Otis Singleton
The electric fly swatter, also known as a mosquito bat, racket zapper, or zap racket, was invented in the mid-1990s by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih. The battery-powered device, shaped like a mini tennis racket, revolutionized the traditional fly swatter by using electricity to stun or kill insects without creating a mess. With a voltage ranging from 500 to over 2000 volts, it became a popular household item in the late 1990s, offering a simple and effective solution for insect control.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Invention | Mid-1990s |
| Inventor | Tsao-i Shih |
| Shape | Mini tennis racket |
| Functionality | Activating switch on the handle |
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What You'll Learn
The electric fly swatter was invented in the mid-1990s
The name "fly swatter" is believed to have originated from Dr. Samuel Crumbine, a Kansas public health advocate and member of the Kansas Board of Health. In 1905, he titled one of his fly bulletins, which warned of flyborne diseases, "Swat the Fly," after hearing a chant at a baseball game. Crumbine took an existing invention known as the Fly Bat—a screen attached to a yardstick—and renamed it the Fly Swatter, which became the generic term we use today.
In the 1910s, the U.S. Wire Mat Company, later known as the U.S. Manufacturing Corporation, marketed packs of 100 fly swatters to Boy Scouts through their magazine, Boys' Life. This helped normalize and popularize the fly swatter as an everyday technology and an instrument of public health.
It wasn't until the mid-1990s that the electric fly swatter was created by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih. The electric fly swatter, also known as a mosquito bat or racket zapper, is a battery-powered, handheld bug zapper that resembles a mini tennis racket with an activating switch on the handle. It generates a voltage of between 500 and 3,000 volts, stunning or killing insects without creating a mess.
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It is also called a mosquito bat, racket zapper, or zap racket
The electric fly swatter, invented in the mid-1990s by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih, is a battery-powered, handheld bug zapper that resembles a tennis racket. It is also called a mosquito bat, racket zapper, or zap racket. This innovative device generates a voltage of between 500 and 3,000 volts when a button switch is activated, stunning or killing insects with a zap. The mosquito bat offers a mess-free alternative to traditional fly swatters by eliminating the need to crush insects against a surface.
The mosquito bat, or zap racket, is designed with a battery-powered high-voltage generator in the handle. The circuit is a minimalist, self-oscillating voltage booster that is small, low-cost, and composed of very few components. This efficient design allows the zap racket to continue operating even when the battery is significantly depleted. When the button is pressed, the voltage is applied between two grid or mesh electrodes. As the insect bridges the gap between the electrodes, a current passes through it, stunning or killing it instantly.
The racket zapper, or mosquito bat, offers several advantages over conventional fly-killing methods. Firstly, it avoids the mess that can result from crushing insects on surfaces. Secondly, it can effectively target insects in the air, which is particularly useful as insects tend to start flying when a swatter approaches. Additionally, the zap racket's lightweight and stiff design enables quick acceleration, increasing the chances of successfully striking fast-moving targets.
The electric fly swatter, also known as the mosquito bat or zap racket, has become a popular tool for insect control. Its simple design and ease of use have contributed to its widespread adoption. While the device is primarily designed for zapping insects, it has gained notoriety due to an incident in France, where a man accidentally ignited leaking gas with his mosquito bat while swatting a fly, causing an explosion.
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It was invented by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih
The electric fly swatter, sometimes called a mosquito bat, racket zapper, or zap racket, was invented by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih in 1996. The first non-electric fly swatter was patented in 1900 by Robert R. Montgomery, an entrepreneur based in Decatur, Illinois. This early version of the fly swatter was a "cheap device of unusual elasticity and durability" made of wire netting attached to a handle.
Shih's electric fly swatter, on the other hand, is a battery-powered, handheld bug zapper. The handle contains a battery-powered high-voltage generator, and the circuit is a minimalist self-oscillating voltage booster. This booster is small, low-cost, and composed of very few components. Notably, it continues to operate even when the battery is depleted to a fraction of its original voltage, a feature known as a Joule thief circuit.
The electric fly swatter generates a voltage of between 500 and 3,000 volts when a button switch is activated. This voltage is applied between two grid or mesh electrodes. When a fly bridges the gap between the electrodes, a current passes through it, stunning or killing it. If the button is kept depressed, the continuous current will rapidly kill and incinerate the fly.
The electric fly swatter offered a significant advantage over its traditional counterpart. It could kill insects in the air without having to crush them against a surface, thus avoiding the mess that could be created by the smearing of insect innards. This mess was a common issue with conventional fly swatters, which mechanically crushed flies against a hard surface.
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The first non-electric fly swatter was patented in 1900
Montgomery sold the patent rights in 1903 to an industrialist named John L. Bennett, who improved the design by stitching around the edge of the netting to prevent fraying. Bennett began to mass-produce these wire-mesh fly killers, and by 1905, he and his sons had produced over half a million models, which they called the "King Fly Killer".
The term "fly swatter" was coined by Dr. Samuel Crumbine, a Kansas public health advocate who worked with the Boy Scouts to launch a nationwide "Swat the Fly" campaign in 1910. Crumbine's campaign dovetailed with the U.S. Wire Mat Company's massive manufacturing project, and the promotional force of the Boy Scouts helped to normalize and popularize the fly swatter as an instrument of public health.
The electric fly swatter was later invented in the mid-1990s by Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih. It is a battery-powered, handheld bug zapper that resembles a tennis racket. The device exerts a voltage of 500 to over 2,000 volts, stunning or killing insects with one zap. Electric fly swatters became popular in the late 1990s, offering a mess-free alternative to traditional fly swatters.
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![Electric Fly Swatter [Set of 2] Handheld Bug Zapper Racket for Indoor/Outdoor - 4000 Volt Swatter - Instant Bug & Mosquito Killer with Attractant LED Light - USB Rechargeable Portable Fly Zapper.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91aAPQryriL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The Boy Scouts helped popularise the fly swatter
The electric fly swatter was invented in 1996 by Tsao-i Shih. The device is battery-powered and handheld, resembling a tennis racket.
In the 1910s, the U.S. Wire Mat Company marketed packs of 100 fly swatters to Scouts through their magazine, Boys' Life. The Scouts were encouraged to resell the swatters to their friends, family, and neighbours, promoting hygiene and community service. The Scouts also launched a nationwide "Swat the Fly" campaign, inspired by Crumbine and supported by John L. Bennett, who purchased the patent for the "fly-killer" from Montgomery and made further improvements to the design. The campaign normalised the practice of fly-killing and positioned the fly swatter as an everyday household item.
The Boy Scouts' involvement in the anti-fly campaigns extended beyond just promoting the fly swatter. In 1911, Scout troops in Kansas and Iowa participated in the "Swat the Fly Crusade," distributing anti-fly literature and providing free wire swatters to every home in their cities. They also worked to destroy fly breeding grounds and placed large fly traps on the streets. The Scouts' efforts were praised by their leader, Thornton Burgess, and recognised as a valuable contribution to improving public health.
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Frequently asked questions
The electric fly swatter was invented in the mid-1990s and is often credited to Taiwanese inventor Tsao-i Shih.
An electric fly swatter is shaped like a mini tennis racket with an activating switch on the handle.
The handle contains a battery-powered high-voltage generator. The circuit is a minimalist self-oscillating voltage booster. The fly swatter generates a voltage of between 500 and 3,000 volts when a button switch is held down. When the body of a fly bridges the gap between the electrodes, a current passes through the fly, usually stunning or killing it.
Electric fly swatters kill insects when airborne, not resting on a surface. This avoids the mess that can be created when a traditional fly swatter crushes a fly against a surface.
