Abstract:
An attachment device attachable to a string, rope, cord or other flexible line that remains in a fixed position on the line without knotting the line or clamping the device to the line. The attachment device is quickly attached and removed without the need for additional tools to attach or release the device from the line. The device includes a secondary attachment to allow a second device to be permanently attached to the attachment device, allowing the second device to be quickly attached and released from a line.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to devices attachable to a string, rope, cord or other flexible line. More particularly, the attachment device of the present invention is attachable to and remains in a fixed position on a line without knotting the line, clamping the device to the line, or wedging against the line and device. Without limitation, the attachment device of the present invention is particularly well suited to attach a weight, bobber, or other articles to a fishing line. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Over the years, various devices have been constructed for attachment to a line without threading the line through a fixed hole in the device. In many situations a user may wish to rig a line with one or more objects attached to the ends of the line. While using the rigged line the user may also wish to attach an additional object to the line without removing the objects already affixed on either end of the line. For example, a user may attach a reel to one end of a line and a hook to the other. After affixing the reel and hook to the line, the user may decide to add weights, a bobber or other device to the line. Preferably, the additional objects could be added to the line without removing the hook or reel from the line. Devices have been described in an attempt to allow for quick attachment to a line. 
   For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,710 issued to Paul et al. describes a rope securement clip for attaching to a rope. Paul et al. describes a clip having opposite facing sets of teeth that grab the rope, but under extreme rope tension the teeth are described as being specifically designed to be unable to hold the rope and will allow the rope to slip through the teeth. In order to grab the rope the separation distance between the opposite facing teeth must be less than the diameter of the rope. A rope with too small a diameter will pass through the slot without being gripped by the teeth. At column 3 lines 14-28 Paul et al. describes that “an important aspect of the present invention is that under certain rope tension conditions, namely that caused by an entangled whale, the clip 10 will break the connection between the rope 16 and the buoy 14. To this end, the size and the type of the rope 16 and the size, shape, angle of taper and number of the teeth 40 determine the threshold tension at which the clip 10 will allow the rope 16 to be released. For example, the size, shape, angle of taper and number of the teeth 40 can be designed to securely grab a given size and type of rope up to a rope tension of about 50 pounds. For rope tensions above 50 pounds, the teeth 40 as designed will not be able to hold the rope 16 and will allow the free end 20 of the rope 16 to extend back through the teeth 40, the hooks 34 and the buoy loop 18 to break the connection between the rope 16 and the buoy 18.” There is a need for an attachment device that attaches and remains affixed to a line independent of the size of rope. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,019,545, 5,435,095, 4,459,775, and 6,651,479 each describe fishing sinkers that include opposite facing gripping members that grip the line when the device is compressed thereby reducing the separation distance between the opposite facing gripping members. By compressing the device, the line is pinched which may cause on unwanted stress point in the line. Hence, there is a need for a device that grips a variety of diameter lines without changing the separation distance between opposing teeth. 
   Other devices have been described for use as fishing sinkers for attachment to a line without threading an end of the line through the sinker. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,599,973 and 5,239,770 each describe a slip on fishing sinker having a circuitous passageway for threading the line through the sinker. The described circuitous passageways may be difficult to thread the line there through. 
   Thus, there is a need for a device that is simple, attachable to a line, but may also remain in a fixed position on the line without requiring additional fasteners or pinching of the line. The present invention meets these and other needs that will become apparent from a review of the description of the present invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Without limitation, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a device that quickly attaches to a line without crimping, clamping, wedging, deforming or otherwise pinching the device or a portion of the device to the line. The device of the present invention includes a main body, line receiving member, or central member having a proximal and distal end and a channel, slot, aperture, or central access extending between at least a portion of the proximal end and the distal end. The main body may include projections or at least two opposing line restricting members in the channel and barbs or catches aligned with the channel on at least one of the proximal and distal end of the main body. Other features and advantages of the present invention are further described in the detailed description of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the device is particularly well suited for attachment to a fishing line, such that once attached to the line, the line restricting members reduce the ability of the fishing line to slip through the channel. Without limitation, the main body may have a round shape, an elongated shape or other suitable shape, and may be injection molded of metallic material having a thermoplastic binder, a non-toxic material, a buoyant material, or other suitable material. 
   These and other advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and/or when considered in conjunction with the claims and accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the line attachment device of the present invention engaged to a line; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view aligned above a slot of the line attachment device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of the line attachment device of the type shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional perspective view of the line attachment device of the type shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the line attachment device of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the attachment device shown in  FIG. 5  taken along line  6 - 6 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the attachment device shown in  FIG. 5  taken along line  7 - 7 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the attachment device shown in  FIG. 5  taken along line  8 - 8 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an end view of the line attachment device of the type shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a partial sectional perspective view of a first half of the line attachment device of the type shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a partial sectional perspective view of a second half of the line attachment device of the type shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment of the line attachment device of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present invention described herein are exemplary and modifications may be made without departing from the intended scope of the invention. Referring first to  FIGS. 1-4  there is shown generally an attachment device  10  of the present invention having a main body  12 , first end  14 , and second end  16 . The main body  12  has an outer surface  22  and an at least partially circuitous aperture  18  extending from the first end  14  to the second end  16 . Slot  20  having a first sidewall  32  and opposing second sidewall  34  extends from the outer surface  22  into the main body  12  and intersects the aperture  18 . The first sidewall  32  has second and fourth projections  26  and  30  respectively, projecting from the sidewall  32  towards second sidewall  34 . Likewise, the second sidewall  34  has offset first and third projections  24  and  28  respectively, projecting from the sidewall  34  towards opposing first sidewall  32 . 
   The projections  24 - 30  may be conically shaped with the base adjacent the aperture  18 . The path of the line  40  around the projections  24 - 30  is more circuitous near the base of the projections  24 - 30  and aperture  18  than near the slot  20 . 
   In other words, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the base of the projections  24  and  30  are wider than the tip of the projections  24  and  30 .  FIGS. 3 ,  8  and  9 , show the projections as cylindrical along a major portion of the length of the projection, wherein the sidewall from which it extends is sloped or tapered, to thereby effectively form the partially conical projection with respect to the opposing sidewall and vertical axis of the main member. In other words, as show in  FIGS. 2-4 ,  8 , and  9  the partially conical projection has a first distance from the projection to an opposing sidewall  32  or  34  near the outer surface  22  that is greater than a second distance from the projection to the opposing sidewall near the aperture  18  (the path of the line around the projections is more circuitous near the base than at the slot). First end  14  includes first barb  36  and second end  16  includes second barb  38 . The barbs  36  and  38  are tapered with a wider portion of the barb  35  near the aperture  18 , wherein the wider portion of the barb  35  is a generally planar surface which is located between the slot  20  and aperture  18  and extends both transverse to and between the first  32  and second  34  sidewalls. The line  40  slips down the taper and under the tip of each barb  36  and  38 . Each tip of barbs  36  and  38  may have an additional ridge  37  that restricts the line from slipping back around the tip and up the taper. The ridge  37  is a rounded ridge with an outer surface that is approximately half-cylindrical, the rounded ridge  37  being located on an end of the generally planar surface which is furthest from the first  32  and second  34  sidewall from which the respective barb  36 ,  38  extends. Barbs  36  and  38  restrict the line from slipping out of slot  20 , but the line may be removed quickly from the slot  20  by flipping the line  40  around each barb  36  and  38  and pulling the line  40  from the slot  20 . 
   By providing tapered or conical projections  24 - 30 , as the line  40  is inserted in slot  20  and under barbs  36  and  38  the line presses against the projections and the base of the projections grip the line  40 . Alternatively, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the projections may be deleted from sidewall  32  or  34  to allow the rope to slip freely through aperture  18  and under barbs  36  and  38  and past barb ridges  37 . 
   Referring next to  FIGS. 5-11  an alternate embodiment of the attachment device  10  of the present invention is shown. The alternate embodiment includes several similar features described for the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and these features are represented by like numerals. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various modifications described for the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  may also be made to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5-11 . For example, without limitation, the taper in the projections and barbs may also be incorporated into the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5-11 . 
   The attachment device  10  shown has a main body  12 , first end  14 , and second end  16 . The main body  12  has an outer surface and a slot extending from the outer surface into the main body  12 , first end  14  and second end  16  and intersects aperture  18 . First end  14  includes first barb  36  and second end  16  includes second barb  38 . Barbs  36  and  38  restrict the line from slipping out of tapered locking slot, but the line may be removed quickly from the slot by flipping the line  40  around each barb  36  and  38  and pulling the line  40  from the slot. First end  14  includes opposing third and fourth projections  28  and  30  respectively in the second portion  62  of the slot and second end  16  includes opposing first and second projections  24  and  26  respectively in the first portion  60  of the slot. Main body  12  includes fifth, sixth and seventh projections  50 ,  52 , and  54  respectively and opposing eighth and ninth projections  51  and  53  respectively in the third portion  64  of the slot Line  40  threads around the projections in the first, second and third portions  60 ,  62 , and  64  of the slot. 
     FIG. 12  shows an attachment device  10  of the present invention similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , further including an eyelet  42  extending outwardly from outer surface  22  of the main body  12 . The eyelet  42  is positioned approximately opposite the slot  20  and second line  41  is shown secured to eyelet  42 . When tension is applied to line  41  barbs  36  and  38  inhibit line  40  from slipping out of slot  20 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate the many uses for attachment device  10  capable of fixed attachment to a line  41  and quick attachment or removal to another line  40 . 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may attach to a fishing line, such that once attached to the line, the line restricting members reduce the ability of the fishing line to slip through the channel. Without limitation, the main body may have a round shape, an elongated shape or other suitable shape, and may be injection molded of metallic material having a thermoplastic binder, a non-toxic material, a buoyant material, or other suitable material. The density of the material and size of the member may be selected to create the member having a desired weight. For example, without limitation, non-toxic fishing weights may be created in the varying sizes including double buck, ¼ ounce, 3/16 ounce, etc. 
   This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.