Abstract:
A fish hook or line coupling device having a “valley crook” attachment feature for catching a knot of a fishing line and circumventing the hassle of stringing a fish line through the eye of a conventional fish hook and tying a fishing knot. The “valley crook” attachment includes a stem extending from the shaft of a fish hook or coupler to a bend providing a gap between the stem and a tail. The gap has a width less than a diameter of a knot in a fishing line. The tail may have an inward bend for catching the line within the gap, and the tail may be outwardly flared to facilitate installation of the line into the gap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application 61/992,287 filed May 13, 2014 and hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to fish hooks and line coupling devices and in particular to a fish hook and line coupling device which provide an easy no tie attachment of a fish hook or line coupling device to a fishing line. Further, the present invention relates to a fish hook or line coupling device having a “valley crook” attachment feature for catching a knot and accepting of a fishing line through or around the eye of a conventional fish hook and securing it with the appropriate tied knot. 
         [0003]    A typical fish hook has an eye, which is fully or substantially closed for receiving a fish line. Tying the line and fish hook together can be a tedious and burdensome process. It requires inserting the fishing line through a relatively small eye of the hook, then creating a knot, e.g., twisting the line a number of times around the shaft or line, and threading the line back through a small hole which was made by twisting the line, and pulling the line to tighten the coils to complete the knot. People who do not go fishing on a fairly regular basis must often refresh their memories or repeatedly receive instructions as to how to tie and knot the line properly to the fish hook. It can take several minutes for a novice fisherman to get his or her traditional fish hook tied to the line the properly. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a no-tie fishing hook or line coupling device is desired which facilitates the attachment of a fish hook to a line without comprising the strength of the attachment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention brings a unique and novel device and method for attaching a fish hook to a fishing line. It will benefit fishermen, women, and children of all age groups who enjoy fishing but do not want the hassle or complication of attaching a fishing line to a traditional or conventional fish hook. The present invention simplifies the process and makes it faster to accomplish. It is more user friendly than the traditional hook known in the art because of its novel “valley crook” feature. 
         [0006]    The present invention is designed with a “valley crook” in which a simple knot of a fishing line passes through and slides into and catches therein. The line is then looped once over completing the attachment and giving it added strength and security. It only takes seconds to complete. The present invention provides simplicity, strength, and convenience to the user while at the same time allowing the user to continue using most any kind of fishing line including, e.g., a lead core line. 
         [0007]    The present invention provides a fish hook having a point on a first end extending to a bend and a shank connecting the bend to a second end. An attachment “valley crook” is located at the second end having a stem extending from the shaft into a U-shaped bend defining a gap. A tail extends from the U-shaped bend running generally parallel to the shaft, and then bending away from the shaft to create a non-abrasive entry point for the fishing line. The gap between the stem and the tail has a width less than a diameter of a knot of a fishing line. After the line partially enters the “valley crook,” the stem widens to the width of the fishing line being used. The “valley crook” has various widths depending on which line the user is using. Therefore, as the “valley crook” is designed for adapting to various fishing line diameters, the general shape remains the same, while the bends in the shaft from the first end to the second end may be modified for different types of fishing techniques. 
         [0008]    The attachment “valley crook” may be angled away from the first end to facilitate attachment of the line. 
         [0009]    An inward bend in the tail may provide a notch between the “valley crook” and the stem having a width less than a diameter of the fishing line. 
         [0010]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention an in-line fishing coupler includes a shaft extending between a first end and a second end. The first end has an attachment “valley crook” having a stem extending from the shaft into a U-shaped bend defining a gap, and a tail extending from the U-shaped bend extending generally parallel to the shaft. The second end has a hook attachment. 
         [0011]    The hook attachment may be a stem extending from the shaft into a U-shaped bend defining a gap, and a tail extending from the U-shaped bend extending generally parallel to the shaft. 
         [0012]    These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the present invention showing a line attachment “valley crook” at the end of a fish hook opposite the bite; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of the present invention showing a line attachment “valley crook” at a first end of a coupling device opposite a second end having an attachment for a fish hook; and 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3A-3H  shows the step-by-step method of attaching a fishing line to the fish hook of  FIG. 1  having the line attachment “valley crook.” 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in connection with a fish hook  10 . The fish hook has three sections: a bite end  12 , a bend  14 , and a shank  16 . The bite end  12 , bend  14 , and shank  16  of the fish hook  10  is as substantially known in the art and described in U.S. Pat. No. 666,309; U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,387; U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,834; U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,660; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,358, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0017]    The bite end  12  has a point  18  which is sharp and is configured to penetrate the fish&#39;s flesh or mouth and secures the fish to the hook  10 . The bite end  12  may also include a barb  20  at the inner end of the point  18  and which is generally a reverse point that is designed to keep the fish on the hook  10 . The bend  14  is the curved section of the hook which determines the gap or the width of the hook (from point to shank). The shank  16  connects the bend  14  to the end  22  of the hook  10  and is generally straight. 
         [0018]    The end  22  of the hook, in accordance with the present invention, provides a “valley crook” attachment  26  having a narrow valley  24  for insertion of a fish line and knot. The “valley crook” attachment  26  may be angled away from the bite end of the hook  10  to facilitate attachment of the line. The “valley crook” attachment  26  may be angled between 0 and 90 degrees from the angle of the shank  16 . Preferably, the “valley crook” attachment  26  is angled generally 45 degrees from the angle of the shank. The “valley crook” attachment  26  includes a generally straight stem  28  extending from the shank  16 , although the stem  28  may be angled away from the shank  16 . 
         [0019]    The “valley crook” attachment  26  then includes a bend  30  which is a curved section that determines a width of the valley  24 . The width of the valley  24  is slightly greater than the diameter of the fish line but less than the diameter of a knot placed in the fish line. It is contemplated that the width of the valley  24  may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the fish line but allows the fish line to fit within due to flexibility of the material. 
         [0020]    The tail  32  of the “valley crook” attachment  26  connects the bend  30  to the tip  36  of hook  10 . The tail  32  is generally shorter than the stem  28  and includes an inward dip  34  toward the stern  28  before the tip of the tail  32  extends generally parallel to the stem  28  or angled slightly outward from the stem  28 . The inward dip  34  provides a notch between the tail  32  and the stem  28  which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the fish line. The inward dip  34  helps to secure the fish line within the valley  24  by “snapping” it within the valley  24 . The flexibility of the material allows the line to be received within the valley past the inward dip  34 . The tip  36  may be angled between 0 and 90 degrees form the angle of the tail  32 . Preferably, the tip  36  is angled generally 45 degrees from the angle of the tail  32 . 
         [0021]    The total length of the fish hook  10 , from the bend  14  to the end  22  of the “valley crook” attachment  26  typically measures between 0.5 inches to 3 inches or more. The width of the fish hook  10 , from the point  18  to shaft  13 , will generally range from to 0.25 inches to 1 inch. The material of the fish hook  10  may generally vary depending upon the intended purpose of the fish hook, the fish hook  10  may be made of metal, steel, stainless steel, high carbon steel, bronze, nickel, and other fish hook material known in the art. Fish hooks  10  come in a wide range of sizes and styles depending on the type of fishing and site and species of the catch. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in connection with an inline coupling device  40  for attaching a fish hook  42  to a line. A first end  44  of the coupling device  40  includes the “valley crook” attachment  26  as described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . A second end  46  of the coupling device may include a similar but enlarged version of the “valley crook” attachment  26 . The second end  46  would have a greater valley  24  width to facilitate attachment of an eye  48  of a conventional fish hook  42 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-3H , a method of using the fish hook  10  of the present invention is shown. While the method is shown being applied to the “valley crook” attachment end  26  of  FIG. 1 , the same method can be used attach a line to the “valley crook” attachment end  26  of the first end  44  of the coupling device  40  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0024]    The method of attaching a fish line  50  to the fish hook  10  of  FIG. 1  is as follows: 
         [0025]    1) Select the desired hook size needed for the diameter and pound test of fishing line you are going to fish with. 
         [0026]    2) Referring to  FIG. 3A , take your fishing line  50  and tie a knot  52  approximately an inch from the end of the line  50 . 
         [0027]    3) Cut off the remaining line leaving a small tail of fish line  50  left 
         [0028]    4) Referring to  FIG. 3B , make an approximately one inch loop with the knot  52  on the down side, and hold it in one hand. 
         [0029]    5) With the other hand, take the fish hook  10  and put the shaft  16  of the hook  10  thru the loop about halfway up the shank  16 . 
         [0030]    6) Referring to  FIG. 3C-3D , pull the loop so it slides up the shank  16  and into the valley  24  until it stops all the way inside the valley  24 . (As it starts to go thru the opening of the valley  24 , you should feel a slight resistance as it clears the inward dip  34 . This reassures that you have the right size valley  24  for the line  50  you are using.) 
         [0031]    7) Referring to  FIG. 3E , pull the line  50  up away from the hook  10  until the knot  52  seats within the valley  24 . 
         [0032]    8) Referring to  FIG. 3F-3H , loop the line  50  one time around the opening of the valley  24 , then pulling it thru the valley  24 , and then pulling it tight. The line  50  may be looped additional times for additional security, repeating the step shown in  FIG. 3F-3H . The fish hook  10  is now ready for bait. 
         [0033]    9) In order to uninstall the fish hook  10  from the line  50 , the looping is reversed or simply cut from the fish hook  10 . 
         [0034]    Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”. “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component wider discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. 
         [0035]    When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terns “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
         [0036]    It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.