Insect electrocution device

Claim 2

Insect electrocution device comprising: a surface array composed of an arrangement of spaced first electrodes; and a sheet electrode disposed along a surface spaced from said surface array; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; the electrodes forming said surface array being arranged so as to define a first substantially uniform separation therebetween; and said sheet electrode being spaced from said surface array by a second separation smaller than said first uniform separation.

Claim 3

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1 wherein said sheet electrode is formed with a multiplicity of protrusions extending outwardly from the surface of said sheet towards said surface array.

Claim 4

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1 wherein said surface array also comprises an array of second electrodes interspersed with said first electrodes, said second electrodes being maintained at a third potential differing from said first potential.

Claim 5

An insect electrocution device according to claim 3 wherein said third potential is equal to said second potential.

Claim 6

An insect electrocution device according to claim 3 wherein said third potential differs from said second potential.

Claim 7

An insect electrocution device in accordance with claim 3 in which the potential difference between said second potential and either of said first and third potentials is less than the potential difference between said first and third potentials.

Claim 8

An insect electrocution device according to claim 3, wherein said first and second electrodes comprise elongate rods.

Claim 9

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1 and also comprising means for illuminating said sheet electrode and wherein said sheet electrode is provided with a conditioned surface whereby to define a non-uniformly lighted reflecting surface.

Claim 10

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1 and also comprising means for heating at least some of the electrodes in order to increase their attractiveness to certain types of insects and to enhance the effectiveness of bait placed in the immediate vicinity thereof.

Claim 11

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1, wherein said sheet electrode is a solid planar electrode.

Claim 12

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1, wherein said solid planar electrode is disposed generally parallel to said surface array.

Claim 13

An insect electrocution device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes are uniformly spaced from each other.

Claim 14

An insect electrocution device comprising: a generally planar surface array composed of an alternating arrangement of first and second generally elongate, uniformly spaced electrodes; and a generally planar sheet electrode disposed generally parallel to and spaced from said surface array and behind said surface array with respect to the expected direction of insect approach; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; and said second electrodes beiing maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a third potential differing from said first potential; said first and second electrodes being arranged in said first surface array so as to define a first substantially uniform separation between respective first and second electrodes; said sheet electrode being spaced from said first and second electrodes by a second separation smaller than said first uniform separation.

Claim 15

An insect electrocution device comprising: a generally planar surface array composed of an alternating arrangement of first and second generally elongate, uniformly spaced electrodes; and a generally planar sheet electrode disposed generally parallel to and spaced from said surface array and behind said surface array with respect to the expected direction of insect approach; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; and said second electrodes beiing maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a third potential differing from said first potential; said first and second electrodes being arranged in said first surface array so as to define a first substantially uniform separation between respective first and second electrodes; said sheet electrode being spaced from said first and second electrodes by a second separation smaller than said first uniform separation.

Claim 16

An insect electrocution device according to claim 13 and comprising means for heating at least one of said electrodes.

Claim 17

An insect electrocution device according to claim 14 and also comprising means for illuminating at least one of the said electrodes.

Claim 18

An insect electrocution device comprising: a surface array composed of an arrangement of spaced first electrodes; and a sheet electrode disposed along a surface spaced from said surface array; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; and wherein said surface array also comprises an array of second electrodes interspersed with said first electrodes, said second electrodes being maintaned at a third potential differing from said first potential; said first and second electrodes being arranged in said first surface array so as to define a first substantially uniform separation between respective first and second electrodes; and said sheet electrode being spaced from said first and second electrodes by a second separation smaller than said first uniform separation.

Claim 19

An insect electrocution device comprising: a surface array composed of an arrangement of spaced first electrodes; and a sheet electrode disposed along a surface spaced from said surface array; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; and wherein said surface array also comprises an array of second electrodes interspersed with said first electrodes, said second electrodes being maintaned at a third potential differing from said first potential; said first and second electrodes being arranged in said first surface array so as to define a first substantially uniform separation between respective first and second electrodes; and said sheet electrode being spaced from said first and second electrodes by a second separation smaller than said first uniform separation.

Claim 20

An insect electrocution device according to claim 16 wherein said third potential is equal to said second potential.

Claim 21

An insect electrocution device according to claim 16 wherein said third potential differs from said second potential.

Claim 22

An insect electrocution device in accordance with claim 16 in which the potential difference between said second potential and either of said first and third potentials is less than the potential difference between said first and third potentials.

Claim 23

An insect electrocution device according to claim 16, wherein said first and second electrodes comprise elongate rods.

Claim 24

An insect electrocution device comprising: a first array composed of an arrangement of spaced first electrodes; a second array composed of an arrangement of spaced second electrodes interspersed with said first electrodes; a sheet electrode disposed on a surface spaced from said first and second surface arrays; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; said second electrodes being maintained at a third potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; and said third potential differing from said first potential.

Claim 25

An insect electrocution device comprising: a first array composed of an arrangement of spaced first electrodes; a second array composed of an arrangement of spaced second electrodes interspersed with said first electrodes; a sheet electrode disposed on a surface spaced from said first and second surface arrays; said first electrodes being maintained at a first potential; said second electrodes being maintained at a third potential; said sheet electrode being maintained at a second potential differing from said first potential; and said third potential differing from said first potential.

Claim 26

An insect electrocution device according to claim 21 wherein said sheet electrode is formed with a multiplicity of protrusions extending outwardly from the surface of said sheet towards said surface array.

Claim 27

An insect electrocution device according to claim 21 wherein said first and second potentials are both non-zero.

Claim 28

An insect electrocution device according to claim 21 wherein said first and second electrodes comprise elongate rods.

Claim 29

An insect electrocution device according to claim 21 and comprising means for illuminating said sheet electrode and wherein said sheet electrode is provided with a conditioned surface whereby to define a non-uniformly lighted reflecting surface.