Portable pest electrocution device with resistive switch trigger
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of electrocuting pests comprising the steps of:
- a) sensing the presence of one of said pests as a resistive body between a high voltage electrode and a reference electrode;
b) triggering the activation of a high voltage and current generator in response to said sensed presence, said generator coupled between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, said triggered generator being activated for a predetermined time period;
c) generating sufficient voltage and current using said generator to dispatch said pest within said predetermined time period;
d) deactivating said generator only upon expiration of said predetermined time period or in response to a reset signal; and
e) inhibiting said triggering step once activation of said generator is triggered, until said reset signal is detected.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for electrocuting pests such as gophers, rats and the like. The present invention employs a resistive switch that uses the same electrodes to sense the presence of a pest therebetween as are used to electrocute the pest. The resistive switch senses a leakage current flowing through the pest and into the reference electrode of its electronic circuit and uses the presence of this current to trigger the generation of a high voltage and current that is of sufficient magnitude to dispatch the pest. A timer deactivates the generator after a predetermined time has elapsed to save battery power. A status indicator is provided that does not consume power unless activated by a user. The invention will not retrigger until reset by turning it off and then on again, thereby activating the power on reset circuit. The generator is battery powered and has been designed to collapse the output voltage if more current than is necessary to electrocute a rodent is attempted to be drawn from it.
95 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of electrocuting pests comprising the steps of:
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a) sensing the presence of one of said pests as a resistive body between a high voltage electrode and a reference electrode; b) triggering the activation of a high voltage and current generator in response to said sensed presence, said generator coupled between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, said triggered generator being activated for a predetermined time period; c) generating sufficient voltage and current using said generator to dispatch said pest within said predetermined time period; d) deactivating said generator only upon expiration of said predetermined time period or in response to a reset signal; and e) inhibiting said triggering step once activation of said generator is triggered, until said reset signal is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for electrocuting pests, said apparatus comprising:
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a mechanical portion, said mechanical portion comprising a high voltage electrode and a reference electrode electrically isolated from said high voltage electrode; and an electronic portion comprising; a) a resistive switch means having a trigger output, said switch means for detecting the presence of one of said pests between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, said switch means producing an active level on said trigger output in response to said detected presence when not disarmed; b) a means for generating a high voltage and current lethal to said one of said pests, said generating means coupled between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode; and c) a timing means, having an input coupled to said trigger output of said resistive switch means, said timing means for activating said generator means for a predetermined time period in response to said active level on said trigger output of said resistive switch means, said timing means further comprising; a storage means having an arming/disarming output coupled to said resistive switch means and a reset input, said storage means for disarming said resistive switch means from reactivating said timing means after initiation of said predetermined time period, said storage means also for arming said resistive switch means only in response to active level on said reset input. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for electrocuting pests, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a mechanical portion comprising; i) a high voltage electrode; and ii) a reference electrode electrically isolated from said high voltage electrode; and b) an electronic portion comprising; i) a resistive switch coupled between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, said resistive switch further comprising a trigger circuit having a trigger output and an arm/disarm input; ii) a high voltage and current generator having a high voltage and current output coupled between said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, and a control input by which operation of said generator is activated; iii) a timing module having an input coupled to said trigger output of said resistive switch, a control output coupled to said generator control input and an arm/disarm output coupled to said arm/disarm input of said resistive switch; and iv) wherein said resistive switch activates said timer with an active level on said trigger output when said resistive switch is armed by said timing module and one of said pests is in contact with said high voltage electrode and said reference electrode, said timing module turning on said generator with a continuous active level on said control output for a predetermined time period; and
wherein said timing module disarms said trigger circuit of said resisitve switch upon said activation of said timer module until said timing module is reset. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification