Detector for detecting a bit of a fish

The detector is mounted on a fishing line carrying a fish-hook and includes a fish-bite detection sensor operable in response to pressure applied by a fish's mouth on a worm rigged onto the fish-hook. The detector includes an oscillator disposed near the fish-hook, which outputs a signal in response to actuation of the sensor, and a receiver disposed away from said fish-hook, thus enabling an angler on the shore to detect that a fish has bitten the worm.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a detector for detecting a bite of a fish, 
which is mounted on a fishing line carrying a fish-hook, and more 
particularly, to a detector for detecting a bite of a fish, by which an 
angler on the shore can detect that a fish has bitten an artificial worm 
rigged on the fish-hook. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Conventionally, an angler using an artifical worm rigged onto a fish-hook 
detects a bite of a fish, such as a black bass, by sensing through his 
fingers vibrations transmitted from the line. 
He draws to his side the worm in a manner of dancing it like a live bait on 
or below the surface of the water, thereby provoking the fish's appetite, 
so that he hooks the fish instantaneously when it bites the worm. 
A fish such as a black bass, however, has the habit of disgorging the bait 
immediately when it finds that the bait is a foreign object, such as a 
worm. Hence, it is required to instantly strike the fish at the exact time 
when the fish bites the worm. However, for unskilled anglers, it is 
difficult to do so, thus reducing expectations of a good catch. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a detector for detecting a 
bite of a fish, which electrically detects that a fish, such as a black 
bass, is biting the worm, thereby enabling the angler to pull the fishing 
line without delay so as to ensure the catch. 
The present inventor has observed that the worm, when bitten by a fish, 
such as a black bass, is subjected to a predetermined pressure from the 
fish's mouth. Hence, the detector of the invention electrically detects 
such pressure and generates a detection signal, so that the angler strikes 
the fish on the basis of the detection signal, resulting in that even an 
unskilled angler ensures an easy catch. 
The detector of the invention, which is mounted on the fishing line 
carrying the fish-hook and detects that a fish is biting the worm, is 
characterized by providing a fish-bite detection sensor operable 
responsive to pressure of the mouth of a fish which bites the worm rigged 
on the fish-hook, an oscillator electrically connected to the sensor and 
for outputting a signal responsive to actuation of the sensor, and a 
receiver for receiving the output signal from the oscillator. The 
oscillator includes a power source and is disposed in the vicinity of the 
fish-hook, and the receiver is disposed away from the fish-hook. 
In the detector of the invention, the fish-bite detection sensor, when the 
fish bites the worm, operates to output a signal and then send it to the 
oscillator. The oscillator in turn emits radio or ultrasonic waves. The 
receiver receives these waves and informs the angler that the fish has 
bitten the worm. Hence, the angler pulls the line to his side and strikes 
the fish due to the information from the receiver, thereby expecting a 
good catch. 
The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will be 
more fully apparent from the following detailed description when the same 
is read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a detector according to the 
invention for detecting a bite of a fish, which is applied to a fishing 
line 6 carrying at one end a fish-hook 2 rigging thereon a worm 1 formed 
mainly of a soft material. 
A fish-bite detection sensor 3 operable under pressure from the mouth of a 
fish biting the worm 1 is provided at the line near the hook 2, in other 
words, within the worm 1. 
An oscillator 4 connected electrically to the detection sensor 3 through a 
wire 5 is provided to receive an output signal from the sensor 3, and 
emits radio waves or ultrasonic waves. 
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the detection sensor 3 is embedded within 
the worm 1 and near the hook 2 and the oscillator 4 is connected to the 
sensor 3 at a position spaced apart therefrom by a predetermined distance 
through a connector 7 formed of a flexible material and supporting the 
wire 5. The fishing line 6 is connected at its end with oscillator 4. 
Also, the oscillator 4 comprises an oscillation unit 42 and a power source 
8, such as button cells, which are housed in a watertight casing 41. 
In the first embodiment, the worm 1, which is spaced from the oscillator 4 
through the connector 7, moves in a natural manner on or below the surface 
of the water. 
In the second embodiment in FIG. 2, the oscillator 4 is mounted integrally 
on the worm 1 containing therein the sensor 3, the oscillator 4 and sensor 
3 being electrically connected directly through the wire 5, thereby 
facilitating handling and casting of the worm 1. 
In the third embodiment in FIG. 3, the sensor 3 is not embedded in the worm 
1 but mounted on the fish-hook 2 exposed from the worm 1. Alternatively, 
the oscillator 4 (not shown) may be integral with the sensor 3. 
Also, the sensor 3 employs, for example, a common switch using two 
conductors, a contactless switch using pressurized conductive rubber, or a 
pressure sensor switch using a piezoelectric material. 
The detection sensor 3, when the fish bites the worm 1, outputs a signal 
and the oscillator 4 emits radio waves or ultrasonic waves on the basis of 
the output signal as shown in a block diagram in FIG. 4. 
In FIG. 4, the detection sensor 3 employs a piezoelectric switch. An 
amplifier circuit A and a shaping circuit S are interposed between the 
detection sensor 3 and the oscillator 4, with the shaping circuit S 
serving to shape the pulse signal detected by and output from the 
piezoelectric switch, thereby generating the signal for actuating the 
oscillator 4. Where a contactless switch is used as the sensor 3, the 
shaping circuit S is not indispensable. 
The detector of the invention is provided with a receiver 10 having a 
buzzer 11 and an indicating lamp 12 and receiving the radio waves or 
ultrasonic waves emitted from the oscillator 4 so as to inform the angler 
that a fish has bitten the worm 1. The receiver 10, as shown in FIG. 5, is 
attached to a spool 14 at a fishing reel 13 mounted on a fishing rod, or 
as shown in FIG. 6, attached to a mounting leg 15 at the reel 13. 
Alternatively, the receiver 10 (not shown) may be mounted on a reel body 
of reel 13, one of a pair of side frames of a double bearing reel, a stay 
between the side frames thereof, or a thumb rest, the invention being not 
particularly defined or limited with respect to the position at which 
receiver 10 is mounted. In addition, for example, the receiver 10 may be 
contained in the angler's pocket, or may be mounted on a buoy floating on 
the surface of the water. In addition, the receiver 10 floating on the 
surface of the water is at the interface between the water and the air to 
avoid being affected by attenuation or refraction of the radio or 
ultrasonic waves, thus ensuring that the angler will receive information 
of the sound or the light from the receiver 10. Also, the receiver 10 is 
advantageous in that its size is not limited. Alternatively, a receiver 
having no buzzer or lamp may be provided on the buoy and the buzzer or 
lamp may be provided at the reel. Hence, even when numerous anglers are 
fishing, it is easy to distinguish whose receiver is outputting the 
information signal. 
In order to improve the receiving capacity of the receiver 10, an antenna 
therefor may be incorporated in the fishing rod, or a long cord as an 
antenna may be put at one end into the water. 
The respective receivers 10 in FIGS. 5 and 6 are provided between the 
buzzer 11 and the lamp 12 with a dial 16 for selecting the frequency of 
the radio or ultrasonic wave from the oscillation 4. 
Also, the oscillator 4 is constructed in an electric circuit as shown in 
FIG. 7 or 8 in order to prevent a malfunction of the detector caused by 
interference between the radio waves or the ultrasonic waves when a number 
of anglers are fishing by use of the detectors. 
Referring to FIG. 7, an electric circuit diagram of the oscillator 4 is 
shown, in which a circuit connected to a power source E is connected with 
a low frequency oscillation circuit T, a high frequency oscillation 
circuit K and a varicap circuit B, thereby forming a modulation circuit. 
The varicap circuit B has a variable capacitance which serves to modulate 
the radio waves output from the high frequency circuit K. Receiver 10 can 
identify the oscillator 4 by use of the low frequency carried on the radio 
wave, thereby preventing interference between the detectors. 
FIG. 8 contains a circuit diagram of the oscillator 4 emitting the 
ultrasonic waves. A circuit connected to a power source E is connected 
with an ultrasonic wave oscillation circuit H, an adjusting circuit C 
variably adjustable of the ultrasonic waves output from the oscillation 
circuit H, and an ultrasonic wave oscillation unit U. The adjusting 
circuit is adjusted to cause intermittent ultrasonic waves to be output 
from the ultrasonic wave oscillation unit U, thereby distinguishing each 
oscillator 4 by the intermittence time at the receiver 10 side. 
The detector, according to the invention, for detecting a bite of a fish, 
constructed as described above, provides an output signal from the 
detection sensor 3 when the fish bites the worm 1. Then oscillator 4 emits 
radio or ultrasonic waves on the basis of this output signal, and the 
receiver 10 receives these waves to inform the angler that a fish has 
bitten worm 1. Hence, the angler strikes the fish on the basis of the 
information from the receiver 10. 
As seen from the above, the detector of the invention for detecting a bite 
of a fish, constructed as described above can immediately inform the 
angler that a fish has bitten worm 1, thereby enabling even an unskilled 
angler to hook the fish easily and reliably. 
Although several embodiments of the invention have been described, they are 
merely exemplary of the invention and not to be constructed as limiting, 
the invention being defined solely by the appended claims.