Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a two part rod holder which has a retaining member positionable about a fishing rod and a mounting member for providing support. The mounting member is interchangeable so that a different mounting member can be used for different situations such as mounting to a car or boat or placement in sand.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to fishing rods and the transport and storage thereof. The present invention has particular but not exclusive application for mounting on cars and trucks. The main body of the specification describes the use of the invention on a car to transport fishing rods, but this is by way of example only and the invention is not limited to this use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    When carrying or transporting a fishing rod by car, it is usually positioned in a hollow cylindrical holder that is mounted to the bull-bar on the front of the vehicle. Usually there is a series of hollow cylindrical holders fixed to the bull-bar. The tip of the fishing rod extends rearwardly over the vehicle cabin and is often tied down by rope or chord to provide a second anchoring point and secure fastening. 
         [0003]    The cylindrical holders are often made with an aluminum alloy and welded or clamped to the front bull-bar. These fixed cylindrical holders protrude outwardly and pose a danger to pedestrians and occupants in other cars should they be involved in an accident. Consequently these types of rod holders for vehicles are not encouraged by the road safety authorities. 
         [0004]    However the only other alternative to transporting a fishing rod is to disassemble the rod to smaller lengths so that it can be stowed in the boot of a car. This alternative is sometimes not desirable or an option. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a rod holder that overcomes at least in part one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages and provide an alternative rod holder. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one aspect the present invention broadly resides in a two-part holder for a fishing rod including 
         [0007]    a retaining member adapted to releaseably clamp to the fishing rod; and 
         [0008]    a mounting member attachable to a surface or support wherein the retaining member is attachable to the mounting member. 
         [0009]    The retaining member preferably has an attachment portion and a holding portion. 
         [0010]    The holding portion preferably includes a cylindrical or tubular section in which the handle section or base of the fishing rod can be inserted. The holding portion preferably includes a clamping means for fixing the position of the inserted fishing rod. The clamping means preferably includes a quick release clamping arm for releasing and allowing removal of the fishing rod from the holding portion. 
         [0011]    The attachment portion is preferably complementary to an engagement portion of the mounting member to enable releasable fitting of the retaining member to the mounting member. The portions may have complementary male and female parts. Preferably, one portion has a protrusion and the other portion has a jaw-like closure that can close about the protrusion. 
         [0012]    Preferably the mounting member also includes a fixing portion which enables the mounting member to fix to the surface or support. 
         [0013]    In one preferred embodiment, the mounting member has a base that is magnetized or has an adhesive layer to provide attachment to the surface or support. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the mounting member is fixed on or about a support by a bracket section. 
         [0014]    The mounting member may take any suitable form that allows the rod holder to be used on cars, boats and dinghies or walls for storage purposes. The mounting member may alternatively be a spike portion for placement in sand or the like. 
         [0015]    The mounting member in another embodiment is a mounting for use on a boat and has a fixing portion being a bracket for attaching to a tubular support such as a rail or the like and an engagement portion in which the retaining member is positionable. Preferably the engagement portion is rotatable relative to the fixing portion so that the inserted rod can be positioned pointing in any desired direction. Preferably the rotatable mounting portion can be locked in a desired position. 
         [0016]    In another aspect the present invention broadly resides in a two-part holder for a fishing rod including 
         [0017]    a retaining member adapted to releaseably clamp to the fishing rod, the retaining member has an attachment portion and a holding portion, the holding portion includes a cylindrical or tubular section for positioning the fishing rod, the holding portion includes a clamping means for fixing the positioned fishing rod, the clamping means includes a quick release clamping arm for releasing and allowing removal of the fishing rod from the holding portion, the attachment portion is complementary to an engagement portion of the mounting member to enable releasable fixing of the retaining member to the mounting member; and 
         [0018]    a mounting member attachable to a surface or support wherein the retaining member is attachable to the mounting member, the mounting member includes a fixing portion which enables the mounting member to fix to the surface or support. 
         [0019]    The retaining member is preferably made of plastics or other suitable material that enables the retaining member to float. When the floatable retaining member is fixed to a fishing rod, it allows the fishing rod to float in water enabling easy retrieval when accidentally dropped or lost in the sea or surf. 
         [0020]    In a further aspect, the present invention broadly resides in a three-part rod holder for a fishing rod including 
         [0021]    a retaining member adapted to releaseably clamp to the fishing rod; 
         [0022]    a mounting member attachable to a surface or support wherein the retaining member is attachable to the mounting member; and 
         [0023]    a holding member attachable to a surface or support and adapted to hold the tip or tip end of the fishing rod. 
         [0024]    The features of the retaining member and mounting member as described above also apply with this aspect of the invention. The holding member preferably has a magnetic base and a clamping arm that secures about the tip or tip end of the fishing rod. 
         [0025]    In another aspect, the present invention broadly resides in a rod holder system for transporting, carrying or using a fishing rod including 
         [0026]    a retaining member adapted to clamp on or about the handle section or base of the fishing rod; and
       one or more mounting members that is releaseably attachable to the retaining member, each of said one or more mounting members has a fixing portion wherein the fixing portion of each of said one or more mounting members is suitably shaped to fix to a particular surface or support and the retaining member can be releaseably attached to each of said one or more mounting members irrespective of the shape of the fixing portion.       
 
         [0028]    In this way the rod holder system has a retaining member and a plurality of interchangeable mounting members each of which can be used in different circumstances. The rod holder system preferably enables the same rod collar clamped about a fishing rod to be releaseably attached to a number of different base mountings because they employ the same or universal engagement fitting. The rod holder system preferably has a plurality of interchangeable mounting members that have the same or universal engagement fitting. 
         [0029]    The shape of the fixing portion preferably includes a bracket, a magnetized planar base, a spike or other suitable fixing portion. 
         [0030]    The features of the retaining member and mounting member as described above also apply with this aspect of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]    In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0032]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the rod collar and base mounting of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the rod collar and base mounting of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0034]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the rod collar and base mounting of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the rod collar and alternate base mounting; 
           [0036]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the rod collar and base mounting of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0037]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the rod collar and the alternate base mounting; 
           [0038]      FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the tip mounting; 
           [0039]      FIG. 8  is top perspective view of the tip mounting; 
           [0040]      FIG. 9  is another top perspective view of the tip mounting where a rod section is clamped in position; 
           [0041]      FIG. 10  is another perspective view of the rod collar and base mounting of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0042]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the parts of the rod holder of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0043]      FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  are diagrammatic views of a rod holder for use on a boat; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 15  is an exploded view of the parts of the rod holder mounting for a boat. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0045]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  5 ,  10  and  11  there is shown a rod collar  10  and base mounting  11 . The rod collar  10  is a substantially cylindrical tube  12  with an opening  13  at the end  14  which has the comparatively widest diameter. The opposing end  15  is also open. The rod collar  10  also has a releasable clamp  17  which includes a quick release arm  18  and an engaging arm  19 . The engaging arm  19  abuts the positioned rod handle or base (not shown) to clamp the rod collar  10  with the rod handle or base. The engaging arm  19  abuts the positioned rod handle or base when the quick release arm  18  actuates downward movement of the engaging arm  19  to clamp the rod. The quick release arm  18  and engaging arm  19  are both pivotally mounted about pivot pin  20  and spring biased to maintain the clamping position until the quick release arm  18  is released. The quick release arm  18  is released with upward movement of the arm  18  about the pivot pin  20 . With upward movement of the quick release arm  18 , the engaging arm  19  consequently moves upwards and disengages from the clamped position. 
         [0046]    The rod collar  10  also has a mounting leg  23 . The mounting leg  23  includes a leg portion  24  and a foot portion  25 . The foot portion  25  is a slightly concave section substantially perpendicular to the leg portion  23 . The foot portion  25  engages with the base mounting  11 . 
         [0047]    The base mounting  11  includes a jaws portion  27  and a bracket portion  28 . The jaws portion  27  consists of two parts  30  joined by a spring biased pivot mounting  29  that urges closure of the two parts  30 . The foot portion  25  of the rod collar  10  can be positioned within the jaws portion  27  and the two parts  30  are separated and retained in position when the two parts  30  are closed. The bracket portion  28  is fastenable about a suitable support such as a bull-bar on the front of a vehicle. 
         [0048]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , there is shown an alternate base mounting  35 . The alternate base mounting  35  has a similar jaws potion  36  as described for the preferred embodiment. The alternate base mounting  35  has a magnetic portion  37  for attachment to a metal surface such as the bonnet or cabin roof of a vehicle. The alternate base mounting  35  with the magnetic portion  37  is suitable where there is no bull-bar or the like on which a bracket can be mounted. 
         [0049]    There may be a number of different alternate base mountings depending on the application. For example, a further alternate base mounting may include a spike for placement in the sand or the like for use during surf fishing. A further example is a mounting to a sports or game fishing boat that enables a fishing line to be trawled while the fishing rod with the rod collar is held within a suitable mounting and not be dislodged when there is a strike on the fishing line. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  show the tip mounting  40  where the tip of a rod  41  is maintained in position by a clamping arm  42 . The clamping arm  42  is positioned to engage the clamping arm lip  43  with protruding teeth  45  to secure the clamping arm  42  about the rod  41 . The tip mounting  40  has a magnetized base  44  which allows the tip mounting  40  to be located on any suitable metal surface such as the cabin roof of a vehicle. 
         [0051]    In some situations, the rod collar and the base mounting may be used without the tip mounting. 
         [0052]    With reference to  FIGS. 12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15 , there is shown a rod holder mounting  50  for a boat. The rod holder mounting  50  is attachable to a tubular rail  51  by the clamping of bracket  52  with bracket arm  57  pivotally moving about rail  51 . The engagement portion  53  is rotatable relative to the bracket  52 . The engagement portion  53  can be locked into a desired position relative to the bracket  52  by the intercalating of complementary teeth  54 . The movement of the engagement portion  53  relative to the bracket  52  is effected by the adjustment handle  55  which is operationally connected to the engagement portion  53  by a centrally positioned link rod  56 . The retaining portion  59  is releaseably secured in the engagement portion  53  by sliding the retaining portion  59  in the complementary shaped top mounting  60  and securing in position by the spring biased catch  61 . 
       ADVANTAGES 
       [0053]    The present invention provides the advantage that the rod holder can be quickly and easily removed when not in use and therefore do not pose a danger to pedestrians and occupants in other cars. The rod holder also has the advantage that it is part of a system where the same rod collar clamped about a fishing rod can be releaseably attached to a number of different base mountings as they employ the same or universal engagement fitting. 
       Variations 
       [0054]    It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. 
         [0055]    Throughout the description and claims this specification the word “comprise” and variations of that word such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.