Rodent station

• US 8,839,550 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gardner, Douglas B., Anderson, Jay R., Wagner, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARZ, TIMOTHY S
• Application Number:
  US12/986,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 43 64- 67, 43 69- 75, 43/77, 43/81, 43/815, 43 82- 83, 43/835
• US Class Current: 43/61
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/00 Traps for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/005 with sticky surfaces for insects A01M1/14
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/08 with approaches permitting entry only
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/16 Box traps

Abstract

A rodent station for capturing or trapping mice, rats or other rodents may provide one or more rodent entry points and is sized to receive one or more rodent suppression devices, such as conventional snap traps, ramp traps, glue boards, etc. The rodent station may present a high contrast entrance that is relatively darker than the station enclosure. The station opening size may be adjustable to accommodate both mice and/or rats. An interior receptacle for station maintenance records or other printed material may also be included.

Claims

1. A rodent station comprising:

an elongate enclosure body having an interior sized to receive at least one rodent suppression device, the enclosure body having a first end and a second end, the first end including a first opening through which a relatively larger sized rodent may enter the interior of the enclosure body;

an end cap sized to fit over the second end of the enclosure body, the end cap having a second opening through which a relatively larger sized rodent may enter the interior of the enclosure body;

a first door insert sized to removably fit within the first opening, the first door insert having a third opening that is relatively smaller than the first opening and through which a relatively smaller sized rodent may enter the interior of the enclosure body when the first door insert is fit within the first opening;

a second door insert sized to removably fit within the second opening, the second door insert having a fourth opening that is relatively smaller than the second opening and through which a relatively smaller sized rodent may enter the interior of the enclosure body when the second door insert is fit within the second opening; and

a third door insert sized to removably fit within at least one of the first opening or the second opening, the third door insert including a blocking face plate that prevents passage of rodents through the first or second opening into the interior of the enclosure body.

2. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the first door insert and the second door insert are is relatively darker in color than the enclosure body.

3. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the first opening and the second opening are substantially the same size.

4. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the third door insert includes an engagement member deformable from an engaged position to an unengaged position.

5. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the first door insert includes an engagement member deformable from an engaged position to an unengaged position.

6. The rodent station of claim 1 further comprising an interior receptacle disposed within the enclosure body, wherein the interior receptacle is accessible to a human user and the interior receptacle is isolated from a rodent accessible area of the enclosure.

7. The rodent station of claim 6 wherein the interior receptacle is accessible to the human user upon removal of the end cap from the enclosure body.

8. The rodent station of claim 6 wherein the interior receptacle is defined by at least one interior wall of the enclosure.

9. The rodent station of claim 6 wherein the interior receptacle stores a maintenance record for the rodent station.

10. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the rodent suppression device includes at least one of a lethal rodent trap or a non-lethal rodent trap.

11. The rodent station of claim 1 wherein the rodent suppression device includes at least one of a conventional rodent snap trap, a conventional ramp trap, or a glue board.