Abstract:
An automatic locking landing net yoke includes a channeled ramp feature such that, when the handle is drawn through the yoke and the yoke slides over a spring button, the ramp forces or cams the button downwardly and into the handle. Toward the lowermost portion of the ramp is a hole such that, as the hole in the yoke slides over the spring button, the force of the button extends it upwardly through the hole. The spring button is never pushed completely into the handle because the backside of the yoke hole prevents the yoke from being extended to the point that the yoke slides off the handle. The yoke is also configured such that the yoke allows use with hoop and handle shapes of various configurations and is molded of a material that does not create any oxidation or corrosion between the handle and yoke, thus providing smooth operation between the two elements.

Description:
This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Pat. No. 60/599,607 filed Aug. 6, 2004. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to items and accessories used by anglers in the sport of fishing. More particularly, it relates to landing nets of the type that are used by anglers to assist them with catching fish. It also relates to a landing net yoke that has an automatic locking feature incorporated into its design that allows the landing net yoke to be used with an extension handle in a secure way and without the worry of the handle becoming detached from the net during deployment. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Although once a means for human survival, fishing in the modern age has evolved into more of a competitive and recreational sport. To increase their chances for a successful outing, modern anglers prefer to utilize equipment and devices that they know will work and that they can rely on. Though not completely fool-proof, many fishing accessories have improved simply because technology and manufacturing methods have improved as well. This makes fishing equipment more reliable and affordable. In the view of this inventor, however, there is always room for improvement of equipment and the traditional landing net is one such piece of equipment that anglers and others have sought to improve over the years. The landing net is one piece of equipment that anglers have used for many years to help reduce the load that is otherwise placed on the angler&#39;s lure and on the line that is connected to it when pulling a fish into a boat or onto shore, thereby also reducing the risk of losing the hooked fish. 
   Landing nets of recent design tend to include three elements: a hoop which supports the net, an extensible handle, and a yoke. The function of the landing net yoke is to provide an attachment means between the hoop and the handle such that the landing net can be readily changed from a stored or collapsed position to an active or extended position by telescoping the handle and locking it into a fixed position relative to the hoop and net. The traditional yoke has been around for over twenty years. The first ones were tube steel or aluminum that was welded together. They progressed to stampings that were fastened together and then to the extruded aluminum that is popular today. Some yokes that require less strength have been injection molded out of polypropylene. Regardless of the design, the traditional operation for all yoked landing nets is the same. The yoke and hoop assembly is slid along the handle to the end position. A spring button within the handle is manually depressed so that the yoke can slide over it. The yoke is then positioned so that the spring button can extend into a hole within the yoke. The yoke is now in a fixed position. 
   There are, however, disadvantages to the old and currently available yoked landing net assemblies. For example, to move the yoke from its fixed position, the spring button must be manually depressed to allow the yoke to engage it. This takes extra time in a situation that is required to be done as quickly as possible. If the spring button does not line up with the hole in the yoke, the yoke can be over-extended from the handle, thereby disconnecting it from the handle. Another disadvantage is that different yokes are required for each handle and hoop combination. This makes yokes of current design unusable with multiple shapes of handles and hoops. Another disadvantage is that, if the yoke is made of a metallic material, the yoke is susceptible to corrosion or oxidation between the yoke and the handle, which is also typically made of a metallic material. 
   Accordingly, what is needed is a landing net assembly whereby the handle can be slid into a fixed position without manually activating the spring button, thus making the net easier and quicker to use. What is also needed is an automatic locking yoke designed for use as a part of such a landing net assembly whereby the yoke does not allow the spring button to miss the hole, thus making the net more reliable in use. What is also needed is an automatic locking yoke that is designed for use as a part of such a landing net assembly whereby the yoke geometry allows multiple shapes of hoops and handles to be used, thus making the yoke design much more valuable due to manufacturability. What is also needed is an automatic locking yoke of such design that is manufactured of a material that does not allow corrosion or oxidation between the yoke and the handle. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful automatic landing net yoke whereby the handle can be slid into a fixed position without manually activating the spring button, thus making the net easier and quicker to use. It is another object to provide such an automatic landing net yoke whereby the yoke does not allow the spring button to miss the hole, thus making the net more reliable in its use. It is yet another object to provide such a yoke whereby the yoke geometry allows multiple shapes of hoops and handles to be used, thus making the yoke design much more valuable due to manufacturability. It is still another object to provide such a yoke whereby the yoke of such design is manufactured of a material that does not allow corrosion or oxidation between the yoke and the handle. Additional objects of the present invention are to provide such a yoke that is lightweight, strong, and no more expensive to produce than currently available parts are, thus making the yoke useful and affordable. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The automatic locking landing net yoke of the present invention has obtained these objects. It provides for a landing net yoke that includes a channeled ramp feature such that, when the handle is drawn through the yoke and the yoke slides over the spring button, the ramp forces or cams the button downwardly and into the handle. Toward the lowermost portion of the ramp is a hole such that, as the hole in the yoke slides over the spring button, the force of the button extends it upwardly through the hole. In the automatic landing net yoke of the present invention, the spring button is never pushed completely into the handle. In this configuration, the backside of the yoke hole stops or prevents the yoke from being extended to the point that the yoke slides off of the handle. The automatic landing net yoke of the present invention also includes design geometry such that the yoke allows use with hoop and handle shapes of various configurations for use with many product families. The landing net yoke of the present invention is molded out of a polymer, which does not create any oxidation or corrosion between the handle and yoke, thus providing smooth operation between the two elements. 
   The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front, top and right side perspective view of a landing net assembly that uses an automatic locking landing yoke constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the assembly in its “stored” or retracted position. It also includes an enlarged inset view of the automatic landing net yoke illustrated in the assembly. 
       FIG. 2  is a front, top and right side perspective view of the landing net assembly shown in  FIG. 1  and showing the assembly in its “active” or fully-extended position. It includes an enlarged inset view of the automatic landing yoke as well. 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C are further enlarged and cross-sectioned side elevational views of the automatic locking landing yoke and showing the yoke in various stages of engagement with the spring button of the handle. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are still further enlarged and cross-sectioned front elevational views of the automatic locking landing yoke and showing how the yoke of the preferred embodiment is uniquely configured for use with alternatively configured handle and hoop profiles. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numbers represent like elements throughout,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate two similar perspective views of a landing net assembly, generally identified  10 , that uses the preferred embodiment of a yoke  50  constructed in accordance with the present invention. More specifically,  FIG. 1  illustrates the landing net assembly  10  in its “stored” or “net-retracted” position whereas  FIG. 2  illustrates the assembly  10  in its “active” or “net-extended” position.  FIGS. 1 and 2  each include an enlarged inset view of that area of interest relative to the automatic locking yoke  50  as well. 
   As shown, the landing net assembly  10  includes a handle  20  and a hoop  40 . In their most basic relational functionality, the hoop  40  and the handle  20  are slidably movable relative to one another by virtue of the use of the yoke  50  of the present invention. Referring again to  FIGS. 1  and  2 , it will be seen that the handle  20  comprises a longitudinally-extending tubular shaft portion  22  having a distal portion  24  and a proximal portion  26 . Although shown in tubular configuration, it is to be understood that the handle  20  could also be constructed of a solid piece of material without deviating from the scope of the present invention. The proximal shaft portion  26  may be covered by a handle grip  27  which reduces the likelihood of slippage of the handle  20  when the handle  20  is being used as intended. The distal shaft portion  24  includes a round-headed spring button  28 . The spring button  28  is secured to an inner surface  25  of the shaft interior  23  such that the spring button  28  extends through a hole  25  defined within the handle  20 . See  FIGS. 3A through 3C . The spring button  28  is biased outwardly of the handle  20 , but is depressible into the handle  20 , but not all the way in. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4A , the handle  20  is configured, in one embodiment, in a unique cross-sectional tubular configuration that includes a substantially rounded and semi-circular bottom contour  32 , a pair of opposing, tangentially and upwardly extending flat side walls  33 , a pair of opposing and rounded shoulder portions  34 , and a pair of slightly upwardly extending flat upper walls  35 , the upper walls  35  connecting at a slightly curved peak portion  36 . The bottom contour  32 , the side walls  33 , the shoulder portions  34 , the upper walls  35  and the peak portion  36  all forming a longitudinally-extending handle surface continuum. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4B , the tubular handle  20  is formed in a more traditional and generally rounded cross-sectional  38  configuration. This feature and the significance of these alternate configurations will be discussed in more detail later in this detailed description. 
   The hoop  40  of the landing net assembly  10  includes a continuously-arcuate net support portion  42  having a first end  43  and a second end  44 . Attached to the net support portion  42  is a fish-retaining net  46 . The net  46  can be made of a flexible plastic material, corded nylon, or any other material without deviating from the scope of the invention. It is not a limitation of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the shape of the net support portion  42  could assume any shape without deviating from the scope of the present invention. In other words, the shape of the net support portion  42 , the length of its perimeter, the material that it is made from, etc. are not limitations of the present invention. The hoop  40  should, however, be of sufficient strength and rigidity to allow the net  46  to be properly supported when the net  46  contains a fish in it. It is possible, however, that the cross-sectional shape of the net support portion  42 , and particularly that of its ends  43 ,  44  may assume different shapes, including a generally hexagonal shape as shown in  FIG. 4A  and a generally circular shape  43   a ,  44   a  as shown in  FIG. 4B . This feature will also be discussed in more detail later in this detailed description. 
   The yoke  50  of the present invention includes a generally symmetrical yoke body  52  having a centrally-disposed handle cavity  54  and a pair of opposing and identically—configured hoop cavities  56  disposed in lateral yoke portions  51  to either side of the handle cavity  54 . See  FIGS. 4A and 4B . In both of those figures, it will be seen that the handle cavity  54  is configured in a unique cross-sectional configuration that substantially matches that of the first-described embodiment of the cross-sectional shape of the handle  20 . That is, it includes a substantially rounded and semi-circular bottom contour  72 , a pair of opposing, tangentially and upwardly extending flat side walls  73 , a pair of opposing and rounded shoulder portions  74 , and a pair of slightly upwardly extending flat upper walls  75 , the upper walls  75  connecting into an opening  63 . The bottom contour  72 , the side walls  73 , the shoulder portions  74 , and the upper walls  75 , all forming a longitudinally-extending handle-receiving surface continuum. Note also that the handle cavity  54  includes a number of handle supporting stubs  59  that extent slightly inwardly of the cavity  54 . 
   The yoke  50  also includes a front face  55  and an upper yoke body portion  60  that includes a yoke ramp  62 . The yoke ramp  62  includes a yoke ramp opening  63 , opposed interior sidewalls  64 , and an interior ramp surface  65 , the ramp surface  65  tapering downwardly from the front face  55  of the yoke body  52 . Disposed toward the bottommost portion  66  of the ramp surface  65  is a yoke button hole  67 , the yoke button hole  67  being configured to receive the rounded spring button  28  within it. See  FIG. 3C . The yoke button hole  67  is also uniquely configured to have a back surface  68  and a front surface  69 , the front surface having a point  71  that coincides with the lowest point of travel of the uppermost portion  29  of the spring button  28 . To aid in manual depression of the spring button  28  to release the button  28  from the hole  67 , the hole  67  is surrounded by a circumferential indent  77  that roughly matches the curvature of a user&#39;s thumb. In the preferred embodiment, the yoke ramp opening  63  includes rounded side edges  61 , the purpose of which is to guide the spring button into the opening  63 . The yoke  50  of the preferred embodiment is made of a polymer material, such as polypropylene. This material provides a yoke  50  that is lightweight, durable and not susceptible to corrosion. 
   In application, the hoop  40  is pre-attached to the yoke  50  such that the ends  43 ,  44  of the net support portion  42  are inserted into the hoop cavities  56 . The ends  43 ,  44  are secured by fasteners  85  inserted into apertures (not shown) that are defined within each of the lateral yoke portions  51 . As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  it will be noted that the cross-sectional shape of the hoop ends  43 ,  44  may be hexagonal or circular, the cross-sectional shape of the hoop cavities  56  each being generally hexagonal with longitudinally-extending stubs  58  being disposed at the approximate center of each of the sides  57  of the hexagonal shaped cavity  56  and also extending slightly inwardly of the cavity  56 . 
   The handle  20  is also slidably pre-attached to the yoke  50  by insertion into and through the handle cavity  54 . This is accomplished by manually depressing the spring button  28  below the surface  34  of the handle  20 . The landing net assembly  10  is transported in its stored position as shown in  FIG. 1  or readied for use in its active position as shown in  FIG. 2 . To move the handle  20  from its position as shown in  FIG. 1  to its position as shown in  FIG. 2  in the situation where the cross-sectional shape of the handle shaft  22  is as shown in  FIG. 4A , and as previously described, the user needs only to pull the handle  20  rearwardly through the yoke  50 . In this configuration, the user need not worry about rotation of the yoke  50  about the handle  20  since such is not possible. As the user pulls the handle  20  through the yoke  50 , the spring button  28 , which is biased to extend fully outwardly of the handle  20 , is guided into the yoke ramp opening  63 . See  FIG. 3A . As this movement continues, the uppermost portion  29  of the spring button  28  engages the interior ramp surface  65  of the yoke  50  and slides along it, urging the spring button  28  further downwardly. See  FIG. 3B . As the uppermost portion  29  of the spring button  28  passes beneath the lowermost point  71  of the front surface  69  of the yoke button hole  67 , the spring button  28  is pushed inwardly of the handle  20  to its greatest extent. As the spring button  28  passes this point  71 , the spring button “pops up” and into the yoke button hole  67 , the back surface  68  of the hole  67  limiting the rearward movement of the button  28 . See  FIG. 3C . In this position, the landing net assembly  10  can be used for its intended purpose. 
   To return the assembly to its stored position, the user inserts his or her thumb into the circumferential indent  77  of the yoke button hole  67  at the same time pushing the spring button  28  inwardly of the yoke  50  and urging the handle  20  forwardly. Upon clearance of the lowermost point  71  of the front surface  69  of the yoke hole  67 , the spring button will move forwardly and along the surface  65  of the yoke ramp  62 , eventually exiting the yoke ramp opening  63  and returning the assembly to its position as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   In the case where the handle cross-sectioned shape is generally circular, as shown in  FIG. 4B , the operation of the assembly  10  is similar. The exception is that, given the ability of the circular cross-sectioned handle  20  to rotate within the handle cavity  54  of the yoke  50 , the user must manually align the spring button  28  with the yoke ramp opening  63 . The rounded edges  61  of this opening  63  aid the user in this step. Absent this alignment, it is impossible for the spring button  28  to be automatically depressed in any other rotational position which would otherwise risk complete disconnection of the yoke  50  from the handle  20 . Once aligned properly, the movement of the handle  20  relative to the yoke  50 , and the movement of the spring button  28  within the yoke ramp  62 , are the same as previously described as is the release of the handle  20  therefrom. 
   Based upon the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a new and useful automatic landing net yoke whereby the handle can be slid into a fixed position without manually activating the spring button, thus making the net easier and quicker to use; whereby the yoke does not allow the spring button to miss the hole, thus making the net more reliable in its use; whereby the yoke geometry allows multiple shapes of hoops and handles to be used, thus making the yoke design much more valuable due to manufacturability; whereby the yoke of such design is manufactured of a material that does not allow corrosion or oxidation between the yoke and the handle; and whereby a yoke is provided that is lightweight, strong, and no more expensive to produce than currently available parts are, thus making the yoke useful and affordable.