Abstract:
A fishing lure with an integral light source and fiber optic strands is provided designed to attract more fish. A splay of short fiber optic strands leave the rear of the lure and camouflage a fishing hook. The fiber optic strands are gathered to a single point inside of the lure. A light-emitting diode (LED) is placed next to this point which allows visible light to travel down the fiber optic strands and exit from the end of the strand thus producing a display of light designed to attract fish. The LED is powered by a small watch-type battery and is controlled by a tension-activated switch at the front of the lure. Whenever tension is applied to the lure by the fishing line, the circuit is closed and the LED illuminates. If tension is removed by slack in the line, the circuit is opened and the LED extinguishes.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/612,027 filed on Jul. 3, 2003, which was a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/118,643, filed on Apr. 8, 2002, both hereinafter abandoned. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to fishing line activity detector and fish attractant and, more particularly, to a fishing lure having a tension activated light. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The technology used by anglers to catch fish has become increasingly complex in nature. Fishermen no longer rely on the traditional hook and worm approach to attract fish. Instead, a broad range of products are available, designed to aid the fisher to catch more fish quickly. One of the more popular aids is that of specialized lures designed to attract a higher rate of fish, thereby increasing the strike rate for a fisher. In keeping with these modern trends, there is a constant need for new and different fishing lures that provide a competitive edge when attracting fish. Many fish are attracted to various types of light, especially reflections that come from body of fish prey. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a fishing lure that can be lighted upon application of line tension to the lure, illuminating the tail and serving both as a fish attractant and a activity detector. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved lighted fishing lure. 
   It is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved fishing lure that is illuminated upon application of line tension. 
   It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an improve fishing lure that transmits illumination through the tail and the fibers coupled to the tail. 
   It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an improved fishing lure that includes a removably affixed tail interchangeable with other varied tails. 
   Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fishing lure with an integral light source and fiber optic strands is provided so as to attract more fish. A splay of short fiber optic strands of various lengths leave the rear of the lure and camouflage a fishing hook. The fiber optic strands are gathered to a collar that is insertable into a rear end of the lure body. A light-emitting diode (LED) is adjacent to the rear end and allows visible light to travel down the fiber optic strands and exit from the end of the strand thus producing a modulated display of light designed to attract fish. The LED further acts to indicate line activity by a striking fish or other object. The LED is powered by a small watch-type battery and is controlled by a tension-activated switch at the front of the lure body. As tension is applied to the lure by the fishing line, either by a striking fish or a fisher, the circuit is closed and the LED illuminates. If tension is removed by slack in the line, the circuit is opened and the LED returns to a non-illuminated state. 
   In this manner, the fisher is able to produce a flashing light display designed to attract even more fish. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a tension activated lighted fishing lure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view illustrating only the body with orifices; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway of the body of the lure; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial cutaway of the attachment means; 
       FIG. 6   a  is the reverse side of the nose switch board; 
       FIG. 6   b  is the obverse side of the nose switch board; 
       FIG. 6   c  is a perspective view of the nose switch board; 
       FIG. 7   a  is a side view of the tail; 
       FIG. 7   b  is a partial cutaway of the tail; and 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic of the electronics of the lure. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
   1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 3 , a fishing lure having a tension activated light  10  is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fishing lure  10  generally comprises a body  12  and a tail  14 , the tail  14  being removably attached to a rear portion of body  12 . The lure  10  has the general form of standard elongated fishing bait, including other fish, minnows, insects or other similar material. A fish-type form is depicted in the figures as an example. 
   The body  12  comprises a structurally rigid and sturdy exterior intended to withstand repeated use and the various environmental elements in which people fish, including fresh-water and salt-water environs and temperature extremes, such as ice fishing. It is envisioned that the exterior is manufactured from rigid materials, such as castable urethane or another similar substance. The exterior surface of the body  12  is envisioned as having a variety of aesthetic effects, including the appearance of eyes, mouth, gills, scales and other suitable surface features observable on fish-type bait. The body  12  is elongated and comprises a pair of orifices  16  and  18  (see  FIG. 3 ), the orifices  16  and  18  are aligned substantially along an axis that corresponds to an equator about the body  12 . The first orifice  16  provides ingress and egress to attachment means  20  (described in greater detail below). The second orifice  18  provides ingress and egress to tail  14  for removable attachment and detachment, allowing for the interchangeability of other alternate tails  14 ′. The interior of body  12  is substantially hollow to accommodate the electrical circuitry and illumination source (LED) necessary to provide illumination to the tail  14 . 
   Attachment means  20  is envisioned to have a variety of configurations suitable for securing the lure  10  to a fishing line. As depicted in the preferred embodiment, attachment means  20  comprises a substantially elongated shaft  22  terminating at two ends, one end comprising an eyelet  24  and an opposing end comprising a base  26 . A portion of the shaft  22  and the entire eyelet  24  project outwardly from body  12  through first orifice  16 . An elastomeric O-ring  28  is positioned on the interior of body  12  and lies adjacent to first orifice  16 , permitting shaft  22  to pass therethrough. The O-ring  28  acts to seal the interior of body  12 , including the electrical circuitry and attendant components, from ingress of water or other foreign substances that might damage the body  12  and/or the electrical circuitry. Intermediate to the O-ring  28  and the base  26  is an outwardly biased return spring  30 . When a force is applied so that the base  26  is drawn toward the O-ring  28 , the return spring  30  is compressed (storing potential energy), and once the force is removed, the stored potential energy resiliently returns the spring  30  to the outwardly biased position. Attachment means  20  is threadably adjustable about return spring  30 , so that clockwise rotation of shaft  22  either tightens or loosens the tension on return spring  30 , and counterclockwise rotation of shaft  22  provides opposite adjustable tension. By adjusting the tension of return spring  30 , a user can adjust the sensitivity and frequency of illumination provided by the fishing lure  10 . Specifically, and only by way example, if a user is fishing waters with fish particularly attracted to illumination, the tension on return spring  30  may be lessened so that only light force is necessary to cause intermittent illumination. 
   The internal circuitry comprises a light emitting diode (LED)  32  adjacently positioned to the second orifice  18 . The LED  32  is electrically coupled to a battery  34  via an electrical wire circuit  36 . The LED  32  and battery  34  are further electrically coupled with a switch  38 . The switch  38  engages base  26  (via direct physical contact) and completes an electrical circuit so that the LED  32  is activated, thereby illuminating tail  14 . Disconnection or disengagement of base  26  and switch  38  (release of contact and action of return spring  30  to disconnect base  26  and switch  38 ) deactivates electrical communication, thus LED  32  returns to a non-illuminated state. 
   The LED  32  is envisioned as available in a variety of colors, including yellow, red and/or green. The LED  32  is also envisioned as having solid state circuitry. It is anticipated that the internal circuitry is capable of modulating the LED  32  in various manners, and from a preselected form or pattern. For purpose of disclosing one such enablement, as depicted in  FIG. 8  the. Modulation of voltage supplied to the LED(s)  32  integrated circuit (IC 1 )  100  and immediately connected capacitor C 1   105  and resistors including R 1   110  and R 2   115  for varying the modulation pattern of voltage at point “A”  118  followed by integrated circuit (IC 2 )  120  and their immediately connected components to produce a regulated voltage when point “A”  118  is high; and finally a capacitor C 2   125  to produce a fading action at the LED(s)  32 , rather than a sharp drop in illumination. This functionality can be accomplished for various numbers of LED&#39;s in series, but the exact voltage will depend upon the colors selected and numbers of LED&#39;s. 
   The tail  14  comprises at least one fishing hook  40  centrally placed within a plurality of tail fibers  42 . The tail fibers  42  are formed from feathers, fibrous strands, or other similar materials. The tail fibers  42  are gathered at a collar  44 , and anticipated as being of various lengths. The collar  44  is removably attachable to body  12  through second orifice  18 , thereby permitting interchangeability of tails  14  or  14 ′. The collar  44  may have a variety of configurations, including releasable ball bearings, resiliently returnable projections, snap fasteners, or other similar objects suitable for generating frictional impingement of tail  14  within said body  12  via the second orifice  18 . It is envisioned that the tail  14  is coordinated with body  12  in aesthetic appearance. A second O-ring  48  may be provided to provide a seal about second orifice  18 . A plurality of fiber optic strands  46  are intermingled with tail fibers  42 , with one end of each fiber optic strand  46  lying adjacent to LED  32  so as to transmit light produced by LED  32  down the strand and visible to targeted fish. The fiber optic strands  46  are gathered at a collar  44 , and anticipated as being of various lengths. A plurality of fishing hooks  40  may be included as an alternative to a single hook  40 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4  through  FIG. 7   b , an exemplary embodiment of the lure  50  is shown. The lure  50  comprises an elongated body  52  having a first end  54  and a second end  56  (opposite the first end  54 ). Attachment means  58  is coupled to the first end  54 . Attachment means  58  for coupling the lure  50  to a fishing line. A tail  60  is coupled to the second end  56 , the tail  60  having tail fibers  62  formed from feathers, fibrous strands, fiber optic strands, a combination of feathers and strands or other similar materials and a hook or hooks  64 . 
   Each end  54  and  56  possesses an elastomeric annular ring  96  and  98 , respectively, positioned internally or inferior to the threads of attachment means  58  and tail  60 , respectively. The rings  96  and  98  function to seal the internal components from external elements, including debris and water, and to generate a tight seal between means  58  and tail  60  at respective ends  54  and  56 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b , the tail  60  is depicted having a threads  90  for installation and removal of the tail  60  from the second end  56  of body  52 . As shown in  FIG. 7   b , a breakaway view of the tail  60 , a clear epoxy  92  is used to embed the tail fibers  62  in the tail  60 , including any variation of feathers, fibrous strands, fiber optic strands or other similar materials used for decoration and/or delivery/transmission of light from light source  68 . The epoxy  92  has a concavity  94  formed at an end adjacent the light source  68  when the tail  60  is fully seated onto second end  56  of body  52 . 
   The body  52  houses the electrical communication between the attachment means  58 , an energy source  66  and a light source  68 , described in greater detail below. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , attachment means  58  comprises an elongated shaft  70  terminating in an eyelet  72  at an end and a tapered switch contact  74  at an opposing end. The eyelet  72  is used for direct attachment to a fishing line, usually by passing the line through the eyelet  72  and forming a knot in the line, although other ways are envisioned as well. The shaft  70  resides in a casting urethane material  76 , the urethane  76  deformable and returnably resilient for acting as a spring tension device for the attachment means  58  when force is applied on the eyelet  72  in a direction away from the body  52 . The tapered switch contact  74  is disposed or passes through a nose switch board  78 . The nose switch board  78  is positioned within the body  52  and has a tapered aperture  80  formed about the center of the board  78 , a battery spring contact  82  and an alignment cleat  84 . The aperture  80  traverses the width of the board  78 , with a narrow width on the obverse  78   a  of the board  78  and a wider width on the reverse  78   b  of the board  78 . The battery spring contact  82  and cleat  84  depend from the reverse  78   b  side of the board  78  and communicate with other components housed by the body  52 , as will be described in more detail. Attachment means  58  further includes a threaded or cross-groove structure  86  to allow for easy installation and extraction when necessary, allowing the user access to the internal components of the body  52 . 
   The tapered aperture  80  of the nose switch board  78  is tapered in substantially a similar shape as the tapered switch contact  74  so that the contact  74  does not contact the perimeter of the aperture  80  while in a relaxed and disengaged position. When the eyelet  72  receives a force applied by a striking fish, the shaft  70  is urged outward from the body, thus urging the tapered switch contact  74  into physical communication with perimeter of the aperture  80  of the nose switch board  78 . The nose switch board  78  is electrically coupled with circuit components (such as transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, etc.), an energy source  66  and a light source  68 , thus, when the tapered switch contact  74  engages the perimeter of the tapered aperture  80 , a circuit is completed and light is transmitted from the light source  68  and through the tail. 
   The battery spring contact  82  engages an energy source  66 , in this embodiment depicted as a battery with the positive end (+terminal pole) contacting the battery spring contact  82  directly. The battery  66  is intermediately disposed between the attachment means  58  and the tail  60 , and in particular, is intermediately disposed between the battery spring contact  82  and a printed circuit board  86  and light source  68  combination at the opposing end. The cleat  84  engages a surface of the printed circuit board  88  for electrically communicating with the electrical components of the lure  50 , thus signaling transmission of light from light source  68  through the tail  60  and corresponding tail fibers. 
   As seen in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 8 , in particular, the circuitry is positioned along a printed circuit board  88 , and includes a number of resistors, integrated circuits, transistors and capacitors, and may include other such components. A light source  68 , shown as a single light emitting diode (LED), is mounted to the printed circuit board  88 . The LED and printed circuit board  88  are positioned adjacent the tail  60  so that light generated from the LED is transmitted through the tail  60  and down the fibers  62  to visually attract fish attracted to light. As depicted in  FIG. 8 , and described above, the components allow for the modulation of the light generated by the light source  68 , and includes coupling to means for changing the modulation and programming the modulation to a programmed or customized pattern of the user&#39;s choosing. Other illumination sources  68  envisioned include incandescent bulbs and other similar light transmitting devices. 
   2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
   In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lure  10  is used as a standard fishing lure by attaching the eyelet  24  to a fishing line (not shown). As seen in  FIG. 1 , after casting, each time a force (tension) is applied to the lure  10 , either by a striking fish or the tug of the fisher, the switch  38  will close, thereby illuminating the fiber optic strands  46  intermingled and camouflaged within tail  14 . In reaction to the applied force, the base  26  is brought into contact with switch  38  (compressing return spring  30 ) and closing an electrical circuit between LED  32  and battery  34 . The illumination generated by LED  32  is transmitted through fiber optic strands  44 . Thereafter, the return spring  30  returns base  26  to a non-contact position in relation to switch  38 , thereby extinguishing the illumination generated by LED  32 . 
   The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.