Abstract:
The invention is a jig head wherein a weight is attached to an appendage extending from the shank portion of the jig head. The appendage can be either fixedly or slidably attached to the shank and the weight can be permanently or temporarily attached to the appendage. Depending upon the configuration, the design offers the ability to change or relocate the weight relative to the shank thereby changing the operational characteristics of the jig head without having to remove the jig head from a fishing line. In addition, decoration of the weight can be done independently of the manufacture of the jig head thereby reducing manufacturing cost.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to fishing lures and more specifically relates to a jig head for use with such lures.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Fishing lures come in numerous styles of which the jig head is one. A jig head is characterized by a fishhook having a weight attached thereto. In use, live bait such as a minnow or other lures, can be attached to the fishhook portion of the jig head. The jig head is then placed in the water either by dropping or casting.  
         [0003]     In general, the weight portion of a jig head is integrated with the fishhook. More specifically, the weight is secured around the shank portion of the fishhook in the area of the eye of the fishhook. In use, a fishing line is generally attached to the jig head through the eye. The fixed configuration of the fishhook and the weight result in numerous use and production issues.  
         [0004]     In use, the fixed configuration of the jig head means that the characteristics of the jig head, such as the influence of the center of gravity on the jig head&#39;s movement through the water, cannot be changed. As a result, if the fisherman desires a jig head with different characteristics, the fisherman must remove the jig head from the fishing line and attach another thereto, or add more weight to the fishing line.  
         [0005]     In manufacture, jig heads present several challenges. First the weight is designed such that the weight can be molded about the shaft of the hook. This tends to limit the shape and the overall mass of the weight. In addition, many jig heads have the weight portion of the jig head decorated. Decorations applied to the weight prior to the installation of the weight on the hook must be able to withstand the weight installation procedure and potentially the high temperature process of tempering of the hook. If the weight is decorated after installation on the hook, the hook portion must be protected to avoid inadvertent decoration of the hook. Either of the above issues tends to increase the cost of manufacturing the jig head. Finally, integration of other features such as weed guards into the jig head are 5 complicated.  
         [0006]     Another problem with present day jig heads is the relationship between the weight and the fishhook. In current designs, the size of the weight is generally a function of the size of the hook. If the weight is made too large, the weight will interfere with the operation of the hook. More specifically, the weight can partially block the hook end of the fishhook thus compromising the ability of the fisherman to set the hook in the mouth of the fish.  
         [0007]     Based on the foregoing, it is the object of the present invention to develop a jig head that overcomes the problems and drawbacks associated with the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is a jig head that includes a fishhook having a shank and hook portion extending therefrom and an eye. An appendage extends from the shank between the eye and the hook portion. A weight is attached to the appendage in fixed position relative thereto.  
         [0009]     While the appendage can be forged or cast with the fishing hook, it is preferred that the appendage be coupled to the shank of the fishing hook after manufacture thereof. Coupling of the appendage to the shank can be accomplished by a sleeve that has the appendage extending therefrom. The sleeve can be of almost any material, and the appendage can be rigid or flexible. In some applications, the sleeve and appendage will be a single assembly. The sleeve and appendage can be made of the same material or different materials. In addition, the appendage can be deformable permitting the appendage to be bent into numerous different positions. Possible materials for the sleeve and appendage are latex, plastisol, or silicon rubber. The sleeve can either be fixedly positioned on the shank, or be moveably positionable on the shank. In the event the sleeve is moveably positionable on the shank, there should be means, such as friction or stop(s), to hold the sleeve in place on the shank during use. The appendage can extend from the shank in any direction, such as toward the hook portion, toward the eye, or perpendicular. It is generally preferred, that the appendage extend from the shank such that the weight when attached thereto does not interfere with the hook portion of the fishing hook.  
         [0010]     When a sleeve is employed to secure the appendage to the shank of the fishhook, the sleeve can have a flare. The flare is generally positioned on the end of the sleeve closest to the hook portion; however, it can be placed anywhere on the sleeve.  
         [0011]     The weight can be of almost any shape. For example, the weight can be a regular solid shape such as sphere, rectangular solid, or fustrum, or irregular solids. In some cases, the weight can have a bore passing therethrough, such that a fishing line can be passed through the weight before being tied about the eye. The bore can be associated with a slot extending to a surface of the weight thereby permitting a fishing line to be attached to the eye first and then positioned within the bore or removed from the bore without having to disconnect the fishing line from the eye.  
         [0012]     The weight is coupled to the appendage either permanently or temporarily. If a temporary attachment is desired, threads or various types of snap mechanisms could be used.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the jig head of  FIG. 1  used in a first spinner arrangement.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a jig head similar to that of  FIG. 1  used in a second spinner arrangement.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of a jig head similar to that of  FIG. 1  used in a third spinner arrangement.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the jig head depicted in  FIG. 1  with 20 wires to prevent catching of the hook on obstacles. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention, generally denoted by the reference number  10 , includes a fishhook  12  having a shank  14  and a hook portion  15  extending laterally therefrom. The shank  14  also has an eye  17  from which the shank  14  extends. An appendage  16  extends from the shank  14  intermediate of the eye  17  and the hook portion  15 . A weight  18  is attached to the distal end of appendage  16 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment and with regard to any other embodiment described herein, the weight  18  is attached to the appendage  16  in a fixed relationship relative thereto.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, the appendage  16  extends from the shank  14  by use of a sleeve  20 , which surrounds the shank  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, a flare  22  is provided on the edge of the sleeve  20  closest to the hook portion  15 . The flare  30 , however, can be positioned anywhere on the sleeve  20 . The appendage  16  extends away from the hook portion  15  in the direction of the eye  17 . This, however, is not a requirement of the jig head  10  as the appendage  16  could be perpendicular to the shank  14  or even extend away from the eye  17  in the direction of the hook portion  15 . In addition, multiple appendages with each having a weight, or weights, could be used.  
         [0024]     The appendage  16  can be rigid or flexible and can also be bendable, permitting the appendage  16  to be relocated from a first position to a second position. The ability to bend the appendage  16  permits easy relocation of the weight relative to the fishhook  12  offering the fisherman the option of changing the characteristics of the jig head  10 , in this case by relocating the center of gravity, without removing the jig head  10  from a fishing line (not shown).  
         [0025]     The weight  18  is attached to the appendage  16  either permanently or temporarily. In addition, the sleeve  20  can be fixedly attached or moveably attached to the shank  14 . Where the weight  18  is temporarily attached to the appendage  16 , the characteristics of the jig head  10  can be changed by changing the weight  18 , thus avoiding removal of the jig head  10  from a fishing line.  
         [0026]     A second embodiment of a jig head  110  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The jig head  110  is similar in may respects to the jig head  10  described above and therefore like reference numerals preceded by the number  1  are used to indicated like elements. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the weight  118  is threadably attached to the appendage  116 . As those skilled in the art of attachment will realize many different temporary attachment schemes could be used including but not limited to friction, and ball and socket. In addition, either the weight  118  and/or the appendage  116  could provide the attachment. For example in the case of threads, male threads could be on the appendage with matching female threads in the weight, or the female threads in the weight could cut threads into the appendage or visa versa.  
         [0027]     As with the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , this embodiment employs the sleeve  120  and the flare  122 . The sleeve  120  can either be fixedly or moveably attached to the shank  114  intermediate of the eye  117  and the hook portion  115 .  
         [0028]     A third embodiment is shown in  FIG. 3 . The jig head  210  is similar in may respects to the jig heads  10  and  110  described above and therefore like reference numerals preceded by the number  2  are used to indicate like elements. In this embodiment, the appendage  216  extends from the shank  214  such that the weight  218  is positioned away from the hook portion  215  and behind the eye  217 . A bore  24  extends through the weight  218 , thereby permitting a fishing line  26  to pass therethrough. This embodiment also shows a deformable appendage  216 . The appendage  216  is shown in phantom bent from a first position to a second position. In the second position, it is no longer desirable to pass the fishing line  26  through the bore  24 . The bore  24  can have a slot  28  extending from the bore  24  to an outer surface  30  of the weigh  218  such that the fishing line  26  can be positioned in or removed from the bore  24  without having to disconnect the fishing line  26  from the eye  217 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is yet another embodiment of the present invention. The jig head  310  is similar in may respects to the jig heads  10 ,  110  and  210  described above and therefore like reference numerals preceded by the number  3  are used to indicated like elements. This embodiment depicts multiple appendages  316  extending from the shank  314 , each appendage  316  extending from the common sleeve  320 . The invention, however, should not be limited to a single sleeve for multiple appendage configurations, as multiple sleeves could be used. In this embodiment, a weight  318  is attached to each appendage  316 . This, however, is not required in that all appendages  316  do not have to have weights attached thereto.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  depicts a fifth embodiment of the basic invention as shown in  FIG. 1 . The jig head  410  is similar in may respects to the jig heads  10 ,  110 ,  210  and  310  described above and therefore like reference numerals preceded by the number  4  are used to indicated like elements. In this embodiment, the weight  418  is a rectangular solid. The weight  418  could be of any shape thereby providing numerous actions to the jig head. Any particular shape is application dependent. In addition, the appendage  416  extends from the shank  414  in a direction away from the eye  417  toward the hook portion  415 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  depicts the jig head  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  used in a spinnerbait, generally referred to by reference numeral  31 . As the jig head portion of the spinnerbait  31  is the jig head depicted in  FIG. 1 , the numbering of the elements of the jig head portion of the spinnerbait are consistent with the numbering used in  FIG. 1 . In the spinnerbait  31 , the shank  14  is bent between the hook portion  15  and the eye  17 . In this spinnerbait  31  as with spinnerbaits in general, a second appendage  32  extends from the shank  14  in the vicinity of the eye  17 . Attached to a distal end  34  of the second appendage  32  is a spinner  36 . The spinner  36  is attached to the distal end  34  in such a way as to permit the spinner  36  to move relative to the second appendage  32 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a second embodiment of a spinnerbait, generally referred to by reference number  531 , that is similar in many respects to spinnerbait  31  depicted in  FIG. 6 , therefore like reference numerals preceded by the numeral  5  are used to indicate like elements. In this embodiment, the shank  514  has a flexible section  38  from which the appendage  516  extends. It should be understood that the invention is not so limited as the appendage  516  could extend from the shank  514  and the shank  514  could have an flexible section  38  that did not have an appendage extending therefrom. The weight  518  is coupled to the appendage  516 . Consistent with other spinnerbaits, the spinnerbait  531  has the second appendage  532  extending from the shank  514  in the vicinity of the eye  517 . Attached to the distal end  534  of the second appendage  532  is the spinner  536  which is attached in such a way as to permit movement of the spinner  536  relative to the second appendage  532 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a third embodiment of a spinnerbait, generally referred to by reference number  631 , that is similar in many respects to the spinnerbaits  31  and  531  depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , respectively, therefore like reference numerals preceded by the numeral  6  are used to indicate like elements. In this embodiment, the shank  614 , which extends from the eye  617  to the hook portion  615 , is comprised of a conventional shank portion  40  of a standard fishhook  42  and an extension  44  which is secured through an eye  46  of the standard fishhook  42 . In this embodiment, the appendage  616  is connected by the sleeve  620  to the extension  44 ; however, it could have been connected to shank portion  40 . The sleeve  620  is designed to slide on the extension  44 . Consistent with other spinnerbaits, the spinnerbait  631  has the second appendage  632  extending from the shank  614  in the vicinity of the eye  617 . Attached to the distal end  634  of the second appendage  632  is the spinner  636  which is attached in such a way as to permit movement of the spinner  636  relative to the second appendage  632 .  
         [0034]     Finally,  FIG. 9  depicts the jig head  10  of  FIG. 1  with wires  48  extending from the shank  14  in the vicinity of the eye  17  toward the hook portion  15  in the vicinity of a point  50 . Each wire has a free end  52  that projects over a gap  54 . As those skilled in the design of fishing lures will appreciate, the wires  48  have sufficient strength such that when the jig head  10  encounters obstacles such as weeds or logs the obstacle rides along the wires  48  and the wires do not flex or bend to expose the point  50 . As a result, the hook portion  15  does not snag the obstacle. However, when a fish bits the hook portion  15 , the jaws of the fish flexes the wires  48  such that the point  50  is exposed permitting a portion of the hook portion  15  to be embedded in the fish.  
         [0035]     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred version thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.