Apparatus For Capturing Fruit Flies

Abstract

Fly traps that do not require toxic chemicals and that can un-intrusively be present in public areas. An example trap includes a housing to contain a solution and including opening(s) for ingress of flies, a conduit or nozzle, a pump to cause solution to flow via the conduit/nozzle and along the inner surface of the housing to capture flies, and a timer to activate the pump. Another example trap includes a gathering vessel, conduit coupled to the vessel and to be submerged in a fluid trap, a vacuum to remove air from the fluid trap, and a timing device to activate the vacuum. Another example trap includes an outer wall to contain a solution, an inner wall extending into the solution, an air pump and conduit(s) to form bubbles in the solution that rise in a space between the outer and inner walls and cascade down the inner wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fly trap, comprising:
 a gathering vessel including a container configured to hold bait to attract flies, a first opening allowing the flies to enter the gathering vessel, and a second opening allowing collection of the flies;   a fluid trap configured to be partially filled with fluid;   a conduit with a first end being coupled to the second opening of the gathering vessel, and a second end configured to be submerged within fluid inside the fluid trap;   a vacuum coupled to the fluid trap and configured to remove air from the fluid trap to cause air and flies to flow from the gathering vessel, through the conduit, and into fluid inside the fluid trap; and   a timing device electronically coupled to the vacuum and configured to periodically activate and deactivate the vacuum.   
     
     
         2 . A fly trap as in  claim 1  wherein the container is suspended inside the gathering vessel. 
     
     
         3 . A fly trap as in  claim 1  wherein the gathering vessel further includes a platform near the container for the flies to land. 
     
     
         4 . A fly trap as in  claim 1  wherein the interior of the gathering vessel includes a low-friction surface. 
     
     
         5 . A fly trap as in  claim 1  wherein the timing device is configured to activate the vacuum for a first amount of time and deactivate the vacuum for a second amount of time, the second amount of time being longer than the first amount of time. 
     
     
         6 . A fly trap as in  claim 1  wherein the vacuum includes baffles to reduce noise emitted from the vacuum. 
     
     
         7 . A fly trap, comprising:
 a housing;   a gathering vessel coupled to the housing, the gathering vessel including a container configured to hold bait to attract flies, a first opening allowing the flies to enter the gathering vessel, and a second opening allowing collection of the flies;   a fluid trap located inside the housing and configured to be partially filled with fluid;   a conduit with a first end being coupled to the second opening of the gathering vessel, and a second end configured to be submerged within fluid inside the fluid trap;   a vacuum located inside the housing and coupled to the fluid trap, the vacuum being configured to remove air from the fluid trap to cause air and flies to flow from the gathering vessel, through the conduit, and into fluid inside the fluid trap; and   a timing device located inside the housing, the timing device being electronically coupled to the vacuum and configured to periodically activate and deactivate the vacuum.   
     
     
         8 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the gathering vessel is attached to the outside of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the gathering vessel is located inside the housing, the first opening of the gathering vessel being an opening in the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the fluid trap is removable from the housing. 
     
     
         11 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the container is suspended inside the gathering vessel. 
     
     
         12 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the gathering vessel further includes a platform near the container for the flies to land. 
     
     
         13 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the interior of the gathering vessel includes a low-friction surface. 
     
     
         14 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the timing device is configured to activate the vacuum for a first amount of time and deactivate the vacuum for a second amount of time, the second amount of time being longer than the first amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . A fly trap as in  claim 7  wherein the vacuum includes baffles to reduce noise emitted from the vacuum. 
     
     
         16 . A fly trap, comprising:
 a central fluid trap configured to be partially filled with fluid;   multiple gathering vessels, each including a container configured to hold bait to attract flies, a first opening allowing the flies to enter the gathering vessel, and a second opening allowing collection of the flies;   multiple conduits, each having a first end being coupled to the second opening of a corresponding one of the gathering vessels, and a second end coupled to a common conduit configured to be submerged within fluid inside the central fluid trap;   a vacuum coupled to the fluid trap and configured to remove air from the fluid trap to cause air and flies to flow from the gathering vessels, through the conduits, and into fluid inside the central fluid trap; and   a timing device electronically coupled to the vacuum and configured to periodically activate and deactivate the vacuum.   
     
     
         17 . A fly trap as in  claim 16  wherein the gathering vessels are located at locations remote from the central fluid trap. 
     
     
         18 . A fly trap as in  claim 16  further including a hub coupling the multiple conduits to the common conduit. 
     
     
         19 . A fly trap as in  claim 18  wherein the hub includes a switch configured to activate and deactivate various ones of the multiple conduits. 
     
     
         20 . A fly trap as in  claim 19  wherein the switch is further configured to cycle through the multiple conduits, activating a subset of the conduits at a given time.