Abstract:
An electronic fish scale comprising a molded housing having upper and lower portions for supported hand grasping. An electronically controlled weight-sensing member and a viewable digital output screen are mounted within the housing. The output screen is electronically connected to the weight-sensing member whereby a weight held by gravity causes a digital numeric display on the output screen equal to the fish weight. A fish-engaging assembly extends downwardly from the weight-sensing member through an aperture formed in the bottom of the housing, and includes a pair of opposed c-shaped jaws. A longitudinally moveable jaw actuator is operably connected through a jaw control member via a rotation pin through diagonally extending aligned slots in the jaws whereby the jaws are opened when the jaw actuator is manually moved upwardly. A lower lip of a fish securely held and unhurt between the closed jaws will produce a digital display of the weight of the fish on the output screen. Housing contour facilitates hand-holding of the device and an array of unique digital data may be selectively displayed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Scope of Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention is generally directed to fish-handling equipment, and more particularly to a fish scale with digital read-out of one or more stored fish weight information and which includes pivotally moveable opposing jaws which will engage the lower lip of the fish without harm.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    For the more serious fishermen and in tournament competition, the ability to catch, weigh and release fish unharmed should be facilitated by fish-handling tools for this purpose. Once a fish is caught and landed, the precise weighing of the fish and the recordation of data is best accomplished with a fishing tool which does not injure the fish so that it may be returned to the sea.  
           [0005]    One such device known to applicant was invented by Camp and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,585. This patent teaches a fish-handling tool having a complex structure which causes opposing jaws to pivotally move from an automatically locked closed position wherein the distal lower ends of the jaws touch one another to an open position wherein the lower lip of a fish may be positioned there between, after which the releasing of a longitudinal actuator of the device causes the jaws to re-close on the lower lip. Thereafter, the Camp device is provided with a conventional tubular spring scale with incremental readings for fish weight inscribed along an inner tubular member within the handle. However, this device has no means for the accurate digital reading of fish weight and has no provision for the storing of data with respect to each fish caught and weighed. Moreover, it is not buoyant.  
           [0006]    In U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,710, Parker teaches an electronic fish scale which utilizes the linear displacement of a spring along a variable resister to provide an electrical signal in proportion to the amount of weight of the fish hung therefrom. A pair of fish-handling pliers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,923 invented by Norton which is structured similar to that of a conventional pair of Vice Grips having spaced jaws which come together over the lower lip of the fish, presumably without harming the fish.  
           [0007]    A fish stringer with floating weight indicator is disclosed by Coles in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,808. This invention, which does not weigh a fish, is generally directed to a conventional fish stringer having an openable hook attached to one end and a floating weight indicating device attached to the other end of the elongated flexible cord. Although this device does not actually weigh a fish, it includes rotatable discs each bearing numerical indicia which may be positioned to indicate the weight of the fish before it is placed in a live fish well. The fisherman may then easily observe the weights of all of the fish in the well by simply looking at each of the floating weight indicating devices attached to the corresponding fish.  
           [0008]    The present invention provides a fish scale which incorporates all of the benefits of the above prior art with the addition of several added features. Preferably buoyant or floatable, the device includes a digital display which not only indicates the weight of a fish caught and hung therefrom, but also accumulates the weights of a number (“N”) of fish and provides an aggregate weight and an ordered weight from highest to lowest or lowest to highest viewed sequentially as desired by the fisherman. Additionally, a warning signal is provided in the digital display screen that the weight limit of the device has been exceeded which could lead to damage of its molded plastic housing or internal electronic weighing components. A simplistic, yet effective design for opposing c-shaped openable jaws is also provided for harmlessly engaging the lower lip of a fish while it is being weighed by the device. Moreover, the housing is ergonomically configured to facilitate hand holding of the device while the jaws are opened and closed and while the fish is being held for weighing therefrom. An aperture is also provided to attach the device either to a rope or hook to facilitate fish weighing.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    This invention is directed to an electronic fish scale comprising a molded housing having upper and lower portions for supported hand grasping. An electronically controlled weight-sensing member and a viewable digital output screen are mounted within the housing. The output screen is electronically connected to the weight-sensing member whereby a weight held by gravity causes a digital numeric display on the output screen equal to the fish weight. A fish-engaging assembly extends downwardly from the weight-sensing member through an aperture formed in the bottom of the housing, and includes a pair of opposed c-shaped jaws. A longitudinally moveable jaw actuator is operably connected through a jaw control member via a rotation pin through diagonally extending aligned slots in the jaws whereby the jaws are opened when the jaw actuator is manually moved upwardly. A lower lip of a fish securely held and unhurt between the closed jaws will produce a digital display of the weight of the fish on the output screen. Housing contour facilitates hand-holding of the device and an array of unique digital data may be selectively displayed.  
           [0010]    It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a fish scale which is easily portable and hand-holdable during both fish engaging and fish weighing procedures.  
           [0011]    It is another object of this invention to provide a fish scale having multi-function digital display screen and pivotally openable jaws which are harmlessly engagable with the lower lip of a fish.  
           [0012]    Still another object of this invention in its preferred embodiment is to provide a buoyant fish scale with non-harmful jaws which engage the lower lip of a fish and which provides a multi-function digital L.C.D. readout display.  
           [0013]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a fish scale which is ergonomically configured and surface textured to enhance gripability so that larger fish may be manually weighed without the need of attaching the device to a hook or a rope.  
           [0014]    In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a right side elevation view of the invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a left side elevation view of the invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the invention which is connected to and continues with the other portion thereof on in FIG. 10.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the other portion of the invention which is connected to and continues from in FIG. 9.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the fish-engaging assembly ( 12 ).  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of the digital display screen of the invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 13 is a rear elevation view of the invention in partial section with the jaws closed.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 14 is a rear elevation view similar to FIG. 13 with the jaws opened. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS.  1  to  8 , the invention is there shown generally at numeral  10  and includes a molded plastic housing  11  formed of thin-wall molded ABS plastic in two halves  14  and  16 . The fish scale  10  of the present invention also includes a fish-engaging assembly shown generally at numeral  12  also shown in FIG. 11 which includes a pair of identical jaws  22  and  24  having lower distal portions  26  and  28  which meet at a center point  25  along the longitudinal axis of the device  10 . As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the jaws  22  and  24  are generally c-shaped with an upwardly extending leg portion  22   a  and  24   a  which is best seen in FIG. 9.  
         [0030]    The front half  14  of the housing  11  as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes an opening through which a display (L.C.D.) panel or screen  32  may be viewed. A plurality of control buttons are also provided whereby, at button  56 , the device  10  may be activated and re-zeroed by sequentially pressing this button  56 . Button  58  provides memory recall for data stored in the electronic circuit of the invention described herebelow, while button  60  will actually affect storage of the current data shown during on the digital screen  32  as a fish is being weighed. Button  52  provides a clearing of memory, while toggle  54  allows the device  10  to operate in either a metric mode or a U.S. mode of weight measurement.  
         [0031]    An aperture  18  is formed transversely front-to-back through the upper portion of the housing and both of its halves  14  and  16  which may be used for hanging the device  10  from a hook or a flexible rope or line which is attached to an overhead support.  
         [0032]    The jaw actuating assembly  12  includes a flared molded plastic jaw actuator  30  which, when moved by finger or thumb pressure against the lower surface thereof, will cause it to move upwardly in the direction of arrow D. The internal mechanism for accomplishing the opening of the jaws  22  and  24  by this movement of the jaw actuator  30  will be described in more detail herebelow.  
         [0033]    A battery cover  20  which is threadably disengagable for battery replacement is also provided and which is sealably engaged into cavity  69 , the rear housing half  16  as seen in FIG. 9 by an o-ring  118  surrounding the perimeter of the battery cap  20  which holds a lithium ion battery  116  as best seen in FIG. 10.  
         [0034]    The housing  11  of the device  10  is ergonomically configured as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4,  7  and  8  such that the upper portion of the housing is enlarged at  48  and having a central housing portion which is at its narrowest girth and width, enlarging slightly toward the lower portion of the housing. This configuration, particularly the enlarged upper portion  48 , greatly enhances the ease with which the device  10  may be hand-held in one hand while finger or thumb grasping of the jaw actuator  30  to effect opening and closing of the jaws  22  and  24  as desired. Note further that, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the side profile  16   a  of the rear housing half  16  is concaved to better receive the palm of the user&#39;s hand, while a concaved upper portion  14   a  of the front housing half  14  is also concaved for better indexed finger placement and stability.  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIG. 12, a number of functions are provided by the electronic control circuit which is positioned on a main circuit board  62  in FIG. 9. The functions which are provided by this arrangement and digitally displayed at areas A, B and C of the digital display screen  32  are as follows:  
         [0036]    weight of each fish  
         [0037]    storage of fish weight while the fish is being weighed  
         [0038]    sequentially weight ordering of up to “N” numbers of stored fish weights  
         [0039]    recall of all fish weights sequentially by weight  
         [0040]    override data currently stored  
         [0041]    cumulative total of stored weights  
         [0042]    weight limit exceeded  
         [0043]    The “override” function will automatically erase the smallest weight fish stored in the electronic circuit when the “N+1” fish is weighed. If the “N plus  1 ” fish is larger than the smallest of the currently stored fish weights, this smallest one will be erased and replaced with the weight of the “N plus  1 ” fish.  
         [0044]    In order to protect the device  10  from physical harm, should an overweight fish which would damage the device, either structurally or internally, be placed between the jaws  22  and  24  and weighed, a series of dash lines will appear in the central portion B shown in FIG. 12 rather than a digital weight amount. The user is then immediately advised that the fish is too large to be lifted and weighed and should immediately be unloaded and removed from the jaws  22  and  24 .  
         [0045]    Referring particularly to FIGS. 9 and 10, the components of the invention  10  within the interior volume of the housing  11  formed of housing halves  14  and  16  includes the main circuit board  62  and liquid crystal display (LCD)  32  which forms the display screen of the invention. A molded button assembly includes the covers for control buttons  56 ,  58  and  60  while a separate molded button assembly includes the lower buttons  52  and  54 , the operation of which was previously described.  
         [0046]    A sealed bezel  50  attached around the digital screen  32  insures not only decorative continuity but also provides a watertight seal between the aperture formed in the housing halve  14  and the bezel  50 .  
         [0047]    The battery cover  20  is rotatably lockable within the mating aperture in the rear housing half  16 . Again, the o-ring  118  provides a watertight seal between the battery cap  20  and rear housing  16 .  
         [0048]    Buoyancy  
         [0049]    In the preferred embodiment, the invention  10  is buoyant without a fish being entrapped between the jaws  22  and  24 . However, it is not intended that the device  10  remain buoyant or afloat should a large fish be locked within the closed jaws  22  and  24  and the device  10  be inadvertently dropped into the water.  
         [0050]    To effect buoyancy, a STYRAFOAM molded member  114  is provided. As best seen in FIG. 10, the flotation member  114  is molded of closed-cell STYRAFOAM and the like is carefully configured to essentially fill all of the unoccupied interior volume between the housing halves  14  and  16 . It has been determined that the sizing of the device as marketed will allow for this flotation member  114  to be approximately 5.2 cubic inches.  
         [0051]    To further enhance buoyancy, a generally rectangular sealing member  66  is positioned against a mating surface of the interior of the front housing half  14  and against the perimeter of an intermediate housing portion  68  which is also formed of molded ABS plastic. A battery circuit board  64  with plug-in feature to circuit board  62  (not shown) is lockingly engagable within the cylindrical battery cap-receiving portion  69  of the intermediate housing portion  68 . By this arrangement, a separate airtight volume is effected which, when combined with the STYRAFOAM flotation member  114 , renders the device  10  substantially buoyant or floatable in either salt water or fresh water.  
         [0052]    Percentage wise, it is estimated that the STYRAFOAM flotation member  114  provides approximately ¾ or 75% of the buoyancy required, while the air chamber provides approximately one quarter or 25% of the buoyancy needed to maintain the device  10  in a floating condition.  
         [0053]    To help insure the gripability of the device  10  in use, especially with heavier fish and wet hands, separate contoured panels  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  are provided which are attached to the corresponding outer contoured surfaces of each of the housing halves  14  and  16 . These non-slip panels  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  are preferably formed of SANTOPRENE by an over molding process. The outer textured surface of these SANTOPRENE panels  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  provide a high level of non-skid gripping surface for enhanced control of the device. Alternately, spray elastomeric texturing may also be utilized for this purpose. Raised ribs add to gripability.  
         [0054]    Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 11, the jaw actuating assembly  12  includes the opposingly oriented c-shaped jaws  22  and  24  formed of molded plastic or stamped metal, having the upwardly extending legs  22   a  and  24   a , respectively. Holes  106  and  108  are formed at the upper end of each of these legs  24   a  and  22   a , respectively. Each jaw  22  and  24  also includes an acutely shaped slot  98  and  100 , respectively. An elongated u-shaped slotted jaw control member  86  is positioned between and substantially against each facing surfaces of the legs  24   a  and  22   a , respectively, and includes an aperture  102  formed at the bottom thereof. Mating rivet halves  94  and  96  are lockingly engaged together through the aligned slots  98  and  100  and aperture  102  to slidably connect these three components together.  
         [0055]    The molded jaw actuator  30  includes a longitudinal slot  91  formed therethrough which matably receives the jaw control member  86  which is rigidly held in position with the aperture  102 . The lower end of the slotted spacer  86  extends downwardly from the bottom of the jaw actuator  30 , held thusly by pins  90  which are secured in place through apertures  88  formed at the upper ends of each of the legs of the slotted spacer  86  and transverse holes  92  at the upper end of the cylindrical portion  80  of jaw actuator  30 .  
         [0056]    An elongated, straight longitudinally extending actuator shaft  82  slidably engages through the longitudinal aperture  91  and extends upwardly therefrom. An aperture  110  at the lower end of the actuator shaft  82  is pivotally connected by a pivot pin  104  through holes  106  and  108  formed adjacent the upper end of legs  24   a  and  22   a , respectively. Thusly, actuator shaft  82  pivotally supports the jaws  22  and  24 .  
         [0057]    The upper end  84  of the actuator shaft  82  is snapingly engaged into a slot  78  formed into one end of a molded lower support  76  of a load cell  74 . The two are attached together by a threaded fastener  122 . A return spring  85  with washers  128  and  130  positioned at either end thereof are slidably engaged over the actuator shaft  82  prior to its engagement with the lower support  76 .  
         [0058]    Referring additionally to FIGS. 13 and 14, a molded upper load cell support  72  is secured by a mechanical fastener  126  to the intermediate housing portion  68 . The corresponding end of the load cell  74  is secured by threaded fastener  124  to the lower surface of the upper load cell support  72 . By this arrangement, a load placed between the jaws  22  and  24  will urge the actuator shaft  82  downwardly in the direction of arrow F, placing a load upon the load cell  74 . The preferred embodiment of the load cell  74  is available from Sensor Base, P/N SB-1A.  
         [0059]    The load cell  74  produces an electrical output signal into output wires (not shown for clarity) in proportion to the amount of weight in the direction of arrow F. The signal wires are fed through an aperture  70  formed through the intermediate housing portion  68  which is then sealed with silicone to insure that the airtight chamber remains watertight. The load signal is then fed into the main circuit board  62 .  
         [0060]    Operation  
         [0061]    Still referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the operation of the device  10  is there shown. In FIG. 13, the jaws  22  and  24  are in an at-rest position and closed with the distal portions  26  and  28  contacting one another at  25 . It is during this orientation with the lower lip of a fish held between the closed jaws  22  and  24  that the downward force F equal to the weight of the fish is placed upon the load cell  74  as previously described. Note that the fish weight is translated to the load cell  74  through pivot pin  104  into the longitudinal actuator shaft  82 .  
         [0062]    The neck portion  80  of the jaw actuator  30  slidably moves within an aperture  120  formed in the bottom of the housing  11  itself. This neck portion  80  includes flanges  81  which prevent the jaw actuator  30  from being inadvertently dislodged from within the housing by the shoulders of aperture  120  as shown.  
         [0063]    To open the jaws in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 14, the user merely grasps the main portion of the housing and then, either by thumb action or forefinger action, moves the jaw actuator  30  upwardly in the direction of arrow D. Because the pivot pin  104  is attached to the actuator shaft  82  which is anchored into the components of the load cell assembly, the jaws themselves  22  and  24  do not move upwardly. As a consequence, the rotation pin  96 , which is anchored through aperture  102 , is forced to slidably move along the diagonal slots  98  in each of the jaws  22  and  24 . Note that the acute angle of these slots  98  is relatively shallow and in the range of approximately 14° to the longitudinal axis of the device. This is chosen so as to increase the mechanical leverage and smoothness of the upward motion in the direction of arrow D required of the jaw actuator  30 . Polishing and smoothness of these slidably interacting surfaces is also preferred.  
         [0064]    Also note that, when the jaw actuator  30  is released and forced downwardly into its at-rest position by return spring  85 , the jaws  22  and  24  are automatically mechanically locked together to securely retain the lower lip of a fish which has been placed between the distal tips  26  and  28 .  
         [0065]    While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.