Abstract:
A stationary hands free fish dehooking device ( 1 ) used for safely removing hooks and lures from a fish&#39;s mouth and/or body. The hands free dehooking device has a rigid ring ( 2 ) located on an end of an elongated arm ( 3 ) that is mounted to a fixed or stationary object ( 6 ), such as a box ( 8 ), boat ( 7 ), or other object that anchors the ring and arm in a fixed position for use. The ring and arm may also be rotatable so the hands free dehooking device may be rotated into a stored position or an operating position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to devices used for removing hooks from fish and other aquatic life and more particularly, a stationary dehooking device that is mounted in a fixed location, thereby making the dehooking device hands free. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There are many circumstances when a fisherman catches a fish and needs to safely remove a hook from the fish without causing harm to the fish. One circumstance is when a fish is caught and is too immature and/or small to keep. In most of these cases, fisherman are required by law to return the fish to the water. Another circumstance is when fisherman fish using the practice of “catch and release,” wherein fish are only caught for the sport of catching the fish and the fisherman has no intention of keeping the fish. An additional circumstance is when a fisherman catches an undesirable fish or other aquatic life that is un-edible and/or dangerous to handle. 
         [0003]    In any of these cases, the fisherman must be careful not to injure himself/herself and/or the fish while removing the fishing hook from the fish. 
         [0004]    Often a fish hook is removed or dehooked from a fish with pliers. This method requires the fish to be lifted out of the water and held while the pliers are used to pry the hook out of the fish&#39;s mouth. This method puts extra stress on the fish and often tears more tissue than necessary to remove the hook. In addition, this method requires that the fisherman touch the fish which could harm the fish&#39;s scales and/or fins to such an extent that the fish will not survive after being returned to the water. 
         [0005]    Current dehooking devices available to anglers are hand-held devices that require the fisherman to bring the fish onto shore and/or onto a boat to remove the hook. These hand-held devices also require the fisherman to relinquish control of the fishing pole and/or for a second person to be present to assist in the removal of the hook. All of these factors contribute to a higher probability of the fisherman and/or the fish being unnecessarily injured during the hook removal process. 
         [0006]    Therefore, the need exists for a dehooking device that is mounted in a fixed location, thereby making the dehooking device hands free. 
         [0007]    The relevant prior art includes the following references: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Pat. No. 
                 Inventor 
                 Issue/Publication Date 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 (U.S. Patent References) 
                   
                   
               
               
                 2,348,662 
                 Stevens 
                 May 9, 1944 
               
               
                 3,019,547 
                 Felts 
                 Feb. 6, 1962 
               
               
                 4,914,853 
                 Swindle 
                 Apr. 10, 1990 
               
               
                 5,274,948 
                 Harrison et al. 
                 Jan. 4, 1994 
               
               
                 6,453,601 
                 Duncan 
                 Sep. 24, 2002 
               
               
                 6,694,664 
                 Knight 
                 Feb. 24, 2004 
               
               
                 6,840,002 
                 Dick 
                 Jan. 11, 2005 
               
               
                 2009/0229167 
                 Doss 
                 Sep. 17, 2009 
               
               
                 6,138,401 
                 Duncan 
                 Oct. 31, 2000 
               
               
                 2010/0132243 
                 Dick 
                 Jun. 3, 2010 
               
               
                 7,818,914 
                 Baiamonte et al. 
                 Oct. 26, 2010 
               
               
                 (Foreign Patent References) 
               
               
                 DE10103628 
                 N/A 
                 Aug. 1, 2002 
               
               
                 JP2005143416 
                 N/A 
                 Jun. 9, 2005 
               
               
                 JP2009136268 
                 N/A 
                 Jun. 25, 2009 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a stationary fish dehooking device that is mounted in a fixed location, thereby making the dehooking device hands free. 
         [0009]    The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a stationary hands-free fish dehooking device used for safely removing hooks and lures from a fish&#39;s mouth and/or body. The present invention comprises a rigid ring located on an end of an arm that is mounted to a fixed object, such as a box, boat, or other object that anchors the ring in a fixed position for use. The ring preferable comprises an opening through which a user may slip a fishing line into the center of the ring. The ring is preferably mounted in a horizontal position so that when the user pulls upward on the fishing line, a hook and fish located on a distal end of the line comes into contact with the ring, thereby causing the hook to become dislodged from the fish and the fish to fall back into the water or into a storage container, depending on the position of the dehooking device. 
         [0010]    The dehooking device may be mounted over or in a storage container. Alternatively, the dehooking device may be mounted on or near the edge of a boat so the arm and ring extend over the water. This allows the fish to be removed from the hook without a user touching the fish which can cause physical damage to the fish and in some cases the fish to die shortly after being released. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dehooking device may be mounted to a boat railing on a motor boat or to a kayak or similar boat via a swiveling mount that allows a user to rotate the dehooking device from a stored position to an operating position. 
         [0011]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective top view of a hands free dehooking device of the present invention 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective top partial cutaway view of a storage box or live well on a boat having a hands free dehooking device of the present invention installed therein; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a hands free dehooking device of the present invention mounted to a stationary base and in use; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side view hands free dehooking device of the present invention having a tubular-shaped base; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a rear view hands free dehooking device of the present invention having a tubular-shaped base in a vertical position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a rear view hands free dehooking device of the present invention having a tubular-shaped base in an angled position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a rear view hands free dehooking device of the present invention having a tubular-shaped base in use on a boat; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an exploded side plan view of a hands free dehooking device of the present invention having a mountable stationary base; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a mountable stationary base of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a perspective top view of a flush mount hands free dehooking device of the present invention in a partially stored position; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective top view of a flush mount hands free dehooking device of the present invention in an operating position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered components in the drawings is as follows:
         1 . hands free dehooking device, generally     2 . ring     3 . arm     4 . distal end of arm     5 . proximal end of arm     6 . stationary base     7 . boat     8 . storage box     9 . mounting means     10 . nut     11 . washer     12 . threaded portion     13 . live well     14 . floor panel of storage box     15 . perimeter edge of floor panel     16 . perimeter wall of storage box     17 . upper edge of perimeter wall     18 . inner surface of perimeter wall     19 . outer surface of perimeter wall     20 . central aperture of ring     21 . slot     22 . fishing line     23 . X-Y axis     24 . fish     25 . hook     26 . distal end of fishing line     27 . water     28 . tubular base     29 . top end of tubular base     30 . upper portion of tubular base     31 . bottom end of tubular base     32 . lower portion of tubular base     33 . fishing pole holder     34 . mountable stationary base     35 . rotating post     36 . bottom surface of mountable stationary base     37 . side surface of mountable stationary base     38 . top surface of mountable stationary base     39 . attachment means     40 . screw     41 . hub     42 . opening of hub     43 . locking means     44 . groove     45 . ridge     46 . stud     46 A. first stud     46 B. second stud     47 . aperture     48 . locking post     49 . stop     50 . recessed portion       
 
         [0077]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a perspective top view of a hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention and a perspective top partial cutaway view of a storage box  8  or live well  13  on a boat having a hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention installed therein, respectively, are illustrated. The hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention comprises a preferably rigid ring  2  located on a distal end  4  of an elongated arm  3 . A proximal end  5  of the arm  3  is preferably mounted to an object  6 , such as a boat  7 , dock, storage box  8 , cooler, base or any other object that anchors the hands free dehooking device  1  in place and allows an individual to use the hands free dehooking device  1  in a hands free manner. The hands free dehooking device  1  is mounted to the object  6 , via at least one mounting means  9  that secures the proximal end  5  of the elongated arm  3  to the object  6 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the mounting means  9  comprises at least one nut  10  and at least one washer  11  secured to a threaded portion  12  of the hands free dehooking device  1 . The at least one mounting means  9  may also comprise a bolt, bracket, screw, adhesive, rivet, clamp and so forth. The dehooking device  1  is mounted to a storage box  8  for storing caught fish, such as a cooler, live well  13 , bucket and so forth, via a threaded portion  12  located on the proximal end  5  of the arm  3  of the dehooking device  1  and washers  11  and nuts  10  that engage the threaded portion  12 . The storage box  6  comprises a floor panel  14  having a perimeter edge  15  from which at least one perimeter wall  16  extends upward perpendicularly a predetermined distance terminating at an upper edge  17 . Said perimeter wall  16  comprises and inner surface  18  and an outer surface  19 . The ring  2  and arm  3  are preferably mounted in a horizontal position in relation to the floor panel  14  of the storage box  6 . The dehooking device may have a foldable arm  3 , telescoping arm  3  and/or an interchangeable arm  3  that allows a user adjust the length of the dehooking device  1  according to the object  6  it is being mounted to. 
         [0078]    The positioning of the dehooking device  1  on the inner surface  18  of the at least one perimeter wall  16  allows a fish to drop directly into the storage box  6  after a hook is removed from the fish. The ring  2  surrounds central aperture  20 . A slot  21  is located in the ring allows a user to insert a fishing line  22  through the ring  2  and into the central aperture  20 . 
         [0079]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a side view of a hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention mounted to a stationary base  6  in use is illustrated. A slot  21  located in the ring allows a user to insert a fishing line  22  through the ring  2  and into the central aperture  20  of the ring  2  so that the fishing line  22  is in substantially perpendicular position to the arm  3  and the ring  2  when the fishing line  22  is held in an upright position over the ring  2  (as compared to an X-Y axis  23 ), while being weighed down with a fish  24  caught on a hook  25  located on a distal end  26  of the fishing line  22  located below the ring  2 . When the user pulls upward on the fishing line  22 , the hook  25  and fish  24  located on the distal end  26  of the fishing line  22  comes into contact with the ring  2 , thereby causing the fishing hook  25  to become dislodged from the fish  24 . The fish  24  will then fall into the water  27  below. 
         [0080]    With reference to  FIGS. 4-7 , various views of a hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention having a tubular-shaped base  28  are illustrated. The dehooking device  1  of the present invention may be mounted on or near the edge of a boat  7  so the arm  3  and ring  2  extend over the water  27  when in use, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . This allows fish to be removed from the hook and released directly back into the water  27  without a user touching the fish, which can cause physical damage to the fish and in some cases the fish to die shortly after being released. As illustrated here, the hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention comprises a preferably rigid ring  2  located on a distal end  4  of an elongated arm  3 . A proximal end  5  of the arm  3  is mounted to a tubular-shaped base  28  either integrally or via at least one mounting means  9 . The tubular-shaped base  28  comprises a top end  29  having an upper portion  30  of the tubular-shaped base  28  located proximal thereto and a bottom end  31  having a lower portion  32  of the tubular-shaped base  28  located proximal thereto. The proximal end  5  of the arm  3  extends perpendicularly from the upper portion  30  of the tubular-shaped base  28 , thereby allowing the lower portion  23  of the tubular-shaped base  28  to be inserted into a fishing rod holder  33  located on a boat  7 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0081]    The angle of the tubular-shaped base  28  is preferably adjustable in relation to the arm  3  to allow the tubular-shaped base  28  to be inserted into a vertical fishing pole holder  33  or an angled fishing pole holder  33  while the arm  3  and ring  2  are adjusted to maintain a parallel position (as compared to an X-Y axis  23 ) in relation to the water  27  over which the arm  3  and ring  2  extend. 
         [0082]    With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an exploded side plan view of a hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention and a top view of a mountable stationary base  34  of the present invention, respectively, are illustrated. The hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention comprises a preferably rigid ring  2  located on a distal end  4  of an elongated arm  3 . A rotating post  35  is located on a proximal end  5  of the arm  3  and is perpendicular to the arm  3 , thereby creating an L-shape. The hands free dehooking device  1  comprises a mountable stationary base  34  that attaches to the rotating post  35 . The mountable stationary base  34  comprises a bottom surface  36 , at least one side surface  37  and a top surface  38 . The mountable stationary base  34  attaches to a surface, such as a surface of a kayak or boat railing, via at least one attachment means  39 , such as a nut, bolt, washer, screw  40 , adhesive, rivet and so forth. 
         [0083]    The rotating post  35  is inserted and housed within a hub  41  or tubular-shaped aperture located within the mountable stationary base  34 . The hub  41  comprises an opening  42  on the top surface  38  of the mountable stationary base  34  to allow for insertion of the rotating post  35  into the hub  41 . This allows the arm  3  and ring  2  to be rotated outward over the side of a kayak or boat and over the water into an operating position. A locking means  43 , such as at least one groove  44  and/or at least one ridge  45  may be located on the hub  41  and/or the rotating post  35  to lock the arm  3  and ring  2  into a desired position. 
         [0084]    With reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a perspective top view of a flush mount hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention in a partially stored position and a perspective top view of a flush mount hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention in an operating position, respectively, are illustrated. The hands free dehooking device  1  of the present invention comprises a preferably rigid ring  2  located on a distal end  4  of an elongated arm  3 . A rotating post  35  is located on a proximal end  5  of the arm  3  and is perpendicular to the arm  3 , thereby creating an L-shape. The hands free dehooking device  1  comprises a mountable stationary base  34  that attaches to the rotating post  35 . The mountable stationary base  34  comprises a bottom surface  36 , at least one side surface  37  and a top surface  38 . The mountable stationary base  34  attaches to a surface, such as a boat railing, via at least one attachment means  39 , such as a nut, bolt, washer, screw  40 , adhesive, rivet and so forth. As illustrated here, the mountable stationary base  34  comprises two studs  46 , which are preferably threaded, that extend downward from the bottom surface  36  mountable stationary base  34 . The studs  46  may be inserted into holes drilled into a railing of a boat and secured using washers  11  and nuts  10 . The studs  46  are preferably tubular and hollow and assessable from apertures  47  located in the mountable stationary base  34 . The rotating post  35  is inserted and housed within a first stud  46 A. A locking post  48  extending downward from the arm  3  and which is parallel to the rotating post  35  may be inserted into a second stud  46 B. The locking post  48  is preferably shorter than the rotating post  35  to allow the arm  3  to be lifted high enough to disengage the locking post  48  from the second stud  46 B while the rotating post  35  remains engaged with the first stud  46 A. This allows the arm  3  and ring  2  to be rotated outward over the side of a boat and over water into an operating position. A stop  49  is preferably located on the rotating post  35  to prevent rotating post  35  from being pulled completely out of the first stud  46 A. A locking means  43 , such as at least one groove  44  and/or at least one ridge  45  may be located on the mountable stationary base  34  and/or in the first stud  46 A, to lock the arm  3  into a perpendicular position in relation to the mountable stationary base  34  (either over the water or over the deck of the boat) while the dehooking device  1  is in an operating position, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The arm  6  may be sectional, folding, removable and or telescoping, to allow the dehooking device  1  to be used as a cleat for tying off ropes. 
         [0085]    The mountable stationary base  34  preferably has a recessed portion  50  that the arm  3  and ring  2  rest in while in a stored position. This creates a substantially flush surface between the mountable stationary base  34 , arm  3  and ring  2 , thereby reducing the chance of individuals tripping or becoming caught on the hands free dehooking device  1  when not in use. 
         [0086]    It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.