Fishing lure

A fishing lure contains a light source which is turned on by the OFF to ON transition of a switch. Timing means will turn the light off at the end of an interval following the OFF to ON transition. Preferably a sensor only allows the light being turned on by an OFF to ON transition when the lure is submerged in water.

This invention relates to the provision of an intermittently illuminated 
fishing lure. 
While most of the contemplated uses of my invention contemplate a fishing 
lure which is used in trolling or casting or jogged up and down, the 
invention also extends to any stationary device which is associated with 
the hook or bait during ice fishing which normally remains stationary 
until agitated by a fish. Thus the term lure as used extends to such 
stationary device and may simply comprise a light and the apparatus 
claimed in association with a hook or net without added shaping or 
styling. 
It is believed and established in practice that a light on a fishing lure 
tends to attract fish and increase the possibility of a catch. Heretofore 
it is believed that there has not been provided a lure where a light will 
flash irregularly to attract the fish whereby more fish will be attracted 
than with a continuous light. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a fishing lure, suitable for 
fresh water or deep sea fishing, wherein a light source is mounted thereon 
selectively connected with a power source and having motion responsive 
means designed to switch said light source between ON and OFF in response 
to motion of the lure in the water. The ON intervals and the flashing 
serve to attract the fish to lure when being trolled or otherwise 
agitated. In ice fishing with the lure sitting still in the water, the 
light appearing as a result of lure movement may serve to alert the 
fishermen that a fish is near the hook. 
It is noted that within the scope of the invention, a timing circuit, 
(preferably an integrated circuit) may be used to control illumination 
duration start or stop times when illumination is called for by the motion 
responsive means. In a preferred embodiment a timing circuit (whether 
integrated or otherwise) is provided designed to limit the illumination to 
a set period after the switch has gone ON. This feature is of particular 
advantage where the switch is turned on by the attitude of the lure (as, 
for example by a mercury switch). The timing curcuit, designed to limit 
illumination duration will, thus prevent loss of battery power if the lure 
is stored in an attitude which would maintain switch closure for an 
extended period. 
Thus with this aspect of the invention, the light cannot be on continuously 
but only for a predetermined interval after the switch goes to ON state. 
The battery life is thus prolonged and an exciting flashing effect is 
produced. 
The motion-actuated ON state provided by this invention provides a higher 
attraction to the fish than previous systems. U.S. Pat. Nos. to Ray 
4,175,348 and Garr 4,888,905 disclose circuits where an oscillator flashes 
a light on a fishing lure on and off in accord with a predetermined 
pattern. The fish will become conscious of such a pattern and will 
thereafter tend to ignore the lure. This is not only true of lures in 
suspended in the water but is also true of fishing with lures where the 
lure customarily rests on the sea or lake bottom. With the Ray or Garr 
circuits the pattern of lighting appears unnatural in a lure resting on 
the bottom. The appearance is more natural with applicants invention where 
the bottom-resting lure only flashes when it is jerked. 
In its timing and circuitry aspects this invention will be found to use 
many of the circuit features discussed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,009 dated 
Jul. 18, 1989. 
It is an object of a preferred aspect of the invention to provide the 
fishing lure in which the light source is a light emitting diode (LED). 
The use of the LED's produces a bright display in selected colors which 
requires much less energy than would the use of incandescent illumination, 
thus giving longer battery life. Since LED's require less power than other 
sources, (e.g. incandescent lights), battery and other components may be 
of smaller size and cost. Such smaller size is of considerable importance 
in a fishing lure. LED's also provide a relatively high intensity relative 
to their power requirements. 
With regard to both aspects of the invention, it is noted that glass fibre 
may be used, if desired, to conduct light from the light source to the 
exterior of the lure. In some cases glass fibres may be undersirable 
because they have a relatively narrow beam. 
There are many alternatives available for the motion responsive means used 
with the invention to switch the light source on and off, it has been 
found that for ruggedness, operation and compactness that a mercury switch 
is preferred. In one aspect of the invention the circuitry only allows the 
light source to be illuminated on change of the switch to ON state and 
terminates the illumination after a predetermined period after the switch 
changes state from OFF to ON . 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the circuitry is designed to 
include a pair of probes exposed to the outside of the lure which act as 
sensors to determine whether the probes (and hence the lure) are immersed 
as water or not. The circuitry is designed so that when there is a 
conducting path between the probes, caused by the immersion in water, the 
light source is illuminated or not responsive to the OFF to ON transition 
of the motion responsive switch. However in the absence of a conducting 
path between the probes, such as when the probes are in air, the light 
source will not be illuminated whether or not the motion responsive switch 
effects an OFF to ON transition. 
Thus in the preferred embodiment last described, the light source will only 
be illuminated: 
(a) within a timed interval after the last OFF to ON transition of the 
mercury switch which transition has taken place with the probes immersed 
in water (or in much less likely possibility that the probes become 
conducting when the switch is ON). Thus the chances for dissipation of 
battery power are minimized to allow extended battery life. Battery life 
may thus be extended to a degree that the battery will outlive the 
attractiveness or availability of the lure to its owner. Hence the battery 
and circuitry may be completely enclosed in plastic subject only to 
exposure of the probe ends to ambient water and the light source to 
exterior visibility. Such encapsulation as protection against ambient 
water is material to extending the lure life and particularly the life of 
its circuitry. 
In contrast to applicant's encapsulation feature, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,888,905 
Garr and 4,811,513 Groble show circuits wherein the batteries require 
replacement. Indeed, the latter requires removal of the battery to turn 
the device off. As these activities would likely be carried out in a 
fishing environment, contamination of the battery or chamber with water 
would result in corrosion rendering the device inoperative. Further, 
fishing lures are subject to extremely rough handling which can distress 
sealing surfaces, allowing water leakage to the interior of the lure.

In FIG. 1 is shown a mercury switch 10, two LED's (not shown) in lenses 
12', battery or battery pack 16, integrated circuit IC and a transistor T. 
Probes 11 and 13, exposed at the surface of the lure body are connected as 
hereinafter described to detect a water environment surrounding the lure. 
These are connected as shown in FIG. 3. Preferably the battery 16, switch 
10 transistor T, their connecting wires, the lines to the exposed ends of 
probes 11 and 13, and connecting wires to the LED's 12 are molded into the 
lure body which is preferably of molded plastic. If desired the lure may be 
designed so that the battery may be replaced but this will not usually be 
considered economical since the preferred circuit tends to extend battery 
life beyond the time when the user tires of or loses the lure. In the 
embodiment of FIG. 1 the LED's are mounted exterior to the lure body. The 
switch is preferably mercury and will in some altitudes be in OFF state 
and in ON state in others. However it will obviously move between OFF and 
ON states when the lure is agitated. 
Encapsulation of the lure may thus cover the body-adjacent ends of the 
transparent LED lenses 12' (leaving light from the LED's visible exterior 
to the lure through the exposed portion of the lenses). Encapsulation of 
the lure will leave exposed to ambient water or air the probe ends 11 and 
13. 
In alternative forms of the lure in FIG. 2 all elements, including LED 12 
and lens 12' are located inside the lure body and may be moulded therein. 
In the alternative of FIG. 2 the plastic forming the light path between 
the LED lens 12' and the outside of the lure will be made transparent or 
translucent, so that the light from an on LED is transmitted to be visible 
by the fish. Thus the entire device of Figure two may be encapsulated in 
plastic, subject only to allow a conducting path for ambient water to the 
ends of probes 11 and 13, and an optical path to the exterior for light 
from the LED's. 
The preferred circuitry for the lures of FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown in FIG. 3. 
FIG. 3 shows circuitry including an integrated circuit used to time 
illumination of LED's 12. It will be understood that switch 10, battery 
16, LED's 12 in lenses 12' maybe located as indicated in FIGS. 1 or 2. The 
integrated circuit IC, transistor T1, T2, and T3 and the remainder of the 
elements shown in FIG. 3 are encapsulated in the material of the lure, 
preferably adjacent mercury switch 10. 
Preferred values for the circuit elements are as follows: 
IC--INTEGRATED CIRCUIT #RR8503 MC14528 
T1--TRANSISTOR #2N3906 
T2--TRANSISTOR #2N3906 
T3--TRANSISTOR #2N3906 
C--CAITOR 0.47 uF at 30 V 
10--BATTERY 3 V 
12--LIGHT SOURCE (LED) 
16--ACTIVATION SWITCH (MERCURY) MECHANICAL OR PIEZOTRONIC 
R1--RESISTOR 1 MEGOHM 1/8w 
R2--RESISTOR 1 MEGOHM 1/8w 
R3--RESISTOR 1 MEGOHM 1/8w 
(A mechanical or a piezotronic switch may be used as an alternative to 
mercury switch 10). 
(The integrated circuit and transistor referred to above are both available 
from Motorola Canada Limited, 3125 Steeles Avenue East, North York, 
Ontario, Canada). 
In operation, with the lure stationary, if the mercury switch is OFF in the 
stationary attitude of the lure, the switch 10 will be open and the circuit 
quiescent but capacitor C will be charged to the value of battery 16 (here 
3 V). Pin 4 of the integrated circuit will be held at 0 volts which is the 
voltage arbitrarily designated at node 18. The integrated circuit IC will 
be in reset condition having the effect that there will be a positive 
voltage at pin 7, rendering the transistor T non-conducting and 
maintaining LED's 12 off. With the lure stationary, if the mercury switch 
is ON the circuit will after a momentary flash of the LED have been 
returned to the reset or switch OFF condition, as hereafter described and 
the LED(s) will be off. 
In series with the mercury switch 10 there is provided a closable gap 15 in 
the switch 10 connection to the positive end of battery 16, controlled by 
probes 11 and 13 and transistors T2 and T3 connected as shown. If probes 
11 and 13 are in an air environment, there is no conduction path there 
between and hence there is no bias on the base of T2 which is therefore 
non-conducting rendering T3 non-conducting. Gap 15 thus acts as an open 
circuit and while such open circuit persists, the circuitry cannot be 
activated by an OFF to ON transition of switch 10. Thus LED's cannot be 
lit by such OFF to ON transition when probes 11 to 13 are in air. This 
prevents the expenditure of battery energy when the lure is not in the 
water. 
On the other hand when probes 11 and 13 are immersed in water (and the 
circuitry may be adapted for fresh or sea water), the water establishes a 
conducting path between probes 11 and 13. This turns the base of T2 
negative relative to the emitter to turn on T2. When T2 turns on, the 
requisite negative bias is then applied to transistor T3 turning it on. 
Turning on T3 closes the conducting path between the positive terminal 
across gap 15 to switch 10. 
With gap 15 closed because probes 11 and 13 are in water the next following 
OFF to ON transition of switch 10 will activate the circuitry as 
hereinafter described. 
Thus with probes 11 and 13 immersed-in water, motion of the lure causes 
switch 10 to complete this circuit between battery 16 and pin 4, (that is 
the switch is changing state from OFF to ON); the (0-1) or 0 V to 3 V 
transition at pin 4 causes the integrated circuit to go to "set" condition 
causing pin 7 of IC to go to 0 volts. This causes transistor T to conduct 
lighting LED's 12. The set condition of IC connects pin 3 with node 18 and 
in a time determined by C and R1 the circuit is returned to reset 
condition, extinguishing LED's 12 and allowing C to recharge. The 
circuitry is further designed so that switch 10 must be turned OFF and ON 
again before the integrated circuit can again be activated to set state. 
It will be appreciated that the ground shown at node 18 is instrument 
ground only and is unconnected to anything outside the lure. The choice of 
node 18 as ground is somewhat arbitrary but assists on the description of 
the circuit. 
The use of the circuitry shown in FIG. 3 transcends the need for an "off" 
attitude of the lure to conserve battery power as it ensures only one 
brief illumination of the LED's per switch 10 closure. This allows the 
lure to be held or left where, due to the attitude of the lure, switch 10 
is closed, without continuing illumination of the LED's and consequent 
battery 16 power depletion. 
In summary then, the LED's are turned on by the transition of the mercury 
switch from OFF to ON states and remain on until turned off by the timing 
circuit. (If the mercury switch opens during the timed interval the 
circuitry will usually be designed to continue the LED on until the end of 
the interval), The LED's are off after the end of the timed interval until 
the switch again makes the transition from OFF to ON. 
If a mechanical or piezotronic switch is used as an alternative to mercury 
switch 10 such alternative switch may contain its own bias to OFF state. 
However it will often still be advantageous to use the timing circuit 
described to extend battery life since the switch may be slow in turning 
OFF. 
Obviously it is within the scope of the invention to use any other circuit, 
integrated or otherwise, designed to be motion activated and to cause the 
cessation of duration of the illumination of LED's 12. Circuits to control 
the duration are of particular importance for the reasons previously 
explained. (Integrated circuits are or shortly will be available which 
incorporate resistors R1, R2, R3 and capacitor C into the chip). 
Obviously there is no limitation as to the type of lure with which the 
invention may be used and the lure may simply be a light, battery and 
switch used in association with a hook or net. 
(It may be worthwhile to note that if switch 10 were, during an interval 
maintained in ON state, then immersion of the lure would close gap 15 and 
appear to the integrated circuit as an OFF to ON transition of the switch 
10. Similarily removal of the lure from water with the switch 10 in ON 
state will look to the integrated circuit like an ON to OFF transition. 
However, it is extremely unlikely that switch 10 would remain ON during 
such changes in gap 15 and if it does occur, the delay circuit will 
control the duration of the LED's exactly as described for the OFF to ON 
switch changes, so that no disadvantages ensue and the advantages of the 
invention accrue).