Fish Measuring Device Using Vertical Suspension and Retractable Tape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish measuring devices are cumbersome, difficult to use, prone to false readings due to fish movement, and require frequent cleaning, with most being heavy and susceptible to sinking in water, lacking portability and ease of use for accurate measurements.
Innovation Solution
A portable fish measuring device featuring a fastener with a clothes-pin mechanism and a flexible, retractable measuring tape that attaches to the fish, allowing for vertical alignment and easy reading of length indicators, with a zero mark for accurate measurements, and made from lightweight materials resistant to water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a rigid, long measuring board (32-42 inches) is used to measure fish length, then measurement accuracy is improved, but portability and ease of storage deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device is divided into two main segments: a fastener component (clothespin mechanism) and a measuring tape component. The measuring tape can be retracted into the fastener when not in use, transforming a long rigid structure into a compact form factor that is easy to carry and store while maintaining full measurement capability when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static rigid board to a dynamic flexible system. The measuring tape can extend and retract, and the clothespin fastener can open and close to attach to the fish. This dynamic capability allows the device to adapt between a compact stored state and an extended measurement state, resolving the contradiction between length for accuracy and compactness for portability
2Measurement precision
If a horizontal measuring board is used to measure fish, then measurement capability is provided, but fish movement causes false readings
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing the fish on a horizontal board and hoping it remains still, the invention inverts the approach by vertically suspending the fish using the clothespin fastener attached to its mouth. This vertical orientation with the fish hanging downward uses gravity to keep the fish stable and stationary during measurement, eliminating the movement problems associated with horizontal placement
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical suspension configuration allows the fish's own weight and gravity to hold it in place, providing self-stabilization during measurement. The fish naturally hangs straight down when attached by the mouth, creating a stable measurement position without requiring additional support structures or constant user intervention to prevent movement
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid aluminum measuring board is used, then structural stability is provided, but weight increases and sinking in water occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the rigid aluminum board with a flexible measuring tape that can be contained within a lightweight housing. The tape itself is a thin, flexible element that provides measurement markings without the weight and buoyancy problems of rigid aluminum construction. This flexible approach maintains sufficient structural stability for measurement while dramatically reducing weight and improving water resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines multiple materials with complementary properties: the clothespin fastener provides structural integrity and gripping force, the measuring tape provides flexible measurement capability, and the housing material (likely plastic or lightweight composite) provides protection and buoyancy. This composite construction achieves structural stability without the weight penalty of solid aluminum, and the overall device can be designed to float or resist sinking in water
4Ease of operation
If a horizontal measuring board is used, then fish can be placed on the surface, but cleaning frequency increases due to fish slime
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from horizontal surface contact measurement to vertical suspension measurement. By hanging the fish vertically from the clothespin fastener and reading the measurement tape along the vertical axis, the measuring surfaces (fastener and tape) do not contact the fish body, eliminating the slime contamination problem while maintaining ease of operation through simple attachment to the fish mouth
Data Source
AI summary
A device for measuring the length of a fish that includes fastener and a measuring tape, the fastener including a distal end and a proximal end, opposite to the distal end, and that is attached to a proximal end of the fish, the measuring tape being coupled to the fastener and having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length separating the proximal and distal ends, with the distal end of the measuring tape being located at least at a distal end of the fish to expose a fish length, the measuring tape also having distance indicators along the measuring tape length and extends downward and away from the distal end of the fastener.