Abstract:
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a collapsible, storable device for carrying and protecting a multiplicity of fully rigged fishing rods and reels. The present carrier provides a compact load while sufficiently segregating the poles to prevent the tangling of lines, lures, hooks etc. The carrier preferably comprises a durable yet lightweight polymeric material to protect and secure the fishing rods in place. The carrier is also configured with a strap for hands free transportation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to fishing tackle and more particularly to a device and method of carrying and protecting a plurality of fully rigged fishing rods.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Fishing is a sport that requires patience, however, it is also a pastime that requires preparation. When fish are biting, a premium is placed on the ability to access your gear quickly. Moreover, in order to find the right fishing location, mobility is essential. Additionally, the need for more than one rod may arise. As a result, attempts have been made to provide carrying cases for multiple fishing rods. Most of these devices have a hard case made from an extruded plastic or metal alloy that provides good external protection.  
           [0003]    An example of such a device is U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,270 issued to Fleming, which discloses a case having a compartment for fishing rods and guns, or both rods and guns, and other compartments for other fishing and hunting equipment or accessories, such as reels, lines, flies, shells, etc. The kit is cylindrical, when closed. When opened, the respective parts are on an even keel on a supporting surface such as the ground, a table, or the like. However, these devices are bulky and are cumbersome to carry and deploy when traveling. Moreover, with an emphasis on external protection, such devices do not necessarily protect the fishing rods from tangling with one another.  
           [0004]    In order to address the internal protection problem, hard cased devices were invented that also have internal segregation means. U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,009 issued to Slade describes a case for fishing rods formed from metal or plastic strips providing a frame and sheet-like panels anchored to the frame. By providing fishing rod partitioning members, the Slade device becomes even less portable than the Fleming device. Moreover, both the Fleming and the Slade devices fail to provide a carrying case for a fully rigged fishing rod in particular and a fully assembled fishing rods in general. In order to use the Fleming and Slade devices, the fishing rods have to be at least partially disassembled.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,416 issued to Upham discloses a fishing rod carrier for holding and protecting fishing rods in their assembled state. The fishing rod carrier has a plurality of parallel spaced-apart tubular members having open-ended slots at their entry ends to slidably receive therein the posts for the reels of the respective fishing rods held in the tubular members. The Upham device addresses unnecessary disassembly of the rod, require by other devices, but it fails to address the issue of internal protection in general and protection of the reel in particular. The Upham device also is not portable in that it is not transportable on ones person.  
           [0006]    Since the need for a device that allowed a user to carry a rod, with reels attached, remained, Wright, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,190 provided a carrier for fishing rods with reels attached. Reel protectors extend transverse to and beyond at least two sides of an elongated member and adjacent one end of the elongated member to protect at least two rods held against the two sides. A removable cover covers the handles and reels. A flexible strap attached to the cover extends over the shoulder of the user. The focus of this device is the protection of the reel to the detriment of the pole, lures etc. The elongated member of the Wright device does not adequately protect the multiple poles from getting entangled. Moreover the poles are inversely flexed in order to protect the reels. As a result the reel is the only part of the fishing tackle that is being adequately protected. Additionally, by forcing the poles outwardly at the handle, the Wright device becomes bottom heavy and therefore awkward to use in practice. In essence, it is difficult to carry and it is not easily storable.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,117 issued to Geraci discloses a carrier, transport, and storage device for securing together, transporting, and storing the segments of a fully-rigged fishing rod after it has been temporarily broken down for transport or storage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,688 issued to Hall discloses a device for supporting and transporting a plurality of fishing rods when disassembled into two pieces. Both the Geraci device and the Hall device suffer from the limitations of the Wright device in that they unreasonably focus on the protection of the reel to the exclusion of the other parts. Additionally, both of these devices require the partial disassembly of the fishing rods.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,721 issued to Homeyer discloses a backpack-style carrier for transporting sporting equipment; such as a rifle, a shotgun, an archery bow, or two fishing rods. This device provides the mobility that is desirable in a carrying device for fishing rods, unfortunately, it fails to protect the fishing rods externally or internally. In short, the Homeyer device is carrier but not a protector.  
           [0009]    A problem common to each of these devices is a means to effectively store the device after the rods are removed from the device. Therefore, there remains an existing need for a portable, storable device that adequately carries and protects multiple fully rigged fishing rods externally as well as internally. In particular, a need exists for a device made of a flexible yet durable material that can protect the fishing rods from tangling while protecting the user of the device from the exposed fishing hooks. Moreover, there is a need for a device that when not in use, can be folded and stowed in a pocket or other small compartment.  
         SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
         [0010]    The present invention provides a new and useful device for carrying a plurality of fishing rods without tangling and an adjustable shoulder strap allows hands-free transporting. One of the unique abilities of the present invention is the capacity to store the device when not in use without the difficulties encountered with other like devices.  
           [0011]    It is, therefore, a principal object in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a novel device for carrying fishing rods without tangling.  
           [0012]    It is another object of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention to provide a novel device, which can preferably, but not necessarily, accommodate eight, fully rigged fishing rods.  
           [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel device, which includes at least one strap member to secure the device to the user thereof.  
           [0014]    Yet another objective in accordance with the present invention is to provide a protection and carrying device that is made from a lightweight yet durable material. In the furtherance of this and other objectives, a polymeric material is provided that is substantially tear resistant yet readily foldable.  
           [0015]    The present invention possesses many advantages and features. Further objectives, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those persons skilled in this area of technology and others when reading the detailed description of exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention depicting how the device holds and carries multiple fully-rigged fishing rods and reels.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is aerial perspective view of a device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in the expanded unused state. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    The present invention addresses the limitations of other carrier and protection devices while providing additional advantages. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a sleek carrier that can accommodate preferably 1-8 fully rigged fishing rods. In the furtherance of this objective, an exemplary device has at least one protective retainer that encircles the fishing rods in a manner that protects the poles from one another as well as from damage from outside forces. Moreover, the user of the device is protected from the lures or other fishing tackle that could catch their outerwear.  
         [0019]    The device is preferably lightweight for easy carrying while the material is still durable. Throughout this specification reference shall be made to various components of the device, however, each of these components can be made of different suitable materials and be present in different amounts and extents without departing from the spirit of the invention. As a result, reference to material, number, dimensions etc, should in no way be construed as limiting but rather considered as examples of preferable information for making and using the device.  
         [0020]    The following reference numbers and corresponding fishing rod protection and carrier device components are used when describing the device in relation to the figures:  
                                       10   PROTECTION AND CARRIER DEVICE       15   FISHING ROD       20   REEL       25   DISTAL RETAINER       30   DISTAL RETAINER OUTER SURFACE       35   DISTAL RETAINER INNER SURFACE       40   DISTAMEDIAL RETAINER       45   DISTAMEDIAL RETAINER OUTER SURFACE       50   DISTAMEDIAL RETAINER INNER SURFACE       55   PROXIMAL RETAINER       60   PROXIMAL RETAINER OUTER SURFACE       65   PROXIMAL RETAINER INNER SURFACE       70   PROXIMEDIAL RETAINER       75   PROXIMEDIAL RETAINER OUTER SURFACE       80   PROXIMEDIAL RETAINER INNER SURFACE       85   SPINE       90   SPINE DISTAL END       95   SPINE PROXIMAL END       NS   PADDING       105    STRAP                  
 
         [0021]    Reference will know be made to the figures generally, where like numeral refers to like components. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a novel device  10  for transporting up to eight fully rigged fishing rods  15  with reels  20 . In order to keep the device  10  lightweight yet durable, a spine  85  extends longitudinally along portions of the fishing rods  15 . In a preferred embodiment, the device  10  has a distal retainer  25  and a proximal retainer  55  about the distal  90  and proximal ends  95  of the spine  85 , respectively. The distal retainer  25  is generally smaller, but not necessarily, than the proximal retainer  55 .  
         [0022]    Both the distal retainer  25  and the proximal retainer  55  are configured to couple with portions of the plurality of fishing rods  15  by any number of conventional means such as, clasps, adhesives, loops, hooks, snaps, tying, buckles etc. In a preferred embodiment, mating strips of adhesive material is formed on a corresponding section of the outer  30  and inner  35  surfaces of the distal retainer  25  and the outer  60  and inner surfaces  65  of the proximal retainer  55 . Preferably, the mating strips of adhesive form a Velcro® closure. To this end, both distal retainer  25  and proximal retainer  55  are adjustable to secure the poles  15  regardless of the number provided.  
         [0023]    Coupled with the spine  85  between the distal retainer  25  and the proximal retainer  55  is preferably a distamedial retainer  40  and a proximedial retainer  70 . The distamedial retainer  40  is preferably the largest of the retainers and serves as a means of protecting both the main rigging of the fishing rods  15  and the user. Distamedial retainer  40  preferably has mating closures formed on and/or from respective portions of the outer  45  and inner surfaces  50  of the distamedial retainer  40 . The mating closure is secure while allowing ready access to the functional components of the fishing rod. It is preferred that the distamedial retainer  40  cover about a two foot portion of the fishing rod  15  and preferably the portion where the lure and other functional components would hang.  
         [0024]    The distamedial retainer  40 , comprises a flexible yet sturdy material cable of resisting tears. Preferably, the flexible yet sturdy material is a ballistic coated nylon but may be a variety of other materials known in the art. Additionally, the distamedial retainer  40  has padding (not shown) coupled with portions of the inner surface  50  thereof. When the distamedial retainer is placed about the fishing rod  15 , it securely retains each pole  15  in a manner that keeps them generally in place and the fishing line in particular from tangling. Moreover, the distamedial retainer  40  prevents undesireable shift and bumping of the poles  15  so as to prevent internal damage. Additionally, the snug closure about the poles prevents external damage.  
         [0025]    An additional feature (not shown) of an alternative embodiment of the present invention is the presence of grooves formed on portions of the inner surface  50  of the distal medial retainer  40  so as to further secure the plurality of fishing rods  15 .  
         [0026]    The proximamedial retainer  70  preferably has mating closures, analogous to that of the other retainers described above, formed on respective portions of the outer  75  and inner  80  surfaces thereof.  
         [0027]    The proximedial retainer  70  and the proximal retainer  55  are preferably configured about the spine  85  such that the distamidal retainer  70  and the proximal retainer  55  are coupled with portions of the fishing rods  15  above and below the reel  20 , respectively. However, as stated before, the retainers can be located in varying locations along the spine so as to adequately protect and carry the fishing rods  15 . Moreover, devices in accordance with the present invention may have a greater or lesser number of retainers based on the needs of the user. To this end, an alternative embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a device  10  that has retainers that are reversibly coupled with the spine  85 .  
         [0028]    Coupled with portions of the spine  85  is also a strap  105 . Strap  105  is preferably adjustable and may, in alternative embodiments be fixed and/or removable. It is also preferable that the distal retainer  25 , proximedial retainer  70 , the proximal retainer  55  and the strap  105  be formed from the same material. Suitable materials may include but are not limited to, cotton, polyester, vinyl, nylon, leather, or a combination of these and other natural or synthetic fibers.  
         [0029]    There has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove only one unique and novel preferred embodiment of the present invention which can be constructed in several different sizes and shapes. It should be understood that many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications will become apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology and to others after having been exposed to the present specification and accompanying drawings.  
         [0030]    For example, the device may be used and/or adapted to carry other objects or items, such as, for example, rifles, archery or hunting bows, spears, arrows, golf or croquet clubs, etc.  
         [0031]    Any and all such changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are therefore covered by and embraced within the present invention and patent application and the appended claims.