Patent Publication Number: US-8967396-B2

Title: Fishing rod hanging system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/466,833, filed Mar. 23, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention is directed to a fishing rod hanging system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Fishing rods are commonly displayed in racks or free standing displays. For example, rod racks may be positioned behind a sales counter. However, this requires that the retail establishment have high ceilings. As another example, rods can be placed in free standing displays accessible to potential buyers. Although this configuration allows the butt end of the rods to be placed on or near the floor, like dedicated rod racks, rod displays require specialized fixtures. Because of this, retailers that are not focused on fishing or sporting goods may be reluctant to stock fishing rods for sale. Accordingly, potential sales outlets, such as general or convenience stores located near desirable fishing locations, often forgo the opportunity to sell fishing rods to customers. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for the display of fishing rods that allows fishing rods to be displayed on a conventional pegboard or hanging rack. In particular, the system as disclosed herein provides a hanger member that includes a plurality of rails to which the sections of a rod can be attached. Some or all of the rails may feature a plurality of fastener holes, for receiving a fastener member at any of a number of locations along the length of the rail that can be used to attach one or more rod sections to the hanger member. Moreover, some or all of the rails can incorporate a clip or integrated fastener structure for attaching one or more rod sections to the hanger member. In accordance with further embodiments, some or all of the rails can include a stop plate. The hanger member can include one or more apertures, to facilitate interconnecting the hanger member and the attached rod from a hook or rail, including fixed members, or members attached to a pegboard, slat board or other configurable system. 
     In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the fishing rod hanging system can include or be associated with an auxiliary package. As an example, the auxiliary package can comprise a container such as a blister package that encloses at least a portion of some or all of the rod sections. Moreover, the blister package can be positioned at an end of the rod sections opposite the end of those sections at which the hanger member is fixed to the rod. The auxiliary package can also hold additional items. For example, a reel, lures, line, or other fishing tackle, accessories, instructions, or the like, can be held within or attached to the auxiliary package. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the auxiliary package extends along a portion of the rod section that is less than the length of any one rod section. Accordingly, the need to provide large, wasteful blister packages or enclosures is avoided. 
     Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a hanger member for display of fishing rods with an interconnected rod in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a hanger member for display of fishing rods with an interconnected rod in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a hanger member for display of fishing rods with an interconnected rod and an auxiliary package in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a front side plan view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a back side plan view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a left side elevation view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a right side elevation view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a top elevation view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom elevation view of a hanger member for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a fishing rod hanging system  100  that includes a hanger member  104  for display of fishing rods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, with a fishing rod  108  attached thereto. In general, the hanger member  104  includes a plurality of parallel rails  112 . The rails  112  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  include a first rail  112   a  with a plurality of fastener holes  116  and a second rail  112   b  with an integrated fastener member  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener holes  116  of the first rail  112   a  are arranged in pairs that are configured to receive a fastener or fastener member  124  that acts to secure a rod  108  section to the rail  112   a . In this example, the fastener  124  comprises a zip or cable tie, and two fasteners  124  are used at different locations along the length of the rail  112   a  to secure the rod  108  section. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art after consideration of the present disclosure, securement at multiple locations can be desirable to provide stability and a secure attachment of the rod  108  section to the rail  112   a . Moreover, by spacing fastener holes  116  at different locations along the length of the rail  112   a , different pairs of fastener holes  116  can be selected according to those that best accommodate the rod  108  section attached to the rail  112   a . In particular, it can be desirable to provide a fastener hole  116  proximate to a rod guide  128  between the fastener hole  116  and a first stop plate  130   a , to confine movement of the rod  108  section in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail  112   a  and the rod  108  section. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a butt or handle section  110  of the rod  108  is attached to the first rail  112   a.    
     The second rail  112   b  includes an integrated fastener  120  that in this example comprises a clip. The integrated fastener  120  receives a tip portion or section  114  of the rod  108 . Accordingly, the tip section  114  of the rod  108  can be snapped into the fastener  120 . Thus attached, the end or tip guide  132  of the tip section  114  of the rod  108  is between the integrated fastener  120  and a second stop plate  130   b  that is associated with the second rail  112   b . As shown in the figure, the tip section  114  of the rod  108  can be positioned such that it extends through guides  128  of the butt section  110  attached to the first rail  112   a.    
     The hanger member  104  includes a hanger plate  140  that provides a structure for interconnecting the first  112   a  and second  112   b  rails. In addition, the hanger plate  140  includes an aperture or hanger aperture  144  for receiving a hook, rail, or other display fixture member. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the aperture  144  is shown as a closed aperture. However, embodiments can provide an aperture  144  that is open, for example to facilitate hanging the hanger member  104  from a rack. In accordance with still other embodiments, the hanger plate  140  can comprise a separate hook that is fixed to the hanger plate  140 . In accordance with still other embodiments, multiple apertures  144  may be provided. As shown, the hanger plate  140  can also include a display area  148 . For example, the display area  148  may comprise a planar area or surface between the hanger aperture  144  and the rails  112 , to provide space for a label. 
     The rails  112  may have different lengths. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the first rail  112   a  may extend for a first distance or length from the hanger plate  140 , while the second rail  112   b  may extend for a second distance or length from the hanger plate  140  that is less than the first length. Moreover, the rails  112  can be integrated with (i.e., formed from the same piece of material as) the hanger plate  140 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a fishing rod hanging system  100  incorporating a hanger member  104  in accordance with further embodiments of the present invention. In particular, the hanger member  104  in  FIG. 2  is shown with a three-piece or section rod  108  attached thereto. In this example, the butt section  110  and a middle section  204  are both interconnected to the first rail  112   a  of the hanger member  104 . The tip section  114  of the rod  108  is interconnected to the second rail  112   b . Accordingly, rods  108  with three or more sections can be interconnected to a hanger member  104  with fewer rails  112  than rod  108  sections. In accordance with still other embodiments, additional rails  112  may be provided. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a fishing rod hanging system  100  incorporating a hanger member  104  in accordance with still other embodiments of the present invention. More particularly, the embodiment of  FIG. 3  is associated with an auxiliary package  304  that is interconnected at or towards an end of the rod  108  sections opposite the ends of the rod  108  sections proximate to the hanger plate  140 . In this configuration, the rod  108  provides a structure that interconnects the hanger member  104  to the auxiliary package  304 . Accordingly,  FIG. 3  is an example of a fishing rod hanging system  100  that includes an auxiliary package  304 , in combination with a hanger member  104  and a rod  108 . An auxiliary package  304  in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can enclose or provide an attachment point for accessory or other items  306 . For example, the auxiliary package  304  can provide packaging or an attachment point for a reel  308 , flies or other lures  312 , fishing lines  316 , instructions  320 , or any other accessory items  306  that are included as part of a package or kit. The auxiliary package  304  can, at least in some embodiments, comprise a blister type package that holds the accessory items  306 . In accordance with at least some embodiments, the auxiliary package  304  extends for only a portion of the length of the interconnected rod  108  sections. For example, the auxiliary package  304  can be interconnected to the hanger member  104  by the sections of the rod  108 , but need not be in direct contact with the hanger member  104 . 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a hanger member  104  in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In this view, the fastener holes  116  formed in the first rail  112   a  can clearly be seen. In particular, it is apparent that the fastener holes  116  can comprise slots that are arranged in pairs at intervals along the length of the first rail  112   a . Accordingly, in this embodiment, the fastener holes  116  are particularly adapted to receive zip type fasteners. By providing the fastener holes  116  at different locations along the length of the first rail  112   a , rods  108  with guides  128  at different locations relative to the end of the rod  108  section held in the first rail  112   a  can be accommodated and securely attached to the hanger member  104 . The second rail  112   b  in this illustrated embodiment includes an integrated fastener member  120  that, in this example, comprises a clip. More particularly, the integrated fastener  120  is sized to receive a tip section  114  of a rod  108 . For example, the integrated fastener  120  can receive the tip section  114  of a rod, such that the tip guide  132  (see  FIG. 1 ) is held between the integrated fastener  120  and the stop plate  130  associated with the second rail  112   b.    
       FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9  and  10  are front, back, left side, right side, top, and bottom views respectively of the exemplary hanger member  104  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, each rail  112  can include fastener holes  116  and/or integrated fasteners or fastener members  120 . Moreover, fastener holes  116  are not limited to slot pairs. For example, a fastener hole  116  may comprise a round hole or pair of round holes adapted to receive a wire tie. In accordance with still other embodiments, fastener holes  116  may be provided in the form of open slots formed along one or more side edges of a rail  112 , that are sized to receive a tie member. Other examples of fastener holes  116  include round holes for receiving self tapping screws that secure clips or other members around an interconnected rod  108  section. The hanger member  104  may be formed from a molded material. For example, the hanger member  104  may be formed from an injection molded plastic. 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presently known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application or use of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.