This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application Serial No. 2014-071403 (filed on Mar. 31, 2014), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a jig head including a sinker head serving as a weight for a fishing line and a hook integrally fixed on the sinker head.
A tenya jig head, which includes a sinker head serving as a fishing weight and a hook, has been conventionally used as a fishing tackle for tenya fishing. For example, the tenya jig head 90 as shown in
The sinker heads in conventional tenya jig heads have been formed of lead. This is because lead is highly workable and has a high specific gravity of about 11.5. Sinker heads having a higher specific gravity are smaller and thus easier to use.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-85535 (the “'535 Publication”), a tenya jig head for use with a small bait fish is disclosed. A hook is integrally fixed on the weight body (the sinker head). The hook includes a barb diverging from the hook and projecting toward the weight body. Thus, it is asserted that a baitfish can be put on the hook only by piercing the hook into the baitfish.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-165732 (the “'732 Publication”), a tenya jig head for catching a cutlassfish is disclosed. The weight is provided at the middle thereof a sleeve extending through the weight, and a hook can be inserted into and pulled out from the sleeve. One end of the hook is pierced from a tail to abdomen and mouth of a baitfish, and the other end of the hook is inserted through the sleeve in the weight. The hook is fixed on the weight as follows. A wire having a pin on one end thereof is passed through a retaining hole provided in one end of the hook and further through the bottom portion and inner portion of the weight and pulled out upwardly; then, a snood connecting part is provided on the wire.
As shown in the '535 Publication, conventional tenya jig heads include a hook integrally fixed on a sinker head. Therefore, a tenya jig head having a worn hook is replaced with new one and disposed of. It is unreasonable to dispose of an entire tenya jig head having a worn hook.
Since the environmental load of lead has recently been emphasized, lead is being replaced with other alloys, particularly tungsten, for use in tenya jig heads. Tungsten has a higher specific gravity than lead (about 19.0) and is hard enough to undergo almost no deformation during use. Since the prime cost is higher than that of lead and the workability is lower than that of lead, a weight made of tungsten is expensive. Therefore, it is not preferable to dispose of a tenya jig head including a sinker head made of tungsten only because the hook is worn.
In the '732 Publication, the hook can be separated from the weight and replaced with new one. However, this hook a special one, not an ordinary hook. Additionally, the procedure to fix the hook on the weight is complex and thus is troublesome for anglers not used to it.
In the conventional tenya jig head shown in
The problems described above are related to tenya jig heads as an example but are common to any jig heads. One object of the present invention is to provide a jig head including a hook and a sinker head which permits simple replacement of the hook with new one.
First Aspect
A jig head 70 of the first aspect comprises: a sinker head 21 including an eye 21 to which a fishing line 11 is to be attached; and a hook portion 30 including a shank 31 fixed on the sinker head 21 at one end thereof, and a bend 32 continuous to the other end of the shank 31 and bent in a predetermined direction. The hook portion 30 includes a wide portion (e.g., a ring 35 as a line eye) widened to form a plane at the one end of the shank 31. The sinker head 21 comprises: an intermediate member 50 having a hook engagement portion 51 configured to be removably engaged with the wide portion; an intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 configured to receive therein the intermediate member 50; and an intermediate member-fixing means 60 configured to removably fix the intermediate member 50 in the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
A “sinker head 20” is a “fishing weight” formed of a metal such as lead, a zinc alloy, or tungsten and integrally including an eye 21 to which a fishing line 11 is to be attached.
Upon “engagement” of the “hook engagement portion 51,” the hook portion 30 is prohibited from moving in the axial direction thereof; and when fixed by the intermediate fixing means 60, the hook portion 30 is immobilized with respect to the sinker head 20 even under forces in any directions.
Operation
To fix the hook portion 30 on the sinker head 20, the wide portion 35 is engaged with the hook engagement portion 51 of the intermediate member 50, and the intermediate member 50 is fixed with the intermediate member-fixing means 60.
To remove the hook portion 30 from the sinker head 20, the intermediate member 50 is removed from the intermediate member-fixing means such that the wide portion 35 of the hook portion 30 is disengaged from the intermediate member 50.
When the hook portion 30 is worn out, a new hook portion 30 can be installed on the sinker head 20 for use as a tenya jig head 10.
Variation 1 of First Aspect
The first aspect can be modified to the following variation.
The intermediate member 50 includes a tapered surface 52 narrower toward the bend 32 in the hook portion 30.
The intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 includes a tapered hole 43 configured to receive the tapered surface 52 of the intermediate member 50.
The intermediate member-fixing means 60 is configured to crimp the tapered surface 52 of the intermediate member 50 on the tapered hole 43 of the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
Operation
The wide portion 35 of the hook portion 30 is engaged with the hook engagement portion 51 of the intermediate member 50. The intermediate member 50 is inserted into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 in the sinker head 20 such that the tapered surface 52 of the intermediate member 50 is crimped on the tapered hole 43 of the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
The hook portion 30 can be securely fixed with such simple components that can be readily fabricated.
Variation 2 of First Aspect
The first aspect may be modified as follows.
The intermediate member 50 includes a shank-receiving hole portion 55 configured to receive the one end of the shank 31 of the hook portion 30.
The intermediate member-fixing means 60 comprises: a fixing engagement portion 57 provided at an end of the intermediate member 50 opposite to the shank-receiving hole portion 55; a fixing hole portion 58 in the sinker head 21, communicating with the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 and configured to be engaged with the fixing engagement portion 57; and a fixing means configured to fix the fixing engagement portion 57 received in the fixing hole portion 57.
Operation
The wide portion 35 of the hook portion 30 is inserted into the shank-receiving hole portion 55 of the intermediate member 50 and is engaged with the hook engagement portion 51. The intermediate member 50 is inserted into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 in the sinker head 20 such that the fixing engagement portion 57 of the intermediate member 50 is inserted and fixed in the fixing hole portion 58 communicating with the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
Variation 3 of First Aspect
The first aspect may be modified such that the wide portion is constituted by a ring 35 formed of a bent end of the hook portion 30 opposite to a point, and the hook engagement portion 51 has a groove-like shape to be engaged with the ring 35.
Operation
The hook portion 30 has a ring 35 at an end opposite to a point. Since such a conventional hook portion 30 is replaceably used, a wide range of applications can be obtained.
The first aspect provides a jig head including a sinker head and a hook (hook portion) readily replaceable with new one.
a is a perspective view showing a tenya jig head according to a first embodiment of the present invention, the tenya jig head being suspended with a fishing line; and
a is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the tenya jig head in
a to 4d show a process of fabricating the tenya jig head shown in
a is a perspective view showing a variation of the tenya jig head wherein the components are exploded; and
a is a perspective view showing a variation of the tenya jig head; and
a is a perspective view showing a variation of the tenya jig head; and
a is a perspective view showing a variation of the tenya jig head; and
An embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the attached drawings. Reference will be made to
As shown in
In the embodiment, the hook portion 30 may be a wire rod formed of steel and provided with a coating for reduce friction and may include a shank 31 having a substantially linear shape and a bend 32 bent toward the lower right part of
In the embodiment, the hook portion 30 may be a conventional hook commercially available. The hook (hook portion 30) shown in
The tip end (the point) of the bend 32 may constitute a hook 33 for piercing a fish biting the bait and may have a barb 34. For example, when a shrimp is put on the hook portion 30 to catch a porgy, the tail of the shrimp may be cut off to leave one segment, and the point is pierced into the center of the tail through the abdomen and let out from the middle of the abdomen.
The tenya jig head 10 according to the present invention may be characterized in that the hook portion 30, or a conventional hook, is removably fixed on the sinker head 20. That is, the sinker head 20 may include a hook attachment mechanism 40 which is removable and can be engaged with the ring 35 of the hook portion 30.
As shown in
The sinker head 20 may include the hook attachment mechanism 40 described above. That is, as shown in
The outer shape of the intermediate member 50 may include a tapered surface 52 narrower toward the bend 32 of the hook portion 30, or toward the lower part of the
The above two halves may be put together so as to fit the ring 35 and the shank 31 of the hook portion 30 into the hook engagement portions 51 and the grooves 53. As shown in
As shown in
The intermediate member-fixing means 60 may be a fixing means for crimping the tapered surface 52 of the intermediate member 50 on the tapered hole 43 of the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
That is, as shown in
b shows the intermediate member 50 being moved downward and inserted into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 of the sinker head 20. The tapered surface 52 of the intermediate member 50 may be fitted on the tapered hole 43 of the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42.
c shows the intermediate member 50 being knocked with a hammer at the top end thereof and driven into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 in the sinker head 20.
d shows the intermediate member 50 knocked and crushed at the top end thereof to crimp the intermediate member 50 on the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42. Since the hook portion 30 may be fixed in the sinker head 20, the hook portion 30 may not waver or rotate idly even under a large force when a porgy is caught.
The intermediate member 50 deformed can be pulled out with a tool such as a nipper and replaced with a new hook portion 30. The new hook portion 30 can be fixed in the sinker head 20 using a new intermediate member 50 as described above.
Next, a variation of the hook attachment mechanism 40 will be described based on
Additionally, in the upper portion of the intermediate member 50a may be formed hook engagement portions 51a to be engaged with the ring 35 of the hook portion 30. The hook engagement portions 51a may be vertical through-holes formed in the tube at opposed positions such that the widthwise ends of the ring 35 project outward beyond the outer circumference of the intermediate member 50a.
In the embodiment, the intermediate member 50a may be formed of a flexible thermoplastic resin, but may be formed of other desired materials.
The intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42a may have a tapered hole 43a extending through the sinker head 20 and capable of receiving the tapered surface 52a of the intermediate member 50a. In the upper surface of the tapered hole 43a may be formed grooves 44 for receiving the widthwise ends of the ring 35.
The operation of the second embodiment may be substantially the same as described for the above embodiment with reference to
That is, the ring 35 and the shank 31 may be inserted into the shank-receiving hole portion 55 in the intermediate member 50a. The ring 35 may be moved through the vertical groove 56 in the intermediate member 50a, and the widthwise ends of the ring 35 may be inserted into the hook engagement portions 51a (the vertical through-holes) in the intermediate member 50a. The hook portion 30 may be fixed in the intermediate member 50a. This operation can be readily implemented since the intermediate member 50a may be formed of a plastic material.
Then, the intermediate member 50a may be inserted into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42a such that the tapered surface 52a of the intermediate member 50a may be fitted into the tapered hole 43 of the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42a. The intermediate member 50a may be knocked with a hammer at the top end thereof and driven into the intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42 for crimping. In other respects, this embodiment may be the same as the embodiment described above.
Another variation of the hook attachment mechanism 40 will be described based on
In the embodiment, the fixing engagement portion 57 may have a substantially rectangular shape and have a vertical groove 56b communicating with the vertical groove 56a in the tube 54.
The intermediate member-receiving hole portion 42b may have a through-hole extending through the sinker head 20 and capable of receiving the tube 54 of the intermediate member 50b. In the upper portion of the through-hole may be formed a fixing hole portion 45 capable of receiving the fixing engagement portion 57 having a substantially rectangular shape. The fixing hole portion 45 may have a size for press-fitting the fixing engagement portion 57.
The operation of the second embodiment may be substantially the same as described for the above embodiment with reference to
Then, the tube 54 of the intermediate member 50b may be inserted into the intermediate member-receiving hole 42b, and the fixing engagement portion 57 having a substantially rectangular shape may be securely press-fitted into the fixing hole portion 45 in the sinker head 20. Since the fixing engagement portion 57 has a substantially rectangular shape, the hook portion 30 may not waver or rotate idly even under a large force. In other respects, this embodiment may be the same as the embodiments described above.
a and 7b show a variation of the embodiment shown in
In the fourth embodiment, since the fixing engagement portion 57a has a star-shaped section, the hook portion 30 may not waver or rotate idly even under a large force. In other respects, this embodiment may be almost the same as the embodiment described with reference to
a and 8b show a variation of the embodiment shown in
As shown in
Welding is not required in fixing the hook portion 30 on the sinker head 20 in the embodiments 1 to 5. This may prevent reduction in specific gravity due to welding and may support the demand for sinker heads having a small volume and a high specific gravity obtained by using an expensive material such as tungsten.
The embodiments described above may be in the form of a tenya jig head 10 as an example, but the technique according the present invention can be applied to a jig head 70.
An application to the jig head 70 may be as follows.
The present invention can be applied in the fields of manufacture, dealing, and rental business of fishing gears and instructor business of outdoor sports, etc.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2014-071403 | Mar 2014 | JP | national |