Title of Invention

"AN INSECT HANDLING DEVICE"

Abstract

An insect handling device is disclosed. The device comprises a rigid platform (1) having at least two holes (2, 3), a guiding means (4) fitted in a first hole (2) and projecting up the platform (1), an inner container (10) placed over the said platform (1), a plurality of ridges or protrusions (9) provided on top of platform (1) or bottom of a lid (11) of inner container (10), a hole in the lid (11) or in a wall (13) of the said inner container (10) accommodating the projected end of the guiding means (4), an outer container (16) capable of withstanding vacuum and being fitted in an air tight manner on to the platform (1), and an insect collecting tube (5). One end of the tube (5) having a nozzle (6) for collecting insects and the other end passing through the guiding means (4) into the inner container (10).

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION: This invention relates to an insect handling device. More particularly it is effectively collecting them with out injuring. Insects are reared in laboratories for various purposes, such as biological control agents and other useful purposes. Insect pests are also reared for screening the plant germplasm to study their level of resistance against them. Since insects walk, run and fly, their handling is very difficult, when one has to handle very large number of them. PRIOR ART: Generally insects are captured using glass or plastic tube or with the help of camel hairbrush. Kumar and Jalali (1993) developed a hygienic system for collecting Corcyra moths. Moths are collected in a large container using vacuum cleaner. By this device we have to have low suction force as the insects while delivered in the container gain momentum by air blow inside the tube and by gravity. Thus then collection has to be done with due care i.e., at a very low suction and, therefore, rate of collection is slow. If the suction pressure is increased, the insect hit the container hard and get injured. Further, there is no provision for regulating the suction force to optimise the collection rate. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION: Primary object of the invention is to provide effective collection of insect without injuring them. Other object of the invention is to provide the suction regulating device to optimize the insect collection rate while avoiding injury to them. Another object of the invention is to provide to collect different types of insects. Another object of the invention is to propose a simple device which can be manufactured economically and produce optimum output without health hazard to the operator. STATEMENT OF INVENTION: As per one of the embodiment, an insect handling device comprises of a rigid platform provided with at least two holes, the first of the at least two holes being fitted with a guiding means, said guiding means is projected up the platform, plurality of ridges or protrusions are provided on top of platform or exterior of the lid of inner container for maintaining gap there between to enable flow air and the insect dust or scales to be collected, the at least second hole of said at least two holes is connected in an air tight manner with a vacuum generating means, an insect collecting inner container being placed over the said platform, a hole either in a lid or in a wall of the said inner container accommodates the projected end of the guiding means, the said wall and the lid of the inner container having perforations, the size of perforations being smaller than that of the insect being collected, an outer container with open bottom and closed from the top made from a material able to withstand vacuum and impermeable to air being fitted in an air tight manner on to the platform, an insect collecting tube, one end of said insect collecting tube being fitted with a nozzle for collecting insects and the other end being passed through the guiding means slightly projecting out the said guiding means and inside of the inner container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS: One of the preferred embodiment of invention is shown in the figures as a example to illustrate the invention,. Fig. 1 shows the isometric view of the device Fig. 2 shows the plan view of the platform with ridges Fig. 3 shows a pressure regulator in the outer container Fig 4 shows one of the embodiment of joint of insect collecting tube and a nozzle having an orifice DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO DRAWINGS: One preferred non limiting embodiment of the invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. An insect handling device comprises a rigid platform (1) provided with at least two holes (2) and (3). The first hole (2) of the at least two holes is fitted with a guiding means (4). The guiding means (4) is projected up the platform (1). Plurality of ridges or protrusions (9) are provided on top of platform (1) or exterior of the lid (11) of inner container (10) for maintaining gap there between to enable flow air and the insect dust or scales to be collected. The at least second hole of said at least two holes is connected in an air tight manner with a vacuum generating means (8). An insect collecting inner container (10) is placed over the said platform (1). A hole either in a lid (11) or in a wall (13) of the said inner container (10) accommodates the projected end of the guiding means. The said wall (13) and lid of the inner container (10) has perforations (14). The size of perforations (14) is smaller than that of the insect are to be collected. An outer container (16) with open bottom and closed from the top made from a material able to withstand vacuum and impermeable to air being fitted in an air tight manner on to the platform (1). An insect collecting tube (5), one end of which is fitted with a nozzle (6) for collecting insects. The nozzle is having an orifice. The other end of tube (5) being passed through the guiding means (4) slightly projecting out the said guiding means and inside of the inner container (10). The guiding means (4) is fitted obliquely at an angle ranging from 10° to 80° from the vertical axis, preferably at an angle ranging from 30° to 60° to avoid the insect hitting the wall or top of the inner container (10). The said insect collecting inner container is made of metal, plastic, paper, cloth, or any other material and of any shape and inner surface of the wall of the inner container is sufficiently rough to enable easy walking by insects. The perforations (14) in the inner container are in the form of wire mesh of different sizes depending the size of the insect to be collected. The wire mesh being provided on at least one window (15). The location of window is in the middle to mitigate the upward thrust of the insect collected inside the inner container. The insect collecting tube (5) is flexible and provided with a sheath or reinforcement to prevent developing sharp bend while in operation. The said insect collecting tube fitted with a nozzle having orifice either with a lap joint; a rim of the nozzle inside of the rube or butt jointed by matching the inner surfaces of nozzle and tube to avoid hitting the insect with the rim.The said nozzle (6) is of different sizes or shapes to collect different type and size of insects. The outer container (16) is provided with a pressure regulator (19) in the form of at least one opening closed by a closer (20) to regulate the vacuum pressure in the outer container. The size of the at least one opening in the outer container ranges from 3 mm to 8 mm preferably 4 mm to 6 mm. The vacuum generating means (8) is a vacuum pump driven manually or by a prime-mover or a domestic vacuum cleaner. The vacuum generated by said vacuum generating means is 5 cm to 20 cm of the height of water column preferably 8 cm to 12 cm. The said vacuum generating means (8) is housed in a box (21) provided with ventilation means (22) for ejecting hot air from the device. The said the ventilation means (22) is louvers. The said vacuum generating means (8) is provided with an insect dust or scales filtering means (17) in the form of a dust bag in a box with a provision (18) to take out easily. We claim: 1. An insect handling device comprising a rigid platform (1) provided with at least two holes (2) and (3), the first hole (2) of the at least two holes being fitted with a guiding means (4), said guiding means (4) is projected up the platform (1), plurality of ridges or protrusions (9) are provided on top of platform (1) or bottom of the lid (11) of inner container (10) for maintaining gap therebetween to enable flow of air and the insect dust or scales to be collected, the at least second hole (3) of said at least two holes is connected in an air tight manner with a vacuum generating means (8), an insect collecting inner container (10) being placed over the said platform (1), a hole either in a lid (11) or in a wall (13) of the said inner container (10) accommodates the projected end of the guiding means (4), the said wall (13) and bottom of the inner container (10) having perforations (14), the size of perforations (14) being smaller than that of the insect being collected, an outer container (16) with open bottom and closed from the top made from a material able to withstand vacuum and impermeable to air being fitted in an air tight manner on to the platform (1), an insect collecting tube (5), one end of said insect collecting tube (5) being fitted with a nozzle (6) for collecting insects and the other end being passed through the guiding means (4) slightly projecting out the said guiding means and inside of the inner container (10). 2. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said guiding means (4) is fitted obliquely at an angle ranging from 10° to 80° from the vertical axis, preferably at an angle ranging from 30° to 60° to avoid the insect hitting the wall or top of the inner container (10). 3. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said insect collecting inner container (10) is made of metal, plastic, paper, cloth, or any material and of any shape and inner surface of wall (13) of the inner container is sufficiendy rough to enable easy walking by insects. 4. An insect device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said perforations (14) are in the form of wire mesh of different sizes depending on the size of the insect to be collected and the wire mesh being provided on at least one window (15). 5. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said window (15) is in the middle to mitigate the upward thrust of the insect collected inside the inner container (10). 6. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said insect collecting tube (5) is flexible and provided with a sheath or reinforcement to prevent developing sharp bend while in operation. 7. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the said insect collecting tube (5) is fitted with a nozzle (6) having orifice either with a lap joint; or butt joint to avoid hitting of the insect at the joint. 8. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said nozzle (6) is of different sizes or shapes to collect different type and size of insects. 9. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said outer container (16) is provided with a pressure regulator (19) in the form of at least one opening closed by a closer (20) to regulate the vacuum pressure in the device. 10. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said size of at least one opening in the outer container ranges from 3 mm to 8 mm and preferably from 4 mm to 6 mm. 11. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said vacuum generating means (8) is a vacuum pump driven manually or by a prime-mover or a domestic vacuum cleaner. 12. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said vacuum generating means (8) is housed in a box (21) provided with ventilation means (22) for ejecting hot air from the device. 13. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the said ventilation means (22) is louvers. 14. An insect handling device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said vacuum generating means (8) is provided with an insect dust or scales filtering means (17) in the form of a dust bag in a box with a provision to take out easily. 15. An insect handling device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein vacuum generated by said vacuum generating means (8) is 5 cm to 20 cm of the height of water column, and preferably from 8cm to 12cm of the height of water column.

Documents:

224-DEL-2007-Abstract-(01-02-2011).pdf

224-del-2007-abstract.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Claims-(01-02-2011).pdf

224-DEL-2007-Claims-(29-09-2011).pdf

224-del-2007-claims.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Correspondence Others-(10-06-2011).pdf

224-DEL-2007-Correspondence Others-(29-09-2011).pdf

224-del-2007-correspondence-others 1.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Correspondence-Others-(01-02-2011).pdf

224-DEL-2007-Correspondence-Others.pdf

224-del-2007-description (complete).pdf

224-del-2007-drawings.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Form-1.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Form-18.pdf

224-del-2007-form-2.pdf

224-del-2007-form-26.pdf

224-del-2007-form-3.pdf

224-DEL-2007-Form-5.pdf

224-del-2007-form-9.pdf