Patent Publication Number: US-2021185994-A1

Title: Bait storage device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fishing bait. More particularly, it relates to storage devices for fishing bait. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Fishing tackle boxes have for many years been an essential part of the angler&#39;s equipment. Fishing tackle boxes were originally made of wood or wicker and eventually some metal fishing tackle boxes were manufactured. The first plastic fishing tackle boxes were manufactured by Plano in response to the need for a product that didn&#39;t rust. Early plastic fishing tackle boxes were similar to tool boxes but soon evolved into the hip roof cantilever tackle boxes with numerous small trays for small tackle. These types of tackle boxes are still available today but they have the disadvantage that small tackle gets mixed up. Fishing tackle boxes have also been manufactured so the drawers themselves become small storage boxes, each with their own lids. This prevents small tackle from mixing, and can turn each drawer into a stand-alone container which can be used to carry small tackle to a rod some distance from the main tackle box. 
     There are two types of baits: natural baits and artificial baits. 
     The natural bait angler usually uses a common prey species of the fish as an attractant. The natural bait used may be alive or dead. Common natural baits include bait fish, worms, leeches, minnows, frogs, salamanders, nightcrawlers and other insects. Natural baits are effective due to the lifelike texture, odors and color of the bait presented. 
     The common earthworm is a universal bait for fresh water angling. In the quest for quality worms, some fishers culture their own worm compost or practice worm charming. Grubs and maggots are also considered excellent bait when trout fishing. Grasshoppers, flies, bees and even ants are also used as bait for trout in their season, although many anglers believe that trout or salmon roe is superior to any other bait. Studies show that natural baits like croaker and shrimp are more recognized by the fish and are more readily accepted. A good bait for red drum is menhaden. Because of the risk of transmitting whirling disease, trout and salmon should not be used as bait. 
     Processed baits, such as ground bait and boilies, can work well with coarse fish, such as carp. For example, in lakes in southern climates such as Florida, fish such as bream will take bread bait. Bread bait is a small amount of bread, often moistened by saliva, balled up to a small size that is bite size to small fish. 
     Artificial baits include lures and other man-made devices. Many people prefer to fish solely with lures, which are artificial baits designed to entice fish to strike. The artificial bait angler uses a man-made lure that may or may not represent prey. The lure may require a specialized presentation to impart an enticing action as, for example, in fly fishing. Recently, electronic lures have been developed to attract fish. Anglers have also begun using plastic bait. A common way to fish a soft plastic worm is the Texas rig. 
     Known as gulp baits, they are said to be as good as, or better than, the live bait scents they imitate. Those who fish on the coast for flounder, sea trout and red fish swear by them. Even though fish are attracted to certain odors, they are also repelled by others. 
     Power baits are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the same material used to make pipes and other items. To make a soft plastic bait out of PVC, the material must be heated up and combined with an oil-based resin. The more oil-based resin added to the PVC, the softer the bait will be. This allows for much more scent distribution than with oil-based resins. Because oil and water do not mix, when scent is added to a bait created from PVC and an oil-based resin, the oil literally traps the scent inside the bait. While some of the scent does get out, the oil is actually functioning as a barrier. 
     There are many devices on the market today that can hold fishing tackle, but there are no specific devices to hold bait, whether natural or artificial. There further are no devices that store, organize and transport prepackaged bait scent products or powder baits in jars. 
     In light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to devise a bait storage device that provided more flexibility in storing, organizing and transporting of prepackaged bait scent products or powder baits in jars. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an illustrated side view of an exemplary bait storage device. 
         FIG. 1B  is an illustrated top view of the bait storage device shown in  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list. 
     “Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise. 
     Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , an illustrated view of an exemplary bait storage device  100  for transporting and storing bait scent products and power bait. The bait storage device  100  is useful for providing an effective mean of storing and transporting fishing bait, such as pre-packaged bait scent products, power baits, etc. Also, the bait storage device  100  provides improved organization and convenience by ensuring that baits are readily accessible when needed and/or wanted. The bait storage device  100  is also transportable. 
     The bait storage device  100  preferably has a length of twenty (20) inches, however other lengths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, eighteen (18) inches, twenty-three (23) inches, etc. The bait storage device  100  preferably has a width of four (4) inches, however other widths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, three (3) inches, five (5) inches, etc. The bait storage device  100  preferably has a height of six (6) inches, however other heights are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, four (4) inches, ten (10) inches, etc. The bait storage device  100  is preferably made of a plastic material, however other materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), aluminum, etc. 
     The bait storage device  100  has a box  200 , a top  300  and a plurality of containers  400 . 
     The box  200  of the bait storage device  100  has a first side  201 , a second side  202 , a third side  203 , a fourth side  204 , one or more receiving latches  205  and an inside  206 . The inside  206  of the box  200  of the bait storage device  100  is preferably hollow. The one or more receiving latches  205  are preferably made of a plastic material, however other materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, rubber, poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), etc. The one or more receiving latches  205  are preferably female receiving latches. The one or more receiving latches  205  are preferably securely coupled to a top  207  of the first side  201  of the box  200  of the bait storage device  100 . The one or more receiving latches  205  are preferably equal distance from the second side  202  and the fourth side  204  of the box  200 . 
     The plurality of containers  400  have a body  401  and a top  402 . The top  402  of the containers  400  are configured to securely couple to the body  401  of the containers  400  using a screwing means. The top  402  of the container  400  is configured to screw a groove onto a grove of the body  401  of the containers  400 . The plurality of containers preferably contain power bait or bait products. 
     The plurality of containers  400  are securely coupled by a panel  403 . The panel  403  preferably has six (6) holes  404 , where the body  401  of the containers  400  are pushed through each of the holes  404  and the top  402  is then coupled to the body  401  of the containers  400  by the screwing means. 
     The top  300  of the bait storage device  100  has an inside  301 , a top side  302  (see  FIG. 1B ), a handle  303  (see  FIG. 1B ), a support stand  304 , one or more hinges  305  and one or more coupling latches  306 . 
     The one or more coupling latches  306  are coupled to a front  307  of the top  300  and are configured to be securely and removably coupled to the receiving latches  205  of the box  200 . The one or more coupling latches  306  are preferably made of a plastic material, however other materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, rubber, poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), etc. The one or more coupling latches  306  are preferably male coupling latches. 
     The one or more hinges  305  are coupled to a back  308  of the top  300  and further securely coupled to a top  208  of the fourth side  204  of the box  200 . 
     The support stand  304  is coupled to the inside  301  of the top  300 . The support stand  304  is useful in providing a mechanism to keep the top  300  in an open position while the containers  400  stored on the inside  206  of the box  200  are being accessed. 
     The handle  303  is coupled to the top side  302  of the top  300 . The handle  303  is useful for providing a carrying device for transporting the bait storage device  100 . 
     In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application. 
     The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.