Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOTE-CONTROLLED CAGE TRAP DOOR-OPENING MECHANISM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cage-type animal traps of the kind generally used
outdoors
for trapping small to medium sized animals without harming the trapped animal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cage-type traps generally include a cage of metal wire mesh or the like with a
door
held open by a trigger mechanism until an animal is lured into the trap by
suitable pre-inserted
bait. After the animal enters the interior of the trap, the animal's weight
pressed against the
trigger actuates a trip which releases and closes the door, thereby trapping
the animal inside
the cage. A locking device serves to prevent the animal from opening the door
from the inside.
To release the trapped animal, the locking device must be disengaged and the
door
must be opened. These steps generally require the use of two hands and involve
close contact
with the animal.
One solution to the problem of close contact with the trapped animal is set
forth in
copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 11/600,085, filed Nov. 16, 2006 ("the
'085 application"),
and published as U.S. Publ. No. US2008/0115405 on May 22, 2008, which is
commonly
owned by the assignee of the present application.
In the '085 application, the door at the front of a cage-type trap is held in
the open
position by an over-center set mechanism mounted on the roof of the trap. A
cable assembly
extends from the set mechanism to a point of connection on the door and a
torsion spring,
operatively connected to a locking yoke that engages the door, urges the door
toward its
closed position when the trap is triggered by an animal.
In addition to the cable assembly, the over-center set mechanism further
includes a
set mechanism platform attached to the roof with a transversely extending set
lever bracket
mounted thereon. A generally U-shaped set lever is pivotally coupled to both
ends of the
bracket so as to be movable through slightly less than 180 degrees from one
side of the
bracket nearest the rear of the trap in the set position to the other side of
the bracket nearest
the front of the trap in the tripped position. Generally centered on the set
lever is a lever grip
that can be grasped by a user when setting the trap to facilitate placement of
the set lever in
the set position.
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The over-center set mechanism disclosed in the '085 application can be set
using only
one hand. Accordingly, opening the door of the trap to release a trapped
animal requires only
one hand, allowing the user to maintain a greater distance from the front of
the trap than is
possible with traps requiring two hands to place the trap door in the open
position.
Nonetheless, the user must grasp the lever grip and move it manually,
necessitating that the
user be immediately adjacent the trapped animal. When releasing a potentially
dangerous
animal, this may subject the user to an unacceptably close encounter when the
animal exits
the trap.
Similar concerns arise as well with other trap designs which require that the
user
physically open the trap to release the animal.
There is thus a need for a mechanism by which an over-center type cage trap
such as
that disclosed in the '085 application, or other style traps, may be remotely
activated to open
an escape door from a distance so that the user can easily release a trapped
animal without
subjecting the user to close contact with the trapped animal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore directed to a remotely activated cage door
opening
device for use with a cage-type animal trap that has a wire mesh animal
enclosure made up
of a base, a pair of opposed sidewalls emanating from the base, a rear wall
secured to the
sidewalls and the base, a roof secured to the tops of the sidewalls and the
rear wall, and a
front end provided with an animal access opening defined by the base,
sidewalls, and roof.
According to a first embodiment, a single door is movably mounted at the front
end and
operates in an opened position to reveal the animal access opening and in a
closed position
to block the animal access opening. The door is held in its open position by
an over-center set
mechanism as disclosed in the '085 application which has a set handle mounted
on the roof
and a cable assembly that extends from the set handle to a point of connection
on the door.
The remotely activated cage door opening device includes an infrared (IR)
receiver and
associated circuitry, a rotatable spool and cable, and a latch pawl at least
partly enclosed
within a housing. One end of the spool has a toothed sprocket that ratchets
against the latch
pawl and the other end of the spool engages a torsion/clock spring in the
housing. The cable
is wound on the spool with at least one free end thereof coupled to a
fastening element that
is secured to the set handle of the trap. The door opening device also
includes an attachment
element to secure the housing to the trap enclosure.
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When the device is secured to the trap by the attachment element and the trap
has
been tripped so as to trap an animal inside, the cable is pulled off the spool
against the tension
of the torsion/clock spring until the fastening element can be clipped onto
the set handle. The
ratcheting of the sprocket against the pawl allows the extracted cable to
remain extended
without a retraction force.
The IR receiver includes a solenoid which is operative to release the latch
pawl from
the sprocket when actuated by a remote wireless IR transmitter. Once released,
the cable is
retracted onto the spool by the stored energy in the wound tension spring,
automatically
opening the door to which the cable is attached.
According to a second embodiment, the entry door is as already described in
connection with the door of the first embodiment but, in addition thereto, a
secondary escape
door is provided at another location in the trap body, preferably at the rear
end of the trap
opposite the entry door at the front end. The secondary escape door operates
independently
from the entry door and is movable between closed and opened positions to
either cover or
uncover an escape opening formed in the side or end wall of the trap. A door
release unit
secures the secondary escape door in the closed position until activated,
either by remote
control or other release mechanism. Once activated, the escape door is free to
move to the
opened position at which time an animal inside the trap can escape through the
escape
opening while the entry door remains closed.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a remotely activated door-opening
mechanism for a cage trap demonstrating mechanical and electronic simplicity
for ease of
opening the trap's door without requiring the user to have physical contact
with the trap.
The present invention also provides a door-opening mechanism for a cage trap
that
is remotely controlled by a wireless IR transmitter to allow the user to
maintain a safe distance
from the trap when releasing a trapped animal.
The present invention also provides a cage trap door-opening mechanism that
can be
retrofit onto existing cage traps equipped with an over-center set mechanism.
The present invention also provides a door-opening mechanism for a cage trap
that
can be easily attached to and then removed from the cage trap as an accessory,
allowing the
same mechanism to be moved from one trap to another for opening the respective
doors
thereof.
The present invention also provides a door-opening mechanism for a cage trap
that
is relatively simple in electronic design while providing robust mechanical
operation to open
the trap door.
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The present invention also provides a cage trap having a main entry door
through
which an animal enters the trap and a secondary escape door that operates
independently of
the entry door such that, once the animal has been trapped inside the cage,
the user can
remotely release the animal by triggering the opening of the secondary escape
door while the
entry door remains closed.
The present invention also provides a cage trap in which opening of the
secondary
escape door is controlled by a door release unit that can be activated either
using a remote
control unit or with a mechanical time release.
The present invention provides a door-opening mechanism for a cage trap which
is
durable, reliable and user friendly, and which can be manufactured from
readily available
components and in a cost-effective manner.
As an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an animal trap
comprising an
animal enclosure having a roof and a front end with an animal access opening
into a vacant
interior sized to receive an animal to be trapped; an entry door movably
mounted at the access
opening, the door operative in an opened position to reveal the animal access
opening and
in a closed position to block the animal access opening; a set mechanism
operative to place
the trap in a set condition with the entry door in the opened position; a trip
mechanism for
releasing the set mechanism to allow the entry door to close to trap the
animal in the animal
enclosure; an escape opening separate from the access opening and sized to
allow a trapped
animal to exit the trap; a secondary escape door mounted adjacent the escape
opening and
movable between a secured position in which the secondary escape door is
closed and the
escape opening is covered thereby and a released position in which the
secondary escape
door is opened and the escape opening is uncovered; and a door-opening
mechanism
associated with the secondary escape door and operative in response to a
remote control
signal to allow the user to remotely open the secondary escape door and
release the animal
through the escape opening while the entry door remains closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to
those
skilled in the art upon a reading of this specification including the
accompanying drawings.
While intending to illustrate the invention, the drawings are not necessarily
to scale.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present
inventive
door-opening mechanism as mounted on a cage trap in a tripped position with
the door of the
trap closed.
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Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the door-opening
mechanism shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a left side view of the front end of the housing to illustrate
the sliding
clip for securing the housing of the door-opening mechanism to the trap roof
at the rear of the
trap enclosure as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment to the clamp of Figure 3, in which
the
door-opening mechanism includes clips on both ends of the cable, one clip for
securing the
mechanism to the trap enclosure and the other clip for securing the cable to
the door.
Figure 5A shows a cage trap having a secondary escape door in accordance with
a
further embodiment of the door release mechanism of the present invention, the
secondary
escape door being shown in a closed position.
Figure 5B shows a partial view of the cage trap of Figure 5A with the
secondary escape
door being shown in an opened position.
Figure 5C shows a user activating the trap of Figures 5A and 5B from a safe
distance
using a remote control unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In describing preferred embodiments of the present invention illustrated in
the
drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However,
the invention is
not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is
to be understood
that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in
a similar manner
to accomplish a similar purpose.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the remotely activated cage trap door-opening
mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention is
generally designated
by reference numeral 10 and is mounted at the top rear of a cage trap as
disclosed in the
aforesaid '085 application. The door opening mechanism 10 includes a
mechanical assembly,
generally designated by reference numeral 12, and an activating assembly,
generally
designated by reference numeral 14. The activating assembly and portions of
the mechanical
assembly are contained within a housing 16 which is mounted to the trap 18.
The mechanical assembly 12 includes a rotatable spool 20, a toothed sprocket
22, a
latch pawl 24, a torsion/clock spring and a cable 28 with a fastening element
30. The toothed
sprocket 22 is mounted on one end of the spool 20 so as to ratchet against the
latch pawl 24
within the housing. The torsion/clock spring 26 is mounted on the opposite end
of the spool
20. The cable is wound on the spool 20 with the extendible end thereof coupled
to the
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fastening element 30. The fastening element 30 may be embodied as a clip, such
as a
carbineer style clamp, by which the extendible end of the cable 28 is secured
to the set lever
40 of the trap 18.
The mechanical assembly 12 also includes an attachment element 32 to secure
the
housing 16 to the trap 18. This attachment element 32 may be embodied as a
sliding clip
element 34 (see Figure 3), as a carbineer style clamp 33 (see Figure 4), or as
any other
suitable clamp or fastening mechanism as would be understood by persons of
ordinary skill
in the art.
According to one preferred embodiment, the activating assembly 14 includes an
IR
receiver generally designated by reference numeral 50 and a remote IR
transmitter 52. The
receiver 50 includes a circuit board 54, a power source such as a battery 56,
and a solenoid
58 operative to release the latch pawl 24 from the sprocket 22 when actuated
by the remote
IR transmitter 52. Alternatively, the receiver may be configured for RF
communication with a
remote RF transmitter.
To use the door-opening mechanism, the housing 16 is secured to the upper rear
edge
44 of the trap enclosure 42 by the attachment element 32. The housing 16 may
be secured
to the trap prior to use, i.e., prior to setting the trap, or may be attached
to the trap after an
animal has been trapped. If the housing 16 is secured to the trap prior to
use, according to a
preferred method of use, the extendible end of the cable 28 is not attached to
the set lever 40
of the trap 18 until after the trap has been tripped and the animal is to be
released.
The trap 18 is set by moving the set lever 40 toward the rear of the trap 18
in the
manner described in the '085 application. When the trap 18 is tripped by an
animal, the set
lever 40 moves toward the front of the trap under the urging of the weight of
the door 46 as
conveyed through the trap cable assembly 48. Once the door is closed, the
animal is trapped
inside.
To release the animal, the housing is secured to the upper rear edge 44 of the
trap
enclosure 42, if not already secured thereto. The free end of the cable 28 is
pulled out of the
housing to extract the cable 28 from the spool 20 against the tension of the
torsion/clock
spring 26 until the fastening element 30 is positioned to be clipped onto the
set lever 40. The
ratcheting of the sprocket 22 against the pawl 24 allows the extracted cable
28 to remain
extended without a retraction force.
With the end of the cable 28 attached to the set lever, the user may withdraw
a desired
distance away from the trap. Once the user is at a safe distance, the user or
another individual
having the remotely located IR transmitter 52, actuates the IR receiver 50.
Actuation of the IR
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receiver 50 activates the solenoid 58 which, in turn, releases the latch pawl
24 from the
sprocket 22. Once the pawl 24 is released, the spool 20 is free to spin and
thereby retract the
cable 28 onto the spool 20 by the stored energy in the wound tension spring
26. The retraction
of the cable 28 pulls the set lever 40 toward the rear of the trap to
automatically open the door
46.
To soften any abruptness in the rapid cable retraction, a rotary dampener 60
may be
added to the mechanical assembly in a manner known to those skilled in the
art.
As described herein, the cage trap door-opening mechanism is an independent
accessory that can be easily attached to and then removed from any existing
cage trap
equipped with an over-center set mechanism to remotely open the door thereof.
Other mechanical assemblies suitable for the operation of the present
invention could
also be used as would be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art.
For example, the
cable spool and cable could be operated by an electric motor or a hand-wound
crank.
Retraction of the cable could also be effected by a pneumatic cylinder.
Similarly, as alternatives to the IR transmitter and receiver, or to an RF
transmitter and
receiver, other remote means of conveying a signal and of receiving the signal
by a receiver
or comparable device on the activating assembly are also intended to be
included within the
present invention. The door-opening mechanism could also be mechanical or
electrically
timed. Activation of the door-opening mechanism could also be accomplished
through the use
of a wired remote or by a remote mechanical mechanism.
Any of the above-described assemblies for operation and activation of a remote
door-opening mechanism may also be used in conjunction with a trap having a
separate
escape door such as that illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B and generally
designated by
reference numeral 62, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention. The
separate escape door 62 is preferably positioned at the opposite end of the
trap relative to the
entry door 46. Since the entry door 46 of the trap shown in Figure 1 is
described herein as
being at the trap front end, then the separate escape door 62 is preferably at
the rear end of
the trap. Alternatively, the separate escape door could be positioned on the
side of the trap,
preferably near the rear end. Wherever its location, the separate escape door
62 may be more
simply designed than the entry door, requiring only a movable panel that can
be positioned
and held in a closed position, as shown in Figure 5A, to cover an escape
opening 64, and then
moved to an opened position to uncover the escape opening, as shown in Figure
5B.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the escape door 62 is pivotally
mounted to the end wall 66 of the trap by a hinge 68 positioned at the bottom
of the escape
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opening 64. When the trap is in a set condition for trapping an animal as
shown in Figure 5A,
the escape door 62 is held vertically in a closed or secured position by a
door release unit
generally designated by reference numeral 70.
The door release unit 70, in the embodiment shown, includes a control assembly
72
mounted on the trap body, preferably on the roof 76, and a catch 74 mounted on
the escape
door 62 so as to be adjacent the control assembly 72 when the escape door is
in the closed
position. Alternatively, the control assembly 72 may be mounted adjacent one
side of the
escape door with the catch then being placed on the escape door in generally
horizontal
alignment with the control assembly. With this alternative placement of the
release unit, the
escape door may be secured to the trap by a vertical hinge (not shown)
positioned on the
opposite side of the door so that the escape door is configured to swing
between opened and
closed positions while remaining in a vertical orientation.
The control assembly 72 includes a latching mechanism (not shown) for securing
the
catch 74 to keep the escape door in the closed or secured position until the
control assembly
72 is activated. The latching mechanism can use mechanical, electrical,
magnetic, or other
means to keep the catch 74 engaged with the control assembly. When this
engagement is
released by the control assembly, the door and catch are allowed to pivot
downwardly away
from the control assembly to uncover the escape opening 64.
According to one preferred embodiment, the door release unit 70 is battery
powered
and remotely activated by a user 78 using a remote control unit 80 as shown in
Figure 50.
Alternatively, the door release unit 70 can be designed to operate using a
mechanical time
release, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,346, by which a
manually set timing
device triggers the opening of the escape door after the manually set time
period has elapsed.
In conjunction with such a mechanical time release, the escape door may be
spring loaded
so as to be ready to swing open when the door release unit is triggered by the
timer.
However configured, the present invention provides a door-opening mechanism
that
is easy to use and which, through the remote control activation capability,
allows the user to
maintain a safe distance from the trap when releasing a trapped animal.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the
illustrated
embodiments described herein. Modifications and variations of the above
described
embodiments of the present invention are possible as appreciated by those
skilled in the art
in light of the above teachings.
