Patent Application
20070275174
The fishing fly is typically made from various filamentous materials such as hackle feathers from birds such as chickens as well as animal hair or synthetic fibers. The fly comprises a plurality of filaments arranged to look like an insect.
The fly fishing line typically comprises a core and an outer layer or body surrounding the core. The core is often made of braided filaments such as nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene or silk. The outer layer or body is typically a plastisol such as polyvinyl chloride with a lubricant that is extruded onto the core.
The fluorocarbon which is applied to the fishing fly and/or the fly fishing line is a fluorocarbon that is a film former which will coat and conform to the filaments associated with the fly and/or the fishing line. Examples of suitable fluorocarbons are oligomeric or polymeric fluorocarbons, particularly oligomeric or polymeric perfluoromaterials (“perfluoropolymers”). By perfluoro is meant a substituent having one or more CnF2n+1 groups and preferably a terminal —CF3 group. Examples of suitable perfluoropolymers are perfluoroalcohols such as CnF2n+1—(CF2CF2)b—CH2—CH2—OH (where b is 2 to 10 and n is 1 to 6), esters of perfluoroalcohols including monoesters such as stearic acid ester, diesters such as the adipate ester and triesters such as the citrate ester. A class of particularly preferred perfluoropolymers are perfluorophosphorus acids such as perfluoroalkylene ether phosphorus acid such as those of the structure:
where x is 0 to 1; y is 1; z is 1 to 2; and x+y+z is 3; R is a radical having a total of 1 to 30 carbon atoms; R′ is selected from H, a metal or lower alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; A is oxygen radical or a chemical bond; n is 1 to 6; M is F or CnF2n+1; and those of the structure:
where x is 0 to 1; y is 1 to 2; z is 1; and x+y+z is 3; R is a radical having a total of 1 to 30 carbon atoms; R′ is selected from H, a metal or lower alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; A is oxygen radical or a chemical bond; n is 1 to 6; M is F or CnF2n+1.
For application to the fishing fly or fishing line, the perfluoropolymer is dissolved or dispersed in a liquid diluent. The concentration of the perfluoropolymer is somewhat critical and should be greater than 0.01 micromolar and less than 500 micromolar. Amounts less than 0.01 micromolar or less do not provide the desired hydrophobicity to the fly or coating line, whereas amounts of 500 micromolar or higher provide too heavy a coating causing the fly and line to sink beneath the water's surface. Examples of suitable diluents are hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane and toluene; ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone; alcohols such as methanol and ethanol; water; ethers such as tetrahydrofuran and particularly fluorinated solvents such as nonafluorobutylmethyl ether, including mixtures thereof. The fluorinated solvents are different from the film-forming fluorocarbons in that the fluorinated solvents are not film formers. Preferably, the vapor pressure of the solvent is high, permitting rapid evaporation at room temperature (20-25° C.). If the fluorocarbon is soluble in the diluent, it can be dissolved easily upon adding the fluorocarbon to the diluent. If on the other hand it is not soluble in the diluent, it can be dispersed in the diluent with the aid of a dispersant or surfactant. Examples of suitable dispersants or surfactants are nonionic surfactants such as nonyl phenol.
The fluorocarbon solution or dispersion can easily be applied to the fishing fly or line by any combination of methods. For application to the fly, the solution or dispersion of the fluorocarbon can be sprayed onto the fly or can be flowed over the surface of the fly, for example, by using an eyedropper. Also, the fly can be dipped into the solution or the dispersion of the fluorocarbon and the excess shaken off. Application to the line can easily be accomplished by spraying, dipping or moistening a cloth with the fluorocarbon solution or dispersion and passing the cloth over the fishing line. All of these methods of application can be done easily in the field or can of course be done beforehand in a factory-applied setting. After application of the fluorocarbon, the diluent is permitted to evaporate, preferably at ambient temperature, or in a factory application, by the application of heat.
The resultant coating is thin, having a thickness of about 0.1 to 5 microns. The coating is conformal, encapsulating the individual feathers of the fly thereby preserving the details of the fly in that the filaments of the fly are not clustered together. The coatings are continuous and substantially pinhole free and are considerably hydrophobic. The coated fly wets only on its surface and simple back casting will shed the water from the fly and the line presenting essentially dry hydrophobic fly and line that floats on the water in subsequent casting.
Optionally, a primer coat of an organo metallic compound can be applied to the fly and/or fishing line prior to the fluorocarbon film former in order to enhance the bonding strength of the fluorocarbon to the lure and/or the fishing line.
Examples of such film formers are metal alkoxides such as those of the structure:
M(OR)4
where M is selected from a metal or metalloid selected from Group III of the Periodic Table or a transition metal selected from Group IVB, VB and VIB of the Periodic Table. Preferred metals are transition metals selected from Group VIB such as titanium and zirconium; and R is C1-18 alkyl. The metal alkoxide primers are particularly useful with the perfluorophosphorus acids.
The invention is set forth in the following claims.
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/808,037, filed May 24, 2006.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60808037 | May 2006 | US |
