Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLYING INSECT KILLE~ & LIGHT ~IXTURE INCORPORATING S~E
Technical F _ld
This invention relates to an insect e~terminator and
more particularly to an outdoor light fixture incorporating
a motorized insect exterminator which uses a pliable whipping
element attached to a rapidly rotating motor drive shaft.
Background Art
Man in his quest to rid himself and his immediate
surroundings from annoying flying insects has used many
techniques and methods. One method is to enclose his body
in a screened enclosure. However, insects always manage
to enter into his screened surroundings.
Man has also used chemicals which repel or kill
insects. Some of the'se chemicals work with a great deal
of effect. However, since the chemicals also pose a slight
danger to man himself, the'chemicals are not usually used
near kitchens or other places where food is prepared or
consumed.
Motorized insect killers, disclosed in U.S. patents
1,816,396 issued to Oppenlander on July 28, 1931; U.S. patent
2,737,753 issued to Bittner on March'13, 1966; U.S. patent
2,778,150 issued to Pohlman on January 22, 1957; U.S. patent
2,799,117 issued to Stokes III et al on July 16, 1957; and
U.S. patent 3,123,933 issued to Roche on March 10, 1964, have
~ 25 a light which attracts flying insects and a rapidly rotating
'~ rod or blade which'is located in the vicini~y of the light
source. Insects are attracted to the light source, and
are killed when they encounter the blade or rod.
The problem encountered with the above-motorized
insect killers is that the rapidly rotating blade or
element can injure a person's, particularly a chlld's,
fingers or limbs. The light which attracts the insects
may also attract small children who occasionally may stick
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their fingers throuyh the ro-tating blade. ~rO minirnize the
danger, a shield or screen would be re~uired about the
rotating blades. A pro~ective shleld is disclosed in
the Roche, Pohlman and Stokes III et al references.
However, a shield which prevents the entrance of limbs
or fingers into the blades also discourages or inhi~its
the insect's passage therethrough to the light source to
be killed by the whirling blade. Consequently, the effi-
ciency of the safer insect killers is decreased.
Disclosure of Inventio~?
Accordiny to the invention, a safe, yet effective,
motorized insect killer is free from the deficiencies and
limitations of a protective shield with the use of a pliable
plastic filament rotating at a substantial speed. The in-
~ect killer comprises a lure for attracting flying insects
thereto and a motor with a rotatable shaft in the proximity
of the lure. At least one lightweight, nonmetallic, pliable
filament is attached at a portion thereof to the rotatable
shaft. The filament is freely pliable in that it bends of
its own weight when held at one end. The motor rotates the
filament generally at sufficient speeds such that the string
sweeps a circular area fast enough to hit insects flying
therethrough. The filament generally rotates between 1,000
and 8,000 RPM's. Preferably, the motor should rotate less
than 4,800 RPMIs because at higher speeds the filament
starts to produce a noise which would repel insects from
entering through the circular-shaped area. Preferably,
the speeds should be maintained above 2,000 RPM's so the
- 30 probability of fatally hitting a passing insect with the
whirling filament remains high.
The filament has a specific gra~ity less than 2.0,
preferably less than 1.0, and is rotated at such speed to
have the ability to kill the insects if it hit~ the in~ect,
but, on the other hand, to be safe if a finger is acci
dentally placed in the area of the circle wherein the
finger will be free from cuts or injury. The low inertia
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of the fila~lent due to the liyh~weight nature of the material
in combination with the flexibility of the filament pro-
duces no brui~es or cu~s on the finger which comes in
contact with the filament.
Preferably, the filament i~ transparent so that
when it rotates quickly, there is less of an illusion that
there is a wall or barrier at the disc which would tend to
inhibit insects from flying therethrough.
Preferably, the filament is made from a nylon,
or other synthetic polymer such as polyethylene, poly-
propylene, elastomer or leather or such other priable
plastic material. The filament preferably has a diameter
between 0.05 and 0.10 inches (1.27 - 2.54 mm).
The relationship be~ween the specific gravities
of the filament material and the diameter of the filament
is inversely related to the speed at which the motor
rotates the string. At low RPM's, the string must have
sufficient momentum to kill the insect upon impact. In
order to do this at the lower speeds around 2,000 RPM's,
the weight of the string must be heavier or the specific
gravity shall approach`2Ø If a lighter material is
used, the diameter of the string should be increased
to about 0.10 inches (2.54 mm).
If a faster motor is used, the speed of the
filament will provide more momentum to effectively kill
the insects. Less mass is needed to do the job effec-
` tively. Because of the increased speed, lighter materials
such as plastics with specific gravi~ies of around 1 or
even less than 1 can be used. The ilament, when it is
used with a motor which rotates at approximately 4,000RPM's, should be made of a lightweight material and have
a diameter of not less than 0.05 inches such that the
filament will not cut or injure a finger if it is acci-
dentally placed in contact with the rapidly rotating
filament. The diameter of the filament assures that
the force of contact is diffused over a sufficiently
large area of skin so the force is not concentrated
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all at one point of the s~in to produce a cut therein.
Preferably, the lure is a light source. Differ-
ent kinds o~ lights can be used. Incandescent liyht is
suitable. The frame is shaped to be attractive as a light
S fixture. In the daytime, a frayrance which attract~ flyiny
insects can be used in lieu of the liyht source.
Further according to the invention, a landing
site is mounted between a fleY~ible filament and light
source. The landing site allows light from the light
source therethrough. Preferably, the filament sweeps
out a circular area from .068 inches to 1 inch from the
landing site. A distance of .13 or .125 inches is suit-
able. The landing site can be a translucent plate or a
transparent plate with visible markings thereon.
lS In another embodiment, a light source is mounted
above an open-top basket. The motor is mounted to the
basket. The filament revolves in a horizontal plane
below the top edge of a basket so that the insects are
retained within the basket when flung from the filament.
In operation, the light source or ~ragrance is
activated which attracts insects thereto. The motor i5
turned on to rapidly whirl the filament string to sweep
about a circular area. Insects see the light through the
rapidly rotating string, fly toward the light, and fatally
encounter the whirling filament as they pass through the
circular area. The filament, by being pliable, hits the
insect and wraps about it in whip-like fashion to more
efficiently kill the insects.
In the embodiment which employs the landing site,
the insects attracted by the light source fly toward it
and slow down to avert or land on the landing site. How-
ever, when the insects slow down, they pass the circular
area. '~he filament fatally hits the insects. The landing
site increases the probability of the insects being hit
by the filament since the insects fly more slowly through
the circular area.
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Brief Description of Dra~inc3s
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 2 is a partially-broker~ side el,evational
5 view of a second embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the third embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a fourth
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a fifth
embodiment of the invention.
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Best~ Mode fo'r Carrying''O'ut''the l'nventi'on
Referring particularly to Figure 1, a suspended
15 hanger 10 supports a frame 12 which can be attracti~ely
formed of wrought iron or aluminum. The frame has two
open ends 13 and lS. The bot~om portion of the frame
forms a tray 14. Two light sockets 16 are mounted within
the tray 14. Two incandescent light bulbs 18 are operably
20 connected to the socket 16. A motor 20 is also operably
mounted within tray 14. A power cord 11 operably connects
the motor and light socket to a power source. The motor
20 has a drive shaft 22 outwardly extending from opposite
sides of the motor 20. The'drive shaft 22 extends between
25 the two light bulbs 18. A flexible filament 24 has one end
25 tied or otherwise connected to the drive shaft 22. A
second identical filament 24 is similarly connected to the
-, other end of the drive shaft 22.
Each filament is made from a clear plastic
30 material. The plastic is pliable and flexible. The
plastic has a specific gravity of approximately 1. The
diameter of the filament is between 0.05 and 0.10 inche's
(1.27 to 2.54 mm). A fish line with a test strength of
about fifty pounds, commonly used fox fishing, is a suit-
~ 35 able filament. Other filaments made from nylon, and other
- , polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl
~ chloride, or leather would also be suitable.
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Two trans],ucent plates 21 are mounted within
openings 13 and 15 and between light sources 18 and
filaments 2~. Each plate 21 h~s an aperture 23 there-
through through which each end o~ drive shaft 22 extends.
The plate has visible markings 33 simulating the side bars
of frame 12. The drive shaft rapialy rotates so that the
filament sweeps out a vertical circular area 27 defining
a plane between and parallel to the planes defined by
open ends 13 and 15 and approximately .125 inches spaced
from the plates 21. The circular area is positioned
vertically over the tray 14 and below the top edge 17
of the tray 14. The filament 24 whirls about free from
interference with any portion of the tray, frame, light
: sockets, bulbs, plates or the motor itself.
In operation, the lights 18 and motor 20 are
turned on and the filament sweeps out the circular-
shaped area 27 at a speed of about 3,600 RPM's. Insects
' are attracted through openings 15 and 13 to the light
bulbs 18. As the' insect approaches the translucent
plate, it 910ws down to land on the' plate. As the insect
slows down, the insect will cross the circular area 27
and be fatally hit by the' rapidly rotating filament 24.
The filament 24 is more effective when the whirling fila~
ment is positioned near the translucent plate because the
insect slows down as it flies directly through the
circular-shaped area 27 so statistically, the chances
are greater the filament will hit the insect than if
the insect quickly flew through the circular-shaped
area.
The drive shaft rotates between 2,000 and 4,000
RPM's. When the filament hits the insects, the flex-
ibility of the filament creates a whip-like ef~ect about
the insect body. The dead insect will fal.l into the tray
14.
: 35 I~ a finger i8 accidentally inserted toward the
light while the motor is whirling the filament, the fila-
ment will hit but not hurt the finger or cut the finger
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in any way. The ~ilament :is a ~ofk and pliabl~ line with
a low enough specific yravity to merely be stopped a~d
deflected by the finger and straighteniny ouk again when
it is rotated free from the finger, only to be deflected
again by the finger in the next rotation to the finger.
When the finger is removed from the circular area, the
filament straightens out and immediately returns to its
normal pattern.
Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the inven-
tion in which the filament rotates within a horizontally
defined plane. A hanger 26 suspends a basket 28. A
female electric socket 30 is mounted to the bottom of
the basket and is operably connected through the body
of the basket to a vertically mounted electric motor
32. The electric motor 32 comprises a rotor 34 and
a stator 36. A light bulb 38 is mounted atop stator
36 and is operably connected to the female plug 30.
A filament 40 has the same properties as the
filament in the first embodiment described above
When the motor is actuated~ the motor 32 rotates
the filament about a hbrizontal plane below the light
bulb 38 and the top edge 29 of basket 28. The insects
attracted to the light bulb fly down below the light
bulb and are killed by the rotating filament 40. The
basket captures the insects flying outwardly by the
whirling filament and retains the bodies of the dead
insects.
~ Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the inven-
- tion which uses a fluorescent tube 42 as a lure. The
tube 42 is mounted by structural supports 44 to a wall
or ceiling. A motor 46 is centrally mounted by supports
48 in the central area 49 of the tube 42. The motor has
drive shaft 50 extending upwardly from the light tube 42.
Mounted below the light tube 42 is a basket 54 mounted by
supports 56.
Filament S2 has the same properties as the fila-
ment in the first two embodiments described above. The
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basket 54 catches the bodies of the dead insects hit b~
the whirling filament 52.
A fourth embodimen-t is disclosed in Figure 4.
The fourth embodimen-t has a tra~ 58. ~ounted within
the tray 58 are the light sources 60 and the motor 62.
The power cord 64 extends downwardly from the tra~ and
is operably connected to the light sources 60 and motor
2. The motor has a drive shaft extending vertically
upwardly. A translucent dome 68 is placed within the
tray 58 and covers the light sources 60 and motor 62.
The translucent qualities of the dome 68 diffuses the
light from the light source to illuminate the dome 68.
An output shaft 66 of motor 62 extends outwardly through
a central hole 70 in the dome 68.
A filament 72, having the same properties as th~
filament in the first three embodiments, is attached to
the shaft 66 and rapidly rotates in a horizontal plane
above the dome. The flying insects are attracted by the
illuminated dome 68 and fly around the dome, slow down to
land thereon, and are fatally hit by the whirling filament
72 in the same fashion as described in the first embodi-
ment.
Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated
a fifth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
a housing 80 has a rectangular top 82, a bottom (not
shown); and four side walls 84 which are formed of a
plurality of spaced vertical opaque strips 86 of metal
or plastic with bottom strips ~8 of metal or plastic.
A base support 90 provides support for the housing 80.
The base support can be a post. A cross-member 92 is
provided in one of the side walls and an output shaft
94 from a motor (not shown) is journaled in the cross-
member 92. A filament 96 of identical construction to
the filaments 24, 40, 52 and 72 disclosed in the first
through fourth embodiments, is secured to the output
shaft 92 for rotation in a plane parallel to, but
spaced from, the housing side wall 84. A motor and
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~ilament are provided in the opposite side of the howsing
as well so that the filaments 96 rotate in parallel planes
on opposite sides of the h~usiny. ~ransparenk or trans-
lucent windows 98 are provided between the spac~d strips
86 to allow light to pass therethrowgh. ~ light source,
such as a conventional light bulb (not shown), is mounted
within the housing in the same fashion as shown in
embodiments 1 through 4 in order to illuminate the
area surrounding the housing 80,
The light from the light source within the
housing 80 is transmitted through the windows g8 to
attract insects. To this end, the light source can
be any conventional light source in the visible or
invisible spectrum. However, the visible light spectrum
is preferred because the device can then function as a
lighting fixture. The opaque strips are wide enough,
for example,l inch (2.54 cm~,so that they are discreetly
visible to the inseets. This device of Figure 5 pro-
duces an alternating pattern of light and dark patterns
to the insect.
The embodiment described in Figure 5 provides
a series of spaced opaque landing sites for insects.
It has been found that insects, while being attracted
to light, do not fly directly into the light source.
Rather, they are attracted to the light and attempt
to land near to the light. Accordingly, the opaque
strips provide attractive landing sites for the insects.
Thus, as the insects fly toward the light and toward the
vertical strips 86, they pass through the plane of the
rotating filament 96, slowing down to land on the strips
86. If they succeed in making it through the plane the
first time, it is very unlikely that they will make it
through the plane of the rotating strips when they at-
tempt to fly from the landing site to other landing sites
around the light. Preferably, the filament 96 rotates
approximately 1/32 to 1/16" (0.794 mm to 1.585 mm) above
the vertical strips 86. Under these circumstances, it
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would be virtually impossible for an insect of normal
sixe to pass through the plane of the rotating ~ilament
96.
The invention has been found to be quite
successful in attractiny and killing flyiny in~ec~s,
When using identical light sources, it has been found
to be as effective as the conventional electrostatic
hug killers. Yet the device is attractive, f~nctions
as a light source, and is much quieter than the elec-
trostatic type of buy killers.
In all embodiments, the filament 72 is spunbetween 2,000 and 4,000 RPM's preferably between 3,000
- and 3,600 RPM's. In this fashion, an effective motorized
insect killer has a whirling filament spinning about in
an open area, and fatally hitting and whipping insects
(as distinguished from Gutting). A landing site is used
to statistically increase the charlce that the filament
will hit the insect by slowing down the insect's flight
through the area swept by the filament. The whirling
filament is safe and does not injure and cut fingers
or other body appendages when accidentally inserted
into the whirling filament. Because of the lightweight
and flexible nature of the filament, a safety screen is
unneeded and the insect killer avoids the limitations
and inefficiencies of a safety screen covering the
whirling filament.
In this fashion, an attractive light fixture
can be safely used outdoors without the nuisance of
many insects attracted by the' 1,ight emittiny therefrom
to spoil the outdoor surroundings. The light fixture
doubles as an effeckive insect killer so the insects
attracted by the light from the fixture are killed and
the immediate surroundings remain insect free.
Reasonable ~ari~tion and modifications are
possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure
and drawing without departing from the spirit of the
invention which is defined by the appended claims.
