Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Traps
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-07-31
Ark, Darren W. (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Traps
C043S081000, C043S114000, C043S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266917
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method and pest control article for capturing or eliminating rodents and insects in an aesthetically, unobtrusive manner.
2. The Related Art
Insects and rodents are uninvited intruders within our homes and businesses. Pest control is a major industry. Poisoned bait and traps are primary weapons in pest control. Unfortunately, these weapons must often be deployed in areas visible to others. Homeowners would prefer not to advertise that they have a pest control problem. Neighbors might conclude that the infested household is subject to poor housekeeping or other domestic sanitary failure.
Commercial establishments are even more seriously concerned with the problem. Customers must not be given the impression of unsanitary conditions. This is particularly so with hotels, restaurants, and all stores with edible merchandise. Traps left in the open on such premises are aesthetically displeasing; they leave a negative impression of the establishment in the minds of the public.
Rodent control has a long history. U.S. Pat. No. 619,754 (Hunter et al.) discloses a mouse trap based upon a guillotine principle. A choker-wire is housed within the body of a corn cob. Presumably, at least some portion of the trapped mouse is held within the corn cob body out of visible sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,931 (Sklar) discloses an animal trap based on a trigger-operated release mechanism allowing a spring-loaded jaw to close over the trapped animal body. A simulated cat's head will overlie at least a portion of a mouse so unfortunate as to encounter the spring-loaded jaw.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,803 (Kaiser) describes a miniature house opened at one end with a trap mechanism mounted on an inner wall. The arrangement is intended to allow disposal of the trapped dead animal without personal contact.
In all the foregoing described devices, the body of the caught rodent, at least in part, may not be visible publicly. Nonetheless, the traps themselves are in open view. They signal that the premises may have an infestation. A method is necessary to avoid the public embarrassment and negative press associated with traps in open view.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and article which can control pests while still being out of view from anyone other than the pest control engineers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and article of pest control which can be used in conjunction with immovable synthetic landscape.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pest control article is provided which includes:
a pest control device selected from the group consisting of a poisoned bait, a trap and combinations thereof;
a decorative housing comprising a decorative and a pedestal supporting the decorative unit, the pedestal including a compartment with at least one opening to an exterior, the pest control device being positioned within the compartment so as to be out of public view.
Pests within the meaning of the present invention include, without limitation, rodents and insects. Most particularly, the invention seeks to control mice and rat populations. Traps suitable for rodents include spring-loaded devices, bait stations and glue filled trays. The latter may be of the type reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,584 (Baker et al.) wherein a non-porous plastic tray with a central indentation contains a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. Any vermin coming in contact with the adhesive will be unable to free themselves from the tacky pressure sensitive adhesive.
The decorative unit may be a plant, a sculpture, a bench, or any type of furniture. Most preferred for purposes of this invention is that the decorative unit be a plant. When the decorative unit is a plant, the decorative housing may include a pot or planter filled with soil.
A further feature of the invention is that the decorative housing advantageously include a fastener for securing the housing against unauthorized movement from a selected location. Non-limiting examples of fasteners include adhesive liquid nails (suitable for attachment to concrete), bolts, cables or chains.
A coupling mechanism may further be provided on the pest control article. The coupling allows for joining of the decorative unit and pedestal in a reversibly lockable manner. Only authorized personnel will be able to access the compartment housing the pest control device. Security of the coupling ensures that non-authorized persons, such as children, will not access any poisonous bait or chemicals in the compartment housing the trap and bait control stations. Thus, all unauthorized persons will be unable to access the compartment thereby avoiding injury from the traps.
Furthermore, a method for pest control is provided which includes:
providing a decorative housing including a decorative unit and a pedestal supporting the decorative unit, the pedestal having a compartment with at least one opening to an exterior;
placing in the compartment a pest control device so as to be out of public view, the pest control device selected from the group consisting of a poisoned bait, a trap and combinations thereof;
removing or replenishing the pest control device to eliminate trapped pests or to supply more bait.
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Ark Darren W.
Atlantic Paste & Glue Co., Inc.
Malina Bernard
Malina & Wolson
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