Projectile for an insect zapper gun

Abstract

An electrifiable projectile for an insect zapper gun is capable of killing a target insect at a distance from the user. The projectile includes a pattern of electric wires forming a front-facing conductive contact structure having a breadth sufficient to allow the projectile to intercept an insect when propelled in a forward trajectory toward an insect. When the projectile's pattern of electric wires comes into contact with the target insect, an electric charge on the projectile is transmitted to the insect rendering the insect deceased.

1 . A projectile for an insect zapper gun having a handheld base wherein the projectile is launched from the handheld base from a fire-ready position on a handheld base, the projectile comprising:
 a central shaft having a rearwardly extending end and a forwardly extending end, the rearwardly extending end being configured such that it can be held in a fire-ready position on a handheld base of an insect zapper gun and launched in a forward trajectory from the handheld base,   a frame supported at the forwardly extending end of the central shaft,   a pattern of electric wires held by and spanning the frame, the pattern of electric wires forming a front-facing conductive contact structure having a breadth sufficient to allow the projectile to intercept an insect when propelled in a forward trajectory toward an insect, and   electrical charge storage means affixed to the projectile and connected to the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile such that, when the projectile is launched from a fire-ready position on a handheld base of a bug zapper gun with an electric charge stored in the electrical charge storage means of the projectile, the electric charge stored in the electrical charge storage means of the projectile will be transmitted to an insect that is intercepted by the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile.   
     
     
         2 . The projectile of  claim 1  further comprising means for placing the electrical charge storage means on the projectile in electrical communication with an electrical charging means on the handheld base so that electrical charge storage means on the projectile can be charged from the electrical charging means of the handheld base when the projectile is held in a fire-ready position on the handheld base. 
     
     
         3 . The projectile of  claim 2  wherein a handheld base of a bug zapper has a launch mechanism and wherein the rearwardly extending end of the central shaft of the projectile is configured to releasably connect to such launch mechanism in a fire-ready position such that the electrical charge storage means of the projectile is charged through the launch mechanism of a handheld base when the projectile is in a firing fire-ready position on the handheld base. 
     
     
         4 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein the electrical charge storage means on the projectile is a charge storage capacitor. 
     
     
         5 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein the projectile has fin walls extending radially from the central shaft and having distal ends, the frame of the projectile being affixed to the distal ends of the fin walls of the projectile to hold the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile in a front-facing orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The projectile of  claim 5  wherein an electrical charge storage means on the projectile is attached to a fin wall of the projectile. 
     
     
         7 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile provides a substantially planar front-facing contact structure for intercepting insects. 
     
     
         8 . The projectile of  claim 7  wherein the substantially planar, front-facing conductive contact structure has an area of about four square inches. 
     
     
         9 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is comprised of an inner wire grid of one polarity and an outer wire grid of the opposite polarity. 
     
     
         10 . The insect zapper gun of  claim 9  wherein the inner and outer wire grids of the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile have mesh openings characterized by mesh opening sizes, and wherein the size of the mesh openings of the inner wire grid is smaller than the size of the mesh openings of the outer wire grid. 
     
     
         11 . The projectile of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is formed by parallel wires of alternating polarities. 
     
     
         12 . A projectile for an insect zapper gun having a handheld base wherein the projectile is launched from the handheld base from a fire-ready position on a handheld base, the projectile comprising:
 a pattern of electric wires extending radially from a longitudinal axis of the projectile and forming a radially extending, front-facing conductive contact structure, wherein the pattern of electric wires comprises either a first pattern of electric wires comprising wires that cross each other or a second pattern of electric wires comprising wires that are parallel to each other and arranged side-by-side, the pattern of electric wires being fixedly attached to a portion of the projectile so as to be immovable with respect to the portion of the projectile,   the projectile further having at least one charge storage capacitor affixed thereto, the at least one charge storage capacitor being electrically connected to the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile, such that, when the projectile with the charged at least one charge storage capacitor is propelled in a forward trajectory and the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile comes into contact with an insect, the electric charge stored in the at least one charge storage capacitor affixed to the projectile will be transmitted to the insect.   
     
     
         13 . The projectile of  claim 12  wherein the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile provides a substantially planar front-facing contact structure for intercepting insects. 
     
     
         14 . The projectile of  claim 12  wherein the substantially planar, front-facing conductive contact structure has an area of about four square inches. 
     
     
         15 . The projectile of  claim 12  wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is comprised of an inner wire grid of one polarity and an outer wire grid of the opposite polarity. 
     
     
         16 . The insect zapper gun of  claim 15  wherein the inner and outer wire grids of the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile have mesh openings characterized by mesh opening sizes, and wherein the size of the mesh openings of the inner wire grid is smaller than the size of the mesh openings of the outer wire grid. 
     
     
         17 . The projectile of  claim 12  wherein the pattern of electric wires forming the large-area, front-facing conductive contact structure of the projectile is formed by parallel wires of alternating polarities.