Patent ID: 9392779
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: A01K

Claim Text:
1. A battery powered tip-up ice fishing line winder comprising, in combination: an ice fishing tip-up housing body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having an outer end, an inner end, a continuous outer wall between the outer end and the inner end, and an inner wall conjoined to the outer wall, the lower portion having an exterior end, an interior end, a continuous exterior wall between the exterior end and the interior end, and an interior wall conjoined to the exterior wall; a continuous lid centrally disposed on the outer end of the upper portion; a U-shaped channel continuously disposed across the lid and the outer end; a first shaft hole centrally disposed through the lid and through the upper portion along a longitudinal mid-line axis of the upper portion; a second shaft hole disposed along a longitudinal mid-line axis of the lower portion; a compartment between the first shaft hole and the upper portion inner wall; a motor disposed in the lower portion proximal the interior end; a battery housing disposed in the lower portion between the motor and the exterior wall, wherein the battery housing is configured to store at least one battery therein, the at least one battery being in operational communication with the motor; a drive shaft disposed within the second shaft hole between the first shaft hole and the motor, the drive shaft being in operational communication with the motor; a forward-reverse sliding switch disposed in the lower portion, the forward-reverse activation switch being in operational communication with the battery and the motor; a platform configured to support the housing body in an inverted upright position atop a frozen water surface; a vertical aperture centrally disposed through the platform; a bushing disposed within the vertical aperture; and a line spool having a vertical line shaft extended therefrom, the line shaft having a bottom segment centrally disposed on the line spool, a top segment having a smaller diameter than a diameter of the bottom segment, and a weight member disposed between the bottom segment and the top segment in a position proximal a top side of the platform, the line shaft bottom segment engaging the bushing in the vertical aperture of the platform, the top segment of the line shaft engaging the first shaft hole and operationally engaging the drive shaft, wherein the line spool is configured to securingly hold an amount of fishing line thereon; wherein the channel has a diameter configured to receive a flag shaft supporting a spring-loaded flag therethrough, the flag shaft having a diameter substantially the same as a diameter of the bottom segment of the line shaft, wherein the channel is configured to release the flag shaft therefrom upon a downward movement of the housing body, wherein upon release of the flag shaft from the channel, the flag is configured to spring into a vertical position to indicate a fish strike on the fishing line; wherein the activation of the forward-reverse sliding switch in a forward position and in an alternate reverse position is configured to activate the motor and turn the drive shaft clockwise and alternately counterclockwise, respectively; and wherein the turning of the drive shaft clockwise and alternately counterclockwise rotates the line shaft and, in turn, the line spool in a respective clockwise and counterclockwise direction to respectively extend and retract the fishing line on the line spool.