U.S. patent application number 16/144373 was filed with the patent office on 2019-04-04 for bed bug trap and monitor.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ecolab USA Inc.. Invention is credited to Douglas B. Gardner, Joelle F. Olson, Alicia Nichole Thuis.
Application Number | 20190098886 16/144373 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53879099 |
Filed Date | 2019-04-04 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190098886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thuis; Alicia Nichole ; et
al. |
April 4, 2019 |
BED BUG TRAP AND MONITOR
Abstract
A trapping device and method for capturing and monitoring the
existence and behavior of crawling insects, such as bed bugs, is
provided. The trapping device has a textured two-dimensional
surface with one or more triangular entrance areas, where one of
the triangular sections functions as a base, one or more wing
sections, connected to either one the base or to another wing
section by a neck; and a collecting area connected to one or more
wing sections by a bridge. The trapping device can further include
a support structure, and can be enclosed in a case with one or more
entrances. The trapping device can also comprise a catching area
that can optionally include an adhesive for immobilizing the
insects.
Inventors: |
Thuis; Alicia Nichole;
(Eagan, MN) ; Olson; Joelle F.; (Shoreview,
MN) ; Gardner; Douglas B.; (Maplewood, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ecolab USA Inc. |
St. Paul |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53879099 |
Appl. No.: |
16/144373 |
Filed: |
September 27, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14628433 |
Feb 23, 2015 |
10136631 |
|
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16144373 |
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61943855 |
Feb 24, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02A 50/374 20180101;
A01M 1/14 20130101; A01M 1/20 20130101; Y02A 50/30 20180101; A01M
1/103 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01M 1/10 20060101
A01M001/10; A01M 1/14 20060101 A01M001/14; A01M 1/20 20060101
A01M001/20 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A trap for capturing insects comprising a textured
two-dimensional surface, the surface comprising a first surface
material and a second surface material.
20. The trap of claim 19, wherein the surface is substantially
vertical.
21. The trap of claim 19, wherein the first surface material
comprises one or more of paper, paper board, cardboard, loop
material, fabric, felt, wood, fiberboard, or fiberglass.
22. The trap of claim 19, wherein the second surface material
comprises one or more of plastic, glass, or metal.
23. The trap of claim 19, wherein the first surface material is
preferred by the insects for walking and the second surface
material is not preferred by the insects for walking.
24. The trap of claim 19, the surface further comprising one or
more triangular sections, wherein one of the triangular sections
comprises a base; one or more wing sections, each wing section
being connected to either one or more triangular sections or to
another wing section by a neck; and a collecting area connected to
one or more wing sections by a bridge.
25. The trap of claim 24, wherein the trap comprises two or three
wing sections.
26. The trap of claim 24, wherein the wing sections comprise one or
more wings defined by angled bottom and top edges, wherein the
bottom and top edges of the wings are angled upward.
27. The trap of claim 19, further comprising a catching area with
an agent capable of immobilizing insects.
28. The trap of claim 19, further comprising a case that encloses
the surface on at least four sides, the case comprising one or more
entrance openings.
29. The trap of claim 28, wherein the first surface material and
second surface material extend out of the case through the one or
more entrance openings.
30. The trap of claim 19, further comprising a case enclosed on at
least four sides with one or more entrance openings and the first
surface material and second surface material are connected to at
least one entrance opening.
31. The trap of claim 28, wherein the case is opaque.
32. The trap of claim 28, the case further comprising a catching
area with an adhesive agent capable of immobilizing insects.
33. The trap of claim 28, wherein the case comprises a material
with a smooth surface.
34. The trap of claim 28, wherein the case comprises plastic,
glass, or metal.
35. The trap of claim 28, wherein the insects comprise bed
bugs.
36. The trap of claim 28, wherein the case comprises a material
with a dark color and the catching area comprises a material with a
light color.
37. The trap of claim 27, wherein the agent comprises an
adhesive.
38. The trap of claim 27, wherein the agent comprises an
insecticide.
39. The trap of claim 24, wherein the collecting area comprises an
insecticide.
40. The trap of claim 24, wherein the wing sections are defined by
edges and wherein at least some of the edges comprise a
repellent.
41. The trap of claim 19, further comprising an attractant for bed
bugs.
42. The trap of claim 41, wherein the attractant is selected from
the group consisting of heat, carbon dioxide, pheromones, host
odors, and mixtures thereof
43. The trap of claim 42, wherein the attractant is a bed bug
aggregation or arrestment pheromone.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 14/628,433, filed Feb. 23, 2015, which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/943,855, filed Feb. 24,
2014, entitled "Bed Bug Trap and Monitor," which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of
pest elimination including elimination of bed bugs. The present
disclosure includes devices and methods to trap and immobilize bed
bugs as well as monitor their presence in a location.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed solely on the
blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex Lectularius, is adapted
to living with humans and prefers feeding on human blood. Bed bugs
have lived with humans since ancient times, although many people
living in the United States have never seen a bed bug. However,
increase of international travel in recent decades has contributed
to a resurgence of bed bugs in the United States. Many aspects of
bed bugs make their eradication difficult once bed bugs have
established a presence in a location.
[0004] Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 inch or about 4-6 millimeters
long, 3-5 millimeters wide, and reddish-brown with oval, flattened
bodies. The immature nymphs are similar in appearance to the adults
but smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, but they can
move very quickly over surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in
secluded areas and can deposit up to five eggs per day, and as many
as 500 during a lifetime. The bed bug eggs are very small, about
the size of a dust spec. When first laid, the eggs are sticky,
causing them to adhere to surfaces. The eggs hatch in about one to
three weeks and go through five nymphal stages before reaching
maturing in about 35-48 days.
[0005] Bed bug infestations originate by a bed bug being carried
into a new area. Bed bugs are able to cling to possessions and hide
in small spaces so that they may easily be transported in a
traveler's belongings or in furniture being moved. As a result,
buildings where turnover of occupants is high, such as hotels or
apartments, are especially vulnerable to bed bug infestations.
[0006] Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed and will
typically find a shelter or hiding place, such as a small crack or
crevice, in or around a bed or couch. The bugs may spend most of
their time in hiding and only leave the shelter every 5-7 days to
feed. Bed bugs are mainly active during the nighttime, making them
hard to detect. Bed bugs find easy hiding places in beds, bed
frames, furniture, along baseboards, in carpeting, behind loose
wall paper, and countless other places. Once established in a
location, bed bugs tend to congregate but do not build nests like
some other insects.
[0007] Infestations are not likely to be eliminated by leaving a
location unoccupied as bed bugs can survive long periods of time
without feeding. Adult bed bugs can persist months without feeding,
and in certain conditions even up to a year or more. Nymphs can
survive weeks or months without feeding.
[0008] Bed bugs obtain their sustenance by drawing blood through an
elongated beak. They may feed on a human for 3 to 10 minutes,
although the person is not likely to feel the bite. After the bite,
the victim often experiences an itchy welt or swelling in the area
of the bite. However, some people do not have any reaction or only
a very small reaction to a bed bug bite. Bed bug bites have
symptoms that are similar to other insect bites, such as mosquitoes
and ticks. It is not possible to determine whether the bite is from
a bed bug or another type of insect without actually observing the
bed bug. As a result, bed bug infestations may go long periods
without being detected.
[0009] Bed bugs are difficult to eradicate, particularly with 100%
efficacy, because of their tendency to hide, their ability to
survive long times without food, and the small size of the eggs. It
is against this background that the present disclosure is made.
SUMMARY
[0010] The present disclosure relates to a trapping device for
capturing crawling insects, such as bed bugs. The trapping device
comprises a textured two-dimensional surface with one or more
triangular entrance areas, where one of the triangular sections
comprises a base, one or more wing sections, each wing section
being connected to either one or more triangular sections or to
another wing section by a neck; and a collecting area connected to
one or more wing sections by a bridge. The trapping device can
further comprise a support structure, and can be enclosed in a case
with one or more entrances. The trapping device can also comprise a
catching area that can optionally include an adhesive for
immobilizing the insects.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of a trapping device according
to the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 1B shows a detail view of the base funnel of the
trapping device of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the trapping
device of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the trapping
device of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the trapping
device of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the trapping
device of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the trapping device of FIG.
1.
[0018] FIG. 7A shows an embodiment of a support structure for the
trapping device of Figure
[0019] FIG. 7B shows an embodiment of a support structure for the
trapping device of Figure
[0020] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a support structure for the
trapping device of FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 9 shows the trapping device of FIG. 4 with a case
according to an embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 10 shows a cartoon depiction of the trapping device of
FIG. 9 in use.
[0023] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the trapping device of FIG.
1.
[0024] FIGS. 12-26E show prototypes of embodiments of the trapping
device of FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 27A is a front view of a trapping device in an open
position according to an embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 27B is a top perspective view of the trapping device of
FIG. 27A.
[0027] FIG. 27C is a bottom perspective view of the trapping device
of FIG. 27A.
[0028] FIG. 27D is a back view of the trapping device of FIG.
27A.
[0029] FIG. 27E is a back perspective view of the trapping device
of FIG. 27A.
[0030] FIG. 27F is a top view of the trapping device of FIG.
27A.
[0031] FIG. 27G is a bottom view of the trapping device of FIG.
27A.
[0032] FIG. 27H and 27J are side views of the trapping device of
FIG. 27A.
[0033] FIG. 28A-28C are various views of the trapping device of
FIG. 27A attached to a mounting device.
[0034] FIGS. 28D and 28E are views of the mounting device of FIGS.
28A-28C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Pest removal services are often called upon to eradicate bed
bugs in infested locations such as homes, hotels, offices, or
theaters. Because of the characteristics of bed bugs, particularly
the tendency to hide, nocturnal activity, and resistance to some
treatments, infestations can be hard to detect and eliminating the
infestation may take several visits and consecutive treatments. The
device and method of this disclosure provide for an improved way to
trap and hold crawling (i.e., non-flying) bugs, such as bed bugs,
ticks, mites, ants, and other crawling arthropods, to monitor their
presence and activity in the area, and to help eliminate bug
infestations.
[0036] Bed bugs have a tendency to hide in small spaces, such as
cracks and crevices between parts of furniture, upholstery, wall
paper and other wall materials, carpeting, etc. Bed bugs exhibit a
searching behavior and often crawl up vertical surfaces during
searching. According to an embodiment, bed bugs can be captured in
a trapping device taking advantage of the bug's natural behavior.
The trapping device can be configured so that the bugs have
difficulty finding their way out, getting trapped in or on the
trapping device. The trapped bugs can then be eliminated from the
infested area. In an alternative embodiment the trapping device can
be used to monitor the presence, activity, and/or prevalence of
bugs in an area.
[0037] FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of the trapping device 1
according to an embodiment. The trapping device 1 can comprise a
two-dimensional surface that is suitable for bugs to crawl on. For
example, the trapping device 1 can comprise a surface 10 defining
an X,Y-plane, the surface 10 having a surface texture that
facilitates bugs crawling on it without falling off. The shape of
the surface 10 can be designed to keep the bugs that enter the
trapping device 1 on the surface, and to minimize bugs crawling off
of the surface 10, i.e., to trap the bugs on the surface 10. The
trap surface 10 can be surrounded by another surface (e.g., a
second surface 510, shown in FIG. 8) that is not favored by bugs or
is not suitable for bugs to crawl on. The surface materials can be
selected so that the bugs favor the trap's surface 10 over the
second surface 510. For example, the second surface 510 can be
smooth, lacking adequate texture for the bugs to get a foot hold on
the second surface 510.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 1A, the trapping device 1 has a triangular
or funnel-shaped base (i.e., base funnel 20), a bottom edge 201,
and side walls 202. The base funnel 20 tapers toward the top,
connecting to a first wing section 21 by a narrowing or a first
neck 22. The first wing section 21 can further be connected to a
second wing section 23 by a second neck 24. The trapping device 1
may comprise additional wing sections connected to each other by
narrower sections or necks. For example, the trapping device 1 may
comprise 1-5 wing sections, 1-3 wing sections, or 2 or 3 wing
sections. At least one wing section (e.g., the second wing section
23) is further connected to a collecting area 30 by a bridge 31.
For example, the topmost wing section can be connected to the
collecting area 30. In alternative embodiments, more than one wing
section can be connected to the collecting area 30, or the trapping
device 1 may comprise more than one collecting area. The bridge 31
can be horizontal or angled relative to the X-axis in the in the
X,Y-plane . The shape of the collecting area 30 can be any suitable
shape, such as a rectangle, a rounded rectangle, or a rectangle
with an irregular bottom edge 301.
[0039] The edges 202 of the base funnel 20 are angled as defined by
angle .alpha.20. According to an embodiment, the angle .alpha.20 is
in a range of about 30.degree.-75.degree., or about
40.degree.-65.degree.. The bottom edge 201 of the base funnel 20 is
substantially horizontal and can be aligned with a horizontal
surface (e.g., floor) when the trapping device 1 is in use. The
first and second wing sections 21, 23 may comprise angled bottom
edges (211 and 231, respectively), having an angle .alpha.21,
.alpha.23, respectively, as measured from the side edge 212, 232 of
the wing section 21, 23, respectively. The angles .alpha.21 and
.alpha.23 can be in a range of about 30.degree.-90.degree., or
about 40.degree.-75.degree.. The angles .alpha.21 and .alpha.23 can
be independently selected. The wing sections may also have an
angled top edge (e.g., top edge 213) that may be parallel to the
bottom edge (e.g., bottom edge 211). Alternatively, the angle of
the top edge 213 may be independently selected. In the exemplary
embodiments shown, the top edge 213 is parallel with the bottom
edge 211 of the first wing section 21 and the bottom edge 231 of
the second wing section 23. In a preferred embodiment, the top edge
213 has an angle that guides the bugs toward the second neck 24 and
the second wing section 23.
[0040] The trapping device 1 can be manufactured of any suitable
material that allows for bugs to crawl on the surface 10 of the
trapping device 1. For example, the surface 10 can comprise paper,
paper board, cardboard, the "loop"-side of hook-and-loop material,
fabric, felt, wood, fiberboard, fiberglass, or other animal, plant,
mineral, or synthetic fibrous materials, and combinations thereof.
Preferably the material of the surface 10 has a textured surface
that allows for bugs, such as bed bugs, to get adequate foot hold
of the surface 10 to be able to crawl across the surface 10 when
the surface 10 is in a vertical or substantially vertical position.
For surfaces 10 constructed of paper, a coarse textured paper is
preferred. For example, the coarseness of the paper may be similar
to or coarser than that of brown construction paper. The material
may be woven or non-woven. The surface 10 of the trapping device 1
may be any color. The trapping device 1 may, for example, be a
non-white color having an L* value of 90 or less on the CIE L*, a*,
b* scale.
[0041] A detailed view of the base funnel 20 is shown in FIG. 1B.
The base funnel 20 has a width W20 at the bottom edge 201 that
narrows to width W22 at the neck 22, and a height H20. The width 20
can be any suitable width, and can be, for example, in the range of
about 4-12 cm, or about 5-10 cm, or about 6-8 cm. The height H20 is
partially defined by the width W20 and the angle .alpha.20, and can
be, for example, in the range of about 3-10 cm, or about 4-8 cm.
The width W22 can be about 0.3-2 cm, or about 0.4-1.5 cm, or about
0.5-0.8 cm. A suitable width W22 will act to guide insects to enter
the next section (e.g., a first wing section 21) of the trapping
device 1, and will discourage insects from exiting the trapping
device 1. The second neck 24 can have a similar width as width W22
of the first neck 22.
[0042] The trapping device 1 can be placed in a location so that
the bottom edge 201 aligns with a surface the insects are on (e.g.,
a floor, a wall, or a surface on a piece of furniture) and allows
for insects to crawl up the surface of the trapping device. Bed
bugs in particular have a tendency to crawl up vertical surfaces
and to follow the edge of a surface. As the base funnel 20 narrows
toward the first neck 22, the bugs are guided along the surface 10
by the side edges 202, 203 into the first wing section 21. The
insects can be further guided into subsequent wing sections (e.g.,
a second wing section 23), and finally into the collecting area 30.
Once in the collecting area 30, the insects may not find their way
back out onto the base funnel 20 and off the trapping device 1.
Although most insects will stay on the collecting area 30, a
catching area 310 (shown in FIG. 5, alternatively catching area 742
in FIG. 9) may be arranged below the collecting area 30 to catch
any insects that fall off of the collecting area 30. The catching
area 30 may be, for example, shaped as a platform or a trough and
may comprise a glue or adhesive to prevent insects from exiting the
catching area 30.
[0043] Embodiments of the trapping device 1 with alternative
designs for the collecting area 30 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The
collecting area 30 may have a rectangular design, or may have a
rounded bottom as in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the bottom edge 301 of
the collecting area 30 may be configured to encourage insects to
stay in the bottom area of the collecting area 30. As seen in FIG.
3, the bottom edge 301 may comprise pointed extensions 303
extending downward from the collecting area 30. The pointed
extensions 303 take advantage of the natural behavior of bed bugs
to explore such areas on a surface, leading more bugs to collect in
the bottom area of the collecting area 30.
[0044] The collecting are 30 may further comprise recesses 304 on
one or both sides of the entrance into the collecting area 30
through the bridge 31. The recesses 304 act to deter insects from
leaving the collecting area 30.
[0045] An embodiment of the trapping device 1 is shown in FIG. 4,
where the trapping device 1 comprises two entrance areas, the base
funnel 20 and a top funnel 40. The second entrance area may have a
similar or corresponding (but inverted) shape as the first entrance
area. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4, the second entrance
area comprises a top funnel 40, a first wing section 41 connected
to the top funnel 40 by a neck 42, and a second wing section 43
connected to the first wing section 41 by a second neck 44. The
first and second entrance areas are connected by a connecting
section 60 that may have in it a cut-out 61. The cut-out 61 serves
to guide the insects from the entrance areas into the collecting
area 30. The edges 601 of the connecting section 60 may be rounded
so as to encourage insects to move along the edge. The overall
shape, configuration, and dimensions of the trapping device 1 are
configured to (a) guide the insects into the collecting area 30,
(b) make it difficult for the insects to exit the collecting area
30, or (c) to discourage insects from staying or entering back into
other areas of the trapping device 1.
[0046] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the trapping device 1 having a
catching area 310 for catching insects that may fall off of the
collecting area 30. The catching area 310 is configured to catch
and retain insects that fall off the collecting area 30. The
catching area 310 may be any suitable shape, such as a trough, a
cup, or a flat platform or a pad, and may comprise an adhesive
material, such as glue or other adhesive or tacky material. A
pad-type catching area 742 is shown in FIG. 9.
[0047] The trapping device 1 can further comprise an insecticide or
other compound designed to kill or immobilize insects. The
insecticide can be incorporated, for example, into collecting area
30 or the catching area 310 or 742 (e.g., into the adhesive
material in the catching area 310 or 742), or into another part of
the trapping device 1, 101.
[0048] Insects can further be discouraged from entering certain
parts of the trapping device 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 6,
the trapping device 1 may comprise repellent strips 28 along the
bottom edges 211, 231 of the wing sections 21, 23. Repellent strips
28 can be included in other configurations of the trapping device
1, as well. For example, the trapping device 1 in FIG. 4 may
include repellent strips 28 (not shown in FIG. 4) at edge 211 of
the first wing section 21, edge 231 of the second wing section 23,
the corresponding edges 411 and 431 of wing sections 41 and 43, and
edges 311 of the collecting area 30. The repellent strip 28 may
comprise a material that the insects prefer not to walk on, or
prefer not to come into contact with. For example, a tacky or
glue-like adhesive material (e.g., an epoxy or urethane based
adhesive material) has been found to cause the majority of bed bugs
to turn away from the area. Other suitable materials may also be
used. The purpose of the repellent strip 28 is to keep insects from
entering too close to the bottom edge 211, 231 and falling off of
the trapping device 1.
[0049] The trapping device 1 may be supported by a support
structure 50. The support structure 50 may be any structure that
facilitates holding the trapping device 1 in an upright or vertical
position. The term "vertical" is used here to include positions
that are approximately or nearly vertical, e.g., positions that
deviate up to .+-.20.degree. from a vertical position. Exemplary
embodiments of the support structure 50 are shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B,
and 8. As shown in FIG. 7A, the support structure 50 may comprise a
support foot 52. The support foot 52 can be a piece of material
that is positioned in another plane, e.g., the Z-plane relative to
the surface 10 that defines the X,Y-plane. The support foot 52 can
be positioned in an angle (e.g., about 90.degree.) relative to the
base funnel 20 and together with the bottom edge 201 of the base
funnel 20 defines a support area, e.g., a cross-shaped support area
in the X,Z-plane, shown in the top view of the trapping device 1 in
FIG. 7B. If the trapping device 1 is provided as a kit, the support
foot 52 may be provided as a separate piece of material of suitable
dimensions having a slot that the user can slide into a
corresponding slot in the base funnel 20 to provide the support
structure 50 for the trapping device 1. In the exemplary
embodiment, a triangle-shaped support structure 50 is shown, but
the support structure may have any suitable shape and is not
limited to regular geometric shapes (e.g., triangles and
rectangles). The support structure 50 may also be formed by other
than flat/planar pieces of material, such as a cylinder or a cone,
or may comprise a cast or molded structure or a structure
constructed of wire or tubing. The support structure 50 may also be
constructed for supporting the trapping device on a non-horizontal
surface, such as against a piece of furniture. In one exemplary
embodiment, the support structure 50 can be wrapped around a
portion of a piece of furniture (e.g., the leg or post of a bed or
a sofa).
[0050] The support structure 50 may also comprise a support plate
51 as shown in FIG. 8. The support plate 51 can comprise a backing
for the trapping device 1. The support plate may comprise a
material having suitable stiffness to act as a backing for the
trapping device 1, and may have a surface 510 that bed bugs tend to
avoid, e.g., a surface with a smooth texture. For example, the
surface 510 may comprise a smooth plastic, glass or metal surface.
A support plate 51 can be used without or in combination with a
support foot 52.
[0051] Other elements of the trapping device 1 can also exist in
three-dimensional configurations. For example, one or more of the
wing sections 21, 23 or the collecting area 30 can be configured in
a plane other than the X,Y-plane. In an exemplary embodiment, the
collecting area 30 may be configured horizontally in the
X,Z-plane.
[0052] According to an embodiment shown in FIG. 9 the trapping
device 101 can comprise a case 70 that surrounds the surface 10. In
a preferred embodiment, the trapping device 101 comprises a case 70
with two or more entrance openings 741, 751 aligned with two or
more entrance areas (e.g., base funnel 20 and top funnel 40)
through which insects can enter the trapping device 101. The case
70 is defined by a front wall 71, a back wall 72, side walls 73,
76, a bottom 74, and a top 75. Some or all of the walls 71, 72, 73,
74, 75, 76 can be transparent, allowing for inspection of the
trapping device 101 for insects without opening or taking apart of
the trapping device 101. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG.
9, the entrance openings 741, 751 are on the bottom 74 and the top
75 of the trapping device 101. The entrance opening 741 has a width
W741 that corresponds to the width W20 of the base funnel 20. The
entrance opening 751 has a width W751 that corresponds to the width
W40 of the top funnel 40. The depth D741, D751 of the entrance
opening 741, 751 is configured to allow the targeted insects (e.g.,
bed bugs) to fit through the opening. The depth D741, D751 can be,
for example, about 3-10 mm, or about 4-6 mm.
[0053] The case 70 may be constructed of any suitable material,
such as plastic, glass, metal, or a combination thereof. The case
70 may, for example, be constructed of polyacrylic (e.g.,
polymethyl methacrylate), polyethylene, polypropyl, polycarbonate,
or any other suitable plastic. According to some embodiments, some
or most parts of the case 70 are opaque. In some preferred
embodiments, some or more parts of the case 70 have a dark color,
such as black, dark grey, dark brown, dark blue, dark green, dark
red, etc.
[0054] The bottom 74 of the case 70 may comprise a catching area
742 for catching insects that fall off of the surface 10,
particularly from the collecting area 30. The catching area 742 may
be a treated surface on the bottom 74 on the inside of the case 70.
The catching area 742 may comprise an adhesive or glue or other
means for catching and retaining or immobilizing insects. For
example, the catching area 742 may comprise an insect
immobilization adhesive, such as the Tangle-Trap adhesive coatings
available from Contech, Inc. in Victoria, BC, Canada. The case 70
may be provided with a mechanism for exchanging the adhesive of the
catching area 742 when the adhesive becomes spent or otherwise
unusable. For example, the adhesive can be contained in an adhesive
member that can is removable and replaceable. Further, the surface
10 may also be removable and replaceable. For example, the material
of the surface 10 can be adhered to the inside back wall 72 of the
case 70 by a removable adhesive. In contrast to the rest of the
case 70, the catching area 742 may be light in color. In an
exemplary embodiment, the catching area 742 is white.
[0055] The case 70 may comprise a support structure and/or mounting
structure for holding the trapping device 101 in an upright or
vertical position. The back wall 72 of the case may act as a
support plate 52 for the surface 10. The case 70 may be provided
with one or more support feet 51 or another support mechanism to
facilitate holding the trapping device 101 upright. The case 70 may
further include a mounting means that can be used to fix the
trapping device 101 into place on a surface such as a wall or the
surface of a piece of furniture, such as a headboard, a book case,
or a dresser. The mounting means may comprise, for example,
hardware such as screws, bolts, nails, clips, etc., or adhesive
pads such as epoxy or urethane adhesives, or hook-and-loop type
fasteners.
[0056] FIG. 10 show a cartoon depiction of the functioning of the
trapping device 101. According to the embodiments, a bed bug 200
can enter the case 70 through one of the entrance openings 741, 751
(e.g., the bottom entrance opening 741 as shown). The bed bug 200
may crawl around on the surface 10, and according to its natural
behavior, tend to move mostly upward and avoid going over the edges
of the surface 10 onto the material of the case 70. The bed bug 200
will thus be guided to move from the base funnel 20 to the first
wing section 21, and from there to the second wing section 23. The
second wing section 23 is designed to guide the insect toward the
collecting area 30. Once in the collecting area 30, the bed bug 200
may either stay in the collecting area 30, or may find its way to
the bottom of the collecting area 30 and fall off of the surface
10. If the bed bug 200 falls off of the surface 10, it will come
into contact with and be immobilized by the adhesive material in
the catching area 742.
[0057] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the trapping
device 1 comprises a strip 80 that acts as an extension of the base
funnel 20. The strip 80 comprises sides 82, 83 that extend from the
sides 202, 203 of the base funnel 20, and a bottom edge 81. The
strip 80 may be an extension of the same material as the rest of
the trapping device 1, or can be a different material. For example,
the strip 80 may be a flexible or pliable material (e.g., fabric)
that can be used to guide insects (e.g., bed bugs) onto the
trapping device. When the trapping device 1 is set up, it can be
placed so that the bottom edge 81 of the strip 80 is in contact
with a surface, such as the floor, a base board, or a bed frame,
and allows for insects to crawl up the strip onto the trapping
device 1. If a trapping device 101 with a case 70 is used, the
strip 80 can extend outside of the case 70 through an entrance
opening (e.g., the bottom entrance opening 741).
[0058] In one exemplary embodiment, the trapping device 111
comprises a case 70' for housing the surface 10, as shown in FIGS.
27A-27J. In some aspects that trapping device 111 is similar to the
trapping device 101, and similar parts are denoted here with
similar reference numerals. The case 70' of the trapping device 111
can include a hinge 730 that enables opening and closing of the
case 70'. In the Figures, the trapping device 111 is shown in an
open or a partially open (FIGS. 27H and 27J) position. The case 70'
includes a front wall 71, a back wall 72, side walls 73', 76', a
bottom 74', and a top 75', where the walls 71, 72, 73', 76' and the
bottom 74' and top 75' define an interior space 800 when the case
70' is in a closed position. The surface 10 is housed in the
interior space 800, where the surface 10 is positioned, for example
on the inside of the front or back wall 71, 72. The case 70'
includes an opening 741 (see, e.g., FIG. 27G) that may be located
at the bottom 74' of the case 70' and be aligned with a bottom edge
of the base funnel 20. The opening 741 enables bed bugs to enter
the interior space 800 and the surface 10.
[0059] The case 70' may further comprise a catching area 742 that
may be formed by a first portion 743 of the bottom 74'. The
catching area 742 may be constructed of a material (e.g., plastic,
metal, paperboard, or cardboard) of a light color (e.g., while,
off-white, light gray, or any other suitably light color), and may
comprise an insect immobilization adhesive. The catching area 742
may be part of a continuous wall that is defined by the side wall
73', and the first portion 743 and the second portion 744 of the
bottom 74'. The bottom 74' may further comprise a third portion 745
and a fourth portion 756, where the third portion 745 and the
fourth portion 756 form a continuous wall. The continuous walls
formed by the first, second, third, and fourth portions 743, 744,
745, 745 may include upwardly extending sections (formed, e.g., by
the second and fourth portions 744, 746) that surround the base
funnel 20 on each side. The upwardly extending sections can help
guide bed bugs into the trapping device 111 and prevent bed bugs
from escaping the trapping device 111.
[0060] The trapping device 111 may optionally include a mechanism
that enables attaching the trapping device 111 to a fixture (e.g.,
a piece of furniture or a wall). In the exemplary embodiment shown
in FIG. 27A-28E, the trapping device 111 comprises an attachment
mechanism 750 that can be removably coupled with a corresponding
fixed mounting device 780 (see FIGS. 28A-28E) attached to a
fixture. The attachment mechanism 750 may be of any suitable type
and is not limited to the embodiment shown. The attachment
mechanism 750 may, for example, include prongs 751, 752 that can be
inserted into corresponding openings 784, 783 of the fixed mounting
device 780. One or more of the prongs 751, 752, such as the center
prong 752, may include a catch mechanism 753 and a release
mechanism 754. The catch mechanism 753 may comprise, for example, a
lip (see FIG. 27J) that catches a corresponding lip, edge, or
opening 781 in the fixed mounting device 780. The center prong 752
may further include a biasing mechanism (e.g., a spring) that
biases the catch mechanism 753 against the corresponding lip or
edge 781. The attachment mechanism 750 may be removed from the
fixed mounting device 780 by pushing on the release mechanism 754
that acts on the biasing mechanism to release the catch mechanism
753. The prongs 751 may be used to align the front and back walls
71', 72' of the trapping device 111 and to keep the trapping device
111 in a closed position while it is attached to the fixed mounting
device 780.
[0061] The fixed mounting device 780 can be mounted by a mounting
means that can be used to mount the fixed mounting device 780 on a
surface such as a wall or the surface of a piece of furniture, such
as a bed, a book case, or a dresser. The mounting means may
comprise, for example, hardware such as screws, bolts, nails,
clips, etc., or adhesive pads such as epoxy or urethane adhesives,
or hook-and-loop type fasteners. In the exemplary embodiment shown,
the fixed mounting device 780 includes holes 782 to enable mounting
by screws or nails.
[0062] The case 70' may be constructed of any suitable material,
such as plastic, glass, metal, paperboard, cardboard, or a
combination thereof. The case 70' may, for example, be constructed
of polyacrylic (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate), polyethylene,
polypropyl, polycarbonate, or any other suitable plastic. According
to some embodiments, some or most parts of the case 70' are opaque.
In some preferred embodiments, some or more parts of the case 70'
have a dark color. The catching area 742 may have a light color,
such as white, off-white, light gray, etc.
[0063] The trapping device 101, 111 can be attached to any suitable
surface (e.g., by the fixed mounting device 780) where the trapping
device 101, 111 may need to bed used. For example, the trapping
device 111 can be attached to a piece of furniture, such as a
headboard, a bed frame, book case, dresser, sofa, chair, table,
etc., or to a wall or post. In some embodiments, the trapping
device 101, 111 can be removably attached so that the trapping
device 101, 111 can be checked for and emptied of bed bugs, and
optionally re-attached.
[0064] According to embodiments, the trapping device 1, 101, 111
can be configured as a passive trapping device or an active
trapping device. If the trapping device 1, 101, 111 is configured
as an active trapping device, the trapping device 1, 101, 111 may
comprise an insect attractant. Suitable attractants for bed bugs
are, for example, heat, carbon dioxide, pheromones, and host odors
(e.g., human kairomones). For example, synthetic pheromones or
natural pheromones (e.g., aggregation or arrestment pheromones)
secreted by the bed bugs can be used to attract bed bugs to the
trap.
EXAMPLES
[0065] A number of trapping devices with various configurations
were constructed and tested. Each trapping device was placed in a
plastic tub (the "testing area"). A number of bed bugs were placed
in the testing area, and the number of bugs found on the trapping
device were counted at the end of each test period. The length of
the test period varied from 1-8 days.
Example 1
[0066] A trapping device with a dish-shaped catching area was
constructed of black poster board (foam board sandwiched between
paper). A strip of non-stick PTFE material (FLUON.RTM., available
from AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc., in Exton, Pa.) was applied
around the edges of the wing section. A picture of the trap is
shown in FIG. 12. The trap was placed in the testing area with 150
bugs for 1 day, 150 bugs for 3 days, and 100 bugs for 3 days. The
results are shown in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 150 1 84 56% 150 3 58 38% 100 3 64
64%
Example 2
[0067] A trapping device with a horizontal catching area was
constructed of black poster board (foam board sandwiched between
paper). A strip of non-stick PTFE material (FLUON.RTM., available
from AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc., in Exton, Pa.) was applied
around the edges of the wing section and to form an additional wing
section. A picture of the trap is shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. The
trap was placed in the testing area with 100 bugs for 1 day, and
100 bugs for 2 days. Half of the bugs were hungry and half had been
fed prior to the test. In the 1-day test the trap was sprayed with
an insecticide (Temprid), and for counting purposes bugs were
considered caught if they were killed. The results are shown in
Table 2.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 1 55 55% 100 2 21 21%
Example 3
[0068] A trapping device with additional, diagonally placed wing
sections was constructed. The trap was tested using yellow paper as
the trap surface and smooth acrylic plastic as the background
material. The trap was also tested by covering the trap surface
with white printer paper. Pictures of the traps are shown in FIGS.
14A and 14B. The yellow trap was placed in the testing area with
100 bugs for 2 days, and the white trap with 100 bugs for 1 day.
The results are shown in Table 3.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Number Of Bugs Number Of Bugs Trap In
Testing Area Days Bugs Caught Caught, % Yellow 100 2 7 7% White 100
1 26 26%
Example 4
[0069] A trap with a "spiky" top section was constructed from white
paper. A picture of the trap is shown in FIG. 15. The trap was
placed in the testing area with 100 bugs for 1 day. The results are
shown in Table 4.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 1 25 25%
Example 5
[0070] Traps with multiple collecting areas with pointy extensions
was constructed from white paper. A picture of trap A is shown in
FIG. 16A and trap B in FIG. 16B. The trap was placed in the testing
area with 100 bugs for varying number of days. A bed bug attractant
(CO.sub.2) was used in three of the tests. The results are shown in
Table 5.
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Number Of Bugs In Number Of Bugs Bugs Trap
CO.sub.2 Testing Area Days Caught Caught, % A No 100 8 43 43% A Yes
100 3 42 42% A Yes (2.sup.nd and 100 3 52 52% 3.sup.rd nights) A
Yes 100 1 44 44% B No 100 8 5 5% B Yes 100 3 24 24%
Example 6
[0071] A trap with multiple collecting areas with pointy extensions
was constructed from white paper. A catching area was added
underneath the collecting areas. A picture of the trap is shown in
FIG. 17. The trap was placed in the testing area with 100 bugs for
three days. A bed bug attractant (heat and CO.sub.2) was used. The
results are shown in Table 6.
TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 3 44 44%
Example 7
[0072] A trap with multiple collecting areas with pointy extensions
was constructed from white paper. A picture of the trap is shown in
FIG. 18. The trap was placed in the testing area with 100 bugs for
one and three days. The results are shown in Table 7.
TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 1 8 8% 100 3 22 22%
Example 8
[0073] A trap with two wing sections and a strip of adhesive at the
bottom of each wing section was constructed from white paper. A
picture of the trap is shown in FIG. 19. The trap was placed in the
testing area with 100 bugs for one day. The results are shown in
Table 8. It was observed that when the bugs came into contact with
the glue they turned around, avoiding entering the area with the
glue.
TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 1 20 20%
Example 9
[0074] A trap with two wing sections, a collecting area with
downward pointed extensions, and a trough-shaped catching area was
constructed. A picture of the trap is shown in FIG. 20. The surface
of the trap was constructed of white paper with strips of glue at
the bottom of the wing sections and at the top of the collecting
area. A transparent plastic was used as a support backing. The trap
was placed in the testing area with 100 or 88 bugs for one day. The
results are shown in Table 9.
TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Number Of Bugs In Testing Area Number Of
Days Bugs Caught Bugs Caught, % 100 1 68 68% 88 1 44 50%
Example 10
[0075] Traps with multiple wing sections, a collecting area with
downward pointed extensions , and an elongated "tail" were
constructed from various materials. A picture of trap A is shown in
FIG. 21A, trap B in FIG. 21B, trap C in FIG. 21C, trap D in FIG.
21D, and trap E in FIG. 21E. Traps A-D included a plastic case,
whereas trap E had an acrylic support backing. Trap A had a larger
size than traps B-E. The traps were placed in the testing area with
100 or 88 bugs for a varying number of days. The results are shown
in Table 10.
TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Number Of Bugs In Number Of Bugs Bugs Trap
Material Testing Area Days Caught Caught, % A Paper 100 6 46 46% B
Cloth 100 1 5 5% C Paper 100 1 50 50% D Cloth (denim) 88 1 34 39% E
Cloth 88 1 0 0%
Example 11
[0076] Traps with two wing sections and a collecting area with
downward pointed extensions were constructed from various
materials. A picture of trap A is shown in FIG. 22A, trap B in FIG.
22B, trap C in FIG. 22C, trap D in FIG. 22D, and trap E in FIG.
22E, trap F in FIG. 22F, trap G in FIG. 22G, trap H in FIG. 22H,
and trap J in FIG. 22J, trap K in FIG. 22K, trap L in FIG. 22L, and
trap M in FIG. 22M. The average catch of five repeat tests was
calculated. The results are shown in Table 11.
TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Trap Material Average Bugs Caught STDEV A
Cloth, lab coat 18% 8% B Printer paper 24% 11% C Cloth, demin 29%
14% D Cloth, sheet 10% 6% E Cloth, pillow case 27% 13% F Paper with
layer of spray glue 19% 8% G Cloth, sheet 11% 3% H Screen mesh 7%
3% J Construction paper 18% 10% K Paper napkin, brown 22% 7% L
Paper napkin, white 15% 8% M Kim Wipe .RTM. 15% 7% N Manilla folder
paper 5% 6%
Example 12
[0077] Additional prototypes of traps with multiple wing sections,
and a collecting area with a wing section and a rounded bottom were
constructed from various materials. Trap A was constructed of white
cloth; trap B of white 100% cotton muslin cloth; trap C of black
cloth; and trap D of brown cloth. A picture of trap A is shown in
FIG. 23A, trap B in FIG. 23B, trap C in FIG. 23C, and trap D in
FIG. 23D.
Example 13
[0078] Additional prototypes of traps with multiple wing sections,
and a collecting area with a rounded bottom were constructed from
various materials. Trap A was constructed of cloth; traps B and C
of 3D-printed plastic. Traps B and C had slightly different
textures. A picture of trap A is shown in FIG. 24A, trap B in FIG.
24B, and trap C in FIG. 24C.
Example 14
[0079] A trap with multiple entrances and wing sections was
constructed of white paper. A picture of the trap is shown in FIG.
25. A transparent plastic was used as a support backing.
Example 15
[0080] Additional prototypes of traps with multiple wing sections,
two entrance areas, and a collecting area were constructed from
various materials. Trap A was constructed of white paper; trap B of
white paper, cut with rounded corners; trap C of grey paper; trap D
of brown construction paper; and trap E of brown construction paper
encased in a transparent plastic case. A picture of trap A is shown
in FIG. 26A, trap B in FIG. 26B, trap C in FIG. 26C, trap D in FIG.
26D, and trap E in FIG. 26E.
[0081] While certain embodiments have been described, other
embodiments may exist. While the specification includes a detailed
description, the invention's scope is indicated by the following
claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in
language specific to structural features and/or methodological
acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described
above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are
disclosed as illustrative aspects and embodiments. Various other
aspects, embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof which,
after reading the description herein, may suggest themselves to one
of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of
the present disclosure or the scope of the claimed subject
matter.
* * * * *