Abstract:
A fish lure break away system, having a lure attachment member, a hook section with at least one elongated shank, an eyelet, an eyelet guide, and a least one curved bend terminating in a tip section. The eyelet defines an eyelet gap having a predetermined width. In one embodiment the lure attachment member has a predetermined breaking strength in combination with a selected thickness and flexibility such that the lure attachment member can be squeezed through the eyelet gap and thereby attached to the eyelet. The lure attachment member may be of strength less than that of fishing line so as to break if snagged to release and avoid loss of a lure. The hook section has an inwardly projecting member which may be maneuvered to close or minimize the eyelet gap to retain the lure attachment member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/180,834 (filed: May 22, 2009) and 61/180,927 (filed: May 26, 2009). The entire content of U.S. Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/180,834 and 61/180,927 are explicitly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates to an apparatus for sport fishing and particularly, to a breakaway hook and loop system which helps prevent the loss of a fish lure when the hook becomes snagged. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,121, sport fishermen have long been plagued with losing fishing lures when the hook becomes entangled with underwater objects. Normally, when such entanglement occurs, the fisherman cuts the fishing line or tries to pull it free until the fishing line fails resulting in a loss of the lure. The potential for such loss necessitates that the angler must bring a number of lures with him during a fishing outing. Moreover, loss of lures translates into a loss of a considerable sum of money over the course of a fishing season. 
         [0005]    There is a need for better ways of reducing the risk of losing fishing lures when a fish hook snags an environmental object. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of one embodiment of a fish lure break away system according to the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows an environmental view of a fish lure break away system according to the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3A  shows an environmental view of a fish lure break away system according to the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3B  shows an environmental view of a fish lure break away system according to the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a hook according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of another hook according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of still another hook according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    A fish lure break away system, having a lure attachment member, a hook section with at least one elongated shank, an eyelet, an eyelet guide, and a least one curved bend terminating in a tip section. The eyelet defines an eyelet gap having a predetermined width. In one embodiment the lure attachment member has a predetermined breaking strength in combination with a selected thickness and a selected flexibility such that the lure attachment member can be squeezed by a user through the eyelet gap and thereby attached to the eyelet. 
         [0014]    The hook may be formed from wire stock, and may have an inwardly turned tang or forearm which projects from an elbow formed in the eyelet of the hook. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    This invention is directed to a fish lure break away system. The fish lure break away system of the invention is denoted generally by the numeric label “ 100 ”. 
         [0016]    Referring to the Figures in general, the fish lure break away system  100  comprises a lure attachment member  120  and a hook section  140  adapted to attach directly to the lure attachment member  120  as described below. In normal use the lure attachment member  120  is used to attach the hook section  140  to an artificial fish lure  150  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0017]    The lure attachment member  120  has a predetermined breaking strain. The lure attachment member  120  can be in the form of a continuous loop or band. The lure attachment member  120  is sufficiently flexible to allow a person to bend it back 180° (i.e., 180 degrees) on itself to double loop the eyelet  200  as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , thereby allowing the lure attachment member  120  to be secured, for example, to a split ring  145  of the artificial fish lure  150 . 
         [0018]    The hook section  140  comprises at least one elongated shank  180 , an eyelet  200 , an eyelet forearm  330 , and at least one curved bend  240 . The at least one elongated shank  180  defines opposed first  260  and second  280  ends. Although depicted as straight in  FIG. 1 , the at least one elongated shank  180  may be straight or curved. 
         [0019]    The lure attachment member  120  could be a band made of elastomeric compound such as, but not limited to, synthetic rubber compound with a selected breaking strain. For example, the lure attachment member  120  can be made out of olefinic elastomers such as EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer). For example, the lure attachment member  120  can be made out of ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPM). A lure attachment member  120  made out of a flexible elastomer compound could be squeezed or otherwise forced through an eyelet gap  360  in eyelet  200 . 
         [0020]    For example, the lure attachment member  120  could be made out of a high ethylene-containing olefinic elastomer, such as ethylene-propylene (EP), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), ethylene-butene, ethylene-pentene, ethylene-hexene, ethylene-heptene, ethylene-octene, and the like, where the ethylene content of the high ethylene-containing elastomer is greater than about 50% by weight based on the weight of the elastomer; alternatively the ethylene content is about 70 to 95% weight based on the weight of the elastomer. 
         [0021]    Alternatively, the lure attachment member  120  can be made out of any suitable material such as a plastic polymer, e.g., nylon, thermoplastic polyethylene, or Dacron (i.e., Polyethylene terephthalate). 
         [0022]    The various parts of the hook section  140  can be made out of any suitable material such as metal. For example, the hook section  140  can be made from round wire made from carbon steel or stainless steel; however, other materials can be used and the wire can have a shape other than round in cross-section. 
         [0023]    During normal use the fish lure break away system  100  may be attached to the artificial fish lure  150 , and the artificial fish lure  150  may in turn be attached to a fishing line  155  (see  FIG. 3B ). The predetermined breaking strength of the lure attachment member  120  is selected to be less than the breaking strength of the fishing line  155  attached to the artificial fish lure  150  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 3B ). The predetermined breaking strength of the lure attachment member  120  can vary from 1 lb (one pound-mass) to 40 lbs (forty pounds-mass) in ½ lb (half pounds-mass) increments, i.e., 1 lb, 1.5 lbs, 2 lbs . . . 40 lbs). The predetermined breaking strength of the lure attachment member  120  is selected to be less than the breaking strain of the fishing line  155 . More specifically, the breaking strain is selected based on the final configuration of the lure attachment member  120  with respect to the eyelet  200  and the lure  150 . For example, a double back configuration of the lure attachment member  120  is shown in  FIG. 3B  where the lure attachment member  120  is shown inserted once through a split ring  145  and attached twice to eyelet  200  (see  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) by threading the lure attachment member  120  through eyelet gap  360  and then through ring  145  and then once more through eyelet gap  360 . Thus, if the fishing line  155  in  FIG. 3B  has a breaking strain of 10 lbs (ten pounds-mass) the lure attachment member  120  in the configuration shown in  FIG. 3B  can have a breaking strain of less than 10 lbs, e.g., 7 lbs (seven pounds-mass) and in this example the set-up shown in  FIG. 3B  could be used in fishing for fish of less than 7 lbs (seven pounds-mass). 
         [0024]    For example, lure attachment member  120  with 6 lbs (six pounds-mass) breaking strength can be used in conjunction with a fishing line with 9 lbs (nine pounds-mass) breaking strength. Thus, if the hook becomes stuck in, for example, weeds the artificial fish lure  150  can be saved by applying sufficient load on the fishing line  155  sufficient to break the lure attachment member  120 , but not sufficient to break the fishing line  155  attached to the artificial fish lure  150 . 
         [0025]    As better seen in  FIG. 4 , the eyelet  200  defines a discontinuous loop  300  having first end  320  and second end  340 . The first end  320  of the eyelet  200  is attached to and integral with the first end  260  of the at least one elongated shank  180 , the second end  340  of the eyelet  200  is located proximate to but separate from the first end  260  of the at least one elongated shank  180  with an eyelet gap  360  interposed between the first  320  and second end  340  of the eyelet  200 . The at least one curved bend  240  may comprise one, two, three, or four curved bends. For example,  FIG. 4  shows a hook  140  comprising three curved bends respectively labeled  240   a ,  240   b , and  240   c . Details of construction of the curved bend  240   a  are set forth explicitly herein, it being understood that the remaining curved bends such as the curved bends  240   b  and  240   c  may be essentially identical to the curved bend  240   a . The at least one curved bend  240  extends from the second end  280  of the at least one elongated shank  180 , and terminates in a tip section  380 . The tip section  380  has a sharp point  400  and optionally has a barb  420 . 
         [0026]    The discontinuous loop  300  defines an interior void  310  therein. An elbow  315  is formed in the eyelet  200  at the second end  340 . A forearm  330  projects from the elbow  315  towards the interior void  310  of the interior loop, forming a non-parallel angle included between the discontinuous loop  300  and the forearm  330 . The non-parallel angle is represented by the Greek letter symbol alpha in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0027]    In normal use the lure attachment member  120  may be passed through the eyelet gap  360  and into the interior void  310 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 A, and  3 B. The lure attachment member  120  may be retained on the eyelet by closing the eyelet gap  360  sufficiently to prevent the lure attachment member from slipping from engagement with the eyelet  200 . This can be performed for example by grasping the forearm  330  with a suitable tool such as needlenose pliers (not shown) and maneuvering the forearm  330  until the eyelet gap  360  is suitably closed. Abutment of the second end  340  of the eyelet  200  with the first end  260  of the shank  180  is not necessary, although the eyelet gap  360  may be fully closed if desired. 
         [0028]    The above recited construction of the eyelet  200  may be applied to hooks having construction other than that of the hook  140 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the above recited construction of the eyelet  200  may be repeated for an eyelet  440  of a hook  460 . The hook  460  may have a single elongated shank  480  comprising a single curved bend  500  located at the second end  510  of the elongated shank  480  and a single tip section  520 . The tip section  520  may have a sharp point  540  and optionally a barb  560 . 
         [0029]    The eyelet  440  may comprise a discontinuous loop  580  having a first end  600  connected to and integral with a first end  620  of the elongated shank  480 . The discontinuous loop  580  may define an interior void  640  therein. The discontinuous loop  580  may have a second end  660  at which an elbow  680  is formed. A forearm  700  may project from the elbow into the interior void  640 . An eyelet gap  720  may exist between the first end  600  and the second end  660  of the discontinuous loop  580 . A lure attachment member such as the lure attachment member  120  of  FIG. 1  may be connected to the eyelet  440  of the hook  460  in a manner identical to that by which the lure attachment member  120  is connected to its associated hook member  140 . 
         [0030]    As seen in  FIG. 6 , the construction set forth above may be applied to a hook  740 . The hook  740  may comprise an eyelet  760  which is the structural and functional equivalent of the eyelet of  FIG. 4  for example, comprising a discontinuous loop  780  defining an interior void  800  therein, and having a first end  820  connected to and integral with a first end  840  of an elongated shank  860  and a second end  880 . An elbow  900  may be formed in the discontinuous loop  780  at the second end  880  of the discontinuous loop  780 . A forearm  920  may project from the elbow  900  towards the interior void  800 . 
         [0031]    The elongated shank  860  may have two single curved bends  940 ,  960 . The curved bend  940  may terminate in a tip section  960  which in turn may have a sharp point  980  and optionally a barb  1000 . The curved bend  960  may terminate in a tip section  1020  which in turn may have a sharp point  1040  and optionally a barb  1060 . 
         [0032]    The hook  140  of  FIG. 4  will be recognizable to fishermen as a treble hook having three curved bends  240   a ,  240   b , and  240   c  and three associated sharp points such as the sharp point  400 . The hook  740  of  FIG. 6  will be recognizable to fishermen as a double hook having two curved bends  940 ,  970  and two associated sharp points  980  and  1040 . The principles of the invention are equally applicable to singlet hooks such as the hook  460  of  FIG. 5  and hooks (not shown) having more than three curved bends and associated sharp points. 
         [0033]    The shank of any hook having more than one curved bend according to the present invention may be made by taking curved bends having individual shanks attached to each, and optionally brazing the two shanks together to form a resultant elongated shank. For example, the elongated shank  860  of the hook  740  of  FIG. 6  may be made by brazing the individual shank  860   a  of the curved bend  960  to the individual shank  860   b  of the curved bend  940 . The eyelet  760  may be formed by bending constituent wire or rod stock of the individual shank  860   a.    
         [0034]    A treble shank as seen in the hook  140  of  FIG. 4  may be made by taking three curved bends with individual shanks attached to each curved bend and optionally brazing all three shanks together to provide the elongated shank  180  and adding or fashioning a single eyelet such as the eyelet  200  of the present invention to the first end  260 . The eyelet  200  may be formed by bending constituent wire or rod stock of one individual shank of the elongated shank  180 . 
         [0035]    A hook (not shown) having four or more curved bends may be provided according to further aspects of the invention. The elongated shank of such a hook may optionally be made by joining the individual shanks associated with the four or more curved bends. 
         [0036]    A hook according to at least one aspect of the invention such as the hook  140  may be formed monolithically from a metallic material. Monolithic construction will be understood to be construed after final fabrication of the hook. That is, the hook may be fabricated by joining several pieces of metallic constituent parts together. After joining, the finished hook is regarded as monolithic as long as it is fabricated entirely from one or more metals or metal alloys. 
         [0037]    It will also be seen that the eyelet of a hook according to at least one aspect of the invention, such as the eyelet  200  of the hook  140  may be formed from wire stock having substantially constant diameter along its length. Thus the eyelet may be formed by bending the wire stock appropriately. The wire stock may be an extension of wire stock used to form an elongated shank such as the elongated shank  180 . The elongated shank may in turn be formed as an extension of wire stock employed to form a curved bend such as the curved bends  240   a ,  240   b ,  240   c.    
         [0038]    The invention may be regarded as a system including a lure attachment member and a hook according to at least one aspect of the invention, such as the system  100  of  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the invention may be regarded as a fishing hook according to at least one aspect of the invention, such as the hook  140  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0039]    The invention being thus described, it will be evident that the same may be varied in many ways by a routineer in the applicable arts. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.