Compact Chumming Device with Concentric Cutting Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chumming devices are large, cumbersome, prone to leakage, and require significant manual effort and time, making them unsuitable for smaller vessels and environmentally unfriendly due to the need for manual bait cutting and potential pollution from discarded chum bags.
Innovation Solution
A compact, sealed chumming device with a concentric cutting member and push rod mechanism that macerates bait using a series of intersecting blades, reducing manual effort and preventing spillage, while allowing for easy attachment to vessels and efficient chum slick dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual bait cutting and mesh bag chumming is used, then chum can be dispensed into water, but the process is labor intensive, time consuming, and creates splattered mess
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cutting with a motorized cutting blade assembly that automatically macerates bait. The motor-driven blade system eliminates the need for manual cutting with knives or sticks, significantly reducing labor intensity while increasing chum production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the bait processing function into separate components: a cutting blade assembly for maceration, a mesh bag for containment and dispersion, and a motorized drive system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier cleaning and maintenance.
2Productivity
If mesh bags are used to disperse chum, then maximum chum exposure is achieved, but chum bags are cut loose and left behind creating pollution hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the mesh bag as a retrievable component that can be easily brought back onboard after use. The bag is attached to the vessel in a way that allows for simple recovery, preventing it from being lost in the water and causing pollution while maintaining its effectiveness for chum dispersion during the fishing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inexpensive mesh bags that can be easily replaced if lost, but the design emphasizes recovery to prevent pollution. The low cost of the bags makes them suitable for frequent use and replacement while the retrieval system minimizes their environmental impact.
3Reliability
If chum bags are used to prevent bait from sinking, then fish are effectively lured, but the device requires significant time investment for setup and operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads the mesh bag with bait before deployment, and the motorized cutting system is pre-assembled and ready for operation. This preliminary preparation eliminates time-consuming setup activities during the fishing operation, allowing the angler to quickly deploy the chumming device and focus on fishing.
Solution Approach 2:
The motorized cutting blade automatically macerates the bait as it is fed into the mesh bag, eliminating the need for manual cutting preparation. The system performs the bait processing function autonomously once deployed, reducing the time investment required from the operator while maintaining reliable chum slick formation.
4Productivity
If large chumming devices are used to macerate bait efficiently, then chum production increases, but the device footprint is too large for small vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the cutting blade assembly and motor components within a compact housing that fits into the mesh bag structure. The concentric arrangement of cutting blades allows them to be packed tightly together, maximizing maceration efficiency within a minimal volume that can be deployed on vessels of various sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a horizontal expansion of device size to a vertical stacking arrangement where components are arranged in concentric layers. This dimensional reorganization maintains all necessary maceration functions while reducing the overall footprint to fit small vessel constraints.
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 device is more efficient, environmentally friendly, and easier to operate, requiring less manual force and minimizing waste, with a small footprint suitable for both small and large vessels, and effective in creating a chum slick for fish attraction.
Implementation Method 1
a concentric cutting member (404) attached to the push rod (108), wherein the concentric cutting member (404) comprises a series of blades (404) that are intersecting
Data Source
AI summary
A device for macerating bait, making chum, or both is provided. The device has a main housing having a top openable end and a closed bottom openable end; a removable lid attachable to the top openable end, wherein the removable lid comprises at least a fluid flow hole configured to, when placed in a fluid and towed behind the vessel, port the fluid to flow through the housing through bottom openable end and through the top openable end; a push rod disposed through the removable lid; a concentric cutting member attached to the push rod at a lower end of the push rod, wherein the concentric cutting member comprises a series of blades that are intersecting and have cutting edges on a top and bottom of the blades.A method of macerating bait is also provided.