Live Crustacean Holding Device Using Elastic Hook-Casing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for securing live crustaceans, such as shrimp, to fishing hooks often result in the crustacean being short-lived and prone to working free, while also impeding its ability to swim naturally.

Innovation Solution

A live-crustacean holding fishing device featuring a long shank hook with a clasp and a tubular stretchable hook-casing, where the clasp is attached to the hook's shank and has a shell grasping portion, and the hook-casing has a ring tab that accommodates the crustacean's rostrum, allowing it to swim freely.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the crustacean is pierced with a hook or encircled with rigid structures, then the crustacean is securely fastened to the hook, but the crustacean's ability to swim freely is impeded and its life duration is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of crustacean to hookVSAvoidimpediment to swimming motion and reduction of crustacean life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible rubber band instead of rigid structures to secure the crustacean. The rubber band can be stretched to encircle the crustacean's body and relaxed to maintain secure attachment, while its flexibility allows the crustacean to swim freely without impediment. This resolves the contradiction by providing secure fastening through elastic deformation rather than rigid constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dynamic securing mechanism where the rubber band can change its state between stretched (during attachment) and relaxed (during swimming). This dynamic behavior allows the crustacean to transition from being secured to swimming freely, maintaining both secure attachment and natural swimming capability throughout the fishing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If special lure devices encircle the body of the shrimp under tension or use spring action, then the crustacean is securely held, but the swimming motion of the crustacean is impeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure holding of crustaceanVSAvoidnatural swimming motion of crustacean

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The rubber band provides a flexible securing mechanism that does not rigidly constrain the crustacean's body. The crustacean can swim naturally while the rubber band maintains attachment, eliminating the need for spring action or tensioned encirclement that would impede swimming motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical systems (springs, rigid encirclement devices) with a simple elastic rubber band. This substitution eliminates the need for active mechanical adjustment and maintains natural crustacean swimming motion while ensuring secure holding through elastic properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If the hook point faces downward toward the tail of the crustacean, then the crustacean can be easily attached, but casting performance and tracking are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of attaching crustacean to hookVSAvoidcasting and tracking performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional hook orientation by positioning the hook point to face upward away from the crustacean tail rather than downward toward it. This inversion maintains ease of attachment through the rubber band mechanism while significantly improving casting performance and tracking capabilities by allowing the hook to present itself more effectively to prey.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 securely attaches the live crustacean to the hook with minimal injury, enabling it to remain alive and swim freely, thereby serving effectively as a live lure or bait with improved casting and tracking capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

a tubular stretchable hook-casing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12324423B2Live crustacean holding fishing device

Publication Date: 2025.06.10 GUIRARD RICK

AI summary

A live-crustacean holding fishing device and methods of making it are disclosed. The device includes a clasp attached to a long shank fishing hook. The clasp has a shell grasping portion at one end and is attached to tubular stretchable hook-casing at the other. The hook-casing has an attached ring tab. A live crustation is attached by fitting the shell grasping portion of the clasp between the carapace and first segment of the abdomen, then stretching the hook-casing so that the ring tab fits over the shrimp's horn. This secures the live crustation to the hook, but allows it to live and swim freely thereby serving as a live lure. The clasp is either glued to, or molded around, the shank of the hook. The hook-casing is secured to the clasp either by an adhesive or by lateral openings that fit over lateral protrusions on the clasp.