Patent Publication Number: US-2016219854-A1

Title: Fishing Line Entanglement Prevention Device

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/109,145 filed 29 Jan. 2015 titled “Fishing Line Entanglement Prevention Device” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for preventing entanglement of two lines used in fishing: a line used for carrying a weight and a line carrying bait with hooks for catching the fish. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The fishing line connected to a fishing pole typically includes hooks configured to receive bait thereon. While strong, the line is thin. The line also needs to have a weight extension that insures that the bait sinks to the desired depth where the fish are located. The weight extension and the bait often become entangled which can diminish the exposure of the bait and keep the fish away. 
     Various configurations of lines, weights, and hooks are known in the art of fishing. Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices and prior patents proposed complicated combinations of fishing line hook and weight combinations that do not effectively present entanglement of a fishing line in use with a weight, hooks, and bait/lure. 
     It would be therefore desirable to provide a fishing line entanglement prevention device that maintains a separation between the weight line and the bait line so as to prevent entanglement and may be set to maintain the desired depth for the baits. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A fishing line entanglement prevention device for preventing entanglement of a weight line and bait line used in fishing according to the present invention includes a splitting member that includes a vertical arm defining a vertical arm channel traversing between opposed open top and bottom ends and a lateral arm defining a lateral arm channel traversing through a length of the lateral arm between opposed first and second open ends. The lateral arm channel is in communication with the vertical arm channel proximate the first open end of the lateral arm. A weight line bracing member includes an arm portion having a top end selectively coupled to the splitting member and a bottom end, the arm portion defining an opening adjacent the bottom that is capable of receiving the bait line therethrough. 
     The weight line bracing member is configured for selective insertion into the lateral arm channel such that the top end is adjacent to the vertical arm of the splitting member when inserted therein. The bottom end of the arm portion of the bracing member defines a slot having a configuration capable of engaging the weight line when the bracing member is inserted into the lateral arm channel. 
     Therefore, a general object of the present invention is to provide a fishing line entanglement prevention device that maintains a separation between the weight line and the bait line so as to prevent entanglement and may be set to maintain the desired depth for the baits. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fishing line entanglement prevention device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the entanglement prevention device as in  FIG. 1  removed from the fishing lines and bait; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the entanglement prevention device as in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the entanglement prevention device as in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5 a    is a top view of the entanglement prevention device as in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 5 b    is a sectional view taken along line  5   b - 5   b  of  FIG. 5 a   , illustrated with the weight line bracing member exploded from the lateral arm; and 
         FIG. 5 c    is a sectional view taken along line  5   b - 5   b  of  FIG. 5 a   , illustrated with the weight line bracing member inserted into the lateral arm. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A fishing line entanglement prevention device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5   c  of the accompanying drawings. The fishing line entanglement prevention device  30  includes a splitting member  10  and a weight line bracing member  20 . 
     The splitting member  10  has a vertical arm  16  having a tubular shape that defines a vertical arm channel  12  that traverses through the length of the vertical arm  16 . The vertical arm  16  defines opposed top and bottom open ends  12 A in communication with the vertical arm channel  12 . A lateral arm  15  having a substantially tubular shape is connected to the vertical arm  16  at about a mid-point of the vertical arm  16 . The lateral arm  15  may be perpendicular to the vertical arm  16 . The lateral arm defines a rectangular lateral arm channel  14  and defines an opening  14 B at a rear side of the splitting member  10  and a rectangular opening  14 A in the front side of the vertical arm  16 . The openings are in communication with the lateral arm channel  14  and are configured to enable a weight line  11  to enter and exit therethrough, respectively, as will be described in more detail later. 
     The long side of the rectangular opening  14 A is parallel with the length of the vertical arm  16 . Again, the vertical arm channel  12  is in communication with the lateral arm channel  14  adjacent opening  14 A. It is noted that other shapes for the vertical and lateral arms, such as square, rectangular and triangular also fall within the scope of the present invention. 
     The weight line bracing member  20  includes an elongate arm portion  21  having a top end and a bottom end. The arm portion  21  may have a rectangular configuration complementary to the rectangular lateral arm channel  14  such that the arm portion  21  may be selectively inserted into the lateral arm channel  14 . It is understood that the rectangular configurations prevent rotational movement of the bracing member  20  relative to the lateral arm  15 . The top end of the arm portion  21  may be in the form of a fastener  22 , such as a clamp, configured to selectively engage the vertical arm  16  of the splitting member  10 . 
     The bottom end of the weight line bracing member  20  may define a slot  24 . The first side width W 1  of the arm portion  21  corresponds to the length of the rectangular opening  14 A while the second side width W 2  matches the width of the rectangular opening  14 A. The openings  14 A and  14 B are configured to receive the arm portion  21  into the lateral arm channel  14  defined by the lateral arm  10  of the splitting member  10 . 
     The weight line  11  may be a generally thin but strong wire to which a weight  31  may be attached. The weight line  11  may be threaded through the top opening of the vertical arm  16  and exiting through the bottom opening of the vertical arm  16  so that the weight line  11  passes through the vertical arm channel  12 . The weight  31  may be attached to the end of the weight line  11  exiting through the bottom end of the vertical arm  16 . The weight line  11  that enters the vertical arm  16  originates from and is attached to a fishing pole, e.g. a reel. 
     The first side of the weight line bracing member  20  defines an opening  23  adjacent the bottom end of the arm portion  21 . The opening  23  will enable a bait line  34  to be attached to the arm portion  21  of the weight line bracing member  20 , as will be described in more detail later. In addition, the bottom end of the arm portion  21  of the weight line bracing member  20  defines a slot  24  or notch configured to engage the weight line  11  when the bracing member  20  is inserted into the lateral arm channel  14 . 
     The weight line bracing member  20  is configured for selective inserted through rectangular opening  14 A in the front side of the vertical arm  16  and into the lateral arm channel. The insertion causes the slot  24  to catch or engage the weight line  11  and push it through the lateral arm channel  14  (i.e. the lateral arm channel) and out of the opening  14 B of lateral arm  15 .  FIGS. 5 b  and 5 c    illustrate the position of the weight line  11  before and after insertion of the weight line bracing member  20 . This insertion has the effect of bracing the weight line  11 . This setup has the benefit of locking or predetermining the depth at which the device  30  will be positioned in a body of water, e.g. while fishing. 
     In use, the length of the weight line  11  is set to the desired depth where the fish are roaming. Next, the weight line bracing member  20  may be inserted through rectangular opening  14 A in the front side of the vertical arm  16  of the splitting member  10  all the way through the lateral arm channel  14  to the bottom end. As described above, this insertion causes the weight line  11  to be captured by the slot  24  and the weight line  11  is secured. This locks this depth and prevents up or down movement of the device  30  once positioned in a body of water, such as while fishing. The fastener  22  couples the weight line bracing member  20  to the splitting member  10  to ensure the integrity of the device  30  in use. 
     A bait line  34  to which the bait  33  and hooks  32  are attached may be coupled to the weight line bracing member  20  so as to provide bait for fishing. More particularly, the bait line  34  may be attached to the opening  23  that is at the end of the arm portion  21  of the weight line bracing member  20 , such as by inserting an end of the bait line  34  through the opening  23  and tying a knot. 
     Accordingly, the assembled device is configured to keep the bait  33  and the weight  31  separate and prevent them from entangling. This configuration also uses less wire than in a conventional fishing pole setup. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.