Polymer Keeper Retains Soft Body on Lead Head Jig
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lead-head jigs with wire hooks or barbs often damage soft polymer bodies during fish strikes, rendering them unusable and requiring frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
A lead-head jig design featuring a polymer keeper made from materials like elastomers or heat shrink tubing, securely positioned around the hook and rattle, which retains the soft polymer body without causing damage, allowing for multiple uses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wire hook or barb keeper is used to retain the polymer body, then the polymer body can be securely retained to the jig, but the polymer body becomes damaged or torn during fish strikes
Solution Approach 1:
A soft polymer tube keeper is introduced as an intermediary component between the rigid wire hook and the soft polymer body. The keeper acts as a mediator that provides secure retention through friction and elasticity while preventing direct contact between the harsh wire hook/barb and the polymer body, thus eliminating damage during fish strikes
Solution Approach 2:
The keeper material properties are specifically selected to match the polymer body - using soft, flexible materials with appropriate durometer ratings (e.g., 30-70 Shore A) that create sufficient friction for retention while being gentle enough to prevent tearing. The keeper's elasticity allows it to deform and conform during strikes without damaging the body
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a soft polymer tube keeper is used instead of wire hook or barb, then the polymer body is protected from damage, but the retention mechanism becomes less secure
Solution Approach 1:
The keeper's material parameters are optimized to provide both protection and retention - using elastomers with specific durometer ranges (30-70 Shore A) that balance softness for protection with sufficient friction and elastic recovery for secure retention. The keeper deforms under load to grip the body firmly while remaining gentle on the polymer surface
Solution Approach 2:
The keeper is constructed from composite or blended polymer materials that combine different properties - some components provide softness and elasticity for protection, while others provide increased friction coefficients or structural integrity for retention. This multi-property material approach resolves the contradiction between gentleness and grip strength
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wire hooks or barbs are used as keepers, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the polymer body requires frequent replacement due to damage
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the keeper disposable (like conventional wire hooks that damage bodies), the soft polymer tube keeper is designed as a durable, reusable component that protects the polymer body from damage. This reverses the disposable paradigm - the keeper becomes the protective, long-lasting element while the polymer body becomes the reusable asset, eliminating the need for frequent body replacements
Solution Approach 2:
The soft polymer tube keeper serves as a protective intermediary that eliminates direct damaging contact between the rigid retention structure and the polymer body. This mediator approach transforms the interaction from destructive to protective, allowing the polymer body to be reused multiple times without damage while maintaining secure retention
Data Source
AI summary
Lead-head jigs having a polymer keeper configured to retain a soft polymer body to the jig are disclosed therein. In one example, a lead-head jig includes a fish hook passing through a lead casting, and a polymer keeper tightly disposed around the fish hook between a head of the lead casting and a bend of the hook.