The invention relates to an insect trap which uses light to attract insects and a glue board to trap insects. The trap is adapted to be mounted to a flat surface, such as the wall or ceiling of a room.
A number of insect traps using attractant light and glue boards exist within the prior art. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,365,690 and 5,505,017 (both to Nelson et al.). These traps utilize reflected light in which light is directed onto a vertical surface from an upwardly opening housing. The positioning of such traps is limited in that the glue boards inside the housing are readily visible from above. Another example of an insect trap in shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,501, which shows a trap with a light and glue board mounted together on a support which is able to be adjusted to various angles. Yet another example of an insect trap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,822. This device also shows an upwardly open housing in which the glue board is readily visible from above.
The sight of insects trapped to a glue board is repugnant to most observers, particularly in areas where food is prepared or served. Thus, it is important to design an insect trap such that the sticky surfaces of a glue board are concealed. However, in order to have the flexibility to position the trap in the most advantageous position for catching insects, keeping the sticky surface of the glue board invisible can be difficult. It has been noticed that using a UV light source in combination with a textured lens, the effect of UV light on insects as an attractant is increased. This phenomenon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,965.
The insect trap of the present invention utilizes a UV lamp which may be mounted to a reflector. The lamp and/or reflector are mounted to a base. A cover attaches to the base. The cover is comprised of a housing with a main opening, adjacent to which is mounted a textured lens. The opening leads to a space between the lens and the housing to provide an entryway for the insects to enter the interior of the housing. The interior of the housing is lined with adhesive boards. The UV lamp is mounted adjacent to the textured lens to provide an attractant to lure insects to the trap. The housing is equipped with ribs and tabs so that glue boards may be mounted to the inside surface of the housing in such a way as to be invisible once the housing is attached to the base.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reviewing the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: