Patent Application
20210212301
This application is generally directed to the field of fish lures and more specifically to an overmolded soft plastic bait fish having a number of attendant features including an imbedded blade, as well as a related method of manufacturing same.
Various types of bait fish have long since been used by fishermen. In general, bait fish may be classified as either natural bait fish or artificial bait fish. Both natural bait fish and artificial bait fish have been used with a fishing hook and/or a fishing lure. When a natural bait fish is used with a fishing lure, the fishing lure enhances the motion, action, sound and/or appearance of the natural bait fish. In the event that the natural bait fish is dead, the fishing lure provides the motion, action and/or sound to the natural bait fish.
Numerous attempts have been made to create or design artificial fishing lures that realistically simulate live, healthy, feeding baitfish. Usually the fishing lure provides the total attraction for the artificial bait fish and simulates the motion, action, sound and/or appearance of a natural bait fish.
There is a prevailing need in the field to provide improved and durable fishing lures and more specifically, artificial bait fish that more accurately simulates a live bait fish for fishermen that prefer to use an artificial bait fish instead of a natural bait fish or the like.
There is another prevailing need in the field to provide an improved artificial bait fish that provides a natural swimming movement of the improved artificial fish bait through the water.
There is yet another general need in the field to provide an artificial bait fish that is adaptable for use various types and arrangement of conventional fishing hooks and existing fishing apparatus and in which the artificial bait fish is adaptable to a variety of uses, modes of operation, and applications.
The foregoing outlines the general state of the art as well as the prevailing needs in the field for an artificial bait fish. The present invention is intended to be responsive to these needs as discussed in greater detail herein.
Therefore and according to one aspect, there is provided an artificial bait fish comprising a soft plastic body, which is substantially molded in the shape of a fish. A blade made preferably from a lightweight durable metal such as aluminum or other suitable hard material is embedded or impregnated within the soft plastic body during the molding process. The artificial bait fish is configured and sized for attachment to a meat head or other conventionally known fishing apparatus for trolling or other fishing applications.
In at least one version, the imbedded blade includes at least one colored strip that is applied to at least one surface of the blade. The colored strip can be attached to the blade by means of fasteners, adhesives or other means. According to at least one version, the colored strip(s) can be painted directly onto a surface(s) of the blade. The imbedded blade provides structural rigidity as the artificial bait fish moves through the water, while also enhancing visibility of the fishing lure during use. Preferably, the lower edge of the artificial bait fish is rounded to insure an optimal roll rate of a fishing rig having the artificial bait fish as it moves through the water.
According to at least one version, a ridge formed at a neck portion of the lure permits the herein described bait fish to be fitted into literally any sized meat rig head.
According to at least one preferred version, the artificial bait fish is designed with a tapered belly portion extending from the neck of the artificial bait fish and extending to the tail end thereof. This feature advantageously allows the lure to roll smoothly through the water during use, such as when fishing the lure on a right or left meat rig head.
According to another aspect, there is provided a method for manufacturing an artificial bait fish, the method comprising the steps of:
According to at least one version, the artificial bait fish includes a neck that is formed with a ridge that is sized and shaped to permit the artificial bait fish to be attached to various sized fishing rigs, such as meat heads.
In at least one embodiment, the artificial bait fish includes a tapered belly that facilitates the ability of the bait fish to roll within the water when moved during trolling or other fishing application.
One advantage that is provided by the herein described invention is that the herein described artificial bait fish is fairly easy to manufacture and use.
Another advantage provided is that the herein described artificial bait fish more accurately enhance the motion, action and appearance of natural bait fish during use, as compared to prior art versions.
Yet another advantage provided is that the herein described artificial bait fish is adaptable to a number of different fishing rigs and applications. In addition and in terms of manufacture, the herein described artificial bait fish can be mass produced for commercial sale.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent features and advantages of the artificial bait fish of the present invention. The advantages should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications in terms of use. Many beneficial results can be obtained by applying the present invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the intended full scope of the invention. Accordingly, other features and advantages will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The following describes an embodiment of a soft plastic artificial bait fish, as well as a related method of manufacture and use of the artificial bait fish. It will be understood that the embodiment described is merely an example from which a number of alternative versions are possible. In addition and throughout the following description, a number of terms are used in order to provide a suitable frame of reference with regard to the accompanying drawings. These terms, which include “proximal”, “distal”, “outer”, “inner”, “top”, and “bottom”, “first” and “second” among others, should not limit the intended scope of the present invention unless so specifically indicated.
In addition, the accompanying drawings are merely intended to show salient features of the present invention. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and should not be used for scaling purposes.
With reference to
The body 104 of the artificial bait fish 100 is defined according to this exemplary embodiment by a first or distal end 108 (also referred throughout as the “head” or “head portion”) and a second or proximal end 112 (also referred to throughout as the “tail” or “tail end”). A blade 140, best shown in
According to this embodiment, the imbedded blade 140 is defined by a planar section of a lightweight and preferably non-corrosive metal, such as aluminum, although other literally any form of metal or plastic can be used, including but not limited to hard and durable polymers (polyamides, polyacrylic). As best shown in
With reference to
The body 104 is further defined according to this described embodiment by a tapered belly 124 extending between the tail end 112 and the neck portion 116. The tapered belly 124 has a shape or contour that allows the artificial bait fish 100 to roll smoothly through the water when fishing, for example, on either a right or left meat rig head (not shown).
According to this described embodiment, the herein described artificial bait fish 100 includes several through holes and more specifically a front hole 160, an intermediate hole 162 and a rear hole 164. According to this embodiment, each of the holes 160, 162, 164 pass though the thickness of the imbedded blade 140 with the holes 162 and 164 also passing though the soft plastic body 102 in order to permit the passage of hooks (not shown), and enabling attachment to a fishing line or fishing rig, such as those shown by way of example in
Dimensionally and to provide a frame of reference, the herein described artificial bait fish 100 has a length dimension of approximately 5 inches, a maximum width dimension of approximately 1.25 inches and a thickness dimension of approximately 0.125 inches. The imbedded plate 140 according to this embodiment has a length dimension of about 4 inches and a maximum width dimension of about 4 inches. It will be understood to those of adequate skill in the field that each of these parameters can be suitably varied.
With reference to
In terms of manufacture/fabrication of the artificial baitfish 100, the blade 140 is provided having the formed through holes 160, 162, 164 according to this specific embodiment. The blade 140 is machined from aluminum according to this embodiment although other suitable structural materials can be utilized. The colored sections or strips 150 are then applied to each of the respective planar sides of the blade 140. As noted, the colored strips 150 can be adhesively attached to the opposing sides of the blade 140 or alternatively can be attached as in the present embodiment using threaded fasteners 152 that affix the strips 150 via holes that have been previously machined into the blade 140. Alternatively and rather than attaching a separate colored section(s), the opposing planar surfaces of the blade 140 can be painted. In any of the described versions, the color (e.g., green) of the colored strip 150 or the blade 140 is selected to enhance visibility of the artificial bait fish 100 in the water during use.
Next, the blade 140 is inserted into one of the mold halves of the injection mold 200, the mold 200 including a first mold half 206 and a second mold half 207 that are hingably or otherwise attached to each other under pressure. According to this embodiment, the blade 140 is aligned with a set of spaced pins or tabs (not shown) that correspond with two of the through holes 162, 164 previously formed in the blade 140. This configuration further permits the blade 140 to be suspended within the mold 200.
The mold halves 206, 207 are clamped shut under appropriate pressure. Hot fluidized plastisol is then injected into the defined mold cavity, filling the plastic about the suspended blade 140. Each of the mold halves 206, 207 according to this embodiment are configured with a plurality of forms configured to produce multiple baitfish 100 in a single operation. It will be understood that the number of forms in the mold 200 (four according to this embodiment) can be suitably varied.
Each of the forms of the mold 200 are suitably shaped and sized to produce the baitfish 100, including a recessed portion 210 that forms the ridge 120 of the neck portion 116. After a predetermined cooling period following injection, the mold halves 206, 207 are unclamped and the formed artificial bait fish 100 is released from the mold 200. The finished bait fish 100 can be scented in a manner known in the field by means of an impregnated oil.
In terms of use, the artificial bait fish 100 can be used in a myriad of different fishing applications. For purposes of an exemplary configuration, the herein described artificial bait fish 100 is herein described for use with running baits. First and as shown in
To complete the rig, a barrel snap swivel (not shown) can be inserted into the front hole 160 of the artificial bait fish 100 on a metal tab. An appropriate fishing line (not shown) such as Fluorocarbon, monofilament, braided or wire fishing line can then be connected to the barrel snap swivel. The fishing hook can then be attached to the fishing line in order to complete the rig. This method can be used trolling on downrigger, dipsy diver, copper line, lead core line, planer board and casting, among other known trolling methods.
It will be readily apparent that other modifications and variations are possible within the intended scope of the described invention, including the following claims.
