The invention generally pertains to fishing equipment, and more particularly to a fishing sinker assembly that facilitates the sinking of a baited fishing line below the surface of a body of water, and protects a vessel from damage resulting from inadvertent contact of the assembly on the vessel.
Fishing sinkers are used to send a baited hook on a fishing line towards the bottom of a body of water. A fishing sinker is typically made from a mass of lead with a hole therethrough. The hole allows the sinker to be secured to the line. Other means of attachment are also known such as an eyelet that extends from the mass.
Adding or subtracting mass from the line is accomplished by adding or removing individual sinkers, which can be time consuming and difficult. Sinkers are also commonly made of hard, heavy materials, for example lead, steel, brass or bismuth so as to have the required density and durability required for their use.
However, when fishing from a vessel, it is possible for the sinker to impact against the hull or other areas of the vessel, especially while the line is placed in or removed from a body of water. The impact of the sinker often results in damage to the sinker and/or chipping or denting of the vessel.
Padding can be attached to either the vessel or the sinker in order to prevent or reduce damage resulting from a contact between them, however it can be difficult to keep the padding in place in a marine environment. It is found that the padding can easily be dislodged by strong currents or by drag forces caused by movement of the vessel or the sinker through water.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,275 patent discloses a fishing sinker with skeletal fins projecting therefrom that serve to engage the floor of the fishing bed and maintain the sinker in its cast position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,663 patent discloses a slip sinker slidably mounted on a line. The sinker consists of a length of pliable plastic material extending through and secured to an elongated tapered body. The line extends through the plastic sleeve and is free to move within the sinker. The plastic sleeve extends completely through the sinker on opposite sides thereof so that the line can freely move through the plastic liner.
The 2016/0302401 publication discloses a fishing sinker that includes a sinker body with a bore formed through it. A unidirectionally displaceable wedge is received in the bore with a passage for a line formed through the wedge. A friction reducing sleeve is located between the bore and the wedge and is fast with the sinker body. The sinker is designed to make it difficult for fish to feel any jerking or hesitation on the line as they take a baited hook so that they are not immediately alerted to the presence of fishing tackle.
For background purposes and indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the patent search.
A fishing sinker assembly that is used in combination with a fishing pole that maintains and directs an extendable length of fishing line with a bait hook at a distal end. The assembly is secured to an end or a section of baited fishing line that is placed in a body of water. The assembly causes the baited line to sink below the surface of the water to an optimal depth, and to attract fish to the bait on the line.
The assembly includes an inner two-section containing member and an outer two-section enclosing member with both containing member's sections having a bulbous shape. The containing member's first section has multiple cavities each of which is preferably triangular shaped. Into each cavity is placed a wedge which is also preferably triangular shaped to correspond to the shape of the cavity. The wedge can be made of a variety of materials including metal, plastic, a composite material or a fish attracting substance, and functions as a weight to force the assembly and baited fishing line to sink to an optimal depth and/or to attract fish to the baited line. The function is typically dependent on the material the wedge is made of. Additionally, the wedge can be made of, or include, a material that illuminates, such as a phosphorescent material, which produces a glowing object underwater that attracts fish to the baited line. When the wedge is made of an illuminated material the containing member and enclosing member must both be transparent or translucent. For other applications the members can be any color or combination of colors.
The assembly's enclosing member also has a first section and a second section, each of which is placed onto and over the respective first and second section of the containing member. The enclosing member's sections are made of an impact-resistant or impact-absorbing material such as rubber, silicone, plastic, foam or a composite material. The impact-resistant or impact-absorbing material prevents damage that results when the assembly is used from a vessel and inadvertently contacts the vessel when the assembly is placed into or removed from a body of water. The material is also resilient which allows the sections to slightly expand when being placed on the containing member and then contract to create a secure friction fit.
To use the assembly, wedges are placed within the cavities in the containing member's first section and the containing member's second section is placed on the first section. The two sections of the enclosing member are then placed on and over the containing member. The assembly is then secured to a baited fishing line. A central aperture, either with or without a side-oriented slot, extends through the entire assembly and facilitates the securement of the assembly to the line. Once the assembly is secured to the baited fishing line, the assembly and line are placed into a body of water and allowed to sink to an optimal depth.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to provide a fishing sinker that causes a baited fishing line to sink in a body of water, attract fish to the baited line, and protect a vessel and the assembly from damage resulting from inadvertent contact between the assembly and the vessel.
In addition to the primary object, it is also an object of the invention to provide a fishing sinker that:
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment of a fishing sinker assembly (assembly 10). A fishing sinker is device that causes a baited fishing line to sink below the surface of a body of water to an optimal depth. Without a fishing sinker, a fishing line with bait attached to a hook on a distal end, will typically float on the surface of a body of water as a result of the relating low-weight of the line, hook and bait. This makes fishing difficult since fish often will not see or smell bait floating on the surface, and certain fish prefer not to swim to the surface. The assembly 10 provides a solution to this problem by providing a fishing sinker that is quickly and easily secured to a fishing line to facilitate the sinking of a baited line to a below surface depth. Additionally, the assembly 10 can include a fish attracting substance that will draw fish to the baited line, and since the assembly 10 has outer sections made of an impact-resistant or impact-absorbing material, when the assembly is used from a vessel, the assembly 10 will protect itself as well as the vessel from damage that can occur when the assembly 10 inadvertently contacts the vessel as the assembly is placed into or removed from a body of water.
The assembly 10, as shown in
The containing member 12 also includes a second section 46 that functions as a cover or cap on the first section 14, encompassing the cavities 28 with wedges 100 therein. The second section 46, as shown in
In order to provide contact placement, the second section 46 is dimensioned to fit onto and follow along the upper perimeter edge 22 of the first section 14, as shown in
The assembly's enclosing member 64, as shown in
The enclosing member's second section 84, as shown in
The two sections 68,84 of the enclosing member 64 are both bulbous shaped made of an impact-resistant and impact-absorbing material such as rubber, silicone, plastic, foam or a resilient composite material. When the assembly 10 is used from a vessel, such as a boat the assembly 10 can inadvertently come into contact with the vessel when the assembly is placed into or removed from a body of water. The impact-resistant or impact-absorbing material protects both the assembly and the vessel from damage that can occur as a result of the inadvertent contact.
The wedge 100, is inserted into one of the cavities 28 in the containing member's first section 14. The wedge 100, as shown in
In order to increase the functionality of the assembly 10, the wedge 100 can made of an illuminating substance 108 such as a phosphorescent material. The illuminated wedge presents a glowing object within the water that attracts fish and draws them to the baited line within the water.
In order to provide a choice in the amount of weight an assembly has, the weight wedges can be full-sized or variations thereof, such as half-size or quarter-size. When an illuminating substance 108 is utilized, both the containing member 12 and enclosing member 64 most be transparent or translucent. For other applications, both members 12,64 can be any color or combination of colors, such as a camouflage pattern. Also, a dissolving tablet can be placed within hollow wedge 100. As the tablet dissolves, a disturbance that attracts fish occurs in the water around the assembly 10. The disturbance is a fizzing effect that is similar to when a seltzer tablet dissolves in water, or, carbonated crystal can be placed within a wedge 100 to produce a underwater soundwave which also attracts fish.
In order to provide a secure attachment of the enclosing member's first and second sections on and over the containing member 12, a plurality of outward extending tabs 36 can circumvent the substantial midline 38 of the containing member's first section 14. The tabs 36 are located where the perimeter edges 70,86 of the enclosing member's first and second sections 68,84 interface, as shown in
As shown in
Also, it should be noted that the material the containing member's first section 14 is made of is preferably resilient and deformable to facilitate the placing of the wedge 100 into a cavity 28. And, when a wedge 100 is placed into a cavity 28, a substantial seal is created around the wedge's periphery.
To use the assembly, a person inserts the wedge(s) 100 into a cavity 28 in the containing member's first section 14. When the wedge(s) are secure, within the cavity 28, the containing member's second section is placed on the first section, encompassing the cavities with wedges therein. The enclosing member's first section 68 and second section 84 are then placed on the containing member 12. When the enclosing member's two sections are secured on and over the containing member, a fishing line can be inserted into the single central aperture extending through the assembly 10. When the assembly 10 is securely in place at a desired location on the fishing line, the baited line, along with the assembly, is placed into a body of water and allowed to sink. If desired or required, depending on the use, multiple assemblies 10, each with the same or different type of wedges can be secured to a single fishing line.
While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.