Abstract:
A fishing lure for removal in part or in whole while a hook, fishing line, and leader assembly may remain intact. The lure includes a first member that is split into two or more parts with recessed areas that form an opening to receive the fishing line or leader when the first member is assembled. The first member may be assembled laterally around the line or leader, without threading the line or leader through the opening in the first member, eliminating the need to have a free end of line or to tie line to the lure. A second member may include a skirt collar and skirt or another type of lure part, or may be a sleeve. The second member may have a bore that allows axial passage of a hook, a slit that allows lateral passage of the line, or a combination thereof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from co-pending U.S. provisional application No. 60/606,292, filed Sep. 1, 2004, by the inventor hereof, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of fishing apparatus, and more particularly concerns fishing lures having interchangeable heads, rear portions, or combination thereof.  
         [0003]     Conventional fishing lures are provided in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors in an effort to optimize attracting fish, for any given type of fish, time of day, brightness, temperature, and so forth. Lures are commonly attached to the fishing line with a leader and are tied to the leader. To remove a lure requires cutting the leader; to replace the lure requires tying the leader to another lure. Such effort is burdensome and time consuming. The longer it takes to change a lure means the less time that the line can be in the water to catch fish.  
         [0004]     In trying to identify a preferred lure at a particular time, it may be desirable to switch lures periodically until one is found that is successful at getting fish to bite. Or, if one person&#39;s lure is achieving fish strikes while others are not, other people fishing may want to switch to that lure. With conventional lures that have a permanently connected body that is tied to the leader, the time consuming process of lure change-out must be performed. Some lures, however, have heads that are separable from rear sections. The heads may be removed, rear sections may be removed, or both, while the leader and hook remain intact. Such lures are frequently complicated in design, difficult to assemble, or are poorly constructed to withstand the forces that a biting fish might apply.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there exists a need for a lure having interchangeable heads and rear sections that is designed for relatively rapid removal and replacement, as well as strength. Ideally, the new lure may be partially or completely removed from the line or leader without disassembling the line, leader, or hook.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a fishing lure for a fishing line or leader includes a first member including at least two parts. The parts include opposing surfaces having opposing recesses adapted to receive the fishing line or leader. The parts also include opposing portions that form a threaded cylindrical end of the first member, and the first member may be laterally applied to and removed from the fishing line or leader. A second member has a threaded bore, and the second member and the threaded end of the first member may be screwed together to secure the parts in close and complementary registration and unscrewed to release the parts and opposing surfaces. There may be hollow portions of at least one part of the first member and a ballast insert may be provided.  
         [0007]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a fishing lure for a fishing line or leader includes a head with two parts. Each part includes a substantially flat surface, a substantially semicircular surface, and two ends. Each flat surface has a substantially longitudinal semicircular recess, and one end of each part is threaded. The flat surfaces oppose each other to assemble the head and to form substantially a cylinder with the semicircular surfaces, a substantially axial cylindrical opening with the semicircular recesses, and a threaded cylindrical end. The cylindrical opening is sized such that an eyelet fastened to the fishing line, an eyelet of the leader, or an eyelet of the hook cannot pass therethrough. The head may be laterally applied to and removed from the fishing line or leader. A rear portion including a cylindrical skirt collar has an axial, threaded bore and a skirt or tail, wherein the collar and the threaded end of the first member are screwed together to secure the parts in close and complementary registration and unscrewed to release the parts.  
         [0008]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a fishing lure for a fishing line or leader includes a rear portion including two parts and a skirt or tail. Each part includes a substantially flat surface, a substantially semicircular surface, and two ends. Each flat surface has a longitudinal substantially semicircular recess. One end of each part is threaded. The flat surfaces oppose each other to assemble the rear portion and to form substantially a cylinder with the semicircular surfaces, a substantially axial cylindrical opening with the semicircular recesses, and a threaded cylindrical end. The cylindrical opening is sized such that an eyelet fastened to the fishing line, an eyelet of the leader, an eyelet of the hook, or combination thereof cannot pass therethrough. A head is provided that has an axial, threaded bore. The rear portion may be laterally applied to and removed from the fishing line or leader. The head and the threaded end of the rear portion are screwed together to secure the parts, in close and complementary registration and unscrewed to release the parts and opposing surfaces.  
         [0009]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of making a fishing lure to be applied to fishing line or a fishing leader is provided. The method includes providing a first member having a longitudinal axis and at least one cylindrical end and threading the at least one cylindrical end of the first member. An opening is formed along the longitudinal axis. The first member is cut into at least two parts along the longitudinal axis. A second member is provided that has a bore and two ends, and the bore is threaded.  
         [0010]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of attaching a fishing lure to a fishing line or leader is provided. The method includes laterally placing around the fishing line or leader a first member including at least two parts. The first member includes opposing surfaces having opposing recesses adapted to receive the fishing line or leader. The two parts include opposing portions that form a threaded cylindrical end of the first member. A second member having a threaded bore is placed around the fishing line or leader. The threaded end of the first member and the second member are screwed together, securing the parts in close and complementary registration.  
         [0011]     Features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fishing lure according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the fishing lure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a head of the fishing lure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the head of the fishing lure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an end elevation view of the head of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partial section view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of a head for a fishing lure according to the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is an end elevation view of the head of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a partial section view of another embodiment of a fishing lure according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 10-13  are other embodiments of heads for fishing lures according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are exploded views of another embodiment of a head for a fishing lure according to the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 16  is a section view of another embodiment of a fishing lure according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     In the Figures herein, unique features receive unique reference numerals, while features that are the same in more than one drawing receive the same reference numerals throughout. Further, certain terms of orientation may be used, such as “forward,” “rear,” “inner,” “outer,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” and “right.” These terms are generally for convenience of reference, and should be so understood unless a particular embodiment requires otherwise.  
         [0025]     The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by materials listed herein, but may be carried out using any materials that allow construction and operation. Materials and dimensions depend on the particular application. In general the materials of the components may be metal, and selectively may be plastic, such as, in hard plastic components, LEXAN® brand polycarbonate resin, all as known by one of ordinary skill in the art (LEXAN is a registered trademark of General Electric Company Corporation).  
         [0026]     Referring now to the drawings, an embodiment of a fishing lure  30  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The lure  30  includes a head  32  and a rear portion  34 . The head  32  may be cylindrical and may be split  35  into two or more parts  36 ,  38  longitudinally along the cylinder. A fishing line or leader  40 , in this case a metal leader, passes through the lure  30 , and specifically through an opening  42  in the head  32 . The opening  42  in the head  32  is formed by opposing recesses or grooves  44  in opposing surfaces (only surface  46  is shown) of the head parts  36 ,  38 . Although the surfaces  46  of the opposing head parts  36 ,  38  are shown as flat, they could have other profiles or be hollow so long as there are some opposing surfaces that meet to cause grooves to oppose and form an opening  42 . The assembled head  32  has opposing threaded male half-cylinders  48 ,  50  at the rear end (towards a hook  52 ), which when placed together form a threaded male end. Except for the threaded male end, the head  32  need not have a cylindrical outer surface, but could be any shape as selected by one of ordinary skill in the art. One or more sockets  54  may be provided in the opposing surface  46  of a head part  38  to receive one or more tabs (not visible) in the opposing head part  36 . The sockets  54  and tabs serve to maintain alignment of the head parts  36 ,  38 . The head  32  shown may be referred to as an angled head because of the angled surface at the front of the head. A recess  56  may be provided to place a decorative eye. Adhesive-backed decorative designs may also be used on the lure  30 .  
         [0027]     The rear portion  34  includes a skirt  60 , or streamers, and a skirt collar  62 . The skirt  60  includes a skirt neck  64  and a skirt body  66 . The skirt body  66  may be longitudinally split elastomeric material, as shown, or other material as known by one of ordinary skill in the art. The skirt collar  62  may be cylindrical and has a threaded female opening, or threaded bore  68 . Further, the skirt collar may instead be a sleeve to which a lure body, or tail (not shown), for example, shaped like bait fish, may be attached. The skirt neck  64  and skirt collar  62  may have a longitudinal slit  70  through them as shown, or alternatively the slit  70  may be omitted such that the circumferences of the skirt collar and skirt neck are continuous. The skirt neck  64  is mounted to the skirt collar  62  using the resiliency of the skirt if the skirt neck is continuous, adhesive, both the resiliency and adhesive, or other means or combinations as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. This mounting may be done with the skirt  60  and skirt collar  62  off of the line or leader  40 . More than one skirt  60  may be mounted to the skirt collar  62 .  
         [0028]     To assemble the lure  30 , the assembled rear portion  34  may be placed around the fishing line or leader  40 . The skirt collar  62  and hook  52  may be sized such that the skirt collar  62  can fit over the hook  52 , but not through the central opening  42  in the head  32 . Alternatively, where a slit  70  is provided, the rear portion  34  may be laterally placed around the leader  40  by passing the leader  40  through the slit  70 . The head parts  36 ,  38  may then be assembled around the leader  40  to form the head  32 . Then the threaded male end of the head and the threaded bore  62  of the skirt collar  62  may be screwed together, securing the head parts  36 ,  38  in close and complementary registration, providing a substantially tight interface that may hold the leader  40  in place and in the opening  42 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows the assembled head  32  and its cylindrical threaded male end  72 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the head  32  disassembled. Tabs  74 , to be received in sockets  54  ( FIG. 2 ) are provided for maintaining alignment of the head parts  36 ,  38 . The substantially flat surface  76  of the head part  36  may be seen.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows the assembled lure  30  in partial section view. The head  32  and skirt collar  62  are screwed together, and the skirt neck  64  is mounted to the skirt collar  62 . The skirt collar  62  may fit over the hook  52 . The hook  52  and rear end of the leader  40  (end near the hook  52 ) do not fit through the opening  42  ( FIG. 1 ) in the head  32  formed by the recessed areas  44 . The lure  30  is free to slide forward until it meets an obstruction, such as the forward end (end away from the hook  52 ) of the leader  40 . If fishing line passes through the head  32 , the head  32  may be free to slide forward without obstruction, but will stay adjacent to the hook  52  as the result of being dragged through the water.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show an alternative embodiment of a head  78 . The head  78  has two parts  80 ,  82  that when assembled make an annular recess  84  surrounding a male threaded end  86 , also having two parts  88 ,  90 . An annular extension  92 , including two parts  94 ,  96 , surrounds the recess  84 . As shown in another embodiment of a lure  93  of  FIG. 9 , the annular recess  84  permits the skirt collar  62  to extend into the head  78 . The annular extension  92  (one part  94  shown) provides support to the skirt collar  62 , particularly when the skirt collar  62  is longitudinally slit and there may be a tendency for the collar  62  to open when force is applied. The annular extension  92  may prevent the collar  62  from opening.  
         [0032]     There is a variety of heads that may be provided in accordance with the present invention. For example,  FIG. 10  shows a flat head  100  with two parts  102 ,  104 ;  FIG. 11  shows a cup-shaped head  106  with two parts  108 ,  110 ;  FIG. 12  shows a bullet head  112  with two parts  114 ,  116 ; and  FIG. 13  shows a rounded head  118  with two parts  120 ,  122 . The heads could be further segmented into more than two parts.  
         [0033]     The interior of the heads may be hollow. Further, to provide lateral directional control, ballast may be placed inside of a hollow head, as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . The head  140  is an angled head and includes two hollow halves  142 ,  144 , a plate  146 , and a ballast insert  148 . The halves  142 ,  144  are mirror images of each other, except one half  144  has tabs  74  while the other half has sockets  54  for receiving the tabs  74 . The exterior of the head  140  in this embodiment bulges outward, and is approximately oval-shaped longitudinally. The opposing surfaces  150 ,  152  of the plate  146  and the ballast insert  148  include grooves  44  that receive a fishing line or leader. The plate also has pins  152  that are received in a groove  154  in the ballast insert  148  and straddle the groove  44  for the fishing line or leader. The pins  152  secure the fishing line or leader in the groove  44 ; such a pin and groove arrangement could also be provided in previously described heads. The plate  146  and ballast insert  148  are reciprocally received in their respective halves  142 ,  144 .  
         [0034]     The ballast insert  148  is preferably metal, for example, lead or comparable material, but may also be plastic. The center of mass of the ballast insert  148  is offset from the longitudinal axis of the head  140  and lure. The ballast insert  148  causes there to be more weight on one half  144  of the head  140  than on the other half  142 , which is hollow behind the plate  146 , causing the half  144  with the ballast insert  148  to be below the other half  142  in the water. The angled face of the head  140  therefore is sideways in the water, resulting in lateral movement of the head  140  depending on which half of the head  140  the ballast insert  148  is located. This may be desirable so that the lure stays to one side or the other out of the back of a boat, avoiding the “propeller wash” that is the foamy water directly behind the boat, in which the line cannot be seen. In this embodiment of the head  140  the ballast insert  148  would direct the lure to the right when facing out the back of the boat. The sloped front surface  156  of the ballast insert  148  keeps the ballast insert in position, preventing rotation in the head  140 , because the ballast insert fits in complementary registration with the sloped interior surface  158  of the head half  144 . As an alternative to a plate  146 , the half  142  in which the plate is received could be solid plastic, so long as there is a difference in weight between the two halves  142 ,  144 , which would be the case if the ballast insert  148  is metal. The head&#39;s exterior front surface  160  should be angled or otherwise not symmetric to a plane perpendicular to the fishing line or leader in order for the head  140  to laterally direct the lure.  
         [0035]     A non-split lure head may also be provided with ballast. As with the split-head lures with ballast previously discussed, the center of mass is offset from the longitudinal axis of the lure. This results in the same effect as in a split head, where the lure location is directed depending on the placement of the ballast and the profile of the front face of the head. The lure may have the same appearance as, for example, the assembled split lures of  FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 10-13 , with the split  35  omitted. Alternatively, the lure could be any conventional shape with ballast included, with the ballast cast into the head, inserted into the head, or other design. The ballast could be placed at any desired location in the lure, such as in the head or the body.  
         [0036]     An alternative embodiment of a lure  170  is shown in  FIG. 16 . This embodiment  170  includes a mounting cylinder that is split (with one part  172  shown) and has a threaded male end  174 . The lure  170  also includes a skirt  60  or could include other artificial bait components, such as a body portion, or tail. The head includes a sleeve  178  that may be solid or slit to be laterally removable from the line or leader  40 . To assemble the lure  170  the sleeve  178  may be placed over the hook and leader. The mounting cylinder halves  172  may be assembled around the leader  40  and then the mounting cylinder and sleeve  178  may be screwed together, securing the mounting cylinder.  
         [0037]     The preferred lure type for given fish and conditions may be as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. The interchangeable characteristic of the parts of the present invention allow replacement of all or part of the lure to achieve a desired combination while keeping the number of components lower than might be needed if using one-piece lures. For example, if there are six heads and six rear portions available, there are thirty-six possible combinations; thirty-six one-piece lures would be required to match the same possibilities.  
         [0038]     Specific embodiments of an invention are described herein. One of ordinary skill in the art of fishing will recognize that the invention has other applications in other environments. In fact, many embodiments and implementations are possible. For example, the interchangeable design could be applied to fishing apparatus other than lures, such as sinkers. The head could be made of several parts rather than just the two shown in the Figures where the head is split. In addition, the recitation “means for” is intended to evoke a means-plus-function reading of an element in a claim, whereas, any elements that do not specifically use the recitation “means for,” are not intended to be read as means-plus-function elements, even if they otherwise include the word “means.” The following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments described.