Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Vermin destroying – Poison holders
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-05-22
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Vermin destroying
Poison holders
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to an insect bait container. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a termite bait container capable of being located either against a flat surface, such as a wall, or in a corner.
2. Background Information
Termite bait containers that are capable of being located against a wall are well known in the art. Such containers typically comprise a rectangular housing having a back, front, opposing side walls, a top and bottom walls. Termite bait, which is typically termite-ingestible material impregnated with poison, is located within the housing.
The back of the housing is typically attached to a wall in the path of the termites. The termites enter the termite bait container via a plurality of holes located in the side, top and bottom walls of the housing, and ingest the termite bait on their way through the housing. The bait is carried back to the termite nest, where it is distributed and used by the termites for food consumption. Once the poison has been carried back to the termite nest, the poison's toxicity begins to exterminate the termites.
Such prior art termite bait containers are typically suitable for placement against a flat surface and are not effectively disposed in a corner defined by the intersection of two planar surfaces, since only the surface covered by the back wall of the container is adequately covered.
As a result, even if such prior art termite bait containers are located against a corner, only one surface of the corner could effectively be in the termite path, i.e., the surface covered by the back wall of the container.
Accordingly, there is a need for a termite bait container which is capable of being disposed in a corner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a conformable termite bait container capable of being located either against a first substantially planar surface or against a corner defined by the intersection of a second and a third substantially planar surfaces.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conformable termite bait container comprises a housing having a front wall, a back wall and side walls operatively connected between the front wall and the back wall, where the front, back and side walls form an interior cavity capable of storing insect bait. A plurality of openings are located on the housing to allow termites to enter and exit the housing and access the insect bait located therewithin.
The back wall of the housing is capable of being located against the first substantially planar surface, and in the alternative, the back wall and front wall are capable of being bent substantially in the shape of the corner to allow a first and a second portion of the back wall to be located against the second and the third substantially planar surfaces, respectively, defining the corner.
The conformable termite bait container preferably further comprises a back hinge located on the back wall to facilitate the bending of the back wall, and a front hinge located on the front wall to facilitate the bending of the front wall.
The back hinge preferably comprises a structurally-weakened area defining a pivot axis, the structurally-weakened area operatively dividing the back wall into the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first and second portions of the back wall are capable of being bent about the pivot axis, thereby allowing the first and the second portions of the back wall to be located against the second and the third substantially planar surfaces, respectively, defining the corner.
The structurally-weakened area of the back hinge preferably consists of an indent, a plurality of perforations, a groove and/or a channel.
The front hinge preferably comprises a first structurally-weakened area located on the front wall and defining a first pivot axis, the first structurally-weakened area operatively dividing the front wall into a first front portion and a second front portion, a second structurally-weakened area located on the first front portion and defining a second pivot axis, the second structurally-weakened area operatively dividing the first front portion into a first inner portion, located between the first and second pivot axes, and a first outer portion, and a third structurally-weakened area located on the second front portion and defining a third pivot axis, the third structurally-weakened area operatively dividing the second front portion into a second inner portion, located between the first and third pivot axes, and a second outer portion.
The bending of the back wall results in the bending of the first inner portion and second inner portion about the first pivot axis, the bending of the first outer portion and first inner portion about the second pivot axis, and the bending of the second outer portion and second inner portion about the third pivot axis.
The first, second and third structurally-weakened areas of the front hinge preferably consist of an indent, a plurality of perforations, a groove and/or a channel.
A pull tab is optionally located on the front wall substantially in juxtaposition with the first pivot axis. The pull tab is capable of having a force exerted thereon to force the first and second inner portions of the front wall to move away from the back wall, thereby facilitating the bending of the first and second inner portions of the front wall about the first pivot axis.
The back wall and front wall each comprise a plurality of terminal ends, two opposite ends of which are defined as top and bottom. The container optionally comprises a first top segment operatively connected to the top of a first portion of the front wall and a second top segment operatively connected to the top of a second portion of the front wall, wherein a portion of first top segment overlaps a portion of the second top segment, wherein the first and second top segments are positioned substantially perpendicular to the front wall, and wherein the bending of the back wall results in the translocation of the first top segment, relative to the second top segment.
Similarly, the container optionally comprises a first bottom segment operatively connected to the bottom of a third portion of the front wall and a second bottom segment operatively connected to the bottom of a fourth portion of the front wall, wherein a portion of first bottom segment overlaps a portion of the second bottom segment, wherein the first and second bottom segments are positioned substantially perpendicular to the front wall, and wherein the bending of the back wall results in the translocation of the first bottom segment, relative to the second bottom segment.
A guidance slot is optionally located in the first top segment, and a guidance pin is optionally located on the second top segment and within the guidance slot, wherein the guidance pin and guidance slot facilitate the relative movement of the overlapping portions of the first and second top segments.
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patent: 5555672 (1996-09-01), Thorne et al.
patent: 5609879 (1997-03-01), Myles
patent: 5778596 (1998-07-01), Henderson et al.
Curtis David H.
Latronica Michael R.
Price Thomas
Tager Clifford L.
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