Abstract:
A fishing lure having a lure body to which diving bills of various configurations may be affixed. The lure body includes a forwardly and sidewardly open slot into which a complementary configured portion of a diving bill may be inserted sideways, the slot and bill having locking configurations preventing the bill from separating from the lure body in response to forces tending to pull the bill forwardly from the slot.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an improved fishing lure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fishing lure having a body that may be detachably interconnected with a variety of diving bills.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    With the increased popularity in sport and contest fishing, the demand for more diverse fishing lures has developed. A great variety of fishing lure designs have been developed to meet this demand. One popular design is generally comprised of a body having a front head portion and a tail portion so as to be in the form of a minnow. These lures typically have a spoon or diving bill attached to the front head portion to cause the lure to submerge underwater or to otherwise cause the lure to move in a desired manner through the water. The position, size, and shape of the diving bill determines the particular depth and motion of the lure, and together with the fish-like shape of the body causes the lure to wiggle naturally as it is pulled through the water.  
           [0003]    It is desirable to be able to easily mount a desired diving bill on the body of a lure. One approach seen in the prior art is to detachably connect diving bills to the bodies of lures. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,507 to Russel, the diving bill is connected to the body by a rotating eye screw. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,378 to Tunstall, the bill and lure body are connected by forcibly snapping them together. This approach leads to problems because there is an uncertain snugness of fit between the lure and body. This increases the tendency for separation and a loose fit, thereby impairing the desired behavior of the lure and potentially causing it to travel erratically through the water.  
           [0004]    Another approach as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,067 to West is to threadingly interconnect the bill and the body. However, this is difficult and time consuming. A further approach is described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,433 to Ellis wherein the bill is releasibly locked into a body according to a snap-type action. Here, the bill is inserted into a slot by a forward, snap-like motion. Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,112 to Garmany, an adaptable in situ bill is detachably affixed to the face of the body by sliding it into a channel within the face of the head portion of the body. However, the attaching of a bill to a body in a forward motion is problematic because it makes it more likely that the bill be removed from the body should a fish or weed tug on it in a forward motion.  
           [0005]    Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a lure assembly in which a diving bill mount may easily but securely be attached to a lure body. Specifically, it is desirable to mount diving bills to lure bodies without the need for any special tools or skills. It is further an object to ensure that the diving bill is properly secured within the body of the lure so that it will not be removed if it is tugged on by an attached fishing line or in a forward motion. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a fishing lure comprising a lure body and a diving bill that is affixed to the body of the lure. One novel aspect of this present invention is that the diving bill is affixed to the lure body in a sideward format. The body contains a uniquely configured slot for receiving a corresponding end of a diving bill. This slot may be configured in any unique format so that only a corresponding edge of a diving bill may fit therein. In other words, the edge of the diving bill acts as a key to be inserted within the uniquely configured slot, which acts as a lock. The bill is inserted into this slot by lining up its edge to the side of the lure body and sliding it sideward into so that it is snuggly fit.  
           [0007]    Once the bill edge has been received by the slot, it can only be removed again by the same sideward motion. Thus, when the bill is tugged in a forward motion, such as by a fish or a weed, it is locked into the slot and cannot be removed.  
           [0008]    In one embodiment, an adhesive, desirably a water-proof adhesive, is employed to adhere the bill within the slot. In another embodiment, a fisherman may easily and quickly remove the bill and replace it with another by sliding it out of the slot in a sideward motion. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of the body of the fishing lure;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view shown from the top and one side of a diving bill configured to be affixed to the body of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side view of the diving bill of FIG. 2;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the first embodiment wherein the diving bill is affixed to the body;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the body of the fishing lure;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the body of the fishing lure;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a fourth embodiment of the body of the fishing lure;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of the body of the fishing lure; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of the body of the fishing lure. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    Referring to the drawings, the fishing lure of the present invention generally comprises four basic body parts, namely a body, a diving bill, a weight member, and hook assemblies attached about the various parts of the body. FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a body of the fishing lure. The body  10  has a tail portion  15  at it rear end and a head portion  20  at its front end. The head portion  20  further contains a nose  25 , the overall shape of the body here being typified as a minnow. There is a uniquely configured slot  30  extending inward latitudinally from the nose  25  and extending across the width of the body  10 . The slot  30  is open forwardly and sideward about the front head portion  20 . In this embodiment, the slot  30 , beginning from the nose  25  of the head portion  20  and extending inward, is configured in the form of an “L-shape.” The body preferably is made of a plastic such as polyurethane or polystyrene, a wood such as cedar or balsa.  
         [0019]    Note that it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the slot  25  may be configured in any suitable formation as further described below.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 further displays a cavity  35  formed in a bottom portion of the head portion  20 . The cavity  35  is adapted to receive a separate weight member  40 . The weight member  40  serves to provide a required weight for effective casting with a fishing rod and lowers the overall center of gravity of the lure to stabilize its action as a fisherman retrieves it through the waters. The weight member  40  is preferably made of lead or any other suitable comparatively heavy material. In the preferred embodiment, both the cavity  35  and the weight member  40  are bullet-shaped so that a snug fit may be obtained. The weight member  40  is held inside of the cavity  35  by any suitable manner, e.g., by a press-fit or through use of an adhesive. This weight member  40  is purely optional, as it may be desired to keep the lure in the form of a floating type by simply not using the weight member. It should further be apparent to one skilled in the art that the cavity  35  may be located in any suitable portion of the body  10  and may be of any suitable shape to hold a weight member.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 further depicts separate hook assemblies  45  and  46 . In the preferred embodiment, hook assembly  45  is attached on the middle of the underside of the body  10  and hook assembly  46  is attached on the rearmost portion of the tail portion  15 . These hook assemblies are usually in the form of screws inserted into the body, wherein the top of the screw is configured as a circle and has a metal eyelet attached about the circle. Any suitable fishing apparatus may be attached to these hook assemblies. Typically, attached to the hook assemblies are the conventional three-barb fishhooks generally known as treble hooks. Other fishing and decorative apparatuses could also be connected to the assemblies  45 ,  46 , such as those that include fish markings thereon. While in the preferred embodiment, the hook assemblies  45 ,  46  are located on the middle of the underside of the body  10  and on the rearmost portion of the tail  15 , it should be apparent to one of skill in the art that any number of hook assemblies may be attached about any portion of the body  10 . Preferably, the body  10  will be made of plastic or any other suitable material and will be painted or colored with fish markings thereon.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 2 and 3 display a diving bill  50  configured to be affixed to the body  10  of the first embodiment of this invention. Here, the diving bill  50  contains a generally planar rear portion  52  having an edge  55 , and a body portion  60 . The rear portion, including the edge  55 , is configured to be received by the uniquely configured slot  30 . In other words, the edge  55  is made so that it will mate within slot  30  and hold via a compression fit.  
         [0023]    The edge  55  includes one or more projecting portions  70  that extend away from the plane of the rear portion of the diving bill and that are configured to be reclined in a similarly shaped cavity ( 58  in FIG. 1) to lock the bill to the body against forces tending to pull the bill forwardly from the body. This invention may also be in the form of a kit, wherein several diving bills  50  are available, each having the same edge  55  so as to be mated with a single particular lure body  10 . However, the different diving bills  50  may have differently sized and shaped body portions  60 . The body portion  60  of the bill  50  may be changed to any size or shape, depending on the desired diving depths and movement sought for the entire fishing lure.  
         [0024]    A fishing line eye assembly  65  may be mounted on the body portion  60  of the diving bill  50 . Preferably, the eye assembly  65  is mounted on the middle of the upper side of the body portion  60 . However, it should be apparent that any number of eye assemblies might be mounted on any suitable location about the diving bill. Like the hook assemblies  45 ,  46  mounted on the lure body, this eye assembly  65  is typically in the form of a screw inserted into the body  60 , wherein the top of the screw is configured as a circle and has a metal eyelet attached about the circle for connection to a fishing line.  
         [0025]    In one embodiment, in which the diving bill is detachable from the body, a fisherman will first select one of several available diving bills having differently sized and shaped body portions but having the same edge configuration. This selection will be based on the desired swimming depth of the lure or based on the desired swimming pattern or motion of the lure in the water. Once selected, the fisherman will line up the edge of the selected diving bill along the side of the lure body so that the edge matches identically the configuration of the slot. Then, the edge will be slid sideward into the slot so that it is snugly fit. This inserting of the diving bill into the lure body may be done before or after the lure has been connected to a fishing line. This process may be repeated if fishing conditions change and a differently sized diving bill is desired. FIG. 4 displays the edge  55  of the diving bill  50  in this detachably affixed position within the uniquely configured slot  30  of the lure body  10 .  
         [0026]    Beside the slot  30  and edge  55  configuration shown and described, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other equivalent slots  30  and edges  55  may be configured in other suitable manners. The slot  30  shown and described above extends across the entire width of the body  10 . In alternative embodiments, the slots  30  need only extend partially across the width of the body  10 . In such configurations, the slot  30  would be located on only one side of the body  10 . That is, the slot  30  would only be open on one side of the body  10 . The edge  55  of the bill  50  could be slid laterally with respect to the body  50  in and out of this open side of the slot  30 . The edge  55 , of course, would be shorter, matching the lateral extent and shape of the slot  30 .  
         [0027]    Besides varying the lateral extent of the slots  30 , the lateral direction may also be varied. The slots  30  shown and described above extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centerline (i.e., a line running from the center of the nose  25  to the center of the tail  15 ) of the body  10 . It should be apparent to one of skill in the art that the slots may be configured in other directions. For instance, the slot need not extend perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline. Instead, the slot  30  could extend from one side of the body  10  across the width of the body  10  in upward, downward, forward, or rearward directions to the other side of the body  10 . Desirably, the edge  55  remains properly secured within the slot  30  even when subjected to forces experienced during normal use. For instance, during normal use, a fishing line attached at eye  65  may tug the diving bill  50  generally forwardly. Additionally, hooks attached at hook assemblies  45 ,  46  may pull the body  10  generally rearwardly. Accordingly, the slot  30  should not be oriented parallel with the longitudinal centerline. If oriented parallel to the centerline, the edge  55  may be more easily pulled from the slot  30  by a generally forward or rearward force. Thus, it is preferred that the slot  30  extend across the width of the body  50  at an angle other than 0 or 180 degrees, preferably between 45 and 135 degrees, and most preferably at about 90 degrees.  
         [0028]    In addition to varying the length and angle of the slot  30  and edge  55 , the shape of the projecting portion(s)  70  of the edge  55  may also be varied as long as the corresponding body  10  includes a receptive slot  30 , and as long as the slot  30  and edge  55  combination resists separation from generally forward or rearward forces. For instance, FIGS.  5 - 9  display alternative embodiments of slot  30 , as it extends inward from the nose  25  and across the width of body  10 . In FIG. 5, the slot is configured as a T-shape. In FIG. 6, the slot is configured as a channel ending in a circular shape. In FIG. 7, the slot is configured as channel ending in a triangular shape with the point at the bottom, facing the nose  25 . In FIG. 8, the slot is configured as an F-shape. Finally, in FIG. 9 the slot is configured as a channel ending in a rectangle. The projecting portion(s)  70  of the edge  55  (as shown in FIG. 3) thus prevents the bill  50  from sliding forwardly with respect to the body  10 . As indicated by the corresponding slots in FIGS.  5 - 9 , the projecting portion  70  may be formed in many different suitable shapes and sizes.  
         [0029]    While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.