Abstract:
A collapsible live bait container constructed of a vinyl coated fabric mesh. The mesh is sewn over one or more flexibly resilient stays. A foam flotation member or buoyant stays can be secured to the enclosure walls. Resealing access ports are defined with strips of hook and loop fasteners, zippers or a fabric sleeve and drawstring. Several storage compartments can be provided with permanent or detachable walls or pockets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
       [0001]     This is a continuation application of Application Ser. No. 10/301,772 entitled “Floating Bait Container” and filed Nov. 21, 2002 by Joseph C. Beech, now pending. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to live bait containers and, in particular, to a container having a fabric mesh sewn to rigid stays to define displaced walls and an enclosed storage cavity and including a resealing access port and a buoyant member sewn to the mesh walls.  
         [0003]     A longstanding problem of live bait fishermen, who use minnows and other bait that must remain submerged in water, is providing a means for storing the bait while fishing. Varieties of rigid walled bait containers and traps with hinged doors and perforated walls exist. These containers are typically constructed from metallic mesh screen or perforated metal or plastic. These containers can be dragged from a boat or can be mounted inside a solid walled outer container that supports a quantity of water.  
         [0004]     Rigid walled, built-in-bait wells and/or live wells are also provided on many fishing boats. In lieu of towing the foregoing bait containers and depending upon the size of the live well, many of the foregoing bait containers can be inserted into a live well. The bait is thereby segregated from any fish that are caught and kept. Damage can occur, however, to the bait, captured fish, bait container and/or live well with normal jostling of the bait container during boat operation.  
         [0005]     Mesh fabric outfitted with buoyant floats as also been used to store live bait such as leeches and as a holding pen for live wells. The walls of such assemblies, however, can collapse against the contained bait and/or fish and obstruct normal gill movement and breathing, thereby severely effecting bait mortality and storage time.  
         [0006]     The present invention was developed to provide an economical mesh fabric, live bait container with a resealing access port that can support bait, such as minnows and other aquatic bait or insects (e.g. grasshoppers and crickets). The container and bait can be stored in a live well. The walls are displaced with resilient, flexible stays to define a bait storage space. One or more compartments can be provided to segregate multiple types or different species of bait. One or more buoyant floats can be included to support the container. The stays can flex during boat movement allowing the walls to collapse and expand. Damage is thereby minimized to the stored bait, fish, bait container and/or live well. The bait container can also be collapsed for storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed toward a live bait container comprised of a fabric mesh. The fabric mesh is formed to define a flexible body having a first end wall, a second end wall and a side wall disposed between the first end wall and second end wall. The first end wall, second end wall and side wall define an interior storage space. The fabric mesh further comprises an access port for communicating with the interior storage space. In another embodiment of the invention, the mesh bait container comprises a longitudinal access port to the interior storage space. In another embodiment of the invention, the live bait container comprises a side wall with a major axis and a minor axis, with an access port located on the side wall oriented along the major axis. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing showing a cylindrical mesh fabric container having a buoyant flotation member and an end access port defined with hook and loop fastener material.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view thereof.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear view thereof.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view of the top or resealing end thereof.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view thereof.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a container having a longitudinal hook and loop access port.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is an end view of a container having an end zipper access port.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a container having a longitudinal zipper access port.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective drawing showing a container having a domed end with a drawstring closure.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective drawing showing a container having alternative types of stays constructed of foam cord, nylon cord/rod stock and a foam covered core piece and a secondary storage compartment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , views are shown to a mesh fabric, live bait container  2 . The sidewalls  4  of the container  2  are supported in a generally cylindrical shape via a pair of flexibly resilient stays or hoops  6 . One of the stays  6  is shown in cutaway and is formed from a flat band of a water impermeable material (e.g. plastic or a coated material) that is rolled and sewn into a hem  7  at the end of the container  2 . Each stay  6  generally defines an endless hoop, although several linear sections might be secured to the walls  4  to prevent the walls from collapsing against each other. The material used in the stays  6  is selected to be resistant to UV light and other environmental forces and to provide a sufficient resilience to return to shape, if distorted.  
         [0019]     The shape, number and positioning of the stays  6  can be varied depending upon the geometry of a desired container. A cylindrical container shape is presently preferred to facilitate transport of the container  2  to and from a bait shop in typically available buckets. The container  2  can be constructed with any combination of flat and/or arcuate walls.  
         [0020]     Access to an interior storage space  8  is obtained through a resealing access port  10  at an end wall  9 . The space  8  can be segregated into several compartments with suitable walls, reference  FIG. 6 , that can be permanently sewn into the container  2  or attached with strips of hook and loop material or other fasteners to the sidewall  4 . The access port  10  can be formed into either of the end walls  9  or  11  or the sidewall  4 . Any divider walls are typically positioned transverse to the access port  10  to facilitate access to each compartment.  
         [0021]     The access port  10  is constructed of overlapping flaps  12  and  14  that are covered with hook and loop fastener material  16  and  18 . Pull-tabs  20  are secured along the flaps  12  and  14  to facilitate opening or re-sealing the port  10 . A looped, carry strap or handle  22  is also sewn to the hem  7  at end wall  9 , although can be mounted anywhere on the container  2 .  
         [0022]     The container walls  4 ,  9  and  11  can be colored as desired; however, it has been found that minnows tend to collect and hover near dark colors. The end walls  9  and  11  are therefore typically colored black and the sidewall  4  is colored a contrasting color, such as fluorescent yellow or other lighter color, and against which the minnows are readily visible. The clustering of the bait at the ends  9  and  11  reduces bait movement and conserves energy, which provides for livelier bait action when the bait is presented later to a prey species.  
         [0023]     Secured along a longitudinal side of the container  2  is a buoyant float  24 . The float  24  is secured in a hemmed pocket  25 . The float  24  is positioned to assure ready access to contained bait and is sized to support a specified amount of bait. The shape, number and positioning of any floats  24  can be selected as desired. Presently, the float  24  exhibits a half-moon profile.  
         [0024]     The float  24  orients the container  2  to minimize forces that might act to open the access port  10  during normal container movements in a live well. The float  24  also acts as a bumper to prevent injuring stored bait or permanently damaging the container  2 . The flexible stays  6  and walls  4 , however, are able to distort and collapse as the container  2  is jostled. Multiple floats  24  and/or weights (not shown) can be positioned around the walls of the container  2  to properly balance the container  2  and preferably maintain the access port  10  at the surface to avoid spillage of bait in the event the port  10  opens during jostling or is inadvertently not closed.  
         [0025]     The container  2  might also be tethered to an anchor and suspended in a body of water at a suitable depth and/or thermocline to facilitate bait storage between fishing excursions. If submerged, a tether line and marker buoy (not shown) that floats at the surface can also be secured to the container  2  to facilitate retrieval.  
         [0026]     The size of the storage space  8  can be varied to accommodate different volumes of bait. Once filled, the container  2  is normally supported in a bucket for transport to a holding area, for example, a live well or lake. Containers  2  of the present type have found particular application for segregated bait from captured fish in boat live wells. Commercial bait dealers also use several containers for segregating distinct sizes and species of bait in aerated storage tanks during transport.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  depicts an alternative container  30  that is substantially identical to the container  2 , except that an access port  32  extends longitudinally along the sidewall  4 . The port  32  is sealed with strips  16  and  18  of hook and loop fastener material. The container  30  is also shown with a mesh divider wall  34  that can be secured to the walls  4  to define separate storage compartments  36  and  38 . Multiple species (e.g. leeches and minnows) or different types of a species might be stored in the different compartments  36  and  38 . A stay  6  can be provided at the periphery of the divider  34  and the divider  34  can be secured permanently or with strips of hook and loop fastener material to the walls  4 .  
         [0028]      FIGS. 7 and 8  depict alternative containers  40  and  50 , which provide end and longitudinal zippers  42  and  52  and portions of which are shown in enlarged scale. The zippers  42  and  52  are secured such that the fabric mesh is closely fit to the zippers  42  and  52 . A cover flap  44  (shown in partial cutaway) might also be sewn to the walls  4 , 9  and  11  to cover the zippers  42  and  52  and reduce possible escape of bait, if the containers  40  and  50  are accessed while floating.  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  discloses a container  60  having a porous fabric sleeve or end cowling-piece  62 . The sleeve  62  is sewn to the hem  7  and provides an opening  64  that is bounded by drawstrings  66  and a sliding pinch fastener  68 . The opening  64  can be adjusted to fit closely about the arm to minimize bait escaping during removal.  
         [0030]      FIG. 10 , lastly depicts a container  70  substantially identical to the container  2  but outfitted with a number of alternative types of stays  72 ,  74  and  76 . The stay  72  is constructed of an open or closed cell foam cord (e.g. ⅜ to 1-inch diameter) that can be secured within the hems  7  at each end  9  and  11 , although is only shown at one of the hems  7 . A buoyant stay  72  might be used in lieu of the float  24  and/or might be combined with the non-buoyant stays  6 .  
         [0031]     The stay  74  comprises a solid nylon cord piece that can be secured to the hems  7  in lieu of a flat band  6 . The stay  74  can exhibit any desired hollow or solid cross-sectional shape and can be constructed from a polymer, nylon, plastic, polypropylene or other suitably resilient synthetic material that flexes, yet springs back to shape.  
         [0032]     The stay  76  comprises a foam outer sheath  78  that is fitted over a solid nylon core  80 . The combination stay  76  can be sized to any suitable diameter and resilience required for the size container and can be used in combination with or in lieu of the float  24 . The core  80  enhances the rigidity and resilience of the stay  76  and the sheath  78  provides buoyancy and acts as a bumper. Although the stays  6 ,  72 , 74  and  76  are shown as being mounted in the hems  7 , they might also be retained with loops or sleeve sections that are permanently or detachably mounted to the walls  4 ,  9  and  11 .  
         [0033]     Attached to the wall  4  is a separate pocket or bait compartment  90  that can either be sewn or secured with strips of hook and loop fastener material  94 . The access port  92  is sealed with mating strips of hook and loop fastener material that are sewn to the facing flaps. Other strips  94  of hook and loop fastener material  94  might also be provided at the ends of the container  30  to facilitate attachment to adjoining container(s)  30  that are secured with overlapping hinge straps  96 .  
         [0034]     While the invention has been described with respect to a number of preferred assemblies and considered improvements or alternatives thereto, still other assemblies and rigging arrangements maybe suggested to those skilled in the art. It is also to be appreciated that selected ones of the foregoing stays, floats, and/or closure assemblies, among other features, can be used singularly with a live bait container or can be arranged in different combinations to provide a variety of improved bait containers. The foregoing description should therefore be construed to include all those embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims.  
         [0035]     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.