Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Baits – attractants – or lures
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-06
2001-01-16
Lovering, Richard D. (Department: 1712)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Baits, attractants, or lures
C043S042000, C106S205010, C516S104000, C516S107000, C524S055000, C524S916000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174525
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to polymeric biodegradable fish lures, compositions therefor, and processes for manufacturing the lures and the compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several compositions are known to be recommended for artificial fish lures. The preferred composition and the standard for the recreation fishing industry are the polyvinyl chloride plastisols (PVC). PVC is ideally suited for formulating and molding soft lures. However, PVC has two major drawbacks: i) it does not biodegrade in the environment, nor is it digestible, and ii) it does not release fish attractants efficiently.
PVC is persistent in the environment and is not digestible by fish or animals. Fish are known to have completely blocked their digestive systems by consuming PVC lures, resulting in the death of the fish. PVC plastisol lures are comprised of polyvinyl chloride, hydrocarbon plasticizers, oil extenders and stabilizers. These compounds are not water-soluble and will persist in the lakes and rivers year after year. It is obvious that a biodegradable lure would be advantageous to the environment as well as to the fish that take the lure but are not caught or those that find and eat the lost lures.
PVC lures do not release active chemicals (attractants) very well, and generally from the surface of the lure only. Active chemicals present inside of a PVC lure are not released at all or at best are released at a very slow and ineffective rate from fish lures. Clearly a more efficient release of chemical attractants would be desirable.
Compositions have been described that could meet the biodegradable and release of attractant issues, but they do not address the necessary properties required of a soft recreational fishing lure. Additionally, they have disadvantages even within the technologies described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,857 (Nambu) describes a method of making a hydrogel utilizing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carrageenan, xanthan, guar gum. The patent states that fish-luring agents may be used to formulate fish baits with this invention. However, Nambu teaches that vacuum dehydration while a molded object remains frozen (that is, freeze drying) is required to produce a hydrogel from PVA that is strong, elastic and water-resistant. A rehydration process is also called for. This vacuum dehydration and later rehydration is a time-consuming and costly process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,302 (Inoue) describes a hydrogel made from PVA. It is stated that an artificial bait can be prepared. lnoue's teaching requires a freezing period of a minimum of two hours and up to fifty hours. This process is time- and cost-consuming. Inoue's technology cannot process PVA with a degree of polymerization above 2000, putting a significant limitation on developing lures that are as tough as or tougher than PVC lures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,481 (Kuwabara) describes a product with an inner and an outer layer, which is targeted primarily as a human food, but a claim is made that the process can produce a fish bait. This process utilizes gums, starches, proteins, etc., and metal ions to effect chemical crosslinking. This gel form lacks the coadhesive strength to remain empaled on a fishhook while casting, trolling, and the like actions used in fishing. This technology also does not allow for a satisfactory combination of strength, elasticity and flexibility required for a satisfactory fishing lure. If the gel is made strong, the chemical bonds make the gel hard and stiff; if made soft and flexible, the gel is not strong enough. By nature of the crosslinking in the Kuwabara patent, elasticity is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to molded fish lures, compositions therefor, and processes for manufacturing the lures and the compositions. The fish lures of the invention are soft and they exhibit superior durability, tensile strength, flexibility, elasticity, cohesive strength, aesthetic appeal, and low cost. Importantly, they are biodegradable and can release fish attractants efficiently. The artificial lures of the invention may take the form and shape of, for example, worms, nightcrawlers, grubs, shad, crawfish, salmon eggs, mealworms, and the like. By “soft” is meant that the lure has a Shore 00 durometer reading of from about 0 to about 50 on an ASTM D2240 OO type scale. Fish lures having a Shore durometer reading within this range also exhibit many of the other necessary requirements of an acceptable lure, including flexibility, elasticity, and aesthetic appeal (as it relates to feel).
Compositions for making soft, water-soluble, artificial fishing lures of the present invention comprise, in one embodiment, a biodegradable long-chain polymer. In a second embodiment, the soft, water-soluble fishing lures of the invention comprise a biodegradable blend of a long-chain polymer and a polymeric gum. The components may be used alone or they may be used in combinations of two or more. The polymers and gums used in the present invention are water-soluble and biodegradable. In a presently preferred embodiment, the compositions further include an aromatic hydroxyl compound. This compound acts as a hydrogen-bonding accelerator. The compositions of the invention may additionally and optionally include other additives such as, for example, plasticizers, fish attractants, water, coloring agents and glitter, and the like.
The present invention is further directed to a process for the manufacture of a fish lure, the process comprising obtaining an aqueous solution of a biodegradable long-chain polymer; adding to the solution a biodegradable gum and, optionally, a hydrogen-bonding accelerator to form a mixture of the polymer, the gum and, optionally, the accelerator; heating and stirring the mixture until the gum is hydrated; shaping the mixture into the form of a fish lure; and subjecting the formed fish lure to freezing temperatures. The formed fish lure may be subjected to at least one freeze/thaw cycle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2827376 (1958-03-01), Breuer
patent: 3767787 (1973-10-01), Segal
patent: 3779968 (1973-12-01), Argabright et al.
patent: 3875302 (1975-04-01), Inoue
patent: 4375481 (1983-03-01), Kuwabara et al.
patent: 4664857 (1987-05-01), Nambu
patent: 4676976 (1987-06-01), Toba et al.
patent: 5089277 (1992-02-01), Prochnow
patent: 5393537 (1995-02-01), Rawlins
patent: 5506290 (1996-04-01), Shapero
Erickson Donald W.
Larson Jacqueline S.
Lovering Richard D.
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