Automated Bait Fish Trap with Light Lure and Capacity Alert
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bait fish traps are laborious to use and rarely effective in capturing minnows and similar bait fish, as they often require manual operation and multiple people, posing safety risks and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical bait fish trap with a mesh shell, automated or remotely controlled light module, and capacity indicator that lures bait fish into an entrapment chamber using LEDs and a releasable hatch, allowing for easy capture and notification when the trap is full.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional fish nets or seines are used to capture bait fish, then capture effort is required, but it requires at least two people to wade into water which is laborious and perilous
Solution Approach 1:
The trap operates automatically without requiring users to wade into water. The automated light module attracts fish, the entrance cone funnels them in, and the mesh shell contains them, all without human intervention during the capture process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation (nets and seines requiring two people to wade) with an automated optical system (LED light module) combined with a passive trap structure, eliminating the need for humans to enter water
2Productivity
If manual bait fish traps are used, then capture is possible, but they are laborious to use and rarely effective
Solution Approach 1:
The trap is pre-configured with an automated light module that activates before and during the capture period, creating attraction and funneling conditions in advance. The entrance cone and mesh shell are pre-positioned to automatically receive and contain fish when attracted
Solution Approach 2:
The capacity indicator provides feedback to users when the trap is full, allowing them to know when to retrieve it without continuously monitoring. This automated notification system improves ease of operation while maintaining high capture effectiveness
3Productivity
If an automated light module is added to the trap, then bait fish attraction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light module is merged with the trap structure, combining the attraction function with the containment function in a single integrated device. The LED module, entrance cone, mesh shell, and capacity indicator work together as one unified trap system rather than separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The trap structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the mesh shell provides containment, the entrance cone provides funneling and one-way entry, the light module provides attraction, and the capacity indicator provides fullness notification. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple benefits in one device
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The trap efficiently captures bait fish with minimal user effort, ensuring safety and effectiveness by automatically activating and deactivating the light module and sending alerts when the trap is full, allowing for remote operation and easy unloading.
Implementation Method 1
An automated or remotely controlled light module lures bait fish from the entrance cone into the entrapment chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An improved bait-fish trap includes a cylindrical, mesh shell having a continuous outer wall, a lower surface and an open upper end. The shell houses a mesh entrance cone having an upper base that is concentric with the open upper end of the shell, and a lower vertex in communication with an underlying entrapment chamber. A remotely controlled light module lures bait fish from the entrance cone into the entrapment chamber where they are held until removed via a releasable hatch. A capacity indicator automatically notifies a user when the entrapment zone is full of bait fish.