Collapsible crustacean trap

Abstract

An improved crustacean, fish & animal trap comprising a collapsible hoop and mesh structure to minimize storage size. The invention is unique in that it collapses through the manipulation of flexible hoops to a size minimized in all three dimensions. The primary configurations would be for crab, prawns and lobster/crayfish; however, in slightly different configurations, can be used to catch or cage animals, fish and other crustaceans. Another embodiment of the trap would feature only one hoop and would be used as a “lift trap.”

1 . A collapsible trap comprising: 
 one or more flexible hoops, wherein said flexible hoops are adapted to be manipulated to reduce their circumferential dimensions through the twisting of said flexible hoops about their diameters to form substantially figure-eight configurations and the folding of said flexible hoops about the centres of said figure-eight configurations and    a flexible mesh attached to substantially the entire circumferential edge of said one or more flexible hoops.    
   
   
       2 . A collapsible trap comprising: 
 a top flexible hoop and a bottom flexible hoop, wherein said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop are adapted to be manipulated to reduce the circumferential dimensions of said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop,    one or more structural means connecting said top flexible hoop with said bottom flexible hoop wherein said one or more structural means stabilize said top flexible hoop in a fixed position above said bottom flexible hoop,    a flexible mesh connecting substantially the entire circumferential edges of said top flexible hoop with said bottom flexible hoop, wherein said flexible mesh encloses the space created by the connection of said top flexible hoop with said bottom flexible hoop by said one or more structural means,    one or more openings located in said collapsible trap to allow for the entrance of objects into the space created by the connection by said one or more structural means of said top flexible hoop with said bottom flexible hoop,    
   
   
       3 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said structural means comprise struts that are detachable from one or both of said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop.  
   
   
       4 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said structural means comprise struts that are foldable.  
   
   
       5 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said struts comprise frames forming said openings.  
   
   
       6 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said openings comprise a flexible mesh funnel.  
   
   
       7 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said openings comprise a one-way swinging gate.  
   
   
       8 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said one-way swinging gate comprises a hinging means, to allow the gate to swing on a horizontal axis, situated between said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop.  
   
   
       9 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said openings comprise an entrance means to provide an object a one-way path into the trap.  
   
   
       10 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the said flexible mesh comprises netting.  
   
   
       11 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the said flexible mesh comprises netting.  
   
   
       12 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a bridal connected to the top of said collapsible trap and    a lift ring connected to said bridal.    
   
   
       13 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a bridal connected to the top of said collapsible trap and    a lift ring connected to said bridal.    
   
   
       14 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a line attached to said lift ring to aid deployment.  
   
   
       15 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising a line attached to said lift ring to aid deployment.  
   
   
       16 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a bait container located in the interior of said collapsible trap.  
   
   
       17 . The collapsible trap as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a bait container located in the interior of said collapsible trap.  
   
   
       18 . A method of collapsing a collapsible trap defined in  claim 3  comprising the steps of: 
 detaching said one or more structural means from one or both of top flexible hoop and bottom flexible hoop,    placing said top flexible hoop directly on said bottom flexible hoop,    twisting the opposite sides of said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop about their diameters,    forcing the opposite sides of said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop together to form substantially figure-eight configurations, and    folding said top flexible hoop and said bottom flexible hoop about their centres.