Carrying case for fishing equipment

This invention is directed to a carrying case for fishing rods and reels and related equipment. The case contains one or more portions comprising support surfaces and recessed compartments where the rods and reels are securely fastened. Interposed between the recessed compartments are storage compartments that can be utilized to store other equipment. The case is designed to afford easy accessibility to the rods as well as the storage compartments while still providing the necessary protection and ease of transportation. The fasteners for the rods and reels are situated so as to secure the rods and reels in alternately disposed positions. Because of this design, the carrying case furnishes protection for multiple rods and reels while providing extra storage compartments for additional equipment, thereby maximizing the space used by the case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to carrying cases for sporting equipment. 
More particularly, the present invention relates to carrying cases for 
fishing equipment. 
The transportation and storage of fishing equipment between uses presents 
several challenges. These challenges include attempts to protect the 
equipment and to provide a manageable manner in which to carry the 
equipment. Some prior art cases are either elongated tubes or rigid cases. 
Yet, in many cases, removal of the reel from rod is necessary before 
storage. Furthermore, neither type provides easy accessibility to the rods 
and reels and easy transportation of the case. 
While some carrying cases provide space to hold more than one rod and reel 
assembly, current cases lack a unitary construction that maximizes the 
space used to house the equipment. Current designs also fail to provide 
adequate protection for the rods and reels, while still providing ease of 
accessibility, use and transportation. An improved carrying case that 
addresses one, some or all of these concerns is therefore desired. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A multi-compartment carrying case for fishing equipment includes an inner 
bottom wall, at least two spaced-apart support surfaces and wall portions 
joining edges of the spaced-apart support surfaces to the inner bottom 
wall to define at least one recessed compartment opening to the 
spaced-apart support surfaces and at least two storage compartments having 
walls defined by separation of the spaced-apart support surfaces and the 
inner bottom wall. A cover covers the spaced-apart support surfaces, the 
recessed compartment and the storage compartments. In some embodiments, 
the cover can further comprise a second portion having a recessed 
compartment, support surfaces and storage compartments similar to the 
portion having the first-mentioned recessed compartment, support surfaces 
and storage compartments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIG. 1, the case 10 of a first embodiment is illustrated 
as a clam shell structure having a first portion 14A and a second portion 
14B. Each portion or assembly 14A and 14B includes end support surfaces 
16A and 16B and a center support surface 16C located therebetween. The 
support surfaces 16A-16C further include fasteners, which are suitable for 
holding segments of the rods and reels in place. In the embodiment 
illustrated in FIG. 1, the fasteners comprise loops 20, which are attached 
to end support surfaces 16A and 16B to receive the handles of fishing rod 
and reel assemblies, and Velcro fasteners 21, which are provided on 
support surfaces 16A-16C to hold rod segments of the rod and reel 
assemblies in position. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, other 
suitable fastening devices can be used, such as ties, clips, snaps, etc. 
Both portions 14A and 14B also preferably include recessed compartments 24A 
and 24B adapted to receive the reels of the rod and reel assemblies. In 
this manner, the reels extend downwardly into the recessed compartments 
24A and 24B, while the rod segments of the rod and reel assemblies are 
secured to the support surfaces 16A-16C by the fasteners 20 and 21. As 
indicated in FIG. 1, the fasteners 20 and 21 are arranged such that 
compartment 24A can receive up to two reels while compartment 24B can 
receive a single reel, wherein the rod part for the reel in compartment 
24B extends between the reels of compartment 24A and the handle for the 
rods are secured by loops 20. In other words, the fasteners 20 and 21 are 
disposed on the support surfaces 16A-16C so as to hold the rods and reels 
in an anti-parallel orientation. In the embodiment illustrated, portion 
14A can hold three rods and reels in an alternating, anti-parallel 
arrangement. 
Portion 14B is similarly constructed to portion 14A, but the fasteners 20 
and 21 for portion 14B are arranged such that the fasteners are opposite 
to the fasteners 20 and 21 of portion 14A. In this manner, each portion of 
the case will hold three reels where, once again, rod segments and reel 
segments are alternately disposed. 
In one embodiment, each portion 14A and 14B also includes one or more of 
storage compartments 34A, 34B, and 34C for storage of such articles as 
other fishing or related items. These items may include such things as 
tackle boxes, raincoats, shoes, food, etc. As illustrated, each of the 
storage compartments 34A-34C of case 10 is defined, or formed in part, by 
one of the support surfaces 16A-16C, thereby maximizing storage space by 
interposing the recessed compartment 24A between storage compartments 34C 
and 34B, and recessed compartment 24B between storage compartments 34A and 
34C. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a removable single cover 38 
is secured to each of the portions 14A and 14B to cover each of the 
respective storage compartments 34A-34C. In particular, zipper 39 extends 
along at least a portion of the perimeter of the cover 38 and is used to 
secure the cover 38 in place. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, 
other means to secure such as Velcro, snaps, ties, buttons, etc. can also 
be used to secure cover 38 to each of the respective portions 14A-14B. In 
addition, multiple covers can be used to separately cover each of the 
storage compartments 34A-34C. 
In one embodiment, the case 10 is manufactured from a flexible material 
such as nylon or other durable, water-resistant material. If desired, a 
rigid material such as foam, metal, plastic, cardboard, wood, fiberglass, 
or the like, can be used in some or all the walls forming the portions 14A 
and 14B. In the embodiment illustrated, a center portion 34 of flexible 
material operates as a hinge to allow the portions 14A and 14B to be 
brought together and separated with the recessed compartments 24A and 24B 
of each portion 14A and 14B facing each other. In general, portion 14A 
functions as a cover for the recessed compartments 24A and 24B and the 
support surfaces 16A-16C of portion 14B and vice versa. If desired, other 
hinge mechanisms may be used, such as a panel hinge. The portions 14A and 
14B can be secured together as illustrated in FIG. 2 with a retainer such 
as a perimeter zipper 32. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, 
other devices such as ties, snaps, Velcro, buttons, etc., can be used to 
retain the portions 14A and 14B together. 
Some or all of the surfaces or walls of the recessed compartments 24A and 
24B and storage compartments 34A-34C are padded so as to protect items 
placed therein. FIG. 3 illustrates a segmented fabric panel 41 that can be 
used as one method to form many of the walls of the recessed compartments 
24A and 24B as well as the storage compartments 34A-34C. In this 
embodiment, two fabric sheets 40 are joined, for example sewn, together 
along dashed lines 43 to define each segmented portion, resulting in 
segmented fabric panel 41. 
A padding material, such as rigid or semi-rigid foam, can be inserted 
separately into each segmented portion of panel 41 or inserted as a layer 
panel and compressed during sewing along dashed lines 43. The padding 
material provides a cushion as well as rigidity for the carrying case 10. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the segments 29A-29H and support surfaces 16A 
and 16C are identified with similar reference numbers. Once the segmented 
fabric panel 41 is formed, a continuous member 35 such as fabric material 
is then sewn or otherwise secured to at least some of the edges of the 
segmented fabric panel 41 in order to provide end walls. In a preferred 
embodiment, the end walls for portions 14A and 14B are formed from a 
single member and include hinge portion 34. 
In the embodiment illustrated, a shell 37 is then attached to the fabric 
material 35 to form the remaining walls for the storage compartments 
34A-34C and the recessed compartments 24A and 24B. As appreciated by those 
skilled in the art, separate panels can be used to form walls for the 
storage compartments 34A-34C, in particular, the walls opposite support 
surfaces 16A-16C. In the embodiment illustrated, continuous member 50 
integrates the separate panels as a single component. Shell 37 includes a 
panel 53 to which member 35 is attached. Sheets of rigid panel 55, such as 
plastic, can be inserted in between panels 35 and 53 to form the center 
portion 34 and other portions to provide stiffness and rigidity. As with 
the segmented fabric panel, the shell 37 may be fashioned from two pieces 
of fabric and then stuffed with suitable padding, if desired. In addition, 
a zipper may be used where two pieces of material are present to provide 
additional compartments in the carrying case 10. 
In another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a rigid sheet of material 57 
is used in place of segmented fabric panel 41 to define the recessed 
compartments 24A and 24B and the storage compartments 34A-34C. The rigid 
sheet of material 57 is then attached to the carrying case in a manner 
similar to the technique used to integrate panel 41. Padding can be 
attached to the sheet of material 57 or to fabric surrounding the sheet of 
material in order to provide a cushion material in the compartments as 
desired. Suitable materials for member 57 include foam, metal, plastic, 
cardboard, wood, fiberglass, etc. These materials can be solid, hollow 
(for example, corrugated) or have air pockets. 
The embodiment illustrated FIG. 5 is substantially similar to the 
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, with the exception that case 20 
comprises a single portion 60 and a cover 62. A zipper 64 removably 
secures the cover 62 to the portion 60, allowing the cover 62 to open and 
allow access to the rod and reel storage compartment (recessed 
compartments 24A-24B and support surfaces 16A-16C) Although illustrated 
wherein separate covers 62 and 38 are provided, a single cover that covers 
both the recessed compartments 24A-24B, support surfaces 16A-16C and 
storage compartments 34A-34C can be used. In the embodiment illustrated, 
carrying straps 61A and 61B are secured to the case 60, preferably in the 
middle thereof. Also, wheels can be attached to the case 20 for example, 
at the ends thereof to aid in transportation of the carrying case 20. 
FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment also comprising a clam shell 
structure having portions 14A and 14B. However, in this embodiment, each 
of the portions 14A and 14B comprise a single recessed compartment 24B 
interposed between support surfaces 16B and 16C. Storage compartments 34A 
and 34C are disposed on opposite sides of the recessed compartment 24B and 
are accessible through cover 38. If desired, one or more dividing walls 
can be provided to form additional, smaller storage compartments than just 
the two illustrated at 34A and 34C. As in the previous embodiments, 
fasteners 20 and 21 are provided to secure the rods within the case. 
In the embodiment illustrated, the portions 14A and 14B are hinged and 
oriented in an anti-parallel orientation so that each recessed compartment 
24B faces support surface 16C on the other portion 14A, 14B. This 
orientation balances the case. If desired, the recessed compartments 24B 
of each portion can be located at the same end. It should also be noted 
that one of the portions 14A and 14B can be replaced with a simple cover, 
such as illustrated in the previous embodiment, that covers the recessed 
compartment 24B and the support surfaces 16B and 16C. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to 
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that 
changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.