Abstract:
Provided herein are urns for receipt and storage of the cremated remains of a deceased person, such as a fisherman, the urns having the shape of a fishing lure, and a method of memorializing a deceased person within such an urn. Each urn includes a hollow body having an opening therein, the opening being fitted with a closure device, such as a plug, cap, or slidable door. The present urns permit the surviving relative or friend to cherish the memories of the deceased and to honor the deceased&#39;s interests by storing his cremated remains in a urn configured to resemble a fishing lure and by displaying the urn in a stand, a holder, or a shadow box. The urn, stand, or shadow box may be engraved or labeled with the name or initials, birth and death dates or years, or other information about, or messages honoring, the deceased fisherman.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to ash containers for cremated human remains (i.e., urns) and particularly to an ash container that is configured in the shape of a fishing lure. In a first instance, the ash container may be displayed on a stand or a holder. In another instance, the ash container may be fitted with a hanging bracket and mounted within a shadow box. A method of memorializing a deceased loved one through the use of such an ash container is also provided. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Fishing is an avocation enjoyed by millions and is often shared among family members. For example, parents and their children may use fishing expeditions as an occasion to spend time together. Whether it be an early morning adventure, the hours spent together in a boat or on a dock, the cleaning of the day&#39;s catch, or more mundane tasks such as shopping for fishing gear, the activities associated with fishing result in strong bonds between fishing companions. 
         [0003]    Understandably, after sharing countless hours engaged in this pursuit, a fisherman may be emotionally devastated by the death of a fishing companion. In many cases, the dearly departed fishing buddy may be laid to rest in a burial plot, where family members and friends may later visit to pay their respects. In other instances, the deceased may be cremated, in which case the family members may opt to preserve the ashes in a cremation urn or cremation memorial. 
         [0004]    Many cremation memorials have been designed to honor the deceased, including urns such as those shown in, for example, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D356,422 and D360,732. The urns may be displayed in the home of a family member or friend as a reminder of the deceased. In many cases, the urns may be made of brass, bronze, or some other material that may be engraved with the name or other information (such birth and death dates) of the loved one. 
         [0005]    Other cremation memorials have been designed for functional purposes for the keeper of the memorial. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,373 describes a flower vase whose base functions as a container for the cremated remains of a loved one. U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,957 describes a piece of jewelry, such as a pendant, which is configured to hold a small container of ashes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,897 preserves the cremated remains in a cremation chamber that forms the base of a cylindrical planter box. 
         [0006]    Yet other cremation containers have been designed to reflect the interests of the deceased. For example, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D356,421 and D370,767 provide urns in the form of lawn ornaments that include images of dolphins and waves. Similarly, U.S. Design Pat. No. D418,271 illustrates a cremation urn shaped in the form of a starfish. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D370,766 and D370,768 provide cremation storage in the form of lawn ornaments that include images of deer and trees. U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,416 discloses a housing for cremation remains within an artificial underwater reef system, possibly for a scuba enthusiast or an environmentally conscious decedent For the automotive enthusiast, U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,299 provides a cremains storage container is formed within an engine block or engine cylinder. Finally, U.S. Design Pat. No. D524,510 provides a baseball bat urn, in which the knob of the bat is unscrewed and the cremains poured into a cavity inside the bat. 
         [0007]    Thus, while many of the aforementioned resting places are creative and may provide an appropriate tribute to the deceased, none provides the type of loving testament that a devoted family member or friend desires for a faithful fishing companion. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Provided herein are ash containers, or urns, for receipt and storage of the cremated remains of a deceased person, the ash containers having the shape of a fishing lure, and a method of memorializing a deceased person within such an urn. The ash container includes a hollow body having an opening therein, the opening being fitted with a closure device, such as a plug, cap, or slidable door. In one instance, the ash container may be displayed on a stand or a holder. In another instance, the ash container may be fined with a hanging bracket and mounted within a shadow box. The ash container, stand, or shadow box may be engraved or labeled with the name or initials, birth and death dates or years, or other information about, or messages honoring, the deceased fisherman. 
         [0009]    The present urns permit a surviving relative or friend to cherish the memories of the deceased and to honor the deceased&#39;s interests by storing his cremated remains in a urn configured to resemble a fishing lure and by displaying the urn in a stand, a holder, or a shadow box. 
         [0010]    The method of memorializing includes providing an ash container for housing the cremated remains of a loved one, the ash container being configured in the shape of a fishing lure, being fitted with a closable port, and, optionally, being provided with a mounting bracket; transferring the remains of the loved one into the ash container and sealing the closable port; and displaying the ash container on a stand or a holder or within a shadow box. The method may further include providing information about the loved one on the ash container itself, on the stand or the holder, or on or within the shadow box. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    A full and detailed description is set forth in the accompanying detailed description, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a fishing lure urn, according to one aspect of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a side elevational view of another fishing lure urn, according to a second aspect of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2C  is a cross-sectional view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 2A , as taken along line  2 C- 2 C; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of yet another fishing lure urn; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 3 , in which the closure mechanism has been replaced with a slidable door; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a back perspective view of another fishing lure urn; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 5 , in which a commemorative plate has been added to the urn; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 6 , as displayed on a stand; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the fishing lure urn of  FIG. 6 , as displayed within a shadow box; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of yet another fishing lure urn, similar in shape to that of  FIG. 1 , as displayed in a holder; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of the fishing lure urn and holder of  FIG. 9 , in which a commemorative plate has been added to the holder. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Reference is now made to the drawings for illustration of various components of the present fishing lure urns. The urns are adapted to hold a portion of the cremated remains of a deceased person and are configured to resemble a fishing lure designed to commemorate the interests of the deceased. The urns may be displayed on a stand or a holder or, alternately, may be fitted with a bracket for mounting within a shadow box. While the illustrations provided herein are directed to fishing lure urns of particular shapes, the elements and embodiments may be equally applicable to any of a variety of hollow-body fishing lures. It should be noted that, although the fishing lure urns are shown as having surfaces decorated with different patterns, any painting technique or coloration method may be used to adorn the fishing lure urns. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates a generic fishing lure urn  20  having an elongated hollow body  22  that resembles an underwater creature. The head end of the hollow body  22  may include a eyelet, or wire loop,  23 , to which a fishing line would conventionally be attached, although such an eyelet  23  is not required. Projecting from the underside of the hollow body  22  may be an eyelet  25  through which a hook  24  may be attached. Similarly, at the tail end of the hollow body, another eyelet  27  may extend for the carriage of a second hook  26 . As will be readily apparent, the hooks  24 ,  26  may be removed for ease of handling. Alternately, the hooks  24 ,  26  may be of a different type than those illustrated. In yet another alternative, the eyelets  25 ,  27  may be located at different locations along the hollow body  22 , and different numbers of eyelets may be used, as desired. 
         [0026]    An opening may be strategically formed through the underside of the hollow body  22  as a port through which the cremated remains of a loved one may be inserted. The opening may be sealed using a plug-type cap  30 , having a size and shape complementary to that of the opening. Such a plug-type cap  30  represents a method of closure that is simple to operate and manufacture. If desired, glue or other adhesive may be applied around the edges of the cap  30  to create a permanent seal, thereby preventing the possibility of the accidental discharge of the urn contents. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 2A through 2C  illustrate another representative fishing lure urn  40 , also having an elongate hollow body  42 , several eyelets  23 ,  25 ,  27 , and a pair of hooks  24 ,  26 . As with the fishing lure urn  20  of  FIG. 1 , the hollow body  42  of the fishing lure urn  40  forms a receptacle for receipt of the ashes ( 150 ) of a departed loved one. The underside of the fishing lure urn  40  may include a opening  21  (as shown in  FIG. 2B ), which may be surrounded by a decorative metal or plastic ring  32 . A flexible plug-type cap, or stopper,  30  may be used to close the opening  21 , after the ashes ( 120 ) have been transferred into the urn  40 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2C  shows a cross-section of the fishing lure urn  40  of  FIG. 2A , as taken along line  2 C- 2 C. The interior cavity  43  of the hollow body  42  may be filled to a desired level with the ashes  120  of the decedent, and the opening ( 21 ) on the underside of the hollow body  42  may be plugged with the cap  30 . 
         [0029]    It is anticipated that several family members may be provided with similar fishing lure urns, according to the teachings herein, for display in their respective homes. Alternately, the present fishing lure urn(s) may be used to house a portion of the remains of the deceased, while the larger portion of the remains is stored in an outdoor cremation memorial, a cremation niche, or a more traditional urn. 
         [0030]    Yet another shape and closure device for the fishing lure urn is shown in  FIG. 3  as fishing lure urn  60 . The fishing lure urn  60  has the appearance of a small fish, although many other different shapes may instead be used. The closure mechanism for the urn  60  is a screw-type closure, in which a screw cap  34  is used in conjunction with a threaded socket  63  formed within the underside of the hollow body  62  of the urn  60 . This threaded socket  63  defines an opening  61 , which permits filling of the urn  60 . 
         [0031]    The screw cap  34  may include any type of screw drive, such as a slotted drive, a Phillips head drive, or a hex screw drive, and may further include any type of screw head shape, such as pan, button, round, or flat. Alternately, the screw cap  34  may be of the type with a raised rib extending from the screw head, which may be used for hand-tightening of the cap  34 . In yet another alternative, the threaded socket  63  may project outwardly from the underside of the hollow body  62 , and the screw cap  34  may be of the type that encompasses the threaded socket  63  (e.g., as in a tube of toothpaste). Further, the screw cap  34  may be fitted with a glass viewing port, or sight glass, that permits the contents ( 150 ) to be viewed without removing the cap  34 . 
         [0032]    Another type of closure may be seen in  FIG. 4 , in which the hollow body  62  is configured with a slidable closure, including a sliding door  36  that blocks the opening  61 . The sliding door  36  may be opened to expose the cavity  63  for filling and then may be closed to prevent the contents from being dislodged. The sliding door  36  may be located along one side of the urn  60 , in which case the side with the sliding door  36  may be considered the back side of the urn  60  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). Alternately, depending on the shape of the urn  60 , the sliding door  36  may be located along the underside of the urn (e.g.,  60 ), in which case the urn  60  may turned upside-down for filling. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  illustrates the rear side of a urn, for instance, fishing lure urn  50 . A sawtooth hanging bracket  70  may be affixed, using screws, nails, or adhesive, to the rear side of the urn  50 . Such bracket  70  permits the urn  50  to be hung on a wall or in a shadow box (as in  FIG. 8 ). Other types of brackets may instead be used, such as picture hanging brackets that may or may not be threaded with wire. 
         [0034]    The front side of the urn  50  may, optionally, be provided with a commemorative plate  80 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The commemorative plate  80  may be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic, aluminum, gold, silver, brass, bronze, or stainless steel. The commemorative plate  80  may be engraved or printed to include the name or initials of the deceased, the birth and death dates or years of the deceased, and/or a message to or about the deceased (e.g., “Beloved Father,” “Faithful Companion,” “Rest in Peace,” or “Gone Fishing”). 
         [0035]    The commemorative urn (e.g.,  50 ) may be displayed in a decorative stand  90 , which is sized to accommodate the urn  50 . The decorative stand  90  may then be displayed on a shelf or table of the surviving family member or friend, as a memento honoring the deceased and his love of fishing. Although illustrated with the hooks  24 ,  26  attached to the hollow body  52 , the urn  50  may instead be exhibited without the hooks  24 ,  26  to reduce the likelihood of injury. The decorative stand  90  may be made of any material, such as wood, plastic, or metal, and may be chosen to match the urn  50  and/or the décor of the room in which the urn  50  will be kept. If the urn  50  is to be displayed thusly, the need for the hanging bracket  70  is obviated. 
         [0036]    However, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the hanging bracket  70  may be particularly useful when the urn  40  is to be displayed in a shadow box  94 . The lure urn  40  may be hung on a tack or small nail (not shown) within the shadow box  94 . The walls  95  of the shadow box  94  may be sized according to the dimensions of the urn  50 . Further, the shadow box  94  may be sized significantly larger than the dimensions of the urn  50 , so that a photograph, poem or other literary tribute, or commemorative plate may be positioned within the shadow box  94 , alongside the urn  50 . Alternately, a commemorative plate ( 80 ) may be attached to the exterior frame  96  of the shadow box, rather than to the urn  50  itself. 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  illustrates a fishing lure urn  120  held in a stand  98 . The stand  98  has a base  97  from which project vertically two sides  99 . The sides  99  terminate at their distal ends in an arch-shaped opening  100 , within which the respective ends of the urn  120  may be positioned. The stand  98  may be made of wood or another material, such as plexiglass, as desired to coordinate with the urn  120  or the furnishings of the room in which the urn  120  is to be displayed. 
         [0038]    A variation of the stand  98  of  FIG. 9  is shown in  FIG. 10 , in which a commemorative plate  80  has been attached to the stand  98 . As illustrated, the commemorative plate  80  may be affixed to the vertically projecting sides  99  and may be inscribed as discussed above. Alternately, the commemorative plate  80  may be attached at some other location on the stand  98  or may be attached directly to the hollow body of the urn  120  (for example, as shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0039]    The preceding discussion merely illustrates the principles of the present fishing lure urns. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements, which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes and to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the inventions and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. 
         [0040]    Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure. 
         [0041]    This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the figures of the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire description of the invention. In the description, relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “above”, “below”, “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom”, as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not required that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, unless otherwise indicated. Terms concerning attachment, coupling, and the like, such as “connected”, “attached”, or “interconnected”, refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. 
         [0042]    The foregoing description provides a teaching of the subject matter of the appended claims, including the best mode known at the time of filing, but is in no way intended to preclude foreseeable variations contemplated by those of skill in the art.