Title of Invention

A RODENT BAIT STATION DEVICE FOR CONTROL OF RODENT PEST

Abstract

A rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest comprising: a top portion (1) and a bottom portion (2) characterised in that the said bottom portion comprising a base floor (3) with four walls (7,8,9,10) of equal height extending upwards from the said base to form a hallow rectangular structure(4), the said top portion comprising a top floor (5) with four walls (15,16,17,18) of equal height extending downwards from the top floor to form a hallow rectangular structure surrounding the rectangular structure formed by said four walls(7,8,9,10), a pair of semi circular openings (11,12) being provided in the opposite sides of walls (8,10), another pair of semicircular openings (19,20) being provided in opposite sides of walls (15,17) so that the said opening (11,19) and egress openings (12,20) coincides, the said openings are kept at a height of 1-1.5 centimeter from the ground/base, a handle bar (6) being provided either horizontally or vertically to facilitate the lifting of the top portion of bait station whenever desired. (Fig-1)

Full Text

The present invention relates to a rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest. The invention particularly relates to a rodent bait station device is useful for trapping rodent pest selected from group of species Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Tetera indica Meriones hurrianae, Bandicota bengalensis and Fanambulus palmarum and Fanambulus tristriatus. The main utility of the bait station is to: (1) Keep away the non-target animals, pets and children from the hazards arising due to direct or indirect handling, consumption or spillage of the toxic rodent baits when placed in and around human habitations during control operations. (2) Protect the baits from moisture, dust, wind and sunlight. (3) Place the toxic baits in desired locations. (4) Inspect and replenish the baits whenever necessary. (5) Provide place for rodents to feed with a secured feeling. (6) Prevent accidental poisoning arising due to spillage and contamination of toxic baits. One, of the dominating problems of the world today is not to accelerate the food production but to protect the food already grown from the ravages of various kinds of pests including the rodents. Since time immemorial, the role of rodents in food, structural and health losses are well documented and several methods are being deployed to control them. Among these, chemical method is one of the most widely employed technique all over the world so also in our country. However, this might pose potential hazards to all forms of life due to inherent toxicity of rodenticides which are used in the preparation of baits. These are formulated and available commercially in ready to use form viz., loose meal, pelleted or wax blocks, .packed in plastic ,cellophane or paper packets. These packets when placed into burrows, walls or other infested locations, rodents gnaw into them to feed the toxic bait. During the process of feeding, it is observed that generally the pelleted and block type of baits are often carried /dragged by with a pair of semi circular openings( 11,12) kept on opposite sides of the walls, except that the openings lie above at a height of 1-1.5 cms from the ground/base 6. These openings act as an entry and egress points admitting plurality of rodents. The outer portion of the -bait station 13 comprises a top floor 14 with four walls, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of same height extending downwards. The walls 15 and 17 possessing one semi circular opening each 19 and 20 respectively on opposite sides only. When the outer portion 13 of the bait station is positioned with the inner portion 5 so that the walls 15 and 17 of outer portion overlaps the walls 8 and 10 of inner portion, both the entry (11 and 19) and egress( 12 and 20) openings coincides and hence the bait station is kept 'open' On the top floor 14, a handle 21 is present to facilitate the lifting of upper portion 13 of the bait station with a view to place or remove the baits. By lifting the outer portion 13 using the handle 21 and by positioning the walls 8, 10 of inner portion 5 with those of outer portion walls 18, 16 make the bait station kept 'closed'. (Since the entry 19 and egress 20 opening of inner portion gets closed). Hence once the baiting programme is complete, the bait station along with the residual toxic bait if any may be kept safely until further use without being exposed to wind sunlight, rain and also from children and pets. Accordingly the present invention provides , A rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest comprising: a top (1) and a bottom portion (2) characterised in that the said bottom portion comprising a base floor (3) with four walls (7,8,9,10) of equal height extending upwards from the said base to form a hallow rectangular structure(4), the said top portion comprising a top floor (5) with four walls walls(15,16,17,18) of equal height extending downwards from the top floor to form a hallow rectangular structure surrounding the rectangular structure formed by said four walls(7,8,9,10), a pair of semi circular openings (11,12) being provided in the opposite sides of walls (8,10), another pair of semicircular openings (19,20) being provided in opposite sides of walls (15,17) so that the said opening (11,19) and egress (12,20) openings coincides, the said openings are kept at a height of 1-1.5 centimeter from the ground/base, a handle bar (6) being provided either horizontally or vertically to facilitate the lifting of the top portion of bait station whenever desired. rodents to their burrows, hide outs or secured places due to their innate hoarding behaviour. This may again prove risky and hazardous to non-target animals, children and pets whenever they encounter such left out or spilled baits. Hence, to avoid or reduce such risks and contamination, it is advisable to keep the toxic baits in some safe containers designated as ' bait stations' made of plastic, hardboard or metal. This technique is usually followed by most professionals and pest control operators allover the world. Unfortunately, in our country the lack of awareness regarding the hazards arising due to improper placement of toxic baits and added to that the non-availability of suitable and economical bait stations commercially have all made the baiting programmes more difficult, risky, unsafe and less effective. The work carried on bait station in India indicates the use of varieties of materials including tin and wood covers of simple design as bait stations (Pingale, et al., 1967).The information also indicates that though bait containers made of bamboo are known to be effective in reducing the hazards to non-target animals, they were found suitable in rural habitats (Majumder 1968). The main lacunae for their wide application/ use being its less publicity and non availability in ready to use form. However, in most of the developed nations, either complete tamper resistant bait stations or stations with safety locks, seals and concealed latches are often used to make them nearly tamper proof ( US Patent Nos. 4,831,775; 5,272,832; 5,806,237; 4,825,581; 4,660,320; 4,658,538; 6,513,283 and 4,550 525).Moreover, the high cost of bait stations is not a deterrent factor in their wide usage as compared to developing nations where it is the main limiting factor. Due to the high breeding potential of the rodents under tropical conditions and also the occurrence of several rodent species as major pests ,besides three to four species co-existing in several habitats together, combined with illiteracy of people, their religious and social taboos, all present a different scenario in our country .Hence keeping in view the above requirements a suitable bait station has been designed for its safe, useful and wider application in and around human habitations. The main objective of the present invention is to provide a rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest. Another object of the invention is to allow only the intended target pests like rats, mice, bandicoots and gerbiles to have free access to toxic baits placed inside the bait station, while providing safety to other non-target animals such as poultry, grazing live stock, cats, dogs, pets and children. Still another object of the present invention is to bring awareness among people for the usage of properly designed rodent bait stations in order to prevent any accidental poisoning or hazards arising due to contamination, pollution or spillage of the toxic baits during poison baiting programmes. Yet another object of the present invention is to protect the toxic baits from sun light, dust, wind and moisture , to prevent any deterioration of the baits, and also to protect the environment from getting contaminated with the toxic substances. Yet another object of the present invention is to prevent the bait station being dragged , or toppled(if they are of light weight) and gnawed by rodents. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the users a common bait station which is suitable for placing them both indoor and outdoor locations, allowing the access to different rodent species such as Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Mus musculus, Bandicoota bengalensis, Bandicoota indica, Tatera indica, Nesokia indica, Meriones humanae, Rattus meltada and Millardia gleadovi , the major rodent pests of our country, co-existing in many of the habitats like urban and rural homes, agricultural fields, mills, shops, godowns, warehouses, poultry farms, offices, etc., Another object of this invention is to design a bait station which is simple, with ease in its application, yet durable and reusable. Yet another object of this invention is to find further utility of the bait station which could also be mounted easily in its position to tree branches, pipes or lofts (with the help of screws, nails or wires) in outdoor locations for controlling rodent pests. In the drawings accompanying this specification Fig.1: Represents the constructional details of the bait station device with the positioning of the semi circular openings as seen in the front view . The access and egress openings are kept open when both the bottom/ inner and top/ outer portions of the bait station are positioned as seen in assembled view . The top view depicts the handle bar. Fig.2: Represents the top portion of the bait station of Fig.1 with access and egress openings present as a pair on opposite sides. In the end view and top view are seen the handle bar which helps in lifting the outer portion of the bait station while inspecting or filling of the baits. Fig.3: Represents the bottom portion of the bait station of Fig.1 comprising the access and egress openings situated above the ground level (1cm to 1.5 cm) on opposite sides of the walls which are extending upright (front view) from the base ,while the end and top view showing the bait station as a solid enclosure without any openings. Detailed description of the drawings: The reference numerals Fig.2 and Fig.3 generally designates different portions of the rodent bait station embodying the present invention of Fig.1 The rodent bait station 4 comprises of two portions- a bottom portion 5,(Fig.3) and a top portion 13.(Fig.1) The bottom portion 5 , shaped as rectangular includes a base 6. Extending upright from the base 6 are four walls - 7, 8, 9 and 10 of similar height. In the preferred embodiment the walls 7,8, 9 and 10 are fixed to base 6 to define a rectangular hollow enclosure (Fig.3). The walls 8 and 10 are provided with a pair of semi circular openings( 11,12) kept on opposite sides of the walls, except that the openings lie above at a height of 1-1.5 cms from the groundVbase 6. These openings act as an entry and egress points admitting plurality of rodents. The outer portion of the -bait station 13 comprises a top floor 14 with four walls, 15, 16, 17 and 18 of same height extending downwards. The walls 15 and 17 possessing one semi circular opening each 19 and 20 respectively on opposite sides only. When the outer portion 13 of the bait station is positioned with the inner portion 5 so that the walls 15 and 17 of outer portion overlaps the walls 8 and 10 of inner portion, both the entry (11 and 19) and egress( 12 and 20) openings coincides and hence the bait station is kept 'open' On the top floor 14, a handle 21 is present to facilitate the lifting of upper portion 13 of the bait station with a view to place or remove the baits. By lifting the outer portion 13 using the handle 21 and by positioning the walls 8, 10 of inner portion 5 with those of outer portion walls 18, 16 make the bait station kept 'closed'. (Since the entry 19 and egress 20 opening of inner portion gets closed). Hence once the baiting programme is complete, the bait station along with the residual toxic bait if any may be kept safely until further use without being exposed to wind sunlight, rain and also from children and pets. Accordingly the present invention provides , a rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest comprising: a top portion (1) and a bottom portion (2) characterised in that the said bottom portion comprising a base floor (3) with four walls (7,8,9,10) of equal height extending upwards from the said base to form a hallow rectangular structure(4), the said top portion comprising a top floor (5) with four walls (15,16,17,18) of equal height extending downwards from the top floor to form a hallow rectangular structure surrounding the rectangular structure formed by said four walls(7,8,9,10), a pair of semi circular openings (11,12) being provided in the opposite sides of walls (8,10), another pair of semicircular openings (19,20) being provided in opposite sides of walls (15,17) so that the said opening (11,19) and egress openings( 12,20) coincides, the said openings are kept at a height of 1-1.5 centimeter from the ground/base, a handle bar (6) being provided either horizontally or vertically to facilitate the lifting of the top portion of bait station whenever desired. In an embodiment the top portion having four walls of equal height and the said height of walls are longer than of the height of bottom portion. In an another embodiment the said four wall height is always more(5-10 mm) also comprises two semi circular openings kept at opposite sides of two walls only. In yet an another embodiment the walls of top portion comprises two semicircular openings, and the said openings are situated in the centre of respective walls and the size of the said openings are in the range of the ratio of 0.4:1.0. In yet an another embodiment the said two semi circular openings size are always proportional to the size of bait stations length, breadth and height which are again of equal ratio(l: 1:1). In yet an another embodiment the said bottom portion comprising four walls extending upwards from the base also contains two semicircular openings kept on the opposite sides of their walls. In yet an another embodiment the the said two semicircular openings size are also of the ratio of 0.4:1.0 cm and is proportional to the bait stations length, breadth and height. In yet an another embodiment the two semicircular openings present on the walls of opposite sides of bottom portion of the said bait station is closed at its base by about 1/3 portion approximately so as to contain different varities of baits (solid, powder, pellets or blocks) when placed inside. In yet an another embodiment the two portions - a top portion having four walls extending downwards with two walls having one semicircular opening each and a handle bar on top floor ,when placed above the bottom portion of the bait station which also comprisies four walls, extending downwards ,with two semicircular openings present on the opposite sides of two walls, than the whole structure appears like a single device/structure. However, when the walls of top portion ( with openings ) overlaps exactly the walls of bottom portion (with openings),then the device or bait station remains' open' for the rodents entry and egress, orelse it remains ' closed.' In yet an another embodiment the device is useful for trapping rodent pest selected from group of species Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Tatera indica Meriones hurrianae, Bandicota bengalensis, and Fanambulus palmarum and Fanambulus tristriatus In yet an another embodiment the said bait station is made of Galvanized Iron sheet, hard plastic and hard board sheets., Laboratory testing: The test method employed to evaluate the rodent bait station is as follows: Example 1: Roof rat (Rattus rattus) population of 30 to 40 numbers maintained in rat pen were used. Known and weighed amount of plain baits(food) were kept inside the bait station (present invention) and daily intakes were recorded for a period of 2-3 weeks. These were compared with the intakes of plain bait consumption kept in other types of bait stations made of tin, plastic, etc. of different designs. The results obtained have shown that roof rats liked to visit and feed upon the baits placed inside the bait station (present invention) as evidenced by the amount of bait consumed. Novelty of the invention A successful rodent control programmee will use baiting technique to reduce the pest population quickely. However,with any rodenticidal bait the' key'to effective management is the access and acceptance of the baits by target rodents.Hence in order to achieve this it is of utmost importance to see that suitable and effective' bait stations' are used .Currently in our country no such ready- to- use safe rodent bait stations are available commercially. Therefore the present invention of bait station development which is based on Indepth behavioural and feeding studies of Rattus rattus, Mus musculus , Bandicota indica, and Bandicota bengalensis the major rodent pests of our country will help in solving many problems associated with food loss and pollution. The bait station is simple, easy to handle and operate, besides being safe and durable. It also protects the baits placed inside from non target species, wind, rain, moisture and sunlight, thus increasing the shelf life of the baits. Since the bait station weight is more than the dragging capacity of most rodent pests, they cannot be easily dragged or toppled , during their exploratory or feeding activity. Hence it prevents the hazards arising due to spillage and contamination of the toxic bait The bait station can be kept "open" or "closed" by a simple operational method which reduces the risk of unwarranted exposure of baits to pets and other animals. We claim: 1. A rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest comprising: a top portion (1) and a bottom portion (2) characterised in that the said bottom portion comprising a base floor (3) with four walls (7,8,9,10) of equal height extending upwards from the said base to form a hallow rectangular structure(4), the said top portion comprising a top floor (5) with four walls (15,16,17,18) of equal height extending downwards from the top floor to form a hallow rectangular structure surrounding the rectangular structure formed by said four walls(7,8,9,10), a pair of semi circular openings (11,12) being provided in the opposite sides of walls (8,10), another pair of semicircular openings (19,20) being provided in opposite sides of walls (15,17) so that the said opening (11,19) and egress openings (12,20) coincides, the said openings are kept at a height of 1-1.5 centimeter from the ground/base, a handle bar (6) being provided either horizontally or vertically to facilitate the lifting of the top portion of bait station whenever desired. 2. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claim 1, wherein height of top portion walls (15,16,17,18) are longer than of the height of bottom portion walls (7,8,9,10). 3. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claims 1-2, wherein difference in height of said top and bottom portions walls ranges from 5-10 mm. 4. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claims 1-3, wherein the walls of top portion (1) comprises two semicircular openings, and the said openings are situated in the centre of respective walls and the size of the said openings are in the range of the ratio of 0.4: 1.0. 5. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claims 1-4, wherein the said two semi circular openings size are proportional to the size of bait stations length, breadth and height which are again of equal ratio(l: 1: 1). 6. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claims 1-5, wherein the two semicircular openings present on the walls of opposite sides of bottom portion is kept closed at its base by about 1/3 portion so as to contain different varieties of baits(solid, powder, pellets or blocks) when placed inside. 7. A rodent bait station device as claimed in claims 1-6, wherein said bait station is made of galvanised iron (GI) sheet, hard plastic and hard board sheets., 8. A rodent bait station device for control of rodent pest substantially as herein described with reference to the examples and figs (1-3) of the drawings accompanying this specification.

Documents:

486-DEL-2004-Abstract-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-Abstract-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-abstract.pdf

486-DEL-2004-Claims-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-Claims-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-claims.pdf

486-DEL-2004-Correspondence-Others-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-Correspondence-Others-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

486-del-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

486-DEL-2004-Description (Complete)-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-Description (Complete)-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-description (complete).pdf

486-del-2004-drawings.pdf

486-DEL-2004-Form-1-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-Form-1-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-form-1.pdf

486-del-2004-form-18.pdf

486-del-2004-Form-2-(31-03-2010).pdf

486-del-2004-form-2.pdf

486-DEL-2004-Form-3-(21-12-2009).pdf

486-del-2004-form-3.pdf

486-del-2004-form-5.pdf