a shaft positioned adjacent the screen, rotating means connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, filament means connected to the shaft for rotating with the shaft adjacent to the screen, whereby flying insects are drawn to the screen with air current produced by the fan and are killed on and adjacent the screen by the monofilament which moves adjacent the screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the rotating means comprises the drive motor drivingly connected to the fan and to the shaft.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fan and shaft are directly driven by the drive motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the screen has a central opening and wherein the shaft extends through the central opening in the screen and wherein the fan and filament means are mounted on opposite sides of the screen.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a frame surrounding the screen and extending rearward therefrom and enclosing the drive motor means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising lamp means mounted within the frame and a rear closure with a screen for enclosing the rear of the frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a gutter having a U-shaped cross-section peripherally surrounding a face of the screen adjacent the filament means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a chute connected to the gutter and a collection means mounted adjacent the chute for collecting remains of insects from the screen, monofilament, gutter and chute.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising rotating the fan and the monofilament with a single motor and a shaft extending through a central opening of the screen.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising illuminating an inside of a frame behind the fan.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising sweeping insect remains outward to a circular gutter in front of the screen with the monofilament.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising collecting the insect remains in a drawer beneath the gutter.

15. The method of eliminating flying insects comprising creating an air flow through a screen with a fan positioned adjacent and inside the screen, and rotating a monofilament adjacent and outside the screen and killing insects on or near the screen.