Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
INSECT CONTROL LIGHTING DEVICE
[0001] This paragraph is intentionally left blank.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the field of insect control and, more
particularly, to a lighting device with an inner insect control module.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various means exist for controlling insects in or around the home.
For
example, adhesive strips, sometimes referred to as "fly paper" may be used to
attract and eradicate insects. Insects may be attracted to an insect
attractant
applied to the paper, and when the insects land on the paper, an adhesive
ensures
that the insects remains stuck to the paper. Because insects cannot separate
themselves from the paper, they ultimately die of thirst, hunger, or age.
Handling
fly paper, however, may be difficult because the adhesive is typically very
strong
and may inadvertently attach itself to the person installing the fly paper.
Also, the
fly paper may need to be installed away from where persons are expected to
walk
so that the fly paper does not accidentally adhere to people or pets. However,
placing the fly paper in a remote location may not adequately attract and
eradicate
insects.
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100041 Another means for addressing insects is by candles, such as
Citronella
candles. The candles emit a scent that is considered an insect repellant.
However,
candles are a potential fire hazard and often produce unwanted smoke and wax
drippings.
[00051 Other existing devices for attracting and killing insects, sometimes
referred to
as "bug zappers," typically include a light source surrounded by high-voltage,
electrically
charged metal elements. Many flying insects, including mosquitos are drawn to
lights,
and insects are electrocuted when they make contact with the charged elements.
Some
bug zappers need to be placed on the floor or another flat surface and may be
accidentally
contacted by persons or pets passing near the bug zapper. Some bug zappers may
be
suspended from a post or a ceiling. However, mounting the bug zappers can be
difficult
and/or time consuming. Also, bug zappers typically need to be plugged into an
electric
socket, further complicating installation.
[00061 Some existing lighting devices are capable of connecting to
lightbulb sockets
and emitting insect control material. For example, U.S. Patent No. 7,246,919,
issued to
Porchia et al., discloses a screw-in lightbulb with a dispenser that may be
used to
evaporate and emit fragrances and other active ingredients, including an
insect control
substance such as an insecticide or insect attractant. However, the active
ingredient
dispenser is contained within the base and is not placed in proximity to the
light sources
and/or used with an adhesive chemical to eradicate insects.
100071 There is therefore a need for improvements in insect control devices
that
overcome some or all of the previously described drawbacks of prior insect
control
2
options.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is directed to improved devices for insect
control.
[0008.1] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a
lighting device comprising: a housing having a first end and a second end,
said
first end connected to said second end with a plurality of pillars, said first
end
comprising a first magnet and a connector capable of mating with a light
socket,
said second end having an aperture; one or more light sources electrically
connected to the connector; an inner module comprising a proximal end and a
distal end, said proximal end capable of being inserted through the aperture
and
having a second magnet capable of magnetically joining to the first magnet.
[0009] This invention describes a lighting device having a housing and an
inner module inserted within the housing of the device. The housing of the
device
has one or more light sources that may emit light in the visible spectrum,
infra-red
spectrum, and/or the ultraviolet spectrum. The spectrum of light may be chosen
to
attract or repel insects.
[0010] The inner module may be held within the housing by one or more
magnets or screw threads that mate the inner module to the housing. The inner
module may include insect control material, such as an insect attractant, an
insect,
repellant, and/or an adhesive. The inner module may be removed from the
housing and replaced with a new inner module. The inner module may be
replaced, for example, when the insect control material has evaporated and is
no
longer effective, or when a number of insect have adhered to an adhesive on
the
inner module.
[0011] Numerous variations may be practiced in the preferred embodiment.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] A further
understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference
to a preferred embodiment set forth in the illustrations of the accompanying
drawings. Although the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary of systems,
methods, and apparati for carrying out the invention, both the organization
and
method of operation of the invention, in general, together with further
objectives
and advantages thereof may be more easily understood by reference to the
drawings and the following description. The
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drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is set
forth with
particularity in the claims as appended hereto or as subsequently amended, but
merely to
clarify and exemplify the invention.
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the housing shown in FIG. 1,
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the first end of the housing
shown in
FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the housing with a light source
cover
removed;
[0017] FIGS. 5A and 5B depict an example of an inner module;
[0018] FIG. 6 depicts an inner module inserted into a housing;
[0019] FIG. 7 depicts an inner module with a sheet rolled around a central
post;
[0020] FIGS. 8A and 8B depict cards that form the center portion of an
inner
module;
[0021] FIGS. 9A-9C depict the formation of an inner module having cards as
the
center portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The invention may be understood more readily by reference to the
following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. However,
techniques,
systems, and operating structures in accordance with the invention may be
embodied in a
wide variety of forms and modes, some of which may be quite different from
those in the
disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific structural and functional
details
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disclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they are
deemed to afford
the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for the
claims
herein, which define the scope of the invention. It must be noted that, as
used in the
specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the"
include
plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of an insect
control
lighting device (10) in accordance with the present invention. Lighting device
(10)
includes a housing having a first end (20) and a second end (30) connected by
a first set
of one or more pillars (50), forming an open, central region of housing (12).
Housing
(12) is further depicted in FIG. 2.
[0024] First end (20) and second end (30) may have a generally circular
profile
First end (20) and second end (30) may be aligned along a center axis (90)
that passes
through the center of first end (20) and the center of second end (30). First
set of pillars
(50) may be arranged to connect the first end (20) and second end (30) at or
near their
outer circumference In addition or in the alternative, a second set of pillars
(52) may
connect first end (20) and second end (30) and be situated within the outer
circumference
of first end (20) and second end (30) Preferably, however, second set of
pillars (52) may
be arranged equidistant from center axis (90).
[0025] A perspective view of first end (20) is shown in FIG. 3. A lightbulb
connector (22) may be attached to first end (20). Preferably, connector (22)
may be
attached to the top surface of first end (20), and the center axis of
connector (22) may be
aligned with center axis of first end (20). Connector (22) may be any
connector capable
of mating with a power source, such as a lightbulb socket or an electrical
outlet.
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Preferably, connector (22) is an E27 lightbulb screw base. In the alternative
Or in
addition, lighting device (10) may have a battery compartment for batteries
(not shown)
that may be used to power lighting device (10). A battery compartment may, for
example, be located within first end (20) or second end (30) The battery
compartment
may be similarly structured to battery compartments typically found in common
consumer electronic devices. The batteries may be replaceable by accessing the
batteries
via a battery compartment door.
[0026] First end (20) may further include one or more magnets (24). As
shown in
FIG. 3, the one or more magnets may be preferably aligned with the center axis
of first
end (20). Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the one or more magnets may be located
within a
recess at the bottom surface of first end (20). In the alternative, first end
(20) may have a
flat bottom surface and one or more magnets (24) attached to the bottom
surface.
[00271 First end (20) and/or the second end (30) may include one or more
light
sources (40). Light sources (40) may include, for example, light emitting
diodes (LEDs).
One or more light sources (40) may be capable of emitting light in the
ultraviolet or
infrared spectrum. In addition or in the alternative, one or more light
sources (40) may be
capable of emitting one or more colors in the visible light spectrum. Each
light source
(40) may be connected to and receive power from connector (22) and/or
batteries in a
battery compartment within housing (12).
[0028] As depicted in FIG. 4, second end (30) may include a cover (32). The
cover
may be translucent or transparent to allow light emitted from light source
(40) in the
second end (30) to pass through cover (32). The type of light sources (40) and
the
spectrum(s) of light emitted from light sources (40) in first end (20) may be
the same type
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of light sources and spectrum of light emitted from light sources (40) in
second end (30),
or the light sources and/or spectrums of light emitted may be different
between or within
each end (20), (30). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, second end (30) may have an
aperture
(36) leading to the open, center region of housing (12), between first end
(20) and second
end (30).
[0029] Lighting device (10) may further include one or more circuit boards
electrically connected to the light sources, and electrically connected to the
connector
and/or the batteries. The circuit board may be used to control the
illumination of light
sources (40). The circuit boards may control, for example, the brightness of
one or more
light sources (40) and/or the spectrum of light emitted by one or more light
sources (40),
Each circuit board may be contained within first end (20) or second end (30)
of lighting
device (10).
[0030] The lighting device (10) may further include inner module (60). As
show in
FIGS. 5A and 5B, inner module (60) may have a proximal end (62) and a distal
end (66).
Proximal end (62) may have a magnet (64) at or near the surface. Magnet (64)
may be
magnetically attracted to magnet (24) in first end (20) of housing (12). The
proximal end
of inner module (60) may be inserted through the aperture (36) in second end
(30). As
shown in FIG. 6, inner module (60) may be fully inserted into housing (12) so
that, for
example, the distal end (66) or inner module (60) is situated within aperture
(36) of
second end (30). In the alternative, or a portion of inner module (60) may
remain outside
housing (12) when inner module (60) is fully inserted, or distal end (66) of
inner module
(60) may be located some distance into housing (12) when inner module (60) is
fully
inserted into housing (12). Inner module (60) is shown in FIG. 1 as partly
inserted into
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housing (12). The arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the direction in which inner
module (60)
may be inserted into housing (12).
[0031] Preferably, inner module (60) may be inserted into housing (12) to
the point
where magnet (24) and magnet (64) are in sufficiently close proximity to each
other to
create an attraction between magnet (24) and magnet (64) strong enough to
prevent inner
module (60) from falling out of housing (12) when first end (20) of housing
(12) is
oriented directly above second end (30) of housing (12), or when proximal end
(62) of
inner module (60) is oriented directly above distal end (66) of inner module
(60).
[0032] In the alternative, magnet (24) in first end (20) of housing (12),
or magnet
(64) at proximal end (62) of inner module (60) may be replaced by a metal
attracted to a
magnet (ferromagnetic). Preferably, the strength of the magnet and the size of
the
ferromagnetic material would be sufficient to prevent inner module (60) from
falling
when housing (12) and/or inner module (60) catch tube are oriented as
described in the
preceding paragraph.
[0033] The distal end (66) of inner module (60) may have a handle (68), a
hole (70)
(see FIG. 6), a notch, or other means for gripping distal end (66) to
facilitate removal of
inner module (60) from housing (12). In addition or in the alternative, at
distal end (66)
may include one or more magnets magnetically attracted to magnet (24), to
allow inner
module (60) to be magnetically held within housing (12) as described above
regardless of
whether the proximal end (62) or the distal end (66) are inserted first into
housing (12).
[0034] In the alternative, proximal end (62) and/or distal end (66) of
inner module
(60) may include screw threads (not shown) that are capable of mating with
screw threads
at first end (20) of housing (12) and/or within aperture (36), respectively.
Inner module
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(60) may then be secured in housing (12) by engaging the screw threads of
inner
module (60) with the screw threads of housing (12).
[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, inner module (60) may have a sheet of flexible
material (72) wound around at least a center post (76) of the tube. The sheet
of
material may be longer than the circumference of the catch tube, and may be
unrolled to expose more of the sheet. One or more of the pillars (50) or (52)
may
include ridges or edges that may be used to facilitate tearing sheet (72).
[0036] Sheet (72) may be coated with insect control material. The insect
control material may be an insect attractant or an insect repellant. The
insect
control material may include, instead or in addition, an adhesive material
capable
of binding to the sheet insects that land on the sheet. The insect control
material
may comprise a mix of ammonia, L-lactic acid, tetradecanoic acid, 3-methyl-l-
butanol and 1-butylamine. The insect control material may further include
octanol.
[0037] In the alternative, the insect control material may be applied
directly to
the surface of the inner module (60). In that embodiment, inner module (60)
would preferably have an absorbent surface to hold the insect control
material.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 8A-8B, the center portion of inner module (60)
may
consist of one or more interlocking cards (78). Preferably, inner module would
include two to four cards (78). Three cards (78) are shown in FIGS. 8A-8B.
FIG.
8B shows the three cards (78) from FIG. 8A assembled as the center portion of
inner module (60). The cards (78) may be coated with insect control material.
The
cards (78) may be connected to proximal end (62) and distal end (66) of inner
module (60) by an adhesive, or by inserting the ends of cards (78) into
corresponding recesses in the inner facing surfaces of proximal end (62) and
distal
end (66). As shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, inner module (60) may include pillars (82)
from proximal end (62) to distal end (66) that, for example, provide rigidity
to
inner module (60), help facilitate insertion of inner module (60) into housing
(12),
and help prevent inadvertent contact with cards (78).
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[0039] While the
invention has been described with reference to the preferred
embodiment and alternative embodiments, which embodiments have been set
forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure
of
the invention, such embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to
be
limiting or represent an exhaustive enumeration of all aspects of the
invention.
The scope of the invention, therefore, shall be defined solely by the
following
claims. Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that
numerous
changes may be made in such details without departing from the principles of
the
invention. It should be appreciated that the invention is capable of being
embodied in other forms without departing from its essential characteristics.
The
scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set
forth
in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent
with
the description as a whole.
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